The frail counselor you said, you fight against three heroes alone?

Xiaohong held Grandma Lin's hand tightly, and beads of sweat oozed from her palms.

She felt that Granny Lin's hands were also trembling slightly, and a feeling of uneasiness was spreading among everyone.

Luo Xiaoyu bit her lower lip and stared at the man in white anxiously, as if trying to force him to speak with her eyes.

Doctor Zhang adjusted his glasses, his eyes flickering behind the lenses, as if he was thinking about something.

Hunter Li tightly gripped the hunting knife in his hand and looked around vigilantly, ready to deal with any sudden danger at any time.

Just when everyone thought the deadlock would continue, there suddenly came from deep in the passage the sound of a cane hitting the ground, coming from far away and getting closer, crisp and rhythmic.

Everyone looked in the direction of the voice and saw a white-haired old man walking slowly towards them with a cane.

The old man was thin, but in good spirits, with a pair of bright eyes that seemed to be able to see through everything.

"Elder Chen!" Granny Lin called out in surprise, with a slight tremor in her voice.

Everyone showed surprised expressions. They didn't expect Elder Chen to appear at this time.

Elder Chen walked up to the crowd, smiled kindly, and said, "Don't be afraid, children. I am here to help you."

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief, as if they had found support.

Elder Chen is highly respected and knowledgeable in the village and is regarded as a wise man of the village.

His arrival undoubtedly brought hope to everyone.

Elder Chen walked to the stone wall and carefully observed the strange symbols.

He stretched out his skinny fingers, gently stroked the patterns of the symbol, and muttered something.

Suddenly, Elder Chen's expression became painful, his brows furrowed, and his body began to tremble slightly.

Seeing this, everyone quickly surrounded him, their faces full of anxiety.

"Elder Chen, what's wrong with you?" Granny Lin asked with concern.

Elder Chen did not answer, but just groaned in pain.

The surrounding light began to flicker, and the air in the passage became more depressing, as if something terrible was about to happen.

Hunter Li subconsciously protected Grandma Lin behind him and looked around vigilantly.

"Not good!" Elder Chen suddenly shouted and pushed everyone away.

Hunter Li was quick to support Elder Chen and asked with concern, "Elder, are you okay?"

Elder Chen's face was pale, his lips trembling, he pointed at the symbols on the stone wall and said with difficulty: "These...these symbols...are..."

Hunter Li carefully supported Elder Chen, his movements as gentle as if he was holding a fragile treasure.

His rough palms held Elder Chen's thin arms steadily, feeling the weakness and trembling coming from the old man, with both worry and admiration in his heart.

Elder Chen looked up at Li the Hunter. Everything in the turbid surroundings became quiet, leaving only the slight breathing sounds of a few people. Everyone waited silently, their eyes full of concern for Elder Chen, and a hint of warmth filled the air.

However, this peace was soon broken.

The symbols on the stone wall seemed to come alive, suddenly bursting out with dazzling light, illuminating the entire passage as if it were daytime.

The light was so strong that it was impossible to open one's eyes, as if countless tiny needles were piercing one's eyeballs, causing severe pain.

The lines of the symbol also began to twist and deform, like struggling tentacles, continuously spreading outward.

Elder Chen clenched his teeth, the muscles on his face trembled slightly due to the exertion, and fine beads of sweat seeped out of his forehead.

His skinny fingers gripped the ground tightly, his knuckles turned white, as if he was engaged in a silent fight.

Everyone was stunned by this sudden change, and a strong sense of fear surged in their hearts.

They wanted to help, but found themselves unable to do anything.

The man in white had a solemn expression on his face, his hands clenched into fists, as if he wanted to attack, but he was hesitant about something and ultimately chose to stand still.

Luo Xiaoyu stamped her feet anxiously, her eyes slightly red. She hated herself for not being able to share the pain with Elder Chen.

Xiaohong hugged Granny Lin tightly, her body trembling slightly, and she kept repeating in her mouth: "It's okay, it's okay..."

Doctor Zhang adjusted his glasses, and the look behind the lenses became uneasy.

