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

Sweat soaked through the clothes, sticking tightly to the body, bringing waves of sticky discomfort.

Feelings of despair surged into their hearts like a tide, and they felt like a small boat in the ocean, which could be swallowed up by the huge waves at any time.

A phantom warrior brandished a sword and stabbed at Grandma Lin.

Seeing this, Luo Xiaoyu rushed forward without thinking and blocked the attack with her body.

"Puff——" a mouthful of blood spurted out, and Luo Xiaoyu's body fell down limply.

"Xiao Yu!" Everyone exclaimed and quickly surrounded her.

Grandma Lin stroked Luo Xiaoyu's cheek with trembling hands, tears streaming down her face.

"Child, why are you doing this..."

Xiaohong looked at Luo Xiaoyu lying in a pool of blood, tears welling up in her eyes.

Her lips trembled slightly, but no sound came out.

How she wanted to rush up and hug Luo Xiaoyu, but she knew that there was nothing she could do now.

Just when everyone thought they could only continue to fight to the death, resisting desperately, sweating profusely, and the sound of weapons colliding and soldiers roaring resounding throughout the space, Elder Chen suddenly exclaimed: "Wait! I think I found something!"

Everyone was stunned, and their eyes, filled with surprise and hope, all turned to Elder Chen.

He pointed at a phantom warrior and said excitedly: "Look, their movements... seem to be repeating some kind of ritual!"

"Ceremony?" Everyone was puzzled.

Elder Chen pointed at the actions of the phantom warriors and said word by word: "If we follow their actions..." He paused, staring at everyone with burning eyes, "Perhaps, we can stop this battle!"

Everyone looked at each other, their hearts filled with confusion and expectation.

"Then... let's give it a try?" Doctor Zhang asked tentatively.

With anxiety and hope in their hearts, everyone imitated the movements of the phantom warrior.

Sometimes they raised their arms, sometimes they bent their waists and knees. Although their movements seemed a little unfamiliar, they also revealed a firm strength.

As the last movement was completed, a miracle happened!

The phantom warriors stopped attacking as if they were under a spell of immobilization. The black mist emanating from their bodies gradually dissipated and finally turned into soft rays of light that poured into everyone's bodies.

A warm current rushed through their bodies, like a downpour after a long drought, nourishing their limbs and bones.

Xiaohong felt her body become extremely light, as if she could fly.

A hint of redness returned to Luo Xiaoyu's pale face, and she was surprised to find that the wound on her chest was slowly healing.

Li the Hunter waved his arms and felt his strength doubled, as if he could smash boulders with his bare hands.

The others felt similarly and cried out in surprise, their faces filled with joy at having survived a disaster.

"Success! We really succeeded!" Luo Xiaoyu jumped up excitedly, and her originally heavy breathing became light.

"It feels great! I feel full of strength!" She couldn't help but wave her fists, feeling the changes in her body.

Xiaohong also hugged Grandma Lin excitedly, her eyes moistened, and she choked up, "Grandma, we're okay, really okay!" Grandma Lin patted her on the back, a relieved smile on her face.

The surrounding space also seemed to feel the joy of the crowd. The floating light spots became brighter, illuminating the entire space like daylight.

Doctor Zhang clenched his fists tightly, feeling the power surging in his body. His original fatigue was swept away, replaced by an indescribable excitement.

Blacksmith Zhao couldn't help but let out a loud shout, venting his excitement, and roared like a lion.

The man in white carefully picked up the injured Luo Xiaoyu, with a hint of tenderness and concern in his eyes.

Xiaohong hurried forward to help and wiped the blood off Luo Xiaoyu's face with a clean cloth.

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At this moment, this strange space was filled with the joy of surviving a disaster and a warm atmosphere of mutual help and friendship, which swept away the tense atmosphere of the previous battle.

Everyone’s face was filled with bright smiles, they celebrated with each other, and their relationships became closer.

