Under the Stars: The Hermit's Path

The mysterious man stopped, looked back at Lin Yi, smiled and said, "We're almost there, just a few more mountains to climb and we'll be there. But the journey won't be easy, so you have to be mentally prepared." After that, he continued to move forward.

Lin Yi nodded, took a deep breath, and followed the mysterious man. They crossed dense forests, crossed turbulent streams, and climbed steep mountains. Every step was difficult, but Lin Yi never gave up.

Finally, as the sun began to set, they arrived at a vast valley. A light mist filled the valley, making the entire place seem even more mysterious. Lin Yi's eyes widened, and he surveyed this unfamiliar land with curiosity.

"We're here." There was an indescribable solemnity in the mysterious man's voice.

Lin Yi felt excited. He couldn't wait to explore this mysterious place and see what secrets were hidden in it. But at the same time, he also knew that there might be countless dangers waiting for them to deal with... The mysterious man raised his head, looked at the sky, and after thinking for a moment, he replied: "At our current speed, it will take at least three days. However, we may encounter various unexpected situations along the way, such as bad weather, steep terrain, or other unforeseen dangers. Therefore, the specific time is difficult to determine." Lin Yi nodded. Although he was a little confused, he silently accepted the answer. He knew that this journey was full of variables, and every step might hide unknown dangers. But he was not afraid, but excited, because this was exactly the excitement and challenge he had been pursuing. He took a deep breath, adjusted his mentality, quickened his pace, and kept up with the mysterious man.

In the evening, the sun set, its afterglow casting a golden glow across the landscape. Lin Yi and the mysterious man finally arrived at a small town. It looked tranquil, with houses neatly arranged along the streets and smoke rising from chimneys, resembling a beautiful pastoral painting. Lin Yi had initially assumed this was just an ordinary town, but as he entered the center, he sensed something unusual.

The people on the street looked nervous, their eyes revealing fear and alertness. They spoke in low, subdued voices, as if discussing something important. Lin Yi noticed that their eyes kept glancing toward an ancient castle in the distance, which was filled with a mysterious atmosphere. Lin Yi asked curiously, "What happened here? Why is everyone so nervous?" The mysterious man lowered his voice and said, "This town has recently been shrouded in an evil force, and many people have gone missing or died. We must proceed with caution." Lin Yi frowned, a sense of responsibility welling up in his heart. He decided to help the town's residents escape their predicament and find the truth. So, he followed the mysterious man toward the ancient castle.

Lin Yi stopped and carefully observed his surroundings. He noticed that this supposedly peaceful town was now filled with a tense atmosphere. People on the streets hurried, their faces showing signs of anxiety. Even more surprising, some residents bore visible scars, as if they had just experienced a fierce battle. All of this made Lin Yi wonder what had caused this once peaceful town to fall into such a tense atmosphere.

"Master, I always feel that this town is a little strange." Lin Yi whispered to the mysterious man beside him.

The mysterious man nodded slightly, agreeing with Lin Yi's opinion and reminding him to remain vigilant. The two cautiously walked into an inn in the small town. As they entered, the people inside cast wary glances at them, seemingly wary of them.

"Boss, give us two rooms." The mysterious man said to the innkeeper.

However, the boss looked them up and down and replied coldly, "Sorry, there is only one room left."

The mysterious man frowned, but considering the current situation, he finally decided to accept this only room.

After entering the room, Lin Yi and the mysterious man remained vigilant. The room was simple and plain, consisting of a bed, a table, and a few chairs. They sat quietly on the bed, listening for any sounds outside. Sure enough, after a while, they heard subtle noises outside, as if someone was secretly watching them.

It was late at night. After discussing with the mysterious man, Lin Yi decided to go out and investigate. They quietly left the room and observed their surroundings warily. Suddenly, several dark figures appeared outside the inn, seemingly plotting something.

The mysterious man cast an invisibility spell and led Lin Yi to quietly approach the shadows. After some observation, they found that the shadows were actually a group of robbers who were discussing how to rob Lin Yi and the mysterious man.

"Hmph, these two outsiders look quite rich. We must take their property away tonight." A robber said viciously.

Upon hearing this, Lin Yi was furious and was about to rush out to argue with them, but was stopped in time by the mysterious man.

"Stay calm and don't act impulsively. We should return to the room and carefully think about how to deal with it." The mysterious man whispered.

The two quickly returned to the room, and Lin Yi said anxiously: "Master, we can't just sit back and watch. We must find a way to fight them."

The mysterious man pondered for a moment and said slowly, "Perhaps we can design a trap and give them an unexpected surprise when they fall into it."

So, Lin Yi and the mysterious man began to set traps. They set up a magic circle in the room, and as soon as the robbers stepped in, they would be bound by the powerful magic force. Lin Yi also set up some simple mechanisms at the door to prevent the robbers from entering easily.

Sure enough, it wasn't long before the robbers rushed into the room. But as soon as they entered, they were trapped by the magic circle. Lin Yi and the mysterious man took the opportunity to subdue the robbers. They used various skills and weapons, leaving the robbers powerless to fight back.

However, their movements also attracted the attention of other people in the town. Soon, a group of people surrounded the house, curiously watching what was happening inside. Lin Yi and the mysterious man realized that they had to deal with these robbers as soon as possible to avoid causing more trouble.

The next day, the town's residents gathered to express their gratitude to Lin Yi and the mysterious man. It turned out that these bandits had been wreaking havoc in the town, and the residents were suffering. They had been hoping someone could help them escape the bandits, and the appearance of Lin Yi and the mysterious man gave them hope.

Lin Yi and the mysterious man continued their journey amid the gratitude of the town residents. They knew that there were still many people in need of help in this world, and they were willing to use their own strength to help those helpless people.