Chapter 23: The Divine Physician Encounters New Perils

Outside the rift, the world was plunged into a deathly silence.

This eerie stillness was more unsettling than the violent energy raging within the rift itself. Niu Yichen gripped Zhan Qingxue’s hand tightly, his palms damp with perspiration. He keenly sensed an strange atmosphere permeating the air, like an invisible net tightening in silence.

"Brother Chen, it’s... so quiet here," Zhan Qingxue said, her voice trembling. She instinctively moved closer to Niu Yichen, as if his presence alone could dispel the fear in her heart.

Niu Yichen scanned his surroundings. The once-vibrant vegetation now hung limp and withered, as if drained of all moisture. The chirping birds were gone, and not even the sound of an insect could be heard. This dead silence was truly hair-raising.

"Something is wrong," Niu Yichen said in a low, grave voice. He projected his divine sense to scout the area, but found nothing.

"Could it be..." A terrifying thought flashed through his mind, causing his expression to change drastically.

Just then, Zhan Qingxue cried out, "Brother Chen, look!"

Niu Yichen followed her gaze to a large tree nearby. Strange black markings were appearing on its trunk, twisting like serpents as they slowly spread upward.

"This is..." Niu Yichen’s pupils constricted, and a wave of intense unease surged within him. He reached out to touch the black markings, and a cold, chilling sensation instantly coursed through his entire body, making him shudder.

"We have to get out of here!" Niu Yichen decided instantly, grabbing Zhan Qingxue and pulling her along.

"Where are we going?" Zhan Qingxue asked anxiously as she kept pace.

"Back to the Zhan family!"

Niu Yichen suddenly stopped in his tracks, shaking his head with a somber expression. "No, we can't go back to the Zhan family."

"Returning to the Zhan family would be walking right into a trap!" Niu Yichen said firmly. "This thing is wicked. If it spreads to the others in the family, the consequences would be unimaginable!"

Zhan Qingxue was stunned; she hadn't expected him to reject her suggestion. In the past, whenever they encountered danger, they would retreat to the Zhan family for sanctuary, as the family’s formidable strength deterred most from causing trouble. But this time, Niu Yichen was acting completely out of character, which filled her with anxiety.

"Then where are we going?" she asked urgently.

A confident smile tugged at the corner of Niu Yichen’s mouth. "We’re going to take it down, of course!"

Zhan Qingxue’s eyes widened in disbelief. Was he crazy? Throwing themselves into the lion's den? This wasn't a game!

"Brother Chen, are you serious?" she asked cautiously, swallowing hard.

"Absolutely!" Niu Yichen patted her shoulder calmly. "Don't worry, I know what I'm doing."

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, sensing the subtle energy fluctuations in the air. The power of longevity within him began to circulate, emitting a profound and mysterious aura.

"Found you!" Niu Yichen snapped his eyes open, a sharp glint within them. He pointed toward a small hill nearby and said with firm resolve, "It's right there!"

Zhan Qingxue looked toward the hill he indicated, but it appeared perfectly ordinary, with no signs of anything abnormal. She couldn't help but wonder how he had discovered it.

"Let's go. I'll show you what's going on." Niu Yichen took her hand and sprinted toward the hill. Along the way, Zhan Qingxue kept asking how he had found the trail, but he only offered a mysterious smile, leaving her more curious than ever.

Soon, they reached the base of the hill. Niu Yichen carefully surveyed the surroundings and found a hidden cave entrance concealed by thick vines; it would have been nearly impossible to spot without careful observation.

"This is it," Niu Yichen said, pointing to the cave entrance.

Zhan Qingxue stared into the pitch-black opening, feeling uneasy. She had a sinking feeling that something dangerous was lurking inside.

"Let's go in and see." Niu Yichen entered first. After a moment of hesitation, Zhan Qingxue followed.

The cave was pitch black, not a hand in sight. Niu Yichen pulled a night-luminescent pearl from his pocket to light the way. They moved forward cautiously until Niu Yichen suddenly stopped.

"What is it?" Zhan Qingxue asked.

He didn't speak, simply pointing ahead. At the end of the cave, a flickering barrier shimmered with a faint light. It looked like gelatin—bouncy and colorful—and if not for the gloomy surroundings, Zhan Qingxue would have thought they had stumbled into some trendy social media photo spot.

"Brother Chen, what is this thing?" she couldn't help but remark.

Niu Yichen ignored her, his brow furrowed as he reached out to touch the barrier. A tingling sensation, like an electric shock, traveled up his fingertips.

