Multiple Personalities

As they came to the altar, they carefully embedded the gemstones into the three grooves of the altar. The instant the last gemstone was set in, the altar suddenly radiated a brilliant light, and powerful energy waves spread outward. The barrier began to slowly dissipate, emitting a "sizzling" sound, as if moaning in pain.

"The barrier is disappearing!" Lin Yue shouted excitedly.

Shen Jingqi stared intently at the altar, his eyes full of anticipation: "Come on, let's see the final key."

Once the barrier completely vanished, they excitedly walked to the center of the altar. In the center, a box emitting a mysterious glow lay quietly. They cautiously opened the box, and indeed, inside lay the final key. The key had a peculiar shape, engraved with the same runes as the altar, as if containing endless power.

"We finally found it, all three keys are gathered." Shen Jingqi picked up the key, a relieved smile appearing on his face.

Lin Yue was also filled with excitement: "We are one step closer to unraveling the secret."

With all three keys in hand, they painstakingly climbed along the walls of the abyss. The walls were steep and slippery, requiring caution with each step. Yet their hearts were filled with hope, and with sheer determination and coordination, they finally returned to the ground.

Upon returning to the mysterious room, the mysterious man was already waiting there. He looked at the keys in Shen Jingqi and Lin Yue's hands, a flash of surprise in his eyes. He hadn't expected these two young people to truly pass through layers of trials and find all three keys.

"I didn't expect you to truly pass the test. It seems you're indeed qualified to possess this Divine Artifact." The mysterious man spoke, a hint of admiration in his voice.

He slowly walked to the Divine Artifact and opened the treasure box. Inside was an ancient manuscript, emanating a gentle glow, as if telling its mystery. The manuscript contained the methods to master the Divine Artifact, with each word harboring ancient wisdom.

Shen Jingqi and Lin Yue received the manuscript, their hands trembling slightly, hearts brimming with joy. They knew they were one step closer to unlocking the secrets of the Jade Pendant and the Divine Artifact.

"Thank you." Shen Jingqi said, his eyes filled with gratitude.

The mysterious man nodded, saying: "I hope you will use this Divine Artifact to do the right thing. The world is about to face a great crisis, and this Divine Artifact might be the key to saving it."

Shen Jingqi and Lin Yue exchanged a determined glance, saying firmly: "We definitely will, no matter what difficulties we face, we will use this Divine Artifact to protect the world."

After saying this, the mysterious man turned into a shadow and disappeared from the room. Only Shen Jingqi and Lin Yue remained, along with the mysterious glowing manuscript and the Divine Artifact.

"Let's go, there are still many things waiting for us to do." Shen Jingqi said, his eyes revealing a steadfastness.

Lin Yue nodded: "Yes, no matter how many difficulties and obstacles lie ahead, we will not back down."

They left that mysterious place with the Divine Artifact and the manuscript. The outside world remained calm, but they knew a great crisis was quietly approaching. They would become the hope to protect this world.

On their way out, they began studying the contents of the manuscript. The writings on the manuscript were obscure and difficult to understand, but with their wisdom and perseverance, they gradually grasped some basic methods. However, they also realized that fully mastering the power of the Divine Artifact would require more time and practice.

"The methods in this manuscript are too complex; we need to find a safe place to study it thoroughly." Lin Yue said with a frown.

Shen Jingqi contemplated for a moment: "Let's go to that abandoned fortress we found earlier; it's secluded and not easily discovered."

The two of them headed towards the direction of the abandoned fortress. On their way, they were cautious, constantly vigilant of their surroundings. They knew that once the news of the Divine Artifact and the manuscript spread, it would certainly attract countless covetous eyes.

When they arrived at the abandoned fortress, dusk had already fallen. The fortress exuded a sense of antiquity, its walls covered in moss, but it was indeed an excellent hiding place.

They found a relatively clean room and started to study the manuscript carefully. However, as their research deepened, they discovered that the manuscript hid a great secret—the power of the Divine Artifact was not entirely controllable, and if misused, could lead to greater catastrophe.

"This Divine Artifact is too dangerous; we need to use it cautiously." Shen Jingqi said seriously.

Lin Yue nodded: "Exactly, we not only need to protect the world but also prevent the side effects brought by the Divine Artifact."

As they were studying the manuscript, a sudden commotion of footsteps came from outside the fortress. Shen Jingqi and Lin Yue exchanged a glance, quickly stowing away the manuscript and the Divine Artifact, hiding in the shadows.

"Could it be that our location has been exposed?" Lin Yue whispered nervously.

A group of black-clothed men burst into the fortress, searching around as if looking for something. Shen Jingqi and Lin Yue hid in the shadows, observing the actions of the black-clothed men. Suddenly, one of them seemed to sense something and walked toward where they were hiding.

Shen Jingqi and Lin Yue held their breath, ready to act at any moment. Just then, the leader of the black-clothed men suddenly shouted: "Nothing here, search elsewhere!"

The black-clothed men retreated like a tide, and each stone of the fortress seemed to let out a long breath. The tense atmosphere lingering in the air dissipated with their departure, the fortress once again enshrouded in silence, regaining its usual tranquility.

Shen Jingqi stood by the fortress window, gazing at the darkening sky outside, brows furrowed. His fingers unconsciously rubbed the Divine Artifact at his waist, which emitted a faint glow, their only hope and also the source of unknown danger. "We need to accelerate; the crisis may come sooner than we thought." His voice was low and firm, each word squeezed out through clenched teeth.

Lin Yue stood behind him, hearing his words, she nodded gently. Her eyes were filled with resilience, hands tightly clenched into fists, as if gathering all her strength in her palms. "Yes, we'll face it together." Her voice was clear and strong, like warm sunshine in winter, bringing a hint of warmth and strength to the oppressive atmosphere.

In the days that followed, the fortress became their battleground with the Divine Artifact and the manuscript. During the day, sunlight scattered on them through mottled windows, but they had no leisure to enjoy this fleeting warmth. Shen Jingqi sat cross-legged on the ground with the ancient and mysterious manuscript spread before him, eyes fixed on the text, not missing any detail. His hands gently caressed the Divine Artifact, feeling its faint vibrations, as if engaging in a silent dialogue.

"Jingqi, do you think there might be some hidden connection between the description in this part of the manuscript and the Divine Artifact's usage?" Lin Yue picked up a yellowing manuscript, pointing at the text, she asked.

Shen Jingqi turned around, walked to her side, carefully looked at the manuscript's content, and after pondering for a moment, he said: "It seems the Divine Artifact has some connection with the Power of the Five Elements in the world, but how to use it requires more experimentation. We should search in the forest; maybe we'll find clues there."