The Endless Search

After escaping the cave that nearly swallowed them, Xiao Shao and Mei Hua returned to the surface, gasping for breath. The sun was setting, leaving a red sky and long shadows on the ground. The two sat on a large rock, trying to calm themselves and absorb what had just happened.

"We almost lost our lives," Mei Hua said, her voice trembling.

Xiao Shao nodded, his eyes staring blankly ahead. "The force we are facing is far greater than we imagined. We must be more careful."

That night, they decided to rest outside the cave, keeping the campfire burning. They knew that their journey was not over, and that greater challenges lay ahead.

The next day, they continued their journey to a nearby village to seek more information. Once there, they approached an old merchant who seemed to know a lot about the area.

"What can I help you with?" the merchant asked in a hoarse voice.

"We are seeking information on an ancient artifact hidden in these mountains," Xiao Shao replied.

The merchant paused for a moment, then said, "There is a legend that at the top of Mount Xian there is an ancient temple that holds the artifact. However, many who have tried to reach it have never returned."

"What prevented them from returning?" Mei Hua asked.

"The power protecting the temple is very strong," the merchant replied. "Only those with extraordinary courage and strength can reach it."

Hearing this, Xiao Shao and Mei Hua felt even more certain that they should continue their search. They thanked the merchant and prepared themselves for the next journey.

The journey to Mount Xian was not easy. The terrain was steep and full of obstacles. However, with strong determination, they continued on.

After several days of travel, they arrived at the foot of Mount Xian. There, they found a large dragon statue that seemed to be the entrance to the temple.

"This is it," Xiao Shao said. "We must be careful."

They entered the area and found themselves in a large courtyard with high stone walls. In the center of the courtyard, there was an altar with ancient symbols that they did not understand.

"What should we do?" Mei Hua asked.

"We should look for clues," Xiao Shao replied.

They began to examine their surroundings, looking for signs or symbols that could help them understand how to enter the temple. After a while, they found a carving on the wall that depicted two hands holding each other.

"Maybe we should do this," Mei Hua said, trying to imitate the hand position on the carving.

Xiao Shao nodded and followed suit. Suddenly, a rumbling sound was heard, and the stone wall in front of them began to move, opening a path into the temple.

"We made it," Xiao Shao said with a wide smile.

However, before they could go any further, a loud voice sounded from behind them. They turned around and saw a group of guards in black approaching them.

"You are not allowed to enter," one of the guards said coldly.

"We only want to seek the truth," Mei Hua replied.

"The truth?" the guard said. "The truth you seek will bring destruction."

Without warning, the guard launched an attack. Xiao Shao and Mei Hua quickly dodged and retaliated with attacks of their own.

A fierce battle ensued in the temple grounds. Despite their best efforts, the overwhelming number of guards made it difficult for them.

"We have to get out of here," Xiao Shao said, pulling Mei Hua back.

They ran towards the temple entrance, but their path was blocked by more guards. In a desperate situation, Xiao Shao decided to use a forbidden cultivation technique he had learned.

With full concentration, he gathered the energy within his body and released it in a powerful blast. The energy shattered the stone walls around them, creating a gap that allowed them to escape.

However, using the technique weakened Xiao Shao's body. He fell to the ground, exhausted.

"Xiao Shao!" Mei Hua shouted, running over to him.

"I'm fine," Xiao Shao replied, though his voice was weak.

The two of them fled