Under the Stars: The Hermit's Path

Lin Yi and the mysterious man flashed away, leaving the castle like two gusts of wind. Walking side by side, their feet whizzing by, they soon arrived at a peaceful and tranquil town. This town was like a paradise, far from the hustle and bustle of the world, and away from the world's struggles.

Entering the town, the streets are bustling with activity. Men, women, young and old, some hurried along, others strolled leisurely. Each face beamed with a peaceful, contented smile, as if there were no worries or sorrows here at all.

Lin Yi and the mysterious man wandered around town for a while before settling on a place called Yuelai Inn. While small, the inn looked clean and tidy, offering a comfortable atmosphere. After entering their room, they rested for a while, preparing to recover their strength.

While Lin Yi was sitting on the bed, drinking some water and resting, he overheard a few townspeople chatting next door. One of them lowered his voice and said, "Have you heard? Lately, there's been a strange flash of light appearing in the valley south of our town! I don't know what's going on." Another person chimed in, "That's right! I've also heard that from time to time, there are terrifying screams coming from that valley. It sounds like there's a monster hiding in there." Everyone nodded in agreement, their faces filled with fear.

Lin Yi's heart skipped a beat. The strange phenomenon in the valley piqued his curiosity. He quickly stood up and walked to the door of the next room, knocking gently. When the door opened, he politely asked several townspeople for details about the valley. After gathering his information, Lin Yi returned to his room and told the mysterious man everything he had heard.

The mysterious man's brows knitted together tightly, as if they could pinch a fly to death. His deep, piercing eyes gazed into the distance as he spoke gravely, "This might be another important clue related to that terrifying dark force! Regardless, we must go and investigate for ourselves."

The next morning, the sun had just risen, its golden rays bathing the earth, bringing a touch of warmth and hope to the world. However, for Lin Yi and the mysterious man, who were about to embark on an unknown journey, this brightness failed to dispel the gloom that enveloped their hearts. Resolutely, they packed their bags and headed south towards the mysterious valley.

Along the way, Lin Yi's mind reeled from various terrifying visions of the valley. He wondered what terrifying secrets lay hidden within. Perhaps ferocious beasts lurked in the shadows, waiting to catch their prey; or perhaps strange traps lay everywhere, trapping the unwary into a pit of no return... These various speculations left him feeling restless, unable to settle down.

After several days of arduous journey, the two finally reached the valley's entrance. They saw the valley shrouded in a thin layer of mist, like a vast white mystery, making it impossible to discern the true nature of its interior. The mist was light and ethereal, appearing and disappearing, adding a sense of mystery to the entire valley.

"Be careful, Lin Yi," the mysterious man turned around and warned sternly. His voice was deep and powerful, as if it could penetrate the layers of fog and reach Lin Yi's heart.

Lin Yi took a deep breath and nodded vigorously, indicating his readiness to face any challenge. With that, they cautiously stepped forward, slowly entering this valley shrouded in uncertainty. Shortly after entering, a gentle breeze blew, bringing a slight chill. Simultaneously, strange noises drifted by—sometimes like the whistling of wind, sometimes like the low roar of some living creature. These sounds intertwined to form a chilling symphony, heightening the already tense atmosphere to an even more eerie and terrifying level.

Just then, a massive bird whizzed past them like lightning. The powerful gusts of air from its wings whipped up a gust of wind, nearly knocking Lin Yi off his feet. The sudden change terrified him, and he nearly screamed. Fortunately, he covered his mouth in time, preventing his whereabouts from being exposed.

Despite this terrifying encounter, Lin Yi and the mysterious man didn't retreat. Instead, they encouraged and supported each other, continuing their journey deeper into the valley. As they advanced deeper into the depths, the fog grew thicker, as thick as milk. Even the figures of the other person, so close at hand, began to blur. Helplessly, they relied on their familiar voices to determine each other's location, lest they become lost in the fog.

"I feel like something's wrong here." Lin Yi's already slightly trembling voice trembled even more now, like a candle flickering in the wind, ready to go out at any moment. He stared wide-eyed, looking around warily, a thin layer of sweat forming on his forehead.

"Don't be afraid, kid. I'm here. Let's explore carefully and slowly." The mysterious man's voice was still calm, but there was a hint of solemnity in it. He gently patted Lin Yi's shoulder, offering him some comfort.

As the two were talking, a deep roar suddenly erupted. It was like the rolling of thunder or the galloping of thousands of horses, shaking the entire ground. Even more terrifying, the sound seemed to come from deep underground, carrying with it an endless eerie and terrifying atmosphere.

Lin Yi and the mysterious man exchanged a glance, then without hesitation, hurried in the direction of the sound. Before long, a vast cave appeared before them. It resembled a monstrous beast with its maw gaping, waiting for its prey to fall into its trap. At the cave's entrance, a pungent odor permeated the air, a stench like that of a rotting corpse, piercing one's nostrils and making one nauseous.

The mysterious figure took a deep breath, gathered his composure, and then pulled a torch from his bosom and lit it. Instantly, a blazing flame pierced the darkness, illuminating the cavern's interior. By the torchlight, they were astonished to discover that the cavern's walls were densely covered with a variety of strange patterns and symbols. Some resembled ghosts, others resembled stars, while others resembled ancient texts, forming a puzzle that left them baffled.

"These patterns look so strange, as if they're hiding some unknown message," the mysterious man muttered thoughtfully, gazing at the patterns on the wall. Lin Yi, standing nearby, quickly approached and began to examine the patterns carefully. For a moment, both of them were so engrossed in studying these mysterious patterns that they completely forgot about the potential dangers around them.

However, just as they were concentrating, they heard a whoosh and a dark shadow darted out of the darkness like lightning. When Lin Yi and the mysterious man reacted, they realized it was an enormous python! Its body was covered in dark green scales, gleaming with a cold, chilling light. It opened its bloody mouth, revealing sharp fangs, and pounced towards them with all its might...

The mysterious man reacted quickly and used a torch to drive away the python. Lin Yi also used magic to assist the mysterious man.

After a fierce fight, they finally succeeded in repelling the python.

"The secrets hidden in this valley are more complicated than we imagined." said the mysterious man.