Monument of Life and Death

 Yiyao was the first person to enter.

Seeing Yi Yao walking in, Li Muyuan also followed hesitantly.

Xiao Lan followed Qin Yin and the Taoist Priest. After thinking about it again and again, he took small steps toward the mysterious dusk.

Lao Luo didn't know when he appeared behind Xiaolan again. At the last moment when Xiaolan's body was engulfed by the haze, he raised his hand and pressed on Xiaolan's shoulder.

Xiaolan turned her head sharply.

 Lao Luo's figure has disappeared behind him.

Xiao Lan was shocked and searched around for Lao Luo, but the middle-aged man holding the flag seemed to have evaporated and disappeared in a hurry without leaving a word.

To be precise, there is only one specious sentence left: "It's dangerous inside, but you still have to move forward."

Xiaolan finally looked at Luo Jiutian.

Luo Jiutian acted as if nothing had happened and followed the others seriously, observing everything around him.

 Didn’t he realize that his biological father was missing again?

Xiaolan gritted her teeth in frustration and swallowed everything she wanted to say.

 In any case, let’s believe Lao Luo’s advice first.

 Hush, it's dangerous here.

Everyone walked forward for a while, and suddenly, as if a mist suddenly dispersed, the scene in front of them suddenly became clear.

Not far ahead, there is a row of steep dark gray stone steps. The stone steps are very high. Standing under the stone steps, you can vaguely see a wide circular platform above.

A few people looked at each other and then walked up the stone steps in unison.

Xiaolan took Qin Yin and Jasmine's hands and lowered her head to look at the stone steps ahead.

"Xiaolan?" Jasmine felt Xiaolan's hesitation, turned her head and asked, "What's wrong?"

 Xiaolan shook her head.

Jasmine seemed to have seen Xiaolan's movements, and squeezed Xiaolan's hand hard, and said softly, "Don't worry."

Xiaolan nodded again. She wanted to sigh, but was afraid that others would hear her.

As soon as the soles of her feet touched the surface of the stone steps, Xiao Lan felt a biting chill that seemed to penetrate through the soles of her shoes and penetrate directly into her nerves. Xiao Lan shivered and saw that others had similar reactions.

 It seems that I am not neurotic.

 The danger may have already begun.

The stone steps were about ten meters high. It didn’t take long for everyone to move slowly to the higher platform.

The first ones to arrive were Yi Yao and Li Muyuan. They stood on the edge of the platform and looked ahead, with confused and wary expressions on their faces.

Xiaolan didn’t think too much about what their expressions meant, because soon, she saw it herself.

As expected, this place is a huge circular area. The high platform is also made of the same gray stone. There are strange patterns carved on the ground. It is estimated that only by looking down from mid-air can the specific shapes of these patterns be distinguished.

Of course, the strangest thing is not these.

Xiaolan followed the others and continued walking forward.

In front, several square stone pillars appeared. The stone pillars were about two meters high and one meter wide. The distance between each stone pillar was the same. Those stone pillars were erected at the other end of the high platform, arranged in a ring, forming a circle on the high platform. A semicircle concentric with the platform.

 Xiaolan counted.

 There are eight stone pillars in total.

“This pattern looks familiar,” Li Muyuan said, staring at the platform at his feet, “but for a moment he couldn’t see the whole picture.”

 “What pattern?” Jasmine asked in a low voice.

“It looks like a vine and a flower,” Qin Yin described. “If you look closely, it looks like nothing.”

Jasmine looked even more confused. Xiaolan scratched her head and decided to walk towards the stone pillar closest to them with the rest of the group.

The surface of the stone pillar is rough and there are no traces of artificial carving. Xiaolan saw that no one else touched it, so she did not dare to touch it first. “Strange,” Jasmine raised her cheeks and sniffed the air around her, “Did you smell something?”

“I smell it,” Baomu nodded, “It’s the fragrance.”

 Fragrant?

Xiaolan closed her eyes and sniffed, feeling that she didn't smell any fragrance.

 Li Muyuan shook his head slowly, "I didn't smell it..."

“It’s very light,” Jasmine’s eyebrows gradually became crowded, “but it’s a very familiar fragrance.”

 “I am…”

Before Baomu finished speaking, he was interrupted by Yi Yao.

"I remembered!" Yi Yao raised his right hand, and everyone's eyes focused on him, "This is the smell of Lu Xiang!"

 Lu Xiang?

Xiaolan remembers this name. It is the secret weapon of the Lu family, one of the nine sects. Legend has it that the weapon made by Lu Xiang has a smooth surface but is cold to the touch. No matter which side is touched, he will feel that his hand is touching the blade. superior.

 This mysterious material emits a strange fragrance, so this material is called Luxiang.

“Are there any weapons made by Lu Xiang here?” Li Muyuan looked around.

"I smell..." Baomu took a few steps forward, hesitated for a while, then raised his finger and pointed ahead, "It seems like the smell comes from here."

 In front of Baomu's fingertips is the stone pillar.

 Everyone looked at each other.

“Could it be that...this stone pillar is made of Luxiang?” Yi Yao frowned and asked, “Luxiang is very precious. Even for the Lu family who controls Luxiang resources, every penny they can save is worth it.”

“Besides, the Lu family’s craftsmanship is exquisite,” Li Muyuan observed the surface of the stone pillar and said, “This stone pillar does not look like it was made by the Lu family.”

"Even if it was made by the Lu family, it doesn't mean anything." Yi Yao said sternly.

Everyone nodded in agreement.

“One more thing is strange,” Jasmine said. “The aroma of Luxiang is very strong. If these stone pillars were all made of Luxiang, the aroma should be very obvious.”

"Jasmine is right..." Yi Yao raised her chin and thought, "I still have to find a way to confirm..."

"It's simple," Jasmine took a step forward, "Lu Xiang has a special touch. You only need to touch it to know it."

 “But in case there is danger…”

“There are countless dangers, and they’re not just here,” Jasmine said with an open-minded smile, “Not to mention you.”

Speaking, Jasmine stretched out her hand and touched the stone pillar.

 “Jasmine!” Qin Yin shouted in fright.

 Xiaolan's scream was choked in her throat.

Jasmine moved quickly, and before anyone could stop her, Jasmine's fingers quickly touched the surface of the stone pillar, and then quickly retracted.

Suddenly, a low rumbling sound came.

Everyone looked at the stone pillar that suddenly started to move in amazement. A knife-like crack suddenly appeared on the side of the stone pillar, and then the stone pillar began to break.

Xiao Lan hurriedly pulled Jasmine and retreated with everyone.

The shattering continued, and before long, all the gravel on their side had peeled off, revealing what was inside.

Xiaolan blinked and looked around.

 It turns out that this stone pillar is hollow.

There was nothing in the stone pillar, only a dark cavity. Xiaolan looked at the darkness and felt inexplicably that it seemed to be waiting for something.