Then Zhao Lei Yun and the Yun family brothers stepped forward shoulder to shoulder, facing the gray-white reef island. From their bosoms, they each took out a small yellow flag.
The three small flags were only a few inches in size, and each one was a patch of golden yellow, crystal clear, with mysterious runes shimmering on the surface. They were clearly no ordinary items.
Seeing Zhao Lei Yun and the Yun family brothers make such a move, Wu Tao, Xue Yan, and the others couldn't help but hold their breath, concentrating on observing their incantations.
They chanted words, and low incantations flowed unhurriedly from their mouths. At the same time, the three flags began to glow and tremble, appearing ready to fly off on their own.
"Go!"
At almost the same instant, Zhao Lei Yun and the Yun family brothers released their hands. The small flags immediately shot out.
With a flash of light, the three small flags, one after another, vanished into a rock on the surface of the gray-white stone mountain, leaving no trace.
After a moment, everything returned to normal. There was no sound.
...
On the faces of Wu Tao, Xue Yan, and the others, a hint of doubt appeared almost simultaneously.
Xue Yan coughed lightly, about to ask something, when the ground beneath their feet suddenly began to tremble. This sudden tremor caused everyone to sway, nearly losing their balance.
What happened next made Wu Tao and the others' expressions change, and they were inwardly alarmed, immediately becoming vigilant.
Below the island, large sections of the gray-white reef mountain began to vibrate violently.
The mountains, formed slowly by countless coral reefs over thousands of years, suddenly underwent a change. Deep vertical cracks appeared from the top to the bottom of the mountains, from which soft white light shone.
Wu Tao and the others gasped, developing a deep sense of apprehension towards family disciples like Zhao Lei Yun and the Yun family brothers who possessed such special magical artifacts as "Mountain Opening Flags."
However, despite their shock, they maintained a calm outward appearance, watching the scene unfold with composure. What they were truly thinking, however, only heaven knew.
Zhao Lei Yun and the Yun family brothers’ incantations continued to sound without pause...
After a while, a massive crack, three to four zhang wide, opened in the center of the gray-white reef island.
And within that wide crack, a staircase of purple crystal blue-lit jade appeared before everyone, leading directly underground.
"Let's go," a trace of excitement flashed across Zhao Lei Yun's face. With a brief call, he led the way inside.
The Yun family brothers, whose status and strength were above Zhao Lei Yun, smiled slightly and fell behind Zhao Lei Yun.
Seeing this, Wu Tao's heart stirred.
It seemed this Zhao Lei Yun was no ordinary person. Even the Yun family brothers appeared to defer to him at this place.
The others seemed to have noticed something as well. After exchanging glances, they, being cunning and experienced, said nothing about it.
...
With unchanged expressions, as if they had noticed nothing, they followed the three and entered one after another.
The staircase was long, seemingly endless. Although pure white moon-moth stones were inlaid on both sides of the steps, allowing them to see their surroundings clearly,
the further they descended, the closer they got to the deep sea, and the colder the staircase became.
Not long after, the group of seven ventured deep into the seabed, walking for about a hundred zhang. The moon-moth stones, which had previously emitted a faint white light, now inexplicably turned a ghostly blue. This cast a dim and unclear light in the passage, which was now filled with extremely dense water-elemental spiritual energy.
Seeing this, Wu Tao's brow furrowed, and he subconsciously distanced himself from those in front, ensuring he had time to react if any unexpected events occurred.
In fact, it wasn't just Wu Tao. Everyone except Zhao Lei Yun and the Yun family brothers had wisely taken the same action.
The group unconsciously spaced themselves tens of meters apart.
Zhao Lei Yun and the Yun family brothers knew that the others were secretly colluding to guard against them and use the three of them as scouts.
However, Zhao Lei Yun and the Yun family brothers continued to walk forward boldly, feigning ignorance and showing no sign of displeasure.
After a full quarter of an hour, Wu Tao, Xue Yan, and the others, one by one, entered outside a vast hall filled with restrictions.
The four walls of this hall were all made of warm jade. Runes flickered frequently within the walls, and many ancient "forbidden curses" were carved between the warm jade walls.
Although the entire hall was crystal clear, adorned with dragons and phoenixes, flowers and trees, lifelike and extremely dazzling, exuding immense luxury and wealth,
to Zhao Lei Yun, the Yun family brothers, Wu Tao, and the other seven, it made their scalps tingle and their eyelids twitch.
...
Standing outside this hall, tens of zhang in size, Wu Tao, Xue Yan, and the others all showed expressions of shock and fear.
Upon arriving here, those visiting for the first time all swept their spiritual senses towards the wall directly in front of them. The moment their senses made contact, they were all instantly repelled, unable to penetrate it even slightly.
Wu Tao was secretly startled, but he did not reveal the slightest change in his expression. Unwilling to give up, he used his spiritual sense to probe all the other corners outside the hall.
The result was the same everywhere, without exception.
Wu Tao muttered a few words in his heart, his gaze shifting to the others.
Xue Yan, the ice-female cultivator, and the others also frowned, clearly finding the situation tricky, just like him.
Only Zhao Lei Yun and the Yun family brothers, having been here once before and this being their second visit, appeared calm.
"Could this be the place where the 'Ancient Great Array' is set up? It seems Zhao Lei Yun and the Yun family brothers truly did not exaggerate earlier.
As Wu Tao was contemplating, the entire hall suddenly shook violently, followed by a series of loud noises from behind.
Xue Yan, the ice-female cultivator, and the others were startled and quickly looked back, only to find that the passage at the entrance had vanished without a trace. In its place was a warm jade wall, also shining with runes and restrictions.
Originally, there was a passage here, serving as a last resort. Now, this place had become a death trap with no retreat.
"Zhao Lei Yun, what do you mean by this?" Xue Yan, the most impatient among them, seeing this scene, immediately darkened his expression and asked loudly.
Wu Tao, the ice-female cultivator, Chang Ping Qian, and the others also looked wary, their eyes flickering as they stared at Zhao Lei Yun and the Yun family brothers. If they weren't given an explanation immediately, they were prepared to act.
"Heh heh, fellow Daoists are overthinking! The external restrictions have activated on their own, sealing the island's reef mountain once more. The three of us experienced the same thing when we came last time."
"Don't worry, in five days, the restrictions here will automatically separate. We won't be trapped to death here. Moreover, if the outer restrictions close, we don't have to fear anyone passing by this island and discovering us." Zhao Lei Yun, as the initiator, showed no surprise and said calmly.
Upon hearing this, Xue Yan, the ice-female cultivator, Chang Ping Qian, and Wu Tao, the four of them, were somewhat skeptical but gradually relaxed.
As long as Zhao Lei Yun and the Yun family brothers were also inside the hall, they were not afraid that they had set a trap with malicious intentions.
...
"If that's the case, then I was rash just now." Xue Yan cupped his fists towards
Zhao Lei Yun and the Yun family brothers to apologize.
"These are trivial matters that don't affect the overall situation. It's fine as long as the misunderstanding is resolved. We three will not take it to heart!" Zhao Lei Yun chuckled, waving his hand as if to indicate their magnanimity and lack of concern.
After a pause, Zhao Lei Yun added, "We should hurry and break the formations and restrictions inside. This hall is where the three of us and the Yun family brothers suffered defeat last time. The formations and restrictions of this ancient great array are not easily broken. Our group must work together to succeed."