55 Chapter 54

*Chirp* *Chirp* 

With the sounds of crickets surrounding the forest, Zuyuan still maintained his vigilance while he followed the pathway in his vision. Utilizing the Ghost Walk technique, Zuyuan had travelled a few miles away from the goblins' camp in the span of ten minutes. 

The deeper he went into the forest, the more his wariness raised to prevent any unexpected ambush or traps in the surroundings. 

'Well, I don't think that the pathway would lead me to a trap, but it's better to be prepared than sorry.' 

Flying low while avoiding the branches, XB11 has been guarding Zuyuan from the air while trying to scout its master's path at the same time. 

After a while, the pathway finally ended up in a small slope in the middle of the forest, laying there was the entrance to what seemed to be a large cave. The cave was surrounded by vines and moss all around its mouth, making it undetectable if one didn't scrutinize it. With both sides of its mouth made of stone walls to pillar the cave, it gave out a mysterious and ancient vibe. 

Proceeding to the entrance of the cave, Zuyuan frowned his eyebrows as he saw the pathway in his vision becoming smaller and going into the cave. Letting out a small breath, Zuyuan readied his armour and sword while XB11 landed on the ground beside him, holding its gun for any unforeseen circumstances. 

Both of them went inside the cave with their guards up as they observed the surroundings in wariness. Lighting the path of the cave with a mini flashlight on its shoulder, XB11 asked for permission to lead in the front while at the same time becoming Zuyuan's light source. 

Walking for another ten minutes, both of them found an underground space with many kinds of plants that were scattered around the cave's walls, ceiling, and so on. All of them emitted bluish light, even though each only gave out a dim glow. 

In the middle of the vast and huge space, a small lake could be seen while something resembling a shrine was in the centre of the lake. The pathway of Guide of Nurth finally pointed its last direction to the shrine. A moment later, slowly the small dots began to disperse into the air and disappeared. 

"What's that?" Murmured Zuyuan while he looked around the place for anything suspicious. 

"Is that shrine what you had been seeking for, Master?" Asked XB11 as it pointed its index finger to the shrine atop of the lake. 

"...Perhaps." Replied Zuyuan while he frowned. Carefully approaching the lake, Zuyuan cast his gaze at the clear water that reflected his reflection like a mirror. 

~"Come closer."~ 

Suddenly, a woman's voice appeared inside Zuyuan's mind out of nowhere. Widening his eyes in surprise, Zuyuan quickly took a step backwards while raising his sword in a combat stance. Noticing his master's abrupt movement, readying itself for battle, XB11 pointed the muzzle of its gun while trying to scan for any lifeforms in the area. 

~"It's alright. I'm not your enemy. Please, come to the shrine soon. You can walk atop of the water."~ 

"And why would I want to do that? If you mean no harm, why not start by showing yourself first?" Asked Zuyuan loudly while his eyes were still searching for any figure that may be hiding. 

~"Because, if you don't take heed of my instructions, you won't be able to leave."~ 

*BANG!* 

Right as the woman finished her speech in Zuyuan's head, the path from where Zuyuan and XB11 had come was blocked by a stone gate. The next moment, both of them felt as if their energies, the power inside them was shackled with invisible might. 

[Bzzt!- ERROR!- ERROR! System cannot reach the Missio- Bzzt!] 

Seeing the notification, Zuyuan's complexion became awful as he felt his strength leaving his body. For the very first time in thirty-two years of his life, Zuyuan could feel his Qigong energy but had no control over it. Not even being able to hide them or move them at all, as if they were frozen still in his dantian. 

Gritting his teeth in anger, Zuyuan stared to the ceiling around him while he spoke in an annoyed tone, "You know, you just make me feel like killing you instead of trusting you if you do this."

~"I have no choice, child. But so do you right now. Come to the shrine, and I will let you know how to get out of this place."~ 

Sneering at the woman's words, Zuyuan replied back in a taunting way, "Oh yeah? I have a better idea. Why don't you start to open that stone gate back up so I could go to the shrine afterwards?"

Silence permeated the area as the voice didn't reply back to Zuyuan's taunt. Letting out a sigh, Zuyuan moved his gaze at XB11 and spoke, "Do you think we should take a shot at the shrine? Perhaps there is something there waiting." 

As both of them tried to open the stone gate by themselves, Zuyuan didn't think it was possible. The entrance to the place itself was huge, to the point that two trolls could stack up with each other and they still would be able to go inside with no problem. Judging by that fact alone, the stone gates that had emerged from the two sides of the walls in the entrance would definitely weigh more than a hundred tons. 

*Bang!* *Bang!* 

Gunshots rang in the air while the bullets that XB11 fired clashed against the invisible barriers protecting the shrine. Looking at the results, Zuyuan put his hand on his chin and thought hard whether to go or not. 

'If we don't go, there's a problem with food. Even if I had some supplies in the bag, what about the main mission progress?' 

Moving his gaze, Zuyuan assessed the place. There were only stone walls, some plants on the ground and the ceilings, the lake, and the shrine. As for if there were any other entrances, there were none. 

'This is troublesome... but I would achieve nothing by just standing here doing nothing.'

Hesitating for a while, Zuyuan finally stared at the shrine with a firm gaze. Finally deciding to walk to the shrine, Zuyuan proceeded towards the lake and tried the first thing that woman had said, whether he was able to walk on the water or not. 

"Oh? I feel like a prophet, somehow," murmured Zuyuan as he felt as if he was standing on the ground instead of the supposed clear water right under him.  

Zuyuan took another step, and then another, and another. Shortly, Zuyuan was walking on top of the water and his figure slowly crossed the distance between himself and the shrine. 

However, right as he was about to near the shrine, he…