He descended the stairs carefully. They were stable despite their age, carved from solid stone.
The air grew cooler as he went deeper. A faint luminescence appeared ahead, enough to see by without additional light.
The staircase ended in a small antechamber. Walls of worked stone surrounded a single doorway that led to the chamber beyond.
More formation arrays covered every surface, their purpose clear even after so much time.
Protection. Warning. Destruction for those unworthy.
Xian Tiandi approached the doorway and extended his spiritual sense cautiously.
The formations were still partially active. Not at full strength, but enough to be dangerous if triggered improperly.
'These are testing formations,' he realized. 'Designed to evaluate anyone who reaches this point. Only those with specific qualities can pass safely.'
He studied the arrays more closely. They tested three things. Cultivation base strength. Elemental affinity. And spiritual root quality.
