68- Going in Circles  

The basement was filled with the sound of heavy breathing and shuffling feet as the group of disciples and elders tried to recover from the sudden attack. Juanxiu wiped the sweat from his forehead and looked around at his companions. They all seemed to be in a state of shock, still reeling from the encounter with the executioner.

"What do we do now, Elder Li?" asked one of the disciples, his voice trembling with fear.

Elder Li took a deep breath and looked at each of them in turn. "We wait," he said calmly.

The disciples exchanged worried glances. "But why? We need to find a way to get out of this place" one of them asked.

Juanxiu spoke up, his eyes bright with determination. "There's a chance that the other people we are with a while ago has been transported into another location. They will have to find the core on their end and destroy it, before we can get out."

The others nodded in agreement, but they still seemed hesitant. Juanxiu could sense their fear, and he knew that they needed to take a break and recuperate their qi before continuing.

"Settle down kids," Elder Li said, his voice ringing with conviction. "We need to rest and regain our strength. We still have the final battle that awaits us."

The group settled down, each finding a quiet corner of the basement to rest and meditate. Juanxiu closed his eyes and focused on his breathing, letting the tension in his body dissipate with each exhale.

…...

Meanwhile, SiYi and Liu Peng cautiously treaded through the dungeon, constantly looking out for traps that may be lurking around the corner. Suddenly, SiYi stopped in his tracks, feeling a sense of déjà vu.

Somehow, the patterns on the wall reminded her of the place where the member of the Xiao clan died a while ago. However, there was no dead body here, you can't even see a trickle of blood, which makes Siyi doubt her instinct.

"Liu Peng, I think we've been here before," she said, looking around at the walls that seemed to be closing in on them. She couldn't quite put a finger on it, but her instinct tells her that this is the same place.

Elder Hanying, who was accompanying them on this journey, also noticed the unease in SiYi's voice. She stepped forward and examined the floor where the previous member mistakenly stepped. She was expecting that arrows will fly, just like the last time, but nothing happened "This is not the same place," she said confidently, "there's no trap here."

But SiYi was adamant. "I'm sure this is the same place."

Elder Hanying's dismissed her claims "We must keep moving forward and find a way out of this maze," she said, her voice echoing through the narrow halls.

SiYi was still skeptical, but he followed Elder Hanying and Liu Peng anyway.

SiYi and Liu Peng were making their way through another section of the treacherous dungeon. The tension was high with the ominous silence, and every step they took felt like a risk. Again, SiYi stopped in her tracks, causing Liu Peng to almost bump into her.

"We're going in circles," she said, a hint of frustration in her voice.

Liu Peng looked around, trying to see if there was anything different from the previous time they passed through. But everything looked the same to him. SiYi's keen attention to details and her instincts were telling her that she's right and that they have already been there before.

Liu Peng was hesitant, but SiYi suggested she stay in one spot while they continued to explore. She was sure that she would be safe since she wouldn't be moving. The group agreed, and Liu Peng reluctantly continued ahead with the rest of the team.

As they walked, Liu Peng kept an eye out for SiYi, who he had left behind. He was worried about her safety and wondered if he had made the right decision to leave her alone. After 15 minutes of walking, they saw a figure in the distance. It was SiYi, and they had come full circle.

"How could this be?" someone in the group said, frustration evident in their voice.

"We're being worn down, and the person behind this trap is trying to buy some time," Elder Hanying said.

They needed to find a new way out, and Elder Hanying instructed the others to search for any signs of an escape route. They moved cautiously, mindful of any traps they might activate. It was a daunting task, but they knew it was their only hope.

Elder Hanying commended SiYi for her astute observation, recognizing that her attention to detail was a valuable asset in navigating the labyrinthine dungeon.

The group stumbled forward, their senses heightened as they tried to avoid any more traps. But, as expected, the labyrinth proved to be deadly.

Traps were triggered, and some of the members were not quick enough to dodge them. A gust of wind triggered a hidden trapdoor, and it claimed two of the students, their bodies plummeting into a pit filled with sharpened spikes.

Another trap activated a series of hidden blades that sliced through the air, killing a few more students in an instant. The group was horrified, but they pressed on, determined to find a way out.

