pdf-ebookys Page 326
Page 326
"Look there!" Leah pointed to a crack not far away, from which several twisted shadows slowly rose, emanating a chilling aura.
"Prepare for battle!" Zhao De said in a deep voice, drawing his long sword from his waist, the tip of which gleamed with silver light.
Several dark figures rushed towards them. Zhao De swung his sword to meet them, the blade flashing like a dragon, cleaving the foremost figure in two. Lia drew her bow and arrow, the arrow streaking through the air like a meteor, striking the heart of the other figure precisely. The scholar cast a spell from the rear, creating a barrier of light around the three, deflecting some of the attacks.
Just then, a gust of cold wind blew by, and even more shadows poured out of the crack, their sheer number astonishing.
"This can't go on, we have to find their source!" Zhao De shouted.
The three of them silently ventured deeper into the crevice, passing through dense shadows, and finally arrived at a huge cave. The cave was pitch black, as if it had swallowed all light.
"Is this the source?" Leah asked in a low voice, a hint of nervousness in her voice.
Zhao De nodded and led the way into the cave. The cave was unusually cold, as if they were in an ice cellar. They proceeded cautiously and finally saw a dark, deep well.
"Is this the 'Well of Darkness' that the old villagers mentioned?" The scholar's voice echoed in the darkness.
A series of low, guttural roars echoed from the deep well, as if something terrifying was about to awaken.
"Whatever it is, we must stop it," Zhao De said firmly, his eyes burning with a resolute flame.
Just as they were about to approach the well, they suddenly heard footsteps in the distance. Several figures appeared at the cave entrance; they were the village hunters.
"Why are you here?" Zhao De asked in surprise.
The lead hunter stepped forward, his face grave: "The village sent us to support you. We can't let you fight alone at a time like this."
"Thank you." Zhao De smiled slightly, feeling a warm current in his heart.
The hunters drew their weapons, ready to fight the unknown enemy together. Suddenly, a loud bang came from the deep well, shaking the entire cave.
"Everyone be careful!" Zhao De shouted, and everyone immediately got into fighting stance.
A huge black monster crawled out of the deep well, its body covered with thick scales, its eyes flashing red, and it exuded a chilling aura.
"What kind of monster is this?" Leah exclaimed, her bowstring already fully drawn.
Zhao De swung his sword forward, aiming a blow at the monster's head, but it was deflected by its hard scales. The monster let out a deafening roar and swung its enormous claws at them.
Chapter 802 The Hidden Secret
Chapter 802 The Hidden Secret
"Split up and look for opportunities to attack its weaknesses!" Zhao De shouted in command.
The hunters quickly scattered, looking for an opportunity to attack the monster. Leah fired several arrows in quick succession, each striking the monster precisely, but none could inflict fatal damage. The scholar chanted a spell, summoning a beam of light that blasted at the monster; though it didn't defeat it, it did wound it.
The battle raged on for a long time, with both sides evenly matched. Zhao De grew anxious; he knew this couldn't go on. Just then, he noticed a patch of soft skin exposed on the monster's abdomen where the scales hadn't covered it.
"Focus your attack on its abdomen!" Zhao De shouted.
Hearing the commotion, everyone sprang into action, focusing their attention on the monster's abdomen. Leah fired an arrow, and blood spurted out. Taking advantage of the moment, Zhao De leaped forward and plunged his sword into the monster's abdomen. The monster let out a painful roar and finally collapsed to the ground, motionless.
"We did it!" the hunters cheered, their faces beaming with victorious smiles.
Zhao De, panting heavily, looked at the monster lying on the ground, but his heart was not at ease. He turned to look at the Dark Well, a trace of worry flashing in his eyes.
“This is just the beginning,” he said to Leah and the scholar beside him. “The real danger is yet to come.”
Leah nodded, her eyes equally determined: "No matter what difficulties we encounter, we will not give up."
The scholar looked thoughtfully at the deep well and said in a low voice, "The secrets hidden here are far more numerous than we imagined, and the road ahead will be even more difficult."
Just as the three were discussing their next plan, a hunter rushed over, looking panicked: "Something terrible has happened! Another incident has occurred in the village; several villagers have been attacked by unknown creatures!"
Zhao De frowned, his gaze resolute: "Let's go back and check the situation."
The three set off again on their way back to the village, the darkness gradually fading behind them. But they knew the battle was far from over.
"As long as the light remains, hope will always exist." Zhao De's words echoed in the wind, carrying an unwavering strength.
"What exactly is this enemy?" Leah asked, gazing into the distance with a hint of unease in her voice.
“Whatever it is, we will face it,” Zhao De replied, his eyes burning with an indomitable spirit.
The scholar silently put away the ancient book, a smile playing on his lips: "Knowledge can always find the answer, and light will always triumph over darkness."
And so they embarked on a new journey, shoulder to shoulder, leaving behind their brave and fearless figures, and a promise that echoed in the wind—
"As long as the light remains, hope will always exist."
When the three returned to the village, it was already late at night. The torches in the village illuminated terrified faces, and a tense atmosphere filled the air. Several injured villagers were placed in a makeshift medical tent, where doctors were busy treating their wounds.
"What happened?" As soon as Zhao De entered the village, he went straight to the tent where the injured were, with Lia and the scholar following closely behind.
A young hunter, seeing them return, had a look of relief in his eyes: "It was...it was some creatures we'd never seen before. They rushed out of the forest with incredible speed. We didn't even have time to react."
