Chapter 90: The Trials of the Celestial Labyrinth

As time passed, every turn, every corridor, and every room seemed to have a mind of its own, challenging the participants in unexpected ways. The heavy air carried the smell of ozone and wet earth, and the hum of the runes on the walls echoed like a heartbeat in the bowels of the labyrinth.

A group came across a hallway that split into five different passages, each glowing a different color: green, blue, red, white, and brown. The light pulsed like living veins, casting dancing shadows across the stone floor.

"It's the elements," a girl said, watching the lights intently, her fingers tracing water runes in the humid air. "Each path probably requires affinity with a specific Dao. Feel the pressure? As if the air changes with each entry."

"If we split up, we'll be faster," another young man suggested, adjusting his leather gloves. "Divide and conquer."