Possessed by my father, I was reborn and became the supreme ruler.

"We succeeded!" Nie Hanshan shouted excitedly, a smile spreading across his face. However, Ye Yunjian showed no joy whatsoever. His gaze fell on Elder Xuanfeng, and he said in a low voice, "Elder, you..."

Unlike the others who were racking their brains over the mysteries of the runes, Elder Xuanfeng kept his eyes closed and focused on sensing the subtle flow of spiritual energy within the passage.

The air inside the passage was foul, and every breath carried the grime of dust particles, but he seemed oblivious, as if he had become one with the space.

Suddenly, he opened his eyes, a glint of light flashing in his deep pupils, and then stepped towards a corner of the rune wall.

This sudden action puzzled everyone, and Ye Yunjian and the others all turned to look at him with inquiring eyes.

Lin Yao frowned slightly, and Nie Hanshan shook his head at her, signaling her to wait and see.

He believed that Elder Xuanfeng must have had a deeper meaning in doing so.

Elder Xuanfeng walked to a corner of the rune wall, his withered fingers gently stroking the surface. The rough texture on his fingertips was completely different from the smooth runes elsewhere.

He carefully stroked it, and suddenly his fingertips touched a slightly concave area.

A thought struck him, and he increased the pressure, pressing down on that area.

A soft "click" sound, almost drowned out by the noisy breathing in the passage, clearly reached Elder Xuanfeng's ears.

At the same time, the runes on the wall suddenly intensified, twinkling like stars in the night sky, dazzling and mesmerizing.

Then, the light gradually dimmed and eventually disappeared completely, and the runes also vanished as if they had never appeared.

The passageway was cleared again, and fresh air rushed in, dispelling the suffocating stale air.

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief, and joyful smiles appeared on their faces.

Gu Ling was so excited that tears welled up in his eyes. He grabbed Nie Hanshan's hand and choked out, "We...we're saved!"

Nie Hanshan patted him heavily on the shoulder and laughed heartily, "Yes, we're saved!"

Just as everyone was about to continue forward, a huge stone gate appeared at the end of the passage, blocking their way.

The stone gate was tightly closed, its surface carved with intricate patterns, emanating powerful waves of restrictive energy that inspired awe.

Ye Yunjian stepped forward and reached out to touch the stone door. A chilling coldness instantly spread throughout his body. He quickly withdrew his hand, his expression solemn.

"This stone gate..."

"It seems this cannot be opened by human power," Elder Xuanfeng said in a deep voice, his gaze falling on the stone door. "Yunjian, come here..."

A massive stone gate stood at the end of the passage, like an insurmountable wall, blocking everyone's way.

The stone gate is carved with intricate patterns, like winding snakes, emanating a chilling aura of restriction.

A faint metallic scent permeated the air, mixed with a chilling coldness that sent shivers down one's spine.

Ye Yunjian stepped forward slowly, his deep gaze fixed on the patterns on the stone door, trying to find a flaw in them.

He reached out and lightly touched the stone door with his fingertips. A powerful force rebounded instantly, knocking him back several steps.

A chilling coldness spread from my fingertips to my whole body, as if I were in an ice cellar.

His brow furrowed, and a sense of vigilance immediately arose.

Lin Yao stood to the side, her slender hands clasped tightly together. The powerful restriction emanating from the stone gate made her feel a sense of fear. She subconsciously hid behind Ye Yunjian, her fear hard to conceal.

Nie Hanshan and Gu Ling searched the surrounding area carefully, hoping to find clues to open the stone door.

Nie Hanshan had sharp eyes and quickly spotted a device resembling a control panel next to the stone gate.

The device was covered with strange runes that emitted a faint glow, and it seemed to be the key to opening the stone door.

"Perhaps this is the mechanism to open the stone door!" Nie Hanshan said excitedly, and strode towards the control panel.

"Watch out!" Ye Yunjian called out to warn them, but it was too late.

The moment Nie Hanshan's hand touched the control panel, a dazzling light shot out, sending him flying.

Nie Hanshan fell heavily to the ground, a sharp pain shooting through his chest, and he groaned in agony.

"Brother Nie!" Gu Ling roared upon seeing this and rushed toward the control panel without regard for anything else.

He brandished his longsword and slashed fiercely at the control panel, but it was as if he had struck a solid rock, leaving no mark whatsoever.

A faint golden light appeared on the surface of the control panel, blocking all of Gu Ling's attacks.

Gu Ling frantically attacked the control panel, only to be repelled time and time again, but he still did not give up.

Anger burned in his eyes, as if it wanted to devour the console.

Ye Yunjian looked at the injured Nie Hanshan and the crazed Gu Ling, his heart filled with anxiety...

He suddenly looked up, his gaze falling on an inconspicuous groove at the top of the stone gate. "Wait..." Ye Yunjian was extremely anxious when he saw Nie Hanshan injured and Gu Ling frantically attacking the control panel.

He clenched his fists, and fine beads of sweat appeared on his forehead.

No, this can’t continue!

He remembered the Xuanhuo Crystal in his arms; this extremely yang and powerful object might be able to forcibly break the restriction.

Ye Yunjian took a deep breath, mobilized his spiritual power, and guided the power of the Xuanhuo Crystal out.

However, just as the power of the Xuanhuo Crystal was about to touch the stone gate's restriction, an invisible force suppressed it, causing it to disappear without a trace, like a mud ox sinking into the sea.

Ye Yunjian's heart sank, and a deep sense of defeat welled up inside him.

Are they really going to be trapped here and die?

The air around seemed to freeze, so oppressive that it made people feel breathless.

Lin Yao came to the injured Nie Hanshan's side, took out healing pills from her storage bag, and carefully fed them to him.

Her gentle gaze fell upon Nie Hanshan, her eyes filled with concern.

"Brother Nie, how are you feeling?" Nie Hanshan looked at Lin Yao gratefully and smiled weakly, "I'm alright, I won't die. Thank you, Lin Yao." Lin Yao gently shook her head and said softly, "Brother Nie, there's no need for thanks between us." This simple interaction felt especially warm in the tense atmosphere.

Ye Yunjian frowned as he looked at the scene before him.

He took a deep breath and forced himself to calm down.

He looked around, his gaze finally settling on the inconspicuous groove at the top of the stone gate.

"Wait!" Ye Yunjian shouted, pointing to the groove. "Look over there!" Everyone looked in the direction Ye Yunjian was pointing and saw a strangely shaped groove lying quietly on top of the stone gate, as if waiting for something to arrive.

"What...what is this?" Gu Ling asked in confusion.

Ye Yunjian did not answer, but instead leaped up and landed lightly on the top of the stone gate like a swallow.

He carefully observed the shape of the groove, and suddenly a bold guess came to his mind.