Volume One, Chapter 13: The Ancient Temple's Peril—Divine Powers Unleashed

The ancient hall trembled violently, as if a cataclysmic storm had descended. The runes etched upon the walls glowed like molten lava, their brilliance searing the eyes. Beneath their feet, the marble floor quaked relentlessly, as if trampled by a colossal beast, causing everyone’s forms to sway unsteadily, stagger like leaves caught in a tempestuous wind.

Fear gripped each throat like an invisible hand, suffusing the air with despair. Only Qian Ning remained calm, like a venomous serpent lurking in the shadows; a chilling, sinister smile curled at the corners of his lips. His gaze was dark and excited, as though all unfolding chaos was within his control.

Zhao Ling’er furrowed her delicate brows, her sharp eyes flashing with unyielding resolve. She fixed her gaze on Qian Ning, scrutinizing every subtle expression on his face. That eerie smile, that unmasked excitement, set her on high alert. Instinctively, she sensed that the upheaval in the ancient hall was inseparably tied to Qian Ning.

“Qian Ning, do you know something?” Zhao Ling’er’s voice rang out crisp and cold, piercing through the deafening roar with remarkable clarity.

At her words, the smile vanished from Qian Ning’s face, replaced by a feigned innocence. “Junior Sister Zhao, what do you mean? We’re all here now; what could I possibly know?”

“Don’t play dumb! I saw you smile! In such a perilous place as this ancient hall, how can you still smile?” Zhao Ling’er pressed on relentlessly, her tone laced with anger.

“I… I just found the scene a bit thrilling, couldn’t help but smile,” Qian Ning stammered nervously, though his guilty tone betrayed him.

“Do you think I’d believe that?!” Zhao Ling’er snorted coldly, voice growing sterner. “Qian Ning, you’d better confess honestly, or don’t blame me for being ruthless!”

“Zhao Ling’er, on what grounds do you accuse me?” Qian Ning’s face darkened, his voice rising in indignation. “I’m the grandson of an elder from the Precious Medicine Pavilion; how could I do such a thing? Don’t slander me without evidence!”

Their confrontation sharpened, voices clashing like two blades striking steel, sparks of tension flying through the air. The others’ gazes flickered uncertainly between them, unsure whom to trust. The atmosphere thickened, taut as a drawn bowstring, on the verge of snapping.

At that moment, Lin Fan, who had been silently observing, suddenly sensed an unusual ripple of energy. He halted his restless thoughts, furrowing his brow deeply as he pondered. Amid the ancient hall’s tumultuous roar, Lin Fan paid no heed to the quarrel between Zhao Ling’er and Qian Ning; his keen eyes swept the surroundings like a hawk.

Neither the runes on the walls, the patterns etched into the floor, nor even the swirling dust in the air escaped his scrutiny. A faint, peculiar energy fluctuation caught his attention—so slight and covert that only his meticulous senses could detect it.

Following the direction of the energy, his gaze settled on an inconspicuous stone tile in a corner of the hall. This tile appeared no different from the others, yet Lin Fan sensed its temperature was subtly higher, faintly emanating a gentle spiritual aura.

He approached slowly, crouching to run his fingers lightly over the surface. A faint warmth radiated beneath his touch. A notion stirred within him, recalling the mechanism triggered earlier by Qian Ning’s deception and the strange energy wave that accompanied it. He sensed a connection between the two.

Taking a deep breath, Lin Fan focused his mind and infused a sliver of true energy into the stone tile. The tile trembled slightly, emitting a soft “click,” and then, silence enveloped the hall. The runes on the walls dimmed gradually, the floor ceased its trembling, as if all had returned to tranquility.

The sudden change stunned everyone. They turned their eyes toward Lin Fan, while Qian Ning’s expression soured, surprised that Lin Fan had uncovered the hidden mechanism and deactivated the crisis with such ease.

“Creak… creak…” An unsettling grinding noise shattered the brief calm.

From the two sides of the hall, walls slowly parted, revealing ranks of armored puppet guards. These statuesque sentinels stood over twenty feet tall, wielding sharp spears, moving with synchronized precision like disciplined soldiers, radiating cold murderous intent.

“Danger! Puppet guards!” Zhang Meng shouted, his face draining pale.

Lin Fan, Zhang Meng, and Zhao Ling’er immediately positioned themselves before the others, coordinating their defense. Lin Fan’s gaze burned fiercely as he quickly discerned the puppet guards’ weak points. He barked, “Attack their joints!”

Lin Fan struck first, his figure a blur, dashing to one puppet guard and delivering a crushing blow to its knee joint. A crisp crack sounded as the guard’s knee shattered, and its massive frame collapsed with a thunderous crash.

