novelhk Chapter 266 Potential Crisis
Chapter 266 Potential Crisis
The afterglow of the setting sun fell on the courtyard, casting a faint golden glow on the path paved with bluestone slabs. Gao Xingchen walked through the corridor with brisk steps and a gentle smile on his face. For five years, the Gao family had prospered under his management, the people lived and worked in peace and contentment, and he finally got his wish and married Nan Li.
"Li'er, what are you looking at?" Gao Xingchen walked to Nan Li and asked softly.
Nan Li sat at the stone table, holding a yellowed sheepskin scroll in her hand, her brows slightly furrowed, like a dew-covered orchid with a hint of sadness. Hearing Gao Xingchen's voice, she raised her head and handed him the scroll in her hand, "This is what I accidentally found in the ancestral temple today, and it seems to be related to my life experience."
Gao Xingchen took the scroll and saw a legend written in ancient characters: It is said that the Nanli clan has guarded a mysterious relic for generations, and in the relic, there is a power that can change the entire Nine Star Realm. There is no more description of Nanli's life experience on the scroll, but just these few words are enough to stir up a storm in Gao Xingchen's heart.
"Lier, have you ever heard anyone in your family mention this matter over the years?" Gao Xingchen put down the scroll, his eyes full of worry.
Nan Li shook her head. "I was adopted by my family when I was young, and I know nothing about my life experience. I have investigated secretly over the years, but I have never found anything. I didn't expect to find a clue in this ancestral temple today."
Gao Xingchen held Nan Li's hand, feeling the coldness of her palm, and felt even more distressed. "Li'er, don't worry, I will definitely find out the truth and give you an explanation."
Nan Li held Gao Xingchen with her backhand, with a hint of determination in her eyes, "Xingchen, this matter is of great importance, we need to consider it carefully."
"Well," Gao Xingchen nodded, his eyes falling on the scroll, "The scroll doesn't mention the location of the ruins, how should we find them?"
"Perhaps, we can go ask Granny Zhao," Nan Li said, as if she suddenly remembered something, "She watched me grow up, so maybe she knows something."
Granny Zhao is an old lady in the Gao family. She is old but energetic, loyal to the Gao family, and trusted by Gao Xingchen and Nan Li. The two found Granny Zhao and explained their purpose. Granny Zhao pondered for a moment and said slowly: "I know a little about the place you are talking about, but..."
"Just what?" Gao Xingchen and Nan Li asked in unison.
"It's just that the place is extremely dangerous. The old patriarch has strictly ordered the clan members not to get close to it," Granny Zhao sighed, "Do you really want to go?"
"Granny Zhao, we have to go," Nan Li said with a determined light in her eyes, "for my life experience and for the future of our Gao family."
Granny Zhao looked at the young couple in front of her, feeling deeply moved, and finally agreed to take them to find the ruins.
Under the guidance of Granny Zhao, Gao Xingchen and Nan Li left the Gao family and set out on a journey to find the ruins. The setting sun made their figures look particularly slender, which also indicated that a bigger adventure was about to begin...
As night fell, the stars dotted the deep night sky like diamonds. Gao Xingchen and his three companions walked through the dense forest. The surroundings were terribly quiet, with only the occasional chirping of insects, which added a bit of weirdness to the atmosphere.
"After passing through this forest, we will reach the forbidden area of Southern Xinjiang," Granny Zhao pointed ahead, her voice trembling. "No one has set foot there for hundreds of years. You... have to be careful!"
Gao Xingchen held Nan Li's hand tightly and gave her a firm look, "Don't worry, Granny Zhao, we will be careful."
The three of them stepped into the forbidden area, and a cold breath hit them. They saw a desolate ruin in front of them, with broken walls and overgrown weeds, but they could vaguely recognize the former glory.
"This is the entrance to the ruins," Granny Zhao pointed to a huge stone gate on the ground and said, "The old patriarch set up a ban here, prohibiting anyone from entering."
Gao Xingchen walked to the stone door and carefully observed the patterns on it. These patterns were simple and mysterious, and seemed to contain some powerful power. He tried to touch it with his spiritual power, and the stone door suddenly emitted a dazzling light. Ancient runes flew in the air, and finally formed a light curtain, sealing the stone door tightly.
"This is an ancient formation. It cannot be opened by brute force." Nan Li walked forward and observed the formation carefully. "We need to find the center of the formation to break it."
Gao Xingchen and Nan Li searched carefully in the ruins and finally found a stone tablet inscribed with runes in a corner. The runes on the stone tablet echoed the runes on the stone door, which was obviously the key to cracking the formation.
Gao Xingchen followed the instructions on the stone tablet and injected spiritual power into specific runes. The light curtain on the stone gate gradually dissipated, revealing a dark entrance.
"Let's go in," Gao Xingchen took a deep breath and stepped into the ruins first.
Inside the ruins is a long and narrow passage with exquisite murals carved on the walls on both sides, recording the ancient history and legends of the Nanli clan.
