Chapter 281: Chapter 227: The Mysterious Ancient Ruins
Ling Xiao and his three companions finally arrived at a lush, green mountain in the southwestern region of the Zichuan Empire.
For hundreds of miles around, the land was desolate and uninhabited. The mountain paths were rugged and difficult to traverse, and it looked as though few had ever set foot here. Fortunately, the four of them had no trouble navigating such terrain. Tiger, in particular, felt as if he had returned home. Although this forest was different from the swamp, the Beast Race’s habitat in the Penzes Swamp was, for all intents and purposes, a primeval forest.
All along the way, Ling Su resisted the urge to ask Ling Xiao why he had suddenly become so incredible. ’When the time is right, he’ll surely tell me,’ she thought. ’Asking now would probably be inconvenient. After all, as far as I’m concerned, both Song Mingyue—the young master in disguise—and Tiger, that savage-looking Beastman, are still outsiders.’
’At least that Tiger seems completely loyal,’ she mused. ’And that woman, Song Mingyue... Hmm, she seems to have a hint of affection for my brother. It also feels like she wants something from him. Still, especially back in the Seven-colored City, in such a dangerous situation, neither of them abandoned him to save themselves. I suppose that shows they have some integrity.’
So, although she was somewhat wary of the two of them, Ling Su didn’t let it show in the slightest. She had no objections to them coming along to the Ancient Ruins. She could see that this younger brother of hers was vastly different from when she had left the Imperial Capital. He seemed much more mature, and most importantly, his power had advanced by leaps and bounds!
’It’s truly unbelievable!’ Ling Su thought. ’My brother must have had an incredible stroke of luck. As his older sister, I’m just happy for him. I have no other feelings on the matter.’
And so, the four of them concealed their tracks as they traveled. With Tiger, a Beastman raised in the jungle, this was no problem at all.
When they neared the cliff, Ling Xiao and the others were astonished. No wonder these Ancient Ruins had never been discovered. The cliff was at least a thousand meters high! From below, the top was completely out of sight, as the cliff face leaned slightly forward, creating an immense, oppressive feeling.
Only by retreating several hundred meters and leaping to the treetops could they get a full view. At the base of the cliff was a rushing river. The water looked deep, so clear you could see the bottom, and it was bone-chillingly cold. The river was about twenty meters wide—a distance that meant nothing to three of them, though Ling Su might have found it a bit difficult.
The problem was, the other side of the river ran right up against the cliff face. In other words, even if you could make the jump, there was nowhere to land. You would just end up in the water. And that water was not only freezing but also extremely turbulent, with powerful whirlpools constantly forming on the surface, a terrifying sight. On their side of the river, a tangled mess of shrubs grew so thickly there was barely any room to stand.
Song Mingyue sighed in admiration. "Heavens, it’s a wonder you ever found this place. But... but how did you get across? And where are the ancient ruins?"
Ling Su smiled faintly and pointed downstream about fifty meters. The cliff face there was slightly less steep, with what looked like a small alcove just big enough to hold one person.
Song Mingyue asked in disbelief, "That’s it?" When Ling Su nodded, she said, unconvinced, "You can’t be serious, Sister. Even if it’s slightly indented, that’s still a sheer cliff face. How could any Ancient Ruins be there?"
Ling Xiao, however, noticed something unusual about the spot. At first glance, the indentation looked no different from its surroundings, but a closer look revealed the issue.
’The color of that Stone seems slightly different from the rock around it...’ Of course, not everyone possessed such keen eyesight. Ling Su could spot it because she had studied Ancient Ruins since childhood and was very familiar with subtle variations in such environments. Ling Xiao, on the other hand, could see it purely due to the power of his own vision.
’After tens of thousands of years of blending in, that Stone looks practically identical to its surroundings. I’m sure that if Ling Su hadn’t pointed it out, even I would have missed it.’ At this thought, Ling Xiao couldn’t help but admire his sister. In this area, she truly possessed considerable expertise.
"Then how did you get across?"
Song Mingyue asked, still finding it hard to believe. She considered herself well-versed in many subjects, and the training for disciples of reclusive noble houses focused on two things: martial arts, and the search for Ancient Ruins. For those reclusive houses and sects, if they were lucky enough to find even one valuable Ancient Ruin every five hundred years, it was enough to ensure the family’s prosperity for the next five centuries, provided they developed discreetly. This was because Ancient Ruins often contained a wealth of High-level Sword Skills, Cultivation Techniques, and incredibly precious Ancient Scrolls and books. If they were exceptionally lucky, they might even find formulas left behind by ancient Alchemists. Many of the more powerful reclusive houses and sects actually possessed secret recipes for refining Elixirs that could accelerate cultivation speed. However, the medicinal ingredients required for Refining Elixirs were too difficult to find, and very few people were capable of successfully performing the process. This was why Elixirs held such a powerful allure for the reclusive houses and sects.
