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

Suddenly, a loud crash was heard, and one side of the cave collapsed, sending a large number of rocks tumbling down. Everyone was terrified and hurriedly took cover.

"Quick, run forward!" Zhao De shouted, swinging his sword to cut down the falling rocks.

They ran frantically until they reached an open area and stopped. Panting, they looked around and discovered a vast underground lake. The lake was as calm as a mirror, yet it gave off an inexplicable sense of oppression.

"Is this the core of the 'Forgotten Land'?" Liu Feng asked.

The guardian shook his head: "There's still some distance to go, but I'm very satisfied with your performance. I'll be leaving for a while, and you'll have to find the sacred artifact yourselves."

Zhao De watched the guardian's departing figure, his brows furrowed: "Will he really leave us here unattended?"

“We must believe in ourselves,” Xiaomei said firmly. “We will definitely complete the mission.”

Just then, a radiant platform suddenly appeared on the lake, upon which rested a gleaming golden sword.

"Is this the sacred artifact?" Zhao De asked excitedly.

The old man stepped forward and examined it carefully: "It looks like an ancient artifact, but we can't be sure."

Just as they were preparing to take over the platform, ripples suddenly appeared on the water, and a huge monster emerged from them, letting out a deafening roar.

“This is the final test,” Zhao De said firmly. “We must overcome it and obtain the sacred artifact.”

The monster opened its gaping maw, revealing sharp fangs, and lunged at them. Zhao De drew his sword to meet it, and his companions reacted swiftly, joining the battle.

"Everyone be careful, this monster is extremely powerful!" Zhao De shouted a warning.

The monster swung its massive body, creating sprays of water, and its attacks grew increasingly ferocious. The group tried their best to fight it off, but each attack seemed unable to inflict fatal damage.

"We must find its weakness!" Xiaomei shouted.

After a fierce battle, Zhao De finally discovered the monster's weakness: a glowing bead was hidden beneath the scales on its belly. He roared, concentrated all his strength, and thrust his sword into the bead.

The monster roared in agony before finally collapsing and vanishing into nothingness.

"We won!" Xiaomei exclaimed excitedly.

Zhao De stepped onto the platform, picked up the gleaming golden longsword, and felt an indescribable surge of power within him.

Zhao De gripped his longsword, and golden light instantly enveloped his entire body, as if a warm and powerful force was slowly flowing into him. He felt stronger than ever before, filled with boundless courage and confidence.

"This feeling... is truly incredible," Zhao De exclaimed.

Liu Feng stepped forward and asked curiously, "Have you changed at all?"

Zhao De swung his longsword, and golden light flashed, illuminating the entire space. "I feel my strength has increased several times over, and I can even see the air currents around me," he said excitedly.

Xiao Mei smiled gently: "It seems this sword really is an extraordinary artifact. We've finally completed half of our mission."

Just then, a glowing path suddenly appeared on the lake, leading to the entrance of a dark tunnel on the opposite side. The guardian's voice echoed from the void: "Congratulations on passing the test. Continue along this path; the power of the sacred artifact will guide you to your way out."

Chapter 1401 The Hidden Place

Chapter 1401 The Hidden Place

The group exchanged glances, a sense of unease creeping into their hearts, but they mustered their courage and stepped onto the path of light. The path was narrow, barely wide enough for two people to walk side-by-side. They proceeded cautiously, afraid of accidentally falling into the dark lake.

Liu Feng walked at the front, constantly using his short stick to probe ahead and make sure there was no danger. "The road here is flat, everyone can walk without worry," he waved to those behind him.

The elderly man beside me reminded us, "Although the road seems safe, we can't let our guard down. There might be other challenges waiting for us."

Sure enough, they had only gone halfway when suddenly the lake water churned, and several huge water snakes rushed out and attacked them. Liu Feng reacted quickly, stepping in front of them and wielding his short stick to fight the water snakes.

"Everyone be careful, there are quite a few of these guys!" Liu Feng shouted a warning.

Xiaomei took out a bow and arrow from behind her back, aimed at one of the water snakes, and fired a precise shot. The arrow pierced through the snake's body, splattering blood, and the water snake struggled a few times before sinking into the water.

"That's fantastic! Keep it up!" Zhao De encouraged, as he held his longsword, which shone with golden light once more, like a divine weapon that could cut through any obstacle. With each strike, several water snakes were cleaved in two.

“At this rate, we can take care of these guys,” Liu Feng said, panting.

But before long, even more and larger monsters leaped from the water, and the situation grew increasingly dire. "We must hurry! There seem to be more and more of them," the old man said, frowning.

Seeing that the situation was dire, Zhao De took a deep breath, raised his golden sword, and shouted, "Divine weapon, unleash your full power!"

As the words fell, the golden light erupted with unprecedented intensity, forming a dazzling halo that spread in all directions. All the water snakes in the lake, blinded by the intense light, dared not approach and fled with mournful cries.

"Hurry up, let's cross this path of light as soon as possible," Zhao De urged.

Taking advantage of the moment, the group quickened their pace and finally arrived at the dark tunnel before the water snake could return. They entered the tunnel, and the light immediately dimmed. Xiaomei took out a torch and lit it; the weak flame flickered, providing light for everyone.

"That scene was truly amazing. This longsword is truly a divine artifact," Liu Feng exclaimed sincerely.

Zhao De nodded: "But this is just the beginning; we haven't reached our final destination yet."

The tunnel was unusually cold and damp. They proceeded cautiously, each step firm and careful, as if afraid of triggering some mechanism. The old man walked in front, occasionally turning back to warn, "There are many grooves and patterns on the walls here; please don't touch them carelessly."

Zhao De followed closely behind, the longsword in his hand emitting a soft golden light, as if illuminating their path. Xiao Mei and Liu Feng stayed close behind him, alert to any movement around them.