Suddenly, a mysterious old man slowly walked out of the void. With a deep gaze and a mysterious smile on his face, he said softly, "Kids, you are very good... But the real test has just begun."

Everyone passed through the layers of light screens and came to the center of the rune array.

A huge energy crystal was suspended in the air, emitting a soft light, like a huge night pearl, illuminating the entire space.

Mysterious runes flowed on the surface of the crystal, as if it contained endless energy. The powerful power fluctuations spread like ripples, making everyone feel palpitations.

"What is this?" Luo Xiaoyu widened her eyes and exclaimed.

"Such a powerful energy..." Doctor Zhang muttered to himself, with excitement flashing in his eyes.

Xiaohong held the hand of the man in white tightly, feeling the warmth from his palm, feeling both excited and nervous.

She could feel that this crystal contained great power, and perhaps it could change their fate.

Everyone approached the crystal cautiously, fearing to disturb this mysterious power.

As the distance got closer, they could feel the energy fluctuations of the crystal more clearly, like the beating of a heart, strong and powerful.

"This power... seems to be able to change our destiny..." Elder Chen said in a deep voice, with wisdom flashing in his eyes.

Everyone held their breath, stretched out their hands, and gently touched the surface of the crystal.

A powerful energy instantly surged into their bodies, flowing through their bodies like an electric current.

They felt an unprecedented power surging in their bodies, as if they had unlimited possibilities.

However, just as everyone was immersed in the joy of this power, something strange happened.

Their bodies suddenly showed some strange reactions. Weird runes appeared on their skin, flashing red light, as if something was resisting this power.

"Ah!" Luo Xiaoyu screamed, quickly retracted her hand, and looked at the runes on her arm in horror.

Others also noticed the abnormalities in their bodies and showed expressions of horror on their faces.

They had no idea what the consequences of this reaction would be, but the sense of danger was growing stronger, as if something terrible was about to happen.

"This...what's going on?" Xiao Hong asked in a trembling voice.

"I... I don't know..." The man in white had a serious expression on his face.

Everyone looked at each other, their hearts filled with confusion and fear.

They don't know what will happen next, but they know that they are about to face new challenges...

"My body...can't be controlled anymore..." Blacksmith Zhao clenched his teeth, his body shaking more and more violently.

"This power... is so terrifying..." Doctor Zhang turned pale and sweat poured down his face.

The array attacked.

Luo Xiaoyu looked at the ever-expanding rune on his arm in horror, and whispered tremblingly: "What the hell is this thing..." The others were not much better. They looked at each other in panic, fear in their eyes.

The energy crystals around them flickered, sometimes brighter and sometimes darker, and a suffocating sense of oppression filled the air, as if foreshadowing that a greater danger was approaching.

"Everyone, try to suppress it with your own strength!" Elder Chen shouted at the top of his lungs.

Everyone quickly concentrated their minds and tried to mobilize the strength in their bodies, but this energy was like a drop in the ocean, disappearing without a trace.

Panic spread rapidly like a plague, and despair was written all over everyone's face.

Suddenly, the energy fluctuations of the crystal intensified, and a powerful backlash force erupted. Everyone was knocked to the ground and screams rang out one after another.

Doctor Zhang was unable to dodge and was hit by the energy wave, crashing into the stone wall with a trace of blood flowing from the corner of his mouth.

At the critical moment, the man in white flashed out, formed seals with his hands, and a powerful magic power instantly surged out, forming a barrier to block the impact of energy.

The space around them flickered due to the fluctuation of magic power. Granny Lin looked at the man in white anxiously, her lips trembling, but she could not make any sound.

The man in white had a solemn expression, beads of sweat dripping down his forehead, and his magic barrier was shaky under the powerful energy impact. "If this continues... I can't hold on..." He gritted his teeth and said with difficulty.

The burning sensation of the scarlet rune became more and more intense, as if thousands of steel needles were piercing into the bone marrow, causing everyone to almost faint from the pain.

