校花的贴身保镖

第13章：洞穴遭遇（第二部分）

Lin Yi finally entered the stone door and stepped into the hall. In the center of the hall, a large stone stele caught Lin Yi's eye. Written in seal script were several sentences:

"On the night of the full moon, the stone door opens, only those fated may enter. Before dawn, remember to depart, the stone door will reopen in five years."

Lin Yi had learned seal script from Lin Lao-tou when he was young, so he easily recognized the eight sentences on the stele. After reading them, Lin Yi began to ponder their meaning.

"The night of the full moon" was easy to understand—it was tonight. And the "stone door opens" must refer to the crimson stone door! But what did "those fated" mean? Could it be that he was the one fated to enter?

This notion puzzled Lin Yi. He didn't feel particularly special—just an orphan raised by Lin Lao-tou. He couldn't think of anything extraordinary about himself, at least not compared to Lin Lao-tou.

But since he had entered, he might as well consider himself the fated one!

The meaning of "before dawn" was clear, referring to the period before sunrise. "Remember to depart" meant he must leave before dawn? Yes, that seemed to be the literal interpretation.

But what about the last part, "the stone door will reopen in five years"? Did it mean that if he didn't leave before dawn, the door would close, and it would reopen five years later?

The thought sent shivers down Lin Yi's spine. Luckily, he could read seal script. Otherwise, if he stayed here overnight and the door closed, he would be in big trouble. Even if it was only five days without food or water, it would be unbearable.

Now that he knew the rules of the cave, Lin Yi felt relieved knowing he could leave before dawn. With that in mind, he continued to explore the cave with the limited time he had left.

Looking around, Lin Yi noticed the walls of the hall were adorned with night pearls, illuminating the space. Anyone with a bit of knowledge could see that each of these pearls was invaluable.

But Lin Yi, having grown up in the mountains, was indifferent to such treasures. To him, they were just decorations, impractical and useless. Besides, who would he sell them to in the mountains? Even the wealthiest person, Widow Wang, wouldn't buy these things.

So Lin Yi didn't linger on the luxurious decorations. Instead, he explored the hall, recalling the adventures he read about in martial arts novels where someone stumbled upon treasures in caves or valleys.

Excited at the prospect, Lin Yi's heart raced. Finding a martial arts manual would mean he wouldn't have to endure Lin Lao-tou's oppression anymore. Once he mastered it, Lin Lao-tou wouldn't dare to mistreat him anymore.

Although the hall was spacious, it was empty except for the stone stele and two structures in the center. One was the stele Lin Yi had seen upon entering, and behind it was a platform.

The platform resembled an ancient altar used for worship or storing important items in martial arts sects. It was clear that the structures were ancient, and such architecture was no longer seen in modern times.

Lin Yi didn't dwell on it and quickly ascended the platform, where he found an antiquated wooden box. His heart stirred at the sight. Could this be a hidden scripture box?

Carefully, Lin Yi picked up the box. Once he had it in his hands, he immediately jumped off the platform and concealed himself. He had heard that ancient structures often hid traps. If he touched someone's treasure, and a mechanism activated, it would be disastrous.

However, Lin Yi waited for a while, but nothing happened. He breathed a sigh of relief. He wasn't in a hurry to open the box, as the stone door would close before dawn. He could open it at home. For now, Lin Yi decided to explore the cave further with the little time he had left.

Walking around the platform, Lin Yi was astonished to find another stone door behind it. Next to the door was another stone stele, also inscribed with eight sentences in seal script, just like the one at the entrance.

Perplexed, Lin Yi carefully read the sentences:

"In five years, when the divine art is mastered, use your palm to strike the door, then you may enter. If unsuccessful, and the divine art is incomplete, wait another five years and try again."

After reading the eight sentences, Lin Yi was befuddled. What did "when the divine art is mastered" mean? Could there really be a martial arts manual in the box? If so, when he mastered it, could he use his palm to open the second door?

The thought excited Lin Yi, but he knew that with his current abilities, he couldn't open the second door. At best, he was just a fated individual who managed to enter the first hall through coincidence.

Given the circumstances, Lin Yi didn't push his luck. Holding the box he had obtained from the platform, he headed toward the cave entrance. By now, the sky was no longer pitch black. The eastern horizon was tinged with a faint light—the prelude to sunrise.