The Qiankun-class Intelligent Fighter was flying through the air at astonishing speed.
The one leading the group to the No. 9 Civilization Ruins was Councilor Yao Rao, one of General Dojo Master Hong's personal guards.
"Just call me Miss Councilor."
Yao Rao first said this to the few War Gods traveling with them, then nodded to Ji Yun. "Councilor Ji Yun."
"Councilor Yao Rao," Ji Yun replied.
Yao Rao's voice was pleasant to listen to. "Our destination is the No. 9 Ancient Civilization Ruins. They're located somewhere deep in the South American Amazon rainforest and are among the less dangerous ancient ruins."
"Everyone, listen carefully. I'll only explain this once!"
"The No. 9 Civilization Ruins were once used for trials to select and eliminate candidates. Once inside, Martial Artists generally follow the Type A Passage into the depths of the ruins. Psychic Masters, on the other hand, will be directed by the ruins to enter through the Type B Passage." As soon as Yao Rao said this, everyone perked up and listened closely.
"After entering the ruins, each person's experience will be different, and so will the difficulty. Those who succeed will receive the ruins' reward: a Black God Set. Those who fail will either die or be crippled!"
Yao Rao suddenly stood up and faced the control console of the Qiankun-class Intelligent Fighter. "Password... Ruins No. 9."
A red beam suddenly shone on the Communication Watch worn by Ji Yun.
"This is a translation program. It can translate the written and spoken languages of the No. 9 Ancient Civilization Ruins into Chinese and English. Once you come out, I'll uninstall the language translation program for Ruins No. 9."
"What happens if we don't have this program?" a white War God asked curiously.
Yao Rao's lips curled into a slight smile.
"Then you'll be stuck inside, with no idea when you'll get out."
***
At dusk, the Qiankun-class Fighter Jet plunged down from high above the South American Amazon rainforest, then slowly came to a stop.
The cabin door opened.
Yao Rao and Ji Yun led the remaining War Gods out into the area.
A creaking sound rang out, and the ground suddenly trembled. A five-meter-wide silver passage emerged from beneath it. An elevator stood inside, and an old man in red robes stepped out.
"Councilor Yao Rao, Councilor Ji," the old man said, bowing slightly.
"Councilor Ji Yun, I should warn you: although no Councilor-level expert has ever died in the ruins, quite a few Councilors have been trapped inside for a long time. You should be prepared."
Then Yao Rao said, "All right, hurry inside and enter the Ancient Civilization Ruins! Each of you will face a different trial. I hope you all make it out alive!" With that, Councilor Yao Rao darted straight into the Qiankun-class Fighter Jet, which quickly took off.
"Everyone, please hurry. The No. 9 Ancient Civilization Ruins will only remain open for another two hours this year," the old man in red robes reminded them.
Below the elevator was a long metal corridor.
The staff down below seemed incredibly excited, greeting Ji Yun, Luo Feng, and the others one after another.
The people at this underground base were practically beside themselves with excitement. Ji Yun watched them quietly as the old man in red robes smiled and said, "Ignore them. They've spent so long underground that they rarely get to see outsiders, so they're all rather excited."
"Councilor Ji Yun, you can try bringing something else out with you. The Dojo Master once told me to suggest it if you came."
"Something else?" Ji Yun asked curiously. "What could there be besides the Black God Set?"
"I don't know," the old man in red robes replied, shaking his head. "You'll understand once you're inside. All right, War Gods, are you ready?"
Nobody answered.
"Good. Open the entrance passage!" the old man in red robes called out.
The curved alloy wall at the far end of the hall split open, revealing a circular passage.
The passage seemed to distort the light, making it impossible to see what lay inside. At its deepest point was what looked like a mirror that warped the view, turning everything around it dark brown. The dark-brown rays twisted together like tree roots, as if they would bind anyone who entered.
"Everyone, I hope you make it out alive!" the old man in red robes said, looking at Ji Yun and the others.
"Luo Feng, what did the Dojo Master tell you?" Ji Yun asked quietly, releasing his domain.
"The Dojo Master told me that high-level Psychic Masters can fail, but they won't die," Luo Feng said without hesitation, telling Ji Yun the rule.
"Let's go. If that's the case, there's not much danger." Ji Yun stepped forward first and entered the warped circular passage. Luo Feng followed him, while the remaining War Gods exchanged uncertain glances.
"Come on."
The War Gods behind them quickly made up their minds and followed.
"Clack, clack, clack..." The alloy walls closed behind them, leaving no way back.
Beyond the mirror lay a black hall with a hemispherical ceiling. The entire hall covered hundreds of square meters. Dreamlike rays of light streamed down from the roof, making it seem like a fantasy.
"Where are the others?" Ji Yun's expression changed slightly.
Suddenly, a dazzling beam of light shone on him.
Several minutes passed.
Does this colored light really need to shine on me for this long? Ji Yun wondered. He tried to fly, but was shocked to discover that even a Planetary Level Martial Artist couldn't fly in here.
