Chapter 361: Sun Origin Ritual
Chapter 361: Sun Origin Ritual
When Chen Chuan arrived at the scene, Ren Su and his team were already present, and they had also encountered an officer from the Government Hall who was in charge of the matter.
Upon learning that Chen Chuan was an enforcement agent from Central City and the Handling Bureau, the officer was extremely polite and informed them that the area had been well-controlled. Since the incident report, the local security team had sealed off the area, and no one had entered since.
After chatting with the officer, Chen Chuan asked Ren Su and the others to wait outside while he entered the inn where the expedition team was temporarily staying.
The twelve-member expedition team was divided into five rooms, with the members occupying four of them, the wealthy sponsor in one, and the two security guards in the last one. The rooms were adjacent for easier protection.
Coincidentally or not, twelve years ago, a wealthy businessman had also come here with two private security guards and nine expedition members. So, when these three individuals initially emerged, no one suspected anything amiss.
After all, they all wore protective goggles, and foreigners often looked alike to many people.
If it weren't for the subsequent strange occurrences, no one would have paid attention to their situation, and even after learning the truth, it would have been dismissed as a mere oddity.
Chen Chuan first inspected the rooms of all the missing expedition members, but found no signs of a second self with signs of dematerialization.
He then focused on the three individuals who had returned as dried skeletons. While the two team members showed no unusual signs, Chen Chuan felt something amiss when examining the wealthy sponsor's belongings. At that moment, the second self exhibited faint signs of dematerialization, but it was so weak that it caused almost no harm to the body.
He searched further and discovered that the source of this phenomenon was a talisman with an engraving of a statue of a figure squatting with its body hugged by its arms and wearing a headdress of bird feathers, with a sun behind it.
Uncertain of the talisman's origin, Chen Chuan set it aside and examined the other items. However, one thing struck him as peculiar—the entire expedition team had left behind almost no written records.
This seemed rather abnormal for an expedition like this, where they should have documented the cave's location, features, type, size, and other relevant information. At the very least, they should have recorded the path, environmental conditions, and noteworthy details, along with a map and related reference materials.
But there was nothing, as if everything had been left behind in the cave.
Chen Chuan conducted a thorough inspection and eventually found something unusual on a waterproof bag. Turning it over, he discovered a swirling pattern inside. Intrigued, he organized his thoughts and exited the room, approaching the officer to request, "I need the information on these individuals, and it would be best if we could also obtain the records of the expedition team from twelve years ago."
"No problem," the officer promptly agreed, and soon provided the well-organized materials.
As Chen Chuan flipped through the documents, he discovered that the sponsor of this expedition was none other than the son of the wealthy businessman from twelve years ago.
Given their father-son relationship, this couldn't be a mere coincidence; there seemed to be a mysterious connection.
Therefore, this abnormal situation was more likely to be related to a secret religious ritual rather than a mere legend or ghost story.
Chen Chuan couldn't make a definitive conclusion, but fortunately, there were experts available. He immediately called the Handling Bureau using the inn's phone and briefed Director Lei on the situation.
After listening to Chen Chuan's analysis, Director Lei responded, "Your speculation makes sense. I'll bring a team over immediately."
Less than an hour later, the Secret Cult Examination Bureau arrived and took full charge of the situation.
Director Lei examined the talisman and the waterproof bag that Chen Chuan had found and explained, "Chen Chuan, you're right. These individuals are indeed followers of a secret cult.
They belong to the Ruri Ko, or the Sun Worship Cult, as it's known in translation. While this is a legitimate faith in foreign lands, it is strictly prohibited in our country."
"The Sun Worship Cult?" Chen Chuan pondered. "Is there a connection between this and the Lu Yang Cave?"
Director Lei's voice turned grave. "These people likely intended to perform the Sun Origin Ritual in this location."
He elaborated, "The Sun Origin Ritual is a belief held by the Sun Worship Cult, which states that the sun undergoes a twelve-year cycle. During this cycle, they believe that in places where sunlight is scarce, they can steal the power of life and true nature.
The cult's followers highly regard the number twelve, and this expedition team conveniently had twelve members. However, the ritual requires a life sacrifice, so it's likely that some of them were intended as sacrificial offerings."
