Chapter 15: The Divine Doctor Perceives the Truth Within the Light

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Niu Yichen paid no mind to the mysterious figure’s theatrics; he always believed that "knowledge comes from practice." Let them do whatever they wanted—who were they trying to scare? He, Niu Daye, was not someone easily intimidated! He quickened his pace toward the source of the mysterious light.

Perhaps "quickened" was not entirely accurate; it was more like a cautious shuffle. As he drew closer, the temperature around him rose sharply, the air seeming to warp and twist. The ground grew scorching hot, and Niu Yichen felt as if the soles of his shoes were about to melt. Each step felt like grilling meat on an iron plate, sizzling loudly.

“Damn, this heat is even worse than the asphalt road back home at noon in summer!” he muttered, feeling as though he had wandered into the Flaming Mountains. If not for his unique constitution, he would have been roasted to jerky by now.

Wiping away the sweat that wasn’t really there—after all, he possessed an immortal’s body—he pulled a bottle of chilled soda from his storage space and gulped it down greedily. “Ah, so refreshing, uplifting the spirit!”

Though the coolness was pleasant, the bizarre heat made him uneasy. Squinting, he carefully scanned the surroundings. The once lush trees had vanished, replaced by scorched earth barren of life. A pungent sulfuric stench filled the air, making it difficult to breathe.

“This place… could it be the gateway to hell?” Niu Yichen muttered with a hint of apprehension. Despite his advanced medical skills and near-immortality, he maintained a respectful wariness toward such supernatural matters.

The deeper he went, the hotter it became, and the ground grew rougher and more uneven. He felt his feet nearly cooking. Gritting his teeth, he bore the discomfort and pressed onward.

Suddenly, the ground beneath him gave way, and he plummeted uncontrollably into darkness.

“Holy crap! Not again?!” he shouted before vanishing from sight.

“Looks like this time it’s serious…” a cold voice echoed from the darkness.

Niu Yichen felt as if he was falling into a bottomless pit for an eternity. Just as he feared he might crash into the earth’s core, he landed heavily on solid ground.

“Ouch, my old back!” he complained, rubbing his backside as he got up. Fortunately, his extraordinary skills made the impact negligible.

Looking around, he found himself in a vast cavern. The ceiling soared high beyond sight, and glowing stones embedded in the walls cast a faint, ethereal light, bathing the space in a hazy glow.

“This place… feels like something out of ‘The Grave Robbers’ Chronicles,’” he remarked wryly.

He took out his phone, hoping for signal, only to find it powered off from lack of battery.

“Well, since I’m here, might as well make the best of it,” he sighed and began exploring the mysterious cavern.

Refusing to seek shelter from the oppressive heat, he pressed forward, convinced that only by facing it head-on could he uncover the truth. It felt like being inside a giant oven, his skin almost burning.

Just as he was about to give in, he discovered a spot where the temperature plummeted sharply, like a natural ice cellar.

“What’s going on here?” he wondered, but he didn’t hesitate to move toward it.

Using this temperature anomaly, he found a cleverly concealed passageway. This discovery exhilarated him; without noticing the temperature difference, the entrance would have remained hidden.

“This must be the real entrance,” Niu Yichen said, taking a deep breath as he stepped inside.

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The passage was narrow, fitting only one person at a time. After a short walk, the air grew cooler and fresher. The tunnel gradually widened until he reached a spacious underground chamber.

This space was immense, far larger than the cavern above.

At its center stood a massive altar, atop which rested a crystal orb. The orb emitted a dazzling radiance, illuminating the entire space.

“Is this... the truth?” Niu Yichen murmured, staring at the orb.

Suddenly, a chilling voice sounded behind him: “You’ve finally arrived…”

Startled, Niu Yichen turned to see an old man in a black robe, his face gaunt and withered. The elder leaned on a cane topped with a glowing red gem emitting an eerie light.

“Who are you?” Niu Yichen asked warily.

“Who I am is irrelevant. What matters is that you have learned something you shouldn’t have,” the old man hissed. “Therefore, you must die!”

No sooner had he spoken than he swung his cane toward Niu Yichen with lethal force, the wind slicing through the air as if to tear him apart.

Niu Yichen dodged swiftly, refusing to underestimate the old man. Despite his agility, he was pushed back repeatedly by the relentless assault.

“Damn, this old geezer doesn’t hold back!” Niu Yichen muttered while evading.