The passage was filled with traps, but Gao Xingchen, with his extraordinary wisdom and Nan Li's understanding of formations, resolved them one by one, and the two gradually approached the truth.
Finally, they came to a huge stone chamber. The door of the stone chamber was closed and a lifelike dragon was carved on it, exuding a suffocating aura.
"This should be the core of the ruins," Gao Xingchen looked at the giant dragon in front of him, his heart full of anticipation and anxiety.
Just as they were about to open the door to the stone chamber, a majestic voice suddenly sounded behind them, "You can't go in!"
Gao Xingchen and Nan Li turned around and saw the head of the Nan family and several elders standing behind them with gloomy faces.
"Father, why are you here?" Nan Li looked at her father, eyes full of confusion.
"Li'er, it's too dangerous here. You can't go any further." The Nan family leader looked at his daughter with worry in his eyes. "Be obedient and go back with father."
"Father, why should I go back? This is my family's relic, why can't I come here?" Nan Li looked at her father with a hint of anger in her tone, "Are you hiding something from me?"
"Lier, be obedient. Now is not the time for you to know the truth," the head of the Nan family wanted to persuade him again, but was interrupted by Gao Xingchen.
"Patriarch Nan, we came here just to find out Li'er's true identity. We have no ill intentions," Gao Xingchen looked at the Nan family leader with a firm tone, "Please let us in. We promise not to mess around."
"No, absolutely not!" The Nan family leader was firm, "This place concerns the life and death of the Nanli family, no one is allowed to enter!"
"Father!" Nan Li looked at her father with disappointment in her eyes. "What are you afraid of? Is my background something shameful?"
The head of the Nan family looked at his daughter, opened his mouth, but ultimately said nothing.
The atmosphere was tense, and a storm seemed to be about to fall...
"What are you afraid of? Is my background something shameful?!" Nan Li's voice echoed in the empty entrance of the ruins, with a slight tremor, but more of it was disappointment and anger.
The Nan family leader moved his lips, but eventually he dropped his eyes weakly and sighed, "Li'er, sooner or later you will understand my difficulties..."
"I don't understand!" Nan Li shook off her father's hand, her eyes reddened. "From childhood to adulthood, you have always been very secretive about my life experience. Now that I have finally found a clue, you are blocking me in every possible way. Am I, your daughter, so untrustworthy in your eyes?"
"Li'er, you misunderstood father..." The head of the Nan family wanted to explain, but was interrupted by Nan Li decisively: "Enough! I don't want to hear you say this anymore! Gao Xingchen, let's go!"
After saying that, Nan Li walked towards the depths of the ruins without looking back. Gao Xingchen looked deeply at the head of the Nan family, a complex emotion flashed in his eyes, and then he quickly caught up with Nan Li.
Looking at the backs of the two people leaving, the Nan family leader fell down on the stone steps weakly, his old face full of pain and struggle. Seeing this, Elder Wu on the side sighed softly, walked to the Nan family leader, and whispered to comfort him: "Patriarch, don't worry too much, the young lady just wants to know the truth..."
“But some truths, once revealed, will only bring about devastating disasters…” The Nan family leader closed his eyes in pain and murmured to himself, “Li’er, I hope you can understand my difficulties…”
Elder Wu was silent for a moment, then suddenly lowered his voice and said, "Patriarch, I dare to ask, are you really determined to keep it a secret? That gentleman has already sent someone here..."
The Nan family leader suddenly opened his eyes, with a sharp light flashing in his eyes: "You mean, Protector Wang is here too?"
"It's absolutely true. I saw it with my own eyes." Elder Wu nodded solemnly. "It seems that the gentleman is very concerned about the young lady's affairs..."
The Nan family leader remained silent, staring into the depths of the ruins, his eyes filled with worry and uneasiness...
At this time, Gao Xingchen and Nan Li had already gone deep into the ruins. They overcame numerous obstacles and traps along the way, and finally arrived at a magnificent palace.
"This should be the core of the ruins," Gao Xingchen looked at the magnificent hall in front of him, his heart full of anticipation and uneasiness, "I hope we can find the answers you want here."
Nan Li didn't say anything, but just held the dagger tightly in her hand, with a firm and persistent light flashing in her beautiful eyes.
The two walked into the hall side by side, and an ancient and mysterious atmosphere hit them in the face. In the center of the hall stood a huge altar. Around the altar were many ancient stone tablets and statues, which seemed to be telling a long-forgotten history.
Gao Xingchen and Nan Li carefully explored the hall, trying to find clues about Nan Li's life experience. However, at this moment, a powerful pressure suddenly descended and enveloped the two.
"Who is it?!" Gao Xingchen's face changed. He protected Nan Li behind him and looked around vigilantly.
A middle-aged man in a black robe and with a stern face slowly walked out from the shadows. He glanced at Gao Xingchen and Nan Li with cold eyes and said in a grim tone: "Anyone who trespasses into the forbidden area will die!"
The person who came was Wang the Dharma Protector. He was ordered to come and track down Nan Li's whereabouts, but he didn't expect to meet Gao Xingchen and Nan Li here. A big battle was about to break out...