Xiao Feng let out a furious roar as another wave of pale energy hurled him away from the ancient runic doors, a shockwave reverberating across the watery chamber. His body slammed onto the lake's rocky edge, knees and palms grinding against the damp ground. "Damn it," he cursed, wiping a trail of blood from the corner of his mouth. "Even at my level, I can't break through those blasted runes."
The passage's defense worked by devouring the energy behind his every attack and reflecting it back tenfold. No matter how much strength was used, the barrier would only grow stronger. Liu Xiaobei watched Xiao Feng stand up from the side, a grim line forming across his brow.
"Seems there's no helping it," Xiao Feng concluded, shaking his head as he left the pool's edge. "Your son will have to get out on his own. It'll probably open in a few days. Nothing more we can do." He forced a weary smile at Xuefeng's father. "Come on, let's just kill time with a bottle of wine."
