After several days of cautious and slow trekking, the convoy finally reached its destination—the core area of the Western Rift Zone.
The sight before them made even the hunters, accustomed to the desolate wasteland, feel a chill.
The earth seemed to have been violently split open by an invisible giant god with an axe, leaving behind deep, winding, and twisted gigantic rifts.
The edges of the rifts were jagged, covered with weathered strange rocks and signs of collapse. The air was filled with a strong smell of sulfur and ozone, and there was also an extremely unstable, sometimes violent, sometimes sluggish spiritual energy turbulence that interfered with everyone's perception, even causing the screens of the simple detection arrays on the vehicles to be covered with snowflake-like static.
The light here also became eerie, sometimes dim like twilight, and sometimes illuminated in a grotesque manner by energy glow refracted from an unknown source.
In the distance, some huge, unnaturally formed strange stone pillar remnants could be vaguely seen, standing in some incomprehensible pattern.
They were covered with marks of wind and rain erosion and energy scour, yet a hint of ancient and desolate aura could still be felt.
"This... is the core area of the Western Rift Zone."
Gao Zhan's voice came through the sound transmission array, carrying an unprecedented solemnity, "Everyone dismount, maintain the highest alert!
The energy field is extremely chaotic, and communication and detection will be severely interfered with. Academy of Sciences, where is the place you are looking for?"
The door of the Academy of Sciences vehicle opened, and three researchers wearing white protective suits and special energy-sensing goggles stepped out.
Leading them was a white-haired, serious-looking old man, who was the leader of this expedition, Professor Qin.
He held an ancient compass-like artifact that constantly flashed complex runes and whose pointer swung wildly, carefully comparing it with the surrounding terrain and a tattered leather map in his hand.
"According to ancient records and energy resonance detection, 'that place' should be beneath the largest main rift ahead."
Professor Qin's voice came through the protective mask, somewhat muffled.
"But the energy turbulence here is too strong, interfering with precise positioning. We need to descend to the bottom of the valley for close-range searching."
Descending to the bottom of a bottomless, energy-turbulent rift? Everyone's faces turned grim. This was undoubtedly an extremely dangerous move.
"Officer Gao, this is too risky!" Leimeng couldn't help but say, "In this damned place, God knows what's hiding down there! What if an energy storm erupts, or there's a collapse...?"
"This is the mission objective."
Gao Zhan interrupted him, his tone unchallengeable.
"Ash Squad, you are responsible for leading the way and establishing safe rappelling points. Berserker Bear Squad, you are responsible for guarding the valley top and providing support. Academy of Sciences personnel follow behind me. Move out!"
The order was given, and no one dared to question it further.
Ling Chen took a deep breath, suppressing the instinctive restlessness (lower-tier physiques are abnormally sensitive to high-quality energy) arising from the abnormal energy environment of the place.
He said in a deep voice: "Ash Squad, follow me! Hui Xiu, prioritize sensing life signs and energy traps below! Liu Feng, be ready to respond to sudden air currents at any time!"
He was the first to arrive at the edge of the largest rift and looked down.
The abyss below was pitch black, with only occasional flashes of eerie phosphorescence and energy arcs barely illuminating some jagged strange rocks and twisted plants (if they could still be called plants).
A chilling suction and chaotic energy vortex emanated from below.
The team members moved quickly, using specialized alloy rock nails engraved with reinforcement runes and spiritual energy ropes to construct rappelling devices.
Wang Yuan (Hui Xiu) lay on the edge, fully operating his ability, his nostrils flaring violently, struggling to distinguish the mixed scents below.
Su Qing (Liu Feng) controlled the air currents, trying to stabilize the ropes.
The process was not smooth. The chaotic energy flow nearly caused the ropes to lose control several times, even triggering small-scale rockfalls.
But under Ling Chen's precise command and the cooperation of his team members, several relatively stable rappelling channels were successfully established.
"I'll go first." Ling Chen didn't hesitate, grabbed a main rope, and skillfully slid down. Gao Zhan followed closely behind.
The further down they went, the darker the light became, and the stronger the energy turbulence.
