The darkness of the labyrinth swallowed them whole.
Behind, the roars of the golden-spiked lizard and the shrieks of cultivators still echoed faintly, but every step deeper dulled those sounds until it felt as though another world existed outside, one they had already abandoned. The stone here was blacker than midnight, jagged walls pulsing faintly with threads of ancient qi. Faint whispers echoed through the tunnels, whether illusions born of the labyrinth or the voices of those who had perished here long ago, no one could say.
Lu Mao tightened his grip on the hilt of his short blade, his other hand pressed lightly against the wall as if feeling for something. His golden-black vein inside throbbed like a second heartbeat, urging him forward. He grinned faintly. The vein's never wrong.
Li Xian walked beside him, her aura steady, golden qi faintly flickering around her like protective light. Even in the dim glow, her beauty shone in a way that made shadows seem dull by comparison. Her long lashes cast arcs on her cheeks, her robes hugged her figure as if woven by the heavens, and her gaze, sharp yet soft, scanned every angle. Many cultivators behind them had stolen glances already, their hearts trembling not only at her power but also at the allure she carried simply by existing.
But her focus was not on them. She watched Lu Mao. His confidence, his grin, his maddening habit of acting like he knew more than he should—it irked her. Yet at the same time, it pulled her along.
She muttered under her breath. "If you've dragged me from a divine beast just for dead air, I'll personally kick you back to the surface."
"Relax," Lu Mao replied lightly, not bothering to turn his head. "I told you before. Scraps for dogs. We're here for the feast."
A snort echoed behind them. "Still as arrogant as ever, thief."
Lu Mao's expression twitched. He turned, his eyes narrowing at the familiar voice.
There, dressed in green robes, his stride confident, was none other than Chen Rong of the Dawn Lotus Sect. His eyes gleamed mischievously, his features more refined than Lu Mao remembered, and his blade swung lazily in one hand.
Lu Mao groaned aloud. "Oh no… it's you."
Chen Rong smirked, his teeth flashing. "Do you remember Yan City, a few years ago? You think I'd forget the little rat who ran circles around me, stealing meat buns and spirit coins right from under my nose?"
The memory sparked in Lu Mao's mind. Countless afternoons dodging guards, sprinting through alleys, with this same Dawn Lotus brat chasing him relentlessly. He chuckled. "Ah, so you're still sore about those meat buns."
"They were mine!" Chen Rong snapped, but his voice cracked in frustration, making it sound more childish than intimidating. "You stole from me a hundred times!"
Lu Mao smirked. "Correction: I outsmarted you a hundred times."
Li Xian exhaled through her nose, almost smiling despite herself. "Children."
Chen Rong ignored her, his gaze flicking over her in an instant—and freezing. His playful grin stiffened as his eyes widened, admiration mixing with shameless awe. "And this… this fairy… don't tell me she's with you, thief? Heaven really is unjust."
Li Xian's brows arched dangerously. "Fairy?"
"Beautiful goddess?" Chen Rong corrected quickly, bowing dramatically. "Lady, allow me to introduce myself properly—Chen Rong, genius of Dawn Lotus Sect, future shining light of this realm—"
Lu Mao stepped in front of him, blocking the path. "She's taken."
Her lips parted in outrage. "Excuse me?!"
Chen Rong blinked, then burst into laughter. "By you? Hah! Don't joke, thief. You barely looked like you had shoes to wear last time I saw you!"
Lu Mao folded his arms smugly. "Shoes are overrated. But yes. Me."
Li Xian smacked the back of his head. "Shut up before I actually throw you back to that beast."
Chen Rong, though still laughing, nodded seriously after a moment. "Very well. If nothing else, I'll consider it a crime against heaven, but…" His grin returned, sly and boyish. "At least let me stick with you. I'd rather run with a shameless thief and a fairy than die with fools chasing scraps."
Before Lu Mao could protest, a soft voice joined them.
"Stick together. He's not wrong."
Lan Yue appeared with the grace of moonlight, her violet robes shimmering faintly in the dim light. Her every step carried a languid allure, her lips perpetually curved into a teasing smile. She drifted toward Lu Mao as if pulled by curiosity, her arm brushing his deliberately as she leaned close. "You don't mind, do you, little thief?"
Lu Mao nearly choked. "Why do you people keep calling me that?"
Bo Heng followed, his elevating shield floating lazily beside him like a loyal guardian. His expression was weary, but his aura was calm and steady, a rock amidst the chaos. "Ignore her. It's her habit to tease. She means no harm."
Lan Yue winked. "Who says I mean no harm?"
Li Xian's gaze sharpened, her lips pressing together. A strange prickling sensation coiled in her chest as she watched the older woman linger so close to Lu Mao, her voice dripping with seduction.
