Start with push-ups to gain experience

Having made up his mind, Fang Cheng prepared to erase the coordinates that he had just left in the key.

According to the information from the spell's feedback, the Silver Key can only maintain a maximum of 5 long-term coordinate links at the same time.

The most critical constraint is that this kind of spatial anchor point will continuously drain the user's mental energy.

Once the number of links exceeds five, not only will the user feel mentally exhausted, but the opened spatial doors will also become extremely unstable and may collapse if not handled carefully.

Therefore, in order to avoid unnecessary mental strain and risks, users usually sever the mental link immediately after the spatial jump ends and erase the coordinates recorded in the Silver Key.

Fang Cheng closed his eyes slightly, held his breath, and focused his mind on probing the internal structure of the silver key through his palm.

Just as he locked onto the coordinate link of the brand he had just been branded with, preparing to sever it, a subtle anomaly suddenly caught his attention.

Deeper within the array of the Silver Key, another spiritual link lay dormant.

This connection is extremely weak, as if a gust of wind could blow it away, but its core is exceptionally resilient, exuding a powerful vitality.

Clearly, this is a mark left by the previous owner, which, even after the passage of time, still barely maintains a connection with the unknown land.

"Coordinates are still remaining..."

Fang Cheng opened his eyes and carefully examined the engravings on the key's surface.

Since the rules require users to clear coordinates in a timely manner to avoid causing additional mental burden.

The reason this link has survived to this day is most likely because the original owner encountered some unexpected event, causing the key to be left behind.

So there wasn't even time to clean up the mess.

This thought immediately piqued Fang Cheng's curiosity.

His fingers tightened slightly as he gripped the keys, his mind wandering.

Where does this remaining coordinate link point?
Is it a hidden treasure trove within the ruins of this city, or an important landmark where the original owner was once frequently active?
Is it possible to use these existing coordinates to traverse space and teleport to the target location?

You should know that you are currently in the Longyuan Trench, and this key was found in the ruins of an underwater city.

If you were to teleport to this location, your landing point would most likely be somewhere above the sea, within the confines of this world, and the risks would be completely manageable.

Is there a place on Earth that is even more dangerous and terrifying than the abyss thousands of meters below?
"Perhaps we can give it a try..."

Fang Cheng muttered to himself and quickly made a decision.

We will not erase the coordinates we just set in this underwater city for the time being, as a backup plan.

If the other side of the portal is a dead end or heavily guarded, it is extremely dangerous.

With just a thought, he could instantly reverse the passage, return to the underwater ruins, and escape safely.

Having figured things out, Fang Cheng no longer hesitated.

He focused his mind, directly touching the mental link deep within the key, and uttered a low incantation once more.

In the instant their thoughts converged, a fleeting illusion flashed through their vision.

Fang Cheng sensed the blurry projection on the other end of the link.

It looked like a huge stone monument made up of countless white bones, with wisps of mist swirling around it.

As the silver key shone with unparalleled brilliance, the void ahead cracked open once more.

A slightly dimmer blue light portal formed in front of him.

Fang Cheng pointed the silver key at the void, turned his wrist, and pushed open the portal of light.

Then take a deep breath and step inside.

Perhaps the remaining spiritual connection was not strong enough, causing the spatial turbulence inside the passage to become abnormally turbulent.

This conversion process was far more intense than the previous one-kilometer teleportation.

The perceived spatial span is infinitely stretched, and the distance between the two places becomes significantly longer.

The surrounding light and shadow stretched into thin lines, like a colorful meteor shower rushing past in front of my eyes.

At the same time, my sense of direction was briefly taken away.

It felt as if I had fallen into a deep tunnel with no boundaries, where I couldn't distinguish up from down from left from right.

But this discomfort only lasts for less than two seconds.

Fang Cheng steadied himself, his expression remaining unchanged.

Soon, his foot paused, stepping onto a hard, solid surface once more.

The feeling of weightlessness receded like a receding tide.

The air was no longer filled with the desolate scent of an ancient deep-sea city, but rather with a murky smell of burning incense and oil.

Fang Cheng suddenly opened his eyes wide, his gaze sweeping across the surroundings like lightning.

What comes into view is a wide cave with obvious signs of artificial excavation.

The surface of the stone wall was uneven, and every few steps a burning torch was stuck in the ground.