Various negative energy auras—violent, dead silent, corrosive, chaotic—constantly impacted their mental barriers.
Ordinary Energy Condensation Stage cultivators would likely go mad if they stayed here too long.
Ling Chen fully activated his Soul Jade Physique, his cold will acting like a bulwark, repelling all external interference, while simultaneously perceiving the energy flow below with greater clarity.
The inexplicable sense of familiarity in his heart grew stronger and stronger.
Finally, his feet touched solid ground.
The valley bottom was covered with gravel and mud, the air was even more foul, and the towering rock walls on both sides seemed like a passage to hell.
Professor Qin and the other two researchers also slid down under Gao Zhan's protection, the pointers of their detection artifacts swinging even more wildly.
"This way! The strongest energy resonance is over there!" Professor Qin pointed in a direction, his voice tinged with excitement.
Everyone cautiously explored along the valley bottom.
After walking about a kilometer, a huge, inwardly recessed rock cave entrance appeared ahead.
More large artificial stone pillar remnants were scattered at the entrance, seemingly once carved with extremely complex patterns, but now mostly blurred beyond recognition.
Even more astonishing was that the rock walls around the cave entrance were embedded with some metal components that had long lost their luster and were severely damaged. Their material and craftsmanship were definitely not products of this era!
They even differed greatly from the style of any known ancient ruins!
"This is it! This is it!"
Professor Qin's voice trembled with excitement.
"It matches the description in ancient texts: 'neither metal nor stone, hidden in a secluded valley'!"
Ling Chen's gaze swept over those metal components, and his heart suddenly jolted! A fragment deeply buried in the depths of his past life's memory suddenly surfaced!
...It was a few words he had accidentally seen on a damaged ancient stele in an extremely ancient secret realm after he had stepped into a higher realm.
It recorded a legendary figure who was amazingly talented but mysteriously disappeared into the river of history—【Sage of Schemes, Zhang Liang】!
The inscription mentioned that Zhang Liang's later years were not spent wandering as an immortal as recorded in historical texts, but rather he dedicated his life's efforts to secretly pursuing a "Path to Heaven" that transcended the mundane and led directly to the origin.
He gathered extraordinary individuals from all over the world, collected various inconceivable materials, and secretly built a "Martial Arts Grotto-Heaven" in a "place where earth veins converge and heavenly secrets are chaotic."
It was not for cultivating martial power, but for deducing the ultimate truths of heaven and earth, peering into the mysteries of laws, attempting to construct a path to... "perfect ascension" with human power!
And one of the external features described for that "Martial Arts Grotto-Heaven" was:
"Pillars carved with star tracks, walls embedded with exotic metals, not of this world's craftsmanship"!
How similar was the scene before them to the records on that damaged stele?!
Could it be... this ruin deep within the Western Rift Zone was actually... the "Martial Arts Grotto-Heaven" left by the Sage of Schemes, Zhang Liang?!
That legendary figure who, in historical records, strategized and won battles a thousand miles away, but ultimately retired gracefully and disappeared without a trace, actually left behind such an astonishing feat?!
What connection did his "Path to Heaven" have with this world's "Path of Ascension"?!
Ling Chen's heart was in turmoil, but he dared not show any expression on his face, only his eyes became deeper, and he secretly observed everything more carefully.
"Go in and look! Be careful!"
Gao Zhan ordered, drawing his weapon first and cautiously entering the rock cave.
The interior of the rock cave was wider than imagined, as if the entire mountain belly had been hollowed out.
The cave ceiling was covered with huge crystal clusters, but most were already dim and lifeless, with only a few still faintly flickering, providing some illumination.
More damaged machinery and unrecognizable fragments were scattered on the ground.
Most striking was a huge, severely damaged circular platform in the center of the cave.
The platform was made of an unknown black metal, covered with extremely complex, now mostly broken, grooves and rune lines, like the core base of an enormous, precise array.
Around the platform, several incomplete humanoid metal statues stood, their shapes ancient and peculiar, seemingly wearing some kind of standardized armor, but their style did not match any known dynasty.
"Oh my god... this... this is simply a miracle!"
