Multiple Personalities

"What is that sound? Could there be any danger?" Lin Yue tightly clutched the Crane Immortal's sleeve, her voice trembling as she asked. Her body was quivering slightly, and her eyes were filled with fear.

The Crane Immortal patted her shoulder, comforting her, "Don't be afraid, I'm here. If we're careful, everything should be fine." Although his voice was calm, his heart was filled with vigilance. He tightly gripped the sword in his hand, ready to face any potential danger.

As they continued forward, a massive stone door suddenly appeared ahead. The door was covered with various strange symbols, some resembling birds and beasts, others like the divine beasts from mythical tales. The stone door was tightly shut, seemingly blocking their path.

"What could be behind this stone door? Could this be the place where the Divine Artifact is?" Shen Jingqi said excitedly, his eyes glowing as if he could already see the artifact before him.

The Crane Immortal stepped forward to examine the stone door carefully. He noticed a peculiar groove on the door, its shape similar to some symbols they had seen along the path.

"Could this groove be the key to opening the stone door?" The Crane Immortal pondered silently. He took out the cloth containing the symbols from his chest and compared them meticulously.

"Look, the shape of this groove is very similar to this symbol." The Crane Immortal said, pointing to a symbol on the cloth.

The three of them began searching the surroundings for an item that matched the shape of the groove. They carefully searched the walls and floor of the cave, not missing a single corner.

Just as they were about to give up, Lin Yue suddenly discovered a strange stone behind a rock. The stone's shape almost perfectly matched the groove, with some odd patterns carved on it.

"Look, could this stone be the key to opening the stone door?" Lin Yue said excitedly, her eyes gleaming with hope.

The Crane Immortal took the stone and cautiously placed it in the groove. With a loud "boom," the stone door slowly opened. A powerful gust of wind surged from behind the door, nearly knocking them off their feet.

They carefully stepped through the opened stone door. Inside was a vast cave, illuminated by bizarre lights. The light emanated from a huge stone platform at the center of the cave, upon which rested a box exuding a mysterious aura.

"Could this be the Divine Artifact?" Shen Jingqi exclaimed excitedly, his eyes filled with desire. He couldn't wait to hurry toward the stone platform.

"Wait, be careful. There might be danger." The Crane Immortal shouted hastily, reaching out to stop Shen Jingqi. But it was too late; Shen Jingqi had already reached the platform.

Just as Shen Jingqi reached out to grab the box, strange creatures suddenly poured out from all around the cave.

These creatures were absurdly bizarre, some resembling gigantic spiders with eight long legs like steel whips swiftly crawling on the ground, leaving deep scratches wherever they went; others like winged lizards, their wing flaps stirring up gusts of foul wind, sharp claws glinting with cold light under the faint glow. They bared their fangs and claws as they lunged toward them, emitting horrifying snarls from their mouths.

"Not good, there's danger! Move back quickly!" The Crane Immortal shouted loudly, his voice echoing through the cave, filled with urgency and determination. He swiftly drew his sword, its blade flashing with a glimmer in the darkness, and stood in front of Shen Jingqi and Lin Yue, like a towering mountain shielding them from the storm.

A fierce battle ensued.

The Crane Immortal wielded his long sword, the sword flashes resembling a silver dragon twisting in the dark. Each swing drove back several of the strange creatures, his sword blade striking the creatures with "splat" and "crack" sounds, green blood and chunks of flesh splattering everywhere.

Shen Jingqi and Lin Yue were no less determined. Shen Jingqi gripped his sword firmly, his gaze unwavering and sharp. Seizing the opportunity, he charged forward fiercely, his sword stabbing like lightning into one of the attacking spider creatures, piercing straight through its body. Lin Yue displayed her agility, skillfully dodging the creatures' attacks, while using her short blade to strike at the creatures' legs, causing them to lose balance.

The three of them coordinated effectively, forming a tight battle circle to fend off wave after wave of the creatures' attacks.

Yet these creatures seemed endless, continually emerging from the corners and crevices of the cave, like a demonic legion from Hell. They surrounded the three in a complete circle. As time passed, their stamina gradually dwindled, each swing of their weapons becoming heavier. Sweat soaked their clothes, and their breathing grew rapid and labored. They suffered some injuries, Shen Jingqi's arm slashed by a winged lizard's claw, blood streaming down his arm, staining his sleeve; Lin Yue's leg stung by a spider creature's venomous stinger, swelling into a large lump, pain rendering her pale-faced.

Just as they were feeling desperate, the Crane Immortal suddenly realized that the strange creatures seemed to be avoiding the light emanating from the stone platform. That light was warm and gentle, seeming to possess an invisible force that kept the creatures at bay. He had an idea.

"Let's move closer to the stone platform, using its light to protect ourselves." The Crane Immortal shouted, his voice tinged with a glimmer of hope.

The three of them quickly approached the stone platform, each step filled with caution, their eyes closely watching the surrounding creatures to prevent any sudden attacks. Those strange creatures indeed dared not approach them further, lurking at the edge of the radiant light, emitting angry yet unwilling snarls but unable to cross the boundary. They took the opportunity to catch their breath, adjusting their state. Shen Jingqi leaned against the stone platform, breathing heavily, sweat dripping from his forehead; Lin Yue sat on the ground, gently massaging her injured leg, an expression of pain on her face.

The Crane Immortal reached out once more to take the box. This time, he encountered no obstacles. His hand slowly extended to the box, fingertips touching it and immediately feeling a warmth, as though a mysterious force resonated with him. He gingerly picked up the box, which emitted a warm and mysterious glow, like a flowing star river glittering in the dark, narrating its extraordinary essence.

"We did it, we got the Divine Artifact," Lin Yue said excitedly, a brilliant smile spreading across her face, a smile like a ray of sunlight in the darkness, dispelling some of the gloom.

However, just as they were about to leave, a deep laughter suddenly echoed in the cave. That laughter seemed to come from Hell, carrying endless eeriness and horror, chilling all who heard it. The laughter reverberated in the cave, lingering for a long time, as if countless voices were mocking them simultaneously.