Emperor of Soul Pets

Chapter 15: The Test Chamber

Gululu!

A determined Rao Wu swam through the Eternal Spring, his eyes widening when, just like Uncle Twilight said, he found a cave channel deep within the lake. Rao Wu swam through the channel for about ten minutes until it eventually opened up to a larger body of water. Rao Wu, energized, mustered up his strength, and kicked hard until he surfaced.

The first thing Rao Wu noticed when he surfaced was the shallow ceiling only a meter away from the water's surface. Puzzled, Rao Wu looked around and spotted a light coming from a section of the underground river. The youth swam towards the light, but then, to his surprise, the slab of earth above him began to slide away with a loud groan.

Rao Wu froze in place, stunned by the moving earth. He had never seen anything like this in his life! What kind of power was needed to move such a thick and large mass? The youth did not waste time pondering over this issue as the rocks gave way to reveal a large ceiling with luminescent stalactites and stalagmites.

Rao Wu looked down from the ceiling to the brightest source of light in the cavern. Several tall stalagmites of varying heights stood around a massive door, illuminating it with a brilliant light that seemed to scream, "Over here!"

Rao Wu, not one to hesitate, swam over to shore. Intriguingly, the moment he stepped onto land, the loud groaning resumed. Rao Wu turned around and was shocked to see a pair of semicircular rock slabs slide out of the walls to meet at the center, blocking the lake from view.

If Rao Wu were in the water, he would have noticed that, around the same time, a slush gate slid over and blocked the tunnel he came from. It was quite apparent that this cavern was not so simple. However, there was only one way for Rao Wu to get to the bottom of the mystery.

"Ju Tu, come out." Rao Wu first called upon Ju Tu. He did not dare summon Xian Da when he had not ensured the area's danger levels. Fortunately, the cavern remained still and silent as Rao Wu and Ju Tu approached the door.

"What is that?" Rao Wu stared in wonder at the magnificent stone door that towered at over six-meters-tall. A strange mural on the door depicted some kind of monster chained down by hundreds of thick, metal chains tied to ancient-looking posts. However, this feeling of awe only lasted for a moment before his heart suddenly began burning hot. Rao Wu clutched his chest, unable to understand the sudden destructive desire that arose within him. It felt like every cell in his body wished to destroy the mural and everything related to it.

"Ugh!" Rao Wu winced, and his heartbeat accelerated in panic. Uncle Twilight had warned him that as a hybrid, there were moments when his bestial nature would threaten to take over. However, those should only happen when under extreme stress or violent emotions. Since that was the case, why was he being affected at that moment?

"Guo~" Ju Tu, sensing Rao Wu's panic, jumped in front of him and began calling out in alarm.

Surprisingly, Ju Tu's call seemed to work as Rao Wu's heart calmed down a moment later. Rao Wu looked up at the Steelback Ape with a grateful smile. "Thanks, Ju Tu." Having learned his lesson, Rao Wu avoided looking at the mural as he approached the door.

Gruuu~

As if sensing his approach, the giant door split into two halves that slid into the walls with massive groans. The room beyond was pitch black save for a small, raised platform roughly twenty meters from the door lit up by forest-green LED light strips.

Rao Wu and Ju Tu walked up to the platform, the little boy's eyes shining with curiosity. The platform had a small pillar sitting at its center, with a palm imprint depressed onto its surface. Rao Wu, following Uncle Twilight's previous instructions, placed his palm on the imprint.