Professor Qin and the researchers excitedly rushed to the platform, taking out various instruments to scan and detect.
"This metal... never seen before! Extremely high energy conductivity, yet its structure is extremely stable! And these runes... too complex! Containing some kind of... trans-era geometry and energy principles!"
Gao Zhan patrolled the surroundings vigilantly, and Leimeng also came in, exclaiming in wonder.
Ling Chen, meanwhile, quietly walked to a relatively intact metal statue. The statue's face was blurred, but its posture seemed to be guarding something.
He reached out, his fingertips gently touching the cold metal.
Buzz—!
The moment he touched it, the Soul Jade Physique instinctively vibrated slightly! An extremely faint, yet incredibly pure and ancient information stream, surged into his sea of consciousness along his fingertips!
It was not energy, but a fragmented piece of thought, as if branded into the deepest layer of the metal!
..."Path to Heaven... nine deaths no regrets... alas... heavenly backlash... dao foundation collapsed... hate... hate...!"
The fragmented pieces were filled with endless regret, unwillingness, and a... despair in the face of some irresistible force!
Ling Chen's heart was greatly shaken! This was indeed Zhang Liang's ruin!
He seemed to have truly been attempting something earth-shattering here, but ultimately... failed?!
And the reason for the failure seemed to be... heavenly backlash? Dao foundation collapsed?
What connection did this have with this world's "Path of Ascension"? And with that "Fourth Path"?
Ling Chen suppressed the excitement and doubt in his heart, silently withdrew his fingers, as if merely looking out of curiosity.
Just then, a researcher suddenly let out an exclamation: "Professor! Come look! There's something under the platform base!"
Everyone immediately gathered around.
They saw an inconspicuous crack at the bottom of the huge platform, and something seemed to be stuck in the crack.
Gao Zhan carefully pried open the surrounding gravel and metal fragments with his weapon, and finally retrieved the item.
It was a palm-sized, entirely black, rectangular object with a smooth, mirror-like surface, yet without any reflection.
It was neither metal nor stone, cold to the touch, extremely light, with no patterns or runes on it, and no energy fluctuations could be sensed, as if it was a completely inert, ordinary black block.
"What is this?" Leimeng leaned over, a look of confusion on his face.
Professor Qin took the black block, turned it over and over, examined it, and then used an instrument to detect it, finally shaking his head:
"Strange... no energy reaction at all, and the material cannot be analyzed. It's like... completely inert. Is it some kind of ornament? Or... a key?"
Ling Chen's gaze fell on the black rectangular object, and the cold will of his Soul Jade Physique subtly fluctuated. He also couldn't sense any energy, but... an extremely faint, almost instinctive sense of attraction came from the depths of his soul.
This thing... is definitely not simple!
An unexplainable anomaly appearing in Zhang Liang's ruins... Just as everyone's attention was drawn to the black rectangular object, Ling Chen's peripheral vision suddenly caught sight of something... moving in an extremely dark corner of the cave?
Almost simultaneously, Wang Yuan (Hui Xiu) suddenly raised his head, his face pale, and shrieked: "Not good! Something has awakened! Many of them! Very strong death aura! From the rock walls! From underground! They're coming out!"
As soon as his words fell!
Crack... crack... The rock walls around the cave suddenly began to crack!
Ancient corpses, covered in mud, clad in fragmented metal armor, and with ghostly blue soul fires burning in their eyes, slowly and stiffly... crawled out, like an army awakened from slumber!
Their numbers grew, and in an instant, they blocked the cave's exit! A dense, suffocating aura of death and resentment filled the air!
"Prepare for battle!!" Gao Zhan roared, his warhammer instantly erupting with dazzling lightning!
Leimeng also instantly entered his half-bear transformation state, letting out a furious roar.
The researchers from the Academy of Sciences turned pale with fright, clutching their instruments and the black rectangular object tightly.
Ling Chen's eyes were cold, and he slowly tightened his grip on his weapon.
He knew that exploring ruins was never smooth sailing.
What the Sage of Schemes, Zhang Liang, left behind was not just a legacy, but also... a deadly guardian (or curse).
The real test had only just begun.