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Zheng Hongxin's originally somewhat cloudy eyes suddenly became exceptionally bright the moment they reflected that glimmer of blue light.

His facial muscles twitched slightly, his gaze fixed firmly on the top of the altar.

After examining it carefully for a while, he seemed to perceive some extraordinary change through the brief flash of light.

"Teacher, what's going on?"

Chen Jiandong stepped forward and looked up at the altar.

The halo flowing across the surface of the Stone of Truth flickered, faintly revealing a restless atmosphere.

He also noticed something was wrong and immediately asked a question.

Zheng Hongxin did not reply, but simply raised his right hand and pressed his palm down.

"Stop! Everyone immediately disconnect from your mental links and remain vigilant."

Although the shout was not loud, it carried the accumulated power of many years, like a thunderclap.

The twelve newcomers, who were immersed in meditation, were startled by the sudden shout.

They all opened their eyes, raised their heads, and looked at the vice president standing in front of them with some confusion, completely unaware of why the inheritance ceremony had suddenly stopped.

Zheng Hongxin withdrew his hand and turned to look at Chen Jiandong:

"Jiandong, let's work together to establish a communication loop and check all the guard points around the island."

Upon hearing this, Chen Jiandong looked surprised.

He knew very well that the spirituality of the Stone of Truth had been severely diminished over the past six months.

Two months ago, the teacher personally issued an order that unless a powerful enemy launched a large-scale invasion, the function of the stone tablet to patrol and display images should not be used, so as not to deplete its cultural heritage.

But seeing Zheng Hongxin's solemn expression, he didn't ask any more questions and immediately nodded in agreement.

The two quickly stood facing the altar, their hands clasped together in front of their chests.

Deep incantations emanated from the two of them, like ancient prayers, echoing through the vast underground cavern.

Guided by their thoughts, an invisible spiritual wave rushed towards the altar.

The Stone of Truth, standing at the highest point, faintly emitted a buzzing sound.

Immediately afterwards, the deep blue light emanating from inside the monument became noticeably more intense than before.

However, Zheng Hongxin's brows furrowed more and more, and a solemn expression appeared on his aged face.

Standing next to him, Chen Jiandong's face flushed, and fine beads of sweat appeared on his forehead.

Clearly, setting up this communication loop consumed a lot of his energy.

He took a slight breath and couldn't help but ask:
"Teacher, is there something wrong with the Stone of Truth? Why isn't it responding to our commands?"

Zheng Hongxin slowly exhaled a breath of stale air from his chest and explained in a deep voice:

"The stone tablet seems to be spontaneously operating another function. Now, two forces are vying for the system's operating resources, causing a conflict that makes them unable to coexist. That's why our spiritual commands are being excluded."

Upon hearing this, Chen Jiandong was slightly taken aback.

After Zheng Hongxin finished speaking, his expression did not soften; instead, it became even more gloomy.

He had just managed to glimpse a sliver of the scene displayed on the stone tablet using his mental circuitry.

It wasn't any monitoring node around the island, but an utterly deep darkness.

In the darkness, only a dazzling blue light was expanding wildly, like a supernova bursting with astonishing energy in the void of the universe.

There is nothing else besides that.

What alarmed him most was that the stone tablet did not resonate with their guidance at all.

On the contrary, its internal energy structure is being strengthened in a way that defies common sense.

what on earth is it?

Although he had just given Chen Jiandong a seemingly reasonable explanation, his doubts and vigilance had reached their peak.

Because there was a crucial detail he didn't mention.

Since it can directly suppress the commands guided by the two of them together.

Doesn't this mean that the program that is running spontaneously has an absurdly high priority?
It was even so high that his authority as the vice president of the guild was completely ignored.

This was the first time he had encountered something like this since he took over the guild.

Has the spiritual power of the Stone of Truth weakened to the point of being out of control?
Or perhaps, some incredibly powerful enemy has already arrived at Yong'an Island silently and used their overwhelming mental power to block the stone tablet's patrol function.

Thinking of this, Zheng Hongxin's palms broke out in a cold sweat.

"Don't just stand there, everyone snap out of it!"

He immediately turned around and gave instructions to the newlyweds sitting cross-legged behind him:

"Now everyone, follow me and recite the incantation, and pray together to the Stone of Truth!"

The twelve new members looked at each other, their faces full of confusion.

Out of the obedience they had developed in the training camp, they quickly adjusted their posture and followed Zheng Hongxin's rhythm, reciting those unfamiliar incantations.

Inside the cave, the sounds of prayers coalesced into a deep, resonant sound.

As Zheng Hongxin led the group in chanting, he kept a close eye on the changes in the altar.

The Stone of Truth did not calm down.

The deep blue light flickered continuously, faster and faster, sometimes bright and sometimes dim.

