My father is the main character, but the female leads want to kill me.

In the dark and long underground cave, Lin Ran, holding a torch, walked ahead, occasionally peeking out to talk to Shangguan Mengqing and Wen Qianyi behind her.

Seeing that Shangguan Mengqing didn't seem inclined to speak, and not wanting to embarrass Lin Ran, Wen Qianyi spoke up, saying, "Senior, perhaps there are relics or treasures inside?"

"I feel so too…"

Lin Ran nodded in agreement. Although he wasn't the main character, Shangguan Mengqing was. Perhaps there really was some treasure inside. After all, if the male lead gets an opportunity, the female lead should get one too!

"The ground has changed..."

After walking for an unknown amount of time, Lin Ran saw that the ground beneath her feet had changed from mud to stone slabs, and the passage ahead seemed to have narrowed. On the walls on both sides, murals had appeared.

"There are murals here! What are they depicting?"

Just as Lin Ran was curiously about going to take a look, Shangguan Mengqing's voice rang in Lin Ran's mind: "Idiot, stop!"

Lin Ran's leg, which she had just raised, stopped in mid-air. She looked at Shangguan Mengqing with a puzzled expression. Shangguan Mengqing, on the other hand, pulled Wen Qianyi back and continued to transmit her thoughts to Lin Ran, saying, "Slowly retreat. There are restrictions here!"

Upon hearing this, Lin Ran felt a surge of nervousness. He cautiously stopped and immediately ran back to Shangguan Mengqing's side before daring to catch his breath. Looking at the calm Shangguan Mengqing, he asked curiously, "Do you know why there are restrictions ahead?"

"You can easily notice it if you pay a little attention. From where you were just now, if you had taken just one step forward, you probably would have triggered that restriction!" Shangguan Mengqing said casually.

"If you don't believe me, I can show you!"

Shangguan Mengqing took out a small wooden figure from her spatial ring and poured spiritual power into it. Profound runes appeared on the wood, and then the wooden figure automatically detached from Shangguan Mengqing's palm and fell to the ground. It grew rapidly to the size of an ordinary man at a speed visible to the naked eye.

"What's this new and interesting thing?" Lin Ran asked curiously.

This time, it was Wen Qianyi who spoke first, explaining in a low voice: "Senior, these are combat dolls. Our academy also has some, but they are quite expensive, so we only bought a few to make a show of it. We didn't dare let the students use them."

"... "

Goodness, this setup works in a school in another world too, right? It reminded Lin Ran of her elementary school days when they had an expensive computer lab that was never used much, and all the experimental equipment just sat in glass cases.

Shangguan Mengqing controlled the combat puppet, just like Lin Ran had done before, and walked straight forward. Just as she stepped onto the stone path, she took one more step than Lin Ran had, and the murals on the walls on both sides suddenly emitted a dense array of deep blue crescent moons.

In just a second or two, the combat doll was reduced to wood chips lying on the bluestone floor.

This scene sent chills down Lin Ran's spine. If he had stepped over it, would he have ended up like that fighting puppet?

"Do you believe it?"

Shangguan Mengqing turned to look at Lin Ran, a hint of mockery in her eyes, and said calmly.

Lin Ran nodded frantically like a chicken pecking at rice, then moved closer to Shangguan Mengqing, rubbed her hands together, and asked with a smile, "Master Shangguan, what should we do next?"

Shangguan Mengqing glanced at Lin Ran, then extended her slender, jade-like finger and pointed at Wen Qianyi. She parted her red lips slightly and said, "Now it's up to your sister Wen. With the Yin-Yang chessboard in her hand, she can break through these formations and restrictions without knowing much about them. She truly deserves to be the treasure of the Wen family!"

"Miss Shangguan, you are truly knowledgeable..." Wen Qianyi exclaimed in admiration.

"It's just that I read a lot of books..."

Shangguan Mengqing shook her head, and casually remarked to someone, "Some guys aren't willing to read a few books, and then they know nothing. I don't know how they've managed to survive until now..."

Lin Ran: "..."

Stop yelling, stop yelling! If you keep yelling, I'll go crazy. I just get sleepy when I'm reading!

Wen Qianyi took out the Yin-Yang Chessboard and stepped forward, using its function to break the restriction. Unexpectedly, the process was very easy. In just a few minutes, the restriction on the mural emitted a deep blue light, followed by a shattering sound, and then it dissipated into light spots.

“Let’s keep going. You go first, and we’ll bring up the rear. I’ll tell you when the restrictions will be in place, but you have to be careful!” Shangguan Mengqing said.

Lin Ran and Wen Qianyi naturally listened to Shangguan Mengqing. Among the three, only Shangguan Mengqing had rich knowledge and experience. The other two were completely clueless when faced with these things.

The three of them made steady progress through the underground cave. After the restrictions on the murals on the walls were broken, spiderweb-like cracks appeared on them.

