Chen Shixue found the triangular item, which undoubtedly made Yun Shuiying more energetic. Chen Tian stood still, perceiving everything. As long as they didn't exceed the distance, nothing would happen. His perception spanned hundreds of miles, and he was puzzled that he had only found three mechanisms. There had to be another one somewhere.
In his mind, there were only three glowing spots, meaning only three items. Counting the triangular mechanism Chen Shixue had found earlier, that made four. One was still missing, and he didn't understand why. Could it be that the mechanism wasn't within his range? He opened his eyes and said, "Chen Shixue, Yun Shuiying, let's go find the other items. I already know where they are."
"Chen Tian, how do you know?"
Chen Shixue also didn't understand how Chen Tian knew the location. He hadn't moved at all, so how could he possibly know? This puzzled them both. Chen Tian smiled faintly and said, "I have a skill that can locate things, but its cooldown is quite long, so I rarely use it."
He didn't reveal his true situation. These two weren't ready to know the secrets behind the game world. Knowing too much now would be detrimental to them and could attract danger. Hearing this explanation, Chen Shixue and Yun Shuiying no longer doubted him.
In the game "Epoch of Time," players could create their own skills, so having such a skill was not out of the question. The idea of cheating didn't even cross their minds, as the game's security system was sufficient to prevent any external interference. They were unaware that Chen Tian himself was an anomaly, an external factor that didn't need to cheat.
Under Chen Tian's lead, the three figures maintained a certain distance. The surrounding environment was beautiful, a sight the three had never witnessed before. Green waters and verdant mountains, waterfalls and weeping willows, the shimmering surface of the lake. As they walked further, the scenery became even more breathtaking, giving them the illusion that this was the true location of the trial, a stark contrast to the previous scenery.
"Stop, it's here. Yun Shuiying, you dig."
After speaking, he retreated. Chen Shixue looked at Chen Tian with a strange gaze and followed him back. Yun Shuiying looked bewildered, not understanding why they both retreated. However, since the item was here, it didn't matter who dug it. She began to dig, her hands transforming into claws, tearing away the soil.
Rumble!
A thunderous explosion occurred, engulfing Yun Shuiying's body. A furious roar emanated from the blast: "Chen Tian, you tricked me! You knew there was a trap and didn't say anything earlier!"
"I retreated and gave a clear warning. Besides, how was I supposed to know you'd use your bare hands to dig?"
"Nonsense! My hands and feet are bound by chains. If I don't use my hands, am I supposed to use a weapon? I can't even hold one steady."
"Uh!!!"
He was completely speechless, as if she had a point. Why hadn't he considered that? Yun Shuiying emerged from the explosion, largely unharmed, but thoroughly humiliated. Would this have happened if he had spoken earlier?
Her entire body was blackened like charcoal. She stared at Chen Tian with vengeful eyes. Chen Tian whistled nonchalantly, while Chen Shixue giggled beside him, finding occasional amusement in such situations.
"Alright, don't be angry. We found the item, and there are still two more places. Chen Tian, you lead the way, and tell us in advance if there's a trap. No tricking us."
"Follow me."
Chen Tian admitted that he had a slight intention of seeing Yun Shuiying make a fool of herself earlier, but he genuinely hadn't expected her to use her bare hands to dig. He had also forgotten that in their current state, they couldn't use any tools, with their arms and legs entangled by chains. Especially their hands, which were almost palm-to-palm, severely restricted by the chains.
Walking ahead, he was the only one who knew the location of the items. Simultaneously, he continued to sense the material of the last item. He refused to believe it couldn't be found unless it was not here, not within his sensory range. They walked for an unknown duration, the scenery changing several times. With every stretch of distance, the landscape shifted in fascinating ways, becoming increasingly captivating. Chen Shixue was frequently captivated by the environment, almost falling behind.
Fortunately, the other two noticed and slowed their pace, preventing them from falling too far behind and facing a complete wipeout.
They arrived under a tree, and Chen Tian looked at the spot beneath it meaningfully. This time, he was smarter. Both of them retreated, indicating that he should retrieve the item, and they wouldn't contend for it.
They were truly afraid of being pranked by his mischievous nature. Chen Tian shook his head helplessly. He stamped his foot, and the ground trembled. Two items flew out from underground, and he caught them with open palms.
"Damn it! You can do that, and you still made me dig? Were you doing it on purpose or accidentally?"
"Of course, it was on purpose."
Watching the two fools bickering, Chen Shixue suddenly shouted, "Chen Tian, there's something underground!"
To be honest, Chen Tian hadn't even noticed that there was something underground. Chen Shixue, however, knew. Her words immediately ended the argument between Chen Tian and Yun Shuiying. The three of them looked at the hole in the ground. The hole kicked by Chen Tian was only the size of a toothpick, but below it, a faint light flickered. If one didn't pay close attention, it would be completely missed. They had been arguing and chattering, so they hadn't looked carefully.
"Do you think the last item is underground?"
"Uncertain. It could be a hidden quest, a mission, or even a hidden boss."
He spoke with a grave expression, various scenarios flashing through his mind. This possibility was the most likely, given his extensive experience.
"Why don't we go down and take a look? Besides, the three of us might not be in danger."
Chen Shixue said, her enthusiastic nature unable to be contained. The other two looked at her speechlessly, wondering how much this young lady enjoyed fighting.
"Alright, you two step back. I'll widen the opening a bit."
"You can still do that?"
They were shocked. They thought that the current opening was Chen Tian's limit, but he could actually enlarge it. They retreated to their original positions. Chen Tian gathered power beneath his feet. Wind and earth elements fused to form a drill under his feet. He spun his entire body, drilling into the ground.
"Ahhh! Slower, slower! We can't keep up!"
"Ow, ow, ow! This soil is so hard!"
They momentarily forgot that they were still restricted by chains. As Chen Tian drilled underground, the chains pulled the other two along. Thus, the three descended into the earth.
After a long period, the dim underground finally welcomed light. The three figures fell from a high altitude.
Two figures spread their wings and descended slowly, while the third, of course, landed with a painful yelp.
"You... you guys, are you picking on me because I don't have a flying skill?"
"Ouch, ouch, ouch! Couldn't you have lifted me up?"
"Look over there! It's a stone statue. It looks like a dragon."
As the words fell, they all looked at the scene before them. The underground was a vast arena. On the arena stood a stone statue hundreds of meters long, resembling a dragon in appearance. It was a stone dragon sculpture.
A light flickered on the stone dragon sculpture, and the light they saw from the ground was emanating from this very object.
"Look, the last rhomboid item is on the dragon's neck."
"Stop. It won't be that easy."
Chen Tian spoke, halting Yun Shuiying's advance. It wouldn't be that simple. If it were, it wouldn't have been so troublesome.