We agreed that you, a weak strategist, would fight against three heroes by yourself?

The man in white gently picked up Luo Xiaoyu, and her slender body looked particularly petite in his arms.

Xiaohong hurried forward and carefully supported Luo Xiaoyu's head. Doctor Zhang quickly stepped forward, put his fingers on Luo Xiaoyu's pulse, frowned, took out the medicine bottle from his arms, and skillfully applied the medicine to her wound. A cool breath spread over her wound.

Granny Lin clasped her hands together, muttering something, praying that Luo Xiaoyu would be safe. Her face was full of love and worry. She had paid too much for this battle.

The air was filled with the fragrance of herbs, intertwined with the joy of everyone surviving the disaster, creating a warm and powerful atmosphere.

Everyone worked together to integrate life force into the rune elf, which suddenly burst out with dazzling light, as blinding as the sun. This light was like a sharp arrow that instantly pierced through the darkness and rushed straight towards the monster.

The monster let out an earth-shattering scream, the sound was shrill and desperate, as if it came from the abyss of hell.

Its body began to disintegrate under the light, and the black mist continued to dissipate, eventually turning into nothingness.

Seeing this, everyone was overjoyed, with excited smiles on their faces.

They hugged each other, cheered and celebrated this hard-earned victory.

The surrounding space also became brighter because of everyone's emotions, full of hope and vitality.

They felt that they had finally defeated this powerful enemy, and a sense of accomplishment and pride arose in their hearts. This was not the work of one person, but the result of everyone's joint efforts.

As the monster disappeared, the cave began to return to calm, the rubble stopped falling, and the ground stopped shaking.

Suddenly, a faint call sounded in the cave: "You... hurry up..."

The voice was low and weak, yet it carried an indescribable sense of urgency. Everyone looked in the direction of the voice and saw that the mysterious old man had opened his eyes.

As the monster disappeared, the darkness in the cave gradually receded, the rubble on the top of the cave stopped falling, and the ground returned to calm.

The mysterious old man's voice was low and weak, but it carried an indescribable sense of urgency. He struggled to get up from the ground, with a gleam in his eyes: "You... go quickly..."

Everyone gathered around the mysterious old man. Xiao Hong asked with concern: "Old man, what do you mean? We are safe now, why do we have to leave?" The mysterious old man took a deep breath and said with his last bit of strength: "Hurry up and leave here, leave the... ruins here. A bigger change is about to happen here. You must leave immediately to save your lives."

Hearing this, everyone's faces turned serious.

They looked around the cave and found that the walls around them began to emit a strange light, as if some power was quietly awakening.

Xiaohong's nerves were tense. She felt a dangerous atmosphere in the air, but she didn't know where it came from.

Doctor Zhang quickly checked Luo Xiaoyu's condition. Seeing that her breathing was stable and her life was not in danger for the time being, he nodded and indicated that she could leave immediately.

At this moment, the ground deep in the cave suddenly trembled slightly, as if something was crawling beneath the ground.

The man in white walked forward and gently touched the surface of the treasure chest.

The treasure chest made a slight sound and slowly opened.

Inside was a gem that emitted a strange light. There seemed to be a force of energy constantly rotating in the center of the gem, which was dazzling to the eyes.

There is also an ancient scroll on the side. The cover of the scroll is engraved with dense words in ancient runes, which looks particularly mysterious.

Everyone looked at the gems and scrolls with puzzled expressions on their faces.

Xiao Hong whispered, "What are these? What secrets are hidden behind them?" Doctor Zhang took out a piece of cloth from his arms, carefully wrapped the gems and scrolls, and handed them to the man in white: "These items don't look simple. Let's take them back and study them. Maybe we can find some clues."

The mysterious treasure chest and the strange items inside it herald the arrival of new opportunities and challenges.

There is an indescribable tension and anticipation in the air, and everyone's hearts seem to be pulled by some unknown force, and they are about to embark on a new journey.