Along the way, they encountered array formations and restrictions, as well as some "little things." If Shangguan Mengqing hadn't reminded them, Lin Ran probably wouldn't have paid any attention to these little things.

Shangguan Mengqing picked up the Autumn Rain Sword and casually unleashed a sword aura, slicing off the green "vines" clinging to the wall. The sections of "vines" that were cut off could still bend and contract on the ground, as if they were still alive.

"This is?"

Lin Ran looked at the things that Shangguan Mengqing had cut down and couldn't help but ask.

“The Emerald Green Beast is not of a high level as a demon beast, only at the Daoist Realm or Dao Yuan Realm strength, but the toxin it contains is enough to kill a Spirit Core Realm expert, so we must be extremely careful,” Shangguan Mengqing explained.

"This poison is really potent!" Lin Ran thought to herself, exclaiming in surprise. If she wasn't careful and gave this little thing a taste, it would be gone in an instant.

The cave is so deep that Lin Ran and his companions have yet to reach its end.

Shangguan Mengqing had no choice but to say, "Let's rest for a bit. We've been walking for so long, let Qianyi rest too."

"Alright!"

Lin Ran nodded, and just as she was about to sit down, Shangguan Mengqing kicked her butt almost imperceptibly. Just as she was about to retaliate, Shangguan Mengqing's voice rang in her mind: "So eager to sit down, without even checking your surroundings? Have I wasted my time teaching you?"

"You all rest first, I'll go take a look around!"

Lin Ran scratched her head awkwardly, then took the Autumn Rain Sword and began clearing the surrounding area. Shangguan Mengqing, after confirming that there was no danger nearby, sat down with Wen Qianyi and handed her a bottle of pills to restore her spiritual energy: "Take this, quickly restore your spiritual energy!"

"Thank you, Mengqing!" Wen Qianyi said gratefully.

The two of them didn't remain completely silent throughout the journey; they chatted a few times and were no longer as awkward as they had been at the beginning. At least their way of addressing each other had become much more intimate.

Wen Qianyi also gained a new understanding of Shangguan Mengqing. In fact, all her knowledge of this rising star of the Sword Sect, the famous Sword Sect Fairy, came from various hearsay, saying how cold and indifferent she was.

But in reality, they don't seem as cold and heartless as I imagined. Although they appear cold on the surface, they are actually very caring.

Wen Qianyi had observed this throughout the journey. Shangguan Mengqing always referred to him as a senior, but it was all out of concern for him. Moreover, the two sometimes understood each other's thoughts with just a glance, without needing to communicate.

Wen Qianyi felt that the two of them were like an old married couple who had been together for a long time, bickering and arguing every day, but actually doing it all for each other's good.

The way the two of them got along made Wen Qianyi really envious. She felt that even though she had intimate behavior with her senior, she could not match the harmony between Shangguan Mengqing and her senior.

Seeing that Lin Ran had walked a little further away, Wen Qianyi mustered up her courage and looked at Shangguan Mengqing, suddenly asking, "Mengqing, can I ask you something?"

Shangguan Mengqing turned to look at Wen Qianyi, staring at her face for a long while before finally saying, "About me and Lin Ran?"

"Ah, Mengqing... I just..."

Being so directly exposed made Wen Qianyi panic. She wanted to explain, but didn't know how to say it, fearing that her relationship with Shangguan Mengqing would deteriorate because of this.

"Me and him..."

Shangguan Mengqing remained silent for a long while, her eyes following Lin Ran, who was cleaning up the "little poisonous creature" in the distance. Her voice seemed to have gained some emotional fluctuation as she slowly said, "Actually, we've known each other for a long time and have been through a lot together. You don't need to care too much about what our relationship is. I can't be with him, not now, and not in the future..."

Wen Qianyi stared at Shangguan Mengqing in surprise, her mouth agape. If word got out, no one would believe it. Wasn't this senior the patriarch of a small family in the Li Clan Dynasty of Liezhou? How could he have known this Sword Sect Fairy for so long?

It seems there's another Spirit Clan member ahead of us. Oh well, compared to the Spirit Clan, which is almost an ethereal existence, the Sword Sect seems more tangible.

Wen Qianyi wanted to ask something more, but Shangguan Mengqing had already composed herself, and her voice returned to normal: "Qianyi, quickly take the pill to restore your spiritual power, I will protect you!"

Upon hearing Shangguan Mengqing's words, Wen Qianyi understood that she didn't want her to continue asking questions. She wasn't the kind of person who would push her luck. After taking the pill, she closed her eyes and focused on cultivating. She was determined to become someone who could help her seniors and not hold them back.

Seeing Wen Qianyi meditating with her eyes closed, Shangguan Mengqing quickly stood up, ran to the side, covered her mouth, and coughed softly.

Under the torchlight, she looked down and saw specks of blood on her hands. Her brows furrowed, and after gently wiping them away with her spiritual power, she glanced guiltily at Lin Ran in the distance. Seeing that he hadn't noticed her, she breathed a sigh of relief.