It's like an old machine that's been running under overload, ready to explode at any moment.

The surface of the monument remained gray and white, without displaying any specific images or scenes.

Seeing this, Zheng Hongxin quickly thought of various countermeasures.

He then threw away his cane, bent his knees, and knelt on the rocky ground.

"The vast ocean, richly sustaining all things. The spirits of our ancestors, protecting our lineage. We share the same bloodline, our souls are united..."

Zheng Hongxin bowed his head to the ground, spread his hands flat in front of him, and continued to mutter incantations.

This posture is both like praying for the protection of the spirits of ancestors and like a devout believer expressing reverence to an unknown deity.

Seeing the vice president do this, the newcomers behind him also bent down and followed his example, prostrating themselves on the ground.

Just then, the light on the Stone of Truth suddenly surged, as if some drastic change had occurred within it.

The entire massive underground cavern trembled violently a few times.

The rock wall above made a soft cracking sound as large and small stones mixed with dust flaked off.

buzzing-

A powerful spatial fluctuation swept out from the center of the altar.

The feeling was like a raging storm rising from the depths of a distant ocean, traversing endless distances, and crashing violently into this sealed cave.

The surrounding air instantly became extremely viscous, and a heavy sense of water pressure descended from nowhere, as if it were about to completely crush everyone's lungs.

The twelve new members had never experienced this level of oppression before.

Their faces turned deathly pale instantly, and large beads of sweat the size of soybeans appeared on their foreheads.

Several of them experienced a severe headache and could only cover their heads with their hands before collapsing to the ground.

Just when everyone felt they couldn't hold on any longer and the cave was about to collapse.

The buzzing sound coming from the altar stopped abruptly.

The terrifying fluctuations that had been surging in the air receded rapidly like a receding tide, and the wildly flashing light on the surface of the Stone of Truth also stabilized.

Everyone was panting heavily, their eyes filled with doubt and uncertainty. While they felt a sense of relief, their muscles remained tense.

Zheng Hongxin raised his head, his gaze fixed on the stone tablet above the altar.

Chen Jiandong knelt beside him and raised his hand to wipe the cold sweat from his face.

The newlyweds behind them remained stiff, still kneeling in prayer, looking ahead with lingering fear.

At this moment, the Truth Stone at the top of the altar has changed drastically.

The originally grayish-white surface of the bones once again shimmered with that dreamy, deep blue luster.

The light was soft yet extremely profound, floating gently in the air like tentacles, revealing a mysterious spirituality.

It was as if the violent tremor just now was giving the long-dried-up stone tablet a complete recharge. "Teacher!"

Chen Jiandong's eyes lit up, as if he had witnessed some miracle, and he immediately shouted:

"Look, judging from the density and brightness of the light emanating from the Stone of Truth, hasn't the energy it contains recovered to about half of its peak?"

Zheng Hongxin stared at the stone tablet, slowly nodded, and acknowledged the judgment.

Chen Jiandong clenched his fist, feeling a mixture of surprise and joy.

Surprisingly, the Stone of Truth, already weakened by the loss of its spiritual essence, was often rendered inadequate for use in order to avoid risks.

Now that this uncontrolled mutation has occurred again, it's truly unclear whether it's a blessing or a curse, and what the outcome will be.

The good news is that, for whatever reason, the stone tablet has received a massive replenishment of spirituality and energy in just a few minutes, restoring the basic capabilities of the Shelter Guild.

Just as everyone was filled with doubt and whispering among themselves.

hum-

The Truth Monument, which had just stabilized, suddenly emitted a clear, resonant tremor.

The eerie blue light on the monument suddenly surged again, illuminating the entire cave as bright as day.

Immediately afterwards, ripples of water spread out in the void directly in front of the altar.

A crack opened from the center of the ripples, like a sleeping giant eye slowly opening.

The gap rapidly stretched and expanded to both sides, instantly opening up a space door more than two meters high, emitting blue light.

pat.

One foot stepped out first, landing on the steps of the altar.

Then, a tall and imposing figure stepped out from the blue light curtain and stood prominently on the altar.

The moment everyone relaxed a little, their nerves tightened instantly, and everyone's breath caught in their throats.

The dim yellow light of the torch intertwined with the deep blue glow of the stone tablet, shining on the visitor and illuminating his face.

He was a young man wearing only a pair of red athletic shorts.

He was barefoot, with a fit and healthy physique, and a few drops of water still clung to his bronze skin.

His broad, full chest muscles, his sharply defined abdominal muscles, and his strong, powerful arms all showcase a physique full of primal wildness and extreme masculinity.

The man stood there casually, his gaze passing over the stone tablet and calmly looking down at the altar below, exuding a powerful aura that sent chills down one's spine.

