I dominated the game from the start with cards.

Behind the rocks, an ancient stone gate was faintly visible, half-hidden among the vines. Strange symbols were carved on the gate, somewhat similar to the patterns on the plaque. An inexplicable force drew them in, as if silently calling to them. Li Xuan took a deep breath, pushed aside the dense vines, and slowly pushed open the stone gate. A wave of damp air rushed out, carrying a faint musty smell. Behind the stone gate was a narrow, dark, and secluded passage, its destination unknown. "Be careful," Mu Yang warned, drawing his dagger and leading the way, cautiously observing the surroundings. Lin Yu followed closely behind, a short axe in his hand, ready to deal with any sudden danger. Bai Yao clung to Li Xuan's arm, her body pressed close to his, and whispered, "Brother Xuan, this plaque is definitely not simple; we have to be careful." Her eyes were full of dependence. Li Xuan gently patted her hand, reassuring her. At intervals along the walls of the passageway, a faintly glowing luminous pearl was embedded, barely illuminating the path ahead. A suffocating atmosphere hung in the air, making it difficult to breathe. After walking for about fifteen minutes, the passageway suddenly opened up.

They arrived at a vast underground plaza. In the center stood an ancient altar, upon which rested a massive stone tablet covered in densely packed characters. Around the plaza stood dozens of stone pillars, each carved with different, lifelike patterns, seemingly telling ancient stories. "Where is this place?" Lin Yu exclaimed, awestruck by the sight before him. Li Xuan carefully examined the characters on the stone tablet, finding them remarkably similar to the patterns on the plaque, suggesting an ancient script. He tried to decipher them but found himself completely unable to understand. At that moment, an aged voice echoed from the depths of the plaza: "Welcome to the Lost Holy Land." Everyone looked in the direction of the voice and saw an elderly man in a grey robe slowly emerging from the plaza. The old man had white hair and beard, a kind face, but his eyes were deep and sharp, as if able to see into people's hearts. "Who are you?" Li Xuan asked warily. “I am the guardian of this place, Elder Zhang,” the old man said slowly. “You are the first outsiders to arrive here.” “We meant no offense, we just want to find some clues,” Li Xuan explained, taking out the plaque bearing the sect's insignia. “Do you know the meaning of this insignia?” Elder Zhang took the plaque, examined it carefully, and then said, “This is the insignia of the ‘Tianyuan Sect,’ a sect that disappeared long ago.” Hearing the words “Tianyuan Sect,” Li Xuan’s heart skipped a beat; that was the name of their sect! “Do you know what happened to the Tianyuan Sect?” Li Xuan asked eagerly. Elder Zhang sighed and slowly said, “The Tianyuan Sect was betrayed by villains and destroyed overnight…” Elder Zhang’s words shocked Li Xuan and the others; they desperately wanted to know more about the truth behind their sect’s demise. Looking at his surroundings, especially the patterns on the stone pillars, Mu Yang suddenly recalled some ancient legends from his sect about a hidden sacred ground and a mysterious organization… “Wait,” Mu Yang interrupted Elder Zhang’s narration, “I feel like… I’ve seen these patterns somewhere before…” Mu Yang frowned, his gaze sweeping across the stone pillars around the plaza. The carved patterns churned in his mind, constantly overlapping with fragments from the depths of his memory. “Wait,” Mu Yang interrupted Elder Zhang’s narration, “I feel like… I’ve seen these patterns somewhere before…” He reached out and touched one of the stone pillars; the rough texture confirmed his suspicions. “These patterns are very similar to the ‘constellation totems’ recorded in our sect’s scriptures.” Mu Yang’s voice trembled slightly, tinged with disbelief. “Legend has it that only by entering the sacred ground of the Tianyuan Sect can one see these totems.” “Sacred ground?” Li Xuan and Lin Yu exclaimed in unison; they had never heard of their sect having a sacred ground. Bai Yao also showed a puzzled expression; she didn’t know much about the Tianyuan Sect. “Yes, the