"Something seems off about this tunnel. It feels like we're heading deeper into it," Xiaomei whispered.

Liu Feng frowned and said, "It might lead to a more secluded place. We need to be careful."

They continued onward, the tunnel gradually widening, and strange symbols and totems began to appear on both sides. Suddenly, a massive stone gate appeared before them, covered with intricate runes. These runes seemed to contain some kind of power, inspiring awe.

"What is this?" Xiaomei curiously stepped forward to touch the runes, but as soon as she touched them, her hand was jerked back. "Ouch!" she exclaimed.

"Don't move," the old man said seriously. "These runes may have protective power; we need to find a way to open the stone door."

Zhao De carefully examined the stone door and noticed one particular totem that stood out: a warrior holding a long sword. "This sword looks familiar. Could it be that I'm going to use this divine weapon in my hand to open the door?" he wondered to himself.

“Senior, this door seems to require something specific to open. Do you have any clues?” Zhao De asked.

The old man nodded: "Indeed, this door requires a special key to open. And this key should be the sacred artifact in your possession."

Upon hearing this, Zhao De unhesitatingly plunged his longsword into the groove on the stone door. Instantly, the stone door emitted a dazzling light, a booming sound rang out, and the heavy door slowly opened.

"We're in!" the crowd cheered, eagerly stepping through the stone gate. The sight before them astonished them: a vast underground palace lay before them, filled with precious gems and antiques.

"This place... is truly magnificent!" Xiaomei exclaimed.

The old man looked around and said in a solemn tone, "It seems that many secrets are hidden here. We cannot let our guard down."

They continued deeper, walking along a wide corridor. Suddenly, a low chanting sound came from the end of the corridor, as if something was calling to them. Zhao De stopped and asked warily, "Did you hear that?"

Liu Feng nodded: "Someone is chanting incantations; it should be the people guarding this palace."

They cautiously walked to the end of the corridor, where they saw a spacious hall where a mysterious figure dressed in black robes stood in the center, holding a staff that shimmered with an eerie green light, his lowered eyes filled with depth and mystery.

"You've finally arrived. You must be the brave warriors who have passed the trials." The man spoke slowly, his voice deep yet full of authority.

"Who are you?" Zhao De asked.

The man in black smiled slightly: "I am the guardian of this palace and the guide for your mission. Congratulations, you have passed all the tests and can now receive your final reward."

Zhao De gripped his longsword tightly and asked warily, "How can we be sure what you're saying is true?"

“It’s simple,” the man in black robes said, raising his staff. A powerful surge of magic caused the floor of the hall to tremble. “Do you see that crystal ball? It will tell you the whole truth.”

Following his gaze, the group saw a transparent crystal ball in the center of the hall, displaying scenes from their journey and the fate they were about to face.

“Our goal is to find the Divine Heart,” the old man said firmly. “Can you take us there?”

The man in black robes nodded: "Of course, but first, you must complete the final test. Only by passing this test can you obtain true power."

"What kind of test?" Zhao De asked warily.

The man in black robes chuckled softly: "You must confront your inner fears and desires. Only those who truly conquer themselves can gain true power."

The book is finished

"Inner fears and desires?" Liu Feng frowned, clearly perplexed by this test. "Then what should we do?"

The man in black robes slowly lowered his staff, a profound light flashing in his eyes: "Everyone harbors their deepest fears and desires. You need to enter your own inner world and confront those hidden emotions."

Xiaomei trembled slightly and bit her lip: "How can I enter the inner world? It sounds dangerous."

"Don't worry, I will open a passage for you." The man in black robes waved his hand, and the crystal ball in the center of the hall began to flicker, with a powerful magical energy spreading through the air.

The old man looked at everyone and said firmly, "We must face all of this; only in this way can we find the sacred heart. No matter what difficulties we encounter, we must not give up."

Zhao De gripped his longsword tightly, his gaze resolute: "Alright, let's begin."

The man in black robes nodded and chanted an incantation. Suddenly, the crystal ball emitted a dazzling light, illuminating the entire hall. Then, a portal of light slowly opened before everyone.

"Go in, brave explorers," the black-robed man's voice echoed in the hall. "Remember, do not let your inner fears and desires control you."

Liu Feng took a deep breath and stepped into the portal first. He felt a strong wave of dizziness, and then a dark forest appeared before him. It was pitch black all around, with only a faint sliver of moonlight filtering through the treetops. Liu Feng cautiously looked around, when suddenly he heard a series of low footsteps.

"Who's there?" he asked in a low voice, his short stick already poised to meet the attack.

"Haha, it's me, your fear." A familiar voice rang out, and Liu Feng turned around abruptly. Behind him stood a figure who looked exactly like him, but whose eyes were filled with despair and pain.

"You...you are my clone?" Liu Feng couldn't believe his eyes.

"No, I am your inner fear. You've always been afraid of failure, afraid of losing friends, afraid of being betrayed. Now, I'm going to make you experience those fears!" The figure approached step by step, and Liu Feng felt a sharp pain in his chest, as if he were being tightly bound by invisible chains.

At the same time, Zhao De entered another portal. He found himself in a vast desert, the sun blazing high, the air thick with heat. Zhao De looked around and suddenly saw a huge phantom rising from behind the sand dunes—it was his desire: power.

"You want power, don't you?" the phantom said in a deep, seductive voice. "I can give you unparalleled power, if you're willing to give up everything."

Zhao De gritted his teeth and shook his head firmly: "No, I will not be controlled by your desires. What I need to find is true power, the power to protect my comrades!"

The phantom let out a cold laugh, and with a wave of its hands, countless golden chains came from all directions, attempting to bind Zhao De.