I walk sideways in the game world

Ren Xiaoyao and Xia Lin followed the mysterious messenger closely, passing through dense jungle and rugged mountain roads, finally arriving at a hidden valley before sunset. Smoke rose from the valley, and simple houses built of boulders and animal skins were scattered in an orderly manner. A group of dark-skinned people wearing animal skins were performing some kind of ritual.

"Where is this..." Charlene asked in a low voice, looking around.

"The Black Stone Tribe, a subordinate tribe of the City of Prophecy." The mysterious messenger spoke in a cold, emotionless tone. "Prince Jin is here, and he needs your help."

Ren Xiaoyao and Xia Lin exchanged glances, each seeing confusion in the other's eyes. Why was Prince Jin here? What did he need their help with?

Before they could ask, an old voice came from not far away: "Guests from afar, welcome to the Blackrock Tribe."

I saw an old man with a hunched back, walking slowly towards me with a snake-head cane. His face was full of wrinkles, and his body was covered with various bone ornaments and feathers, but his cloudy eyes sparkled with wisdom.

"This is the tribe's witch doctor," the mysterious messenger introduced. "He knows why you are here."

The witch doctor looked Ren Xiaoyao and Xia Lin up and down, his cloudy eyes seeming to see through their hearts. "You have the aura of an outsider," he said slowly, his voice hoarse. "Why are you here?"

"We..." Xia Lin was about to explain but was stopped by Ren Xiaoyao.

"Respected witch doctor," Ren Xiaoyao stepped forward and said calmly, "We are friends with Prince Jin. We learned that he was in trouble, so we came to help."

The witch doctor didn't say anything, just staring at Ren Xiaoyao for a long time. The atmosphere suddenly became a little solemn.

"If you want the Blackrock Tribe's help," the witch doctor finally spoke, his voice deep and powerful, "you must first gain the tribe's approval."

"How can I get recognition?" Ren Xiaoyao asked.

The witch doctor didn't answer directly. Instead, he turned and pointed to a towering stone pillar in the center of the tribe. Strange carvings adorned the stone pillar, which emitted a faint glow. "That's the tribe's sacred object, the totem pole," he said slowly. "Three days ago, it suddenly lost its radiance, and the tribe lost its protection. Only by restoring the totem pole's light can we earn the tribe's recognition."

"All you have to do is restore the totem pole's light overnight." The witch doctor's voice grew stern. "If you can't do it..." He paused, a glint in his eyes. "You'll stay here forever." Ren Xiaoyao and Xia Lin exchanged glances, each seeing a hint of solemnity in the other's eyes. This test seemed simple, but it held a hidden meaning. The reason for the totem pole's loss of light was unknown, and the witch doctor's tight deadline seemed like a warning to them.

"We accept the test." Ren Xiaoyao said in a firm tone. He knew that if he wanted to help Prince Jin, he must first gain the trust of the Black Stone Tribe.

The witch doctor looked at them deeply, said nothing, turned around and slowly walked back into the depths of the tribe.

"What should we do?" Charlene asked in a low voice. "We know nothing about this tribe, let alone totem poles."

"Let's look around first, maybe we can find some clues." Ren Xiaoyao said, his eyes scanning the environment around the tribe.

They followed the mysterious messenger and toured the tribe. The Blackrock Tribe was even larger than they had imagined. The houses were connected by plank paths, a maze of intricate paths. The tribesmen were wary of them, their gazes tinged with hostility.

"It seems that gaining their trust is not easy." Xia Lin whispered.

"Yes," Ren Xiaoyao sighed, "We must find out why the totem pole has lost its light before we can truly help them."

As the sky darkened, a bonfire was lit in the tribe, and people sang and danced around it, praying for the gods' protection. However, Ren Xiaoyao and Xia Lin had no time to enjoy the scene; they were still searching for clues.

"Look there!" Xia Lin suddenly pointed to a cave deep in the tribe. The entrance of the cave was covered by vines, making it look particularly gloomy.

"That is the tribe's forbidden area," the mysterious messenger explained. "Except for the witch doctor, no one is allowed to approach."

"Forbidden area?" Ren Xiaoyao's mind moved, "Maybe there will be what we want there."

Without hesitation, he pushed aside the vines and walked in. Xia Lin followed closely behind him, and the mysterious messenger hesitated for a moment before following in.

