Courtyard House: Report enemy agents at the start, and you'll take off immediately.

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The mysterious young man seemed completely unconcerned about their reactions, and simply leaned lazily against a tree, saying, "Don't be afraid, I'm not a dangerous person at all. On the contrary, I should be considered a guide or something. Cyrus has already told me everything."

"How did you know Seres's name?" Zhao De asked, frowning. "And how could he have notified anyone else in advance? Did you all plan this beforehand to create numerous obstacles for us?"

The other person chuckled: "Smart fellow~ Actually, it's quite simple. Seres just wants to test your abilities, and I'm just playing the role of a minor obstacle in the process. But if you perform well, you might even get unexpected help~"

Although it sounded absurd, none of the four refuted the other's words. After all, in this world full of unknowns and dangers, it's never a bad thing to have one more person willing to help.

So Zhao De tentatively asked, "So, what are you doing here? Are you giving us a challenge or leading the way?"

The young man thought for a moment before answering, "Actually, it all counts. There's a little challenge waiting for you all, and you'll naturally get a reward if you pass it smoothly. But before that... please allow me to introduce myself. My name is Yunying."

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Yunying.” Guo Jing stepped forward and extended his hand. “But now, please tell us how we can complete this trial.”

"Haha, you're getting impatient, aren't you?" Yunying chuckled easily, then pointed to a hidden spot in the distance. "See that? The key to the next level is hidden there. But remember—don't touch any glowing objects along the way, or you'll face the consequences!"

After saying that, he disappeared into the vast night, leaving four young people standing on the ground, looking at each other, unsure whether to believe such a strange arrangement.

"Can this kid really be trusted?" Zhao De frowned, a hint of doubt in his voice. The night was deep, making everything around them seem even more mysterious.

Chapter 1127 Props

Chapter 1127 Props

“There’s no other choice now.” Zhao De gripped his short sword tightly, his tone resolute. “Even if it’s dangerous, we have no choice but to give it a try.”

Zhao De bit his lip, his eyes flickering uncertainly. "But he said not to touch anything that shines, which sounds..."

"No matter what, we must find that item." Guo Jing's gaze swept across his companions' faces, then he looked towards the mysterious place in the distance. "If Seres really wants to test us, we must show him our determination."

The group exchanged glances and then nodded in unison. The four of them cautiously made their way towards the hidden location in the distance, taking each step with extreme care to avoid stepping on anything that might trigger a trap.

Deep in the woods, in the dim light, a faint glimmer of light could be seen, which seemed to be the "key prop" that Yunying had mentioned.

Suddenly, a blinding light burst forth from the grass, causing almost everyone to instinctively take a few steps back. When the light dimmed slightly, they discovered it was a seemingly ordinary metal sphere lying there quietly.

Just as everyone was hesitating, a gentle breeze rustled through the treetops, bringing with it a few light voices: "Don't be easily deceived by appearances. Sometimes the most ordinary things hide the greatest secrets."

Everyone immediately turned to look around for the source of the sound, but only heard more faint sounds drifting in the air, getting closer and closer. Suddenly, a mysterious figure appeared again under a tree not far away—but unlike before, this time it was a young woman whose figure gradually emerged. She wore a streamlined long dress, and her long golden hair cascaded down like a waterfall, adding to her alluring charm in the night.

"Oh dear, it seems you've found the first clue! As a reward, please accept a small gift." With that, she extended her fair hand, and a soft blue light emanated from her fingertips, coalescing into a beam that shot towards Guo Jing, who was closest to her. Just as everyone worried that he would be injured, the light materialized—a small, exquisitely crafted yet powerful-looking knife hovered before him.

"This is... what kind of magical artifact is this?!" Zhao De was so surprised he almost cried out.

The woman smiled but didn't answer the question directly. Instead, she waved her hand and explained, "It can help you overcome some special obstacles. As for the specific effects, you can explore them yourselves."