It seemed the gravity in the hall had been altered.
"XXXXXXX, XXXXXXXXX..." A long string of words echoed throughout the black hall.
Ji Yun looked at his Communication Watch. The words were translated directly into Chinese.
"Congratulations. Your Brain Domain Width is 36, greater than 18. You are not a Psychic Master. A hidden passage will now be opened for you. The hidden passage will take 15 minutes to prepare. Please wait."
"Brain Domain Width?"
Ji Yun wondered what Brain Domain Width was.
Fifteen minutes wasn't long, but in these dangerous ruins, surrounded by the unknown, time seemed to pass incredibly slowly.
The watch has no signal either. It looks like there's no way to contact the outside from inside the ruins. Ji Yun glanced at his watch without surprise. If even a Planetary Level Martial Artist couldn't fly, blocking signals was surely even easier.
Time passed, second by second...
"XXXXXXX..." A string of words echoed through the black hall as its walls began to tremble slowly.
A deep, seemingly bottomless black passage gradually appeared in the wall. Ji Yun's watch displayed the translated words.
"Please enter the passage."
Ji Yun looked at the passage and hesitated briefly. Then he got up and stepped forward, racing into the darkness at a speed rivaling a speeding train.
He walked for about ten minutes.
The passage seemed bottomless, and Ji Yun had no idea how long it would take to reach the end.
He quickened his pace, dashing through the dim passage. After passing several forks and turning a corner, he saw a tiny speck of light ahead.
As he drew closer, he saw it clearly.
It was a grand hall enveloped in dreamlike, multicolored light—a beautiful palace that seemed fit for immortals. The shimmering colors flowed without fading. The palace was tens of meters long and wide, about the size of a sports stadium.
It was completely empty!
Suddenly, dazzling rays of light burst out inside the resplendent palace. The strange beams converged in the center of the hall and began to form a black, virtual figure. It stood only about a meter and a half tall, like a child, with two horns on its forehead, blood-red eyes, and a black robe.
"Ji Yun."
A trace of joy appeared in the black-robed child's blood-red eyes.
"Chinese?" Ji Yun's expression changed abruptly.
"I've been monitoring the development of humanity on this planet. Your changing languages and cultures, your history—all of it has been under my observation. The great Babata can naturally understand your language with ease," the black-robed child said proudly.
"Who are you?" Ji Yun tightened his grip on his spear and warily watched the black-robed child before him.
"I've been waiting for five thousand years. I never expected I'd find two geniuses." The black-robed child sounded delighted.
"Listen closely. I'm Babata! You can call me Devil Babata. That's how it translates into Earth's Chinese, of course. In the Universal Language, it should be pronounced 'XXXX.'" The black-robed child spoke another string of words.
"Universal Language?" Ji Yun was shocked. Could these ruins have been left behind by visitors from space? Have forces from the universe already come to Earth? Is Earth being watched right now?
"Don't be nervous." The black-robed child seemed to see what Ji Yun was thinking. "My master concealed this planet's coordinates. No one could discover it unless they were stronger than him. Of course, anyone stronger than my master wouldn't care about this tiny, primitive planet."
Ji Yun exhaled sharply, calming his recently unsettled mind.
"So Earth is safe now?" Ji Yun asked hopefully after he had recovered.
"That's hard to say." The black-robed child sighed, his voice sorrowful. "Although my master concealed the coordinates, we can't rule out the possibility that someone might stumble upon this place, because my master has already died."
"Died?" Ji Yun couldn't help asking, "Babata, was your master a Universe Level expert?" As far as Ji Yun knew, concealing a planet's coordinates was an unimaginable feat. Only a powerful Universe Level expert could do it.
Babata, the black-robed child, scoffed, his voice full of disdain.
"Universe Level? Universe Level experts weren't even qualified to enter Falling Ink Star."
"What? Universe Level experts weren't even qualified to enter!" Ji Yun gaped, wide enough to fit a giant egg in his mouth.
"All right, that's all I'll tell you for now. I'll explain the rest when you actually meet me." Babata's figure began to blur. "My true body isn't here, and you'll need to wait for a specific moment to meet me. Also, the little Psychic Master who came in with you has decent talent."
"I've already used up a great deal of energy entering these ruins. From here, the ruins' intelligence will guide you." Babata's figure vanished completely, leaving only his voice echoing in Ji Yun's ears.
Once the black-robed child had completely disappeared, several beams of colored light lit up again.
A flood of light gathered, quickly forming the blurry outline of a tall figure. It solidified into a Bald Crystal Being.
Having already seen the black-robed child Babata, Ji Yun was only mildly surprised. He calmly watched the newly formed Bald Crystal Being.
The Bald Crystal Being smiled. "Hello, Ji Yun."
"The more powerful intelligence just borrowed my processing core. It didn't shield anything from me, so I learned some of what it knows," the Bald Crystal Being said with a smile.
"Now, by that being's modification, you have automatically passed the trial. Your reward will now be issued."
Before you continue