Multiple Personalities

Shen Jingqi looked at the three paths, troubled: "Which one should we take? Each path seems filled with unknowns."

Lin Yue carefully observed the surroundings and suddenly noticed some strange footprints on the ground. The footprints were shallow and hard to notice unless looked at closely. "Look, there are footprints here. Maybe these footprints can give us some hints."

They followed the direction of the footprints, which led to the middle path. They exchanged a glance and then resolutely stepped onto the middle path.

This path was more rugged than they imagined, with sharp and slippery stones underfoot; a single misstep could lead to a fall. They walked cautiously, their eyes warily scanning their surroundings.

Suddenly, a strange sound came from ahead. It was like the roar of a beast combined with the chant of some mysterious ritual, sending chills down their spines. Shen Jingqi and Lin Yue stopped in their tracks, their hearts involuntarily beating faster.

"What is that sound? Could it be dangerous?" Lin Yue asked nervously, clutching onto Shen Jingqi's arm tightly.

Shen Jingqi took a deep breath, trying to calm himself: "Don't be afraid, let's first see what's going on. Maybe it's just the wind or some other natural sound."

They slowly moved forward; the sound grew clearer. When they turned a corner, the scene before them left them stunned.

In a vast clearing, a group of people dressed in strange costumes were performing a mysterious ritual. They danced around a large bonfire, chanting. The fire blazed brightly, illuminating their fierce and frenzied faces.

Shen Jingqi and Lin Yue quickly hid behind a large rock, not daring to make a sound for fear of being discovered by these people.

"Who are these people? What are they doing? Could it be related to that secret?" Lin Yue asked in a whisper, her eyes filled with fear and curiosity.

Shen Jingqi shook his head, his gaze fixed on the group: "I don't know either, but we have to be careful and see if we can find any clues from them."

While they were observing, suddenly, a tall man stopped what he was doing and seemed to look directly through the mist at their hiding place.

"Who's there? Come out!" the man shouted, his voice thundering like a bolt of lightning.

Shen Jingqi and Lin Yue were startled, realizing they had been discovered. They exchanged a glance, then slowly walked out from behind the rock.

The people surrounded them immediately, their eyes filled with hostility and vigilance.

"Who are you? Why are you here?" the tall man asked, holding a long stick in his hand, ready to attack at any moment.

Shen Jingqi mustered the courage to speak: "We're just passing by and accidentally intruded into your territory. We mean no harm, we're just seeking some clues about the secret of this place."

The group exchanged glances and then burst into laughter.

"A secret? You actually want to know the secret here? That comes at a price." The tall man said, a sly glint in his eyes.

Shen Jingqi's heart tightened. He didn't know what the price was, but he knew they couldn't give up easily.

"As long as we can learn the secret, we're willing to pay any price," Shen Jingqi said firmly.

The group laughed again, and then the tall man said: "Alright, since you want to know so badly, I'll give you a chance. If you can pass our trial, we'll tell you the secret."

"What trial?" Lin Yue asked, her voice trembling slightly, but her eyes revealed a hint of determination.

"In the valley ahead, there is a fierce beast. If you can kill it and bring it back, you will have passed the trial," the tall man said.

Shen Jingqi and Lin Yue hesitated. They didn't know just how fierce the beast was or if they had the ability to kill it. But to uncover the secret and for a chance to save the Crane Immortal, they decided to take the trial.

"Alright, we accept the trial," Shen Jingqi said.

The group gave them directions to the valley, watching them depart with a strange smile.

Shen Jingqi and Lin Yue headed towards the valley, their hearts filled with tension and unease. As they drew closer to the valley, the atmosphere became more oppressive.

Finally, they reached the entrance of the valley. The valley was filled with a pungent odor, as if it was the scent of death. They cautiously entered, eyes warily watching everything around them.

Suddenly, a giant beast charged from the depths of the valley. The beast, shaped like a bull yet with sharp horns, was covered in thick scales, its eyes gleaming with a ferocious light.

Shen Jingqi and Lin Yue were startled, quickly grabbing their weapons to prepare for battle. The beast roared and charged at them, its speed like a black lightning streak.

Shen Jingqi sidestepped, dodging the beast's attack. Then, he raised his sword and slashed at the beast.

After a break, Shen Jingqi and Lin Yue dragged the beast's carcass back before the group.

The group was surprised to see they had truly slain the beast, revealing looks of astonishment.

"Didn't expect you to have some skill. Well, since you've passed the trial, we will tell you the secret," the tall man said.

It turned out that within this cave lay a mysterious Divine Artifact, possessing immense power that could bring great disaster to the world if it fell into the wrong hands. The Crane Immortal had been guarding this artifact all along. The group was constantly searching for it, wishing to use its power for their ambition.

Shen Jingqi and Lin Yue were enlightened. They finally understood why the Crane Immortal paid such a heavy price to guard this secret.

"What should we do now? How can we rescue the Crane Immortal and protect this Divine Artifact?" Lin Yue asked anxiously.

The group sneered, "Rescue the Crane Immortal, protect the artifact? Not so easy. You think knowing the secret changes anything? This is just the beginning; more dangers await you."

With that, the group suddenly attacked. Shen Jingqi and Lin Yue quickly picked up their weapons, engaging in battle. During the fierce fight, they gradually realized this group seemed to possess some mysterious power, making their attacks increasingly intense, difficult to withstand.

As they nearly faced despair, suddenly, an enchanting flute sound rang out. The sound seemed to possess a magical power, slowing the group's movements.

Taking advantage of this, Shen Jingqi and Lin Yue counterattacked, looking towards the source of the flute music, spotting a figure faintly visible in the mist.