The Second World in Ancient Times

After Si Qing's fleet docked at a new coast, they heard of a mysterious ancient ruin, said to contain countless treasures and the secrets of an ancient civilization. This news was like a magnet, attracting Si Qing's curiosity and desire for exploration. She decided to put trade aside and lead a small team to explore the ruins.

As they reached the entrance to the ruins, an ancient and mysterious atmosphere washed over them. The gate was tall and heavy, engraved with strange symbols and patterns that seemed to speak of a glorious past. Si Qing carefully examined these symbols, trying to find some clue.

"These symbols look like an ancient writing system, perhaps related to the method of opening the door." Si Qing said to the team members around him.

They began searching for more information around the ruins, and found some vague clues on a dilapidated stone tablet. After some effort in deciphering them, Si Qing deduced that the gate's opening might be related to the position of the stars and a specific time.

So, they set up camp near the ruins, awaiting the right moment. At night, Si Qing gazed up at the starry sky, comparing it to the information she'd deciphered from the stone tablets, calculating the angles of the stars. When the stars aligned in a specific pattern, she quickly approached the gate and pressed the corresponding symbols on the door in a certain order. With a low rumble, the gate slowly opened, revealing a deep, dark passage within.

After entering the ruins, Si Qing and his team found themselves in a vast maze. Faint lights flickered on the walls, illuminating the intricate passages around them. Each passage seemed identical, yet concealed a unique mechanism and puzzle.

At a fork in the road, they encountered their first set of puzzles. On the ground lay a large jigsaw puzzle, depicting strange creatures and geometric shapes. Si Qing realized that only by completing the puzzle could they unlock the path to the depths.

She and her teammates began to try to solve the puzzle, but soon discovered its difficulty. The pieces were all similar in shape, and every misplaced piece triggered a mechanism that sent tiny darts shooting from the wall. Si Qing calmly directed everyone, locating the pieces based on the shape of the puzzle's edges and the continuity of the pattern. After many attempts and failures, they finally solved the puzzle, and the passage ahead opened up.

However, new challenges arose. In the next passage, they encountered a light puzzle. The passage contained numerous mirrors and light sources. Light needed to be reflected off the mirrors and shine at a specific location to unlock the next door. Si Qing carefully observed the light's path and the angles of the mirrors, directing the team to adjust the mirrors. Even the slightest deviation would cause the light to stray from its target, necessitating a restart.

As they delve deeper into the ruins, Si Qing and his companions discover clues to the treasure. In a secret room, an ancient map is painted on the wall, with strange locations and symbols marked on it. Si Qing speculates that these locations may be related to the treasure's hiding place.

However, the map is incomplete; parts appear to have been deliberately hidden or damaged. Searching for additional clues in the secret room, they discover a rotating stone platform. Symbols similar to those on the map are engraved on the platform, and Si Qing speculates that by rotating the platform and matching the symbols with the clues on the map, they might be able to complete the map.

They began experimenting with different rotation combinations, each one triggering a different reaction. Sometimes a new passage opened, sometimes a mechanism was triggered. After one rotation, a burst of flames erupted from the chamber, nearly injuring the team members. Si Qing refused to give up, meticulously recording the results of each rotation and analyzing the patterns.

After a long time of hard work, they finally found the correct rotation order and completed the map. According to the guidance of the map, they headed towards the core area of ​​the ruins, where the treasure they dreamed of might be hidden.

As Si Qing and his companions approached the core of the ruins, they encountered an even deadlier trap: in a narrow passage, the ground was covered with pressure-sensitive plates. Once triggered, huge rocks would fall from the ceiling.

Si Qing took out some powder he had brought with him and sprinkled it on the ground, trying to find a safe path without sensor pads. The powder accumulated in some places, indicating that they were safe. They carefully followed the safe path, but the powder's effect was limited. There were still many hidden sensor pads in the passage that could not be found.

As they advanced, one of the team members accidentally triggered a sensor plate, causing rocks to fall from the ceiling. Si Qing shouted, "Run!" The team members rushed forward, rocks falling behind them, raising a cloud of dust. In the nick of time, they finally escaped the passage.

However, more dangers awaited them ahead. At the entrance to the core area, a set of massive rotating blades spun at high speeds through the passage, forming an impassable barrier. Si Qing observed for a moment and noticed subtle variations in the blades' rotational speed. Furthermore, there were small holes in the passage's walls, seemingly related to the blades' control.

Si Qing speculated that by controlling the small holes in the wall, they might be able to change the blade's rotation speed and find the right moment to penetrate. She and her team began to study the patterns of the holes and discovered that different holes corresponded to different blade rotation speeds.

