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

“…It’s often heavier than you imagine.” The old man’s eyes became deeper, as if he was telling about the endless past.

The figure—a little girl who looked no more than a teenager—stared at the old man with tearful eyes. Her voice trembled but she asked firmly, "Grandpa, does this mean I am the heir to our family's mission from now on?"

The old man nodded slightly, as if confirming her guess. The people around him looked at each other, unsure of what this sudden conversation meant, but everyone could sense the tension in the air rapidly rising.

"Wait, what the hell is going on here?!" the girl with twin pigtails asked loudly. "Who the hell are you guys? Why does the plot seem to be getting more and more confusing? And what does the resonance you just mentioned have to do with this little girl?!"

Zhao Li frowned and analyzed, "Perhaps this new girl possesses some special ability or bloodline? Otherwise, why would she address the old man like that and react so strongly?"

"What's the point of saying so much!" The gun-toting uncle who had been standing silently at the back of the crowd suddenly stepped forward, his tone slightly impatient, "Since the old man has pointed out the way, then we should do as he says! We can't let those monsters succeed so easily! Right?" He turned to the fat man and the other team members for their approval, "Guys, are you ready? We have to be fully prepared to face this test!"

"It's all right with you, old man!" the fat man agreed, wiping his sweat. "That's what I mean. As long as there's a way out, we won't be afraid of fatigue or pain and will charge forward! Even if there's only a one percent chance, we'll never give up!"

At this time, the old man slowly spoke again, breaking the silence: "Everyone, as you have guessed. This girl contains an extremely rare and powerful energy source. However, unleashing its true power is not easy. It must resonate with the awakened and pass the power to everyone involved."

After he finished speaking, he looked at the girl again: "Xiaoyue, are you ready? This road is full of unknown risks and even death threats. Are you willing to bear all the consequences and take on this responsibility?"

The girl nodded without hesitation, a determined glint in her eyes. "To save everyone, to protect this world—I will complete this mission, no matter the cost."

"Okay," the old man showed an approving expression. He then raised the scepter in his hand, drawing a complex trajectory in the air. "Next, I will use the secret method to activate the resonance ceremony. Please be sure to concentrate and maintain a close connection with each other. If the process is interrupted, you will lose your last chance..."

Suddenly, the entire sky began to spin and shift, and the darkness that had shrouded the surroundings slowly faded. At the same time, everyone present felt a strange force gradually gathering and spreading towards them...

At this critical moment, Zhao Li noticed another unusual movement not far away.

"Oh no! It looks like those monsters over there are about to start moving again!" She pointed at the huge monster approaching with a deep roar in the distance and warned, "We need to deal with this quickly, otherwise the situation will get worse!"

Upon hearing this, everyone immediately became alert and formed a circle, ready to fight. The old man, unfazed, continued casting his spell, calmly replying, "Don't worry, there's still plenty of time... But please remember my words: Only by uniting our hearts and overcoming difficulties together can we create the light of hope that will illuminate the darkness."

"Heart to heart...overcoming difficulties together?" The fat man repeated this sentence thoughtfully, then looked at his comrades beside him, "Brothers and sisters, no matter how difficult and bumpy the road ahead is, as long as we unite as one, there will be no difficulties that cannot be overcome! Right?!"

Everyone responded to his shout, their hearts ablaze with an unprecedented fighting spirit. Just as they were completely focused on the current battle, a flash of light suddenly erupted—the resonance ritual was successfully activated!

In an instant, a vast wave of energy spread out, not only dispelling the gloomy atmosphere around it but also forming an indestructible protective barrier to resist foreign invasion...

But when everything seemed to be going in a good direction, the old man left a shocking message:

"But the real challenge has just begun..." As soon as the old man finished speaking, the atmosphere in the entire venue grew increasingly tense. As if responding to this warning, the light in the sky grew even brighter, and everyone present felt a pressure they had never experienced before. The fat man swallowed hard, looking at the people around him for a glimmer of comfort or recognition.

"What are you talking about, old man? Are we going to jump into a bigger pit just after we've gotten past this one?" Despite his inner panic, the fat man still tried to maintain a relaxed appearance to ease everyone's stress. His teasing successfully loosened the tension in the air a little.

Zhao Li, on the other hand, appeared calmer and more perceptive. She glanced around and listened carefully to the unusual sounds coming from the distance. "We must trust this elder before us. After all, he's the one who has given us hope so far." She turned to the little girl and smiled faintly. "Besides, we also have a strong person like Xiaoyue joining us."

At this moment, the expressions of some of the onlookers who had been watching also changed. The little girl's mother, who had been somewhat bewildered by the sudden change, now looked at the old man with eyes full of gratitude: "Thank you so much, old man! If it weren't for your help, I think we would have already..." She couldn't help but burst into tears, but quickly regained her composure and continued, "In any case, please allow me to join this battle. At least I can contribute to protecting my child!"

Elsewhere, two young brothers exchanged a glance, then one of them patted his chest and declared proudly, "Hey, buddies, don't lose! We usually love to compete, but now's no time for jokes. Tonight, let's join the main force and see how true warriors fight!"

Hearing this, many present were inspired and joined the conversation, expressing their willingness to contribute. A young man with slightly messy hair but an unusually determined gaze stepped forward and asked loudly, "Excuse me, heroes, is there room for me and my friends to join the team? Although we are just ordinary villagers without powerful abilities, if we can help..."

Before he could finish, his fellow villager next to him took up the topic and added, "Yes, yes. Even if we can only provide some insignificant help, we absolutely do not want to be considered a burden! If there is a need for the strength of ordinary people, please be sure to call on us passionate young people!"