Heaven-Reaching Peak.
Ren Ye, Fenglin, Ai Fei, and Ding Jun led the way into the dark tunnel, while everyone else followed behind.
Inside, the tunnel was pitch-black, and a faint, cool, dry breeze brushed their faces.
Ding Jun lit a light source, turned to examine their surroundings, and commented softly, "This tunnel doesn't seem to have any obvious chisel marks. It looks naturally formed."
Fenglin replied softly, "Naturally. A blessed grotto born and nurtured by nature would hardly have terrain shaped by human hands. Whoever lived here before must have recognized its unusual qualities, set up formations, and occupied Heaven-Reaching Peak to contemplate the Great Dao."
"Mm."
Ding Jun nodded slightly.
Beside him, Ren Ye examined the tunnel wall and sniffed. "Ai Fei, do you smell a fragrance?"
"I do." Xu Qingzhao nodded slightly. "It's fine. It's the scent of flowers and plants."
Hearing that, Ren Ye relaxed.
They chatted as they cautiously made their way forward.
After roughly three or four hundred meters, Fenglin stopped and frowned at what lay ahead.
The view ahead suddenly blurred, as though a mirror stood snugly within the arched tunnel, blocking their path.
Ai Fei took one look and said mildly, "There's another formation here?"
"Yes." Fenglin nodded slightly. "A Dao-Protection Formation. There's a faint, sharp aura within it. Breaking through by force wouldn't be difficult, but it might cause the tunnel to collapse and cut off our path."
"We've come this far. We can't just turn back, can we?" Ren Ye replied, speechless.
Fenglin studied the mirrorlike formation light, considered carefully, then said, "Its foundations are very firm. I can break through one corner to enter, but that will inevitably bring down the formation's suppression. With my strength, I can protect three people."
At those words, Xu Qingzhao's eyes took on a