After a long rest, Ah Jun and his friends set out on their journey again... along the stream, with the koi in the same direction.
Along the way, Ah Jun took the two brothers to feed them from time to time. The little koi looked very difficult and energetic, so they added some food to cheer them up.
After walking along a small path, the children finally reached the site of their adventure, the heart of the sanctuary, Canghai Lake-- Although this is inland and the lake is a freshwater one, the water shimmers with a blue as vast as the ocean, clear and pure. Coupled with the exquisite surrounding scenery, it all comes together to form a breathtaking picture, utterly beautiful.
This scene left Ah Jun and the others stunned. Except for the Yuwen brothers, who remained calm-- He focused on leading the group to the other side of the lake... There lay a vast expanse of land, nestled between the mountains and the lake, formed by layers of rocks. On the ground stood various-sized, uniquely shaped, and ingeniously arranged boulders.
Now, before the childrens eyes was a huge rock shaped like a dragon, looking very majestic and grand--Then, the Yuwen brothers put their hands on the dragons claws, concentrated their energy, and gradually, the mark on his forehead began to shine with a sky-blue light.
At this point, the rocks began to flash in sync, and the light spread through the dragons claws and arms to the dragons scales, until the dragons eyes, shining with dazzling light.
Gradually, next to the children, a figure about their height and looking round slowly came into view, as if carrying a large gray-green turtle shell on its back.
"Grandpa Turtle!"
The Yuwen brothers approached the elderly man with measured grace, paying their respects-- Standing before them was an elderly gentleman wearing a stylish hat, his jet-black hair flowing over a beard that suggested an approachable elder. He was the leader of this expedition-the dragon clans envoy and guardian of the Sacred Realm.
"Go --"
Grandpa Turtle yawned, stretched lazily, and put his hands behind his back. He looked at the Yuwen brothers with a leisurely expression and asked, "Hmm, why you here? Didnt your grandpa bring you along last time? Whats up? Missed me, huh...""
"Well, I have something else I want you to help me with!"
The Yuwen brothers suddenly smiled and replied, then specifically glanced at Ah Jun before conveying their grandfathers words to Lord Turtle. The old man abruptly turned his head to look at Ah Jun, stroked his beard--and slowly walked over to him, examining the situation from all angles as if studying something...
"Well... the man is not at fault, but was your grandfather sure to let him participate in that experience? Wasnt he afraid of something else going wrong?"
This was a kind of advice, but it seemed reasonable and kind. Ah-jun understood that it was a kind reminder from the old man.
But at this moment, Ah Jun was very firm, without any hesitation or retreat, and immediately expressed his heart and determination. The little dimple also mowed for Ah Jun to cheer him on.
"Well, really? Alright, since youve already figured it out, lets get started! Good boy, be careful and dont push through...""
Grandpa sea turtle looked at the child and was amused for some reason. Then he stroked his beard and nodded with a smile, agreeing.
Then, he used his hands to remove the shell from his back with a little difficulty, and it crashed to the ground with a bang. Then he began to do aerobics!
"Three circles on the left, three circles on the right, and a twist of the neck..."
At this, the crowd on the side was stunned, but the silver boy was still standing in the same place, waiting patiently with a smile.
"Ugh... At my age, I still need to exercise more --. Kids, come with me."
After a while, the old man moved rhythmically and wanted to pull the children to jump together. Young people should also exercise more... However, there is a generation gap, so they can not lead them.
The old man swiftly completed his preparatory movements. With a powerful exertion, the massive green shell gradually shrank to palm-sized dimensions. He then pivoted and strode resolutely toward the dragon-shaped rock, skillfully sliding it into a recess carved into the boulders chest.
In an instant, the green shell emitted a gem-like glow that gradually spread across the dragons entire body. Meanwhile, the dragon claw that Yuwen brothers had just touched began to move on its own, slowly pressing into the ground. With a loud thud, the dragons eyes started to show signs of vitality.
At this moment, behind the dragon-shaped boulder, a dust storm from the other side of the mountain gradually enveloped the area-- The rocky formations in the distance were shrouded in a haze, making everything inside completely indistinct... Ah Jun realized that the trials had begun.
"Child, remember, dont be fooled by appearances, trust your inner judgment!"
Then, the old man slowly turned around, looked at Ah Jun and said a word, then turned to the silver boy seriously said: "--Next it is in your hands... Hmm, sleepy, I go to sleep--Oh, I am old, not useful!"
"Well, dont worry!"
The silver boy responded respectfully, and then Grandpa Turtle yawned again, stretched out as he walked, and disappeared from sight in an instant.
So, Ah Jun gently entrusted the small dimple to Ninger to take care of, and then, after the silver boy gave him a detailed explanation, he bravely walked into the mysterious haze by himself.
--Dont say that this time, the attitude of Yuwen brothers to Ah Jun is quite unexpected. Maybe because of grandpas instructions, or maybe he has changed his opinion on Ah Jun.
Of course, in Xiao Xis eyes, the silver boy is still a two-faced man, and he has no good feelings towards him, because he treated his brother like that before.
According to the Yuwen brothers, Ah Juns training would require a considerable duration, allowing the team members to take breaks and engage in other activities-- Xiao Xi and Xiao Shuai quickly set up a large sunshade on the lakeside beach, then arranged two chairs and a small table. They began enjoying their gaming time with the latest handheld console while sipping drinks, immersed in the game "Cricket Brothers".
