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

Aiden instinctively swung his sword to meet the attack. At the same moment, the Dark Apostle swiftly stepped forward, a cloud of black mist gathering in his hand. The woman smiled softly and raised a hand, a soft white light emanating from her palm. As everyone watched in astonishment, the white light instantly expanded, forming an invisible barrier that blocked the beast several steps away. The beast slammed into the barrier with a deafening roar, but it was unable to penetrate.

-"What... is going on?" The young explorer was dumbfounded.

-"Oh my God! This is incredible!" The female team member next to him exclaimed in amazement.

Thrall dropped his shield, his face filled with disbelief. "Who the hell is she? With such power, she's like the legendary guardian!"

"As you might expect," the mysterious woman began slowly. "I am the heir of the Guardian. My name is Arya. The mechanisms here and this behemoth are all part of the test. But now, you have encountered some unexpected variables."

-"What's the change? Didn't this monster appear according to plan?" Mary asked nervously.

"Yes, its sudden appearance did disrupt the original balance," Arya said calmly, "but please believe me, this is not an unsolvable problem. Our time is precious, so why not focus on dealing with this emergency first?"

"So what do you suggest?" Gavin asked decisively, with a determined glint in his eyes.

"We need a strategy to divert it." Arya pondered for a moment. "This monster is sensitive to magic. If we can disrupt it with enough power, perhaps we can create a window of opportunity, giving the Dark Apostles time to find a way in or a way to shut it down."

-"Okay, that sounds feasible." Aiden agreed. "Sal, prepare your defenses. Mellie, prepare your support spells. Everyone else, stay alert."

The Dark Apostle nodded and focused on casting a spell, filling the air with a denser surge of magical energy. "I will attempt to use forbidden techniques to weaken its power, but this will take some time. Please buy me enough time."

Just as they were preparing to act, a faint vibration sound was heard again from deep in the cave, as if a new crisis was approaching.

-"Damn it, why are there another crisis coming..." the young male team member said gritting his teeth.

-"Calm down and focus," Aiden ordered sternly and firmly, "Follow the plan!"

Just as Aiden and the others were ready to go, a slight noise came from afar, followed by hurried footsteps and faint voices. A moment later, several members of the expedition team appeared, their faces filled with surprise and anxiety.

-"Captain! There's something going on over there! We found a secret room that seems to contain important clues!" One of the team members reported breathlessly.

-"What are you waiting for? Lead the way!" Aiden ordered without hesitation.

Amidst the chaos and bustle, Arya's gaze remained calm, as if everything was under her control. She whispered to Aiden, "Please follow me. I will show you the way forward."

-"Wait, you said you would guide us? What do you mean?" Meili asked, her voice mixed with anxiety and expectation.

-"You will understand. Now, please follow my steps." Arya replied with a smile, turned and walked deeper into the cave.

Everyone followed with mixed feelings. Unknown dangers still lurked ahead, but this sudden turn of events ignited a glimmer of hope in everyone's hearts...

At that moment, a tremendous roar erupted from behind, shaking the entire cave. Looking back, I saw the beast roaring again, as if foreshadowing a greater challenge to come.

-"How long can we hold on?" the short male team member asked tremblingly.

-"I don't know...but we must hold on to the end." Gavin answered firmly.

Arya looked back at the brave explorers, her eyes lit up with determination. "Don't worry, we will get through this."

They exchanged glances. Though the future remained uncertain, they felt a surge of faith. No matter how difficult and arduous the road ahead, they would fight side by side to face their ultimate fate. As Arya led the group deeper into the cave, the air grew thicker. Every member of the group watched intently, fearing any unforeseen event might emerge from the shadows at any moment. Thrall held his shield before him, carefully offering the strongest possible protection for his companions. Meli softly chanted a spell, weaving a faint veil of light around her.

"This...what's going on? We seem to be trapped in some strange space?" The young female team member's voice trembled slightly. She tightly grasped the longbow in her hand and looked around anxiously.

"Everyone, pay attention to changes in the surrounding environment and be prepared to deal with any surprise attacks at any time." Aiden reminded. Although he tried his best to sound relaxed, it could be seen from the hilt of the sword he gripped tightly that he was not completely calm in his heart.

Just as everyone's nerves were stretched to the limit, a cold voice floated out from the darkness: "Hmph, a bunch of daring people, how dare you trespass into the forbidden area without permission..."

Everyone instantly became alert, quickly adopting a fighting stance. Suddenly, several figures in black robes and gloomy faces appeared out of nowhere before them. "Are these uninvited guests again?" One of them, who looked like the leader, sneered. "That's fine, though. Now that you're here, don't even think about leaving."

-"Who are you!" Aiden glared at him and asked loudly.

-"You ignorant boy, how can you not be respectful? I am one of the beings who have guarded the secrets here for thousands of years. It's just a name that mortals cannot know." The leader looked down on me.

Arya simply smiled calmly, "Everyone, please don't misunderstand me. The purpose of our trip is not to invade your land, but to find a way to save the people."

"Oh?" The black-clad leader raised his eyebrows. "Are you referring to the 'Guardian Legacy'? There were indeed legends mentioning this, but they were merely records in ancient texts. Is it really true now? And even if it is true, it's not your place to interfere."

As the confrontation intensified, the jushou, which had retreated far away, returned with a vengeance, as if summoned. The oppressive force of its massive body filled the air with a suffocating aura. Its crimson eyes fixed intently on Arya and the others.

-"Be careful!" Thrall shouted, protecting his comrades behind him.