Chapter 21: The Divine Physician Probes the Breach to Overcome the Perilous Pass

Zhan Qingxue pointed ahead, her face pale and her lips trembling slightly. "Brother Chen... what... what is that?"

Niu Yichen followed her gaze. Deep within the rift, a massive heart hovered in mid-air, emitting an eerie red glow. Every beat was accompanied by a deafening roar—the very sound that had been sending shivers down their spines.

The heart was larger than a truck tire, covered in blood vessels that twisted like writhing pythons, a truly nauseating sight.

"What the hell? Are we in a horror movie?" Niu Yichen couldn't help but curse. Even though he was no stranger to life-and-death situations, this grotesque scene rattled him.

"Brother Chen, I... I feel like it’s draining... draining our energy..." Zhan Qingxue’s voice grew weaker. She could feel her life force being slowly pulled away by the heart.

Niu Yichen felt it too. The flow of his internal energy had significantly slowed, as if caught in a powerful, uncontrollable suction.

"This thing is evil!" His expression turned grave, and he grabbed Zhan Qingxue. "Let's go! We need to retreat!"

However, the moment they turned to leave, they found their bodies rooted to the spot, unable to move.

"Dammit, we're stuck!" Niu Yichen struggled with all his might, but to no avail.

"Brother Chen... I... I can't move..." Zhan Qingxue’s voice was filled with terror.

Niu Yichen gritted his teeth, concentrating hard as he tried to mobilize his internal energy, only to find it moving sluggishly, as if mired in quicksand.

"What on earth is this thing? It’s actually suppressing my energy!"

Just then, the giant heart began to beat more violently. The red light intensified, and the surrounding energy fluctuations grew frantic, as if they were about to be consumed at any moment.

"Brother Chen..." Zhan Qingxue’s voice faded to a whisper, her consciousness beginning to blur.

Niu Yichen looked over at her. Her face was as white as paper, her eyes vacant, as if she were about to pass out. A surge of intense responsibility tightened his chest.

*No, I can't let anything happen to her!*

He took a deep breath, suppressed his fear, and gripped her hand tightly. "Don't be afraid. I'm here!"

Zhan Qingxue nodded weakly, her eyes filled with reliance. Niu Yichen turned his gaze back to the massive heart, a flash of determination in his eyes.

*Do or die,* he thought to himself.

"Xue'er, hold on tight!" Niu Yichen commanded in a low voice.

He squeezed his eyes shut, veins bulging on his forehead as a massive surge of life force erupted from within him, threatening to tear the very space apart.

"Break!" he roared like a thunderclap.

A visible wave of golden energy rippled outward from him, instantly dissipating the suction that had held them captive.

"Holy cow! Brother Chen, are you using cheats?" Zhan Qingxue felt her body lighten, and her suppressed energy began to flow again. She couldn't help but exclaim.

At this moment, she thought Niu Yichen looked just like Zhao Zilong on a rampage—absolutely incredible.

"Hold onto me!" Niu Yichen didn't offer an explanation. He grabbed her hand and shot forward like an arrow released from a bow. He channeled a portion of his longevity energy into her to help her resist the bizarre suction.

Zhan Qingxue felt a warm current flow into her, making her body feel weightless and boosting her speed significantly. Looking at Niu Yichen’s resolute back, her eyes were filled with admiration.

*This man... he's just so reliable!*

***

The two ran frantically until they reached the immediate vicinity of the giant heart. However, just as they were about to pass it, an energy barrier shimmering with strange runes suddenly appeared, blocking their path.

"What in the world is this?" Niu Yichen frowned, reaching out to touch the barrier, only to be thrown back by a powerful repelling force.

"Brother Chen, be careful!" Zhan Qingxue hurried to steady him. "This barrier looks dangerous; let's find another way."

Niu Yichen stared at the flickering runes, a sense of unease creeping into his heart. "No, the aura of this barrier is too similar to that heart. If we take a detour, we might run into something even worse."

"But..." Zhan Qingxue started, but Niu Yichen cut her off.

"Trust me, I can break it!" His gaze was firm, radiating a powerful sense of confidence.

"But what if we trigger a trap?" she worried.

"Fortune favors the bold! Better to take a risk than sit here and wait for death!" Niu Yichen’s tone left no room for argument. He inhaled deeply, preparing to mobilize his energy once more.

"Brother Chen..." Zhan Qingxue wanted to dissuade him, but seeing his steady eyes, she eventually chose silence.

"Back up!" Niu Yichen commanded. Zhan Qingxue retreated a few steps. He formed a seal with his hands, and a golden light began to gather in his palms...