Everyone sat around the treasure chest, their eyes fixed on the gems and ancient scrolls.

The gem emits a strange light, and there seems to be a force of energy constantly rotating in the center, which is dazzling.

On the cover of the ancient scroll, ancient runes are densely packed, as mysterious as a heavenly book.

Everyone's face was filled with confusion, a mixture of curiosity and caution.

The surroundings were so quiet that only the sound of each other's breathing could be heard. There was a tense atmosphere in the air, as if it was a taut string that could break at any time.

Xiaohong could no longer suppress her curiosity. She slowly stretched out her hand, wanting to touch the gem that was emitting a strange light.

However, just as her fingertips were about to touch the gem, an invisible force pushed her away.

Xiaohong screamed and staggered back a few steps.

Everyone was startled and looked around vigilantly, but found nothing.

Suddenly, a figure jumped out from the dense forest, breaking the eerie silence.

The man was wearing a gray robe and a bamboo hat. His face could not be seen clearly, and he was holding a tattered book tightly in his hand.

He stared greedily at the gems and ancient scrolls in the treasure chest, and said in a hoarse and urgent voice: "Hand over the gems and ancient scrolls!"

Everyone was immediately furious.

The man in white stepped forward without hesitation, standing in front of the crowd, staring coldly at the man in gray.

The atmosphere suddenly became tense and ready to explode.

The gray-robed man sneered and pulled out a strange-looking weapon from his arms, which was flashing with a faint cold light.

"Hand it over if you know what's best for you, otherwise..." He was interrupted by Granny Lin before he could finish his threatening words.

"How dare you snatch treasures in broad daylight? Do you have any law to uphold?" Granny Lin scolded righteously, her cloudy eyes emitting a cold light without any fear.

The others echoed his words, and their momentum was no less than that of the man in gray robe.

The man in gray seemed to be shocked by Granny Lin's courage and was stunned for a moment.

But he quickly came to his senses, "If you don't accept my toast, I'll punish you!" He suddenly raised the weapon in his hand...

Black smoke shot out from the ancient scroll scholar's hands like a poisonous snake and rushed towards the crowd.

A strong fishy smell instantly spread, choking everyone to the point of tears.

Blacksmith Zhao was the first to be hit. He roared, raised the heavy hammer in his hand, and smashed it hard at the black mist.

With a loud "clang" sound, sparks flew, and the iron hammer collided with the black mist, making a harsh metal friction sound.

Seeing this, Li the Hunter, who was watching from the side, was so surprised that his eyes almost popped out of his head and his mouth opened so wide that an egg could fit in.

Seeing this, the man in white quickly chanted a spell, and a golden light shot out from his hand and collided with the black mist.

The sizzling sound was like cold water dripping into a frying pan, which was creepy.

However, the black mist was like a living thing, nimbly dodging the golden light's attack. The ancient scroll scholar even laughed contemptuously: "What a trifle!"

At this moment, the mysterious old man who had been silent moved.

His figure flashed and he instantly appeared in front of the ancient scroll scholar. His skinny palm seemed weak, but it contained great power, and he slammed into the ancient scroll scholar's palm.

"Boom!" With a loud bang, the air around seemed to be distorted, and a powerful air wave swept over, blowing everyone toppling over.

In the melee, Luo Xiaoyu was unable to dodge and was hit by a stray bullet. He screamed and fell heavily to the ground.

She covered her chest in pain, her face was pale, and a trace of blood flowed from the corner of her mouth.

"Xiao Yu!" Xiao Hong screamed and wanted to rush over anxiously, but was held back tightly by Grandma Lin.

"Don't be impulsive, it's too dangerous to go over there now!"

Everyone's attention was distracted by Luo Xiaoyu's injury, and the ancient scroll scholar took the opportunity to launch a fierce attack.

Everyone was injured and was extremely anxious.

Zhang Lang was anxious and wanted to rush over to save Luo Xiaoyu, but was forced back by a black mist. He glared at the ancient scroll scholar angrily, his eyes full of anger.

