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

Hunter Li and Blacksmith Zhao also put down their sticks.

The gray-robed old man took a deep breath and said, "Although your actions are excusable, your crime of killing innocent people is unforgivable!" He raised his hands and muttered something. A powerful force surged out of his body and turned into a golden light, enveloping Li Mo.

Li Mo let out a painful wail; his body was bound by the golden light and he could not move.

The golden light gradually dissipated, Li Mo's ability was sealed, and he collapsed to the ground like an empty shell without a soul.

Everyone felt relieved to see that justice was served.

They looked at the old man in gray robe. They knew that this old man was a fair man. He upheld justice and gave Li Mo the punishment he deserved.

After this incident, everyone's reputation became even more famous, their deeds were praised by people, and they received more respect.

Xiaohong slowly walked to the side of the man in white...

"We can finally...

"

Xiaohong slowly walked to the man in white, leaned gently on his arms, with crystal tears sparkling in her eyes.

"We can finally..." She choked up and couldn't utter a complete sentence.

The man in white hugged her gently, his chin rubbing against her hair, feeling each other's heartbeats.

"Yes, it's all over." His voice was low and magnetic, with a hint of relief.

After experiencing this thrilling crisis, the feelings between them became deeper, as if they had been tempered by fire, and became more indestructible.

The woman in yellow walked in front of the crowd, smiled slightly, and there was a hint of gratitude in her eyes.

"Thanks to all of you for your help this time, otherwise the consequences would be disastrous." Her voice was clear and pleasant, flowing like a clear spring in a mountain stream.

"No, no, we should thank you too." Luo Xiaoyu laughed heartily, "If you hadn't shown up in time, it would have been difficult for us to escape." Everyone nodded in agreement. They had established a deep friendship with the woman in yellow and were full of gratitude and trust towards each other.

Because they have experienced so much together, the friendship between them has become indestructible.

Luo Xiaoyu and Li Liehu patted each other on the shoulders and laughed, as if they had returned to their carefree childhood.

Granny Lin looked at everyone kindly with a gratified smile on her face.

Doctor Zhang calmly analyzed the causes and consequences of the incident and summarized the lessons learned for everyone.

Elder Chen stroked his beard, wisdom glittering in his eyes. He knew very well that this experience was a valuable growth opportunity for everyone.

The old man in gray robe slowly walked in front of the crowd, his eyes deep and distant.

"This mysterious space still has many more secrets waiting for you to explore." His voice was low and deep, with a hint of mystery.

"Your journey has just begun..." As soon as the old man finished speaking, everyone's hearts were filled with curiosity and expectation.

They know that their current strength is far from enough and they need to continue to learn and grow.

They decided to follow the gray-robed old man to explore more unknowns and meet new challenges.

"What exactly is waiting for us ahead?" Xiao Hong muttered to herself, looking firmly into the distance...

Everyone followed the gray-robed old man and embarked on a road leading to the unknown.

Luo Xiaoyu was jumping and skipping in the front, looking back from time to time to urge Grandma Lin who was lagging behind.

Doctor Zhang followed closely beside Grandma Lin, always paying attention to the old woman's safety.

Xiaohong's heart was full of curiosity and anticipation. She held the jade pendant tightly in her hand, feeling the warm touch from it.

Elder Chen stroked his beard, his eyes gleaming with wisdom, and he seemed to have a premonition of what was going to happen ahead.

Li the Hunter and Zhao the Blacksmith were in charge of the guard duty. They carefully observed the surrounding environment and protected the safety of the team.

Master Lingyin silently recited Buddhist scriptures and prayed for everyone.

Hunter Wang looked around curiously and was full of excitement about this expedition.

As everyone went deeper, the surrounding environment gradually became gloomy.

The tall trees blocked out the sun, making it difficult for the sun to penetrate, and the air was filled with a damp smell.

There are thick fallen leaves under my feet, which make a rustling sound when I step on them.

The calls of unknown birds one after another added a bit of eerie atmosphere.

Everyone started to get nervous. They unconsciously slowed down their pace and tightened their weapons.

Suddenly, a figure appeared in front of everyone and blocked their way.

