Multiple Personalities

They found themselves in an unfamiliar place. It was a dense forest, the trees tall and lush, with branches and leaves intertwined like a giant green net. Sunlight filtered through the gaps in the leaves, creating patches of mottled shadows as if laying a golden carpet on the ground.

"Where is this place? Where should we go next?" Lin Yue looked around the forest, somewhat dazed.

Shen Jingqi took a deep breath, savoring the fresh forest air, "No matter what this place is, we must keep moving forward. The Divine Artifact is still in our hands, and we must uncover its secrets."

They ventured into the forest, the fallen leaves underfoot rustling. The forest was suffused with a mysterious atmosphere, with occasional bird calls, yet it felt devoid of life, adding a sense of eeriness.

Suddenly, a wild rabbit darted in front of them, startling Lin Yue, who almost cried out. Shen Jingqi quickly grabbed her hand, softly saying, "Don't be afraid, it's just a rabbit." His hand was warm and strong, easing Lin Yue's anxiety somewhat.

They continued forward, when suddenly they heard a strange sound. It sounded like someone weeping softly, or like the wind howling. The sound grew closer, as if it were right beside them.

"What is that sound? Could there be someone else in the forest?" Lin Yue asked nervously, her body trembling slightly.

Shen Jingqi gripped his sword tightly, vigilantly looking around. He said, "I don't know, let's be careful." His eyes revealed a hint of caution, as if ready to confront any sudden danger.

They followed the direction of the sound and found it emanating from a cave. The cave was pitch black, like a massive black hole, ready to swallow them at any moment.

"Should we go inside?" Lin Yue hesitated, her eyes filled with fear.

Shen Jingqi pondered for a moment and said, "Since we're here, we should take a look. There might be some clues inside." His voice was calm, yet carried a sense of determination.

They cautiously entered the cave. A damp smell filled the air, and the walls flickered with eerie light. With each step they took, their footsteps echoed in the cave, as if countless eyes were watching them.

Suddenly, a shadow flashed before them. Shen Jingqi and Lin Yue immediately halted, warily scanning their surroundings. The shadow moved swiftly, vanishing into the darkness before they could see what it was.

"What was that?" Lin Yue asked in terror, her voice carrying a hint of tears.

Frowning, Shen Jingqi said, "We can't retreat now. Let's keep going."

They pressed on and discovered a massive stone platform inside the cave. On the platform were various strange items, exuding a mysterious aura.

"What are these things? Could they be related to the Divine Artifact?" Lin Yue asked curiously, slowly approaching the stone platform.

Shen Jingqi quickly pulled her back, saying, "Careful, it might be dangerous." His eyes revealed a hint of caution, as if warning Lin Yue not to touch anything lightly.

They cautiously examined the items on the stone platform and found a Jade Pendant that bore some resemblance to the patterns on the Divine Artifact.

"Could this Jade Pendant be the key to activating some mechanism?" Shen Jingqi speculated, his eyes fixed on the pendant as if seeking answers.

He reached out slowly toward the Jade Pendant. Just as his hand was about to touch it, a sound of a mechanism activating suddenly echoed through the cave.

"Not good, there's danger!" Shen Jingqi shouted, swiftly pulling Lin Yue back.

The items on the stone platform fell, and the ground began to tremble, as if an earthquake was imminent. A massive stone fell from the cave's ceiling, hurtling toward them.

Shen Jingqi and Lin Yue quickly dodged aside, the stone brushing past them and crashing down, kicking up a cloud of dust.

"Run!" Shen Jingqi shouted, dragging Lin Yue towards the cave's exit.

They ran desperately, the cave behind them erupting with deafening roars, massive stones crashing from the ceiling, stirring up dust that seemed ready to bury the entire world.

Lin Yue felt her legs were no longer obeying her, each step was incredibly difficult, but driven by the instinct to survive, she gritted her teeth and lunged forward with all her might. Shen Jingqi held her hand tightly, glancing back occasionally at the collapsing cave, his eyes filled with seriousness.

Finally, they burst out of the cave and plunged into the dense forest. As soon as they stopped, they collapsed against a tree, gasping for air as though trying to expel all the air from their lungs. Lin Yue's face was filled with terror, beads of sweat covered her forehead, and her hair was wet with sweat, messily sticking to her cheeks.

"That was… so dangerous, we almost didn't make it out." Lin Yue said, her voice trembling, her body still slightly shaking, clearly not yet recovered from the ordeal.

Shen Jingqi supported himself on his knees, also panting heavily. He raised his head, looking at the Divine Artifact in his hand, which emitted a faint glow, as if recounting the ordeal they had just experienced. His eyes revealed a hint of concern and determination as he said, "It seems the secrets behind the Divine Artifact are far more complex than we imagined. We must be even more vigilant."

Just then, a slight sound of footsteps reached their ears.

"Someone's coming, who could it be?" Lin Yue asked nervously, her eyes filled with alertness, her body unconsciously tensing, her hands clenched into fists as if ready for any sudden danger.

Shen Jingqi gripped his sword tightly, the blade glinting coldly in the faint light. His eyes were sharp as an eagle's, staring intently in the direction of the approaching footsteps.

They stared fixedly in that direction, not daring to breathe. A group of people wearing clothes adorned with ancient totems appeared before them. The clothing was embroidered with various strange patterns, some resembling ferocious beasts, others like mysterious runes, exuding an ancient and mysterious aura. Their faces were covered with black cloth, obscuring their features, but their eyes revealed a hint of greed and ruthlessness, like a pack of hungry wolves eyeing their prey.

Shen Jingqi and Lin Yue exchanged a glance, filled with vigilance. They could feel that this group was undoubtedly not friendly.

"Who are you? Why are you here?" Shen Jingqi shouted, his voice echoing through the silent forest.