Chapter 21: Chapter 21: The Secrets Behind the Door
Lei strode deeper into the tunnel, his eyes scanning for traps as he gripped the dagger tightly in his hand. The faint torchlight from the chamber behind him barely illuminated his path. As he advanced, the air grew denser, carrying a metallic tang that tickled his senses.
Eventually, the tunnel opened up into a large, circular chamber. The first thing Lei noticed was the massive door on the far side, its surface covered in intricate runes glowing faintly with a pale blue light. The sheer complexity of the symbols made his head spin.
Around the door were signs of failed attempts to breach it. Steel bars, bent and discarded, littered the floor. Scorch marks from explosives marred the surrounding stone walls, a testament to the futility of brute force.
"Looks like the dead bandit leader really wanted to get in," Lei muttered, stepping closer.
Mao's voice chimed in from his shoulder. "And failed miserably. Whoever engraved those runes knew what they were doing."
Lei crouched, running his fingers over the faintly glowing symbols. "Nanospirit, analyze these runes. What are we dealing with here?"
Processing… Scanning complete. The runes form a layered locking mechanism, combining energy displacement and structural reinforcement. Attempting to decipher… Success. Mechanism can be bypassed by injecting targeted energy pulses into specific runes.
Lei grinned. "Looks like I've got my cheat code."
Mao peered over his shoulder, tail flicking lazily. "You know, there's no honor in cheating, but I'm not one to complain if it gets us through."
Ignoring the cat, Lei focused his qi, guiding it according to the Nanospirit's instructions. He touched the highlighted runes in sequence, each one glowing brighter as it absorbed the energy. The final rune pulsed, and with a low rumble, the door began to slide open, revealing a hidden room beyond.
---
Lei stepped into the chamber, his eyes widening at the sight before him. The space was filled with tools and materials, neatly organized yet long abandoned. Against one wall was a workstation, its surface cluttered with engraving equipment, broken quills, and stacks of parchment. Shelves lined the other walls, filled with books, scrolls, and strange metallic objects.
"What is this place?" Lei murmured, stepping forward.
Mao leaped onto the workstation, sniffing at the tools. "A craftsman's workshop, by the looks of it. But not just any craftsman. This person was an enchanter."
Lei's attention was drawn to a large book lying open on the workstation. The faded ink described the process of rune engraving, detailing how to infuse weapons and armor with enhanced properties. His eyes scanned the text quickly before he held up the book.
"Nanospirit, record the contents of this book."
Acknowledged. Scanning… Completed. Data integrated.
As the Nanospirit processed the information, Lei began rummaging through the shelves. Among the dusty books and scrolls, he found a torn map that piqued his curiosity. The edges were frayed, and half the markings were illegible, but it clearly depicted the surrounding region. One by one, all the information in the secret chamber was scanned by Lei.
"Looks like this guy traveled a lot," he said, tucking the map into his pouch.
Beside the map were a few completed enchanted items. Lei's eyes gleamed as he picked up a mace with glowing runes etched along its handle. Swinging it experimentally, he felt a subtle hum of energy coursing through the weapon.
"Enchanted mace," Mao observed, lounging on the desk. "Not bad. It will serve us well."
"Of course," Lei laughed, placing the mace in his pouch.
Further inspection revealed a small cauldron, its surface inscribed with intricate symbols. Beside it were a few scrolls detailing alchemical recipes. Lei scanned the recipes, noting that many of them were for common pills and potions, but there were a few rare ones mixed in.
"This guy must have been trading enchanted items for alchemy recipes," Lei mused.
Clarity pill, Qi gathering pill, Minor healing pills and some other pill recipes. 'Useful', Lei thought as his attention shifted to a set of storage rings neatly arranged on a shelf. He slipped one onto his finger, channeling a bit of qi into it. The spatial compartment within wasn't large, but it was enough to hold his newfound treasures.
---
Lei sat down at the workstation, flipping through another book he had pulled from the shelves. This one was a detailed guide on rune engraving, explaining how to create enchanted items of varying quality.
The book outlined that enchanted items were divided into six grades, much like pills. Grade 1 was basic and often crude, while Grade 6 represented the pinnacle of craftsmanship, limited to only the most skilled enchanters.
"This continent has a cap on enchantments and pills," Mao noted, peering over his shoulder. "But this book mentions a higher tier."
Lei's eyes narrowed as he read further. The author of the book had been a member of the Celestial Runeforge School, a renowned institution dedicated to the art of enchantment. The school's founder had once traveled to a larger continent where higher-tier enchantments and pills were commonplace.
"So there's more out there," Lei said quietly.
"Obviously," Mao replied. "This world isn't limited to your immediate surroundings. It's bigger than you can imagine."
Lei closed the book, his mind racing. The discovery of the workshop, the enchanted items, and the knowledge of a larger world filled with greater challenges only fueled his determination.
He stood, placing the books, scrolls, and tools he deemed valuable into the storage ring. The path ahead was uncertain, but one thing was clear: this was just the beginning."The recipes we got belong to tier 1 and 2. Basic but useful. Acquiring the ingredients will be a task though!', Lei sighed, heading toward the exit.
Mao leaped onto his shoulder, his tail curling around Lei's neck. "Why fear when I am here, this cat lord knows everything. Soon we will gather them all. But first, let's get out faster. I was starting to think you'd grow roots here."
Lei smirked. "Not a chance. There's too much to do and too much to learn. This bandit camp should have a map."
And with that, he stepped out of the chamber, his heart set on the challenges to come.