It was a woman wearing a blue dress, with silver hair falling like a waterfall. The most eye-catching thing was her pair of blue eyes, which were flashing with an enchanting light.

"Who are you? Why did you break into my territory?" the woman spoke, her voice clear and pleasant, but with a hint of coldness.

Everyone was startled by this sudden situation and the atmosphere suddenly became tense.

The gray-robed old man took a step forward and tried to communicate with the woman: "Girl, we have no ill intentions, we just want to..."

"I don't care what your purpose is, just get out of here!" The woman interrupted the old man in gray robe, her tone firm and unquestionable.

Her blue eyes flashed dangerously and a powerful aura emanated from her.

The gray-robed old man wanted to say something, but was interrupted by the woman again: "Don't waste any more time, otherwise..." She didn't finish her words, but the threat was self-evident.

She slowly raised her slender hand, her fingertips flashing blue light...

The blue light at the blue-eyed fox demon's fingertips suddenly burst out, turning into sharp light blades that attacked everyone.

The light blade was extremely fast and everyone was unable to dodge it, so they were immediately forced into a panic.

Luo Xiaoyu screamed and was almost hit on the cheek by a beam of light. She hurriedly hid behind Doctor Zhang.

Granny Lin turned pale with fright. She clutched Doctor Zhang's arm tightly and trembled.

Li the Hunter and Zhao the Blacksmith waved their weapons, trying to block the light blades, but found that these light blades were like illusions and could not be touched at all.

The sound of Master Lingyin chanting Buddhist scriptures also became hurried, and the Buddhist beads in his hand emitted a faint golden light, barely resisting the attack of the light blade.

Everyone tried to fight back, but their attacks had no effect on the blue-eyed fox demon.

The arrow shot at the blue-eyed fox demon, and it went straight through as if it was shooting into the air.

Blacksmith Zhao swung the hammer, but it could only hit the air, making a dull sound.

Elder Chen's talisman also lost its effectiveness and turned into ashes that floated in the air.

In the chaos, Xiaohong accidentally tripped over a stone and fell heavily to the ground.

The jade pendant in her hand slipped out and fell to the ground with a crisp sound.

Seeing this, everyone became even more anxious.

Grandma Lin exclaimed: "Xiaohong!" Doctor Zhang didn't care about anything else and hurried to Xiaohong to check her injuries.

At this moment, the man in white who had been silent suddenly moved.

A powerful aura burst out from him, like a dazzling light, instantly illuminating the entire dark forest.

This power made the blue-eyed fox demon feel a little afraid. She involuntarily took a few steps back. The man in white took advantage of the moment when the blue-eyed fox demon was stunned and launched a fierce counterattack.

His figure was as fast as lightning, and he instantly appeared in front of the blue-eyed fox demon. A sharp sword appeared in his hand. With a flash of sword light, a blood mark appeared on the chest of the blue-eyed fox demon.

When everyone saw this scene, their morale was boosted. Xiaohong also struggled to stand up.
The blue-eyed fox demon covered her chest. She took a deep breath and her eyes gradually became cold. "Interesting, it seems that I underestimated you..."

The blue-eyed fox demon groaned, and blue light flowed from the wound on its chest, healing quickly.

She licked her lips, and the fierceness in her blue eyes became even brighter.

"Interesting, I haven't been this excited in a long time!" After she finished speaking, she flashed and turned into a blue phantom, faster than before, and her attacks were even more bizarre and unpredictable.

Everyone only felt a flash of blue light in front of their eyes and the whistling of wind in their ears, and they could not catch any trace of her at all.

Blade-like blue claws appeared out of nowhere and shuttled among the crowd, tearing their clothes and leaving bloodstains on their skin.

Luo Xiaoyu was unable to dodge and her arm was scratched by the light claws, causing a burning pain. She clenched her teeth and forced herself not to scream.

Upon seeing this, the gray-robed old man shouted loudly: "Don't panic! Form a defensive formation and cover each other!" Upon hearing this, everyone immediately followed the gray-robed old man's instructions, formed a circle, stood back to back, and protected Granny Lin and Xiaohong in the center.

Li the Hunter and Zhao the Blacksmith waved their weapons to fend off the light claws coming from all directions. Sparks flew and clanging sounds were heard incessantly.

