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

"Thank you for your guidance," Zhao De said politely after taking the keys. He then turned to the group, flashing a confident smile. "Let's go, guys, an even more exciting adventure awaits us!"

As soon as he finished speaking, a slight tremor emanated from the ground. It was as if the ancient pagoda was slowly awakening, or perhaps welcoming new adventurers into its deeper world. Zhao De gripped the bronze key tightly in his hand; its cold touch and heavy weight seemed to tell him of the unknown and challenges that lay ahead.

"Let's discuss how to proceed," Li Tao suggested. After all, the mental stress they had experienced was a significant blow to everyone. Although there hadn't been any real harm yet, who could guarantee they wouldn't be so lucky next time?

“I agree,” Liu Feng immediately chimed in. “We need a clearer plan.”

Old Wang was silent for a moment, then looked at the key in Zhao De's hand. "I think we should prioritize how to use this key safely to open the mechanism. Based on previous experience, every step is fraught with danger."

“Hmm…that’s true.” Just as Zhao De was about to respond, Xiao Mei, who had been silent until now, suddenly interjected, “But we can’t let fear stop us. Remember what the teacher once said? Courage is the most precious treasure.”

Everyone was taken aback for a moment upon hearing this, then burst into laughter. Indeed, without this courage, they might have already been defeated by the terrifying scenes they had just witnessed.

"Xiaomei is right!" Li Tao was the first to stand up and support her. "Since we've decided to move forward, we must unite and overcome the difficulties together!"

Chapter 1394 The Real Adventure

Chapter 1394 The Real Adventure

With the support of her teammates, Xiaomei smiled sweetly. "Thank you everyone! I know this expedition will be tough, but I believe that as long as we work together, we will definitely succeed!"

Seeing the atmosphere gradually becoming more relaxed, Zhao De also put away his serious expression. "Alright, let's proceed according to plan. Li Tao and I will be responsible for finding the location of the mechanism. Liu Feng, you take care of the others; as for Lao Wang, please keep an eye on any unusual situations around you to prevent any emergencies from occurring."

Everyone nodded in agreement and began their preparations, each taking on their assigned tasks. After some searching, they finally found the groove hidden beneath a secret carving on the wall. Just as Zhao De carefully inserted the key…

A soft, yet remarkably clear, click rang out, followed by a gentle blue light that filled the room. The light wasn't dazzling, but it evoked a sense of mystery and solemnity.

"Is this the legendary magic circle?" Old Wang exclaimed in amazement.

Just as everyone was surprised, the previously tightly closed door slowly opened. "The path to a deeper level has been prepared for you." That deep and familiar voice echoed throughout the space once again.

Zhao De turned around and smiled at his teammates, "Are you all ready? The real adventure has only just begun!"

As soon as Zhao De finished speaking, everyone nodded in response. Although they were still somewhat uneasy, they were mostly filled with anticipation and excitement for the unknown world. The door opened completely, revealing a pitch-black opening, and the chilling air emanating from it seemed to foreshadow that the road ahead would not be easy.

"Let's go." Li Tao took the lead and stepped into the area, his flashlight shining brightly, illuminating the distance in front of him for several meters. "Watch your step, the ground seems slippery."

"Hmm, something feels off here," Xiaomei muttered softly behind Li Tao, seemingly sensing something unusual. "I have a feeling something's watching us from the shadows..."

Upon hearing this, the team members, who had been immersed in the atmosphere of the adventure, immediately became alert. Liu Feng clenched his fists and walked at the back of the group to ensure everyone's safety; Lao Wang looked around at the surrounding environment, ready to deal with any possible emergencies.

As they ventured deeper into the darkness, the air grew colder and heavier, making even breathing difficult. Just as everyone was beginning to feel exhausted, a series of hurried footsteps suddenly came from the left, followed by a figure darting out!

"Don't panic!" Zhao De shouted to warn everyone, "This is a trap!"

The newcomer wore a black cloak, held a sharp dagger, and his eyes were filled with murderous intent. His movements were unusually agile, appearing particularly eerie in the dim light. Fortunately, Zhao De reacted quickly, dodging the attack and pulling Old Wang aside to avoid the attacker's range.

"Hey, you guys are really bold to trespass into this mysterious place!" the man in black sneered, his tone clearly provocative.