Having said that, just like Yunying before her, the mysterious beauty vanished instantly. The three were left standing there, staring at each other in disbelief for a long time before they came to their senses. Now, looking back at the metal sphere, their initial wariness had lessened considerably.

"Give it a try?" Zhao De suggested in a low voice, then reached out and gently touched the surface of the sphere...

No abnormal reaction occurred upon contact, but faint sounds began to emanate from within the sphere, as if something was slowly awakening. Then, the entire metal structure slowly cracked open, splitting into several petal-shaped objects that unfolded around the center and released a dazzling white light! Just as everyone thought a new unknown crisis was imminent, a small stone slab with intricately carved patterns rose from the light.

At that moment, a soft chant drifted through the air, as if ancient magic had been awakened. The complex runes on the stone slab began to light up slowly, quickly arranging themselves into a clearly visible sentence: "Only those with pure hearts may continue on this path."

Chapter 1128 Unknown Territory

Chapter 1128 Unknown Territory

Zhao De took the strange object and examined it carefully: "Since that's what they said, I think one of us must meet the conditions to open the road to the next area."

Zhao De paused for a moment before speaking, "Then... let me try." He placed his palm in the center of the small stone slab, closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and silently recited his purest and most beautiful wish. Slowly, a warm feeling spread along his arm and throughout his body, and then all the patterns on the stone slab instantly shone and emitted a melodious ringing sound—the path had been successfully unlocked!

A path, untouched by human hands, suddenly appeared ahead, leading to an unknown area deep within the dense forest...

Just as everyone was preparing to continue, light footsteps and laughter came from not far behind them again, clearly indicating that the mysterious man, Yun Ying, had reappeared. "Wow, not bad, you passed the first test so quickly?"

Zhao De turned to look at the other person and asked, "How do you manage to appear so suddenly every time? That's incredible."

Yunying smiled gently, a mysterious light flickering in his eyes. "There are always things in this world that you cannot understand yet. But don't worry, as long as you follow the guidance, you will naturally get the answers you seek." He slowly raised his hand and drew a circle in the air, and a faint but noticeable point of light appeared.

Zhao De frowned. "What are these light spots for?"

“It will lead you to your next destination.” As it spoke, the light suddenly became even brighter until it formed a long, clear path that stretched into the distance. “But remember my warning—do not be deceived by appearances.”

Guo Jing nodded, his eyes resolute, and said, "Thank you for your help and advice. We will keep it in mind and put it into action."

"Hmph, I hope so." As soon as he finished speaking, the figure of the man who called himself a disciple of Seres faded away again and finally disappeared completely into the night, leaving only the magical path still standing.

The group walked slowly along the path of light, and on the grass beneath their feet, a few blue flowers could be faintly seen blooming. Although the surrounding scenery became increasingly blurry and even disappeared, the unique landscape formed by the light source ahead never faded away.

After walking for about half an hour, the four of them arrived at an open area where a dilapidated stone tablet stood in the center. It was engraved with many strange symbols and a complete world map—one location of which was marked in vermilion and was particularly conspicuous.

Zhao De was the first to approach and study the patterns: "This should be the location of our next target... but what exactly does it mean?"

Just as everyone else was engrossed in their discussion, the previously quiet and peaceful atmosphere suddenly changed, and a low roar mixed with the sound of wind gradually approached from afar!

Zhao De suddenly turned around and looked towards the source of the sound, exclaiming in surprise, "Something's coming!"

Then a huge beast appeared before everyone with heavy steps—its body was covered with black scales, and its eyes gleamed with a blood-red light, as if it wanted to devour everything.

"Damn it, what kind of monster is this?" Zhao De gripped his weapon tightly, ready to fight. But just then, the giant beast stopped its attack and spoke in a low, hoarse voice, "Welcome to the Second Trial Grounds. If you can defeat me and find the secret key hidden nearby, you can pass this stage smoothly."

Chapter 1129 Winning

Chapter 1129 Winning

Hearing this, everyone looked at each other, unsure how to react. "Wait, you mean... defeating you is enough?" Guo Jing asked tentatively.

