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

The sound of the flute was clear and pleasant, like a clear spring in the mountains, flowing slowly and cleansing their souls.

However, the sound of the flute has a strange meaning, as if it comes from a distant void, making it elusive.

Everyone looked at each other, their hearts full of confusion, wondering what secret was hidden behind the flute sound.

As the sound of the flute drifted, the atmosphere around became weird.

The originally calm space began to show slight fluctuations, just like a stone thrown into a calm lake, causing ripples.

There was an indescribable atmosphere in the air, which was depressing and mysterious, making people feel a little uneasy.

The palace in the distance also became blurred, as if hidden in the fog, making it difficult to see its true appearance.

Xiaohong held the treasure tightly in her hand, with a vigilant light flashing in her eyes.

She felt an uneasy presence approaching, but couldn't pinpoint its source.

The man in white slowly drew out his sword, with the tip of the sword pointing straight ahead, and a fierce murderous intent emanating from his body.

His eyes were sharp as he scanned the surroundings, always ready to meet the upcoming challenges.

Luo Xiaoyu clenched her fists, and the sound of the flute gradually became low, as if it was a call from hell, making people feel creepy.

Elder Chen frowned, as if he realized something, while Master Lingyin clasped his hands together and chanted a low spell, trying to calm everyone down.

Everyone stopped talking. They held their breath and looked in the direction where the sound of the flute came from. There, a vague figure was gradually emerging...

The flute sounds are elusive, like the whisper of a ghost, leading everyone into an unknown realm.

They moved forward cautiously, every step felt like walking on the edge of a knife, their eyes alert, like cheetahs in the dark night, ready to respond to sudden danger at any time.

The surrounding scenery changed with the rhythm of the flute music. The shadows of the trees swayed like ghosts. The air was filled with a strange fragrance, sometimes fragrant, sometimes decayed, which made people feel uneasy.

The man in white walked in the front, the long sword in his hand flashing with cold light. His sharp eyes swept around, like a sheepdog guarding the flock, ready to dispel potential danger at any time.

As they went deeper, they came to a foggy forest.

The thick fog rolled like a monster with bared fangs and claws, swallowing everything.

Luo Xiaoyu was impatient and wanted to rush into the fog, but was stopped by Doctor Zhang.

"Reckless! This fog is strange, don't enter rashly!" Doctor Zhang shouted in a low voice with a hint of warning in his tone.

"But the flute sound came from inside!" Luo Xiaoyu said unwillingly.

Hunter Li picked up a stone and threw it into the fog.

The stone did not make the expected sound of falling to the ground. Instead, it made a strange friction sound in the fog, as if some creature was gnawing at the stone, which was creepy.

Everyone was startled, realizing that there were unknown dangers hidden in the fog.

The man in white had his inner energy surging throughout his body, trying to dispel the fog.

However, the fog not only did not dissipate, but became even thicker, like an enraged beast, roaring and sweeping towards everyone.

The sound of the flute was getting closer and clearer, as if it was echoing in my ears.

"Oh no! Something is coming!" Elder Chen exclaimed, his face becoming solemn.

In the mist, dark shadows flickered and approached everyone with creepy roars...

"Protect Xiaohong and the treasure!" The man in white shouted in a low voice and swung his sword. A sharp sword energy cut through the fog, but only a shrill scream was heard, followed by dead silence.

"What is this?" Luo Xiaoyu asked in horror, with a trembling voice.

No one answered, only the roar that was getting closer and the flute sounds that were getting more and more urgent, interweaving together, like death notes, beating everyone's heart.

Suddenly, a cold hand grabbed Xiaohong's shoulder...

The cold hand came from Grandma Lin. Her old hand was trembling as she held Xiaohong tightly. Her old voice carried a hint of fear in the fog: "Child, don't be afraid. Grandma is here." In the fog, shadowy black shadows surged like a tide, making terrifying roars.

Everyone was waving their weapons, but it seemed like they were fighting against the air. The fog obscured their vision and they could only hear the sound of sharp claws tearing through the air and the screams of their companions.