Doctor Zhang was always paying attention to the injuries of the crowd, with silver needles flashing in his hands, ready to treat his injured companions at any time.

The attacks of the blue-eyed fox demon became more and more fierce, and everyone gradually felt powerless.

At this moment, Master Lingyin chanted a Buddhist name loudly, and the Buddhist beads in his hand shone brightly, forming a golden barrier that blocked all the attacks of the blue-eyed fox demon.

Only then did everyone get a chance to breathe and feel a little relieved.

Xiaohong looked at the man in white worriedly, and the man's eyes met hers. Granny Lin kindly stroked Luo Xiaoyu's injured arm and comforted her softly, caring for everyone like a loving mother. Everyone encouraged and supported each other, and in the crisis, the friendship became deeper and indestructible.

During the fierce battle, Elder Chen suddenly discovered that every time the blue-eyed fox demon launched a large-scale phantom attack, there would be a brief pause, as if it was accumulating strength.

He immediately told the gray-robed old man about his discovery.

The gray-robed old man's eyes lit up, and he shouted loudly: "Everyone, pay attention! The fox demon's weakness is the weak period after the phantom attack! Concentrate your strength and attack!"

Everyone was cheered up and took advantage of the pause when the blue-eyed fox demon launched another phantom attack. They worked together, concentrated all their strength on one point, and launched a fierce attack on the blue-eyed fox demon.

Bows and arrows, flying knives, talismans, and weapons poured down like a rainstorm.

The blue-eyed fox demon was unable to dodge and was hit several times. He staggered and let out a painful roar.

The blue-eyed fox demon gritted her teeth, held on to her body, and tried to attack again.

At this moment, she suddenly felt a powerful force approaching...

"How can it be……"

The blue-eyed fox demon screamed, and just before the overwhelming attack was about to engulf her, she turned into a blue light and disappeared into thin air.

The attack missed, stirring up a cloud of dust that filled the air and made everyone cough.

Everyone looked at each other in shock and confusion.

Where did the fox demon go?

The originally clear sky was covered by thick dark clouds at some point, the light became dim, and the surrounding trees seemed to be twisted and deformed, like ghosts with fangs and claws.

Thick fog came from nowhere and quickly enveloped the entire valley, making it impossible to see one's hand in front of one's face.

There was a strange fragrance in the air that made people dizzy.

The sound of the wind was howling, like ghosts and wolves, which was creepy.

Xiaohong clutched the sleeve of the man in white tightly, her fingertips were cold.

Luo Xiaoyu clenched the dagger in her hand and looked around vigilantly.

Granny Lin protected the two of them behind her, muttering something as if praying for the gods' protection.

Doctor Zhang had a frown on his face and his eyes were sharp, as if he was looking for some clues.

Li the Hunter and Zhao the Blacksmith stood back to back, weapons in hand, ready for battle.

Elder Chen and Master Lingyin closed their eyes and concentrated, as if they were feeling the energy fluctuations around them.

In the dark where no one could see, the black-robed wizard smiled grimly.

He held a black crystal ball in his hand and chanted an obscure spell.

The crystal ball emitted a strange purple light, which contrasted with the surrounding mist to form a huge magic circle.

The magic circle slowly rotated, emitting a powerful mental force, affecting everyone's perception.

"Ah!" Luo Xiaoyu suddenly screamed and stabbed Grandma Lin beside her with the dagger in her hand.

Granny Lin was caught off guard and nearly got stabbed.

"Xiao Yu, what are you doing!" Li the hunter grabbed Luo Xiaoyu's wrist and shouted harshly.

"She...she is not Granny Lin! She is a monster!" Luo Xiaoyu's eyes were dazed and she pointed at Granny Lin and shouted in horror.

"Nonsense! How could Granny Lin be a monster!" Li the Hunter shouted angrily.

"No, she is a monster! I saw with my own eyes that she turned into a giant spider!" Luo Xiaoyu struggled, her eyes full of fear.

At the same time, Doctor Zhang suddenly drew his sword and pointed it at Elder Chen: "Evildoer, don't try to confuse me!"

Elder Chen's face changed drastically: "Doctor Zhang, what do you mean?"

