Multiple Personalities

"What should we do next?" asked Lin Yue.

Shen Jingqi pondered for a moment and said, "Since the Ghost said the key is hidden in three different places, let's start by looking at the first location. But we need to be fully prepared; we don't know what kind of Guardian we'll be facing there."

They began searching for clues in the surroundings, hoping to find the way to the first place where the key was hidden. Suddenly, Lin Yue discovered a strange set of footprints on the ground, large and unusually shaped, not like human footprints.

"Shen Jingqi, look!" Lin Yue pointed at the footprints, her voice carrying a hint of excitement.

Shen Jingqi crouched down and examined the footprints closely. They were deep, suggesting that the creature that left them was very heavy. Moreover, the direction seemed to point toward a small path ahead.

"These may be the Guardian's footprints. If we follow them, we might find the first hidden key location," Shen Jingqi said.

They cautiously followed the footprints, the surrounding fog growing thicker, nearly blinding them. Suddenly, a sinister laugh echoed from ahead, sharp and piercing, like a blade cutting through the darkness.

"Who? Who's laughing?" Lin Yue asked in fear, her body trembling involuntarily.

The laughter abruptly stopped, followed by a massive figure slowly emerging from the fog. It was a giant, mountain-like in size, its body made of black stone, covered with sharp edges. Its eyes flickered with red light, like flaming fireballs.

"You reckless souls dare to intrude upon my domain!" the Giant boomed, its voice thundering, causing the fog to roll around them.

Shen Jingqi and Lin Yue watched the Giant tensely, their hands tightly clasped together, filled with fear but steadiness. They knew that in the face of such a powerful Guardian, they could not back down.

"We're just here looking for the key, not to cause harm," Shen Jingqi shouted, trying to communicate with the Giant.

The Giant sneered, "Do you think mere mortals can easily obtain the key? To pass, you must first defeat me!" With that, the Giant swung its massive fists toward them. The fists bore such force that they seemed capable of destroying the entire abyss.

Shen Jingqi and Lin Yue quickly separated, each searching for a place to evade. As Shen Jingqi dodged the Giant's attacks, he analyzed the Giant's weaknesses. He noticed that although the Giant moved slowly, its strength was tremendous, and its body, made of rock, was extremely tough. However, there appeared to be small cracks near its knees.

"Lin Yue, I found its weakness, at the waist!" Shen Jingqi shouted.

Lin Yue nodded, picking up a sharp stone from the ground, gripping it tightly. Shen Jingqi continued to lure the Giant into attacking, deftly weaving between its legs, sometimes jumping behind it, sometimes darting to its side. The Giant was utterly provoked by his actions, constantly swinging its fists but failing to hit him.

When the Giant swung its fist down again, Shen Jingqi seized the opportunity and rushed toward the Giant's waist. He leapt high and stabbed his dagger deeply into the crack. The dagger pierced the crack, and the Giant let out a roar of pain, its body trembling.

Lin Yue seized the moment to charge forward, smashing the stone she held vigorously against the Giant. The stone hit the crack, enlarging it, and the Giant's body began to show fractures.

The Giant roared in fury, causing the surrounding fog to violently churn. It desperately tried to launch another attack, its thick arms swinging wildly, creating fierce gusts of wind that seemed to tear the dark space apart. However, its body was no longer obedient, the crack at the waist where Shen Jingqi and Lin Yue struck deep like a Demon's curse, endlessly eroding its strength.

"Damn it! You dare..." the Giant's words trailed off as its massive form could no longer sustain itself and collapsed to the ground with a thunderous crash, as though the abyss was emitting a painful groan, raising a dust cloud that obscured the sky.

Moments later, the dust gradually settled, and the Giant had transformed into a pile of rubble scattered on the ground, devoid of life.

Shen Jingqi and Lin Yue sighed in relief, their bodies drained of energy, sinking to the ground. Sweat soaked their clothes, strands of hair clung to their foreheads, and they gasped for air. Lin Yue's hand continued to tremble slightly, the thrilling scene of combat with the Giant replaying constantly in her mind.

"We... we did it," Lin Yue's voice trembled slightly, her eyes reflecting relief after the disaster, with hints of disbelief.

Shen Jingqi nodded, his gaze still vigilantly scanning the surroundings, fearing any other dangers might suddenly emerge. "Don't relax; this was just the first Guardian. Who knows how many challenges await us ahead."

After resting for a moment, they forced themselves to gather their strength and continued their journey. Following the faint clues left by the Ghost, they headed towards the second hidden key location. Along the way, the environment grew increasingly bizarre. The fog thickened like ink that wouldn't dissolve, blinding them, forcing them to progress relying on faint instincts. The ground beneath was uneven, occasionally stepping on sharp stones or slippery moss, making them prone to falling if careless.

"How far is this damned place?" Lin Yue couldn't help but complain, her voice echoing through the fog, sounding particularly ethereal.

Shen Jingqi didn't speak, just held Lin Yue's hand tightly. His palm was sweaty, yet firm and strong. He knew that in this place filled with the unknown and danger, they must rely on each other.

Suddenly, the sound of rustling came from ahead, as if something was crawling on the ground. Shen Jingqi and Lin Yue stopped in their tracks, their bodies instantly tense, eyes filled with vigilance. Shen Jingqi protected Lin Yue behind him, cautiously approaching the source of the sound.

As they drew closer, they saw what it was. It was a giant centipede, its body as thick as a barrel, covered with countless legs, each glinting with a cold gleam like sharp daggers. Its head lifted high, eyes flickering with a ghastly light, continuously spewing black venom emitting a pungent odor.

"What... what kind of Monster is this!" Lin Yue cried out in terror, her body involuntarily stepping back a few steps.

Shen Jingqi furrowed his brows, his mind racing, thinking of a strategy. "Don't panic; this centipede may look terrifying, but it must have a weakness." He reassured Lin Yue, eyes fixated on the centipede, attempting to identify its flaw.