nucmednet Chapter 36. The Trial! 7 Fragments of Divine Artifacts?
Chapter 36. The Trial! 7 Fragments of Divine Artifacts?
Back in Luoshen Village, it was completely dark, and warm yellow lights shone from the windows of each house.
Youfeng lit the oil lamp in his hut, sat down at the wooden table, and began to carefully organize the three card decks he currently owned.
He categorized the cards one by one, stroking the card surfaces with his fingertips, feeling the elven aura within them—some fiery, some serene, some calm.
With three decks in hand, we finally have some initial resources to deal with different opponents and environments.
But that's far from enough. Youfeng knows that whether it's the upcoming Trial of the Flowing Water Pact or the challenges on a broader stage in the future, what's needed is not just deck diversity, but also a deep understanding of every card and every power, and the core combat power to break through in the ever-changing battle situation.
"Knock knock—"
The soft, slow knocking sounded especially clear in the quiet night.
You Feng paused, wondering who it could be so late. He quickly put away the unfolded card deck and replied, "The door wasn't locked."
"Squeak—"
The slightly heavy wooden door was pushed open, and a hunched figure, elongated by the dim light of an oil lamp, was reflected in the doorway—it was the old village chief.
"Little Wind." The old village chief's voice carried the slight chill of the night.
"Old village chief?" You Feng stood up, somewhat surprised. "What brings you here?"
The old village chief carried the old oil lamp and slowly walked into the house.
The flickering lamplight cast shifting shadows on his wrinkled face. Youfeng moved a stool over, picked up the rough pottery teapot from the table, poured a cup of warm tea, and handed it to him.
The old village chief took the teacup but didn't drink it; he simply rubbed the inside of the cup with his withered fingers.
He remained silent for a moment, as if considering his words, then his empty hand tremblingly reached into his robes, rummaged around for a while, and pulled out something carefully wrapped in a faded cloth.
He peeled back the cloth layer by layer, revealing the contents inside.
It was an irregularly shaped golden block, with a dark golden hue that had accumulated over time. Its surface was covered with fine and intricate natural patterns that were not man-made. The edges were somewhat broken, as if it had been broken off from a larger whole.
It lay quietly in the cloth, without dazzling light, yet naturally exuding an indescribable sense of weight and mystery, as if carrying distant time and stories.
Youfeng's pupils suddenly contracted!
The shape, the texture, and the faint, extremely weak yet highly profound strange fluctuations... they were just like the fragments of the Seven Divine Artifacts from the legendary card game world that he knew from his previous life!
This world... actually has something like that? And it's right here in Luoshen Village? And it's even become a family heirloom?
"This is..." Youfeng's voice lowered involuntarily, filled with undisguised astonishment.
The old village chief gently pushed the dark gold fragments onto the table in front of You Feng and slowly said, "This is an item passed down through generations in Luoshen Village. According to oral tradition, it was obtained by an ancestor in the depths of the trial of the Water Pact in ancient times. No one in the village can fully explain its specific wonders anymore. They only know that it seems to have some deep connection with the Water Pact."
He raised his cloudy yet still clear eyes and looked deeply into You Feng's eyes: "Take this with you during this trial. Perhaps... it will come in handy at a crucial moment."
The old village chief's tone was calm, yet it contained an unquestionable trust. His aged eyes reflected his complete trust and expectation in Youfeng.
You Feng looked at the dark gold fragment, then at the old village chief.
He didn't feign reluctance, because deep down, a strong intuition told him that this thing might really be of great importance.
Moreover, if this is indeed a fragment of a concept similar to the Seven Divine Artifacts, then probably few people in the world today understand the potential meaning and danger it may contain better than him.
"Okay." He nodded solemnly and picked up the fragment. It was slightly heavy and cold to the touch, and the subtle fluctuations seemed to resonate with his spiritual power in an extremely subtle way. "I will keep it safe."
Seeing that You Feng had accepted the gift, the old village chief seemed relieved, and the wrinkles on his face appeared to smooth out a bit. He slowly stood up, picked up the oil lamp, walked to the door, but then stopped, turning his back to You Feng.
The dim light cast his hunched back onto the wall, making him appear particularly desolate.
"Little Feng," the old village chief's voice was exceptionally clear and heavy in the quiet night, "this world ultimately belongs to you young people. There is so much to be done in this vast world."
He paused, as if using all his strength, before finally saying the rest of his words:
"If you ever leave the village and go far away, no matter what you hear, see, or encounter outside... never look back, never come back to the village."
Don't ask why.
"Prepare for the trial; I have opened the passage for you."
After saying that, he didn't wait for Youfeng's response. He picked up the swaying oil lamp and staggered into the darkness outside the door, leaving only the creaking sound of the wooden door swaying slightly in the night wind.
You Feng stood there, holding the dark gold fragment that still carried a trace of the old village chief's warmth, his brows furrowed deeply.
Don't go back to the village?
The old village chief's last few words were like a cold pebble thrown into a still lake, stirring up ripples of doubt. Beneath that calm tone lay a near-farewell admonition, a deep, unspoken worry.
He had initially thought the village held some secrets, but now it seemed those secrets might be far more serious than he had imagined, perhaps even... dangerous.
The old village chief seemed to be preparing in advance for a possible division.
But even if he leaves in the future, this place is his roots after all, so how could he not come back?
He knew that if he pressed the old village chief for an answer now, the old chief would never give him one.
That heavy sense of entrustment felt more like a combination of a certain hope and a certain need being isolated from danger, placed on his shoulders.
After a long silence, Youfeng suppressed his chaotic thoughts.
Right now, the most important thing is the trial that is about to begin.
.........
The night was deep, and the starlight was dim. The mountain hollow where the spring was located was even more tranquil than usual, with only the ever-present sound of the murmuring water.
As expected, the old village chief had already made the arrangements. The core area of the spring, which was originally hidden by the formation and required a specific method to open, now had its water curtain naturally parted, revealing a path paved with damp bluestone leading into the depths. At the end of the path, the outline of an ancient altar could be vaguely seen.
Without hesitation, Youfeng stepped onto the path.
Stepping inside, one discovers a hidden world within. What appears to be merely a spring from the outside is actually a renovated natural cave with a surprisingly spacious interior.
Underfoot, smooth stone steps descend, and on the stone walls on both sides, at intervals, are embedded fist-sized luminous pearls, emitting a soft, bright halo to illuminate the path ahead.
Even more striking is the fact that the stone wall is covered with large murals.
The brushstrokes are archaic, yet the overall effect is magnificent, depicting a scene from an extremely distant past: a clash between radiant light and darkness, colossal spirits of various forms fighting side-by-side with their tamers, mountains and rivers crumbling, stars shimmering… The figures in the painting wear ancient clothing, clearly in an Eastern style. Although Youfeng couldn't quite understand the specific details, he could feel the overwhelming sense of devastation and vastness, a feeling that was both incomprehensible and awe-inspiring.