49 Antique Vases

"Actually, I've always had a strange feeling too, as if I'm somehow connected to mysterious events. Sometimes, I see bizarre scenes in my dreams—a bottle, and a world shrouded in mist."

Liu Lang's heart skipped a beat. He took out the jade-ring bottle and handed it to Lan Shengyi. "Take a look at this bottle. Do you feel anything unusual about it?"

The moment Lan Shengyi took the bottle and touched it, her body began to tremble violently.

Her gaze grew hazy, as though she had fallen into some kind of hallucination.

Seeing this, Liu Lang hurriedly supported her.

"What's wrong with you?" Liu Lang asked anxiously.

Lan Shengyi slowly opened her eyes, her gaze filled with terror. "I saw it... That world is filled with nothing but darkness and despair. Countless souls are struggling in agony, and this bottle is the key to that world. If it is ever opened, the consequences will be unimaginable."

Liu Lang felt a wave of skepticism in his heart. The very name Yunlu Academy sounded harmonious and serene; how could it be associated with darkness?

He realized that the jade-ring bottle in his hands might be a massive source of trouble.

Yet he also knew that to completely resolve this crisis, he had to uncover the secrets of the jade-ring bottle.

"Miss Lan, what do you think we should do?" Liu Lang asked.

Lan Shengyi took a deep breath, fighting to steady herself. "I don't know, but I feel that we cannot open this bottle rashly. We need to find more clues—perhaps there is a safe way to deal with it."

***

Liu Lang nodded, resolving to cooperate with Lan Shengyi to find a way to defuse this crisis. In the days that followed, they traveled far and wide, consulting all sorts of ancient texts and visiting experts in the field of the occult.

However, the useful information they gathered was pitifully scarce.

Meanwhile, back at Tiantong Gardens, the number of missing persons continued to grow. Panic gripped the residents, and the entire residential compound was enveloped in an oppressive atmosphere. Tang Feng and his Dragon Squad members worked day and night, yet they could find no effective solution.

One day, while Liu Lang and Lan Shengyi were searching for information in an ancient library, Lan Shengyi suddenly stumbled upon a peculiar passage in an old tome. Written in an archaic script, they finally managed to translate it after much study.

"On the night of the full moon, place the jade-ring bottle in the central plaza of Tiantong Gardens. Utilizing the power of the moonlight may reveal the true entrance to the spirit realm and unlock its secrets. Yet this process is fraught with danger; the slightest carelessness will trigger irreversible consequences."

Liu Lang and Lan Shengyi exchanged glances. They knew this might be their only chance. Despite the worry and fear gripping their hearts, they decided to take the risk.

On the night of the full moon, Liu Lang and Lan Shengyi brought the jade-ring bottle to the central plaza of Tiantong Gardens. At that moment, the plaza was dead silent, save for the moonlight casting a cold, pale radiance across the ground.

Liu Lang carefully placed the jade-ring bottle in the very center of the plaza, then stepped back beside Lan Shengyi to wait in nervous anticipation. As time passed, the moonlight grew brighter, bathing the jade-ring bottle in a layer of ethereal halo. Suddenly, the bottle began to vibrate violently, emitting a low, booming roar.

Immediately afterward, a massive vortex slowly formed above the jade-ring bottle, radiating a powerful suction force that pulled the surrounding air into its center. "Watch out!" Liu Lang shouted, grabbing Lan Shengyi's hand and pulling her desperately backward. However, the suction only grew stronger, and they found themselves completely unable to resist.

A formidable force dragged the two of them into the vortex, and the scene before their eyes instantly blurred. When they opened their eyes once more, they found themselves standing in a world shrouded in mist.

This world was dead silent, permeated by an eerie aura. Liu Lang gripped Lan Shengyi's hand tightly, scanning their surroundings with vigilant eyes. Suddenly, a group of dark shadows burst out from the mist, lunging straight at them. Looking closely, Liu Lang realized these shadows were actually twisted souls, baring their claws and letting out hair-raising screeches.

"Run!" Liu Lang shouted, pulling Lan Shengyi around as they bolted. They fled desperately through the fog, the pursuing souls hot on their heels. Amidst their flight, Liu Lang noticed that this world seemed to operate under a certain law; if they could just find the right direction, they might be able to shake off the pursuit of these spirits.

***

After a grueling trial and error process, Liu Lang finally figured out the pattern. He led Lan Shengyi along a specific route, and sure enough, the spirits gradually fell behind.

Pushing forward, they finally spotted a massive set of doors ahead. The doors radiated a mysterious glow and were carved with bizarre symbols. Approaching the doors, Liu Lang and Lan Shengyi discovered a groove in the center, shaped to fit the jade-ring bottle perfectly.

Hesitating for a moment, Liu Lang placed the jade-ring bottle into the groove. As the bottle settled into place, the doors slowly swung open, shooting a blinding beam of light from within. Squinting their eyes, Liu Lang and Lan Shengyi stepped cautiously through the threshold. Inside was a vast expanse, dominated by a giant crystal ball at the center that shimmered with various wondrous lights.

As Liu Lang and Lan Shengyi approached the crystal ball, images suddenly began to surface within it. These visions displayed the past, present, and future of both the spirit realm and the real world. They witnessed the former prosperity of Yunlu Academy, as well as how a catastrophic disaster had torn open the passage between Yunlu Academy and the mortal realm, plunging both worlds into chaos.

Liu Lang and Lan Shengyi realized that they had to reseal the passage to save both worlds. Guided by the crystal ball, they discovered the method to seal the rift. However, this process required an immense amount of energy—far beyond what the two of them could possibly provide. Just as despair began to take hold, Tang Feng and the Dragon Squad arrived.

As it turned out, Tang Feng had tracked Liu Lang's movements and discovered their destination, leading his team to provide backup. Working together in unison, they finally gathered enough energy to successfully reseal the passage between the spirit realm and the real world. As the portal closed, the mist of the spirit realm gradually dissipated, and everything returned to peace.

Exhausted, Liu Lang and Lan Shengyi returned to the real world.

Through this ordeal, both of them gained a profound appreciation for the world's hidden mysteries and unknowns. Liu Lang also decided to hand the jade-ring bottle over to the Dragon Squad for safekeeping.

Back at Tiantong Gardens, all was peaceful once again. The missing residents returned to their homes one by one, and laughter filled the neighborhood once more. Liu Lang and Liu Feier embraced tightly, cherishing this hard-won happiness.