"Run, Hua Fu!" Li Yun shouted, dragging Hua Fu a short distance away.
Hua Fu nodded and picked up his pace, staying in step with Li Yun. Together, they darted through the corridors, weaving through groups of startled disciples.
The sound of their footsteps echoed in the narrow passageways as they took sharp turns, dodging down unfamiliar paths, and eventually lost those chasing them—though they ended up lost themselves.
"Where are we?" Li Yun wondered, looking around at their surroundings.
The outer sect courtyards were nowhere in sight, and the only thing visible was an expanse of grassy plains.
"Look there!" Hua Fu pointed in a certain direction.
Li Yun turned to look, and his eyes widened at the sight. In the center of the grassy plains, the green grass was replaced by pitch-black grass. Surrounding that patch of black grass were nine golden pillars arranged in a circle.
At the center of these pillars stood a large, round figure, roughly the size of both Li Yun and Hua Fu combined.
A single massive eye dominated its center, unblinking and filled with a dark, unsettling intensity. Its surface was riddled with countless mouths, each one lined with rows of sharp, spike-like teeth that seemed to twitch and snap in random spasms.
The creature's two disproportionately long arms were shackled with thick chains, the ends of which were anchored to the surrounding pillars.
Similarly, its tiny legs and bulbous body were tightly bound by chains, leaving it suspended helplessly between the nine golden columns. Despite its confinement, an overwhelming sense of dread emanated from the creature, as if it was merely waiting for the moment it could break free.
"What the hell is that?!" Li Yun exclaimed in shock and horror. He had never seen anything like this in either of his lives.
"That's a demon," Hua Fu said grimly.
"A demon?" Li Yun looked at Hua Fu, confused. His parents had never mentioned demons, and he had never encountered one in either of his lives, so he was completely clueless about the creature before them.
"I'll explain later. First, we need to find a way out. Knowing there's a demon shackled here, this place is likely off-limits for disciples like us," Hua Fu said solemnly, scanning the area for an exit.
Li Yun nodded and glanced back the way they had come. "I think we came from that direction," he said, pointing.
"Are you sure?" Hua Fu asked, his eyes filled with doubt, clearly not trusting Li Yun's sense of direction.
"I'm positive," Li Yun replied confidently.
"What are you two doing here?"
A voice suddenly rang out from behind them, causing both to jump in fear. But when they saw who it was, they sighed in relief.
"Greetings, Elder Zhao," both Li Yun and Hua Fu said in unison, cupping their fists in respect.
"Elder Zhao, you came at the right time. We're lost," Li Yun said, feeling fortunate they had stumbled upon him.
"I can see that," Elder Zhao said, observing them closely.
"Follow me. I'll lead you out," Elder Zhao instructed as he headed in a particular direction.
Li Yun and Hua Fu exchanged glances before quickly following behind him.
Before long, they spotted the courtyards of the outer sect. They realized they hadn't been far from it, but it would have taken many confusing turns to get there on their own.
"Elder Zhao, can you tell us where the Martial Library is? We were heading there earlier," Li Yun asked politely.
"Just follow me," Elder Zhao replied, continuing to lead the way.
As they passed through the outer sect, many disciples could be seen moving in and out.
At that moment, Li Yun's attention was drawn to a group of disciples—the very ones responsible for them getting lost in that horrific place.
Those disciples also saw Li Yun and Hua Fu and began to sweat profusely, assuming Li Yun had brought Elder Zhao to punish them. But their fears were unfounded.
Li Yun and Hua Fu quietly followed Elder Zhao, leaving the outer sect behind. Before leaving, Li Yun didn't forget to give the disciples a heartfelt, sarcastic wave goodbye.
Not long after, they arrived at a very large area where the number of disciples was far greater than in the outer sect.
'Wow,' Li Yun thought.
It was his first time seeing this part of the sect, and he was surprised by the sheer number of disciples gathered here.
"Li Yun, look at that," Hua Fu pointed towards something in the distance.
Li Yun followed Hua Fu's gaze and saw the tip of a tall pagoda. It was far off, but even from their position, he recognized it.
"That's the Combat Pagoda!" he exclaimed in surprise. Even though he could only see its tip, he was certain it was the famed Combat Pagoda.
"This is the collective space of the outer sect," Elder Zhao explained. "Anything you need—training halls, the Treasure Pavilion, or the Martial Library—can be found here. You just have to look in the right place."
Li Yun and Hua Fu nodded in understanding.
A short while later, they finally arrived in front of the Martial Library.
"Don't wander around aimlessly again," Elder Zhao advised before leaving them.
Li Yun and Hua Fu bowed and cupped their fists in respect as Elder Zhao departed.
"So, this is the Martial Library," Li Yun said, turning his attention to the wide structure before him. It was two stories tall and exuded an ancient aura.
"I heard there's only one Martial Library in the entire sect, but it's somehow connected to the outer, inner, and core sects at the same time," Hua Fu remarked, marveling at the structure.
Li Yun smiled at Hua Fu's words, a profound look on his face. "Hua Fu, as the wiser of the two, let me share something interesting. Anything strange or magical happening around you—anything that seems impossible—is the work of an array. Keep that in mind, and you'll achieve greatness," he said, finishing as though imparting wisdom to a young disciple.
"Let's go in," Hua Fu said, completely ignoring Li Yun's words as he headed toward the library's entrance.
"Hey, I wasn't joking, you know!" Li Yun called out, following behind him.