The stone structure's presence changed everything. It was ancient and imposing, a monument to trials that had claimed countless challengers before them. The glowing runes pulsated with life, casting eerie shadows that danced across the forest's misty backdrop. The royal team and Li Wei's group stood in tense silence, the weight of the unseen forces pressing down on all of them.
The voice reverberated again, shaking the ground beneath their feet.
"The first to claim the Heaven Water shall earn the right to ascend. The rest will perish."
Mei Chen's breath hitched. "Perish? They can't mean—"
"They do," Li Wei interrupted. His tone was calm but firm. "This place was built to test resolve. Survival is never guaranteed."
Liu Qing stepped forward, her royal bearing as unshakable as the stone before them. "Your team's resolve brought you this far, but let me be clear: we will claim the Heaven Water." Her voice was regal, commanding, yet oddly respectful.