The air seemed to freeze, making it hard for everyone to breathe.

“These…these symbols…are…” Elder Chen’s voice was as hoarse as an old bellows, and every word was filled with pain and difficulty.

He used all his strength, as if he wanted to shout out the secret hidden in his heart.

Everyone held their breath and stared at Elder Chen without blinking, afraid of missing a single word.

Just when everyone's heart was in their throat, Elder Chen suddenly coughed up a mouthful of blood. His eyes became unfocused and his fingers that were originally tightly grasping the ground loosened weakly.

"Elder!" Hunter Li exclaimed and hurriedly supported Elder Chen's shaky body.

Elder Chen used up the last of his strength, pointed at the symbol on the stone wall, and said intermittently: "It is... leading to... it is..." He could no longer speak, his eyes slowly closed, and his whole body collapsed in Li Liehu's arms.

"Leading to what?" The man in white suddenly asked, with a strange light flashing in his eyes. He stared in the direction of Elder Chen and slowly repeated, "Leading to what?"

Elder Chen coughed violently, and a mouthful of blood spurted out, but he also miraculously exhaled a breath of foul air.

His originally cloudy eyes suddenly became clear, bursting with amazing brilliance.

His trembling fingers pointed at the stone wall again, and he used up his last bit of strength to hoarsely utter a few words: "It is... the key to... the Tianji Pavilion!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the symbols on the stone wall shone brightly, as dazzling as the scorching sun at noon.

Everyone instinctively covered their eyes, and a buzzing sound came from their ears.

The light lasted for a moment, then gradually dimmed and finally disappeared.

The symbols also changed. The originally chaotic lines were recombined to form a clear pattern - a towering attic, surrounded by clouds and mist, like a fairyland.

Below the pattern, a line of small characters was engraved: "Tianji Pavilion, where all the secrets of the world are hidden."

The hidden information is finally revealed to everyone, which is undoubtedly the key to solving the mystery.

Everyone looked at the pattern and became excited.

Xiaohong and Luo Xiaoyu hugged each other excitedly. Grandma Lin was so excited that she burst into tears. Doctor Zhang adjusted his glasses, and his eyes behind the lenses sparkled with excitement. Even the usually calm Li the Hunter could not help but clench his fists.

They looked at Elder Chen with eyes full of admiration. This old man used his wisdom and courage to illuminate the way forward for them.

"Tianji Pavilion..." Doctor Zhang muttered to himself. This name was very unfamiliar to him, as if he had never heard of it before.

"Tianji Pavilion?" Luo Xiaoyu was also puzzled. "What is this place?"

Everyone looked at each other and said they had never heard of this place.

The man in white had a frown on his face and a deep gaze, as if he had thought of something, and his expression became extremely solemn.

At this moment, the secret door began to vibrate slightly, making a low "rumbling" sound, and the dust in the passage fell down.

The man in white suddenly raised his head, his eyes were like torches, and he said in a deep voice: "Not good..."

The secret door was shaking more and more violently, as if some giant beast was about to break out.

At the top of the passage, dust fell like snowflakes, and the air was filled with a choking smell of dust.

"What's going on?" Luo Xiaoyu exclaimed and grabbed Xiaohong's hand tightly, her knuckles turning white.

Xiaohong's face was pale and her lips were trembling, but she couldn't speak.

Fear was like an invisible hand, tightly strangling her throat.

Granny Lin was so frightened that she fell to the ground, muttering to herself, "God bless you, God bless you..."

Doctor Zhang adjusted his glasses, his eyes behind the lenses filled with fear.

He subconsciously took a few steps back, trying to find a place to hide.

Hunter Li tightly gripped the hunting knife in his hand and looked around vigilantly, ready to deal with any sudden danger at any time.

Elder Chen's face was solemn, his eyes fixed on the vibrating secret door, as if he was thinking about something.

At this moment, several dazzling rays of light suddenly shot out from the secret door.

These rays of light did not shoot straight out, but seemed to have life, twisting and circling in the air, attacking everyone. "Be careful!" The man in white shouted and stepped forward again.

