51: Holy Spirit Forbidden Land, Entrance Open

The night at the hour of the Ox was as thick as ink. The entrance to the Sacred Spirit Forbidden Land was nestled deep within a continuous mountain range, surrounded by towering ancient trees with gnarled branches. The sky-blotting canopy completely cut off the moonlight, with only stray starlight filtering through the gaps in the leaves, casting mottled shadows on the ground. The air was permeated with a rich and ancient spiritual energy, mixed with the fresh scent of vegetation and the heavy breath of mountain stone. With every breath, one could feel the spiritual energy surging into the body along the respiratory tract, calming the mind.

Lu Chen and Yu Lan, dressed in black martial attire, arrived near the entrance as the morning dew began to settle. Elder Feng followed behind them, leaning on a simple wooden staff. His grayish-white beard and hair fluttered slightly in the night breeze, and his sharp eyes scanned the surroundings, constantly alert for potential dangers. For this trip to the Sacred Spirit Forbidden Land, Elder Feng had personally escorted the two to the entrance. Firstly, he was worried about being ambushed by the Zhao Family or the remnants of the Blood Shadow Sect along the way; secondly, he wanted to take this final Opportunity to remind the two of some precautions within the Forbidden Ground.

"The stone tablet ahead marks the entrance to the Sacred Spirit Forbidden Land. Only those who possess the Sect's entry token and have reached the Foundation Establishment Stage can decipher the runes on the tablet and open the gates to the Forbidden Ground." Elder Feng gestured, pointing to an open space not far away. A giant stone tablet several zhang high stood there. The tablet was bluish-black throughout, its surface covered with dense ancient runes. The rune patterns were obscure and difficult to understand, faintly emitting surges of ancient spiritual energy. Even after enduring tens of thousands of years of erosion, it remained perfectly intact, exuding a mysterious and majestic aura.

Lu Chen and Yu Lan looked in the direction Elder Feng pointed, their eyes landing on the stone tablet, their hearts filled with shock. The runes on the tablet were completely different from the ones he had encountered before; there were no traces of deliberate carving. Instead, they seemed naturally formed, each line containing the charm of the Great Dao of Heaven and Earth, inspiring awe. Lu Chen tried to use his spiritual sense to perceive the runes, but found an invisible barrier lingering around them, making it impossible to glimpse their core mysteries. Clearly, these runes could only be deciphered after meeting specific conditions.

"The runes on this tablet are holy spirit runes from ancient times, containing the key to opening the Forbidden Ground. Ordinary Cultivators cannot understand their meaning even if they see them. Only those at the Foundation Establishment Stage or above, with the help of the entry token's power, can barely decipher them." Elder Feng spoke slowly, his eyes full of emotion. "I came to this entrance once when I was young, but because my cultivation was insufficient, I couldn't decipher the runes and could only return in regret. Now that you have achieved a Breakthrough to the Foundation Establishment Stage and hold the entry token, you will surely succeed in opening the Forbidden Ground."

Lu Chen nodded and took a deep breath. He took out the simple token given by Elder Li Ping from his Storage Pouch. The token felt warm in his hand, and the runes engraved on its surface faintly resonated with those on the stone tablet, emitting a weak ancient spiritual energy. He walked to the stone tablet and gently pressed the token against its surface while circulating his Foundation Establishment spiritual energy, injecting it into the tablet through the token.

As soon as the spiritual energy was injected, the runes on the stone tablet instantly lit up with a faint golden light, and the token also erupted with a dazzling spiritual glow. The two resonated with each other, and the spiritual energy flowed rapidly along the rune lines. The originally obscure runes gradually became clear in Lu Chen's eyes. He activated Rune Mastery, concentrating his mind to decipher the meaning of the runes. He discovered that these runes recorded the incantation and the method of circulating spiritual energy to open the Forbidden Ground. Each rune corresponded to a specific spiritual energy frequency. Only by circulating spiritual energy according to the runes' guidance could the stone tablet be activated and the entrance to the Forbidden Ground opened.

