The gaze of the four individuals seemed bound by invisible threads, firmly locked onto the image slowly emerging within the crystal ball. It was a mysterious forest shrouded in thick, ink-like mist. Towering ancient trees rose from the ground, soaring into the clouds, their thick trunks requiring several people to encircle. The lush foliage formed dense layers that completely blocked the sky, letting only a few weak rays of light filter through the gaps to cast mottled shadows on the ground. Through the heavy fog, a winding path loomed indistinctly like a dormant giant python, silently pointing toward an unknown distance as if pulling them forward by some destined force. Despite the fierce battles they had just endured and the lingering fatigue in their bodies, an intense curiosity about the unknown and the excitement of exploration made their eyes sparkle with brilliant light. Carrying this anticipation and passion, they resolutely embarked on the journey toward the mysterious forest.
During the long journey, the interactions between Su Yu and Lu Chen grew increasingly frequent, and the subtle emotions hidden deep in their hearts quietly sprouted without them noticing. Whenever they stopped to rest, Lu Chen would always quietly walk over to Su Yu, his eyes full of care and tenderness, carefully arranging her slightly messy quiver and meticulously inspecting every piece of equipment, leaving no room for potential hazards. Meanwhile, after Lu Chen was injured in battle, Su Yu would gently bandage his wounds. Her fingertips lightly brushed the skin around the injury, her eyes revealing deep distress and worry. The moment their gaze met, an electric current seemed to quickly surge past, carrying a hint of shyness and sweetness. They hurriedly looked away, only to find themselves unable to resist stealing glances back at each other.
The moment they stepped into the mysterious forest, a bizarre atmosphere washed over them. Cold and damp mist lingered all around, seemingly capable of seeping into the marrow and chilling them to the bone. Strange sounds echoed in their ears from time to time, sometimes resembling low beast roars and other times piercing ghost cries, making one's hair stand on end. Suddenly, a sharp whistle pierced the silence, and a swarm of gigantic vampire bats rushed in overwhelmingly from all directions. These bats were easily taller than a person, their huge wings spreading out like giant black capes, flashing with an eerie red light as if soaked in blood. Their sharp fangs flickered in the mist with a cold gleam, sending chills down one's spine.
Lin Xiu reacted swiftly, instantly drawing his dagger and activating Shadow Stealth. In a flash, his figure was seemingly swallowed whole by the darkness, vanishing without a trace. Streaks of black shadows darted rapidly through the bat swarm, and every time he appeared, the Shadow Blade in Lin Xiu's hand would trace a fierce black arc. This newly equipped dagger was exceptionally sharp, emitting a piercing screech as it cut through the air, with every attack carrying the effect of a shadow curse. The cursed bats were enveloped in a layer of black mist, their movements turning sluggish and clumsy as they fell into a brief state of weakness, capable of doing nothing more than feebly flapping and struggling in mid-air.
Bai Zhi stood steadily at the back of the formation, her hands tightly gripping her staff as she chanted under her breath. A soft halo quickly spread around her body—it was the Healing Aura, continuously restoring stamina and mana for her teammates. At the same time, she waved her staff, sending purification spells shooting from the tip. The light, like miniature dazzling suns, beat back the approaching bats one after another. Those bats struck by the purification magic let out miserable screeches before turning into plumes of black smoke and dissipating into the air.
Su Yu nocked her bow and released arrows rapidly, the projectiles flying toward the bat swarm with a whistling wind. However, the sheer number of bats was overwhelming, densely swarming forward until they quickly breached her defense line and pressed in on her step by step. Seeing this, Lu Chen's eyes hardened, and he rushed forward without a moment's hesitation, wielding his greatsword. He wore the newly acquired Armor of Protection, its surface engraved with mysterious runes that radiated a faint golden glow. The defense of this armor was astonishing; whenever a bat's attack landed on it, dazzling sparks flew and crisp metallic clashes rang out. Not only that, the armor could also reflect a portion of the damage, causing the bats' attacks to fail entirely. Those bats struck by the reflected force either had their wings broken or their bodies shattered to pieces.
"Watch out!" Su Yu suddenly spotted an unusually large bat silently attacking from behind Lu Chen. Her heart tightened violently, and she cried out in alarm. At this critical juncture, she rushed forward without hesitation, opening her arms to shield Lu Chen with her own body. The bat's fangs fiercely pierced into her arm, and blood instantly gushed out, dripping steadily down her arm onto the ground.
"Su Yu!" Hearing the cry, Lu Chen whirled around. Seeing Su Yu injured, his heart ached so intensely that his eyes instantly turned red. He let out an angry roar, channeling formidable power into the greatsword in his hand to cleave the bat in half. Black blood splattered onto the ground, hissing with acrid smoke. Filled with anger and concern, Lu Chen tightly embraced Su Yu and asked with a trembling voice, "How are you? Why were you so foolish?"
"I'm fine, don't worry." Su Yu endured the excruciating pain of her wound, forcing a smile to comfort Lu Chen. Her face was as pale as paper, yet her gaze remained firm and gentle.
After the battle ended, Lu Chen helped Su Yu over to sit down. His hands trembled slightly as he retrieved herbs and bandages from his pack, meticulously tending to Su Yu's wound. His movements were as gentle as handling a rare treasure, terrified of causing her any more pain. "Don't ever be that foolish again. I can't let you get hurt," Lu Chen murmured, his voice laced with a hint of a sob.
Blushing, Su Yu nodded gently, tears of emotion sparkling in her eyes: "You too. I don't want to see anything happen to you."
At this moment, Lin Xiu and Bai Zhi had also finished off the remaining bats and walked over side by side. Watching this scene, Lin Xiu smiled and said to Bai Zhi, "Looks like they've started a story of their own."
Leaning against Lin Xiu and feeling his warmth, Bai Zhi gently replied, "We'll always be together too, facing all the challenges ahead."
After a brief rest, the four of them continued along the path. As they walked, the mist gradually dissipated, revealing an ancient and magnificent castle before their eyes. Green vines crept up the castle walls, leaving deep marks of the passage of time. The heavy doors were tightly closed, engraved all over with mysterious symbols that glimmered faintly, as if whispering unknown ancient tales or perhaps concealing even more formidable power and secrets. They knew deeply that the true challenge might only just be beginning...