He waved his wide sleeves, creating a gust of wind and trying to block the incoming light.

There was no fear on his face, only a look of determination.

Everyone hid behind the man in white and watched nervously.

The power of the light was so strong that even the man in white gradually couldn't resist it.

His sleeves were hit by the light, making a hissing sound, and a burning smell spread.

"No, the light is too strong!" The man in white clenched his teeth, and beads of sweat oozed out of his forehead.

Suddenly, one of the rays bypassed the white-clothed man's defense and headed straight for Xiaohong...

"Xiaohong!" Luo Xiaoyu exclaimed and wanted to rush forward, but was held back by Doctor Zhang.

"Don't go! It's too dangerous!" Doctor Zhang shouted.

At this critical moment, a figure suddenly appeared in front of Xiaohong and blocked the fatal
"It's you!"

The power of the light became stronger and stronger, and several charred holes were burned on the wide sleeves of the man in white. A pungent burnt smell filled the air.

His body began to shake, and his originally flowing clothes became disheveled.

The man in white groaned, and a trace of blood flowed from the corner of his mouth. It was obvious that he could no longer hold on.

When everyone saw the man in white in trouble, their hearts were in their throats.

Luo Xiaoyu grabbed Doctor Zhang's arm tightly, her nails almost digging into his flesh.

Doctor Zhang was not much better. His eyes behind his lenses were filled with anxiety and beads of sweat the size of beans were sliding down his temples.

Granny Lin clasped her hands together and kept muttering to herself, praying for God's blessing.

Hunter Li stared at the lights intently, gripping the hunting knife tighter in his hand, veins bulging on the back of his hand.

Elder Chen's expression became more solemn, his brows furrowed, and he seemed to be thinking about how to deal with the situation.

The secret door shook even more violently, making a loud rumbling sound, as if it would collapse at any time.

The dust in the passage became thicker, almost blocking everyone's vision.

Everyone was filled with despair, thinking they were going to be trapped here and die.

At this critical moment, a figure appeared in front of everyone like a ghost.

He was wearing a plain grey robe, his hair and beard were all white, but he looked energetic, and his deep eyes sparkled with wisdom.

It was the hermit Zhao who had instructed them before.

Hermit Zhao said nothing, but just waved his sleeves gently.

An invisible force instantly enveloped the entire passage, and the originally menacing lights dissipated docilely into the air like tamed beasts.

The vibration of the secret door gradually subsided, and the passage returned to calm.

Everyone was stunned at what was happening before their eyes.

They originally thought that they were doomed to die, but they did not expect that Zhao Yinshi could resolve the crisis so easily.

The joy of surviving the disaster and the awe of Zhao the Hermit were intertwined, making them unable to recover for a moment.

Zhao Yinshi glanced at the man in white with a hint of approval in his eyes, "You did a good job." Then, he turned his gaze to the secret door that had stopped vibrating, and said slowly: "It seems that it is time to open it..."

Hermit Zhao glanced at the man in white with a hint of approval in his eyes.

"You did a good job." The man in white bowed slightly to Hermit Zhao with a respectful expression.

Everyone looked at Zhao Yinshi curiously.
"The unusual movement of this secret door is related to an old secret." Zhao Yinshi spoke slowly, his voice low and magnetic, "But I don't want to reveal this secret easily."

When everyone heard this, they became anxious.

"Zhao Yinshi, please tell us!" Luo Xiaoyu was impatient and couldn't help but ask, "We really want to know the truth!"

"Yes, Hermit Zhao," Doctor Zhang also echoed, "The movement of this secret door is so drastic that it may endanger the safety of the entire village. We must know the truth before we can find a solution!"

Granny Lin also knelt down tremblingly and begged, "Zhao the Hermit, please tell us! I am old and not afraid of anything. I just want to keep the peace in the village!"

Although Elder Chen did not speak, his eyes were full of anticipation.

He understood that since Hermit Zhao mentioned an "ancient secret", this secret must be very important.

