Chapter 4 — From Ruins to the Dharma Lord's Throne

Three weeks after moving to the Main Area, Dịch Phàm has gradually gotten used to the new rhythm of life. Training sessions with Tuyết Nhi every afternoon at the East training ground have helped him learn how to control and coordinate the five energy streams in his body, although he is still far from reaching mastery. He learned so quickly that even Tuyết Nhi, although she would never admit it openly, was secretly surprised.

"Did you know," one afternoon, when the two were taking a break after practice, Tuyết Nhi suddenly spoke up, "the academy usually doesn't pair new students with experienced people to do field missions. But I heard that the principal personally intervened and arranged for you to participate in your first mission with an experienced team."

"What mission?" Dịch Phàm asked, his hands still wet with sweat after practice.

"Inspecting the Ruins of the Wild Mausoleum," Tuyết Nhi replied, her voice lowered. "An ancient ruin is located not far from the Tinh Quang Plateau, a ruin from the ancient pre-war era. The academy often sends teams of senior students there to practice combat, and at the same time search for antiques of research value." The next morning, in the main area's meeting room, the mission team list was announced. Dịch Phàm was not surprised to see his name paired with Tuyết Nhi's - perhaps a deliberate arrangement by Principal Hầu Đạt Sơn, to take advantage of Tuyết Nhi's ability to tutor and protect him in this first risky mission.

"Tần Dịch Phàm and Chiêu Tuyết Nhi, team two," the professor in charge of reading aloud announced. "Your mission is to survey the western area of the Hoàng Lăng Ruins, record the remaining ancient formations, and, if possible, collect valuable artifacts. Note that low-level evil beasts have been reported in this area, but there have been no reports of serious danger in the last three years."

Dịch Phàm glanced at Tuyết Nhi and saw her just shrug her shoulders, her expression calm as if this was nothing to worry about.

"Don't worry," she said as they both left the conference room. "I've been to the Ruined Tomb twice before. Just be careful, there won't be any big problems."

The next morning, the students participating in the mission gathered at the academy's main gate, preparing to leave. The Hoàng Lăng Ruins lay about half a day's journey from the Tinh Quang Plateau, hidden in a barren rocky valley where giant stone pillars protruded from the ground like the fingers of a god turned to stone thousands of years ago.

The students traveled in a magical carriage provided by the academy, its wheels gliding smoothly along the red dirt road leading out of the plateau. Dịch Phàm sat by the window, looking at the rolling landscape — golden barley fields, small villages scattered at the foot of the mountains, and, in the distance, the jagged rocky range where the Hoàng Lăng Ruins lay. This was the first time he had left the academy since he was born, and everything was overwhelmingly new.

On the way, Dịch Phàm had the opportunity to observe Tuyết Nhi more closely. She was not the type of person who was unreasonably arrogant as he initially thought - behind her cold and confident appearance, she had a surprising meticulousness and responsibility, always carefully checking the team's equipment before setting out, always keeping an eye on the weaker students in the group.

"What are you looking at?" Tuyết Nhi met his eyes and frowned slightly.

"Nothing." Dịch Phàm quickly turned away, feeling a bit embarrassed. "It's just... you're different from what I originally imagined."

"You think I'm an arrogant person who only relies on my family's reputation?" Tuyết Nhi asked directly, not angry at all.

"Yeah, something like that," Dịch Phàm answered honestly.

Tuyết Nhi laughed softly, a rare clear sound that Dịch Phàm had never heard from her. "I don't deny that I used to be like that. But when you are born with everything, you gradually forget the true value of what you have, until you meet someone who has nothing but still tries his best. You make me think again a bit, Tần Dịch Phàm."

Those words made Dịch Phàm silent, a warm feeling spread in his chest that he had never experienced before.

By noon, the students arrived at the entrance to the Hoàng Lăng Ruins — a huge dome-shaped stone structure engraved with ancient characters worn away by time. Some parts still emitted a dim light, a sign that the protective array remained active even after hundreds of years.

