In the stone house, two spectral figures were conversing.
Ye Cangtian and Gu Yue exchanged glances, both somewhat shocked and bewildered.
This was likely where the owner of the ruins had secluded himself. The people trapped outside, including the three top experts, were looking for this very place, weren't they?
Even Ye Cangtian hadn't anticipated finding two spectral figures here.
These were probably not real, but rather events that had transpired here, preserved for some reason.
It was only when he had triggered something earlier that this past event began to play out like a slideshow.
"Was the owner of this City Lord's Mansion this woman?"
Ye Cangtian's heart was filled with doubt. Then, who was the towering middle-aged man? The woman's father? What was his identity?
Also, if the ruins were truly inherited from ancient times, what had happened in antiquity?
Inside the stone house.
The two spectral figures continued their conversation.
"Since your heart lies with the common people, your father will no longer try to dissuade you. You are my only daughter, and I hope that at all times, you will put your own safety first!"
"I will leave this Zhenxin Tablet here with you. Your grasp of formations is too shallow, and this can compensate for your shortcomings!"
As he spoke, a metallic plaque appeared in the middle-aged man's hand. It was the very same one Ye Cangtian had touched earlier.
The young woman's spectral figure '嗯'ed and took the metal plaque.
"Father, how is the front line now?"
"Alas, although everyone has resisted their multiple invasions, they are powerless against them. Once the Gate of Chaos opens, the human world will be plunged into suffering."
The middle-aged man's spectral figure sighed. "So perhaps it is right that you did not return with your father!"
The scene suddenly shifted.
The middle-aged man's spectral figure was no longer present.
Then, the woman's spectral figure appeared as if in mid-air, with a barren land below. The woman's spectral figure, holding the metal plaque, threw it straight down.
The next moment, a colossal labyrinth appeared below.
The entire labyrinth, viewed from above, was immense, very similar to the passage labyrinth Ye Cangtian and the others had experienced before, but countless times larger.
Moreover, the labyrinth seemed to contain countless formations. Even as a mere illusory image, it allowed Ye Cangtian and Gu Yue to feel a destructive aura.
Then, all the images vanished.
The stone house returned to its previous serene appearance, and the spectral figures were gone!
After an unknown amount of time, Ye Cangtian slowly exhaled, his face filled with shock.
Looking at Gu Yue beside him, her complexion had turned somewhat pale.
The scenes they had just witnessed made them feel as if they were present. Especially when the metal tablet fell and transformed into a colossal labyrinth imbued with countless formations, the intense sensory experience, even across countless years, still had an impact.
Ye Cangtian said with a wry smile, "Seeing the methods of these ancient people, and then looking at the three top experts outside, it feels like they're just so-so!"
Indeed!
Although he hadn't seen the middle-aged man's spectral figure make a move, the woman standing in mid-air, effortlessly transforming the metal plaque into a massive labyrinth, was enough to shock anyone.
The Earth-level Qing Dao, Zi Long, or Cardinal Hasal of the Church of Light, even the man in green, now seemed ordinary to Ye Cangtian!
Ye Cangtian smiled wryly, feeling that he might have been overly ambitious.
Gu Yue had also recovered her composure. She looked at the metal plaque placed on the stone table and said, "It seems this thing is not simple. Let's take it before anyone notices!"
"Yes, if I recall the spectral figure's words, this seems to be called the Zhenxin Tablet, and it appears to be related to formations!"
Ye Cangtian's interest was piqued. Moreover, he felt that this item might just be the heart of this ruin.
He walked over again.
Gu Yue couldn't help but caution him, "Be careful!"
Ye Cangtian nodded and reached out to touch the metal plaque again.
However, this time, there was no anomaly. Even holding the metal plaque, nothing unexpected happened.
"Clink!"
With a slight exertion of force, Ye Cangtian directly lifted the metal plaque from the stone table.
No danger!
Both of them couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.
But at that moment, the entire stone house began to shake. Not just the stone house, but even the surrounding passages started to tremble.
It was as if a severe earthquake had occurred.
Then, the stone house instantly disappeared.
The surrounding passages, shaking as if in an earthquake, gradually began to vanish.
...
Outside the passages, the three top experts were still frantically attacking the edges of the passages.
What puzzled them was that they felt the barrier of these passages was very thin. With their combined strength, it should only take a few attacks to break through the barrier and dispel the formation.
Yet, they had attacked countless times.
But the barrier remained thin, yet they still couldn't break it!
"Damn it, what kind of ghost formation is this? We shouldn't be unable to break it!"
Qing Dao cursed, then glanced at Cardinal Hasal and the man in green with a frown. "Are you guys holding back?"
"Are you talking about yourself?"
The man in green snorted. "With so many people from my Huaxia Dragon Group, if we're trapped for too long, they'll be in danger too. Only your Dark Association has few people left. If anyone is most likely to be holding back, it's you!"
"Don't argue, let's try again. If we still can't break this trapping formation, we'll have to think of other ways!" Cardinal Hasal sighed faintly.
The two had no objections and resumed their attacks on the barrier.
However, this time it was very strange.
As their attacks landed on the barrier, the passage suddenly trembled, and then the surrounding passages began to disappear.
The next moment, all surrounding passages and barriers were gone!
The formation was broken?
All three found it odd. They had attacked so many times without breaking it, and now, after just one attack, this trapping formation was broken?
The man in green had a strange expression. He had encountered formations several times and had even forcefully broken through trapping formations, but the situation this time made him somewhat bewildered.
However, he didn't voice his thoughts, as with the disappearance of the passages, various sounds also echoed nearby.
Some who had been trapped for a long time were finally free.
Members of various factions began to gather!
The Dragon Group arrived first, coming behind the man in green. Almost everyone was present, including Zhao Ziyang and the members of Pandora.
Even Xu Shian and Shangguan Yun were found. These two had slept in the passages for several hours and were only awakened when the passages vanished.
On the Dark Association's side, Xuan Jiu led his people to Qing Dao's side, with Huang San and Huang Wu among them.
Only Cardinal Hasal frowned slightly because his people from the Church of Light had not arrived. He had a bad feeling at this moment.
After a while longer.
Hurried footsteps approached from a distance. Bishop Philip, leading two divine envoys and the young master of Tianwang, arrived.
"Your Eminence!"
"Why is it just you? Where are the others?" Cardinal Hasal asked with a frown.
"They... they're all dead!"