Mark sat cross-legged in the darkness of the cave, took a deep breath, and slowly brought the crystal in his hand close to his chest. The crystal exuded a soft warmth, resonating with the energy in his body, making a slight humming sound. He could feel a stream of pure energy pouring into his body from the crystal, flowing through his meridians, nourishing his flesh and blood. His face gradually regained its rosy color, and his originally tired body was full of vitality.
The Ice Abyss Beast lay beside Mark, licking the wound on his body. It looked up at Mark from time to time, and its green eyes were full of concern. The cave was quiet and peaceful, with only the sound of water dripping into the pool and the slight breathing of a man and a beast. The stalactites in the pool reflected the light of the fireball, flashing colorful light like corals on the seabed.
As time passed, the light of the crystal gradually dimmed, and finally turned into an ordinary stone. Mark slowly opened his eyes, exhaled a breath of turbid air, and felt that the energy in his body was full and pure, far better than before. He clenched his fists, feeling the power surging in his body, and a smile appeared on the corner of his mouth. "The energy of this crystal is really pure, and it has greatly improved me." He stood up and stretched his muscles and bones, making crackling sounds.
The Ice Abyss Beast also stood up, shook its tail, walked to the edge of the pool, and lowered its head to drink water. Mark walked to the edge of the pool, scooped up a handful of water and drank it, feeling the coolness brought by the pool water. The pool water was clear and sweet, with a hint of mineral taste, which made him feel refreshed.
"This pool of water seems to be a little unusual..." Mark thought to himself as he looked at the clear pool water. He noticed that there seemed to be something flickering at the bottom of the pool, reflecting the light of the fireball, like the twinkling stars in the night sky.
"Is there any treasure at the bottom of the pool?" This thought flashed through his mind, filling him with curiosity. He took off his coat, revealing his strong muscles, then took a deep breath and dived into the pool.
The pool water was freezing cold, but Mark did not feel uncomfortable. He held his breath, dived quickly, and swam towards the flashing place. The pool was deeper than he thought, and the deeper he went, the darker the light became, and the scene at the bottom of the pool became more and more blurred.
Finally, he reached the bottom of the pool. He pushed aside the silt and water plants and found a secret compartment at the bottom of the pool. The lid of the secret compartment was engraved with some strange runes, similar to the runes he saw in the cave, but more complex and ancient. These runes emitted a faint fluorescence, which was particularly eye-catching in the dim bottom of the pool.
"What will be in this secret compartment?" Mark was full of expectations. He reached out and gently pushed open the lid of the secret compartment.
There was a square stone slab in the secret compartment. The surface of the stone slab was engraved with strange runes, which were in the same vein as the runes on the lid of the secret compartment, but more complicated, like a precise star map. The stone slab emitted a faint fluorescence, rippling in the water.
Mark took out the stone slab and carefully observed the runes on it. He found that these runes were similar to the runes he had seen on the stone platform before, but they were more complex and ancient, as if they contained some deeper mystery.
"What do these runes... represent?" Mark was full of doubts, and he tried to trace the runes on the stone slab with the energy of his fingertips.
When his fingertips touched the runes on the stone slab, the stone slab emitted a brighter fluorescence, projecting a beam of light to the top of the cave. A crack appeared on the top of the cave, revealing the sky outside.
"This..." Mark was stunned for a moment as he looked at the crack above his head.
The Ice Abyss Beast also noticed the changes in the cave top. It let out a low roar, walked to Mark's side, and looked up at the crack.
"It seems... we have found a way out." Mark said, with a smile on his face.
The Ice Abyss Beast also excitedly wagged its tail and let out a low roar, as if responding to Mark's words.
Mark carefully put the stone slab into his arms, and the clothes soaked in the pool water were tightly attached to his body, bringing a hint of coolness. He took a deep breath and looked up at the crack. Starlight shone through the crack, like gems twinkling in the night sky. The Ice Abyss Beast paced back and forth at his feet, whimpering from time to time, as if curious and a little uneasy about the sudden light above his head.
"Don't worry, we'll get out now." Mark patted the Ice Abyss Beast on the head, with a soothing tone. The Ice Abyss Beast rubbed Mark's hand with its head and calmed down.
Mark looked around, and the scene in the cave was particularly clear under the starlight. The pool of water was sparkling, reflecting the cracks on the top of the cave, like a door to another world. He noticed that there were some protruding rocks on the rock wall of the cave, which could be used as a fulcrum for climbing.
"It seems we have to climb up." Mark said to the Ice Abyss Beast, and then began to climb the rock wall. The Ice Abyss Beast followed closely behind, and its strong limbs and sharp claws made it walk on the rock wall as if it were flat ground.
When Mark climbed halfway, he looked down and saw the pool sparkling below, like a huge emerald. He continued to climb up, and the starlight in the crack was getting closer and brighter.
Finally, Mark and the Ice Abyss Beast both climbed to the crack. Mark reached out and touched the rock at the edge of the crack. The rock was rough and cold. He pushed hard, and the crack did not expand, but it could accommodate one person.
"I'll go up and take a look first." Mark said to the Ice Abyss Beast. He leaned sideways into the crack and climbed up.
The rock inside the crack was relatively smooth, and it was a little difficult to climb. Mark gritted his teeth and climbed up with all his strength.
After a while, Mark felt that the rock above his head became loose. He pushed hard, and a rock was pushed away, revealing the outside world.
The dazzling sunlight shone in, making Mark a little uncomfortable for a while. He squinted his eyes and gradually adapted to the light.
He found himself in a dense forest, surrounded by towering trees. The sun shone through the gaps between the leaves, forming mottled spots of light on the ground.
Fresh air blew in his face, carrying the fragrance of soil and grass, which was completely different from the humid air in the cave.
Mark took a deep breath, feeling the long-lost fresh air. He crawled out of the crack, stood on the ground, and stretched his muscles.
The Ice Abyss Beast also came out of the crack, shook its hair, and let out a cheerful roar.