The man in white was as fast as lightning, the sword flashed, and every time he swung it, it took away a dark shadow.

But he was a human body after all. Under the endless attacks, his movements began to slow down, his breathing became rapid, and beads of sweat the size of beans appeared on his forehead.

His body swayed slightly, as if he would fall down at any moment.

Xiaohong was extremely anxious when she saw the man in white gradually losing his strength.

She wanted to rush over to help him, but was held tightly by Granny Lin.

"Don't go, child, it's too dangerous!" Grandma Lin's voice was trembling, but with unquestionable firmness.

However, Xiaohong still broke free from Grandma Lin's hand. She couldn't bear to watch the man in white fall into danger.

She shouted the name of the man in white loudly, and her voice echoed in the fog, but she received no response.

In a panic, she was knocked to the ground by the surging black shadows and was separated from the crowd.

"Man in white! Mother-in-law! Luo Xiaoyu!" She shouted at the top of her lungs, her voice filled with fear and despair.

Everyone's morale dropped further with Xiaohong's disappearance.

They were flying around in the fog like headless flies, the roar of the black shadows and the screams of their companions echoing in their ears, and fear was like a poisonous snake winding around their hearts.

Elder Chen tried hard to stay calm. He tried to use his rich knowledge and experience to find a way to deal with the situation, but found that everything here was beyond his understanding.

What are these dark shadows?
What is this strange fog?
He was puzzled and felt powerless.

Just when everyone was about to despair, the reckless Luo Xiaoyu suddenly calmed down.

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, as if she was feeling something.

Everyone looked at her in surprise, not understanding what she was going to do.

Luo Xiaoyu groped in the mist following her intuition, and her hand touched a soft plant that exuded a faint fragrance.

She picked a leaf, put it to her nose and sniffed it, and her eyes lit up.

"This is the fog-repelling grass!" Luo Xiaoyu exclaimed in surprise, "Burning its leaves can dispel the fog!"

Everyone looked at her doubtfully, but Luo Xiaoyu took out a tinder without hesitation and lit the fog-repelling grass in her hand.

A strange fragrance spread out, and the surrounding fog actually began to slowly dissipate...

"Hurry, let's find the fog-repelling grass together!" Doctor Zhang was the first to react and shouted excitedly.

The flame of hope was rekindled in everyone's hearts, and they began to look for fog-repelling grass.

At this moment, a dark shadow suddenly emerged from the mist and rushed towards Luo Xiaoyu...

"careful!"

The strange fragrance of the fog-repelling grass spread in the mist, like a sharp blade, peeling off the thick fog layer by layer, revealing the vague forest behind it.

Everyone excitedly used their hands and feet to frantically pick the fog-repelling grass. The flames jumped, illuminating their sweat-soaked faces.

The air was filled with the distinctive smell of burning grass and wood, which was completely different from the previous disturbing smell of decay, and this made them feel very excited.

As the fog-repelling grass was lit one by one, the fog dissipated at an unprecedented speed, gradually revealing the outline of the forest.

They followed Luo Xiaoyu closely, shuttling between the woods, holding the fragrant fog-repellent grass in their hands, as if holding the hope of life.

Finally, when the last piece of fog dissipated, the view in front of everyone suddenly became clear, and an ancient altar appeared before their eyes. In the center of the altar, an old man with white hair and beard sat cross-legged, holding an ancient jade flute in his hand.

The melodious flute sound came from his flute, clear and deep, cleansing their souls like a clear spring.

"We're out!" Hunter Li waved his fist excitedly, his voice filled with relief for surviving the disaster.

"It's that old man!" Doctor Zhang pointed at the old man in the center of the altar.
Everyone cheered and hugged each other, celebrating their escape from the danger of the fog.

Their faces were filled with excitement, enthusiasm, and anticipation for the mystery to be solved.

They felt that they were one step closer to the truth.

At this moment, Xiaohong's figure appeared in front of everyone.