The energy shocks came wave after wave, as if to tear their bodies apart. Their internal organs were displaced and they groaned as they could not bear the heavy burden.

Despair swallowed them like an abyss. Helplessness and fear were written all over everyone's face. Their bodies trembled uncontrollably and their clothes were soaked with sweat. The air was filled with a strong smell of blood and despair.

"Ah--!" Luo Xiaoyu could no longer hold on. She let out a scream, her eyes rolled back, and she fell heavily to the ground.

The runes on her arms seemed to come alive at this moment, and the scarlet light kept jumping, like flames burning on her skin.

Everyone exclaimed and quickly surrounded her, calling her name anxiously, but there was no response.

The atmosphere was extremely depressing, as if an invisible hand had strangled everyone's throat, making even breathing difficult.

Xiaohong looked at the unconscious Luo Xiaoyu and could no longer hold back her tears, which welled up in her eye sockets and rolled down her cheeks.

She bit her lips tightly, trying her best to control her emotions and not let herself collapse. The pain and anxiety in her heart surged like a tide, almost drowning her.

At this moment, Elder Chen suddenly seemed to have thought of something, and he shouted excitedly: "No! This doesn't seem like a backlash, this is the energy crystal testing us! As long as we are determined, we can overcome it!" Although his voice was a little trembling, it was full of power, like a flash of lightning in the dark night, illuminating everyone's confusion.

When everyone heard this, it was as if they had been enlightened, and they woke up instantly.

Only then did they realize that this was not simply a backlash of energy, but a test of their will by the energy crystal.

Before, they were in fear and overwhelmed.

Now they must pick themselves up and fight this energy with their firm will!

"Yes, that's right!" Doctor Zhang was the first to react, and the fire of hope was rekindled in his eyes.

He took a deep breath, slowly closed his eyes, felt the power surging in his body, and tried to control those restless runes.

Then, Li the Hunter, Zhao the Blacksmith, and Granny Lin...

They all adjusted their mindsets, tried to calm their inner fears, and began to strengthen their will.

Confident smiles appeared on their faces again, and their bodies were gradually adapting to the impact of energy.

The surrounding space seemed to gradually become brighter because of their changes.

The man in white held Xiaohong's hand tightly, and the warmth of his palm conveyed firmness and strength.

Xiaohong raised her eyes, her eyes as gentle as water, staring into the deep eyes of the man in white, where her figure was reflected, full of endless love and protection.

She felt a warm current surging through her body, and her fear receded like the tide, replaced by full trust and dependence.

This is the power of love, which gives her unlimited courage in times of crisis.

Li the Hunter's honest face was full of worry. He carefully helped the unconscious Luo Xiaoyu up and gently wiped the sweat from her forehead with his rough fingertips.

He held Luo Xiaoyu gently in his arms, like his own sister, letting her lean on his warm chest, and whispered to her comfortingly: "Don't be afraid, I'm here."

The ruins that were once filled with despair and fear are now filled with a warm feeling of mutual help and friendship.

Everyone is no longer fighting alone, but is united together, supporting each other and facing the current difficulties together.

Their eyes were filled with hope, and their bodies gradually adapted to the impact of this energy as their will became stronger.

However, just when everyone thought that they could successfully absorb energy as long as they had a firm will, something strange happened.

The energy crystal suddenly vibrated violently, and the light became even brighter, releasing dazzling light like a small sun.

Then, several cracks appeared on the surface of the crystal, and several small crystals separated from the mother body, flying towards the crowd with dazzling light.

This sudden change caught everyone off guard. They looked at the little crystal flying towards them in surprise, shock and confusion written all over their faces.

I originally thought that as long as I persisted, I could overcome the difficulties, but now new changes have occurred. Is this a test or a crisis?

Everyone's eyes followed those tiny crystals closely, their hearts filled with doubts and a hint of curiosity.

They subconsciously stretched out their hands and carefully caught the small crystals that were emitting soft light.