Just when everyone was about to collapse, Luo Xiaoyu, who had been lying on the ground, actually stood up slowly...

"I'm fine..." She gritted her teeth, her voice trembling but extremely firm.

Luo Xiaoyu stood up shakily, the blood at the corner of her mouth was shocking, but the anger burning in her eyes was stronger than ever.

She was usually reckless, but at this moment she was incredibly calm.

She took a deep breath, endured the severe pain, and rushed towards the ancient scroll scholar!

Everyone was stunned, even the cunning scholar of ancient scrolls showed a look of surprise.

"Is this girl trying to kill herself?" Li the hunter exclaimed, subconsciously tightening the hunting knife in his hand.

Luo Xiaoyu's speed was more than twice faster than usual. She flew towards the ancient scroll scholar like an arrow. Her target was not to attack, but the tattered book in his hand!

The scholar of ancient scrolls obviously did not expect Luo Xiaoyu to use this trick, and for a moment he forgot to react.

In a flash, Luo Xiaoyu snatched the weapon from the ancient scroll scholar. The cold touch made her shiver, but it also made her more sober.

"How is this possible!" The scholar of ancient scrolls was shocked and angry. He could never have imagined that he would be tricked by a little girl.

"How dare you show off your skills in front of an expert!" Luo Xiaoyu said sarcastically, imitating the tone of an ancient scholar, with a tone full of provocation.

Seeing this, everyone's morale was immediately boosted.

The man in white seized the opportunity, exchanged glances with the mysterious old man, and both of them attacked at the same time.

The white-clothed man's hand shone with golden light, which turned into a golden dragon, roaring and rushing towards the scholar of the ancient scroll.

The mysterious old man chanted a spell, and countless vines suddenly emerged from the ground and entwined the legs of the ancient scholar like pythons.

"Ah!" The ancient scroll scholar screamed and was knocked away by the golden dragon, with blood spurting out of his mouth.

“Let’s go!” The ancient scroll scholar struggled to get up, fled into the dense forest in a panic, and disappeared into the shadows.

Everyone couldn't help but burst into laughter as they watched the ancient scroll scholar fleeing in panic.

The tense atmosphere just now disappeared, replaced by relaxation and joy.

"I didn't expect this girl to be so capable!" Blacksmith Zhao said in a muffled voice with a hint of admiration in his tone.

"Yes, you are so brave!" Granny Lin also nodded with satisfaction.

Everyone was full of confidence in the exploration of treasures, as if the fog ahead had dissipated and the light was right before their eyes.

"Xiao Yu..." Xiao Hong choked and tried to touch Luo Xiaoyu's wound with trembling hands.

Xiaohong carefully tore open the clothes on Luo Xiaoyu's chest. The wound burned by the black mist was shocking, and the surrounding skin was horrifyingly charred.

She took out the medicine powder she carried with her from her bosom and gently sprinkled it on Luo Xiaoyu's wound. Her movements were so gentle as if she was treating a fragile treasure.

Luo Xiaoyu felt the coolness brought by the powder and winked at Xiaohong playfully, "This little injury is nothing! I want to be the most powerful female warrior!" Xiaohong glared at her in reproach, her eyes slightly red, and her voice was choked with sobs, "Next time, don't be so impulsive!" Luo Xiaoyu grinned, revealing her white teeth, "Got it, my dear sister."

The man in white walked slowly to Luo Xiaoyu, bent down, and gently picked her up.

His movements were so cautious, as if he was holding the most precious thing in the world.

His deep eyes were full of tenderness and concern, and he said softly, "Does it still hurt?" Luo Xiaoyu shook her head, but a sweet smile appeared on the corner of her mouth.

Seeing this, Xiaohong, who was standing by, also showed a relieved smile on her face, and the warmth in her heart passed like a spring breeze.

At this moment, friendship and love are intertwined, stirring up warm currents in everyone's hearts, and the bonds between them become closer.

