The sound of the flute is crisp and pleasant, like a clear spring in the mountains, flowing slowly, washing their hearts.
However, the sound of the flute had a strange meaning, as if it came from the distant void, which was unpredictable.
Everyone looked at each other, their hearts full of doubts, not knowing what secret is hidden behind the sound of the flute.
As the sound of the flute drifted, the atmosphere around became strange.
The originally calm space began to fluctuate slightly, just like a calm lake was thrown into stones, causing ripples.
There was an indescribable aura in the air, 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 face.
Xiaohong held the treasure in her hand tightly, and her eyes were filled with a warning light.
She felt an uneasy smell approaching, but she could not determine its origin.
The man in white slowly pulled out his long sword, pointed the tip straight ahead, and his body exuded a sharp murderous intent.
His eyes were as bright as a torch, scanning the surroundings, ready to meet the upcoming challenges.
Luo Xiaoyu clenched her fists tightly, and the sound of the flute gradually became low, as if the summons from hell were creepy.
Elder Chen frowned, as if he realized something, while Master Lingyin put his hands together and recited a low spell in his mouth, trying to stabilize everyone's emotions.
Everyone stopped talking. They held their breath and turned their eyes to the direction where the sound of the flute came. There, a blurred figure was gradually appearing...
The sound of the flute floats like a ghost whispering, leading everyone into unknown territory.
They walked forward carefully, and each step was like stepping on the tip of a knife, with alert eyes, like cheetahs in the dark night, ready to deal with sudden dangers at any time.
The surrounding scenery changes with the rhythm of the flute sound, the shadows of the trees sway and dance like ghosts. The air is filled with a strange fragrance, sometimes fragrant and sometimes rotten, making people feel uneasy.
The man in white walked in front, with a long sword in his hand flashing coldly. His sharp eyes glanced around him like a sheepdog guarding the flock, ready to dispel the hidden crisis at any time.
As they went deeper, everyone came to a foggy forest.
The thick mist rolled like a monster with its teeth and claws devouring everything.
Luo Xiaoyu is impatient and wants to rush into the fog, but is pulled by Doctor Zhang.
"Reckless! This fog is strange, don't enter rashly!" Zhang Langzhong shouted softly, with a hint of warning in his tone.
"But the sound of the flute came from inside!" Luo Xiaoyu said unwillingly.
Liehuo picked up a stone and threw it into the fog with force.
The stone did not have the expected sound of falling to the ground, but made a strange friction sound in the fog, like some creature gnawing on the stone, which was creepy.
Everyone was shocked and realized that there was an unknown danger hidden in the fog.
The man in white rushes his true energy around him, trying to dispel the fog.
However, the fog not only did not dissipate, but became even thicker, like an angry beast, roaring towards everyone.
The sound of the flute is getting closer and clearer, as if it is echoing in my ears.
"Not good! Something is coming!" Elder Chen exclaimed, his face becoming solemn.
I saw black shadows flashing in the fog, accompanied by creepy roars, approaching everyone...
"Protect Xiaohong and the treasure!" The man in white shouted softly, waved his sword, and a sharp sword energy cut through the fog, but only a shrill scream was heard, followed by a dead silence.
"What is this?" Luo Xiaoyu asked in horror, with a hint of trembling in his voice.
No one answered, only the sound of roars getting closer and closer, and the sound of flutes getting faster and faster, were intertwined, like death-seeking notes, hitting everyone's hearts.
Suddenly, a cold hand grabbed Xiaohong's shoulder...
The cold hands came from Grandma Lin. Her elderly hands were trembling and she grabbed Xiaohong tightly. The old voice was filled with a hint of fear in the fog: "Child, don't be afraid, mother-in-law is here." In the fog, the shadows of shadows surged like a tide, making a terrifying roar.
Everyone was waving their weapons, but they seemed to be fighting with the air. The fog obscured their sight, and they could only hear the sound of sharp claws tearing the air and the screams of their companions.
The man in white was like lightning, and the sword light flashed, and every time he waved, he took away a dark shadow.
But he was a flesh and blood body after all. Under the endless attack, his movements began to slow down, his breathing became rapid, and beads of sweat the size of beans oozed out of his forehead.
His body swayed slightly, as if he would fall down at any time.
Xiaohong was extremely anxious when she saw the man in white gradually lost her support.
She wanted to rush over to help him, but Grandma Lin grabbed her tightly.
"Don't go, child, it's too dangerous!" Grandma Lin's voice trembled, but with unquestionable firmness.
However, Xiaohong still broke free from Grandma Lin's hand, and she could not watch the man in white fall into danger.
She shouted the name of the man in white, and her voice echoed in the fog, but received no response.
In a panic, she was knocked to the ground by the surging black shadows and got separated from everyone.
"Man in white! Mother-in-law! Luo Xiaoyu!" She shouted at the top of her lungs, her voice full of fear and despair.
The morale of everyone became even lower as Xiaohong disappeared.
They bumped into the fog like headless flies, their ears echoed with the roar of black shadows and their companions' screams, and fear entangled their hearts like poisonous snakes.