"Wait!" No sooner had Zhan Qingxue cried out than the barrier shot out several crimson beams, moving at an astonishing speed directly toward them.

"Damn! They’re playing for real?!" Niu Yichen’s reflexes were lightning fast. He brandished his golden needles, precisely striking the incoming beams.

*Clang! Clang!* The needles collided with the beams, actually reflecting them back!

"Wow! Brother Chen, you can do that with acupuncture needles?" Zhan Qingxue watched in stunned silence.

The reflected beams struck the barrier, causing a crack to appear.

"It worked!" Niu Yichen’s eyes lit up. Just as he prepared to press the attack, the barrier flared with intense light, and more beams poured out like a torrential downpour.

"Crap! This thing has an ultimate move!" Niu Yichen pulled Zhan Qingxue to dodge, but the beams were too dense. He was clipped by several, letting out a muffled groan as blood trickled from the corner of his mouth.

"Brother Chen!" Zhan Qingxue shouted in alarm.

"I'm fine, just a small scratch!" He waved his hand, though his face was pale. He took a deep breath, circulated his energy, and the wounds began to heal at a visible rate.

"As expected of a longevity master, that recovery speed is insane!" she couldn't help but marvel.

While dodging, Niu Yichen observed the runes on the barrier and realized they weren't random; they followed a specific pattern. *I need to find the weak point,* he thought.

"Xue'er, cover me!" he shouted.

Zhan Qingxue understood immediately, conjuring an ice wall in her hands to block some of the beams. "Brother Chen, it's up to you!"

Seizing the opportunity, Niu Yichen focused all his power. His golden needles transformed into a streak of golden light, precisely striking the key nodes of the barrier in accordance with the pattern.

*BOOM!* A deafening sound echoed as a massive gap appeared in the barrier. Then, the entire structure shattered like glass, dissipating into specks of starlight.

***

"We did it!" They smiled at each other.

However, at that moment, the surrounding space began to shake violently, and a powerful pressure radiated from the depths of the rift.

"Oh no! This disturbance is too big—we've woken up something massive!" Niu Yichen’s expression shifted.

A giant eye slowly opened in the depths of the rift...

Zhan Qingxue gripped his arm tightly, her voice trembling. "Bro... Brother Chen..."

Niu Yichen felt a surge of pure energy flow into his body, nourishing his meridians like rain after a long drought. His longevity energy progressed yet again.

*Nice! This haul wasn't a loss at all!* He marveled, feeling as if he had been infused with infinite power—he couldn't stop now.

The energy released when the barrier shattered was unexpectedly absorbed by Niu Yichen. It was like a pie falling from the sky! He felt he was one step closer to finding a way out of this hellhole, his eyes flashing with sharp insight, as if he possessed a premonition.

Just then, a hair-raising roar echoed from the depths—the sound of an ancient beast that made their eardrums ache.

"Damn it! What is going on?" Niu Yichen felt a chill, a sense of impending doom washing over him.

A massive silhouette slowly emerged from the darkness. It was mountain-sized, radiating a suffocating sense of oppression. Its entire body was covered in black scales that shimmered with a metallic luster, and a pair of scarlet, giant eyes—like searchlights—stared fixedly at them, as if it intended to swallow them whole.

"Brother Chen... what... what kind of monster is that?" Zhan Qingxue clutched his arm, her voice trembling, her face whiter than a sheet of paper. This scene was more intense than any horror movie she had ever seen!

Niu Yichen squinted, carefully sizing up the behemoth. *This thing's aura is even stronger than that heart. Looks like we're in for a tough fight,* he thought. He took a deep breath and channeled some longevity energy into her to help her withstand the monster's terrifying pressure.

"Don't worry, I'm here!" His tone was firm, his eyes filled with confidence, as if he had everything under control.

"Brother Chen, are... are you sure?" Though she felt the aid of his energy, she still felt lingering fear. This monster was boss-level; could they really win?

Niu Yichen didn't answer. He silently pulled a set of golden needles from his robes, a sharp, piercing light flashing in his eyes.

"Xue'er, prepare for battle!"

Zhan Qingxue inhaled sharply, conjuring an ice blade in her hand, ready to fight. She knew this was no time for fear; she had to fight alongside Brother Chen!

The massive figure fully emerged from the darkness. It opened its blood-stained maw, let out a heaven-shaking roar, and a foul, fishy stench washed over them.

Niu Yichen and Zhan Qingxue watched the emerging giant, bracing themselves...

"Wait..." Niu Yichen suddenly said.