Though not as dramatic as her two companions, Jing er knew she couldnt do anything now. She settled into a clearing to calm her mind. The Silver Boy remained on guard, keeping watch while reading-a duty he couldnt shirk.
In addition, Xiao Woni looked at Ah Juns gradually blurred back and felt a little uneasy. She would stay by Ning ers side for a while, and then run to the Yuwen brothers to observe. But the distant haze was so thick that she could not see him anymore.
At this moment, Ah Jun could not see much either. Before him were massive rock fragments and a sandstorm with extremely low visibility-- He began to follow the words of the Yuwen brothers, continuously exploring in this maze known as "Palace Locking the Marvelous," until he found a uniquely shaped stone and stopped...
Well, then, the good show begins.
The smog continued to envelop the area without sign of abating, making it impossible for Ah Jun to discern the mazes full layout, let alone locate the exit mentioned by Yuwen Brothers. Determined to explore on his own, he swiftly adopted the Three-Step Lingbo technique, darting through the labyrinth and nearly exhausting every possible path. Yet time and again, when a gateway resembling the exit finally came into view, it would vanish in the blink of an eye.
It turns out that the rocks are all movable, so even if youre lucky enough to find an exit, you wont find the real way in.
At this time, if an outsider saw Ah Juns appearance, he would probably think that this person must be lost, and a little silly, like a headless fly, and certainly not to be looked up to.
After a while, Ah Jun suddenly stopped walking. Maybe he was a little tired, so he stayed in the same place thinking about something. Maybe he was studying the reminder of Yuwen brothers just now, looking for some clues.
Then, he changed his method and suddenly kicked off the ground. He shot into the air with a swoosh. He must have tried to use the lightness skill to reach a different dimension and escape the maze.
Yet the situation proved far more complex than it seemed. No matter how high or far Ah Jun leaped, each time he landed, he found himself still trapped in the maze, rooted to the spot. After numerous failed attempts, Ah Jun finally recognized his predicament. But then he froze again in stunned silence-was he about to abandon his strategy once more?
No! He was unexpectedly calm, but sat on the floor and began to close his eyes to rest, for no one knows what it means.
"So far, very few people have been able to successfully get out of this maze... find the mystery, otherwise there is no possibility... Of course, if its you, maybe..."
The silver-haired youths words kept echoing in his mind. Drawing on his photographic memory, Ah Jun began deciphering the mazes secrets. His earlier seemingly unwise actions had been strategic reconnaissance--During ground operations, he used hidden weapons as markers to map the mazes layout and operational patterns. From elevated vantage points, he validated his findings through aerial observations. Though data was incomplete, he forged a new dimensional understanding with unwavering conviction.
Like pieces of a labyrinthine puzzle, these pieces gradually came together through his rapid scanning and frantic movements, forming a three-dimensional structure. Then Ah Jun began meticulously cross-referencing the map with all accumulated intelligence in his mental database, while incorporating a timeline into the process.
However, since the books he had read rarely mentioned this labyrinth, he found it difficult to immediately spot any flaws-- He vaguely remembered seeing a travel guide online that mentioned a similar location, where a megalithic complex, hailed by humanity as one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, was also situated at this same spot.
In addition, Ah Jun also found that the characteristics of this maze were very similar to those of a Zhuge familys mechanism array that he knew.
The Mechanized Formation, originating from ancient numerology and the Qimen Dunjia (Divine Secrets of the Eight Trigrams), is documented in Kongmings Heart Book-- A Jun once studied this ancient text in an elders study. The book contains all array formations and techniques, including specific patterns created by a revered sage from antiquity. It remains the secret treasure of the Zhuge clan, with its theoretical framework serving as the foundation for modern mechanical formations.
If Ah Juns suspicions are correct, this location must be the strategic stronghold known as Yufupu. The labyrinth he now found himself in could very well be the legendary Eight Formation Diagram---a celestial web combining the most formidable mechanical arrays, the most mystical materials, and the most crucial geographical features. Legend has it that this was created by the ancient master who composed the array manual during a pivotal battle between the Guardian and the enemy forces.
The guardians also used this maze in the throat to stop a army of 100,000, protect the imperial city, and then turn the tide, reverse the decline, and finally repel the foreign enemies and protect the world.
However, even with partial knowledge of the situation, it remains merely a preliminary assessment without conclusive evidence. From a mathematical perspective, the probability stands at less than sixty percent. For someone as cautious as Ah Jun, these findings werent enough to justify taking the risk. Moreover, he couldnt confirm whether the Eight Formation Diagrams matched the mechanical mechanisms described in that ancient array manual.
Yet in this desperate situation, Ah Jun found himself with no other choice... His intuition kept urging him to try, remembering the uncles words: "When facing challenges, dare to take risks-failure is the mother of success." With careful caution, he believed nothing major would happen.
So, after a while of psychological work on his own mind, Ah Jun is ready to break through --
He began to explore step by step, each movement very carefully, according to the steps of the mechanism array recorded in the book. Just as he completed the last step, suddenly, the gate that had passed by him many times again appeared before him.
-- Huh... Its not easy!