Just then, a clear voice rang out from the cave entrance: “Niu Yichen, are you alright?”

Turning, he saw Zhan Qingxue standing there, her face full of concern.

“Qingxue, what are you doing here?” he asked in surprise.

“I was worried about you, so I came,” she replied. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine,” he said. “But this old guy is quite a handful.”

Without a word, Qingxue walked over and grasped his hand tightly.

Feeling her worry and affection, Niu Yichen’s heart warmed.

“Don’t worry, I’ll be fine,” he assured her. “Let’s face him together.”

“Alright,” Qingxue nodded.

Side by side, they fought the old man fiercely. Though powerful, the elder struggled against their seamless teamwork. Niu Yichen even employed his medical skills to cause the old man discomfort—suddenly inducing bouts of diarrhea or dizziness—forcing him to split his attention.

“What kind of unholy medical technique is this?” the old man growled in frustration, battling the turmoil inside him.

Seizing the moment, Qingxue struck the old man’s chest with a palm. The elder groaned and was sent flying, crashing heavily to the ground.

“Cough, cough…” he coughed, struggling to rise but ultimately collapsed in defeat.

“Finally over,” Niu Yichen breathed a sigh of relief.

Qingxue echoed him, “Yes, finally.”

They exchanged a smile full of affection.

Suddenly, the crystal orb blazed with brilliant light, bathing the chamber in radiance.

“What’s happening?” both were startled by the sudden glow.

A voice emanated from the orb: “Congratulations. You have passed the test.”

“A test?” Niu Yichen and Qingxue were stunned.

“Yes, a test,” the voice continued. “You have qualified to proceed to the next stage.”

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“The next stage?” Both exchanged puzzled looks.

“Yes, the next stage,” the voice said. “It will be even more dangerous.”

Niu Yichen and Qingxue shared a serious glance.

“No matter what awaits, we face it together,” Niu Yichen declared.

“Mm,” Qingxue nodded.

The orb’s light gradually faded, and darkness returned.

“Let’s go,” Niu Yichen said. “Time for the next stage.”

Qingxue nodded and followed him deeper into the passage.

Suddenly, Niu Yichen stopped and looked back at the altar.

“That crystal orb…” He frowned deeply.

“Could it be a timed bomb?” he muttered, reaching out to touch it but was yanked back by Qingxue.

“Be careful!” she warned anxiously. “It radiates a strange aura. Better not touch it.”

Niu Yichen nodded, retracting his hand but kept his gaze fixed on the orb. He sensed it harbored secrets.

“Let’s leave it for now,” Qingxue urged. “We should get out of here first.”

After a moment’s thought, Niu Yichen agreed. They turned and continued down the twisting passage.

After a long walk, the path opened into a vast underground chamber. Suspended in its center was a colossal orb of light, radiating with blinding brilliance.

“Wow, what is that?” Niu Yichen exclaimed. “It’s dazzling my titanium-alloy eyes!”

Qingxue was equally awestruck. “This light orb… it seems to hide a secret.”

Approaching cautiously, they noticed the orb was surrounded by countless intricate seals shimmering with dangerous energy.

“Looks like getting close won’t be easy,” Niu Yichen mused, stroking his chin thoughtfully.

Suddenly, a cold wind swept through, dropping the temperature sharply.

In the darkness, pairs of glowing red eyes appeared, accompanied by low, guttural growls.

“What the hell’s going on?” Niu Yichen exclaimed, quickly shielding Qingxue behind him.

From the shadows emerged a horde of grotesque monsters. Huge in size, with sharp fangs and a revolting stench of decay.

“Where did these creatures come from?” Qingxue said, her face pale as she clung to Niu Yichen’s hand.

Squinting, he studied the monsters carefully. Their eyes flickered with strange light—their apparent weak spot.

“Qingxue, don’t be afraid!” Niu Yichen reassured her. “I have a way to deal with them.”

He drew a golden needle from his chest, channeling his inner energy to shoot the needle precisely into the monsters’ eyes.

The creatures howled in agony and collapsed one after another.

Qingxue watched in admiration. “Niu Yichen, you’re amazing!”

He smiled modestly. “Just a little trick.”

With the monsters defeated, Niu Yichen focused once more on the glowing orb. He examined the intricate seals, pondering how to break through.

“These seals… seem strange…” he muttered. “I feel like I’ve seen them somewhere before…”

Qingxue stepped closer to inspect, then gasped, “This… this isn’t…”