Ye Chenyu slowly made his way along the stone path covered with luminescent moss, delving deeper into the alien territory. The air was thick with the mingled scent of damp earth and metal. When the breeze blew, a chill swept over him, as if countless unseen eyes were watching him from the mist. The distant mountain silhouettes loomed and shifted in the dense fog, their jagged and unnatural outlines resembling an untamed wasteland, harboring unknown threats. Each step he took was cautious; the rustle of leaves and scattering stones echoed in the stillness, amplified as though warning him not to disturb this enigmatic place.
Ahead, an unusually massive stone chamber appeared. Its walls were inlaid with faint, barely discernible symbols and vein-like patterns. A subtle glow pulsed along the grooves, almost as if the chamber itself were breathing. Ye Chenyu's heart raced—he sensed an invisible force calling him toward the chamber's center. Suspended in midair was a glowing orb, radiating a light that was both cold and searing, like the very heart of the spirit domain, drawing his gaze and consciousness.
He extended a finger and gently touched the surface of the orb. In an instant, his vision blurred, and it felt as though he was pulled into a realm where space and time overlapped. Before his eyes rose mountains that pierced the clouds, valleys swirled with mist, rivers wound like silver snakes, and jagged peaks sliced the horizon. The air carried an ancient, indescribable aura that seemed to shake the very depths of the soul.
Amid this surreal landscape, a colossal, indistinct figure slowly emerged. Its form was vast yet graceful, as if shaped from the mountains and the drifting mist. Its contours were irregular and alien; each breath it took caused the surrounding fog to ripple, as if the entire ridge were trembling gently. Its arms stretched with impossible length, seemingly able to touch both sky and earth, but on closer inspection, they appeared composed of fragments of light and shadow—sometimes clear, sometimes indistinct. Its head was irregular, with a visage resembling rock and flowing mist, and its eyes were like bottomless abysses, consuming all light and seeing through Ye Chenyu entirely.
Ye Chenyu held his breath, frozen in place. The figure emitted no sound, yet it conveyed an unmistakable guidance—this unknowable force shaped the existence, behavior, power, and order of the alien beings. Slowly, he realized that these creatures were not acting randomly; they were operating according to a deep, ancient will, forming a society governed by a primordial order. Though he could not look directly at it, he felt its presence pressing upon him with solemn authority, as if the entire South Mountain spirit domain revolved under its watchful gaze.
In the presence of this unfathomable entity, Ye Chenyu felt his own smallness and helplessness, yet his curiosity and desire for discovery surged. He understood that the truths hidden deep within the South Mountain spirit domain were far more complex—and far more ineffable—than he had imagined. Slowly, he stepped back, realizing that the orb's power was not merely to illuminate the chamber's center; it acted as a bridge connecting him to the deepest layers of the domain's order.
When he regained his focus, he still held the orb, its faintly trembling light reflecting the symbols and veins etched into the chamber walls, as though responding to his consciousness. On the opposite side of the chamber, a narrow, elongated passage had quietly appeared. Dark and deep, it seemed to lead further into the unknown reaches of the spirit domain. The entrance was faintly lit by the glow of moss, and low, resonant echoes came from deep within, like the breath of an ancient life. Ye Chenyu instinctively felt that this passage awaited him, beckoning him toward the next unknown territory, where he could uncover more of the domain's hidden secrets.
He lifted his gaze toward the colossal mist-like figure, a swirl of awe, fear, and curiosity filling his chest. He knew this was no mere exploration; it was the first step toward touching the deeper order of the spirit domain. His next steps would take him into that mysterious passage, venturing into the heart of the unknown ruins.