Holy Land.” Mu Yang nodded affirmatively. “The ancient texts record that the Holy Land was a secret place established by the founder of the Tianyuan Sect, containing many important secrets and treasures. It is said that the star totems are the key to opening the Holy Land.” Everyone fell into deep thought. Could this ruin be the legendary Holy Land of the Tianyuan Sect? If so, then everything here would make sense. The markings on the sign, the text on the stone tablet, and these mysterious star totems all pointed to the same answer. Seeing everyone deep in thought, Elder Zhang stroked his beard and slowly said, “Young people, it seems you have already guessed. This is indeed the Holy Land of the Tianyuan Sect, and I am its guardian.” He paused, then continued, “To enter the depths of the Holy Land, you need to pass a test.” Elder Zhang walked to the altar and pointed to a passage on the stone tablet, saying, “This is an ancient riddle. Only by solving it can the gate to the depths of the Holy Land be opened.” Everyone crowded around, carefully observing the riddle on the stone tablet. This was a complex pattern composed of ancient characters and symbols, seemingly obscure and difficult to understand. Lin Yu and Bai Yao both frowned, completely unable to decipher the meaning of these characters and symbols. Mu Yang also racked his brains, but to no avail. Li Xuan's gaze swept quickly across the riddle, and he keenly caught the hidden pattern within it. Those seemingly chaotic symbols were actually arranged in a specific order. A slight smile appeared on his lips; he already had the answer in his mind. "Elder Zhang, the answer to this riddle is..." Li Xuan confidently stated the answer. A hint of appreciation flashed in Elder Zhang's eyes, and he nodded, saying, "Not bad, young man, you are very clever. It seems that the Tianyuan Sect has a worthy successor." As soon as he finished speaking, the stone tablet on the altar slowly sank, revealing a passage leading downwards. "Please, young man, the depths of the sacred land await you." Elder Zhang gestured for them to enter. Li Xuan and the others stepped into the passage without hesitation. At the end of the passage was a huge stone door, carved with even more complex star totems. With a deep rumble, the stone gate slowly opened, revealing a magnificent, golden hall. In the center of the hall stood a massive crystal ball, emitting a soft light that illuminated the entire space. Around the hall were numerous ancient books and artifacts, exuding an ancient and mysterious aura. Elder Zhang walked to the crystal ball and slowly said, “This world was once incredibly glorious, technologically advanced, and culturally vibrant. However, a dark force gradually awakened, devouring the light, destroying civilization, and turning this world into the ruins it is today…” Li Xuan and the others listened quietly to Elder Zhang's narration. They seemed to witness the world's former glory and decline, their hearts filled with shock and感慨 (gǎnkǎi, a complex emotion encompassing both awe and profound reflection). "The destruction of Tianyuan Sect is also related to the awakening of this dark power..." Elder Zhang's voice suddenly turned low, his gaze falling on Li Xuan. "Young man, you bear a heavy responsibility..." Elder Zhang suddenly stopped, his gaze turning to a tightly closed stone door deep within the hall. "Behind that door..." "Behind that door lies the core of this dark power." Elder Zhang's voice was low and hoarse, as if it came from an ancient abyss. "Once the seal is broken, this world will be plunged into complete darkness." The hall was silent, with only the soft light emanating from the crystal ball flickering gently. Li Xuan, Mu Yang, Bai Yao, and Lin Yu all held their breath, as if they could feel a heavy pressure permeating the air, making it hard for them to breathe. "What exactly is this dark power?" Li Xuan broke the silence, his voice trembling slightly, yet carrying a hint of determination. Elder Zhang slowly turned around, his gaze deep as he looked at Li Xuan. "It is an ancient and evil existence, it feeds on the light and revels in destroying civilizations."

It once dragged the world into an endless abyss, and now it will return...