"What do you mean? You are playing tricks and misleading people. You deserve to be killed!" Doctor Zhang shouted angrily.

The gray-robed old man felt a sinking feeling in his heart when he saw this.

He realized that it was the magic of the black-robed wizard that was at work and that everyone had fallen into an illusion.

He quickly shouted loudly: "Everyone stop killing each other! This is an illusion! It's magic!"

However, his voice was drowned out by the shouting of the crowd.

"Help! There's a monster!"

"Kill! Kill them!"

"Don't come here! Don't come here!"

Everyone was caught in a frenzy of fighting, with swords flashing and blood and flesh flying everywhere.

The gray-robed old man looked solemn.

He took a deep breath, formed seals with his hands, and chanted a spell.

A powerful energy wave emanated from him, fighting against the black-robed wizard's magic circle.

"Ah..." A painful groan was heard, Xiaohong covered her chest, her face pale.

She saw...

Xiaohong saw that the man in white was stabbed in the chest with a sword, and the blood dyed the white clothes red. He fell to the ground in pain, and his eyes gradually became unfocused.

Xiaohong's heart seemed to be torn apart. She rushed towards the man in white desperately, but was pushed away by him.

"Go away! Don't worry about me!" said the man in white weakly.

Xiaohong's tears welled up in her eyes and she shook her head desperately, unwilling to leave.

Luo Xiaoyu saw herself surrounded by countless poisonous snakes, which were spitting out their tongues, making hissing sounds, and crawling towards her.

Luo Xiaoyu was so frightened that she waved her dagger but couldn't kill the poisonous snakes.

She felt desperate, as if she would be swallowed by a poisonous snake at any moment.

Granny Lin saw herself returning to her youth. Her husband and children had all died of a plague, and she was left alone in the world with no one to rely on.

Grandma Lin's heart was filled with sadness and pain. She hugged her child and cried bitterly.

Hunter Li found himself trapped in a dark cave, surrounded by the roars of wild beasts. He felt terrified and helpless, as if he would be torn to pieces by the wild beasts at the next moment.

Blacksmith Zhao saw himself tied to the stake, with raging fire burning his body. He felt severe pain, as if he would be burned to ashes in the next moment.

Everyone was struggling and suffering in hallucinations. They had lost their direction and hope.

"No! There's something wrong with this smell!" Suddenly, Doctor Zhang covered his mouth and nose and glanced around sharply.

He deals with medicinal herbs all year round and is extremely sensitive to various smells.

He discovered that, although the aroma in the air made him dizzy, it actually had a peculiar medicinal smell that he had seen in ancient books. It was a kind of incense that could disturb the mind.

When everyone heard this, they were all stunned and looked at Doctor Zhang.

Doctor Zhang pointed to an inconspicuous plant not far away and said, "That's it! This plant is called 'Illusion Heart Grass', and its pollen can cause hallucinations."

Everyone looked in the direction Doctor Zhang pointed, and sure enough, they saw a plant with small lavender flowers.

“So that’s how it is!” Master Lingyin suddenly realized. He immediately sat cross-legged and chanted a spell. A golden light emanated from his body and dispelled the fog around him.

As the fog dissipated, everyone's hallucinations gradually disappeared.

When they regained consciousness and saw that each other was safe and sound, they were filled with joy at having survived the disaster.

"Thank you, Doctor Zhang!" Everyone expressed their gratitude to Doctor Zhang.

Doctor Zhang smiled and said, "It's just a small favor."

Suddenly, a cold voice came from the air: "I didn't expect that you would be able to see through my illusion."

Everyone looked up and saw a man in a black robe and a mask floating in the air. In his hand was a black crystal ball that emitted a strange light.

"Who are you?" Elder Chen asked sternly.

The man in black robe sneered and said, "It doesn't matter who I am. What matters is that you all have to die!"

When the black-robed wizard saw that the illusion was broken, he let out a sharp cry, and the crystal ball shone brightly, turning into a black lightning that struck everyone.

Li the Hunter and Zhao the Blacksmith were the first to be hit. They felt a strong sense of oppression and could hardly breathe.

The lightning was so fast that the two men barely managed to dodge it, but a deep gully was split into the ground, which was charred black and emitted a pungent smell of sulfur. (End of this chapter)