The night was black as ink. Gale-force winds swept sand and gravel howling around the Inscribed Bone Mound, while dozens of black-robed figures stood solemnly before a massive black stele. They were all members of the Yellow Springs Alliance.
At their head was Elder Inscription, who oversaw the alliance's secret arts. His hands were withered, his fingertips covered in dense calluses, and his status, position, and prestige were all exceedingly high.
Elder Inscription's voice was as hoarse as a broken gong as he explained, "The entrance to the Inscribed Bone Mound's Secret Realm can only be activated with inscriptions of the same origin."
Having said that, he stepped forward. A wisp of black light emerged from the tip of his right index finger as he slowly pressed it against the stele.
As his fingertip moved, an ancient inscription twisted like a serpent gradually appeared.
It spread across the stele, and wherever it passed, the surface of the stone likewise glimmered with black light.
Buzz~
As the final stroke fell, the entire inscription suddenly lit up. The black stele shook violently, and a warped, illusory gate burst open.
Yin winds howled within the gate, carrying dense deathly aura and the stench of decay.
"At last, we can see the Ancestor!"
"Silence! The Secret Realm is fraught with dangers on every side. One careless step could trigger the restrictions!"
"Yes!"
Elder Inscription gave his warning, and everyone answered in unison.
Liu Xuan blended into the crowd and followed step for step, black light also flickering at his fingertips.
As the nail Xu Changqing had driven into the Yellow Springs Alliance, he had waited for decades.
At last, this day had come. He could finally touch upon the Yellow Springs Alliance's core secrets.
The instant the group stepped through the gate, bone-piercing cold