Exploring the Mysterious Ruin! 2
Found this by the roadside, anyone can tell it's shady, right?? Should I go in?
Don't worry, no prob! Just gonna taste a bit and come back!
The talk of it possibly being an ancient ruin ruin had Lin's heart racing even more. The ancient era! Wasn't that the unfathomably distant time when myths breathed, and the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors are said to have ruled the world? An age where even mighty demons and monsters were as common as pebbles underfoot—so even if it was just some minor monument and not a major site, anything from the ancient era would be priceless beyond words.
Brimming with curiosity, Lin hurried toward the cave entrance. She wanted to inspect the formation up close, whatever it was.
But just as she reached out to touch it—
Whoosh—!
Splat—!
Ouch! S-scared me!
Something sticky shot out from somewhere and lunged at Lin's hand as it neared the formation. Or rather, it nearly did. She reflexively yanked back at blinding speed—otherwise, she'd have been wrapped tight in that gooey spiderweb, helpless.
Wait, what the heck? Where'd this spiderweb come from... Don't tell me...
And with a hunch, she glanced up stealthily—
Splat, splaaat—??!?
Kyahhh! W-what the heck is all that!!
Lin spotted it: the cave ceiling absolutely crammed with countless massive spiders.
Gotta run so no time for questions!!! Read later!!
Splat?
Fire's the weakness? Perfect timing! My specialty is shooting fire!
She'd snagged the ice toad's technique recently, and sure, she had Thousand Year Ice now too—but her main ace was still fire arts led by Extreme Yang Heavenly Flame.
She hadn't slacked on training whenever she could, and ever since learning Phoenix Flame from Strongest Fire Chicken 123, even just breathing made the Extreme Yang Heavenly Flame's heat intensify.
She was a fire-attribute prodigy of the ages, no exaggeration—she had total confidence in fire.
Fwoosh—!
Tiny sparks danced from Lin's mouth with her breath, swelling in an instant into massive fireballs. They rocketed toward the spiders with vicious speed, and of course—
The spiders, webs and all, couldn't withstand the heat and burned up in seconds without exception.
Terrifying power.
Splat..!
Ugh... that burnt smell! But I took out all the spider jerks!
Easier than expected, despite the initial scare. The charred spiders left behind glowing cocoon-like sacs, stubbornly intact even against her Extreme Yang Heavenly Flame—no ordinary items.
Oh and they dropped tons of these shiny things that don't burn (rough sketch of sparkling flame-resistant mysterious cocoon clusters)
Anyone know what these are?? Silk sacs or something?
Splat!
Hehe, even spider silk sacs are valuable? Gotta grab 'em all then!
Since the spiders' sacs were useful too, Lin scooped them up and stashed them in her storage pouch. Tough enough for fabric, or magic tools—plenty of uses. Worst case, sell 'em at the forum exchange!
Plus, like that Eternal Cold Iron Fragment before, she kinda wanted a magic tool made just for her. In the city... she'd find a skilled artisan. A blacksmith, right? With that hope, Lin diligently picked up every last sac.
With all the sacs safely stored, she pressed deeper into the cave.
The earlier formation and device were too worn—touching did nothing, so she passed. Forum folks said it was like a lock, but too much time had passed; power faded.
Hey, works for me!
Deep in the cave, following a narrow tunnel after the formation, Lin finally reached a vast cavern at the end.
Splat...?
Too dark to see... Light it up first?
Fwoosh!
A sliver of Extreme Yang Heavenly Flame lit Lin's surroundings—bright enough for the whole cavern.
Then—
Grrr...?
What's that...?
The darkness revealed a small altar-like thing inside.
When the Great Sun descends, myriad fires return as one.
With the Golden Crow above, all spirits bow their heads.
Spluuuuum...?
Great Sun... Golden Crow? Myriad spirits..? What the heck does this mean?
A strange stele with baffling inscription sat atop the small altar.
But... what the heck is this??