"Then... what should we do?" Mu Yang's voice trembled slightly; he had never imagined he would face such a heavy responsibility. Elder Zhang was silent for a moment, then slowly said, "You need to find the sacred artifact of the Tianyuan Sect. Only the sacred artifact can completely destroy this dark power." "The sacred artifact? Where is it?" Lin Yu asked anxiously, eager to find it and eradicate the dark power. "The sacred artifact is deep within the sacred ground," Elder Zhang pointed to the tightly closed stone door deep within the main hall, "but to obtain it, you must pass numerous trials." "Trials? What trials?" Lin Yu was impatient to know the answer. He took a step forward, seemingly wanting to approach the closed stone door, but Mu Yang grabbed him. "Don't be impulsive!" Mu Yang said in a low voice, "Elder Zhang hasn't finished speaking." "I just... want to see what's behind that door..." Lin Yu muttered somewhat discontentedly. "Everything here seems strange; it's best to be careful." Mu Yang's tone was serious, his eyes gesturing for Lin Yu to pay attention to Elder Zhang's expression. Elder Zhang's gaze fell on Lin Yu, carrying a hint of warning. Lin Yu then realized he had almost violated the taboo of the ruins, and a chill ran down his spine. "Young man, do not be hasty," Elder Zhang said slowly. "The depths of this sacred land are fraught with danger; a slight misstep can lead to annihilation." His gaze swept over everyone, finally settling on Li Xuan. "Remember, only calmness and wisdom can lead you to final victory." Li Xuan nodded silently; he knew Elder Zhang was right. In this perilous post-apocalyptic world, only by remaining calm and wise could one survive. Silence fell again in the hall as everyone digested Elder Zhang's words. Li Xuan closed his eyes and activated his mental perception. Invisible energy fluctuations emanated from all directions, weaving a complex map in his mind. Suddenly, he sensed an unusually strong energy fluctuation deep within the hall, as if something was hidden there. He abruptly opened his eyes, his gaze locking onto the tightly closed stone door deep within the hall. He felt that it might hold more secrets about the destruction of his sect and the dark forces. “Elder Zhang,” Li Xuan pointed to the stone door, “what lies behind that door…?” Elder Zhang’s gaze also fell on the stone door, his expression turning grave. “There… is fraught with danger…” “There… is fraught with danger…” Elder Zhang repeated, a hint of worry flashing in his cloudy eyes. Having lived so long, guarding this ruin, he naturally knew the dangers hidden within. Behind that stone door, not only were there powerful energy fluctuations, but also an ancient curse lurked; a slight misstep could lead to utter destruction. Li Xuan frowned, Elder Zhang’s warning making him realize the seriousness of the situation. But his doubts and yearning for the truth about his sect drove him to investigate further. He activated his mental perception ability again, trying to probe the abnormal energy fluctuations more clearly. This time, he felt a peculiar pulse, rhythmic like a heartbeat, yet carrying a strange chill. This pulse was extremely similar to the energy fluctuations he had felt in the ruins of his sect. “I have to go and see,” Li Xuan said firmly, his eyes fixed intently on the stone door. “Li Xuan, Elder Zhang’s warning wasn’t unfounded,” Mu Yang said calmly as he walked to Li Xuan’s side. “We know nothing about the inside of the ruins; acting rashly is too dangerous.” Bai Yao also walked to Li Xuan’s side, gently taking his hand and saying softly, “I know you’re anxious, but we must proceed with caution. For your safety, and for the safety of all of us.” Lin Yu, though impulsive, understood the importance of priorities. He patted Li Xuan’s shoulder and said, “Li Xuan, let’s rest here for a while and discuss this further. I believe that as long as we work together, we can find the truth.” Li Xuan took a deep breath; he knew his companions were doing it for his own good. He looked around and saw their concerned gazes, a warm feeling welling up inside him. He nodded and said, “I understand; I will proceed with caution.” Elder Zhang looked at Li Xuan, a hint of admiration flashing in his eyes. He knew Li Xuan was a smart and responsible young man, but he was still worried that Li Xuan’s impulsiveness might bring him danger. “Young man,” Elder Zhang said slowly, “I know you have many questions, but some things are better left unsaid. The more you know, the greater the danger.” Li Xuan didn’t speak, only nodded silently. He knew Elder Zhang’s words had a hidden meaning, but he didn’t press the matter. Some secrets, perhaps, only he could uncover himself. That night, under Elder Zhang’s arrangement, the group stayed in a stone chamber within the ruins. Although the chamber was simple, it was clean and tidy. The group sat around the fire, roasting their rations and talking in hushed tones. Li Xuan, however, couldn’t sleep. The scene behind the stone door kept flashing through his mind, the strange energy fluctuations making him uneasy. He quietly got up, walked to the door of the stone chamber, and looked in the direction of the stone door. Moonlight shone through the cracks in the stone chamber, illuminating the stone door, making it appear exceptionally mysterious. A thought struck Li Xuan, a bold idea emerging in his mind. He turned to look at his sleeping companions, a resolute glint in his eyes. He gently pushed open the door of the stone chamber and silently walked out. He walked along the corridor toward the stone gate. The walls on both sides of the corridor were covered with ancient runes, emitting a faint glow. A sense of oppression filled the air, as if something was secretly watching Li Xuan.

His heart began to race, but he did not stop.

He walked to the stone door, reached out, and gently stroked the cold stone. Suddenly, he sensed soft footsteps behind him…