She thought she was going to die. Then a warm power, like the waters of a hot spring, flowed into her, enveloping her body and soothing the flames little by little.
That power came from outside, from someone else. She knew who it was without having to guess.
"Thank you." Her voice was a little hoarse, but earnest. "You saved me again."
Chen Hao shook his head and turned toward the back of the hall. "Come on. There's more up above."
Deep inside the hall, behind an unremarkable stone pillar, stood a hidden stone pedestal. A palm-sized recess had been carved into its surface, shaped like a copper coin with a square hole.
Chen Hao pressed his hand against the recess. Spiritual Power surged from his palm into the pedestal. The ground began to tremble, and the floor at the center of the hall slowly split open, revealing a stone staircase extending upward.
The staircase rose so high that its top was out of sight, but they could feel a breeze blowing from above, carrying a damp, ancient scent.
Chen Hao went down first, with the women following behind him. The long staircase wound upward, with Luminous Pearls embedded at intervals in the walls on either side, casting a faint blue glow.
After about fifteen minutes of walking, they reached a curtain of light at the end of the staircase. They passed through it, and the sight before them made all the women stop in their tracks.
It was not a palace. It was a mountain forest. There was no sun in the sky, yet everything was bright. Light streamed in from every direction, its source unknown.
Mountains stretched into the distance, their slopes wreathed in thin mist. Nearby stood trees with blue-gray trunks and deep blue leaves. Silvery-white grass