The flickering orange flames illuminated the cave in a dim, intermittent light.

In the dark corners of the edge, several strangely shaped, unfinished statues were scattered haphazardly.

He was standing in the very center of the cave at that moment.

What they were standing on was a huge altar made of volcanic rock.

Before him stood a group of people dressed in white, kneeling and bowing in worship.

Fang Cheng's eyes sharpened, and he looked down to examine his landing spot.

Where am I?

....................................

At the end of the dimly lit passageway, a series of neat and rhythmic footsteps echoed.

Chen Jiandong walked at the front, holding a burning tallow torch aloft in one hand.

The orange flames swayed from side to side with his steps, casting long shadows of the twelve young figures following behind him onto the rough, pitted stone wall.

This is a group of newly recruited members of the True Thought Society who have just passed the final assessment and been awarded the title of "elite".

They were all dressed in plain white robes, without any extra belts or metal accessories, with only a thick hemp rope around their waist to hold the hem together.

At this moment, however, these young people all had obvious tension on their faces, their eyes secretly glancing around, and their breathing deliberately being very shallow.

The group walked through a narrow passageway, and suddenly the view opened up.

In the center of the spacious underground cavern, a huge altar made of volcanic rock stands silently.

The searchlights hanging around the rock face had all been turned off.

Only the torches burned, barely maintaining visibility in the surrounding area.

The dim yellow light shrouded most of the "Stone of Truth" at the top of the altar, which was pieced together from countless animal bones, in shadow.

"Stop, everyone."

Chen Jiandong walked to the steps below the altar, stopped, and casually inserted the torch into the stone lamppost next to him.

The group stopped and, by the firelight, surveyed their surroundings. There was a clear lack of modern technology; the surrounding rock walls were unadorned, exuding a primitive and rugged sense of oppression.

As Professor Chen said in class, only by shedding the interference of modern industry and adopting the most traditional rituals can we resonate with the spirits of the sages of the past on a spiritual level.

After confirming that all members were present, Chen Jiandong turned around and pointed to the highest point of the altar with his right hand:

"Look, there lies the most important place in our True Confession Society, the Stone of Truth!"

His voice echoed through the empty cave.

The elite members all looked in the direction he was pointing.

From the moment they formally joined the True Thought Society to the time they practiced meditation, they had heard many times that there was a priceless treasure within the organization that was crucial to their survival.

Seeing the actual object now fills me with a sense of awe.

On the left side of the line, a young trainee with a buzz cut couldn't help but take half a step forward and asked:
"Mentor, is the material of this stone tablet entirely made from the bones of ancient creatures salvaged from the sea?"

"Yes."

Chen Jiandong nodded slightly, his gaze sweeping over the group of young people, and answered in a deep voice:

"From the time the first guild leader founded the guild, the previous guild leaders led the core members through countless deep-sea fishing and battles before bringing these remains, which contained the essence of blood, back to Yong'an Island."

"They endured radiation and immense pressure to build this monument piece by piece, ultimately forging the foundation upon which we truly believe will stand for centuries."

"All the knowledge you have learned in the guild and the bloodline abilities you have awakened all come from this stone tablet that embodies the blood and soul of countless predecessors."

He paused, raised his eyebrows, and continued:
"Therefore, you should thank your predecessors for paving the way for you so that you can stand here. Half a year ago, you were just ordinary tourists in the 'Sunny Island Tour' group."

"After the initial screening and elimination in the closed training camp, out of two hundred people, only twelve of you were able to survive and successfully awaken your extraordinary abilities."

Upon hearing this, several young men and women in the crowd showed a hint of pride in their eyes, but at the same time, they were still a little apprehensive.

I recalled those extremely oppressive days in the training camp.

To adapt to the high pressure of the deep sea, they soaked in the cold pressure tank until their skin peeled off.

In order to tame the restless and awakened energy within his body, he recited the mantra for calming the mind all night long and meditated like an ascetic, enduring hunger and thirst.

Some trainees couldn't bear the torment of the bloodline illusions and went insane. They were taken out of the training camp by the guards and never returned.

"tutor."

A female student with a ponytail standing in the second row raised her hand and boldly asked for help:

"The guild history class detailed the great achievements of the first four guild leaders, but... what about the fifth guild leader? Isn't he going to attend the succession ceremony we're having today?"