Elder Chen tried to keep himself calm. He tried to use his rich knowledge and experience to find a way to deal with it, but found that everything here exceeded his cognition.
What are these dark shadows?
What is this weird fog?
He couldn't figure it out and his heart was filled with powerlessness.
Just when everyone was about to despair, Luo Xiaoyu, who had been reckless, 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 fog based on her intuition, and her hands touched a soft plant, exuding a faint fragrance.
She picked a leaf, placed it on the tip of her nose and sniffed it, her eyes lit up.
"This is the fog-removing grass!" Luo Xiaoyu shouted in surprise, "Burning its leaves can dispel the fog!"
Everyone looked at her suspiciously. Luo Xiaoyu took out the fire not hesitation and lit the mist-driving grass in her hand.
A strange fragrance spread, and the mist around it actually began to dissipate slowly...
"Hurry, let's find the fog-driving grass together!" Zhang Langzhong reacted first and shouted excitedly.
The flame of hope rekindled in everyone's hearts, and they began to look for the fog-driving grass.
At this moment, a black shadow suddenly emerged from the fog and rushed straight to Luo Xiaoyu...
"careful!"
The strange fragrance of the fog-driven grass spreads in the fog, like a sharp blade, peeling off the thick fog layer by layer, revealing the faint forest behind it.
Everyone excitedly used their hands and feet, picking the fog-driving grass frantically, and the fire jumped to illuminate their sweat-soaked faces.
The air was filled with the special smell of burning plants and trees, which was completely different from the disturbing decay before, which made them feel excited.
As the fog-driven grass was ignited, the fog disappeared at an unprecedented speed, gradually revealing the outline of the forest.
They followed Luo Xiaoyu tightly, shuttled between the trees, holding the fog-driving grass that emitted fragrance in their hands, as if holding hope for life.
Finally, when the last fog disappeared, everyone's eyes suddenly became clear, and an ancient altar appeared in front of them. In the center of the altar, an old man with white hair and beard sat cross-legged, holding a simple jade flute in his hand.
The melodious sound of flutes came from his flute, clear and deep, washing their hearts like a clear spring.
"We're out!" Liehuo waved his fists excitedly, his voice filled with glory for the remnant of the disaster.
"It's that old man!" Zhang Langzhong pointed at the old man in the center of the altar.
Everyone cheered and hugged each other, celebrating the danger of escaping from the fog.
Their faces were filled with excitement, excitement, and expectation of the answer to the mystery.
They felt that they were one step closer to the truth.
At this moment, Xiaohong's figure appeared in front of everyone.
She was ragged and had a look of fear on her face, but when she saw the figure of the man in white, she immediately showed a look of surprise 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 her face, like the warm sunshine in winter.
Reunion after the disaster, love flows between the two.
Luo Xiaoyu also hugged everyone tightly. Everyone shouted excitedly, sharing the joy of the aftermath of the disaster. Their feelings for each other became closer, like steel tempered in the fire, becoming indestructible.
They cherish each other more because they have experienced a life-and-death test together and witnessed each other's courage and perseverance together.
Everyone's eyes were once again focused on the old man on the altar. He still closed his eyes, and the jade flute in his hand was playing gently, and the melodious sound of the flute echoed in the air, as if telling ancient secrets.
They walked slowly towards the old man, with anticipation in their hearts waiting for him to reveal the truth behind the sound of the flute.
"Old man..." Elder Chen just spoke, but saw the old man slowly raised his head, revealing his deep eyes.
His eyes swept across everyone, and a strange smile appeared on the corner of his mouth. Just as everyone was shocked, the old man's figure suddenly dissipated like a bubble, leaving only the sound of the flute that was still echoing, which lasted for a long time on the empty altar.
Everyone walked carefully to the center of the altar with doubts and expectations.
The altar is paved with huge bluestone slabs. After years of baptism, the surface is full of traces of vicissitudes.
The air was filled with a faint smell of sandalwood, mixed with the fragrance of the soil, which made people feel refreshed.
However, just as everyone was about to approach the old man, his figure rippled like water waves, gradually becoming transparent, and eventually disappeared without a trace.
Only a puzzle carved in quaint words was left, sparkling with faint light, floating above the altar.
"Vanished? Why is this happening?" Luo Xiaoyu exclaimed, her eyes wide open, full of incredibleness.
Everyone looked at each other. They thought they could learn the secret of the flute sound from the old man, but they did not expect that this would be the result.
The puzzles floating above the altar are like an insurmountable gap, standing in front of them.
"This puzzle... seems to be written in some ancient text." Elder Chen narrowed his eyes, carefully identified the words on the puzzle, and frowned.
He read a lot of books and was proficient in various ancient texts, but he had never seen the words on this puzzle, which made him confused.
"I'll try it!" Zhang Langzhong walked forward. He was proficient in medical theory and also had some research on various rare herbs and mysterious symbols.
He carefully observed the puzzle and tried to find some clues from it.
Grandma Lin prayed silently, begging the gods to bless them to solve the puzzles and find the truth of the matter.
Xiaohong snuggled beside the man in white.
Everyone pondered around the puzzle, and the atmosphere became solemn.
