Normally, treasure chest locations marked on maps are either already discovered or simply random.
After all, treasures aren't geographical features; they can be taken.
Such markings are utterly meaningless.
However, Zhang Chen still walked over out of curiosity.
Since he was already here, there was no harm in taking a look.
Zhang Chen leaped lightly from the other platform and landed in the tunnel.
The ground was sticky, and it was impossible to tell what it was. There were also many signs of water seepage on the walls.
A faint dripping sound could be heard from the distance.
"This place gives me an uncomfortable feeling. I can't understand why they built a subway underground. Could there have been spirits on the surface back then?"
Zhang Chen muttered to himself as he walked along the edge of the tunnel.
After an unknown amount of time, the ground suddenly cracked open.
Through the crack, he could see the hilt of a long sword embedded with gems, its entire blade submerged in a giant rock.
This location was precisely where the treasure chest was marked on the map.
Around these cracks, he could also see some food packaging and empty beverage bottles.
Judging by the weathering and dust accumulation on this trash, it seemed to have been left by several groups of people, with the time spanning from the distant past to the recent.
A piece of paper wrapping a hamburger was stuck to the ground, remarkably unfaded, suggesting it had been discarded recently.
"Could it be that the treasure chest is this long sword?"
"And that many people knew about this magnificent sword here, but no one could pull it out?"
Zhang Chen pondered for a moment and understood the reason.
Faint scratch marks could still be seen on the sword's hilt.
Someone must have found it impossible to draw the sword from the earth and, in their frustration, tried to pry off the gems from the hilt to take with them.
However, unexpectedly, the hardness of the gems surpassed that of their weapons, leading to their fruitless efforts.
"No wonder the map marked this as a landmark. A sword that cannot be drawn is indeed quite interesting!"
"Then I'll give it a try!"
Zhang Chen first stepped on the giant rock that bound the long sword.
The moment his foot touched it, he felt the spiritual energy within him surging outwards.
Startled, he quickly withdrew his foot.
At this moment, a line of prompts slowly appeared:
[Spirit Binding Stone: Absorbs the spiritual energy of those who touch it, weakening their strength.]
"So it's a Spirit Binding Stone!"
Zhang Chen nodded.
Spirit Binding Stones were commonly used in prisons to restrain powerful inmates or capture spirits that were strong and valuable for research.
Otherwise, how could ordinary buildings and stones withstand the attack of those powerful beings?
It was no wonder everyone had been unable to draw this long sword; it turned out the Spirit Binding Stone absorbed the spiritual energy of whoever tried to pull it.
Therefore, brute force was the only way.
But it so happened that his understanding of spiritual energy was rudimentary, and he only had good physical constitution.
If it came down to brute strength, perhaps he could indeed try!
Zhang Chen took a deep breath, then stood on the giant rock again, gripping the sword hilt tightly with both hands.
"Up!"
Knowing that this object would be difficult to pull out, Zhang Chen exerted his full strength from the start.
However, the long sword remained unmoving in the crevice, as if it were welded in place.
"Damn it..."
Zhang Chen exerted force again, feeling something within him being activated.
The moment it was activated, the long sword in his hand suddenly felt lighter!
He was pulled backward with the sword, falling straight onto his back.
Thud!
Zhang Chen's head hit the tracks, creating a large pit in the ground.
"I pulled it out? I actually pulled it out!"
Zhang Chen excitedly swung the long sword, unable to contain his joy.
He had actually pulled out a sword that so many others couldn't.
Could he truly be the chosen one?!
"Meow!"
Mo Ran, hearing the commotion, rushed over and looked at Zhang Chen with concern.
However, after a moment, she suddenly turned her head towards the crack in the giant rock.
She crouched down, arching her back, her pupils narrowing into slits, and let out a series of "hissing" warning sounds!
"There's a spirit!"
At this moment, Zhang Chen also noticed that a powerful spiritual energy was rapidly escaping from the crevice in the stone.
"Oh no! Could it be that this long sword was used to seal that spirit?!"
Zhang Chen could clearly see that the energy within the spirit was bright and dazzling, far more powerful than any spirit he had encountered before!
"It seems I've caused a great disaster!"