Chen Chuan thought for a moment and asked, "If that's the case, were the other expedition members meant to be sacrificial offerings?"
Director Lei replied, "Based on the number of people and the nature of the ritual, that seems to be the case. This time, they probably made a mistake in the ritual process or were influenced by something unexpected, which led to complications. Instead of gaining the desired power, they ended up causing their own deaths.
As he spoke, his expression turned solemn, "But there's one issue that requires extra attention. For any Sun Origin Ritual, a special ceremonial material called the Sun Disc Stone is essential. This item is of immense value, and its export is prohibited by all nations. Its exact purpose is unknown, but it poses a certain level of danger, severely affecting people and livestock in the vicinity. If possible, we must find a way to retrieve this item or, failing that, seal off this entire area and report it to higher authorities for handling."
Chen Chuan contemplated for a moment, then looked up and said, "Director Lei, this cave is notoriously dangerous in Yangzhi. It's not easy for ordinary people to enter and exit safely. I'll take care of this matter."
Navigating underground caves comes with many hazards, and most people would easily get injured or even lose their lives, but none of these challenges posed a problem for Chen Chuan.
Director Lei thought for a moment and replied earnestly, "Alright, Chen Chuan, I won't beat around the bush. I'm entrusting this task to you."
He knew this was the right decision. While his team was proficient in cult rituals, entering a cave to search for items was no different from what an ordinary person could do. It was better to rely on Chen Chuan, a Third Limit Fighter, whose survival skills were unmatched by most.
If even Chen Chuan couldn't accomplish this, then no one in Yangzhi City likely could.
He quickly produced some papers, outlining the potential rituals and areas requiring special attention, and handed them to Chen Chuan.
Chen Chuan took the papers and, after carefully noting the details, prepared for the task. He primarily carried water, nutritional paste, a flashlight, and necessary tools. With everyone's eyes on him, he entered the cave.
The initial section of the path was relatively broad, with the ground cleared of debris and sufficient lighting. However, as he ventured deeper, the passage narrowed, and the light gradually dimmed, making it less conducive to walking. He switched on his headlamp.
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With so many people having traversed this path before, their footprints were clear to him, making it easy to follow.
Although he had prepared for various challenges, he found the task surprisingly straightforward. He effortlessly climbed and leaped over obstacles, turning corners with ease, encountering no significant hindrances.
The most significant challenge remained the lighting.
Not only did he have a flashlight, but he also possessed acute senses. Even without relying on his eyes, he could navigate by sensing temperature, airflow, and sound feedback. With the added advantage of human-made traces, he moved at an incredible speed, covering over two li in less than five minutes.
Along the way, he discovered several man-made rest areas and, in a pit, a discarded bag containing valuable information. Lacking time to examine it thoroughly, he took it with him and continued his search.
After descending another two kilometers, he reached a relatively spacious cave. The ground was relatively flat, and the ceiling was approximately seven to eight meters high, creating a space of about three to four hundred square meters.
He swept his headlamp around, and as he looked towards the center, his gaze intensified. There were people kneeling in a circle, numbering around twenty, with scattered skeletons on the ground.
As he approached, he realized most were mummies, except for three individuals with barely detectable breathing, like hibernating animals. Their bodies were wrapped in cloth adorned with intricate ritual symbols.
Ignoring the trio, he focused on the encircled area, which also bore ritual symbols. Comparing it to the temporary diagram provided by Director Lei, he confirmed it as the Sun Origin Ritual site.
In the center, there was a pit containing a peculiar stone. It appeared red, almost like a crystal, and when illuminated, its interior seemed to glow. This, he concluded, must be the Sun Disc Stone mentioned by Director Lei.
Chen Chuan scanned the area, confirming the situation, and then approached the stone.
As he neared the ritual circle, particularly the Sun Disc Stone, his body began to exhibit signs of etherealization. The closer he got, the more pronounced the effect, reaching a level comparable to a typical legend by the time he reached the center.
Just as he was about to pick up the stone, the Xuejun Blade at his side vibrated slightly, emitting white mist that enveloped the red stone. This phenomenon lasted only briefly before the mist retracted.
Simultaneously, Chen Chuan noticed that the intense etherealization effect suddenly weakened, almost to a harmless level.
...
...
(End of Chapter)
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