Chen Jiandong's expression remained unchanged, and his tone was calm:

"The current president is currently traveling in the open sea, seeking a deeper breakthrough opportunity, and is unable to return to Yong'an Island for the time being. Please understand."

"After all, once you reach the level of the chairman, your physical body and spirit have long since broken free from the constraints of your environment, and you are prone to forgetting many worldly matters."

"Just like the 10,000-meter-deep ocean trenches that you find dangerous and terrifying, in the Chairman's eyes, they are nothing more than a backyard where he can stroll leisurely at any time. No one can guess his whereabouts..."

At that moment, a hoarse cough came from the shadows on the right side of the altar.

Zheng Hongxin, leaning on his cane, slowly walked to the area illuminated by the firelight.

The collar of his black robe was pulled up high, completely covering his neck, leaving only his face covered with age spots.

"Stop talking about such unrealistic and unrealistic things."

Zheng Hongxin slammed his cane on the ground and said:
"The most important thing in life is to be down-to-earth. As members of the True Thought Association, the most important thing is to be single-minded and respect this hard-won power."

As he spoke, his gaze swept across the faces of the twelve newcomers one by one, and he sighed inwardly.

Still too young.

But now, the True Thoughts Association no longer has time to wait for them to grow up slowly.

The older generation of core members are already nearing the critical point of bloodline erosion, and they could mutate and go insane at any time.

The entire guild was like a wrecked ship with a rotten bottom.

If this new batch of talent cannot quickly establish a solid foundation, the entire organization will turn into a den of mindless deep-sea monsters within three years.

"Today, the person in charge of your succession ceremony is our respected Vice President Zheng. Please welcome him."

Chen Jiandong promptly took over the conversation and was the first to applaud.

The twelve trainees immediately straightened their backs and clapped their hands in unison.

Zheng Hongxin nodded slightly and raised his hand to gently wave, signaling Chen Jiandong to continue the process.

Chen Jiandong then suppressed the applause and got to the point:

"As for the purpose of holding the inheritance ceremony, I believe you have already begun to feel some potential problems in the past six months."

"The power that has awakened within you comes from the Stone Tablet of Truth and is also deeply influenced by the invisible pull of the ocean's magnetic field."

"As you grow stronger and enjoy a higher level of life, your bodies will develop abnormal features such as growing scales and softening bones, and you will frequently hear inexplicable whispers in your mind."

"The only way to avoid going crazy is today."

Chen Jiandong raised his hand and pointed to the altar again:

"You must establish a spiritual connection with the Stone of Truth and engrave its form into your consciousness."

"Wherever you go in the future, whenever you feel that you are about to lose control of your mind, visualize this stone tablet in your mind."

"It is your anchor point of consciousness, which can help you maintain your rationality and slow down the rate of physical mutation."

After explaining the stakes, Chen Jiandong immediately issued the order:
"Everyone disperse, face the altar, and sit cross-legged."

The twelve elite members immediately sprang into action, spreading out in a semicircle on the rough rocky ground, each sitting cross-legged and closing their eyes.

"Don't look with your naked eyes, touch with the mental power that arises after your awakening."

Zheng Hongxin, leaning on his cane, slowly paced behind the newlyweds and said:
"Imagine your thoughts as a line, radiating out from between your eyebrows and extending upwards above the altar."

"Until you touch the stone tablet, feel the coolness of the inscription like flowing water, and gradually imprint its outline into your mind."

Zheng Hongxin's voice carried a special rhythm, gently guiding the newlyweds' consciousness.

The cave fell completely silent.

The tallow torch makes a faint crackling sound when it burns.

The group's steady breathing gradually blended with the frequency of the dripping water from the rock walls deep inside the cave.

Zheng Hongxin stepped back to Chen Jiandong's side, put one hand behind his back, and quietly gazed at the top of the altar.

About five minutes later.

The original gray-white Truth Stone suddenly had a faint blue light flash across its surface.

Zheng Hongxin frowned, thinking that some newcomer had pushed the stone tablet too hard with their mental power, thus arousing the remaining spirituality of the stone tablet.

But the next second, the blue light did not soften and subside as usual, but suddenly became brighter.

Immediately following, a blinding, rapid flash occurred. (End of Chapter)