She reminded herself she was twenty-three, his senior, his guide. And yet, for reasons she could not untangle, the way Lan Yue leaned on him made her chest tighten uncomfortably.
Lu Mao coughed, scratching his cheek awkwardly. "Uh. Sure. The more the merrier. If I'm going to die, better surrounded by pretty faces and—uh—fellow victims."
Chen Rong slapped his shoulder. "That's the spirit."
They pushed forward together.
The tunnels grew narrower, the walls jagged with crystalline veins pulsing faintly in different colors. Soon the path opened into a chamber wide enough for dozens to pass—but it was filled with death.
Spikes jutted from the ceiling, impaling corpses that twitched faintly as lingering qi dissipated. Black pits bubbled with corrosive liquid, devouring bones that floated to the surface before sinking. A Dawn Lotus disciple screamed as a hidden rune flared beneath his step, impaling him with spears of flame. His cries echoed long after his body fell silent.
"This place… it eats the careless alive," Bo Heng muttered grimly.
Without hesitation, he lifted the elevating shield, a small disk carved with intricate runes. It spun once, then flared with light, projecting a protective dome around the group. "Stay close."
The shield moved, and so did they. Spikes shattered against its light, pits swallowed nothing but air, flames flickered and died on contact. For once, even Lu Mao dropped his grin.
But Chen Rong didn't. Tears welled dramatically in his eyes. "Hah… to think the great Chen Rong would see the day someone actually protected him… I'm moved! Truly moved!"
Lan Yue snorted. "You're shameless."
Lu Mao leaned to Li Xian, whispering with a smirk. "Why does this feel like traveling with me times two?"
She smacked him again.
At last, the chamber ended, and the group stepped out onto a massive stone bridge suspended over a black abyss. The air here was heavy, suffused with ancient qi that pressed on their chests. Across the bridge loomed a door unlike anything they had ever seen.
It was massive, carved from obsidian, so tall it seemed to scrape the cavern's roof. Upon its surface coiled the engraving of a serpent—no, not an engraving. The serpent's scales shimmered faintly, almost alive. Its eyes glowed dimly, filled with malice even as a carving.
The aura it radiated was suffocating.
Bo Heng's shield flickered, dimming as if cowed. He clenched his fists. "This… isn't ordinary. There's no record of such a place in all labyrinth histories. If it's real, then… we may have discovered something unseen for thousands of years."
Everyone fell silent.
Lan Yue's lips curved, but her eyes betrayed caution. "A hidden inheritance… or a tomb. Either way, it's worth dying for."
Chen Rong's grin faltered as he rubbed his arms nervously. "Heaven and earth… what is this place?"
Lu Mao's vein pulsed so hard it hurt, screaming at him. His smile vanished. "This is it. This is what it wanted."
Together, all five pressed their palms against the black door, qi surging as they shoved with all their strength. The door vibrated, ancient runes blazing faintly. A deep rumble shook the bridge, dust cascading from above.
Then, with a thunderous groan, the door opened.
What came out wasn't light.
It was pressure.
A surge of ancient qi exploded outward, a storm that knocked all of them off their feet. The bridge shook violently, ropes snapping. Chen Rong grabbed a rope desperately, dangling over the abyss as his face twisted in terror. "HEAVEN DAMN IT, I'M TOO HANDSOME TO DIE!"
Lan Yue's laughter rang even as she steadied herself, her robe fluttering wildly. Bo Heng gritted his teeth, holding the shield aloft to protect them from being blown away. Li Xian's aura flared, golden light anchoring her to the bridge as she reached out and yanked Lu Mao upright.
When the storm settled, the door stood open.
And inside…
A cavern larger than anything they had ever seen. The walls glittered faintly with ancient crystals, illuminating a sight that froze their blood.
A colossal serpent, black-scaled and blazing-eyed, coiled around a huge ellipsoid stone. Its body was so vast it seemed endless, its presence suffocating, and its eyes opened slowly as if awakened by their intrusion.
Around it lay treasures—piles of jade, weapons gleaming with ancient qi, scrolls whose ink still shimmered with runes of power. And among the treasures, mummified corpses of cultivators, their faces twisted in eternal agony.
The serpent hissed, its voice a rumble that shook their bones.
They had found something beyond records, beyond history, beyond sanity.
And they were the first.
Li Xian's voice was a whisper, trembling despite herself. "This… this will draw every cultivator in the labyrinth."
Lu Mao swallowed, his vein pounding like a war drum. "Then we better take what we can before the dogs arrive."
The serpent uncoiled, scales scraping against stone like thunder.
The true trial had only begun.