The behemoth nodded, confirming his question: "Of course, that's right, but... you'd better bring your full strength, or you'll face the consequences, haha~"

Faced with this sudden challenge, the four companions, though understandably nervous and worried, quickly exchanged ideas and made a decision. "Then there's no other way," Zhao De declared, raising the strange knife he had just acquired and stepping forward bravely, "We accept this duel and we will definitely win!"

"Okay, good luck, young men! Let me see the courage of heroes!" With that, the strange opponent turned into a puff of smoke and disappeared from everyone's sight.

Instead, more and more enemies of various shapes and enormous sizes surged from all directions, blocking their path forward...

"It seems tonight is destined to be anything but peaceful." Zhao De smiled wryly, drawing his short sword and assuming a defensive stance. "Everyone, be careful."

As Zhao De finished speaking, the surrounding enemies gradually approached, their figures like shadows lurking in the night, making it difficult to discern their true forms. Zhao De gripped the strange blade tightly, her eyes resolute and calm. She quickly adjusted her breathing, preparing to unleash her signature magic to support her teammates.

"Remember Yunying's guidance. Cooperate with each other and never act alone." Guo Jing's voice was calm and powerful, seemingly giving everyone present a sense of confidence. "We must believe in ourselves, and more importantly, trust each other."

Just then, the first monster charged forward. It had three arms, its body covered in thick fur, and emitted a foul stench. The beast roared and raised its enormous hand to smash down on Guo Jing. But Guo Jing deftly dodged the attack with a nimble movement, and swiftly kicked it to the ground. A series of agile movements followed, and to everyone's astonishment, he resolved the first threat.

"Quick, use the surrounding environment to fight!" Zhao De shouted, waving his special blade and drawing streaks of light in the air to illuminate the surroundings so the others could find suitable angles to fight. Just as the light flashed, they spotted a row of stone pillars in the distance—clearly one of the structures supporting this mysterious ruin.

At the same time, an even louder roar came from another direction, this time from several small creatures that were short in stature but extremely fast and agile. They jumped and bit around Zhao De incessantly, trying to disrupt her spellcasting. "Get back!" Suddenly, a purple arc of electricity burst from Zhao De's hand, striking the foremost target directly, instantly electrocuting him so badly that he lay on his back, convulsing uncontrollably.

Seeing this, Zhao De immediately finished off the remaining two monsters. "Be careful not to get hurt, girl." As she spoke, she turned around and gave Zhao De a reassuring smile before turning back to continue dealing with the enemies that kept surging in front of her.

The battle reached its most intense and fierce moment. Just as the four warriors were feeling their strength waning, suddenly all the monsters stopped attacking and began to slowly retreat into the distance...

"What's going on?" Everyone stopped what they were doing and looked around warily. Just then, the voice of the huge beast rang out again: "Congratulations on successfully completing the first round of challenges. Now, please search for the secret key hidden in this land."

Chapter 1130 The Key

Chapter 1130 The Key

After he finished speaking, the entire scene became even more ethereal and hazy, and a mysterious aura seemed to permeate the air. "So all we need to do is find that key?" Zhao De said happily.

However, Guo Jing did not let his guard down: "It may not be that simple. Since this is a 'trial ground,' there will definitely be more unexpected things waiting for us..." Before he could finish speaking, he noticed a faint golden light shining not far away, which seemed to be the unique light emitted by some precious object.

"Look there!" Zhao Dela tugged at his friends' arms, pointing to the glowing spot. "Maybe that's what we're looking for!"

"What are we waiting for? Let's go!" Zhao De shouted, leading the charge towards the light, leaving his companions to follow. When they reached the glowing spot, they saw a golden key, inlaid with gems and exquisitely carved, lying quietly in the center of the ground. "So that's it, this is the key to the next stop..."