"Yu Lan, help me protect the area; I'm going to try to activate the stone tablet." Lu Chen turned to Yu Lan, his eyes full of determination. Yu Lan nodded immediately and stepped back a few paces. She circulated her internal spiritual energy, pushing the green light of the myriad manifestations pendant to its limit. A pale blue shield enveloped Lu Chen and the stone tablet, while she alertly scanned the surroundings to prevent any sudden incidents. Elder Feng also stood to the side, wooden staff in hand, his spiritual sense fully spread out to guard their safety.

Lu Chen focused his attention on the stone tablet again. Following the incantation recorded by the runes, he adjusted the circulation frequency of his internal spiritual energy, bit by bit matching the runes' spiritual energy fluctuations. The process was extremely difficult; the spiritual energy frequencies corresponding to the runes were incredibly complex. Even a slight deviation would lead to spiritual energy disorder. Lu Chen tried several times, all ending in failure. Much of his internal spiritual energy was consumed, and fine beads of sweat broke out on his forehead.

"Do not be impatient. Keep your mind steady. Use the harmonizing power of the Myriad Manifestations Art to adjust your spiritual energy. Adapt to the natural fluctuations of the runes rather than trying to force a match." Elder Feng reminded him softly from the side. His words were like a sudden enlightenment, instantly clearing Lu Chen's mind.

Lu Chen took a deep breath and circulated the Heart-Calming Art to settle his emotions. Simultaneously, he operated the Myriad Manifestations Art to reorganize the disordered spiritual energy within him. Following Elder Feng's reminder, he stopped trying to force his spiritual energy to match the runes and instead let it flow according to natural laws, gradually approaching the runes' spiritual energy frequency. This time, the spiritual energy circulation became much smoother. The golden light of the runes on the stone tablet grew brighter and brighter, intertwining with the spiritual glow of the token to form a massive vortex of spiritual light that enveloped the entire tablet.

After a moment, Lu Chen finally succeeded in adjusting his spiritual energy frequency to perfectly match the runes. The runes on the stone tablet instantly erupted with a dazzling golden light, their patterns flowing rapidly as if coming to life. With a dull roar, the stone tablet slowly began to vibrate, and the runes on its surface gradually converged into a massive gate of light. The inside of the gate was pitch black, faintly revealing rich ancient spiritual energy. A powerful suction force also emanated from within the light gate, as if it wanted to pull everything nearby into it.

"It worked! The entrance to the Forbidden Ground is open!" Yu Lan's eyes were full of joy. She quickly retracted the shield and walked to Lu Chen's side. Elder Feng also stepped forward quickly, looking at the light gate before him with eyes full of relief and emotion.

Just then, a tattered small booklet fell from a crack at the bottom of the stone tablet. Lu Chen bent down to pick it up. The cover read 'Forbidden Land Entry Art'. Inside, it detailed the basic rules of the Sacred Spirit Forbidden Land, entry precautions, and methods for breaking some basic Restrictions. It was clearly an entry guide left from ancient times, which would be of great help to their actions within the Forbidden Ground.

"This 'Forbidden Land Entry Art' has come at just the right time. The content recorded inside can help you avoid many dangers." Elder Feng looked at the booklet, his eyes full of surprise. "The Forbidden Ground contains not only ancient Legacies and Opportunities but also many powerful guardian beasts and strange Restrictions. One careless move could lead to death. You must carefully study this entry manual and act with caution in all things."

Lu Chen nodded and properly stowed away the Forbidden Land Entry Art, silently noting Elder Feng's advice. He looked toward the light gate and could clearly feel the majestic ancient spiritual energy within, as well as a faint summoning force, as if it were guiding him inside.

"Time is almost up; the entrance to the Forbidden Ground stays open for a limited time. Go in as quickly as possible." Elder Feng looked at the two with a solemn expression and reminded them again, "The flow of time in the Forbidden Ground is different from the outside world. A single day outside might be several or even dozens of days inside. You must manage your time well, focus on finding opportunities, and improve your strength. If you encounter a danger you cannot handle, do not force it. Immediately use the power of the entry token to try and withdraw. Survival comes first."

