A Fantasy Love Story Across the Warring States Period

Chapter 35 The Mysterious Crystal Ball and a Turning Point in Crisis

The crystal ball, emitting a faint blue light, sat quietly in a corner of the ruins. In this dusty, chaotic, and noisy environment, it seemed like a tranquil glimmer of light, exuding a mysterious aura.

Wanru's gaze was fixed on the crystal ball, her heart filled with both tension and a glimmer of hope. She was tense because the protective barrier was on the verge of collapse under the puppets' fierce attack, and everyone was in extreme danger; she hoped that this crystal ball might, like the mysterious objects they had encountered before, possess the power to turn the tide and become the key to their escape from this predicament. Without thinking twice, she rushed towards the crystal ball, silently praying that it would come in handy.

During the fierce battle with the puppets, Huanmo caught a glimpse of Wanru running towards the crystal ball, and his heart skipped a beat. He worried that Wanru might be in danger amidst the chaos, yet he also hoped the crystal ball might bring a turning point. However, the attacks from the two puppets before him grew increasingly ferocious, forcing him to suppress his anxieties and focus on the enemy at hand. He knew that only by holding off the puppets could he buy Wanru enough time to uncover the secrets of the crystal ball.

The man in white played his jade flute, sweat rolling down his forehead, but he didn't bother to wipe it away. His gaze shifted back and forth between Huanmo, Wanru, the protective barrier, and the puppets. Seeing Wanru run to get the crystal ball, a glimmer of hope ignited in his heart, but he also knew that this hope was slim and full of uncertainties. At this moment, he could only do his best to keep playing the jade flute, using that invisible power to interfere with the puppets' movements as much as possible, buying everyone a chance to catch their breath.

Qingwan kept her eyes tightly shut, using all her magic to maintain the protective barrier. Her face was ashen, and her lips were bitten until they bled. She could clearly feel the barrier thinning with each attack from the puppet, its power dwindling bit by bit. Her heart was filled with despair and resentment. Despair because her strength was about to be exhausted, and she feared she could no longer hold on; resentment because everyone had endured so much hardship—was it all going to end in failure here? When she noticed Wanru's actions, she felt a glimmer of hope, but more than anything, she was worried—worried that the crystal ball wouldn't function in time, worried that the barrier would shatter before then.

The white tiger was locked in combat with a puppet nearby, its wounds bleeding again from the intense movements, yet it remained incredibly fierce. Its blue eyes occasionally glanced in Wanru's direction, as if also hoping the crystal ball would bring a miracle.

Wanru ran to the crystal ball, crouched down, and cautiously reached out to touch it. The moment her fingers touched the crystal ball, a chilling sensation spread throughout her body, making her shiver. She took a deep breath, hugged the crystal ball tightly, stood up, and turned to run towards the crowd.

Just then, a puppet seized the opportunity, broke free from the white tiger's grasp, and pounced on Wanru. Wanru cried out in fright, her steps faltering, and she almost fell to the ground. Fortunately, the white tiger reacted quickly; it pounced, knocking the puppet away, but fell to the side due to the momentum.

"Wanru, are you alright?" Huanmo called out anxiously, his voice hoarse from tension and exhaustion.

Wanru shook her head and said, "I'm fine. Quickly, see if this crystal ball can help!"

Everyone crowded around, their eyes fixed on the mysterious crystal ball.

Wanru examined the crystal ball carefully, trying to find some clues. But apart from emitting a faint blue light, the crystal ball had an extremely smooth surface and no obvious markings or features.

The man in white also came closer to take a look. He frowned slightly and said, "This crystal ball looks very ordinary, but since it's here, it must have its purpose. Perhaps we can try to concentrate and sense it to see if we can unleash its power."

Huanmo nodded and said, "That's the only way. Everyone should give it a try."

So everyone sat together, placed the crystal ball in the center, closed their eyes, and concentrated on feeling the presence of the crystal ball.

At first, nothing happened; the crystal ball continued to emit only a faint blue light. But as everyone became more focused, a gentle power seemed to slowly flow from the crystal ball, spreading to everyone.

Huanmo was the first to feel this power. It was like a gentle stream, nourishing his exhausted and wounded body, relieving his pain and slowly restoring his strength.

Wanru also sensed it, and a surge of joy filled her heart. She focused even more intently on feeling this power. Under its influence, her initially panicked heart gradually calmed down, as if she had found a sense of security.

The man in white and Qingwan were the same; they could feel their physical strength gradually returning and their minds no longer as tense as before.

Just as everyone was immersed in the nourishment of this magical power, the puppets that had been attacking the protective barrier seemed to sense something was amiss. They stopped attacking and turned to surround the group.

Huanmo suddenly opened his eyes and saw the puppets surrounding him. He clenched his fists and said, "Everyone be careful, the puppets are coming!"

Everyone opened their eyes, stood up, and prepared for battle.

Although they had regained some physical and mental strength thanks to the power of the crystal ball, they were still filled with worry as they faced these still powerful puppets.

With the power restored by the crystal ball, Huanmo charged towards the puppets once more. His movements were even more agile and powerful than before. He threw a punch at the foremost puppet, a punch filled with his resentment and determination, which sent the puppet staggering back several steps.

The man in white also put the jade flute to his lips and played a stirring melody. The melody transformed into invisible forces that coordinated with Huanmo's attacks, further interfering with the puppets' actions.

Qingwan raised the spirit pearl again. Although her strength had not fully recovered, she still did her best to cast a spell and form a new protective barrier in front of everyone. Although the barrier was not as strong as before, it could still provide some protection.

The white tiger roused itself, let out a deep roar, and pounced on one of the puppets again, engaging it in a fierce battle.

With everyone's combined efforts, the puppets' attack rhythm was disrupted. They no longer attacked in an orderly manner as before, but instead became somewhat flustered.

However, just when everyone thought the situation was gradually improving, the crystal ball suddenly shone brightly. The originally faint blue light instantly became dazzling, and a strong blue beam shot out from the crystal ball, rushing towards the top of the ruins.

The blue beam collided with the top of the ruins, producing a loud bang, and the entire ruins shook violently.