The stone doors slowly slid apart, stirring up dust that danced in the faint light seeping through the entrance. Alongside the stale smell of long confinement, faint fluctuations of magical elements filled the air, as though an ancient power that had slept for a thousand years was quietly awakening. Loran took Lei Lin from Old Byrne's arms and cautiously stepped into the passage, holding his knight's sword across his body as he surveyed his surroundings warily.
Murals covered the stone walls on either side of the passage. Though their pigments had faded, the outlines remained clear. Old Byrne followed close behind with a magic lantern, its pale yellow light illuminating the murals and dispelling the surrounding chill. "These are the Kane Lineage's heritage murals. They record how the first lineage head established Fallen Maple Territory." Old Byrne's voice echoed softly through the passage, carrying a measure of reverence.
Loran's gaze fell on the leftmost mural: a knight clad in silver armor held a longsword, with a snow-white divine beast nestled beside him. The beast bore some resemblance to Lei Lin, yet carried a sacred aura. Before the knight was a dark mass of evil creatures with twisted limbs and scarlet eyes, lunging toward him. "Uncle Byrne, the divine beast beside the first lineage head..."
"The ancient texts say it was the 'Snow Spirit Qilin,' a companion with whom the first lineage head formed a contract in an eastern secret realm." Old Byrne's fingers brushed lightly over the Snow Spirit Qilin in the mural. "Legend has it that the first lineage head could command both magic and Dou Qi precisely because he was empowered by the Snow Spirit Qilin. To think that a thousand years later, you too would form a contract with a qilin. Perhaps this is fate."
Loran lowered his head to look at Lei Lin in his arms. Its eyelashes trembled lightly, and the contract mark between its brows faintly echoed the markings on the Snow Spirit Qilin's forehead in the mural. Pale red light flowed around the edges of the mark, as though responding to the power within the mural. A thought stirred in him. Perhaps his encounter with Lei Lin had not been a coincidence.
At the end of the passage stood a second set of stone doors, thicker and heavier than the first. There was no magical lock on them, only a circular recess surrounded by intricate runes. The runes came in two colors-gold representing Dou Qi and crimson representing magic-and intertwined to form a perfect ring.
"This is the 'Dual Power Trial Gate.'" Old Byrne frowned. "According to the ancient texts, opening it requires injecting Dou Qi and magic into the recess simultaneously, and the strength of both powers must be exactly equal. The slightest deviation will trigger a trap. Back then, the lineage head failed three times and ultimately had to use a key."
Loran drew a deep breath and gently laid Lei Lin on a stone platform beside him. Gentle defensive runes were carved into its surface, capable of temporarily protecting Lei Lin from harm. He approached the stone doors and extended both hands, gathering Dou Qi in his left as pale golden light shone in his palm, while channeling magic into his right as crimson flames danced at his fingertips.
He pressed both hands against the recess, injecting the two powers simultaneously. Yet the instant they touched the runes, the golden Dou Qi moved a fraction faster than the crimson magic. The runes immediately blazed with glaring red light, and dozens of poison-coated crossbow bolts suddenly shot from either side of the stone doors toward Loran.
"Watch out!" Old Byrne hurriedly swung his battle-axe, coating its blade with Dou Qi and cleaving the bolts into fragments. The moment the bolts hit the ground, a barrier of light rose from the stone platform to protect Lei Lin, while the runes around the recess fell still again.
"The rhythm of the powers was wrong." Loran wiped the cold sweat from his forehead. If Old Byrne had not reacted so quickly, he probably would have been struck. He recalled the sensation of forming his contract with Lei Lin, when Dou Qi and magic had mingled within him as naturally as flowing water, without the slightest resistance.
He closed his eyes and concentrated on sensing the two powers within him. Dou Qi surged through his meridians with a fierce, forceful aura, while magic circulated in his Dantian with scorching heat. He tried to keep the two powers at the same frequency, as steady as a heartbeat. Gradually, the pale golden Dou Qi and crimson magic began to synchronize, forming a sphere of intertwined, two-colored light in his palms.
Loran pressed both hands against the recess again, and the sphere of light slowly merged into it. This time, the golden and crimson runes lit up simultaneously, without the slightest deviation. The runes spun rapidly around the recess, forming a glowing ring. A suction force emerged from its center, drawing away all the power in Loran's palms.
Rumble- The stone doors gave a dull rumble and slowly slid apart. The moment they opened, pure magical energy surged from the secret chamber. The Fire Element magic within Loran suddenly grew restless, and the magical elements in his Dantian spun wildly, as though about to break through a bottleneck.
"This is... a chance to reach third-tier magic!" Old Byrne cried in delighted surprise. "The magical energy in the chamber is incredibly dense. Hurry and use this opportunity to break through!"
Without hesitation, Loran sat cross-legged before the stone doors and began guiding the magical elements within him. Pure energy poured into his body from the chamber and merged with his own magical elements. His Fire Element magic, previously stuck at the peak of the second tier, now seemed to have received a catalyst and began battering the barrier to the third tier.
