The second gate required Yan to match its channel rhythm rather than simply repeat the previous sequence. Gu read the complete inscription while Qinghe watched Yan’s breathing and pulse.
“The third turn is slower,” Gu said. “Then the current returns through the inner line.”
Yan traced the symbols with his eyes. He understood the pattern. “I have it.”
He practiced the destructive sequence. Its feedback became refinement in his own channels, giving him steadier control over his qi. The gate answered with a low note and opened. The passage beyond it was clear.
Before they could step through, a support rib cracked under another external pressure wave. A stone slab dropped toward Qinghe. Yan caught it before it reached her, taking its weight across both arms.
The force pressed hard against his frame. His cultivated improvement helped him hold the slab, but it did not reverse the stone’s weight or the danger to the room.
“I have it,” he said. “Move the sensor case.”
Gu pulled the case out of the way while Qinghe set a temporary brace beneath the rib. Yan held the slab until the formation settled. They used a rope to guide it to the floor without crushing the equipment.
