Chen Tian''s voice echoed through the still air, but Baihu remained silent, her eyes shut tightly. A wave of realization washed over him— the trial the old man had mentioned had already begun.
"You better take this chance. Thews in thiske are good for your growth and development," Wu Ye advised, her tone calm but firm.
Chen Tian could feel the subtle yet potent presence of thews in the surrounding water. Any cultivator who had yet to step into the Dao Realm would gain immense benefits from this environment.
He nodded in understanding, feeling the allure of increasing his mastery over the Fire Law. Every time he used the fire and lightning crystals, the elements responded more fluidly, more naturally, as his understanding deepened.
''But that''s not my priority right now,''
Chen Tian thought, his brows furrowing.
He needs to find the elemental crystal or whatever is causing his Dantian to react so strongly.
Chen Tian nced back at Baihu, who seemed deeply absorbed in her trial. It would be some time before she needed his help.
Taking a deep breath, Chen Tian dove into theke.
The cold water embraced him, sending a shiver down his spine that quickly dissipated as he surrounded himself with spiritual Qi and focused on his task.
For a cultivator in the Foundation Establishment Realm, staying underwater for extended periods was trivial.
Spiritual Qi enveloped his body, allowing him to breathe freely as he descended.
His eyes scanned theke''s depths, the darkness gradually swallowing the light from above.
''It''s deeper than I thought,'' he mused, his gaze drawn to the vast chasm at theke''s center. The hole seemed bottomless, an abyss that defied theke''s surface size.
''Chaos Insight!''
Activating his Chaos Insight gaze, Chen Tian''s vision pierced through the murky water, revealing the intricate flow of energy below.
The energy converged towards the massive hole, radiating a faint, otherworldly glow that connected to the tiger statues by theke.
Chen Tian noticed that the energy flow originated from below, igniting a mix of curiosity and determination within him.
"Those statues beside theke—they''re drawing power from the same source!"
His heart quickened as he propelled himself deeper into the abyss, the energy''s pull growing stronger with every stroke. The power of thew intensified, pressing against him like the weight of the deep water above.
The pressure increased, not just physically but mentally. Chen Tian could feel the immense power of thews trying to test his will, but, who was Chen Tian, remained steadfast, pushing forward.
Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Chen Tian arrived at a hidden underwater cave. The energy''s sourcey within, an almost palpable force that resonated with his very soul.
"The energy source should be inside this cave," Chen Tian thought, steeling himself as he cautiously entered the dark cavern.
Whoosh~~~!
As soon as he crossed the cave''s threshold, a powerful wave ofw energy surged around him, threatening to overwhelm his senses.
The energy was so intense that he could feel his mastery of the Fire Law improving, even without conscious effort.
This ce only contained the five basicws of fire, water, earth, wind, and wood. So it didn''t contain thew of lightning, and even if it had, it wouldn''t make a difference considering Chen Tian mastery of thew of lightning was already at its peak.
These locations are scarce and typically found in affluent cities or ns with abundant resources.
The energy within the cave seemed to cleanse Chen Tian''s soul, bringing a sense of peace and rity he hadn''t felt in a long time.
His Chaos Dantian, pulsed with excitement,pelling him to venture further into the cave.
If the old man had witnessed Chen Tian''s actions, he would have been terrified. However, as the old man concentrated on the realm core, hecked the time to oversee anything.
After what felt like a few minutes, an ancient gate loomed before Chen Tian. It was enormous, its moon-white surface absorbing all light, leaving only the intricate celestial patterns that adorned it visible.
The gate pulsed with an ethereal energy that resonated deeply with his soul.
A cold, primal instinct surged within him, driving him forward. Chen Tian ced his right hand on the gate''s smooth, cool surface, and a shock of power shot out of his body, originating from his Dantian and flowing into the gate.
BAM~!!!!!!!!!!!!
The gate began to glow with a blinding light, the sudden intensity causing Chen Tian to flinch and shut his eyes. The power was overwhelming, shaking him to his core.
"What is this...?"
"Chen Tian!" Wu Ye''s voice echoed urgently in his mind, but before Chen Tian could respond, the gate''s light enveloped him entirely, pulling him into its radiant embrace.
Back in the realm core, the old man continued to pour his immortal Qi into the core. Suddenly, his expression twisted in rm as he sensed a massive disturbance in the energy flow. His eyes snapped open, wide with disbelief.
"That kid, don''t tell me!"
The old man''s mind raced as he realized Chen Tian had somehow found the cave within theke. But what baffled him was the gate''s reaction—something he had never been able to achieve, despite hisplete control over the realm.
"How could a mere mortal like that kid stumble upon this ce so easily?" The old man muttered, his voice tinged with frustration and fear.
He recalled the ancient warning from the n elders, who had told them that this ce was left by a benefactor of their race and that they were to guard it with their lives. Even the source of their inheritance stemmed from this mysterious ce, yet none had ever managed to open the gate.
A deep sigh escaped the old man''s lips as he refocused on the task at hand. There was no time to check on Chen Tian—if he lost concentration now, the entire trial might fail.
With a heavy heart, he closed his eyes and persisted in channeling his immortal Qi into the core, hoping that nothing went wrong.