She took out a few pills from her spatial ring and swallowed them. The sharp pain in her chest eased a little. She was very clear about her current situation. Her already cracked mind was beginning to crumble further. She knew very well what would happen if her mind broke down. It would mean that she would fail in her cultivation of the Tranquil Sutra, and she would suffer a very serious backlash, which could endanger her life.

She had thought about severing all ties with Lin Ran and never seeing him again, but every time she was about to make a decision, that guy would pop up like an annoying pest, jumping around and shouting, "Come and hit me, you idiot!"

"He's an idiot, but so am I..."

Shangguan Mengqing felt the pill in her mouth turn extremely bitter, and her heart seemed to begin to ache again...

.......

Chapter 131 The Mysterious Stone Gate

"I've cleaned this area thoroughly, and there's nothing wrong..."

Lin Ran returned carrying a sword and a torch, her gaze involuntarily falling on Shangguan Mengqing. Just as Shangguan Mengqing thought that Lin Ran had seen her in that state, Lin Ran suddenly said, "What are you eating? You have something in your mouth."

Hearing Lin Ran's words, Shangguan Mengqing was both amused and exasperated, and said coldly, "What, you want to take a bite of the pill too?"

"Ah, the elixir, what a pity..."

Lin Ran felt a little regretful, thinking that Shangguan Mengqing had secretly eaten something, but then he quickly remembered something and couldn't help but ask, "What's wrong with your health? Why did you take the pill?"

"It was given to me by my master to aid in cultivation..." Shangguan Mengqing said calmly.

She knew Lin Ran; if she responded calmly like this, he wouldn't press her further.

As expected, Lin Ran didn't press the matter further. Instead, she found an open space, sat down cross-legged, leaned against the stone wall, and closed her eyes to rest.

Shangguan Mengqing also closed her eyes and silently recited a calming incantation in her heart, using the power of the medicine to stabilize her state of mind, so that she could not be harmed by the broken mirror, at least not now.

After resting and recovering about 70-80% of her spiritual power, Lin Ran and the others continued their journey. With the help of Wen Qianyi's Yin-Yang Chessboard, they broke through the remaining restrictions and formations along the way, and a huge, heavy stone door with strange patterns carved on it appeared before their eyes.

Lin Ran didn't act rashly, but instead looked at Shangguan Mengqing and asked, "How is it? Are there any restrictive formations or similar things around here?"

After observing for a while, Shangguan Mengqing shook her head and said, "There are no restrictions or formations here, but there might be something strange about that stone door. We still need to be careful."

"Then I'll go take a look at Shimen!"

Lin Ran took on this most dangerous task. Although he was a bit of a coward, he would still step forward in this kind of situation. He couldn't possibly let those two women do it!

Shangguan Mengqing glanced at Lin Ran and said calmly, "Remember what I said, don't be stubborn at crucial moments, and know when to back down!"

"Senior, be careful!" Wen Qianyi's worried eyes were fixed on Lin Ran.

"Ok!"

With two beautiful women as her support team, Lin Ran felt a little elated. Indeed, beauty can be a trap!

Banishing all the distracting thoughts from her mind, Lin Ran slowly walked to the stone gate, brought the torch a little closer, and her eyes were filled with golden light.

This two-pronged approach allowed Lin Ran to see the patterns on the stone gate more clearly. The patterns depicted birds and beasts, and Lin Ran could vaguely make out a pattern that resembled a giant rock beast. In the center of the stone gate was a circular groove.

Lin Ran ran back and told the two women all the information she had found. Shangguan Mengqing frowned slightly, paced back and forth in thought. After a while, she let out a soft breath, as if to relieve herself. Her veil fluttered for a moment, and she said in a slightly hurried voice, "It might be related to the pale gray orb of light we found with the rock behemoth. It doesn't look like a normal demon beast crystal. Maybe it's the key to open this door!"

"This little thing?"

Lin Ran took out the light gray ball from her spatial ring. The ball felt slightly cool to the touch. Although it contained a lot of energy, it was completely impossible to extract it. Moreover, it was taken out from the body of a monster like the rock behemoth, which was enough to show its strangeness.

“Yes, maybe that circular groove is the key to opening the stone door, but we have to be prepared because we have no idea what’s inside. We might release some evil creatures,” Shangguan Mengqing said.

Shangguan Mengqing's guess was not unfounded. After all, no one knows what's inside, and then they release a bunch of cases that have caused havoc on the world. There are countless examples of this throughout history. The world will never lack little geniuses.

Lin Ran was also thinking, but he was thinking about some of the plot points here. He wondered if he had seen them in the original work. He felt that the current steps were a bit like a test of inheritance.

Lin Ran couldn't quite recall any plot points that matched the current situation. He needed to review the notebook he had written to record the plot points when he had time, but he didn't know where he had lost it.

"Why don't we take this little ball and try it out now? I feel like this might be a test of the secret realm's inheritance!" Lin Ran said.