Yet the puppets counterattacked fiercely, their spears slicing through the air with deadly force, each strike accompanied by a fierce gust of wind, making defense a formidable challenge.

Lin Fan and his companions fought while retreating, gradually losing ground. “Brother Lin Fan, be careful!” Xia Jiang called out anxiously from behind the group.

A puppet guard lunged with its spear toward Lin Fan. He dodged sideways, but the spear grazed his arm, leaving a deep, burning wound.

“Lin Fan!” Zhang Meng, alarmed, rushed to assist.

“Watch out!” Zhao Ling’er suddenly shouted.

Before her words faded, a spear whistled past, narrowly missing Lin Fan’s shoulder. He barely evaded a fatal blow but felt a searing pain burning through his flesh.

He retaliated with a palm strike against the assailant but only pushed it back a few steps without inflicting serious damage. The puppets’ defenses far exceeded his expectations.

Meanwhile, Zhao Ling’er herself was in peril. A puppet’s spear came down in a heavy blow. Unable to evade, she was struck and flung backward like a broken kite, crashing heavily to the ground.

“Ling’er!” Lin Fan’s eyes blazed with fury, his heart gripped by panic.

He tried to rush to her aid but was ensnared by other puppet guards, unable to break free.

Seeing Zhao Ling’er lying pale and motionless, her fate uncertain, Lin Fan’s anguish burned like wildfire within.

Pressure surged around them like a tidal wave, nearly suffocating him. He gritted his teeth, fists clenched, his anger blazing fiercely.

Suddenly, a potent force erupted from deep within Lin Fan. It surged like a raging river, tearing through his body as if to break all restraints.

His form radiated dazzling light, like a blazing fireball illuminating the entire hall.

“What power is this?” the others gasped.

Lin Fan sensed unprecedented strength coursing through him, as if transformed into a war god, his entire being filled with boundless might.

His eyes turned crimson as he let out an earth-shattering roar, thrusting both palms forward. Golden beams shot out like swords, striking the puppet guards.

“Boom! Boom! Boom!”

A series of explosive blasts erupted. The once indestructible puppets shattered under Lin Fan’s assault like fragile paper, reduced instantly to heaps of fragments.

The onlookers stared, as if in a dream, unable to believe their eyes. They had never witnessed such overwhelming power or such fierce bravery in Lin Fan.

Qian Ning’s face drained of color; he never imagined an unremarkable errand disciple possessed such terrifying strength.

Lin Fan strode deliberately to Qian Ning, towering over him with a cold gleam in his eyes. “Now, do you still think I’m bluffing?”

Zhang Meng carefully helped Zhao Ling’er to her feet. Her face was pale, a trace of blood lingering at the corner of her mouth.

Lin Fan hurried over, concern etched on his face. “Ling’er, are you alright?”

Zhao Ling’er weakly shook her head but a flicker of gratitude shone in her eyes. “I’m fine, thanks to you.” Struggling to stand, she looked at Lin Fan with deep admiration.

Xia Jiang ran over as well, clasping Lin Fan’s hand tightly, her eyes brimming with worry. “Brother Lin Fan, are you okay? You really scared me just now!”

Lin Fan gently patted her hand, a reassuring smile softening his face. “Don’t worry, I’m fine.”

The joy of survival and the warmth of camaraderie flowed through them like a gentle current.

The previously tense atmosphere eased, replaced by an unbreakable bond of friendship that brought a touch of warmth to the cold ancient hall.

“Click, click…” An unsettling sound abruptly shattered the fragile peace.

Following the noise, everyone saw Qian Ning draw from his bosom a treasure emitting a faint azure glow. Intricate, arcane runes swirled upon its surface, radiating an unsettling energy.

A sinister smile curled Qian Ning’s lips once more, his eyes dark and menacing like a venomous snake poised to strike with lethal fangs.

“Did you all really think it was over? How naive!” His voice was low and hoarse, as if coming from the depths of hell, chilling every spine.

Lin Fan’s expression hardened instantly, realizing Qian Ning’s intent. The energy emanating from the azure treasure matched the previous fluctuations in the ancient hall.

This treacherous fiend still had a trump card, planning to sabotage the hall’s mechanism once again!

“Qian Ning, you’re courting death!” Lin Fan roared, propelling himself forward like an arrow loosed from a bow.

The wind howled past his ears, his eyes locked on Qian Ning’s hateful face and the ill-omened glowing treasure in his hand.

Lin Fan’s speed was staggering, covering several dozen feet in an instant. He reached out, determined to stop Qian Ning’s next move.

However, Qian Ning was prepared. A mocking smile played on his lips as he raised the azure treasure high, chanting softly, as if reciting a spell.

“Hum—”

The azure light on the treasure flared brilliantly, a formidable power brewing within it. Lin Fan was now less than a foot from Qian Ning.