"Interesting," he murmured with a playful smirk.

"Brother Chen, be careful! Don't mess this up!" Zhan Qingxue warned nervously. She felt this wasn't simple; if it were an ancient seal, triggering a trap would be disastrous.

"Don't worry, I'm steady!" Niu Yichen said confidently, pulling out several golden needles to begin breaking the barrier.

"Brother Chen, think twice! What if it's a trap?" She tried to stop him, still worried.

"Fortune favors the bold, you know?" He shot her a look that clearly said, "You little novice."

Just as Niu Yichen prepared to strike, the barrier fluctuated, and a group of small energy creatures emerged. They looked like tadpoles, but their bodies glowed with an eerie, dark blue light.

"Holy cow! What the hell is that?!" Zhan Qingxue jumped in fright and hid behind Niu Yichen.

"Don't be afraid, I'm here!" He shielded her, his golden needles flying out to strike the creatures with precision. Though small, the creatures were vicious and came in a tidal wave. For a moment, Niu Yichen was kept busy defending them.

"Brother Chen, hold them off!" Zhan Qingxue cheered him on, though she knew this wasn't sustainable.

Niu Yichen’s eyes darted around, and he formed a plan. He pulled Zhan Qingxue deeper into the cave, luring the creatures into a narrow passage.

"Brother Chen, what are you doing? Isn't this suicide?" she asked, confused.

"Quiet and watch!" Niu Yichen smiled mysteriously. He took a deep breath, channeling the power of longevity to create a special airflow, forming a small vortex within the narrow passage.

The energy creatures were sucked into the vortex, becoming disoriented and losing their sense of direction. Seizing the opportunity, Niu Yichen unleashed his needles like a rainstorm, obliterating the creatures one by one.

Zhan Qingxue watched in awe—this move was incredible!

"Brother Chen, you're amazing!" She gave him a thumbs up.

Niu Yichen laughed triumphantly and walked back to the barrier, reaching out again.

"Wait," he stopped, staring intently at the barrier. "This feeling..." He squinted; the colorful light rippling across the barrier now looked like a child's scribble to him—naive and fragile.

"Is that all?" A look of disdain crossed his face. He tapped a point on the barrier, and a strange energy wave rippled outward.

"Brother Chen, this thing doesn't look friendly, take it easy!" she warned, fearing he might overplay his hand and get them killed.

Niu Yichen ignored her and closed his eyes, as if sensing something. Zhan Qingxue was baffled, wondering if he had just zoned out. Just as she was about to ask, he opened his eyes, a sharp light flashing within them.

"Found it!"

He tapped a specific spot on the barrier. A soft light spread instantly, and the supposedly indestructible barrier dissipated like melting snow.

"Damn! Brother Chen, how did you do that?" Zhan Qingxue was stunned; it was more magical than any illusion.

"Basic stuff, no big deal," Niu Yichen said with a wave of his hand, maintaining the air of a lonely master. In truth, he had used his unique insight into the power of longevity to find the weak point of the seal, allowing him to break it easily.

They passed through the dissipated barrier into the depths of the cave. The sight before them made Zhan Qingxue gasp again.

"What... what is that?!"

In the center of the cave, a massive, intricate array lay spread out, glowing with a deep blue light that pulsed like a heartbeat. A powerful, unsettling energy radiated from the center of the array.

Niu Yichen’s expression was grave; even he felt a sense of dread from this energy. He instinctively tightened his grip on Zhan Qingxue’s hand and whispered, "Be careful, this thing is no joke."

Feeling the crushing pressure, Zhan Qingxue nodded obediently and stayed close behind him. Niu Yichen approached the array, studying its patterns with a furrowed brow. He had never seen this formation before, yet it felt strangely familiar.

"Brother Chen, what... what is this array?" she asked tentatively.

"I'm not sure," he replied in a low voice, "but the power contained within it is anything but ordinary..." He paused, his gaze fixed on the center of the array, where something seemed to be drawing him in. "I have to go in and see."

Zhan Qingxue grabbed his arm, anxious. "Brother Chen, don't be reckless! What if..."

He patted her hand, giving her a reassuring look. "Don't worry, I know what I'm doing."

With that, he stepped decisively into the array. Zhan Qingxue watched as his figure disappeared into the glowing light, and she whispered a silent prayer: "Brother Chen, you must come back safely..."

Suddenly, the light of the array flickered violently, and a surge of intense energy swept outward. Zhan Qingxue felt dizzy, and the world turned black before her eyes.

"Bro... Brother Chen..."