Victor's breath hitched as he looked around, his eyes wide with wonder. The glow seemed to emanate from the walls of the chasm, casting an ethereal light that illuminated the space around him.
He could see now that the walls were smooth, almost polished, with intricate carvings etched into the stone. Symbols and runes, ancient and mysterious, glowed faintly in the green light.
At the center of the space was a massive, ornately carved door, its surface covered in glowing green runes.
As he approached the door, a deep, resonant voice echoed through the cavern, making him freeze in place.
"Who dares disturb my sanctuary?"
Victor's heart leaped into his throat. The voice wasn't just any voice it was unmistakably powerful, ancient, and laced with authority because it was The voice of The jade emperor.
"U... I'm Victor Von Alucard" he stuttered, his voice echoing awkwardly in the cavern.
"I didn't mean to disturb anything! I just… kind of fell in here?"
Silence followed, then a rumble of laughter.
"A bold lie, mortal, None fall here by chance. You seek the treasures of the old gods, do you not?"
'Dammm..It, I Forgot He have a Lie dectector Blessing.'
Victor gulped. "I… maybe?"
The voice grew quieter, almost amused. "Then prove your worth, little human. Answer my riddles, and you may leave with your life… and perhaps more. Fail, and you shall be lost to the void forever."
The massive door began to glow brighter, the runes shifting and rearranging to form a riddle.
Victor stood firm, preparing himself, The glowing runes twisted and pulsed, forming the first riddle.
The deep, resonant voice spoke once more:
"I am the thread that binds all, from the first breath to the last sigh. I stand at the crossroad where spirits rest, yet I move without end. Through me flows the river where three realms meet. What am I?"
'Wait… this isn't the same as the one in the novel, but the answer must be tied to Chinese mythology,' Victor thought. This was, after all, the Jade Emperor's domain.
His mind raced, When he was young and poor, mythology had been his escape his love for stories had begun there.
He recalled tales of life, death, and reincarnation. The mention of an eternal cycle resonated with the 'Wheel of Samsara,' the never-ending cycle of rebirth. But the line about "the river where three realms meet" pointed clearly to Naihe Qiao, the Bridge of Forgetfulness spanning the river of reincarnation, the passage between life and death.
After a moment of hesitation, he spoke, his voice steady despite his nerves. "The cycle of life, death, and rebirth."
The cavern grew silent. Then, the voice boomed again, this time with a hint of approval. "Correct. You understand the eternal flow. Prepare for the next trial."
The runes on the door shifted once more, forming the second riddle. The deep voice resonated with a stern, almost cautionary tone:
"I am the treasure both sought and feared, A blessing in the hands of the humble, A curse to those consumed by desire. I grow with every grasp but slip through the fingers of the selfish. What am I?"
Victor furrowed his brows, analyzing each line. Then, the meaning clicked.
The riddle spoke of balance something that could bring prosperity when used wisely yet destruction when hoarded. In Chinese mythology, concepts like fortune and wealth were double-edged swords.
He remembered Zhao Gongming, the god of wealth, who rewarded generosity but cursed the greedy. Wealth wasn't inherently good or evil; its true nature depended on intent.
Taking a deep breath, Victor answered, "You are wealth fortune. A blessing when shared, a curse when hoarded."
The cavern hummed with energy, and the voice spoke again, tinged with approval. "You see beyond the surface, mortal, Not bad for one who has lived such a short life. Now, prepare for the final trial."
The runes shifted once more, arranging themselves into the third and final riddle. The voice, now colder and more ominous, echoed through the cavern:
"I am a bridge built on faith, But with a single crack, I crumble. I am the bond that strengthens armies, Yet my shadow poisons kingdoms. What am I?"
Victor felt the weight of the riddle pressing on him. He thought of trust and betrayal common themes in Chinese mythology.
Countless tales spoke of alliances broken, of gods and mortals alike falling victim to deception.
Hou Yi and Chang'e a love shattered by mistrust. Trust was the bridge referenced in the riddle.
A force that could unite people but, when broken, led to ruin.
Its duality made it both a strength and a weakness.
"You are trust," Victor declared. "Fragile yet powerful. Its shadow is betrayal the poison that destroys what it builds."
Silence.
For a moment, doubt crept into Victor's heart. Seconds stretched like eternity.
Then, the deep voice returned, carrying a mix of admiration and finality. "Well spoken. You understand the duality of connection, You have proven yourself worthy, mortal, Step forward and claim what you seek."
Creak! Creak!
The massive door began to creak open, revealing a golden light within.
Victor took a deep breath and walked inside the chamber to get what he had come for.
Victor stepped through the massive door, his heart pounding with anticipation.
The golden light grew brighter, enveloping him in warmth that was both comforting and otherworldly.
As his vision adjusted, he found himself in an enormous hall unlike anything he had ever imagined.
The ceiling stretched endlessly, adorned with constellations that shifted and twinkled like living stars.
At the center of the hall stood a magnificent Tree of Life, its trunk glowing faintly with a golden hue.
Its branches stretched high and wide, bearing radiant leaves that pulsed with energy.
What caught Victor's attention most was the Peaches of Immortality, hanging delicately from the branches.
Each fruit emitted a soft, pulsating glow, shifting colors like an opal under the light.
The air around them was dense, vibrating with immeasurable power.
He stepped forward, took a deep breath, This was the legendary tree that only grew in the Peach Garden of the Jade Emperor.
The one mentioned in myths, is capable of granting vitality, wisdom, and even immortality. Each Of The Peach was said to embody the essence of existence itself.
The deep, resonant voice echoed once more, now softer.
"You stand before the Tree of Life, mortal, Few have reached this place, and fewer still have been deemed worthy. These fruits hold the power to reshape your destiny, But beware unearned power carries its own cost, Choose wisely."
Victor hesitated. Then, steeling himself, he reached out.
"If I am to survive no, if I am to truly live I need this," he whispered.
As his fingers brushed against a glowing peach, the cavern trembled, and energy surged through him.
The light of the tree seemed to intensify, illuminating the hall in a blinding radiance.
As the light from the Tree of Life enveloped Victor, the world around him seemed to shift and blur, His body felt weightless As if the energy coursing through him was lifting him away.
The warmth of the jade light faded, replaced by the cool, crisp air of the outside world.
Weightlessness overcame him, the warmth of jade light fading into the cool, crisp air of the outside world.
When his vision cleared, he stood once
more at the edge of the chasm, The abyss had vanished, replaced by solid ground, as though the earth had healed itself.
It was as if the trial had never happened.
'So the hole has a time limit before it reappears. That makes sense… like a game mechanic,' Victor thought, stroking his chin.
In his hand rested the Peach of Immortality. Slowly, he took a bite.
A searing pain tore through him.
Victor clenched his teeth, his body convulsing as energy surged through his very being.
His bones cracked and reshaped, his muscles burned with unbearable intensity. If he could scream, he would have the pain was that of a dragon's roar tearing through his soul.
Then darkness his vison fade.
When Victor woke, his breath was steady. His body felt light, effortless.
The world around him was clearer, more vivid than ever before.
A new power coursed through his veins, And this this was only the beginning.
His body felt… different. His senses were sharper, and there was a strange hum of energy beneath his skin like a dormant storm waiting to be unleashed.
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