More Than an Immortal

In the Demon Ancient Temple

Mo Yuan sat cross-legged on a plush, crimson cushion, his eyes fixed intently on the small, exquisitely carved wooden box in front of him. The box was made of dark, polished wood, adorned with intricate patterns of intertwined dragons and phoenixes that seemed to dance in the flickering candlelight. The air was thick with the scent of sandalwood and incense, and the soft hum of a distant flute drifted through the room.

He had received the box from the Demon King earlier that day, along with a cryptic riddle etched onto a small piece of parchment. The riddle read:

"Where shadows dance, light reveals

The path to secrets, ancient and concealed"

Mo Yuan's brow furrowed as he pondered the meaning of the riddle. He had been trying to decipher it for what felt like hours, but the answer remained elusive. His long, dark hair was tied back in a simple knot, revealing his sharp features and piercing eyes.

Just as he was about to give up, a sudden spark of insight flashed through his mind. He realized that the answer lay not in the words themselves, but in the way they interacted with the world around him.

As he grasped the meaning of the riddle, the air around him seemed to shift and ripple. A subtle force, like an unseen magnet, began to pull him toward a specific location. The candles on the altar flickered and danced, casting eerie shadows on the walls.

Mo Yuan's eyes widened as he felt the force drawing him in. He rose to his feet, the box still clutched in his hand, and followed the invisible thread that seemed to be guiding him. He walked through the winding corridors of the temple, passing by rows of gleaming stone statues and intricate murals depicting ancient battles.

As he emerged from the temple, Mo Yuan saw the majestic mountain looming before him, its peak disappearing into the misty clouds. The sun was setting, casting a golden glow over the landscape. A faint mist swirled around the mountain's base, and the air was filled with the sweet scent of blooming flowers.

Mo Yuan's eyes scanned the mountain's base, taking in the intricate carvings that adorned the stone. He saw the Set Gawwa, a pair of imposing stone guardians that flanked the entrance to the mountain. Their eyes seemed to gleam with an inner light, as if they were watching him.

As he examined the mountain's base, Mo Yuan's eyes scanned the dense foliage that surrounded the mountain. He noticed that the trees seemed to be arranged in a specific pattern, as if they were guarding a hidden entrance.

Just as Mo Yuan was about to continue his search, he sensed a faint rustling in the nearby bushes. The sound was soft, almost imperceptible, but Mo Yuan's instincts flared. He swiftly activated his invisibility spell, vanishing from sight.

Unseen, Mo Yuan watched as Gao and his men emerged from the underbrush, their eyes scanning the area with a mixture of caution and curiosity. Mo Yuan realized that they must have been hiding in the bushes, waiting for someone to arrive.

As Mo Yuan observed Gao and his men, he noticed that they seemed to be waiting for something – or someone. He wondered who they were expecting, and what their true intentions were.

Meanwhile, Xian Yue and Guang Zheng were approaching the mountain, unaware of the scene unfolding before them. Xian Yue recalled the instructions her father, the Immortal King, had given her on how to unlock the mountain's secrets.

"Xian Yue, to open the mountain, you must first find the stone pedestal at its base," he had said. "Then, use your royal blood to activate the mechanism. The inscription on the pedestal will guide you."

Xian Yue examined the mountain's base, searching for the pedestal. After a few moments, she found it – a small, intricately carved stone slab nestled among the rocks. The inscription on the pedestal read:

"Royal blood, pure and true,

Unlock the mountain, and reveal anew."

Xian Yue carefully pricked her finger, and a single drop of her royal blood fell onto the pedestal. As the blood touched the stone, the air around her began to shimmer. The ground shook, and the sound of ancient machinery whirring to life echoed through the air.

In a nearby tavern, Lin Zhen sat sipping a cup of wine, his eyes fixed on the flames dancing in the fireplace. Suddenly, he felt a strange sensation – a subtle vibration in the air, like the quiet hum of a harp string.

Lin Zhen's eyes narrowed as he sensed the disturbance. Without hesitation, he teleported to the location, his powers allowing him to traverse vast distances in an instant.

As he materialized near the mountain, Lin Zhen found himself invisible, able to observe the scene unfolding before him without being detected. He saw Xian Yue and Guang Zheng standing at the mountain's base, Mo Yuan's invisible form watching from a distance, and Gao and his men hiding in the underbrush.

Lin Zhen's gaze swept the scene, his mind racing with questions. What was happening here? And what did it have to do with the mountain's ancient power?