"Sorry, we're not here to play around." Li Tao clenched his fist, adopting a fighting stance. "Bring on whatever moves you have!"

Chapter 1395 A Demonstration of Sincerity

Chapter 1395 A Demonstration of Sincerity

Upon hearing this, the assassin seemed unfazed, instead giving a contemptuous smile: "Fine, since you're courting death..." With that, he pounced on Li Tao, who was closest, like a ghost. The two instantly grappled, and the scene became quite chaotic.

However, just as the battle was raging, a dazzling blue light illuminated the entire area—it turned out that Xiao Mei had taken the opportunity to cast a magic spell she had learned before, temporarily immobilizing the enemy for a few seconds. Taking advantage of this opportunity, Zhao De and the others quickly surrounded them, preparing to counterattack.

"Wait, don't make a move!" Just as the atmosphere reached a fever pitch, the assassin suddenly pleaded, "I... I don't want to hurt you, I just received orders to set up defenses here."

The group exchanged bewildered glances, unsure what to do. After a moment of contemplation, Zhao De slowly released his grip. "Explain yourself. Who are you? Why did you attack us in a place like this?"

"I...I am a subordinate of the guardian of this pagoda, responsible for protecting this place from outsiders," the assassin replied somewhat awkwardly. "But I personally disagree with his methods. In fact, I would prefer to see you successfully overcome the difficulties; perhaps that would help us get out of this predicament..."

"Is everything you're saying true?" Liu Feng asked doubtfully.

“Of course!” the man said confidently. “If you are willing to listen to me, perhaps we can cooperate and maybe even discover some unexpected secrets.”

After a moment of silence, Zhao De finally nodded. "Alright, I'll trust you this once. But we must trust each other."

“Alright, I'll trust you this once. But we must trust each other.” Zhao De’s eyes were filled with determination. “Tell me, what do you need us to do?”

The assassin nodded, seemingly relieved: "First, I must introduce myself. My name is Zhao De, and I was indeed acting as a guard under orders. However, after learning more, I believe that the true treasure should not be monopolized by any one person."

Xiao Mei looked at Zhao De curiously: "So what exactly is this so-called treasure? Why is it so important?"

Zhao De frowned slightly, as if pondering how to answer. "I'm not entirely sure what it is, but I've heard my master mention a few times about an ancient and powerful artifact. It's said to possess the power to change the world."

"A world-changing artifact?" Li Tao raised an eyebrow. "That sounds like something extraordinary."

“It’s definitely not simple,” Liu Feng interjected. “If there really is something that powerful, then we should be even more careful. What if it falls into the hands of bad people…”

Old Wang nodded thoughtfully and added, "Hmm, and since it's such an important treasure, there will probably be quite a few guards. There might be more similar tests to come."

Faced with everyone's speculation and concerns, Zhao De said earnestly, "That's why I hope to cooperate with you. I do have some intelligence and know a few safe routes that can avoid danger as much as possible. However, the premise is that we need to establish a genuine relationship of trust."

"How can you prove you can be trusted?" Li Tao stared intently at the other person.

"I can help you find the key to the first level as a sign of sincerity," Zhao De replied readily. "Once you get it successfully, the rest will be easy to discuss."

Chapter 1396 The Entrance to the Next Stage

Chapter 1396 The Entrance to the Next Stage

Seeing his sincere tone, the group discussed it for a while and finally decided to give it a try. "Alright," Zhao De extended his hand, "Let's leave it at that for now. I hope you genuinely want to work with us to solve this problem."

“Absolutely sincere!” Zhao De grasped Zhao De’s outstretched hand tightly. “Follow me.”

Thus, led by this former enemy who was now a companion, the group embarked on a journey to find their next target. Along the way, Zhao De explained the meaning of the strange symbols around them as he led the way. "Actually, the layout here is very ingenious; every step has its purpose. Accidentally triggering certain mechanisms or touching places you shouldn't could lead to even bigger trouble."

Listening to these professional analyses, everyone was very impressed. "You really are an expert," Xiaomei exclaimed sincerely. "We're so grateful for your guidance."

"Hehe, don't say that. I'm happy to get to know everyone!" After saying that, he turned his attention back to the road ahead.

After about ten minutes, they arrived at a grand hall, ornately decorated but also filled with a strong sense of antiquity. "Alright, according to the plan, we need to rest here for a while." Zhao De gestured for everyone to stop and pointed to a long table and some chairs placed next to it.