They used various tools to try to block or open the small holes, observing the blades' behavior. This process required extreme precision and patience, as even the slightest mistake could result in being chopped to pieces. After many trials, they finally found a brief window when all the blades slowed down, allowing them to quickly pass through the barrier of rotating blades.

After entering the core area, they saw a huge treasure chest, emitting a mysterious light, which seemed to contain endless wealth. However, the treasure chest was surrounded by a complex rune array, and the rune array flowed with energy. Touching the rune array could cause catastrophic consequences.

Si Qing once again summoned her ingenuity, searching the surroundings for clues related to the rune array. In a corner, she discovered an ancient stone tablet containing instructions for deciphering the rune array. It turned out that special items needed to be placed on the rune array in a specific order to unlock its power.

Si Qing and his team followed the instructions on the stone tablet and began searching for the special items. Throughout the ruins, they found gems and instruments emanating mysterious powers. When they placed these items on the rune array, the array's glow gradually dimmed and eventually vanished.

When they opened the treasure chest, they found that there was no gold and silver treasure as they had imagined, but some ancient books, mysterious potions and strange technological devices. Although these items were not treasures in the traditional sense, for Si Qing, their value far exceeded that of gold and silver.

Ancient books contain long-lost knowledge and skills that could profoundly impact the family's business and cultural development. Mysterious potions hold unknown benefits, potentially curing illnesses or enhancing human abilities. Strange technological devices are eye-opening for Si Qing, who realizes they could represent a once-advanced civilization.

Si Qing carefully put away the items and led the team out of the ruins. This expedition not only trained her courage and wisdom, but also brought her unexpected gains and opened up a new path for her future development.

After leaving the ancient ruins, Si Qing turned his attention to a dangerous primeval forest nearby. This forest was considered a forbidden area by the locals. It was said that there were ferocious beasts and complex terrain inside, and few people who entered it could come out alive.

As Si Qing and his companions reached the edge of the forest, they felt an oppressive atmosphere. Dense vegetation obscured the sky, and sunlight filtered through the leaves, casting only scattered specks of light. The ground was covered with tangled tree roots and vines, making walking difficult.

They followed a path that looked like an animal trail, but soon encountered trouble. Massive spiderwebs blocked their path, teeming with fist-sized venomous spiders. Sensing their approach, the spiders swarmed toward them. Si Qing and his team wielded their weapons, slicing through the webs and engaging the spiders. The spiders' venom was corrosive, and a bite could be disastrous.

After repelling the poisonous spiders, they continued on their way, only to find the path cut off at a swamp. The swamp, bubbling and emitting a pungent odor, seemed bottomless. Si Qing picked up a stone and threw it in, but it was quickly swallowed by the swamp.

To bypass the swamp, they had to find another route. In the process, they encountered a ferocious beast in the forest. A huge black panther jumped out of the woods, its eyes flashing green, its body agile and extremely fast.

The black panther lunged at Si Qing, but she dodged sideways. Drawing her sword, she confronted the panther. The panther roared and circled Si Qing, looking for an opening to strike. Si Qing's team members tried to help, but the panther was too fast, and they worried about accidentally injuring Si Qing.

Si Qing focused her attention, observing the black panther's movements. When it lunged again, she seized the opportunity and stabbed it in the abdomen with her sword. The injured panther, even more ferocious, attacked Si Qing frantically, its claws slashing through her clothes. With her agility and exquisite swordsmanship, Si Qing engaged in a life-or-death struggle with the black panther. Finally, she found the panther's weakness and stabbed it in the vitals, sending it crashing to the ground.

But before they could catch their breath, they heard another low growl. It turned out that the black panther's roar had attracted more beasts, and a pack of wild wolves appeared in their sight. The wolves surrounded Si Qing and his men in a fan-shaped formation, their eyes gleaming with hunger.

Surrounded by wolves, Si Qing and his teammates stood back to back, forming a defensive circle. The wolves began to attack tentatively, quickly charging at the team members and then quickly retreating. Si Qing knew they couldn't let the wolves find their weaknesses, otherwise they would be torn to pieces.

She directed the team to use weapons and torches to drive away the wolves, but the wolves showed no sign of retreating. During the stalemate, Si Qing discovered that there was a small hill behind the wolves, and the terrain on the hill was more advantageous for them.

"Let's retreat to the hillside!" Si Qing shouted.

They fought and retreated, moving up the hillside. The wolves pursued them relentlessly, attacking them periodically. While climbing the hillside, one team member slipped due to the complex terrain. The wolves seized the opportunity and pounced. Si Qing quickly turned back to rescue them, slashing several wolves with her sword. The other team members also stepped in to rescue the injured team member.

