C10 Identification Technique

Ke Dong was indifferent to Kuan Feifei's thoughts. The choice of door was pivotal—it would shape the challenges he'd face next, and he wasn't about to relinquish that choice to her.

Even if the door ahead harbored peril, it was a risk Ke Dong was willing to take on his own terms.

Kuan Feifei's frustration with Ke Dong's stance was palpable; she nearly stamped her foot in irritation. But her experience as a public figure had taught her to master her emotions, so only a flicker of annoyance crossed her face, and she remained silent.

Ke Dong inhaled deeply, gripping the door handle firmly, alert and ready.

In the maze, regardless of previous gains, opening a door always felt like the anxious wait for exam results before the teacher's reveal—unsettling until the very end.

He pushed the door open forcefully and darted inside, with Kuan Feifei quickly on his heels. Together, they entered the same room.

This was a stark contrast to the time when Soong Wan had attempted to enter a room with Ke Dong, only for the door to vanish—an indication that the maze now recognized Ke Dong and Kuan Feifei as a team.

Upon entering, Ke Dong's eyes immediately landed on a stone table bearing two wooden boxes, indistinguishable from the outside.

This was the first instance Ke Dong had encountered a room with dual rewards. Had the maze acknowledged their pair?

If so, did that mean they'd face double the danger?

The thought made Ke Dong uneasy. While he could handle a lesser foe like the Vine Demon, facing two tigers simultaneously could spell real trouble.

Kuan Feifei also took note of the wooden boxes on the stone table but kept her distance. She asked, "Mr. Ke, these boxes must be our reward. How shall we divide them?"

"One each, men on the left, women on the right," Ke Dong replied without a moment's pause, taking the box on the left.

In this maze, every reward could mean the difference between life and death, and Ke Dong was not one to yield under such circumstances. Had it been Chen Qiang, he likely would have seized both boxes for himself.

Kuan Feifei remained silent and picked up the wooden box on the right.

Upon opening it, Ke Dong's eyes narrowed in surprise at the sight of a green pearl nestled within.

As Kuan Feifei was preoccupied with the box, Ke Dong discreetly slipped the pearl into his backpack and glanced at the accompanying note.

Identifying Spiritual Pearl: Activation grants the Identification Technique.

The explanation was brief. Unsure of the Identification Technique's purpose, Ke Dong wasted no time in activating it.

A green glow enveloped him the next moment. Something seemed to change, yet nothing appeared different. The term "Identification Technique" now listed under the miscellaneous knowledge section of his cultivation interface, with no indication of level.

Curious, Ke Dong touched the stone table, and a caption materialized before him: Stone table, a very ordinary stone table.

He realized that simply touching an item revealed its description, sparing him the hassle of stowing it in his backpack. This subtle method wouldn't draw attention in crowded places, making it quite useful for Ke Dong.

Having acquired the identification technique, Ke Dong turned his attention to Kuan Feifei, eager to discover what treasure she had found. Her expression was a mix of astonishment and delight, which only deepened his curiosity.

With a resigned sigh, Kuan Feifei withdrew her item from the box, her voice tinged with self-mockery, "I just can't figure it out. Why would there be seasoning packets in a maze?"

Ke Dong could now see that Kuan Feifei indeed held a packet of spices, its distinctive aroma drifting towards him, leaving him momentarily speechless.

In the perilous depths of the maze, adventurers sought items that could enhance their power, not trivialities like seasoning packets.

But the deed was done, and Kuan Feifei's complaints changed nothing. She wouldn't start a quarrel with Ke Dong; after all, he couldn't have known the contents of the wooden boxes when making his choice.

Stowing the seasoning packet, Kuan Feifei inquired, "And you? What did you find in your wooden box?"

Ke Dong cracked a smile, keeping the advantages he had gained to himself. He strode confidently toward the door ahead. "Come on, it's time to move on to the next room."

Kuan Feifei pouted, her displeasure evident in her adorably petulant expression, yet she didn't hesitate to follow closely behind Ke Dong.

Upon entering the room, Ke Dong didn't even have time to survey his surroundings before a piercing chill enveloped them. They were surrounded by a blinding expanse of white, the biting wind carrying snowflakes that seemed intent on stripping away their last vestiges of warmth.

At the second layer of the Qi Refining Stage, Ke Dong could withstand the cold as his spiritual qi automatically shielded him. It was merely a slight discomfort for him. Kuan Feifei, on the other hand, was not faring as well. Her thin clothes and weaker constitution left her shivering uncontrollably, her speech quivering along with her body.

"What is this place? Why is it so... so unbearably cold?" she stammered.

Ke Dong paused, a moment of hesitation flickering across his face before he pulled a tiger skin from his backpack and offered it to Kuan Feifei. "Wrap yourself in this."

His reluctance stemmed from the fact that the tiger skin had been hidden away in his pack, not on his person. Handing it over so directly would surely raise Kuan Feifei's suspicions and might lead her to discover the existence of the cultivation realm.

Yet, if he didn't offer the tiger skin, Kuan Feifei wouldn't stand a chance against the frigid temperature. Besides, he had taken a liking to her and couldn't stand by and watch her succumb to the cold.

Kuan Feifei's eyes widened in astonishment at the sight of the tiger skin Ke Dong handed her, her mouth forming a perfect 'O' of shock.

How had he managed to produce it out of thin air?

She hadn't seen it clearly at all!

And a tiger skin, no less. How had Ke Dong come by it?

Had he actually slain a tiger?

That seemed impossible.

Questions swirled in Kuan Feifei's mind, but they were cut short by another gust of icy wind. Shivering anew, she quickly wrapped the tiger skin around herself, immediately feeling a comforting warmth that steadied her voice and stilled her trembling.

"Thank you."

Ke Dong gave a slight nod. "Stay close and be cautious."

The room was engulfed in a blizzard, reducing visibility to nearly nothing beyond a couple of meters.

From Ke Dong's experience, rooms that induced such conditions were typically fraught with danger, necessitating extreme caution.

Kuan Feifei sensed the gravity in Ke Dong's tone. She nodded emphatically and clung to his heels, silent as a shadow.

As they proceeded with caution, a chorus of wolf howls pierced the silence, prompting Ke Dong and Kuan Feifei to halt and brace themselves.

The howls suggested at least four wolves were present, but the true horror lay in their invisibility; their approximate locations discernible only by the eerie sound.

Kuan Feifei edged closer to Ke Dong, her voice tinged with fear, "I-I'm a bit frightened."