Time passed by minute by minute, and the puzzle was still like an unconquered fortress, floating quietly over the altar, emitting a mysterious light.
Just as everyone was about to give up, Elder Chen suddenly exclaimed: "I understand! This is a long-lost hieroglyph, and each symbol represents a natural phenomenon!"
With Elder Chen's interpretation, the symbols on the puzzle gradually became clear.
Everyone suddenly realized that the puzzle was not a text, but a picture depicting the movement of heaven and earth.
Just at the last moment when everyone was about to solve the puzzle, the ground around the altar suddenly trembled violently, making a loud rumbling sound, as if some huge force was awakening deep underground.
The light on the altar also began to become bright and dark, flickering, like a candle swaying in the wind, which could be extinguished at any time.
"What's going on?" Liehuo shouted in horror, with a hint of trembling in his voice.
Everyone looked around in surprise, but found that the trees around them began to shake violently, and the leaves fell one after another, as if a green rain had begun to sway.
There was a suffocating sense of oppression in the air, as if something terrible was about to come.
"Be careful!" The man in white protected Xiaohong behind him, staring at the changes around him with vigilance, and said in a deep voice, "This place has become dangerous..."
The earth was shaking, and everything around the altar was trembling violently, as if it would collapse at any time.
But everyone stood firmly, staring at the puzzles that were flashing over the altar with firm eyes.
The light flashed and darkened, as if mocking their powerlessness, and as if tempting them to continue exploring.
The smell of dust filled the air, which made people cough continuously, but no one retreated. They knew that solving the puzzle was the only way out.
"Be careful, everyone!" The man in white protected Xiaohong behind him and looked around vigilantly.
He felt keenly that danger was approaching, and there was a disturbing atmosphere in the air.
The trees swayed even more violently, and the leaves fell like raindrops, making rustling sounds, like the whisper of death.
As the environment changes, the puzzle begins to change, and the originally clear symbols become blurred and distorted, as if they are disturbed by an invisible force.
"I think I should try this method!" Luo Xiaoyu pointed to a symbol on the puzzle and said in a hurry, "Maybe this is the key!"
"No! It's too risky!" Elder Chen immediately objected, "We must act cautiously, otherwise the consequences will be unimaginable!"
The two were arguing and the atmosphere became more and more tense.
At this moment, a mysterious force suddenly attacked, and the stones around the altar exploded one after another. The splashed gravel cut through everyone's clothes and blood oozed out.
"Ah!" Liehuo screamed and fell to the ground with his arms covered.
Blacksmith Zhao waved the hammer in his hand and tried hard to resist the attack. Beads of sweat rolled down from his forehead.
"I'll help you!" Doctor Zhang hurried forward and wanted to bandage Liehuo's wound, but found that he could not protect himself.
The attack became more and more fierce, and everyone was exhausted to deal with it, and their bodies were covered with scars.
The man in white looked shaking, and he pushed Xiaohong to Grandma Lin and whispered: "Protect her!"
After saying that, he jumped and stood in front of everyone.
The sword in his hand emitted a dazzling light, like an indestructible barrier, protecting everyone behind him.
"Stand by!" The man in white gritted his teeth and resisted the attack
Suddenly, the light on the altar suddenly disappeared and the surroundings fell into darkness.
"Not good!" Elder Chen exclaimed, "This..."
The wind was howling, the sand and stones were flying, and the mysterious power bit everyone like a beast.
The white clothes on the man in white were stained with blood, and the sword in his hand also lost its former light and was dim.
He felt his physical strength was rapidly losing, and his eyes were getting dark, but he still supported himself tightly, using his last bit of strength to protect everyone behind him.
Xiaohong hid behind Grandma Lin and looked at the injured people, tears blurring her eyes.
She held the treasure in her hand tightly, feeling heartbroken.
Is it all because of this treasure?
Is this the so-called fate?
She began to doubt herself, doubting the significance of the journey.
Master Lingyin sat cross-legged, muttering something, trying to suppress this mysterious power with Buddhism.
However, that power was extremely powerful, and even a monk who had attained enlightenment could not resist it.
A trace of blood spilled out of the corner of Master Lingyin's mouth, and his face was as pale as paper.
The morale of the crowd was extremely low, and the sentiment of despair spread.
At this moment, Grandma Lin, who had been silent, stood up tremblingly.
She took out a small object wrapped in cloth from her arms and opened it carefully.
Everyone looked at her in confusion, not understanding what she was going to do.
"Is this..." Luo Xiaoyu asked curiously.
Grandma Lin did not answer, but just raised the small object in her hand.
It was a quaint jade pendant with strange symbols carved on it, which was somewhat similar to the puzzle symbols on the altar.
"This...this is..." Elder Chen widened his eyes and looked at the jade pendant in Grandma Lin's hand in disbelief, "Is this...this is..."
A powerful force emanates from the small objects, echoing the power on the altar.
The symbols on the altar began to rearrange and combine, emitting dazzling light.
Everyone seemed to have grabbed the life-saving straw, and hope rekindled in their eyes.
"We...we have hope!" Zhang Langzhong said excitedly.
Everyone united and with the help of Grandma Lin, they began to reinterpret the puzzle.
Chapter completed!