After the warmth, everyone's attention was once again focused on the gems and ancient scrolls that were emitting strange light.

The fierce battle before seemed to be just an episode, and the calmness at this moment seemed even more unusual.

Everyone had a frown on their face. They had just experienced a life-and-death struggle, but they still knew nothing about the treasure in front of them, let alone what to do next.

There was a faint burnt smell in the air, which intertwined with the strange light emitted by the gems, making it look particularly strange.

Suddenly, the light of the gem began to flicker violently, like breathing, sometimes strong and sometimes weak.

The constantly rotating energy in the center also became more active, as if something was trying to break free from it.

Everyone held their breath and watched the changes in the gems nervously, their heartbeats as deafening as drums.

Every flash of the gem seems to convey some mysterious message, attracting people to go deeper.

"It's guiding the direction..." Elder Chen suddenly said slowly, his eyes fixed on the gem.

The light of the gem flickered, like a beating heart, guiding the direction for everyone to move forward.

Xiaohong and Luo Xiaoyu walked at the front of the team. Their hunter Li followed closely behind them, holding his hunting knife tightly in his hand and watching the surroundings vigilantly.

The surrounding trees were growing taller and taller, with dense branches and leaves, blocking out the sky, not allowing a single ray of sunlight to penetrate. The air was filled with a damp and rotten smell, making people feel inexplicably depressed.

Following the guidance of the gem's light, everyone came to an even darker forest.

The trees were twisted into strange shapes, and the ground was covered with thick fallen leaves, which made a "crunching" sound when stepped on.

The air was filled with a pungent fishy smell that made people feel nauseous.

Hunter Li's breathing became rapid. He felt an inexplicable fear and gripped the hunting knife tighter in his hand.

Suddenly, a dark shadow emerged from the depths of the woods, blocking everyone's way.

The black shadow was tall and covered in a black cloak, with only a pair of scarlet eyes showing, flashing with greed.

"Hand over the gem!" The black shadow said in a low voice, his tone full of threats.

"Who are you? Why are you trying to steal our gems?" Luo Xiaoyu stepped forward and asked loudly.

"Hmph, I am the messenger of darkness, and this gem is mine!" The black shadow snorted coldly, and a black aura emanated from him, enveloping everyone.

Everyone felt it was difficult to breathe, as if an invisible hand was strangling their throats.

A strong sense of danger came over them, and they realized that the dark shadow before them was an extremely powerful enemy.

"Don't be afraid, children!" Granny Lin's voice rang in everyone's ears, firm and powerful, "Evil cannot defeat good, we will definitely defeat him!"

Granny Lin's words gave great encouragement to everyone. They rekindled their fighting spirit. The man in white stood up again, standing in front of everyone and confronting the dark messenger.

There was a tense atmosphere in the air, like a taut string that could break at any time.

The Dark Messenger sneered, and a ball of black flame suddenly appeared in his hand.

"Since you don't know how to appreciate my kindness, don't blame me for being rude!" Black flames roared out, like a fire dragon, rushing towards everyone...

"Be careful!" The man in white pushed Xiao Hong away and faced the black flame...

The black flames rushed towards everyone like a roaring beast, carrying a burning breath and a piercing scream.

Everyone screamed and dodged in all directions. Wherever the flames passed, the grass and trees withered instantly and the air was filled with a burnt smell.

Blacksmith Zhao roared, swung the huge hammer in his hand, and smashed it hard at the black flames.

The giant hammer collided with the flames, making a deafening roar and sending sparks flying.

However, the black flames wrapped around the giant hammer like a maggot on the tarsal bone, spreading rapidly and swallowed up Zhao the blacksmith in an instant.

Elder Chen, who was standing in the distance, frowned upon seeing this.

The man in white flashed and stood in front of everyone. A long sword emitting a faint white light appeared in his hand.

He looked at the Dark Messenger with sharp eyes and said in a deep voice: "Your opponent is me." At the same time, the mysterious old man and the rune elf also joined the battle. (End of this chapter)