Faced with everyone's requests, Hermit Zhao fell into deep thought.

He paced slowly, his eyes sweeping over everyone, finally stopping on the tightly closed secret door.

His fingers gently stroked the ancient patterns on the secret door, as if he was feeling the vicissitudes of history.

After a long while, he slowly spoke: "Well, I will tell you part of the truth..."

Zhao the Hermit finally decided to tell part of the truth. His old voice, with a hint of ancient charm, echoed in the silent passage: "Behind this secret door, there are no monsters or demons as you think, but a piece of history that has been forgotten. Back then, in order to protect something of vital importance, someone set up many mechanisms here. This unusual movement is a sign that the mechanisms have been triggered." His words were like a thunderclap, splitting the fog in everyone's hearts and giving them a new understanding of what had happened before.

Everyone suddenly realized that the strange light before was not the work of evil spirits, but the power of the mechanism!
Their awe for Hermit Zhao instantly turned into heartfelt gratitude. They finally understood that this hermit was much more powerful than they had imagined.

The flame of hope was rekindled in their eyes, as if they saw a ray of light in the darkness and the road ahead suddenly became clear.

Zhao the Hermit's eyes were deep as he swept over the crowd. "However, this is not the whole truth. There is another key person who is closely related to all of this. His existence will determine the direction of this secret." Everyone's hearts were lifted again, and they began to speculate on the identity of this mysterious person. Who on earth could be connected with such a secret event?
The moment Zhao Yinshi finished saying this, the secret door stopped vibrating and the surroundings became silent, as if everything had returned to the starting point.

There was a faint smell of dust in the air, and the oppressive atmosphere dissipated.

At this moment, a melodious flute sound came from afar, as clear as a mountain spring, with a hint of mystery.

Everyone was attracted by the sudden sound of the flute. Their fear and confusion were replaced by curiosity.
Everyone was attracted by the sudden sound of the flute, and their original fear and confusion were replaced by curiosity.

There was a gleam in their eyes, as if they had discovered some treasure, and the desire to explore was burning in their hearts.

The sound of the flute was sometimes high-pitched and passionate, sometimes low and gentle, as if telling an ancient story, or guiding them in the direction of progress.

"Where does this flute sound come from?" Xiao Hong muttered to herself.
"Never mind, we'll know if we go over and take a look!" Luo Xiaoyu's tone was filled with excitement, and she couldn't wait to find out what was going on.

Everyone walked in the direction where the flute sound came from, unconsciously quickening their pace.

The surrounding trees became increasingly dense, blocking out the sun. The sunlight could only shine through the gaps between the leaves, forming mottled spots of light on the ground.

The air is filled with the fragrance of soil, mixed with a hint of unknown floral scent, refreshing.

Xiaohong was both excited and a little scared. She followed Luo Xiaoyu closely, fearing that she would be left behind.

She looked back from time to time, always feeling that something was watching her, which made her shudder.

The road became rugged and rocky, making it very difficult for people to walk.

Luo Xiaoyu was impatient and wanted to rush to the front, but was stopped by Granny Lin.

"Xiao Yu, don't be so impatient. Be careful not to fall!" There was a hint of blame in Grandma Lin's tone.

"Mother-in-law, I understand." Luo Xiaoyu replied impatiently.

As they continued to move forward, their worries grew.

Where on earth did this flute sound come from?

What is waiting for them ahead?

"Why is this road becoming more and more difficult to walk on..." Doctor Zhang said breathlessly, with beads of sweat oozing out of his forehead.

Just when everyone was at a loss, a man in white appeared in front of them silently.

He held a jade flute in his hand, his clothes fluttering in the wind, like a banished immortal.

The man in white smiled slightly, waved the jade flute in his hand lightly, and a white light flashed...

The man in white had fluttering sleeves, looking like a god descending.

He gently waved the jade flute in his hand, and a soft white light fell like a clear spring. Wherever it went, the originally rugged mountain road miraculously became flat and open, and the originally rugged rocks turned into soft grass.

Everyone was stunned, deeply shocked by this amazing scene. (End of this chapter)