After all, Alchemy wasn’t a job a mere Pharmacist could handle. If someone thought Alchemy was the same as concocting medicinal pills, they either knew nothing about the art or had a screw loose.
Ling Su smiled and pointed upstream toward a bend in the river. "Just past that bend, there’s a huge tree growing on this bank. I’m not sure why it fell—or perhaps it just grew crooked from the start. It’s still alive and well, and it’s so massive that it leans against the cliff on the other side, forming a natural bridge. *Giggle,* I bet you didn’t expect that, did you?"
"Uh..."
Song Mingyue had grown up at sea. When it came to her skill in the water, several Ling Sus combined would be no match for her. But when it came to the tricks of adventuring, it was like listening to a foreign language; she didn’t understand a thing. So, even though she still had many questions, she was afraid of being a nuisance and decided to keep her mouth shut. ’Besides,’ she thought, ’with my power, I can fly straight across. Why bother with all this?’
In truth, this was a rather naive thought on her part. Many Ancient Ruins actually possessed terrifying defenses. Charging in blindly could easily result in being wounded by a sudden volley of arrows. Such scenarios were not only possible but quite common.
Ling Su just smiled, not bothering to argue. She led the group along the turbulent river and around the upstream bend. Sure enough, they saw a massive tree lying across the gap. Then, upon closer inspection, they noticed that numerous palm-length, black iron spikes had been driven into the cliff face. Due to years of spray from the river, the five or six meters of cliff above the water line were covered in thick moss, making the spikes almost impossible to spot if you weren’t looking carefully.
Ling Su took the lead. She turned back to Ling Xiao and the others and said, "You’re all stronger than I am, so I won’t waste my breath telling you to be careful. Just follow me!"
The four of them hugged the cliff face. Moving like this, with the torrent raging just beneath their feet and the thunderous roar of the water in their ears, was surprisingly nerve-wracking. Song Mingyue found her own reaction amusing. ’Am I nervous because we’re about to unveil a new Ancient Ruin?’ she thought. ’I’ve weathered the greatest of storms. Why would I be afraid of a little river?’
Fortunately, the power of a Demon Sword Master was not just for show. They encountered no mishaps, and all four of them arrived at the edge of the alcove.
Ling Su let out a soft sigh and said, "To think, just over a month ago, there were seven or eight of us here. Now, I’m the only one left."
Sensing Ling Su’s somber mood, Song Mingyue chuckled softly. "That wasn’t your fault, Sister. Their own greed brought it upon them! You can rest assured, Sister. On this trip, I, Ming Yue, am only bringing my eyes. I won’t lay a hand on anything!"
’That was exactly what I was getting at,’ Ling Su thought. She knew this woman was an impostor, but the problem was, her brother didn’t. As for love and affection, having dealt with countless nobles, Ling Su wasn’t one to put much faith in such things. In her experience, the higher a person’s birth, the more likely they were to betray you behind a veneer of righteousness.
However, for Song Mingyue to call her out so directly, and with such sincerity, made Ling Su’s fair cheeks flush for a moment before she regained her composure. ’I’m only doing this for my brother’s sake,’ she thought. ’If this Song Mingyue truly has no ulterior motives, then she won’t be offended by my words. And if she does, then this can serve as a warning to her.’
’It’s a subtle reminder: don’t try anything funny. The fact that everyone else died while I alone survived should speak for itself.’
Ling Su’s martial prowess was not high, but she was an absolute expert when it came to archaeology. Her hands probed the surface of the alcove for a long time. Just as the others were starting to grow impatient, they heard a faint vibration. The sound was incredibly soft; if they hadn’t been standing right there, it would have been completely drowned out by the river.
It was a far cry from the thunderous boom they had all been expecting.
Following the faint sound, the Stone in the alcove miraculously sank into the cliff face below!
It revealed... a deep, pitch-black tunnel.
Ling Su took a fire-starter from her robes, flicked it open, and led the way, ducking inside.
Song Mingyue followed closely, with Ling Xiao third and a vigilant Tiger bringing up the rear. Ling Xiao suddenly turned back and said, "Tiger, get rid of all these black spikes. Throw them into the river."
Ling Su, at the head of the group, paused for a moment. Song Mingyue laughed and said, "Don’t worry, we’ll help you get out when we leave!"
Ling Su gave a wry smile. ’So, in front of these people, I’m the one holding everyone back.’ She didn’t dwell on it. She hadn’t gone very far inside last time, but she knew that these particular Ancient Ruins were mostly free of mechanisms and traps.
’Even so, it’s best to be cautious!’
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