I am the Holy Poisoner, the Empress advised me to calm down

"That's right, we can't act rashly like this." Cas nodded in agreement, and pulled Genos, who was about to be lured out to explore, and said, "Let's observe the situation first."

Before long, several human-like figures with long flowing hair and simple clothing slowly appeared in sight. But a strange light gleamed in their eyes, clearly different from that of ordinary people. These strangers slowly approached the team, playing strange instruments...

"They don't look friendly..." Genos said in a low voice, gripping his weapon tightly.

The leading man stopped playing and gave a sinister smile. "Oh? Rare guests, friends from the outside world, are you here to visit our 'home'?"

Zhao Yan stepped forward and replied sternly, "I'm sorry to bother you all. But we have an important matter to attend to. If you don't mind, could you please let us pass?"

"Ha, you say it so easily, but this is the territory passed down from our ancestors!" The man's tone suddenly changed, his eyes filled with hostility, "You trespassed without permission and expect to get away with it? Dream on!"

Seeing that negotiations were hopeless, both sides prepared for battle almost simultaneously. At this moment, the priestess-like woman who had been standing silently spoke to stop her people:

"Wait a moment... perhaps we can discuss and resolve this issue in a more peaceful manner." She turned to Zhao Yan and the others and continued, "If, as you say, you truly have a mission to complete, are you willing to accept a test in exchange for the right of passage? Those who succeed will be given the opportunity to continue forward; otherwise, they will never be allowed to take even a single step forward."

Everyone was stunned by the proposal. After a brief silence, Genos took the lead and broke the deadlock: "It sounds unfair, but it seems there's no other choice. What do you think, brother (Zhao Yan), do you think it's feasible?"

Zhao Yan looked at his teammates one by one, asking for their opinions, and found that everyone shared the same determination. "Alright, let's accept this challenge. Could you please tell me how we should begin this trial?"

The female priest nodded with satisfaction and said, "Very good, then follow me. Remember: only wisdom and courage can help you overcome all obstacles..."

Following the priestess named Melsa, the group entered a secluded area. The environment was strange and unusual, with faint flashes of light appearing from time to time. Ahead stood an ancient stone platform, upon which lay a variety of artifacts and puzzles awaiting solution.

Melsa pointed to one of the intricately carved stone tablets and said, "Solve this puzzle and you'll get the key clue. But if you fail, you'll be trapped in this space and unable to get out."

Lin Xi stepped forward and examined it carefully for a moment. "There's a lot of ancient writing on it, roughly explaining the balanced coexistence of light and darkness... I think the answer must be hidden somewhere here," she thought for a moment, then turned to her companions and suggested, "In that case, let's split up and look for other similar messages, and then we can work together to figure out a solution."

Everyone busied themselves according to their plan. Some searched the surroundings for hidden traps, while others concentrated on studying the seemingly ordinary but actually significant characters.

About half an hour later, Cass was the first to shout out, "I found it! There's a small crack in the corner over there, hiding a piece of golden paper!" He handed the treasure to Zhao Yan for inspection.

I took it and looked at it. Sure enough, it contained the answer to the puzzle. "According to this explanation, it's essentially saying that as long as you have hope in your heart, light will naturally appear... So let's try it with our purest thoughts."

Taking a deep breath to adjust his posture, Zhao Yan gently touched the center of the mysterious stone tablet. In an instant, a warm and dazzling light burst out, illuminating the entire space.

As the light gradually faded, the once insurmountable obstacle vanished into thin air; the once tightly closed door opened automatically. "Congratulations, everyone has passed the test!"

Looking at Melsa's approving eyes and the new path that had been opened behind them, everyone felt unprecedented excitement and encouragement. Before stepping out of this wonderful place, Lin Xi turned back and bowed slightly to thank the woman who had once guided him:

"Thank you very much for your guidance. I believe we will have the opportunity to meet again someday..."

Melsa just smiled faintly and said nothing more, watching the heroes' backs gradually walk away until they disappeared...

At this moment, only a fresh breeze passed through the forest, carrying away all traces. What challenges awaited the brave warriors at the next stop? No one knew the exact answer, only the firm belief in their hearts guided them forward.

As Lin Xi and the others continued forward, the road ahead seemed to grow increasingly complex and winding. The dense forest gradually gave way to an open area, where scattered upon the ground lay several ancient stone tablets, their inscriptions now blurred. Zhao Yan carefully observed the changes in his surroundings, wondering to himself, "How many secrets are hidden within the depths of these ruins?"

"Hey, everyone, look over there!" Cass suddenly pointed to a patch of fog in the distance. A faint light flickered in the fog, as if something was attracting their attention.

Several people moved cautiously towards the light, and after passing through a thick fog, they found a small village. In the village lived many people who seemed to be isolated from the world. They wore simple clothes and looked at the uninvited guests with curiosity and vigilance on their faces.

A villager came over and asked in a stilted voice, "Who are you? Why are you trespassing on our territory?"

Lin Xi smiled slightly, trying to lighten the mood with a friendly attitude. "We are travelers seeking the Heart of the Elements. We have no ill intentions. Is this place far from where we are looking?"

Hearing this, the villagers immediately began to whisper, some with surprised expressions, others with envy. The villager who had just been there was silent for a moment before saying, "Oh, so it's for that legendary treasure... Well, you are indeed brave, but finding it won't be easy."

At this time, an elder who looked like the village chief came out from the side. He said gently: "Children, please follow me. I have something important to tell you." Then he turned and walked towards the center of the village, and Zhao Yan and his party followed behind him.

On the way, the surrounding villagers gathered around to watch the fun.

"Wow, are these the people I heard were going treasure hunting?" a child exclaimed with wide eyes.

"Oh, they actually dared to challenge such a dangerous place!" The old woman next to her also shook her head and sighed.