Zhao De frowned, crouched down, and examined the wounds of an injured villager. The edges of the wounds were irregular, and there were strange signs of corrosion. "These wounds look like they were caused by some kind of poison. Did you see what the attacker looked like?"
Chapter 803 records
Chapter 803 records
“It was a scaly creature with slender limbs,” another hunter added. “It had glowing green eyes and moved very fast. We were taken down before we could even see what it looked like.”
Upon hearing this, Leah's expression turned serious: "This description... I've seen similar records in ancient books. If I'm not mistaken, this might be a Shadow Beast. They live in the darkness and feed on fear."
"Shadow Beasts?" Zhao De looked up at the scholar. "Have you heard of them?"
The scholar nodded: "There is indeed such a legend. Shadow Beasts usually do not leave their lairs unless driven by some force. We must find their lair to completely solve this problem."
At this moment, a voice interrupted their discussion: "Excuse me, are you really going to fight those monsters?" It was a little girl who spoke, hiding behind her mother with only half her head showing.
Zhao Dewen smiled gently at her: "Yes, we will protect everyone's safety. You don't need to be afraid."
The little girl's mother nodded gratefully: "Thank you so much. The village has been very unsettled lately, and we were almost at our breaking point."
"Don't worry, everything will be alright," Leah comforted her.
Just then, another hunter came running up, panting, and said, "Something's wrong! There are unidentified creatures appearing on the outskirts of the village again!"
Zhao De immediately stood up: "Let's go check out the situation."
The three men quickly walked out of the village, drawing admiring and expectant glances from the villagers. An old man said in a trembling voice, "These young men are incredibly brave! I hope they can save us all."
“That’s right,” the woman next to him chimed in. “That Zhao De looks like a leader. He’ll definitely lead everyone to victory over evil.”
Zhao De and his group arrived outside the village and saw several shadow beasts loitering in the woods. They seemed to sense the presence of humans and suddenly accelerated, rushing towards them.
"Get ready for battle!" Zhao De shouted, drawing his sword as he prepared to fight.
Lia swiftly drew her bow and fired several arrows in quick succession. The arrows struck their targets precisely, but only slightly slowed the Shadow Beast's movements; they did not inflict fatal damage.
"It seems these guys are even more troublesome than the monsters we encountered before," Zhao De said through gritted teeth.
“I have an idea,” the scholar began. “I can try to temporarily weaken their power with an ancient spell, but it will take some time to prepare.”
“Then you should get started,” Zhao De said, while slashing his sword to deflect a shadow beast that lunged at him. “Lia and I will try to stall for time.”
So, in the time that followed, Zhao De and Lia did their utmost to contend with the Shadow Beast, buying precious time for the scholars. Every clash of blades was terrifying; every arrow that flew past tugged at the heartstrings of the onlookers.
Finally, after a fierce struggle, the scholar successfully completed the incantation. With a flash of dazzling light, all the shadow beasts were instantly weakened and their movements became much slower.
"Now!" Zhao De seized the opportunity and shouted, and everyone worked together to eliminate the remaining Shadow Beasts one by one.
After the battle, peace returned. Zhao De looked at the corpses of the Shadow Beasts on the ground, but felt no relief—because they knew this was just the tip of the iceberg.
Chapter 804 The Shadow Beast's Lair
Chapter 804 The Shadow Beast's Lair
"What's the next step?" Leah asked, a hint of worry in her eyes.
"We need to venture deep into the forest and find the Shadow Beasts' lair," Zhao De said firmly. "Only by completely eradicating them can we truly protect this village."
"But that place must be full of unknown dangers..." the scholar thoughtfully reminded him.
"No matter what awaits us ahead, as long as we are united, there is no difficulty we cannot overcome." Zhao De turned to look at the dark forest in the distance, his eyes shining with an indomitable light.
Just as the three were about to set off, the little girl who had asked for help earlier reappeared, holding a small flower in her hand and handing it to Zhao De: "This is my favorite flower, for the brave uncles. I wish you a safe journey."
Zhao De accepted the flowers, a warm smile spreading across his face. "Thank you, little friend. We'll be back as soon as possible."
Having said that, the three embarked on a journey into the unknown depths. Behind them, the village receded into the distance; ahead lay endless darkness and challenges…
"As long as the light remains, hope will always exist," Leah repeated softly, as if encouraging herself.
“That’s right, no matter what difficulties we encounter, we will not give up,” Zhao De replied, his tone full of determination.
"Knowledge can always find the answer, and light will always triumph over darkness," the scholar added with a smile.
They walked side by side, leaving behind the villagers' admiring and expectant gazes, and a promise that echoed in the wind—
"As long as the light remains, hope will always exist."
The three cautiously advanced along the edge of the dense forest. The surrounding trees formed a canopy that blocked out the sun, making it almost impossible for sunlight to penetrate. The air was filled with a damp and decaying smell, and the occasional roar of a wild beast could be heard in the distance. This was unknown territory, and every step was fraught with danger.
“This place is indeed very unusual,” the scholar said softly, scanning his surroundings for clues from the changes in the environment. “The Shadow Beasts’ lair should be nearby.”
Zhao De gripped his longsword tightly, cautiously observing the area ahead: "We need to be careful; these guys certainly won't let us find their hiding place easily."
Leah also held the bowstring tightly, ready to deal with any unexpected situation: "Everyone, keep in formation and try not to get separated."