Zheng Hongxin grabbed his cane, his fingers tightening slightly, his eyes filled with surprise and uncertainty.

Chen Jiandong subconsciously reached for the short knife at his waist, as if facing a formidable enemy.

As for the twelve newly baptized individuals, their eyes widened as if they were a group of puppets frozen in place.

The vast cave was completely silent, save for the faint crackling of the burning torches.

Above and below, the visitors from across space and the believers guarding the altar stared at each other, wide-eyed.

Nobody knows what's going on on the other side.

The atmosphere suddenly froze briefly.

Zheng Hongxin's wary gaze followed the other person's arm downwards, finally settling on the metal object held between his fingers.

The firelight inside the cave and the eerie blue glow of the altar complemented each other, illuminating the key's ancient outline and intricate patterns clearly.

The old man's pupils suddenly contracted, his previously hunched back straightened abruptly, and he blurted out:
"Where did you get the thing in your hand?"

The man stood on high ground and glanced down at his fingertips.

"You mean this key?"

He slowly raised his right hand, displaying the silver key in mid-air.

The metallic edges gleamed with a cold, hard, and mesmerizing luster under the light.

"Correct."

Zheng Hongxin pursed his lips, his voice strained.

As he spoke, he used his crutches and knees for support to quickly stand up from the ground.

Upon seeing this, Chen Jiandong immediately took a step forward, placing half of his body in front of and to protect the teacher.

At the same time, he pressed his right hand on the hilt of the sword at his waist, keeping his eyes fixed on the uninvited guest on the altar, in case the other party suddenly attacked.

The man glanced at the two men below who were standing ready for battle, and calmly replied:

"A friend gave it to me as a gift."

Upon hearing this, Zheng Hongxin's aged body trembled violently.

"You...you say that again!"

The old man's voice trembled noticeably, his chest heaved violently, and even the arm holding his cane was shaking uncontrollably.

Chen Jiandong quickly reached out and supported the teacher's arm, his heart filled with surprise.

Since he became a disciple, he has witnessed countless ups and downs in the guild, and he has never seen this seasoned vice president experience such intense emotional fluctuations.

On the altar, Fang Cheng stood silently before the stone tablet, offering no reply.

He looked at the believers in white robes prostrate on the ground below the altar, and then at the unusually agitated elder leading the group, and couldn't help but wonder.

The location linked by these remaining coordinates is strangely peculiar.

A massive stone monument built from countless bones, an underground cave with primitive torches burning in it, and this group of people with strange behavior and expressions...

Could I have accidentally stumbled upon a cult's ritual?
Zheng Hongxin seemed to realize that he had lost his composure.

He raised the back of his hand, coughed forcefully to suppress his surging emotions.

"Excuse me, sir/madam."

Zheng Hongxin then softened his voice, changed his tone, and asked softly:
"How did you get this key? And what's your friend's name?"

Seeing that the old man had calmed down and was still quite polite, Fang Cheng turned his fingers and put the key back into his palm.

"I don't know his name."

Fang Cheng remained expressionless and casually said:
“I met him by chance while traveling a while ago. I saw that he was having some trouble, so I helped him out. He thought we got along very well and appreciated me a lot. Before we parted, he gave me this item as a souvenir.”

Of course, he made all of these up on the spot.

You can't exactly say that you found this key in the ruins of the ocean thousands of meters deep.

Since the original owner of this key recorded the coordinates of this sacrificial site, it's highly likely that he was part of the same group of believers in front of them.

If I honestly explain the whole story, these people might just come up with some grand reason and force me to return the token.

Just as Fang Cheng was pondering to himself, Chen Jiandong, after hearing the story, also turned his gaze to the metal key.

As Fang Cheng turned his finger, the blue light emanating from the stone tablet just swept across the special emblem at the end of the key.

Chen Jiandong's eyes gradually widened, as if he had finally seen the whole thing.

He turned his head sharply, looking at the teacher beside him with a shocked expression.

Zheng Hongxin met his incredulous gaze and nodded slowly and solemnly, his expression extremely solemn.

Chen Jiandong was greatly shocked. His Adam's apple bobbed, and he quietly released his hand from the hilt of the knife.

The two quickly exchanged a glance.

It was a complex look in his eyes, a mixture of excitement, joy, and awe.

Then, the two seemed to have made some major decision.

Zheng Hongxin pushed away Chen Jiandong's support and threw away his crutches.

Chen Jiandong quickly took half a step back and straightened his clothes.

Then, under Fang Cheng's astonished gaze, the old man and the young man bent their knees and knelt down in unison below the steps of the altar with a "thump".

"Zheng Hongxin!"

"Chen Jiandong!"

"Greetings, President!" (End of Chapter)