The Twelve Pillar Steles

An underground karst cave.

A massive Obelisk stood at its center, towering dozens of meters high. Its entire body was pitch-black, its surface engraved with densely packed, arcane patterns. A faint golden glow flowed through those patterns in the darkness, pulsing slowly as though the stone itself were alive and breathing.

An enormous formation surrounded the Obelisk. Its lines extended in every direction from the base, covering hundreds of yards of ground. Each line emitted a faint golden glow, channeling an ancient, immense power into the stele like veins running through the earth.

Streams of energy converged from all directions, passed through the formation's lines, and finally poured into the Obelisk, bathing its black surface in an amber halo.

Not far from the formation, four figures stood quietly, gazing up at the towering Obelisk.

Three of them were hideous, their faces as ferocious as evil spirits. Their skin was a dull blue-gray, with bulging foreheads, sunken eyes, flattened noses, and thick, outward-turned lips that exposed uneven rows of sharp teeth.

Their bodies, however, were extraordinarily burly. Every muscle looked as though it had been cast from steel, brimming with explosive strength.

The woman among them was stunningly beautiful, with a graceful figure and exquisite curves. A dark red gown hugged her shapely body, exposing broad swaths of snow-white skin. Her features were as delicate as a sculpture, yet an innate fierceness and arrogance lingered in her eyes, discouraging anyone from approaching.

"This is one of the Twelve Pillar Steles."

Salar Luo gazed at the Obelisk as he spoke slowly, his deep, steady voice echoing through the cavern.

"Besides the Cosmic Heavenly Stele itself, the Heaven Stele Secret Realm has Twelve Pillar Steles guarding its reaches and maintaining its stability. They're essential parts of the realm's sealing system. Not a single