Chapter 3 - The Ancient Scroll

Lin Feng woke from his disturbing dream, his heart still pounding. The events of the previous day and the vivid nightmare left him with a sense of urgency. He knew he couldn't just sit around waiting for the cult members to come after him again. He had to find a way to gain control over the power of the jade pendant. Remembering the woman's voice in the hidden library, he wondered if there was more information he could glean from that place. But he was certain the cult members would be watching it closely. So, he decided to focus on the clues he already had. He took out the jade pendant and examined it once more. In the daylight, the inscriptions seemed even more mysterious. As he turned it over in his hands, he noticed a tiny, almost imperceptible groove on the side. He rummaged through his desk drawers, looking for something thin enough to fit into the groove. Finally, he found an old, bent paperclip. With some effort, he inserted the paperclip into the groove and gently twisted. To his surprise, a small compartment in the pendant popped open. Inside was a tightly - rolled piece of parchment, no bigger than his thumbnail. Lin Feng carefully unrolled the parchment. It was an ancient scroll, with more inscriptions written in a language that was a mix of the one he had seen on the pendant and another script he had never encountered before. He knew he needed to decipher it, and fast. He decided to visit an old acquaintance, Professor Chen. The professor was an expert in ancient languages and had a vast collection of rare books. Lin Feng had met him during a research project on ancient Chinese literature and hoped he could help. When Lin Feng arrived at the professor's office, he was greeted with a warm smile. But as soon as Lin Feng showed him the scroll, the professor's expression turned serious. "Lin Feng, this is an extremely rare and dangerous item. Where did you get it?" Professor Chen asked, his eyes fixed on the scroll. Lin Feng hesitated for a moment, then decided to tell the truth. He recounted the story of the jade pendant, the strange men, and the hidden library. The professor listened intently, his brows furrowed. After Lin Feng finished, the professor said, "I've heard rumors of a cult that has been searching for powerful artifacts. If they're after this pendant, you're in great danger. But this scroll... it might hold the key to unlocking the pendant's power. However, deciphering it won't be easy. The language is a combination of an ancient spiritual script and a dialect that was only used by a secret order centuries ago." Over the next few days, Lin Feng and Professor Chen worked tirelessly on the scroll. They spent hours poring over ancient books, comparing characters, and making educated guesses. Finally, they managed to translate a part of the scroll. The translation revealed that the jade pendant was part of a set of three artifacts. When combined, they could open a portal to a powerful spiritual realm, a place where one could gain extraordinary powers. But the scroll also warned of a great evil that was sealed away in that realm, an evil that the cult might be trying to unleash. As Lin Feng was leaving the professor's office, he noticed a black car parked across the street. A man sitting in the driver's seat was watching him intently. Lin Feng's heart skipped a beat. He knew it was one of the cult members. He quickly ducked into an alley and started running. He could hear the sound of the car engine starting up behind him. Lin Feng ran through the narrow alleys, his mind racing. He knew he couldn't lead the cult member back to Professor Chen. Suddenly, he remembered an old, abandoned building on the outskirts of the city. It was a place he used to explore as a child. He changed his direction and headed towards the building. When he reached the building, he slipped inside through a broken window. The inside was dark and filled with dust. He hid behind a large, rusted machine, his breath coming in short gasps. The cult member entered the building a few minutes later. Lin Feng could hear his footsteps echoing through the empty halls. The man was searching for him, and Lin Feng knew that if he was found, it would be the end. As the footsteps grew closer, Lin Feng held his breath. But then, he heard a strange noise coming from another part of the building. It was a low growl, like that of a wild animal. The cult member seemed to hear it too, as his footsteps stopped. Lin Feng peeked out from behind the machine. He saw the cult member cautiously moving towards the source of the noise. In the dim light, he could make out a large, shadowy figure. The figure lunged at the cult member, and there was a scream. Lin Feng took this opportunity to make a run for it. He dashed out of the building and kept running until he was sure he had lost the cult member. But the encounter left him with more questions. What was that shadowy figure in the building? And how was he going to find the other two artifacts before the cult did? Back in his apartment, Lin Feng sat down to think. He knew he was in over his head, but he couldn't give up. The fate of who - knew - what might be at stake if the cult managed to open the portal to the spiritual realm. He decided that he needed to find more information about the other artifacts. But where could he look? The scroll had given him no clues about their location. As he was deep in thought, he remembered the woman's voice in the hidden library. Could she help him? But how could he contact her again? As night fell, Lin Feng lay in his bed, his mind filled with these thoughts. He knew that the next day would bring more challenges, but he was determined to face them. What new dangers and revelations awaited him? And would he be able to stop the cult from unleashing the evil in the spiritual realm?