Tracking the Clues

Chapter 14: Tracking the Clues. Carrying the heaven and earth spirit root they had gathered, Mu Chen and his companions raced back to the clan without stopping to rest. They knew time was running short. The Black-Robed People could attack again at any moment, and the heaven and earth spirit root was a crucial part of activating the secret weapon. They had to continue their investigation as quickly as possible. After returning to the clan, they headed straight for the forbidden grounds. The spiritual energy restriction guarding the grounds flickered faintly as they approached, as though warning them of the mystery and danger within. Holding the heaven and earth spirit root in his hands, Mu Chen could feel its spiritual energy resonating with the mysterious aura inside the forbidden grounds, strengthening his conviction that they were on the right track. Once they entered, they found the enormous secret weapon still standing silently in the center, radiating an ancient, mysterious glow. Mu Chen and his companions gathered around it, placed the heaven and earth spirit root on the ground, and began studying their new clues to determine how to use it to further activate the weapon. The ancient text offered little detail about combining the heaven and earth spirit root with the divine artifact. It only mentioned vaguely that a fusion ritual had to be performed at the "spirit eye" within the forbidden grounds. But what was the spirit eye, and where was it? This became their next obstacle. Mu Chen carefully examined their surroundings and discovered that the walls were covered with ancient patterns and runes. He had seen some of these runes while researching how to activate the secret weapon, but many more were completely unfamiliar. He walked slowly along the walls, trying to find a clue about the spirit eye among the patterns and runes. "Look at this pattern. Doesn't it look like an eye?" Tang Qian'er said, pointing to a design on the wall. Everyone gathered around. The pattern did indeed resemble an enormous eye, with a spiral mark at its center and symbols representing the power of the five elements encircling it. "Could this be a clue to the spirit eye?" Tan Qingshan speculated. Mu Chen nodded. "Very likely. Let's search in the direction this pattern points toward." They explored the forbidden grounds in the direction the eye in the pattern was looking. A dense mist of spiritual energy filled the grounds, severely limiting their visibility, but they did not give up. As they advanced, they encountered several small spiritual energy traps and mechanisms, all set by their clan's ancestors to protect the secrets within the forbidden grounds. At one point, they accidentally triggered a spiritual energy vortex trap hidden in the floor. The vortex rapidly expanded, its powerful suction threatening to drag them inside. Mu Chen reacted swiftly, unleashing his new spiritual technique and using star power to form a stable platform of spiritual energy beneath his feet, resisting the vortex's pull. His companions also unleashed their spiritual energy techniques and supported one another, barely managing to break free of the trap. After an arduous search, they discovered an unusual spot in a corner of the forbidden grounds. The spiritual energy there pulsed in a distinctive rhythm, like a heartbeat. A slightly sunken circular area lay in the floor, its edges covered with runes resembling those around the eye pattern on the wall. "This should be the spirit eye," Mu Chen said. They placed the heaven and earth spirit root in the center of the circle, then each took the appropriate position according to the ancient text's description of the five elemental powers. Mu Chen stood at the position representing water. Drawing on the spiritual energy within his body, he slowly channeled water-aspected spiritual energy into the floor. His companions likewise channeled spiritual energy with the attributes of metal, wood, fire, and earth. As the five elemental energies flowed into it, the heaven and earth spirit root began to glow. Its roots slowly extended, seemingly searching for something. Suddenly, a powerful surge of spiritual energy poured out of the spirit eye and mingled with the heaven and earth spirit root, forming a brilliant, multicolored pillar of spiritual light. The pillar shot toward the heavens, forming an enormous Spiritual Power Vortex at the top of the forbidden grounds. "What's happening? The ancient text never mentioned anything like this!" one of their companions exclaimed. Mu Chen also felt a little tense, but he knew he could not afford to panic. He studied the Spiritual Power Vortex closely and noticed indistinct images flickering within it. They resembled ancient memories, showing unfamiliar scenes and figures. In the images, they saw a group of people dressed in ancient clothing gathered around the secret weapon, conducting a grand ritual. These people held different magical treasures and murmured incantations, seemingly praying to some mysterious presence. As the ritual progressed, the secret weapon radiated an incomparably dazzling light, dispelling darkness wherever it reached. "We need to try copying their ritual!" Mu Chen called out. They worked to make out the shapes of the magical treasures in those people's hands and the incantations they were reciting. After some effort, they realized that the treasures resembled certain ancient objects in the clan's treasury. They immediately sent people to retrieve them. After a careful search of the clan's treasury, they found several objects similar to the magical treasures in the images. These objects were likewise covered with ancient runes, and despite the passage of years, they still radiated powerful spiritual energy. Returning to the forbidden grounds with the objects, they took the stances shown in the images, held the magical treasures, and began imitating the ancient people's incantations. As they recited, the treasures in their hands began to glow, resonating with the heaven and earth spirit root and the secret weapon. The images within the Spiritual Power Vortex grew clearer, revealing that at the end of the ritual, the ancient people had channeled their own soul power into the secret weapon. Mu Chen and his companions exchanged glances. They knew this was the crucial step. Concentrating, they slowly channeled their soul power into the secret weapon. The moment their soul power entered it, the weapon let out a deafening hum, and the entire forbidden grounds shook violently. The runes on the weapon seemed to come alive, flashing with dazzling light that contained the power to destroy heaven and earth. "We did it!" Tang Qian'er shouted excitedly. But Mu Chen knew this was only the beginning. Although they had activated the secret weapon, they still needed time to become familiar with its power so they could control it precisely in battle against the Black-Robed People, unleash its full might, and protect their clan. In the days that followed, they continued studying the secret weapon within the forbidden grounds, making their final preparations for the coming battle.