Qin Bo proceeded cautiously along the passage.
From time to time, faint whispers drifted beside his ears, as though countless ghosts were recounting their grievances to him.
"Hmph, putting on an act."
Qin Bo gave a cold snort and tightened his grip on the Heavenly Dipper Bloodthirsty Saber.
As he ventured deeper, a huge circular space suddenly appeared ahead.
At the very center of the space stood an ancient stone platform.
The platform was covered in all sorts of strange runes. They flickered with an eerie light, as if some mysterious ritual were taking place.
"What is this thing?! An altar?"
Qin Bo circled the stone platform twice, utterly baffled.
Just then, a voice rang out.
"Stand on the platform!"
"Who is it?!"
Qin Bo instantly grew vigilant. Clutching the Heavenly Dipper Bloodthirsty Saber tightly, he swept his gaze around him, his eyes blazing.
Yet aside from the red crystals, he found no suspicious signs.
"Don't worry about who I am. The examination site isn't here. This is an entrance and exit. Just stand on it!"
The voice sounded again and offered an explanation.
"Teleportation?!"
Qin Bo understood at once.
Without any hesitation, he immediately stepped onto the stone platform.
The instant Qin Bo set foot on it, the runes on the platform shone brilliantly, and the intense light stabbed at his eyes until he could not open them.
Immediately afterward, a powerful suction force came surging over, as if it intended to tear even his soul out of his body.
Qin Bo clenched his teeth and struggled to remain conscious.
The surrounding space seemed to twist, while all kinds of strange lights and shadows flashed rapidly before his eyes.
In his ears were the howling wind and the furious roars of bizarre creatures.
Interwoven together, they formed a cacophony that made his blood run cold.
No one knew how long had passed before the light gradually faded and the suction force disappeared with it.
Qin Bo slowly opened his eyes and discovered that he was in the midst of a dense forest.
Ancient trees towered all around him. Sunlight streamed through gaps in the leaves, forming golden pillars of light.
Yet this seemingly tranquil forest exuded an indescribable eeriness.
The fallen leaves on the ground were piled as high as mountains, but not the slightest scent of decay emanated from them. Instead, they gave off a faint ghostly glow.
"Is this the true examination site?"
Qin Bo muttered under his breath. Tightening his grip on the Heavenly Dipper Bloodthirsty Saber, he proceeded cautiously.
He had not gone far when he heard a clear birdcall.
Yet in this eerie forest, the birdcall seemed especially jarring.
Following the sound, Qin Bo saw a brilliantly multicolored bird perched atop a huge ancient tree.
The bird resembled a phoenix, yet it had three eyes. It cocked its head and stared at Qin Bo curiously.
"Human, you should not have come here. This place is filled with danger. Leave at once."
The bird actually spoke in human tongue, its voice clear and melodious.
Qin Bo froze. This bird could speak?
"Senior, I was sent here by the Demon Suppressing Division to undergo an examination. I cannot leave."
"Someone here for an examination?!"
"Ridiculous! This is the Evil Suppressing Ground. How could it be used as an examination site?"
"Turn back at once!"
Qin Bo furrowed his brows tightly, his heart filling with suspicion.
If this truly was not the examination site, then why had he been teleported here?
Had the Black Robe Elder done this deliberately, or was there some other hidden reason?
"Senior, the instructions I received were to come here and complete the examination. If I return rashly now, I fear I will be unable to give an account of myself. I hope Senior can tell me a little more—what exactly is the situation with this Evil Suppressing Ground?"
Qin Bo was sincere in his manner. He clasped his hands and sought the bird's guidance.
A trace of worry flashed through the bird's eyes as it slowly said:
"This forest is called the Anomaly Forest. It was originally a place where a powerful anomaly was sealed."
"Many years ago, the forebears of the Demon Suppressing Division paid a tremendous price to suppress that terrifying existence here."
"But for some unknown reason, the seal seems to have loosened in recent years. Anomalies often seep out, and the surrounding villages have already suffered greatly."
"But why would the Demon Suppressing Division send me here for an examination?"
Qin Bo muttered to himself, increasingly convinced that this matter was not simple.
The bird shook its wings and continued, "Perhaps the Demon Suppressing Division wishes to borrow your hand to investigate the reason the seal has loosened."
"But that is far too dangerous. The anomaly inside that ancient castle is extraordinarily powerful. Even if an expert from the Demon Suppressing Division came in person, they might not be able to retreat unscathed."
Qin Bo's heart tightened when he heard this, but his gaze soon turned resolute.
If this was truly to uncover the truth behind the loosened seal, then he had an unshirkable duty to complete the mission.
"Senior, rest assured. I will act with the utmost caution. If I can resolve the crisis in the Anomaly Forest, this trip will not have been in vain."
Seeing that Qin Bo had made up his mind, the bird let out a helpless sigh.
"Very well. Since you insist, I will give you a few more pointers."
"Deep within the forest stands an ancient castle. Many hidden rune traps surround it, and triggering them will unleash powerful restrictive forces."
"Inside the ancient castle, mechanisms abound, and numerous anomalies stand guard. But as far as I know, deep within the castle is a mysterious mirror. It may be closely connected to the seal."
"Thank you for telling me, Senior!"
"I will also give you a feather. If you encounter danger, break it at once, and it will bring you back here."
"Moreover, this feather can conceal your aura, making it easier to avoid the many anomalies."
Qin Bo gratefully accepted the multicolored feather and carefully put it away.
To him at this moment, this feather was undoubtedly a life-saving talisman.
Although he did not fear ordinary anomalies, there was no guarantee that something even stronger would not appear.
He thanked the bird once more, then headed deeper into the forest, his target none other than the ancient castle filled with mystery and danger.
As Qin Bo gradually drew closer to the ancient castle, the atmosphere around him grew increasingly oppressive.
It was as if countless invisible eyes were watching his every move from the darkness.
The fallen leaves on the ground grew thicker. Every step produced a rustling sound that seemed especially jarring in the silent forest.
At last, a sinister ancient castle appeared before Qin Bo.
Moss covered the castle walls, and parts of them had already collapsed, exposing the desolate ruin within.
The gate was half ajar, and a decayed stench rushed toward him.
Qin Bo took a deep breath and slowly approached the gate.
At the same time, he used the feather to conceal his aura, carefully avoiding any rune traps that might be hidden nearby.
Just as he neared the gate, a faint rune glow suddenly flashed beneath his feet.
Qin Bo's heart jolted. He realized that he had triggered a trap.
In an instant, rune power surged from the ground around the ancient castle, forming a gigantic rune cage that trapped Qin Bo inside.
The rune light flickered as powerful restrictive forces began to squeeze Qin Bo, as if they intended to grind his body to pieces.
"Hmph, you think you can trap me? It won't be that easy!"
Qin Bo clenched his teeth and circulated the true qi within his body. The Heavenly Dipper Bloodthirsty Saber in his hand swept out violently, sending a saber beam infused with Heavenly Gang Power slashing toward the rune cage.
The saber beam collided with the rune power, producing a harsh screech. The rune cage trembled slightly, but did not break.
Before you continue