Multiple Personalities

The men in black were somewhat flustered by this sudden change. The formation that was originally as solid as a wall of steel suddenly showed a brief disorder. Taking advantage of the chaos, Crane Immortal shouted, "Now, charge out!" The voice exploded in the night sky like a flash of lightning piercing the darkness.

The three of them seized this fleeting opportunity, coordinating seamlessly with each other, and charged in one direction with ferocity.

Crane Immortal led the charge, and his long sword was like a dragon emerging from the sea. With each flicker of the sword's shadow, the men in black standing in their way were forced to retreat. Every sword swing carried a fierce wind, making the men in black uneasy to approach carelessly.

Shen Jingqi and Lin Yue followed closely behind him. Shen Jingqi clutched his sword with a firm grip, his eyes resolute. He defended against the black-clad men's attacks as steady as a mountain. Lin Yue was light-footed, deftly wielding her weapon to skillfully neutralize threats from all directions, fending off attacks while tirelessly pushing forward.

Amidst breaching the encirclement, the surrounding noise was chaotic and overwhelming, interwoven with shouts and clashing weapons. Yet, they relied on their keen hearing to capture some key information.

"Boss, why did the zombie suddenly go out of control?" a black-clad man asked anxiously, with a trace of fear and panic in his voice.

"Forget about that, just capture those three first. There can be no mistakes regarding the Divine Artifact." The leader of the men in black roared, his voice was like a roar from Hell, full of authority and indisputability.

"The Divine Artifact? So they really have something to do with the Divine Artifact!" Crane Immortal's heart was shaken, as if an electric current had passed through his whole body. He was increasingly certain of his previous speculation that these black-clad men definitely knew secrets about the Divine Artifact and seemed to be searching for it as well. This discovery made his heart involuntarily beat faster and made him aware that the road ahead would become even more difficult and dangerous.

They finally broke out of the abandoned shrine, but the men in black did not give up. They pursued relentlessly, with shouts echoing in the night sky as if death's summons.

Crane Immortal and the three dared not pause for a moment, running desperately, with the footsteps behind them like death warrants, growing ever closer. Each step was filled with tension and fear, as they sensed the black-clad men's presence closely following. They dashed through a forest, where trees grew thickly and intertwining branches and leaves cast dappled shadows through the moonlight. These shadows offered them some cover, temporarily throwing off the men in black's line of sight.

"We can't keep running like this, they'll catch up with us sooner or later." Lin Yue said breathlessly, her forehead beaded with sweat, her hair soaked and sticking to her cheeks. Her breathing was rapid and heavy, and her legs were gradually feeling heavy.

Crane Immortal considered a strategy while running, his brows furrowed and his gaze revealing a trace of anxiety and determination. Suddenly, he thought of an idea. "There's a valley ahead, let's go in and use the valley's terrain to shake them off," he said, his voice urgent from running but full of confidence.

They quickened their pace toward the valley. Upon entering the valley, they found the terrain complex with rugged rocks scattered all around. Some rocks resembled beasts, others giants, as if guarding the valley. They used these stones as cover, playing hide and seek with the black-clad men, sometimes hiding behind rocks, sometimes quickly moving positions, making it difficult for the black-clad men to catch them.

As the men in black entered the valley, unfamiliar with the terrain, they gradually lost distance. But the leader was crafty, standing on a high rock, observing the surroundings, and then instructing his subordinates to split into small groups to search from different directions.

"They're definitely in this valley. Search carefully, and don't let them escape," the leader of the men in black said viciously, his eyes gleaming with ferocity as if he wanted to tear Crane Immortal and the other two apart.

Crane Immortal and the others hid behind a massive rock, not daring to breathe. They listened as the men in black's footsteps drew closer—each step felt like it was stomping on their hearts, causing their heartbeats to quicken involuntarily.

"What do we do? They seem to be getting closer," Shen Jingqi whispered, his hand gripping his sword tightly, his knuckles turning white with force. His eyes betrayed a hint of tension and worry, ever ready for battle.

Crane Immortal glanced around, suddenly discovering a narrow path. Hidden between two giant rocks, it was hard to notice unless looked at carefully. His eyes lit up, saying, "Let's take this path. We might shake them off." His voice was low yet filled with hope.

They cautiously followed the narrow path. The path was so narrow that only one person could pass through. The rocks on either side towered into the clouds as if they would crash down at any moment. They proceeded one after another, cautiously, afraid of making any sound. Each step was taken with great care, their eyes fixed forward, and ears perked for any surrounding movements.

As they walked, they spotted strange symbols on the rocks along both sides of the path. These symbols were oddly shaped, some like twisted worms, others like mysterious patterns. They glimmered with strange light in the dim light, inspiring awe in anyone who beheld them.

"What are these symbols? Could they be related to the Divine Artifact?" Lin Yue asked curiously, her eyes wide with wonder and curiosity. She reached out to touch the symbols yet hesitated midway, fearing she might trigger some mechanism, and her hand stopped mid-air.

Crane Immortal closely observed the symbols, filled with doubt. He had never seen these symbols before, but he could sense their unusualness.

"I'm not sure either, but these might be clues to finding the Divine Artifact. Let's remember them and study them further after we shake off these men in black," Crane Immortal said. He took out a piece of cloth from his pocket, cautiously recording the shapes and positions of some symbols.

They continued along the path, and suddenly, a huge cave appeared before them. The cave emitted a mysterious aura as if harboring countless secrets. The air was cold and damp, sending a shiver down their spines. A thin mist surrounded the entrance, making the cave appear even more mysterious and unfathomable.

"Should we go in and take a look?" Shen Jingqi asked hesitantly, his gaze tinted with fear and indecision. He knew full well that countless dangers could be lurking within the cave, yet he was unwilling to give up the potential opportunity to find the Divine Artifact.

Crane Immortal contemplated for a moment, his eyes flashing with determination. He knew there was no other option now, and perhaps the cave held a way to shake off the men in black, or even clues about the Divine Artifact.

"We go in, but we must be careful," Crane Immortal said, his voice calm yet authoritative. He led the way into the cave, each step taken with utmost stability.

They cautiously entered the cave, which was so dark that one couldn't see their hand in front of their face. They had to rely on the faint glow of their swords to feel their way forward. That glow seemed so small in the darkness, as if it could be swallowed by the dark at any moment.

Strange sounds occasionally echoed in the cave: dripping water, "drip, drip," akin to the footsteps of time echoing in the silent cave, sending chills down their spines. There was also a low growl like that of some creature, deep and terrifying, like a roar from Hell, causing their hearts to beat faster uncontrollably.