Finally, they reached the top of the hill. There were some boulders and trees on the hillside that served as cover, and Si Qing and his team used these to continue their fight against the wolves. They shot the wolves with bows and arrows, and at the same time, rolled rocks down the hillside to disrupt the wolves' attack.

After a hard fight, the wolves finally retreated. Si Qing and his companions continued to explore deeper into the forest, hoping to find something valuable. Deep in the forest, they found some rare herbs and precious wood.

These herbs possess miraculous medicinal properties and fetch high prices in the market. The precious wood, with its hard texture and beautiful grain, can be used to craft exquisite handicrafts. Si Qing realizes that this primeval forest, while dangerous, is also a treasure trove of resources.

They also discovered a cave hidden behind a waterfall. The cave was filled with a mysterious atmosphere, and there were some strange murals on the cave walls. The murals depicted some ancient sacrificial rituals and myths and legends that seemed to be related to the origin of this forest.

Si Qing developed a strong interest in these murals and carefully studied their contents, trying to find out more about the land. Deep in the cave, they also found some ancient pottery fragments and bone tools, which provided important clues to the study of local history and culture.

After exploring the cave, the group prepared to leave the primeval forest. However, due to the complex terrain and dense vegetation in the forest, they soon lost their way. The compass was disturbed by the magnetic field in the forest and could not be used properly.

They tried to determine the direction based on the position of the sun, but the sunlight was scarce in the forest and it was difficult to make accurate judgments. Food and water were also becoming increasingly scarce, so they had to look for new sources of water and food.

Si Qing led the team in their search for edible plants and fruits. Using her previous knowledge, she identified which plants were non-toxic and edible. While searching for water, they discovered animal tracks, which led them to a stream.

However, the water in the stream couldn't be drunk directly; they needed to purify it. Si Qing and his team used some simple tools to make a simple filter to filter the stream water before drinking it. They also set traps along the stream to catch small animals for food.

After solving the problem of food and water, they continued to look for a way out of the forest. They left some special marks in the forest to identify the paths they had taken and avoid going around in circles in the same place.

After several days of arduous journey, they finally found some familiar signs. Si Qing found the traces left by their previous battle with the poisonous spider at the edge of the forest, which indicated that they were not far from the edge of the forest.

They quickened their pace, heading towards the edge of the forest. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief when they emerged from the primeval forest. This journey through the primeval forest had brought them countless dangers and challenges, but it had also been a bountiful experience. Si Qing had not only obtained precious resources but also gained a deeper understanding of the history and culture of this land.

This exploration of ancient ruins and primeval forests profoundly changed Si Qing. Facing various dangers and puzzles, her courage and wisdom were further enhanced. She was no longer the girl who grew up under the protection of her family, but a strong person who could independently face unknown challenges.

In terms of teamwork, she learned to better lead and coordinate the team members. Solving puzzles in the ruins and fighting in the forest both required close cooperation among the team members. Si Qing was able to arrange tasks according to each person's characteristics and give full play to everyone's strengths.

Her mentality also changed. She no longer feared the unknown, but was filled with curiosity and a desire to explore. She knew that only by constantly exploring could she gain more knowledge and wealth, laying a solid foundation for the development of her family and her own ideals.

After returning to the fleet, Si Qing began to organize the knowledge and resources she had gained from the ruins and forests. She shared the knowledge in the ancient books with the scholars and craftsmen in her family, hoping that they could dig out valuable information from them.

Those mysterious potions were sent to the family's healers, who researched and experimented with them, attempting to discover their medicinal properties. Strange technological devices were then studied by craftsmen skilled in mechanical manufacturing, hoping to replicate them or gain inspiration to improve their family's production techniques.

Si Qing arranges for specialized personnel to process and sell the herbs and wood collected from the primeval forest. These precious resources have brought lucrative profits to the family and also enhanced the family's competitiveness in the trade market.

After this thrilling and surprising exploration, Si Qing is full of anticipation for future exploration journeys. She knows that the world is so big and there are countless unknowns waiting for her to discover.

She began planning her next exploration destination, perhaps another mysterious relic or an unexplored new continent. She understood that every exploration was fraught with danger, but she remained undaunted. She believed that with her own courage, wisdom, and the strength of her team, she could overcome all difficulties, forge ahead on the path of exploring the unknown, and create even greater glory for herself and her family.

On this new voyage, Si Qing gazes at the distant sea horizon, her heart filled with longing and hope for the future. Carrying the precious wealth gained from this exploration, she heads towards the next unknown destination, ready to meet new challenges and opportunities.