Just as everyone was about to relax, the entire space suddenly fell silent again. "Wait! Something's not right..." Old Wang, who was the first to notice the change, said in a low voice.

"Really? I think I also sensed a slightly different fluctuation." Zhao De keenly sensed something, and a hint of caution flashed in his eyes.

Just then, a faint yet unsettling sound came from all directions. "What do you think that sound is?" Xiaomei asked nervously, her hand unconsciously gripping the hem of the person next to her for comfort.

"No matter what, we can't panic." Liu Feng patted the shoulders of the people around him to comfort them. "Since we've already decided to follow Zhao De, we must have the confidence to solve all the problems together. The most important thing now is to stay calm and united."

"That's right." Li Tao took a deep breath in agreement, slamming his fist heavily onto his other palm to encourage himself. "There's nothing to be afraid of. We can always have a fight!"

Just as the conversation was going on, a statue not far away began to move—or rather, something slowly rose from its base…

"Could that be the entrance to the next stage?" Xiaomei exclaimed with delight, pointing to the object whose outline was gradually becoming clearer. "It looks pretty cool!"

As the object gradually became clearer, the scene before them grew increasingly unbelievable. Rising from the base of the statue was a metal panel inlaid with blue gemstones, shimmering with light as if beckoning them.

"This thing is indeed extraordinary," Zhao De muttered to himself. "Zhao De, have you ever seen anything like this before?"

Zhao De frowned and shook his head: "I have never seen this kind of mechanism in person, but I am certain that this is not an ordinary door. We must proceed with caution."

"Then let's see how to open it first." Li Tao couldn't wait to step forward and reach out to try to push the metal door, but it seemed to be blocked by some invisible force and wouldn't budge at all.

Old Wang frowned and pondered for a moment before slowly saying, "Perhaps we need to find the right way to activate it. Everyone, split up and search the surrounding area to see if there are any clues."

Everyone sprang into action, beginning a thorough search of the hall. Xiaomei's gaze fell upon an ancient mural on the wall. "Come and look at this!" she exclaimed excitedly.

Hearing the sound, everyone gathered in front of the mural, which depicted a group of people holding various props standing in front of a door, seemingly performing some kind of ritual. Most striking was a person holding a long sword, pointing the tip of the sword towards the doorway.

"Does this mean we need a specific item to open this door?" Liu Feng guessed.

“That makes sense,” Zhao De nodded in agreement. “But we don’t have any similar longswords on us.”

"Wait..." Zhao De suddenly thought of something. He quickly took out a uniquely shaped dagger from his pocket, walked to the metal door panel, and gently placed the dagger in the groove at the doorway.

With a click, the previously closed metal door vibrated slightly before slowly opening to reveal a dark passage.

"I see!" Xiaomei exclaimed excitedly, "It seems this dagger is the key!"

“That’s right.” Zhao De breathed a sigh of relief. “This is something I found in a hidden place in the pagoda. I’ve kept it without using it. Now it seems it has finally come in very handy.”

The group exchanged glances, their hearts filled with anticipation and curiosity. Led by Zhao De, they stepped into the mysterious passage. The passage was dark and long, permeated with an ancient and oppressive atmosphere.

"Everyone stay close, there might be some traps here," Zhao De whispered a reminder.

The group proceeded cautiously, warily observing their surroundings. Suddenly, a faint light appeared ahead, causing their hearts to tighten.

"Is there something there?" Li Tao asked softly.

"Let's go take a look," Zhao De said in a low voice, leading the group forward.

When they reached the source of the light, they found a secret room. Inside, there was an old-fashioned table with an ancient scroll on it. Beside the scroll were a pen and a bottle of ink.

“This looks like a puzzle.” Liu Feng stepped forward and carefully unrolled the scroll.

The scroll was inscribed with the words: "Only the light of wisdom can illuminate the way forward; answer these three questions to advance to the next level."

“This is clearly a puzzle test,” Xiaomei said, frowning. “But luckily we have Zhao De, this clever guy, here.”

"Don't say that, let's all work together." Zhao De smiled slightly, his gaze focused intently on the text on the scroll.

The three questions on the scroll are:

1. What is it that becomes less visible the larger it is?

2. Even without feet, one can travel thousands of miles across the world.