Elder Hanying, the experienced leader of the group, was at a loss. She had never seen such a labyrinth before. She tried to keep the group together and urged them to be more cautious. But it was too late. They were running out of options, and the traps seemed to be getting deadlier with each step.

Just when they thought all hope was lost, Siyi, with her sharp eyes, noticed an irregular tile on the wall. It was small, not larger than the button on her shirt, but it seemed out of place. Siyi approached it carefully, examining it with her hands. She sensed that it was different from the other tiles. With a sudden movement, she touched the tile, and it rotated to its proper position.

At first, there was silence. But then, they heard the sound of gears turning, and a door appeared in front of them. They were hesitant, looking at each other with fear and uncertainty. But Siyi was the first to step forward.

"Be careful," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

The group stood in front of the hidden door that Siyi had found. It was an eerie sight, an old and rusted door that seemed to have not been opened in years. As they approached it, they could feel a cold breeze emanating from the crack beneath it, sending shivers down their spines.

With a deep breath, Siyi reached out and pushed the door open, creaking and groaning in protest. The door opened up to reveal a dark, narrow passageway that led deep into the heart of the dungeon. They could barely see anything in front of them, and the musty smell of damp stone filled their nostrils.

Elder Hanying stepped forward, lighting a torch to illuminate the way. The light flickered and danced, casting shadows on the walls that seemed to move and shift with every step they took. The passageway seemed to go on forever, winding and twisting, with no end in sight.

The group found themselves in a narrow corridor. It was so dark that they could barely see what was ahead of them. They started walking slowly, one foot in front of the other, being careful not to step on anything that might trigger a trap.

After a few steps, the corridor opened up to reveal three circular pathways. Siyi looked around and studied each passage carefully. It was clear that they would have to separate in order to proceed.

"I'll take the left one," Siyi announced, looking over at Liu Peng. "Come with me."

Elder Hanying stepped forward and took some of the younger students with her to take the middle pathway, and the most senior disciple took the remaining pathway. The group split up, each taking their own route.

The passageway was filled with traps, and the group had to move cautiously. Every step they took could be their last. Siyi led the way, her eyes scanning the floor for any signs of a trap. Liu Peng followed closely behind, his heart pounding with fear.

They managed to make it through the first set of traps unscathed, but it wasn't long before they found themselves facing another challenge. They had come to a fork in the road, with two circular passage ways stretching out before them.

Liu Peng turned to Siyi and said, "I don't know which path to take. What do you think?"

Siyi looked at both paths and studied them carefully. "There's something about the path on the right that is drawing me to it," she said.

Liu Peng nodded, "Then let's take that one. But be careful, we don't know what's ahead."

The other disciple decided to take the one on the left thinning their numbers further.

As Siyi and Liu Peng made their way through the maze of circular pathways, they were completely unaware of the dire situation their companions were facing. Elder Hanying and her group were fighting for their lives against a bloated monster that spewed deadly poison. The battle was intense and it claimed the life of many. The other groups of senior student has been obliterated.

Meanwhile, Siyi and Liu Peng continued on their path, cautiously avoiding the traps and pitfalls that littered the way. Siyi's sharp instincts led them to choose the right pathway, and they forged ahead, determined to find a way out of this treacherous maze.

As they walked, the walls and floor of the maze seemed to shift and change, disorienting them even further. But Siyi's keen observations kept them on track, and they managed to avoid any more traps.

Suddenly, they heard a faint sound coming from the distance. It sounded like the clash of weapons and the roars of a fierce monster. But they couldn't be sure, and they hesitated for a moment. This is the distant sound of their previous party members who are now fighting for their lives.

"We need to keep moving," Liu Peng said, his voice low and urgent. "We have to find a way out of here and stop whoever's behind all of this."

Siyi nodded, her determination unwavering. They pushed forward, their hearts pounding with fear and adrenaline.

Finally, they emerged from the maze and found themselves in a large chamber, filled with strange artifacts and glowing symbols. But their relief was short-lived, as they realized they were not alone. A hooded figure stood at the far end of the chamber, watching them intently.

"Who are you?" Liu Peng demanded, his hand on his sword. "What is the meaning of all this?"

The hooded figure chuckled, a cold and humorless sound. "You are not meant to be here," he said. "But since you are, you might as well play your part in my little game."

Siyi and Liu Peng exchanged a worried look, their hearts sinking. They had a feeling that their ordeal was far from over.