The waters beneath Bích Hải were icy cold—but human hearts were colder still. In the greenish shadows of Hải Long Thành, three pairs of eyes locked—Quang Minh, Bích Thủy, and Vân Lục Yên—each harboring ambition, fear, and secrets of their own.
Vân Lục Yên emerged from behind a massive stone statue. She wore a robe of shimmering silk, glowing faintly under the filtered light. Her long hair flowed with the current, eyes gleaming red as if stained by tears of blood.
"I've been following you since that night at Broken Soul Cliff," she said, her voice soft as silk, yet laden with killing intent. "I was merely waiting… for the right moment to strike."
Quang Minh raised his sword, its greenish blade reflecting her face:
"What is it you want here?"
Vân Lục Yên said nothing at first. Instead, she brushed her hand along the stone wall. Intricate lines carved into the rock suddenly glowed faintly—a mysterious ancient formation from the old kingdom of Nam Việt, surrounding an altar shaped like a coiling dragon.
Bích Thủy gasped:
"This… is a sealing mechanism?"
Vân Lục Yên nodded slightly. "Not merely a seal," she said, "but the gateway leading to the heart of Hải Long Thành—where the celestial ore, Thiên Thạch Thần Kim, lies hidden."
A Three-Way Battle of Wits
An electric silence fell between them, tense as a drawn bowstring. All three stood around the altar, each wanting to unlock its secrets, yet none daring to act rashly.
"One wrong touch, and the entire formation will collapse, burying us all beneath the ocean floor." Vân Lục Yên spoke softly, each word hammering into their chests.
Quang Minh studied the engraved symbols, murmuring:
"Each symbol corresponds to an element—water, fire, wind, earth… Yet something is strange… there's no metal?"
Bích Thủy replied:
"Perhaps… metal is the key. The Tàng Long jade fragment Hắc Trường Uy possesses… could be the final piece."
Vân Lục Yên's lips curled in a faint smile:
"I don't have that jade fragment. But I possess a replica of the formation… left to me by my father."
From her sleeve, she drew a sheet of fishskin parchment, ink impervious to seawater. The diagram of the ancient array danced like dragons and phoenixes across its surface.
"If the three of us work together… I believe we can unlock this formation."
Climax: Betrayal in the Depths
At last, they agreed. Each took their position around the altar. Bích Thủy adjusted the "Wind" symbol, Quang Minh set the "Water," and Vân Lục Yên controlled the "Earth." When all three pressed the central stone simultaneously—the array blazed with blinding light.
From the heart of the altar, a swirling vortex of water erupted, revealing a hidden object… a jet-black stone chest, secured with six ancient characters.
Vân Lục Yên whispered:
"That… is the Dragon Soul Treasure Vault."
But as Quang Minh stepped forward to open it, Vân Lục Yên suddenly struck, driving her palm squarely into his back.
Her palm was soft as silk yet sharp as a blade. Quang Minh spat blood, thrown aside by the blow.
"You…!" Bích Thủy screamed.
Vân Lục Yên's voice grew cold:
"I cannot allow anyone else to see what lies within this chest. Not even you two."
Bích Thủy raised her silver flute, ready to retaliate—but her body froze mid-motion. She could not move a muscle.
"You… poisoned the water?!"
Vân Lục Yên laughed, her eyes misty and cold:
"A toxin from the Heart-Lotus of the Deep Sea. It only activates when the water's temperature changes suddenly. Unfortunately for you… only I possess immunity."
End of Chapter
Just when it seemed all was lost, a sudden surge of force blasted through the water, snatching the stone chest away before Vân Lục Yên could seize it.
From behind the dragon statue, Nguyễn Tinh Vân appeared, his silver hair billowing like a dragon's whiskers, his eyes icy as the winter sky.
"Little girl… did you truly think you alone knew the path into Hải Long Thành?"
Vân Lục Yên recoiled a step, her expression shifting. In her eyes, a flicker of fear finally surfaced—a fear she had hidden for many years.
Nguyễn Tinh Vân held the stone chest tightly, his gaze sweeping across the trio beneath the ocean depths:
"This treasure belongs to no one. But if any of you dares make another move… I will seal Hải Long Thành for another thousand years."