Riu Xian sat quietly amidst the grandeur of the hidden chamber, the soft, ethereal light reflecting off the jade floor and the countless treasures scattered around him. He held the ancient scroll in his hands, the faint pulse of energy radiating from it a tangible presence against his skin.

  "Should I open the scroll now? Examine the technique?" he mused, his fingers tracing the faded script on its cover. "Or should I leave this place immediately, before something else happens?" He glanced around the chamber, at the shelves filled with weapons and pills, the silent testament to a forgotten era. Who knew what other secrets this cave might hold, or what dangers might still lurk within?

  His eyes scanned the opulent surroundings. The floor beneath him, the towering pillars, even the walls seemed to be made of solid jade. It was a valuable material, one that could fetch a small fortune in spirit stones. A fleeting thought crossed his mind, a spark of greedy ambition. "I could break off a piece," he murmured, "sell it later." But he quickly dismissed the idea. He had no way to carry it, no spatial treasure to hold such a large object.

  He looked down at the ancient scroll in his hands, then back at the spot where Lu Hao had fallen. A sigh escaped his lips. Lu Hao had possessed a spatial bag, a simple one, but likely large enough. It was locked, however, bound by the spiritual imprint of the Lu family. Without the corresponding energy signature, it was nothing more than a useless pouch. He'd tried, of course, in those frantic moments after Lu Hao's death, but it was no use. The bag remained stubbornly sealed. A wasted opportunity.

  Shaking his head at the impractical thought, he returned his focus to the scroll. "I should at least see what's inside this technique," he muttered to himself. "It feels like it's meant for me. This might be my only chance to learn a proper Foundation Establishment technique."

  With a deep breath, he carefully unfurled the scroll, the ancient parchment crackling softly in the silence.

  As soon as the scroll was fully open, the cave trembled. The shimmering jade floor beneath him cracked, the cracks spreading outwards like a spiderweb. The towering pillars groaned, and dust rained down from the ceiling, coating the pristine surfaces in a fine layer of grime. Riu Xian instinctively leaped to his feet, clutching the scroll tightly, his eyes darting around, searching for the source of the disturbance.

  A deep, resonating hum filled the chamber, growing louder with each passing second. Then, in the center of the room, the floor seemed to dissolve, and a glowing, portal like door materialized. It pulsed with a golden light, swirling and shifting like liquid metal. It was mesmerizing, yet undeniably ominous, radiating an energy that felt both ancient and immensely powerful.

  Before Riu Xian could even begin to comprehend what was happening, the portal expanded, and a powerful, irresistible force, like an invisible hand, grabbed him and pulled him in.

  The sensation of being pulled through the portal was overwhelming, a chaotic mix of colors and sounds, a feeling of being stretched and compressed at the same time. He squeezed his eyes shut, clutching the scroll tighter, his senses reeling. It felt like an eternity, but in reality, it lasted only a few seconds.

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  Then, just as suddenly as it began, it stopped. Riu Xian stumbled, falling forward and landing hard on a cold, damp surface. He gasped, his head spinning, his body aching from the abrupt transition. The scroll, thankfully, was still clutched tightly in his hand.

  He slowly pushed himself up, his hands scraping against rough stone. He opened his eyes, blinking against the dim light, and looked around. He was no longer in the opulent chamber. Instead, he found himself in a narrow, winding tunnel, its walls made of rough hewn rock, glittering faintly with embedded spirit light crystals. The air was thick and heavy, saturated with an almost palpable concentration of Qi, making each breath feel both heavy and invigorating.

  "Where am I?" he whispered, his voice echoing strangely in the confined space.

  He got to his feet, his legs still a bit shaky. He was alone, the silence of the tunnel pressing in on him. "This must be some kind of hidden passage," he mused, brushing the dust from his robe. "Connected to the cave somehow." He tried to recall his Murim training. Remain calm. Assess the situation. Don't panic.

  Taking a deep breath, he started walking, his footsteps echoing in the stillness. The tunnel twisted and turned, a labyrinth of stone and shadows. He walked for what felt like hours, the only light coming from the faintly glowing crystals embedded in the walls. Each step was filled with a mix of trepidation and anticipation.

  Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, the tunnel opened into a vast chamber. Riu Xian stepped inside, and his breath caught in his throat.

  The chamber was even more magnificent than the first one, a breathtaking spectacle of natural beauty and cultivated artistry. The walls were adorned with spirit stones of every imaginable color, their light creating a dazzling, kaleidoscopic display that illuminated the entire space. The floor was pure white jade, polished to a mirror sheen, reflecting the vibrant colors of the walls. It was a place of immense power, a hidden sanctuary that seemed to exist outside the normal flow of time.

  But it was the object at the far end of the chamber that truly captivated him. It was a boat, sleek and elegant, crafted from a dark, obsidian like material that seemed to absorb the light around it. It was about thirty feet long, shaped like a miniature ship, its hull tapering to sharp points at both ends, giving it an aerodynamic, almost aggressive appearance. Intricate carvings adorned its surface, depicting strange, swirling patterns that seemed to shift and change as he watched. It rested on a raised platform of white jade, as if on display.

  Sitting cross legged beside the boat, leaning against its smooth hull, was a skeleton. The bones were unnaturally pristine, almost luminous, glowing with a faint golden hue. Even in death, the skeleton exuded an aura of power. Its bony hands rested on its lap, as if it had passed away peacefully, in the midst of meditation.

  Riu Xian approached cautiously, his heart pounding in his chest, his mind overflowing with questions. "Is this the underground boat?" he whispered, his gaze fixed on the strange, beautiful vessel. "The one the Bright Snow Sect is after? The one the rumors spoke of?"

  He circled the boat slowly, his eyes tracing its smooth curves and intricate carvings. It was unlike anything he had ever seen, a masterpiece of craftsmanship and a testament to a level of power he could barely comprehend.

  His gaze shifted to the skeleton. Could this be the Supreme Elder? The founder of the Cloudspring Sect? The one who had descended from the upper realms, wounded and seeking refuge, over a thousand years ago?

  "But why did the cave open now?" he muttered to himself. "Why was I brought here? What is this place?" The questions swirled in his mind, a dizzying vortex of uncertainty. He stood there for a long time, before the ancient boat and the silent skeleton, the air thick with unanswered questions and the weight of a thousand untold secrets. This was a turning point, he knew. His path had taken an unexpected turn, and he had a feeling that this hidden chamber, this silent boat, held the key to his future. "What secrets do you hold?" He whispered to the skeleton.