Chapter 2 - The Hidden Library

Lin Feng woke up with a start, his heart pounding. The events of the previous day felt like a vivid dream, but the jade pendant lying on his bedside table was a stark reminder that it was all too real. As he picked up the pendant, it seemed to pulse gently in his hand, as if it were alive. He got out of bed and went about his morning routine, but his mind was constantly occupied with thoughts of the pendant, the strange men, and the world of cultivation. He knew he couldn't just ignore what had happened. He needed to find out more about the pendant and how to protect himself. Remembering the inscription on the pendant, Lin Feng decided to visit the university library. Maybe he could find some books on ancient languages that would help him decipher it. The library was a large, imposing building filled with row upon row of bookshelves. Lin Feng made his way to the section on ancient languages and began searching through the dusty tomes. After hours of searching, he came across a thick, leather - bound book titled "Ancient Inscriptions of the Mystic Realms." As he flipped through the pages, his heart skipped a beat. There, in a section on jade artifacts, was a drawing of a pendant similar to his, and alongside it were some inscriptions that resembled the ones on his pendant. He quickly sat down at a nearby table and began to compare the inscriptions. With great effort, he managed to piece together some of the meaning. The inscription seemed to be a clue, leading him to a hidden place within the university itself - an old, forgotten library that was said to house forbidden knowledge. Lin Feng was both excited and nervous. The idea of a hidden library filled with forbidden knowledge was both alluring and terrifying. But he knew that this could be the key to understanding the pendant and the world of cultivation. As the sun began to set, Lin Feng made his way to the part of the campus where the old, forgotten library was rumored to be located. It was an area that was rarely visited by students, overgrown with weeds and surrounded by a dilapidated fence. He pushed aside the overgrown branches and found a small, rusted door. The door creaked open, revealing a long, dark corridor. Lin Feng took a deep breath and stepped inside. The air was thick with dust, and the only sound was the echo of his footsteps. As he walked further down the corridor, he noticed strange symbols etched on the walls. The symbols seemed to glow faintly in the darkness, and he could feel a strange energy emanating from them. Suddenly, he heard a soft rustling sound behind him. He turned around, but there was nothing there. His heart raced, and he couldn't shake the feeling that he was being watched. Continuing forward, he finally reached a large, circular room. In the center of the room was a pedestal, and on the pedestal was a book. As he approached the pedestal, he heard a voice. It was a woman's voice, soft and melodious, but it seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere at the same time. "Who dares to enter this place?" the voice asked. Lin Feng swallowed hard. "I... I'm Lin Feng. I'm looking for answers about a jade pendant. I followed the clues from an inscription." The voice was silent for a moment. Then it said, "The jade pendant you possess is a powerful artifact. But you are not the only one who seeks its power. There are those who will stop at nothing to obtain it. And they are closer than you think." Lin Feng's eyes widened. "Who are they? And how can I protect myself?" The voice replied, "The ones who pursue you are members of an ancient cult that has long sought to control the power of the pendant. To protect yourself, you must learn to harness the power within the pendant. But be warned, the path is dangerous, and one wrong step could lead to disaster." Just as Lin Feng was about to ask more questions, he heard a loud crashing sound from the entrance of the corridor. The sound of footsteps echoed through the corridor, and he knew that the cult members had found him. "Hide!" the voice hissed. Lin Feng looked around frantically. There was nowhere to hide except behind the pedestal. He quickly crouched down, his heart pounding in his chest. The cult members entered the room, their eyes scanning the area. The leader, the same tall man with the white beard from the previous day, sneered. "I knew you would come here, boy. You're not as smart as you think." Lin Feng held his breath, praying that they wouldn't find him. But then, the jade pendant in his pocket began to glow faintly. The leader's eyes locked onto the glow, and he let out a triumphant laugh. "Found you!" he shouted. The cult members rushed towards the pedestal. Lin Feng knew he had no choice. He jumped up and tried to make a run for it. But the cult members were too fast. They surrounded him, blocking his escape route. The leader stepped forward and held out his hand. "Give me the pendant, boy. This is your last chance." Lin Feng clutched the pendant tightly. "No! I won't let you have it." The leader's face darkened. "Then you leave me no choice." He raised his hand, and a ball of dark energy began to form in his palm. Just as he was about to launch the attack, a bright light suddenly filled the room. It was the woman's voice that had spoken to Lin Feng. The light seemed to push the cult members back, and for a moment, they were disoriented. "Run, Lin Feng! Run now!" the voice shouted. Lin Feng didn't need to be told twice. He turned and fled down the corridor. The cult members quickly recovered and gave chase, but Lin Feng was fueled by fear and determination. He managed to make it out of the hidden library and into the night. As he ran through the campus, he realized that he was in even more danger than before. The cult members knew where to find him, and they were determined to get the pendant. But he also knew that he was one step closer to understanding the pendant and its power. Back in his apartment, Lin Feng collapsed on his bed, exhausted. But his mind was still racing. Who was the woman's voice? Why was she helping him? And how was he going to protect himself from the cult members? As he drifted off to sleep, he had a strange dream. He saw himself in a vast, empty field, surrounded by a group of people. They were all chanting something, and the jade pendant in his hand was glowing brightly. But then, a dark figure emerged from the shadows. The figure was tall and menacing, and it seemed to be made of pure darkness. It reached out its hand towards Lin Feng, and as it did, the world around him began to crumble. Lin Feng woke up with a start, sweating profusely. The dream had felt so real. He knew that he was running out of time. He needed to find a way to master the power of the pendant before the cult members found him again. But how? And what other secrets did the pendant hold?