The small crystal was as smooth as jade, but it carried a strange energy fluctuation.

The man in white was the first to feel the slight vibration coming from the crystal in his hand. He frowned and was about to speak when he heard a puzzled whisper from beside him:

"This is……"

The moment the small crystal came into his hand, a warm current spread from the palm of his hand to his whole body. The originally restless scarlet runes seemed to have found a home and merged gently into his body, perfectly matching his own strength.

Everyone was surprised to find that the energy that was originally difficult to control was now at their fingertips, and the power had made a qualitative leap compared to before.

Excitement and nervousness intertwined, they felt unprecedentedly powerful, yet a little uneasy about this sudden power.

Doctor Zhang was the first to try. He injected his true energy into the small crystal in his hand. The crystal glowed brightly, and a stream of pure energy was fed back into his body, repairing his previously damaged meridians.

He was pleasantly surprised to find that not only had his injuries healed, but his inner energy had also become more refined and powerful, as if he were ten years younger.

Others also tried it. Li the Hunter felt a powerful force surging into his body. He waved the hunting knife in his hand. The blade cut through the air, making a sharp whistling sound. The power was several times greater than before.

Blacksmith Zhao felt as if he had infinite power. He swung the hammer and easily smashed a huge block of iron into thin slices, sparks flying and making a deafening sound.

Granny Lin felt a warm energy enveloping her. Her originally hunched body straightened a little. She felt full of energy, as if she had returned to her youth.

Xiaohong and the man in white looked at each other, both of them with surprise and expectation in their eyes.

They simultaneously injected their true energy into the small crystals in their hands. The two crystals emitted dazzling light, and a powerful energy surrounded the two of them, forming an energy vortex.

They felt a powerful force tightly connecting them together, as if their minds were connected, and their strength was multiplied.

As everyone's power increased, the runes within the rune array began to change.

The originally dim runes gradually lit up, emitting dazzling light and resonating with each other. The entire rune array seemed to come alive, emitting a buzzing sound.

The light became stronger and stronger, almost blinding everyone's eyes. The vibrations became more and more violent, the ground began to shake, and everyone felt dizzy, with a strong sense of uneasiness rising in their hearts.

They didn't know what consequences this resonance would bring, but the feeling of danger was growing stronger, as if something terrible was about to happen.

"This...what's going on?" Luo Xiaoyu woke up slowly, looked at the dazzling light and violent vibration in front of her, and asked in horror.

Elder Chen's face was solemn, his eyes were fixed on the changes in the rune array, and he said in a deep voice: "I don't know, but it's definitely not a good thing..."

A strong light burst out, and the rune array was blazing white. Everyone's eyes were blurred and they could not see anything clearly.

The buzzing sound in their ears was deafening, as if thousands of huge hammers were hitting their heads.

A powerful force bound them tightly, and their bodies were unable to move, like insects trapped in amber.

Fear surged like a tide, and Luo Xiaoyu tightly grasped Xiaohong's hand, her fingertips were cold and trembling.

The surrounding runes flickered more violently, flickering like breathing, and each flicker was accompanied by a strong energy fluctuation.

There was a strange energy in the air, stimulating everyone's skin and causing waves of tingling.

The dangerous atmosphere became increasingly strong, making it almost impossible for everyone to breathe.

An ominous premonition hung over everyone's heart, as if something terrible was about to happen.

Suddenly, puppets shining with rune light emerged from the rune array.

They have different shapes, some are human-like, some are like beasts, but without exception they all exude a cold murderous aura.

These rune puppets brandished weapons made of runes, emitted sharp whistling sounds, and launched a fierce attack on everyone.

Caught off guard, everyone was hit.

Although Blacksmith Zhao was strong, he was unable to withstand the puppet's fierce attack. He was accidentally hit in the chest, groaned, and staggered back a few steps.

Blood flowed from the corner of his mouth, staining his clothes red. (End of this chapter)