The barrier was like a thin sheet of paper, shattering instantly under the onslaught of dense magical energy. Crimson magical elements circulated wildly within him before gathering in his Dantian to form a more condensed magical core. Loran opened his eyes, and a flickering flame ignited in his palm. It burned hotter than before, its color several shades deeper-he had successfully broken through to become a third-tier Fire Element mage!
"Wonderful, eldest young master!" Old Byrne excitedly patted Loran's shoulder. "Now you're both a third-tier warrior and a third-tier mage. You've already surpassed many noble children your age."
Loran rose, walked to the stone platform, and gathered Lei Lin into his arms. Seeming to sense the aura of his breakthrough, Lei Lin's contract mark lit up, and faint red light merged into Loran's body, further stabilizing his power. "Let's go in. Lei Lin doesn't have much time left."
The third set of stone doors had already opened automatically. The secret chamber's main room was circular, with a translucent crystal suspended above a raised platform at its center. The crystal emitted a soft white light containing pure cleansing power. Under its radiance, the Evil Qi in the air instantly vanished without a trace.
"That's the purification crystal!" A flicker of excitement crossed Old Byrne's eyes. "Hurry and carry Lei Lin onto the platform. The crystal's light can cleanse the Evil Qi from its body."
Loran hurried up onto the platform with Lei Lin in his arms and laid it directly beneath the crystal. The crystal's light fell over Lei Lin, forming a white cocoon. Inside it, Lei Lin let out a soft cry. The black Evil Qi around its wounds began dissipating at a visible rate, and its crimson scales gradually regained their luster.
Just then, the crystal suddenly began shaking violently. Its white light surged, piercing the chamber's roof and shooting into the heavens. Enveloped in the light, Loran and Old Byrne felt warmth spread throughout their bodies, and their fatigue and injuries vanished instantly.
"This is bad! The crystal's energy fluctuations are too strong. The Bone-Eroding Cult will detect them!" Old Byrne's expression changed abruptly. "We must put the crystal away and leave here as soon as possible!"
Loran reached out to touch the crystal, but as soon as his hand drew close, it released a gentle force that pushed his hand away. The crystal's radiance gradually receded before finally turning into a streak of white light and merging into Lei Lin's body. Lei Lin slowly opened its eyes, clear light shining in its golden slit pupils. It rose and swished its long tail, its crimson mane stirring without wind. It looked much more spirited.
"Lei Lin!" Loran cried in delighted surprise.
Lei Lin nuzzled Loran's cheek and gave a cheerful cry, then walked to the edge of the platform and nodded to him. Following its gaze, Loran saw a line of ancient writing carved into the platform, made clear beneath the crystal's radiance: "When twin qilin appear, all evil shall scatter; through the inheritance of blood, protect Fallen Maple."
"What does that mean?" Loran looked at Old Byrne in puzzlement.
Old Byrne frowned and pondered for a moment before saying, "Perhaps it means that your appearance, together with Lei Lin's, can drive the evil from Fallen Maple Territory. But it might also mean that another qilin exists, though we don't know where it is."
Just then, hurried footsteps sounded from the chamber's entrance, accompanied by a guard's shout. "Eldest young master! Old steward! A large number of black-robed figures have appeared in the direction of the Blackthorn Mountains. They're heading toward the lord's manor!"
Loran's expression changed. He walked to the chamber entrance and peered through a gap. In the distant sky, a dark mass of black-robed figures rode flying Devil Beasts toward Fallen Maple Territory. There were at least a hundred of them, led by the black-robed leader who had escaped earlier. The bone staff in his hand flickered with a cold, sinister light, and his eyes were filled with greed.
"The Bone-Eroding Cult got here so quickly!" Old Byrne tightened his grip on his battle-axe. "Eldest young master, what do we do now? We have fewer than thirty guards left. They can't possibly withstand their assault."
Loran looked at Lei Lin beside him. Anger flashed through its golden slit pupils, and crimson flames began burning around its body. Loran drew a deep breath and gripped the knight's sword at his waist, a trace of grim resolve flashing through his eyes. "We cannot retreat! Fallen Maple Territory is our home, and Lei Lin is our companion. Even if it takes everything we have, we must defend this place!"
Lei Lin seemed to understand Loran's words and let out a sky-shaking cry filled with fighting spirit. It walked to his side and rubbed its forehead against his arm, as though giving him strength.
Loran looked at Lei Lin, then at Old Byrne and the guards behind him, his heart filled with strength. He knew this battle would be difficult, but as long as Lei Lin and his companions from the lineage were there, he would not back down.
Carrying his knight's sword, he was the first to leave the chamber. Lei Lin followed close behind, crimson flames leaving a trail of burning footprints beneath its feet. Sunlight fell over Loran, stretching his shadow long. He stopped in Fallen Maple Territory's square, his gaze fixed firmly on the black-robed figures flying toward them from afar.
A battle that would determine Fallen Maple Territory's survival was about to begin. And through this battle, the bond between Loran and Lei Lin would grow stronger still.