Just then, a familiar, low, husky laugh echoed from the sky again, "Very good, very good! You are indeed excellent! Now take this key and unlock new challenges. I hope you can be even braver on your future journey, haha~"

Everyone carefully picked up the key, each feeling its heavy weight. Zhao De held it, a resolute glint in his eyes, "In any case, we can only trust Yunying's guidance now."

Zhao De nodded, but his gaze had already swept around. "This environment doesn't look simple. We need to find an exit or our next target quickly." Zhao De followed closely behind, gently stroking the wand in her hand, her eyes filled with curiosity about the unknown. "I'll try to sense if there are any unusual energy fluctuations around here."

Guo Jing surveyed the mysterious training ground, then whispered, "This place feels very unreal; we must proceed with caution. There might be traps or other hidden mechanisms here." Before he finished speaking, a slight tremor suddenly came from the ground.

The group immediately assumed defensive stances. Zhao De closed his eyes and began chanting an ancient incantation, trying to pinpoint any unusual source of energy. Just then, a beam of light shot from afar, forming a circular pattern among them, followed by a ghostly voice echoing in the air: "Welcome, warriors, to the second trial. Follow the light; you will face even greater challenges."

Zhao De glanced at everyone's expressions. "Alright, looks like we don't have many options. Let's go!" He then led the way towards the light. Zhao De followed closely behind, cautiously observing every corner of their surroundings. Guo Jing was ready to help anyone in case of any unexpected situations. Only Zhao De seemed more relaxed, as she sensed a familiar energy in the air guiding them forward.

The four followed the beam of light and soon arrived at the center of a vast plaza surrounded by stone pillars. Just as they were searching for new clues or enemies, the earth suddenly began to tremble violently! A huge crack appeared in the ground that had been lying quietly in the center of the plaza, and a massive fire dragon, its body radiating intense heat and as large as a small mountain, slowly rose from it! "My God..." Zhao De almost exclaimed, even his staff trembling slightly. "Everyone, this must be our new opponent?"

Chapter 1131 It's unbelievable!

Chapter 1131 This is unbelievable.

"Hmm... this dragon is far more powerful than those weaklings from before." Zhao De gritted his teeth as he analyzed the situation, quickly adjusting his attack strategy. "But we have to win, don't we? Otherwise, everything we've done before will have been for nothing!"

"Yes!" Zhao De brandished his short sword, his eyes firm and full of fighting spirit. "Let's all cheer each other on!" As soon as he finished speaking, he charged forward with lightning speed!

"Watch out!" Guo Jing shouted, rushing forward to support Zhao De in battle. At the same time, Zhao De chanted a long and complex ancient incantation, adding a powerful protective shield to all his teammates.

The dragon roared and spat out a string of fireballs, but Guo Jing dodged them all with incredible precision. Taking advantage of this opportunity, Zhao De seized the moment to unleash his unique weapon technique—several silver streaks instantly ripped through the night sky, aiming straight for the behemoth's eyes. A bloodcurdling scream rang out, clearly indicating that the dragon had been severely injured, but instead of retreating, it became even more ferocious.

Just as the battle was raging, Zhao De noticed something unusual—it turned out that every time the dragon opened its mouth to breathe fire, it would briefly lower its head to gather its strength… “I know how to deal with this guy, but I need a little time to prepare… Everyone, hold on a little longer!”

"Understood, brother!" Zhao De replied while defending himself. "I will try my best to buy you more time and space to create conditions." He then threw a series of flashes of light into the air in an attempt to distract his opponent so that he could carry out his plan.

Meanwhile, Zhao De continuously strengthened the shield to ensure his teammates could successfully complete the mission. Finally, through everyone's combined efforts, a powerful skill unleashed by Zhao De struck the dragon directly in the heart, causing it to roar deafeningly before collapsing heavily...

When everything returned to calm, the monster had vanished, replaced by a small, exquisite golden treasure chest lying quietly in its place. "Let's open it and see what's inside," Zhao De said impatiently, stepping forward to open the chest.