She was dressed in rags and had a look of fear on her face, but when she saw the figure in white, a look of surprise immediately appeared on her face.

She ran towards the man in white and threw herself into his arms. The man in white hugged Xiaohong tightly, gently stroked her soft hair, and a gentle smile appeared on his face, like the warm sunshine in winter.

After the disaster, love flowed between the two. Luo Xiaoyu also hugged everyone tightly. Everyone shouted excitedly, sharing the joy of surviving the disaster. Their feelings for each other became closer, like steel tempered in the fire, becoming indestructible.

They cherish each other even more because they have experienced a life-and-death test together and witnessed each other's bravery and tenacity.

Everyone's eyes were once again focused on the old man on the altar. He still had his eyes closed and gently played the jade flute in his hand. The melodious flute sound echoed in the air, as if telling an ancient secret.

They walked slowly towards the old man, their hearts full of anticipation, waiting for him to reveal the truth behind the flute sound.

"Old man..." Elder Chen just opened his mouth, but saw the old man slowly raised his head, revealing a pair of deep eyes.

His eyes swept across the crowd and a strange smile appeared at the corner of his mouth. Just as everyone was astonished, the old man's figure suddenly dissipated like foam, leaving only the still echoing flute sound, lingering in the empty altar for a long time.

With confusion and expectation, everyone walked cautiously towards the center of the altar.

The altar is paved with huge bluestone slabs. After years of baptism, the surface is covered with traces of vicissitudes.

The air is filled with a faint scent of sandalwood mixed with the fragrance of soil, which is refreshing.

However, just as everyone was about to approach the old man, his figure rippled like water waves, gradually becoming transparent, and finally disappeared without a trace.

Only a puzzle written in ancient characters remained, flickering with a faint light and suspended above the altar.

"Disappeared? How could this happen?" Luo Xiaoyu exclaimed, her eyes wide open in disbelief.

Everyone looked at each other in bewilderment. They had originally thought that they could learn the secret of the flute sound from the old man, but they did not expect this result.

The puzzle suspended above the altar was like an insurmountable chasm that stood before them.

"This puzzle... seems to be written in some ancient language." Elder Chen narrowed his eyes, carefully deciphering the words on the puzzle with a frown.

He was well-read and proficient in various ancient scripts, but he had never seen the words on the puzzle before, which left him confused.

"Let me try!" Doctor Zhang stepped forward. He was well versed in medicine and had also done some research on various rare herbs and mysterious symbols.

He looked at the puzzle carefully, trying to find some clues.

Granny Lin prayed silently, asking the gods to bless them so that they can solve the mystery and find the truth.

Xiaohong snuggled up to the man in white.

Everyone was thinking hard about the puzzle, and the atmosphere became solemn.

As time passed, the puzzle remained like an impregnable fortress, quietly suspended above the altar, emitting a mysterious glow.

Just when everyone was about to give up, Elder Chen suddenly exclaimed: "I know! This is a long-lost hieroglyphic script, and each symbol represents a natural phenomenon!"

As Elder Chen explained, the symbols on the puzzle gradually became clearer.

Everyone suddenly realized that the puzzle was not a text, but a picture depicting the laws governing the operation of heaven and earth.

Just when everyone was about to solve the puzzle, the ground around the altar suddenly shook violently with a loud rumbling sound, as if some huge power was awakening deep underground.

The light on the altar began to flicker, like a candle swaying in the wind, which could go out at any time.

"What's going on?" Li the Hunter shouted in horror, with a hint of trembling in his voice.

Everyone looked around in confusion, only to find that the surrounding trees began to shake violently and the leaves were falling, as if it was raining green rain.

There was a suffocating feeling of oppression in the air, as if something terrible was about to happen.

"Be careful!" The man in white protected Xiao Hong behind him, watching the changes around him with vigilant eyes, and said in a deep voice, "It's getting dangerous here..."

The earth was shaking and everything around the altar was trembling violently, as if it would collapse at any time.

But everyone stood firm, their eyes fixed firmly on the flickering puzzle above the altar.

