Deep within the Xiya Mountains, the stone forest was shrouded in an eerie silence.
Lin Ying stood before the colossal statue of a nine-tailed fox, craning her neck to look up at the hundred-zhang-tall monument. Carved from an unknown grayish-white stone, the statue was as majestic as a mountain range, its surface ravaged by the passage of time. A dense network of cracks, like the wrinkles on an old man's brow, covered its form. Holes bored by wind and sand exposed the stone's core, and several corners had crumbled away, their debris scattered amidst withered yellow moss. This stone fox had stood guard for millennia, a silent witness to the shifting seas and mulberry fields, exuding an aura of ancient desolation that chilled the soul.
Behind her, the army of spirit beasts grew restless. Giant wolves pawed at the ground, demonic tigers let out low, suppressed growls, and winged beasts flapped their wings nervously, circling overhead in a state of high alert. The very air of this stone forest triggered a primal fear within them.
Lin Ying, however, was oblivious. Her large eyes shone with curiosity as she reached out with a small hand, tapping and feeling the cold stone base of the statue, searching for some hidden mechanism. As she paced around the monument, a strange discovery made her stop in her tracks.
Deep within the statue's hollow eye sockets… was something moving?
No, not moving. Watching.
No matter where she stood—to the left, the right, or directly in front—she felt an invisible gaze piercing through those empty stone eyes, locking onto her. The sensation carried no malice. Instead, it was accompanied by an inexplicable… familiarity.
"Big Fox, are you looking at me?" Lin Ying tilted her head and murmured to herself. Almost as if guided by an unseen force, she stopped avoiding the gaze and bravely lifted her chin, meeting the invisible stare head-on.
The moment their eyes met, a miraculous change occurred!
The usually hidden Chaos Azure Lotus Mark on her forehead suddenly blazed to life, completely beyond her control! A pure, profound beam of azure light shot from between her brows, flowing like a gentle stream straight into the hollow sockets of the statue's eyes.
The light persisted for the space of a single breath before fading away.
Silence descended upon the stone forest, deeper and more absolute than death itself. The spirit beasts grew still, and even the wind seemed to hold its breath.
Then…
Hummm…
A faint, ancient-sounding resonance emanated from within the statue.
The entire monument began to tremble with a soft, rhythmic vibration, sending pebbles skittering down its sides. The tremors intensified, building into a full-blown earthquake that shook the very earth! The ground at the fox's feet split open, and from the chasm, a massive stone door, three zhang high and covered in intricate, esoteric runes, slowly rose into the air. With a deafening groan of ancient machinery, the door swung open!
A gust of air, carrying the scent of fresh soil and ancient dust, washed over her. Beyond the door lay a flight of stone steps, descending into a darkness so deep it seemed to lead to another world.
"Wow!" Lin Ying gasped, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "There really is a door! The Big Fox opened it for me!"
Her army hesitated, letting out uneasy whimpers. But Lin Ying simply patted the head of a giant wolf beside her. "Don't be scared! Follow me!"
With the fearless spirit of an explorer, she took the lead, stepping onto the stone steps. Her army, seeing no other choice, steeled themselves and followed in a great, rumbling procession.
The moment the last beast crossed the threshold, the massive door let out a heavy groan and swung shut, sealing itself so perfectly it was as if it had never opened. The passageway was plunged into absolute darkness, illuminated only by the faint glow emanating from Lin Ying and a few of her luminescent beasts.
"Oh, the door closed?" Lin Ying glanced back and shrugged. "Oh well, I'm sure there's treasure inside!"
She led her troops down the steps. After the time it takes to burn an incense stick, the passageway opened up into a wide, high-ceilinged corridor. Bronze lamps, long extinguished and coated in thick dust, were embedded in the walls at regular intervals.
"It's too dark to see," Lin Ying muttered. She gathered a sphere of soft spiritual light at her fingertip and sent it floating ahead.
The light hovered in the center of the corridor, illuminating the surroundings. In the glow, Lin Ying noticed that despite their age, the lamps might still be functional. She channeled a wisp of spiritual power into the nearest one.
Fwoosh!
A cluster of ethereal blue flame ignited within the lamp, weak but tenacious. As if triggered by a chain reaction, the lamps ahead lit up one by one, their azure flames stretching into the distance until the entire corridor was bathed in a ghostly, daylight-bright glow.
Dust motes danced in the light, revealing the corridor's secrets. Faded murals adorned the walls, depicting scenes of nine-tailed foxes howling at the moon and hundreds of beasts paying homage. The brushstrokes were primitive, filled with the aura of a savage, forgotten age. The floor and corners were buried under thick layers of dust, a clear sign that no one had set foot here for eons.
Lin Ying followed the illuminated corridor to its end, where she was met by another stone door, even grander than the first. This door was forged from an unknown black material, cold to the touch. At its center was carved an enormous, exquisitely detailed lotus flower, measuring a full zhang in diameter.
The moment she saw the pattern, her heart gave a violent leap.
"This flower… it looks so familiar…" she murmured, instinctively touching the warm lotus mark on her forehead. "It… it looks a little like the one on my head?"
As if answering a silent call, she didn't hesitate. She channeled her power once more, and the lotus mark on her brow blazed with brilliant light. A second beam of azure light shot forth, striking the lotus pattern on the door with perfect accuracy.
Clunk… clunk… clunk…
The heavy door groaned as a series of complex mechanisms engaged within. It began to swing open, the gap widening with each passing second. A flood of blinding light erupted from the other side, instantly engulfing the entire corridor!
Lin Ying shielded her eyes. When her vision adjusted and she saw what lay beyond, her jaw dropped in utter astonishment.
Beyond the door was not a tomb or a palace, as she had imagined, but a… complete world!
The sky was a clear, brilliant blue, dotted with fluffy white clouds. In the distance, green mountains stretched to the horizon, while a clear river wound through a landscape of lush, exotic flora. Rare, spiritual birds sang from the branches of ancient trees, and gentle, auspicious beasts grazed peacefully on the grass. The air was so thick with spiritual energy that a single breath was enough to invigorate the soul.
"This… this is…" Lin Ying stammered, her face flushed with excitement. She turned to her equally stunned army. "Look, everyone! It's so amazing! Is this the 'Ancient Secret Realm' that Big Brother always talks about? I had no idea a secret realm could be this magical and beautiful!"
Without another thought, she led her troops into this paradise. The moment her feet touched the soil of the secret realm, the massive stone door behind her let out a soft sigh and swung shut, sealing this slice of heaven off from the outside world.
Lin Ying paid it no mind. She spread her arms wide and ran through the world of singing birds and fragrant flowers, a look of pure, unadulterated joy on her face. She had no idea that the door she had opened led not just to a secret realm, but to a legendary past that had been sealed away for ten thousand years.