Shocking Secrets of the Celestial Realm

The black-robed elder and his group fled in panic, but the atmosphere inside the temple remained heavy and oppressive. Although the mysterious power had weakened with the dissipation of the mental storm, its lingering effects still made people uneasy. Jasmine took a deep breath to calm her inner turmoil; she knew that it was far from time to relax.

"Is everyone alright?" Jasmine looked at Lin Qing, Ye Lan, and Qin Feng with concern. Although the three of them looked tired, they all nodded firmly.

Lin Qing stretched his stiff body, sheathed his longsword, and his eyes revealed the relief of surviving a close call: "This was really dangerous. If everyone hadn't worked together, I really don't know what we would have done."

Ye Lan gently patted her chest, slightly out of breath: "That mental storm was terrifying; I almost got lost in my own inner demons."

Qin Feng patted off non-existent dust from his body, trying to appear calm: "Hmph, it's just a minor incident. We're not so easily defeated." Despite his words, his slightly trembling hands betrayed his inner tension.

Jasmine gazed at the energy runes in the hall, still shimmering faintly, and fell into deep thought. She remembered that during the most intense moment of the mental storm, she had used her unwavering willpower and microscopic energy perception to sense a subtle connection between the runes and the human body. She slowly closed her eyes, concentrated her mind, and once again mobilized her microscopic energy, trying to capture that fleeting clue.

As the microscopic energy circulated, Jasmine's senses became increasingly acute. She "saw" the faint, thread-like connections between the runes and the Qi of the human body, as well as the energy centers of the meridians. These threads shimmered with a mysterious light, trembling slightly with the movement of the runes, as if telling an ancient and mysterious story.

“I think I’ve discovered something crucial.” Jasmine opened her eyes, which gleamed with excitement. “These runes correspond to the Qi and meridian energy centers in our bodies. Perhaps we can use this to further unravel the secrets of the Spirit Forest.”

Upon hearing this, Lin Qing immediately perked up: "Really? Then let's take a look at it quickly."

The four gathered around the runes, and Jasmine explained her discoveries in detail. Qin Feng opened a spatial rift to observe the connection between the runes and human energy from different angles; Ye Lan, on the other hand, drew upon natural elements, attempting to use the power of nature to enhance their perception of the runes; Lin Qing circulated his qi and blood, using himself as a reference to feel the resonance between the runes and the meridians in his body.

Through their combined efforts, the four gradually unveiled the mystery surrounding the connection between runes and human energy. It turns out that these runes are like keys, corresponding to different energy centers along the body's meridians. Specific energy fluctuations can activate these centers, releasing powerful energy.

"This is incredible!" Ye Lan exclaimed. "If we could master this power, we might be able to unlock the secrets of the Spirit Forest."

Just as they were studying the runes, the temple grounds suddenly began to shake violently, stones fell from above, and the entire temple seemed about to collapse.

"Oh no, the temple is about to collapse!" Qin Feng shouted.

Lin Qing quickly drew his longsword and brandished it to deflect the falling rocks: "We have to get out of here right now!"

Jasmine was frantic. She knew that if she left now, all her previous efforts would be in vain. Looking at the runes, a sudden idea struck her: "Wait, maybe these runes can help us!"

She focused her mind and, following the previously discovered correspondence, mobilized microscopic energy to activate the defensive runes. Instantly, a transparent energy shield unfolded above their heads, blocking the falling rocks.

"Everyone, hurry up and activate the runes using the method I just described!" Jasmine shouted.

The four acted swiftly, each channeling their own energy to activate the corresponding runes. As the runes were activated, the energy shield grew stronger, not only blocking the falling rocks but also withstanding the ground tremors.

The temple's collapse did not stop; huge cracks began to appear in the surrounding walls, and a powerful suction force emanated from these cracks, attempting to pull them into the endless darkness.

"This suction is too strong, we can't hold on much longer!" Ye Lan's voice was tinged with despair.

Just then, Jasmine suddenly remembered an ancient formation she had seen in the ruins. She concentrated, constructed a model of the formation in her mind, and then infused it with the energy of the runes.

As the formation was completed, a powerful counterforce emanated from it, counteracting the suction force of the cracks. Under the influence of this counterforce, the suction gradually weakened, and the tremors of the temple subsided.

"I never imagined these runes were so powerful," Lin Qing exclaimed.

Jasmine stood up, looking at the temple around her as it gradually stabilized. These runes still held many secrets.

After resting for a while, the four returned to the runes, ready to continue their in-depth study. However, as they approached the runes, they discovered that they had undergone some changes.

The previously static runes began to slowly rotate, their light growing brighter and their energy fluctuations becoming increasingly intense. As the runes rotated, a massive array of light slowly appeared before them.

"What's going on with this light array?" Qin Feng asked curiously.

Jasmine carefully observed the light array and discovered that it seemed to contain a map marked with a mysterious location deep within the Spirit Forest.

“I think this array of light is guiding us to the core area of ​​the Spirit Forest,” Jasmine said. “That might be the key to unraveling all the mysteries.”

Lin Qing nodded slightly, and Ye Lan and Qin Feng also expressed their agreement. Guided by the light array, the four of them headed towards the core area of ​​the Spirit Illusion Forest.

Along the way, the scenery in the Enchanted Forest became increasingly bizarre. The surrounding trees shimmered with multicolored light, and the air was filled with a thick mist of energy, in which various strange creatures appeared and disappeared.

Suddenly, a wide river appeared ahead. The water was a strange purple, and the sound of its flow was like a distant, ancient melody, drawing one in irresistibly.

"This river looks dangerous," Lin Qing said warily.

Jasmine closed her eyes, using her microscopic energy perception to probe the river. After a while, she opened her eyes and said, "This river contains powerful energy; crossing it directly is extremely dangerous. But I sense some special energy nodes at the bottom of the river. If we can find and activate them, perhaps we can find a way to cross."

The four searched for energy nodes along the riverbank. Qin Feng used spatial rifts to observe at different spatial levels; Ye Lan communicated with natural elements to sense the flow of energy; Lin Qing used his keen observation skills to search for clues on the rocks and trees along the river; and Jasmine focused her attention on using her microscopic energy perception to explore deep into the riverbed.

Just as everyone was anxiously searching, Ye Lan suddenly shouted, "I found it!" Everyone quickly gathered around and saw Ye Lan pointing to a stone by the river covered with runes, the runes on the stone shimmering with a faint light.

Jasmine stepped forward and carefully examined the runes, discovering a connection between them and the runes she had seen in the temple earlier. She channeled her micro-energy and activated the runes in a specific order.

As the runes were activated, a roar came from the bottom of the river, and the water began to part to reveal a passage to the other side.

The four people quickly crossed the river along the passage. Just as they reached the other side, the passage disappeared, and the river returned to its turbulent state.

"That was close, we almost didn't make it," Qin Feng said, still shaken.

The four continued onward, and guided by the light array, they finally arrived at the core area of ​​the Spirit Forest. Here, a massive palace stood before them, its doors tightly shut, exuding a mysterious aura.

“This is it,” Jasmine said. “I wonder what secrets are hidden behind that door.”

Just as they were about to push open the door, a group of mysterious creatures suddenly surged out from around the palace. These creatures were tall, covered in scales, and their eyes gleamed red. They roared and pounced on the four of them.