"Rumble..."
The instant Lin Shisan's fingertips touched the artifact, the runes throughout the Underground Palace lit up at once.
This was no ordinary activation of restrictions. Runes that had slumbered for untold years ignited simultaneously. From the floor to the vaulted ceiling, from the stone walls to the pillars, densely packed lines of light interwove into an enormous spiderweb that enveloped the entire Underground Palace.
A low, drawn-out humming rose from every direction at once.
Lin Shisan's fingertips had already gripped the edge of the artifact. Its cold, smooth touch spread from his fingertips through his entire arm. He jerked his hand back, lifting the artifact off the platform, and a clear, resonant hum rang out from his palm.
At the very instant the artifact left the platform, the patterns converging on the groove in the black stone platform at the very center of the Underground Palace abruptly reversed. Light rapidly contracted from the platform's edges toward its center, compressing into a thumb-thick pillar that shot skyward from the groove and pierced straight into the vaulted ceiling. The moment the pillar struck the ceiling, the rock above the entire Underground Palace tore open as though ripped apart by an invisible hand.
Cracks spread rapidly outward from the center of the ceiling. Loose stones rained down, revealing layer upon overlapping layer of formation foundations above. Dark red runes lit up simultaneously across every layer, illuminating the space over the entire Underground Palace as brightly as day.
The second layer of restrictions had activated.
Gripping the artifact, Lin Shisan retreated to Zi Yuner's side. He could feel it trembling faintly in his palm.
With every pulse, the runes in the Underground Palace grew a little brighter.
Zi Yuner moved as well. Her figure flashed through the dark red light, and deep purple