The light flickered, as if mocking their helplessness, yet also as if enticing them to continue exploring.

The air was filled with the smell of dust, which made people cough continuously, but no one backed down. They knew that solving the puzzle was the only way out.

"Everyone be careful!" The man in white protected Xiaohong behind him and looked around vigilantly.

He keenly felt that danger was approaching and there was an uneasy atmosphere in the air.

The trees shook more violently, and the leaves fell like raindrops, making a rustling sound, like the whisper of death.

As the environment changes, the puzzle also begins to change. The originally clear symbols become blurred and distorted, as if interfered by an invisible force.

"I think we should try this method!" Luo Xiaoyu pointed at a symbol on the puzzle and said hurriedly, "Maybe this is the key!"

"No! It's too risky!" Elder Chen objected immediately, "We must act cautiously, otherwise the consequences will be disastrous!"

The two argued and the atmosphere became increasingly tense.

At this moment, a mysterious force suddenly struck, and the stones around the altar exploded one after another. The flying debris cut everyone's clothes, and blood seeped out.

"Ah!" Li the Hunter screamed and fell to the ground, covering his arm.

Blacksmith Zhao waved the hammer in his hand and struggled to resist the attack, beads of sweat the size of beans rolling down his forehead.

"Let me help you!" Doctor Zhang hurried forward and wanted to bandage Li the Hunter's wound, but found that he could hardly protect himself.

The attacks became more and more fierce, and everyone was exhausted from dealing with them, with wounds all over their bodies.

The man in white had a stern look in his eyes. He pushed Xiaohong to Granny Lin's side and whispered, "Protect her!"

After saying that, he leaped up and stood in front of everyone.

The sword in his hand emitted a dazzling light, like an indestructible barrier, protecting everyone behind him.

"Hold on!" The man in white gritted his teeth and resisted the attack.
Suddenly, the light on the altar disappeared and the surroundings fell into darkness.

"Not good!" Elder Chen exclaimed, "This..."

The wind was howling, sand and rocks were flying, and the mysterious force was biting everyone like a ferocious beast.

The white clothes of the man in white have been stained red with blood, and the sword in his hand has lost its former luster and is now dim.

He felt his strength draining away quickly and his vision went dark for a while, but he still held on tightly, using up his last bit of strength to protect the people behind him.

Xiaohong hid behind Grandma Lin, looking at the injured people, her eyes blurred with tears.

She tightly grasped the treasure in her hand, heartbroken.

Could it be that all this is because of this treasure?
Is this what is called destiny?

She began to doubt herself and the meaning of this journey.

Master Lingyin sat cross-legged, muttering something, trying to suppress this mysterious power with Buddhist teachings.

However, that power was so strong that even a high-level monk would find it difficult to resist it.

A trace of blood flowed from the corner of Master Lingyin's mouth, and his face was as pale as paper.

The morale of the crowd was at its lowest point, and a feeling of despair spread.

At this moment, Granny Lin, who had been silent all the time, stood up tremblingly.

She took out a small object wrapped tightly in cloth from her arms and opened it carefully.

Everyone looked at her in confusion, not understanding what she was going to do.

"What is this...?" Luo Xiaoyu asked curiously.

Granny Lin didn't answer, but just raised the small object in her hand high.

It was an ancient jade pendant with strange symbols carved on it, which were somewhat similar to the puzzle symbols on the altar.

"This... this is..." Elder Chen's eyes widened, looking at the jade pendant in Granny Lin's hand in disbelief, "Could it be... Could it be that this is..."

A powerful force emanated from the small object, echoing the power on the altar.

The symbols on the altar began to rearrange themselves, emitting a dazzling light.

Everyone seemed to have grasped a life-saving straw, and hope rekindled in their eyes.

"We...we have hope!" Doctor Zhang said excitedly.

Everyone united and began to reinterpret the puzzle with the help of Granny Lin.

Xiaohong wiped away her tears, stared at the altar with a firm gaze, her heart full of hope. (End of this chapter)