The cave was dark, damp and cold. Ren Xiaoyao groped his way forward when suddenly, he felt his feet go empty and he fell down.

"Xiaoyao!" Xia Lin exclaimed and fell down as well.

After an unknown amount of time, they fell heavily to the ground. With the dim light, they found themselves in a huge underground cave. In the center of the cave, a huge stone statue stood proudly. It was the tribe's totem pole!

However, the totem pole that should have been emitting light was now dim and covered with cracks, as if it would collapse at any time.

"How could this happen?" Charlene exclaimed.

Ren Xiaoyao remained silent, observing the totem pole carefully. Suddenly, he noticed something glowing at the bottom of the totem pole. He walked closer and took a look, his expression suddenly changing.

It was a black aura that was constantly eroding the totem pole, and the same aura was also emanating from the cracks in the totem pole.

"No, this aura is very dangerous!" Ren Xiaoyao's face was solemn, "We must stop it!"

However, at this moment, a low roar suddenly came from the depths of the cave, and a huge black shadow slowly approached them...

The black shadow gradually became clearer. It was a huge black python. Its scarlet eyes stared at Ren Xiaoyao and Xia Lin, and it hissed threateningly.

"It's the Black Rock Python!" the mysterious messenger exclaimed. "It's the sacred beast that guards the totem. How could it appear here?"

"It seems that this Black Rock Python has been corroded by the black energy." Ren Xiaoyao drew his sword and protected Xia Lin behind him. "Xia Lin, protect yourself. I will deal with it!"

The Black Rock Python pounced at Ren Xiaoyao, its massive body carrying immense force. Ren Xiaoyao dodged sideways, his sword piercing the Black Rock Python's vital points like lightning.

"clang!"

With a clang of metal, Ren Xiaoyao felt a surge of force, his palms numb, and he was thrown back several steps. The Black Rock Python's scales were so hard that his sword couldn't penetrate them.

"Xiaoyao!" Seeing this, Xia Lin hurriedly took out a talisman from her bag and muttered something.

Following Xia Lin's incantation, the talisman transformed into a golden light and shot towards the Black Rock Python. Hit by the golden light, the Black Rock Python roared in pain and rolled violently.

"Now!" Charlene shouted.

Ren Xiaoyao seized the opportunity and charged at the Black Rock Python again. He channeled his zhenqi into his sword, causing it to glow brightly. He leaped high and slashed at the Black Rock Python's head.

"Roar!"

The Black Rock Python let out an unwilling roar, and its huge body fell to the ground with a bang, and the black aura dissipated.

At this moment, footsteps were heard at the cave entrance, and the witch doctor and a group of tribal warriors rushed in. When they saw the Black Rock Python lying on the ground, as well as Ren Xiaoyao and Xia Lin, they all showed shock on their faces.

"You..." The witch doctor's voice trembled, his eyes full of disbelief.

"We've found the reason why the totem pole lost its light," Ren Xiaoyao said, pointing at the corpse of the Black Rock Python. "It was this black aura that corroded it and also controlled the sacred beast."

The witch doctor walked forward and carefully examined the body of the black rock python, his face turned very ugly.

"This is the power of darkness," he said in a deep voice, "Someone wants to destroy our tribe!"

"The power of darkness?" Ren Xiaoyao and Xia Lin looked at each other, their hearts full of doubts.

"This is a secret guarded by our tribe for generations," the witch doctor sighed. "Legend has it that in ancient times, a powerful dark force attempted to destroy the world. Our ancestors overcame many hardships and ultimately sealed this power away. The key to this seal is this totem pole and the sacred beast that guards it."

"You mean, someone wants to break the seal and release the dark power?" Xia Lin asked.

The witch doctor nodded, his eyes filled with worry. "If the dark power is truly released, the entire world will be plunged into chaos and destruction!"

"We must stop them!" Ren Xiaoyao said firmly, "Witch Doctor, what do you need us to do?"

The witch doctor looked at Ren Xiaoyao and Xia Lin, a glimmer of hope in his eyes. He was moved by their courage and wisdom and decided to trust them.

"If you want to stop the dark forces, you must find the legendary holy object," said the witch doctor. "Only the holy object can purify the dark forces and restore the light of the totem pole."