"Team two, you are in charge of the western region." The professor leading the group gestured towards a narrow passage leading deep into the ruins, the daylight gradually fading as they entered. "Remember to keep in touch with the information spiritual formation. If you are in danger beyond your ability, activate the help signal immediately."

Dịch Phàm and Tuyết Nhi walked down the narrow path together, followed by two other students on the team - faces he didn't know much about, only knowing that they were second-year students of the Main Area, one had Wood spiritual roots that specialized in recovery, the other had Metal spiritual roots with a knack for defense. Both were reserved with Dịch Phàm at first, but after a few short exchanges about the survey route, their attitudes gradually became more open. The air in the ruins was cold and damp, the smell of ancient stone mixed with a strange smell that Dịch Phàm couldn't name - the smell of frozen time, of buried secrets.

The stone walls on both sides of the walkway were filled with drawings depicting ancient battles and strange creatures that Dịch Phàm had never seen in any of the academy's books. Some of the drawings have been weathered almost beyond recognition, but others are still surprisingly clear, as if engraved just yesterday.

"This is an image of an ancient great war," Tuyết Nhi explained, her voice low as she looked at a wall engraved with a scene of chaos — armies of mages facing off against giant creatures amid a sea of fire and ash. "It is said that our continent was much larger before this great war happened. No one knows the exact cause, only that it almost destroyed all ancient civilizations."

Dịch Phàm reached out and gently touched the stone wall, a strange feeling spread from his fingertips to his whole body - as if the Mixed Origin Spirit Root in his body was resonating with the ancient energy that still existed here. For a brief moment, he glimpsed blurry images flashing through his mind — fire, screams, and a figure standing in the middle of that sea of fire, his face unclear but his appearance strangely familiar.

"Dịch Phàm?" Tuyết Nhi shook his shoulder, her voice worried. "Are you okay? Your face is pale."

Dịch Phàm was startled, pulled his hand back, panting as if he had just experienced a short nightmare. "I... I'm fine. Just a little dizzy."

But in his heart, a question began to form, persistent and impossible to push away: did those blurry images have anything to do with his own past, with the parents he had never known?

Tuyết Nhi observed him for a while, then quietly noted down this unusual thing in the notebook she brought with her. "Perhaps your Mixed Origin Spirit Root reacts specifically to the ancient formations left here," she said, trying to come up with a reasonable explanation. "But just to be on the safe side, you should avoid touching the arrayed walls directly anymore, at least until you have better control over the reactions of your spirit base."

"I will be more careful." Dịch Phàm nodded, although in his heart the blurry image that had just passed was still lingering in his mind.

The group continued to move deeper into the ruins, the air becoming increasingly heavy and unusually quiet. Far away, from the darkness ahead, a low growl rang out, causing the entire team to stop in their tracks, alert.

"There's something up ahead." One of the two accompanying students whispered, his hand already on his magical weapon.

Tuyết Nhi raised her hand to signal the team to be quiet, her sharp eyes looking into the darkness ahead, where two bright red spots of light were slowly appearing, like the two eyes of a creature waking up after a centuries-long sleep.

"Prepare for battle," she spoke, her voice cold but firm, her hands already beginning to summon icy aura around her body. "It seems that reports about the danger level of this area are no longer accurate."

Dịch Phàm stood next to her, feeling the Mixed Origin Spirit Root in his body begin to stir, reacting to the presence of something evil approaching. This would be the first time he'd actually faced real danger since awakening his powers, and he didn't know if he was ready.

The two accompanying students stepped back behind Tuyết Nhi and Dịch Phàm, their hands clasped their magic weapons, their breathing quickening in the cold, damp darkness. None of the four people dared to speak, only the sound of dripping water somewhere on the ceiling of the ruins rang out steadily like a countdown clock, signaling that something big was about to happen.