"We understand. Don't worry, Elder Feng. We will be cautious and return safely." Lu Chen and Yu Lan said in unison, their eyes full of determination.

Elder Feng nodded with satisfaction, his gaze full of expectation. "Go. The future of Tianling Academy may very well rest on your shoulders."

Lu Chen and Yu Lan glanced at each other, took a deep breath, and turned to walk toward the light gate. As soon as they stepped into the range of the light gate, a powerful suction force enveloped them. Their bodies instantly lost control, falling toward the pitch-black space within the gate. They instinctively gripped each other's hands while circulating spiritual energy to stabilize themselves. The sound of whistling wind reached their ears, and the surrounding scenery changed rapidly. Ancient runes flashed past them, and rich ancient spiritual energy surged into their bodies like a tide, making them feel comfortable all over, yet they dared not relax in the slightest.

After a moment, the suction gradually disappeared, and the two landed steadily on the ground. The surrounding environment suddenly opened up. This was a vast plain covered with lush Spiritual Plants. The air was thick with ancient spiritual energy that was dozens of times purer than the outside world. In the distance stood a continuous range of peaks shrouded in mist, where ancient architectural ruins could be faintly seen. The sky was a pale blue, completely different from the outside world, exuding a mysterious and peaceful aura.

"Is this the inside of the Sacred Spirit Forbidden Land? The spiritual energy is so dense!" Yu Lan's eyes were full of shock. She couldn't help but take a deep breath, and the spiritual energy within her body instantly became active, its circulation speed increasing significantly.

Lu Chen was equally shocked. He could clearly feel the purity and majesty of the surrounding spiritual energy. Cultivating here would be at least several times faster than outside, and he might even overcome his cultivation Bottleneck more quickly. He used his spiritual sense to probe the surroundings and found that although the spiritual energy was dense, it also faintly carried a hint of danger. From the direction of the distant peaks, there seemed to be powerful spiritual energy fluctuations, clearly indicating that guardian beasts resided there.

"The Forbidden Ground is indeed not simple. It looks peaceful, but danger is hidden everywhere." Lu Chen said with a solemn expression. "Let's first carefully study the Forbidden Land Entry Art to understand the rules and dangers here, then plan our route forward to find the ancient Legacies."

Yu Lan nodded in agreement. The two found a safe corner to sit cross-legged and took out the Forbidden Land Entry Art to study it carefully. Although the booklet was tattered, it recorded extremely important information. It not only introduced the regional divisions within the Forbidden Ground but also mentioned the approximate locations of some Legacies and basic methods for dealing with guardian beasts and Restrictions. According to the manual, the Sacred Spirit Forbidden Land was divided into four parts: the Illusion Zone, the Trial Zone, the Legacy Zone, and the Core Zone. To obtain an ancient Legacy, one had to first pass the tests of the Illusion Zone and the Trial Zone before entering the Legacy Zone.

The two quickly committed the contents of the entry manual to memory, gaining a general understanding of the Sacred Spirit Forbidden Land. Lu Chen stood up and looked toward the distant peaks, his eyes full of determination. "Let's go. We'll head to the Illusion Zone first, pass the first trial, and then continue searching for the Legacy. The flow of time here is different from the outside; we must hurry and increase our strength as quickly as possible to handle subsequent dangers and return to the Sect early to face the threat of the Zhao Family and the Blood Shadow Sect."

Yu Lan nodded and walked side-by-side with Lu Chen toward the Illusion Zone. The surrounding Spiritual Plants swayed in the wind, ancient spiritual energy flowed slowly, and the occasional roar of a Yao Beast came from the distance, carrying a sense of danger. The two moved forward cautiously, their spiritual senses fully spread out to alertly probe for any movement, while also circulating their spiritual energy to absorb the surrounding ancient spiritual energy and enhance their own states.

The exploration of the Sacred Spirit Forbidden Land had officially begun. Here, there were not only opportunities and Legacies that could significantly increase their strength but also unknown dangers and trials. The key to uncovering the secrets of the myriad manifestations pendant, the nether water spirit pearl, and the Yu Family might also be hidden within this ancient Forbidden Ground.