Led by a witch doctor, Ren Xiaoyao and Xia Lin set out on a journey to find the sacred object. They crossed dense jungles, climbed towering mountains, and experienced countless hardships and dangers before finally finding the sacred object in an ancient ruin.

The sacred object radiated a dazzling light and was filled with a sacred aura. Ren Xiaoyao and Xia Lin carefully brought the sacred object back to the tribe. Under the guidance of the witch doctor, they placed the sacred object on top of the totem pole.

Instantly, the sacred object erupted with a dazzling radiance, enveloping the entire tribe in a holy glow. The cracks on the totem pole gradually disappeared, and it once again shone with a dazzling light.

The people of the Blackrock Tribe cheered and were full of gratitude to Ren Xiaoyao and Xia Lin, and regarded them as heroes of the tribe.

"We finally succeeded!" Charlene looked at the totem pole that had regained its light, a relieved smile on her face.

"Yes," Ren Xiaoyao nodded, "We not only helped the Blackrock Tribe overcome the crisis, but also prevented a greater disaster."

However, just as they were about to leave the tribe, a greater crisis quietly approached.

"Report——"

A tribal warrior ran over in a panic, "A large number of monsters have appeared outside the tribe..."

The tribal celebrations came to an abrupt halt, and everyone's face was filled with fear. Ren Xiaoyao and Xia Lin exchanged a glance, a sense of foreboding welling up in their hearts.

"What's going on?" Ren Xiaoyao grabbed the soldier who came to report the news and spoke in a hurried tone.

"Tribe... Outside the tribe, a large number of monsters appeared! There are so many of them, and they are coming in a fierce force!" The warrior was out of breath, obviously having experienced a desperate escape.

"Monsters?" Xia Lin frowned slightly. The tribe was located in a remote area and was protected by sacred beasts. How could a large number of monsters suddenly appear? "What kind of monsters are they?"

Before the warrior could reply, a deafening roar echoed from afar, like the roar of an ancient beast, sending chills down one's spine. Then, the ground shook, as if some enormous creature were approaching.

"Let's go and take a look!" Ren Xiaoyao made a quick decision and tightened the sword in his hand.

The three of them rushed to the tribe's entrance, and the sight before them made them gasp. A dark mass, countless monsters surged in like a tide, emitting a sickening stench. These monsters came in all shapes and sizes, from enormous beasts to hideous monstrosities, but without exception, their eyes gleamed with bloodlust.

"How could this happen..." The witch doctor leaned tremblingly on his crutches, his face full of horror, "These monsters all came from the dark abyss..."

"Dark abyss?" Ren Xiaoyao's heart sank. Could it be that the power of darkness was not completely eliminated, but instead attracted more powerful enemies?

"Roar--"

A deafening roar echoed again, and an exceptionally large beast slowly emerged from the horde of demons. Its body was covered in pitch-black scales, wings sprouted from its back, and its scarlet eyes, like blazing flames, emanated a suffocating pressure.

"It's... it's the Abyss Dragon!" The witch doctor's voice was filled with despair. "It's over, everything is over..."

Facing such a powerful enemy, the tribal warriors were filled with fear. Although they were brave and skilled in battle, they seemed so small and powerless in front of this terrifying army of monsters.

"Don't panic!" Ren Xiaoyao shouted loudly, trying to stabilize the morale of the troops. "We have already defeated the Black Rock Python, and we will definitely be able to defeat these monsters!"

"That's right!" Xia Lin also stood up, the staff in her hand shining. "Even if it takes all my strength, we must protect the tribe!"

However, the Abyss Dragon just glanced at them coldly, opened its bloody mouth, spewed out a black flame, and headed straight for the tribal gate.

"Not good!" Ren Xiaoyao's face changed drastically. The flame was incredibly powerful. Once it hit the gate, the entire tribe would be engulfed in fire.

At this critical moment, a golden light descended from the sky, blocking the flames...

Ren Xiaoyao and Xia Lin looked up and saw a familiar figure appear in mid-air, emitting a dazzling light...

"Is it him? How could he be here?" Xia Lin exclaimed, her eyes full of disbelief.

Ren Xiaoyao, on the other hand, stared closely at the figure with a complicated look in his eyes, muttering to himself, "It seems that the real test has just begun..."