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

"You may not know this," the cloaked man said slowly, "but this little girl is no ordinary person. She possesses the ability to guide us to the true headquarters of the mysterious organization. And this little jade pendant is the key to triggering her ability."

As soon as these words were spoken, the surroundings suddenly fell silent, and everyone cast surprised glances. Lin Chen frowned, carefully examining the jade pendant in the little girl's hand, but his heart was filled with doubts.

"How do you know she has such ability?" Yun Shu questioned. She was dissatisfied with this sudden explanation.

"This question isn't important," the cloaked man replied calmly. "What's important is that we now have a chance to directly find the enemy who is eyeing us covetously. Don't you want to seize this opportunity?"

The little girl seemed a little uneasy after being frightened by this conversation, and she clung to Lin Chen's arm tightly. "Brother... I don't understand what they are talking about... I just want to stay with you."

"Don't worry," Lin Chen said soothingly, "Brother will protect you. But before that, we need to confirm whether what this man said is true." He turned to the cloaked man and said firmly, "Okay, we are willing to cooperate with you. But you must ensure the safety of the little girl."

The cloaked man nodded. "Of course. Then please follow me. I will take you to see our true leader."

Just as they were about to leave, a sudden burst of urgent shouting came from deep in the woods. Everyone stopped and saw a middle-aged villager running towards them, sweating profusely.

"Master Lin, Brother Zhang!" the villager shouted breathlessly, "Something's happened in the village again! Someone is provoking us at the village entrance, and the villagers are all scared!"

"What?!" Lin Chen immediately became alert, his eyes determined. "We have to go back and take a look."

"But—" the cloaked man was about to speak when he was interrupted by Lin Chen. "If you truly want to cooperate with us, help us resolve this crisis first. Once we've ensured the safety of the village, we can discuss our next plan."

"Okay," the cloaked man nodded helplessly, "but I hope you can deal with this matter as soon as possible."

So, they quickly returned to the village and found a strange man in gorgeous armor standing at the entrance, holding a long sword in his hand and with a stern look in his eyes. The onlookers all retreated, not daring to approach.

"Are you the guardians of this village?" the strange man asked coldly, with a hint of disdain in his voice.

"It's me." Lin Chen stepped forward, his gaze piercing. "Who are you? Why are you here to provoke me?"

"I am an emissary under the Shadow King," the man said arrogantly. "I heard you were quite capable, so I came here to witness your abilities. But now it seems you are nothing special."

Hearing this, Zhang Xun couldn't help but fly into a rage: "You dare to insult us? Watch out!"

Zhang Xun rushed forward, sword in hand, and engaged in a fierce battle. The flashes of swords and shadows, the figures of the two men constantly crossed each other, attracting the attention of many onlookers.

"It's amazing! Master Lin and his friends are truly heroes!" The villagers exclaimed.

Meanwhile, Feng Lei was secretly observing the situation. "It seems our opponent this time is no pushover. We must proceed with caution."

After a fierce battle, Zhang Xun finally defeated his opponent with a clever move. The stranger wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, a glint of admiration in his eyes.

"You are indeed very strong, but this is just the beginning." He said through gritted teeth, "The Shadow King will take action himself soon. Just wait and see!"

After saying this, he turned and disappeared into the night.

"Damn, what on earth is this guy plotting?" Zhang Xun frowned.

"No matter what, we must strengthen our defenses," Lin Chen said after a moment's contemplation. "At the same time, we must also find out the secrets of that mysterious organization as soon as possible."

"Brother, that man looks so fierce..." The little girl huddled beside Lin Chen, muttering softly.

"Don't be afraid, little sister," Lin Chen stroked her head and said gently, "We are here and won't let any bad guys hurt you."

"Yes, little girl, we will protect you." Yun Shu also comforted with a smile.

At this moment, a muffled thunder sounded in the sky, as if foreshadowing the coming of a bigger storm. Lin Chen's eyes were determined, he knew that there were still many unknown challenges waiting for them to conquer.

"Everyone, are you ready? A new journey is about to begin."

"We're ready!" the three responded in unison, stepping into the unknown with the confidence of victory...

"Brother Lin, I feel like tonight's events are not over yet." Zhang Xun said in a low voice.

"Yes," Lin Chen nodded, "but we can't let these guys succeed. Let's go and face new challenges together."

The four of them smiled at each other and embarked on a new journey. However, in the shadows in the distance, an even darker threat was quietly approaching...

"Mr. Lin, do you think we can really find that mysterious organization?" The little girl looked up at Lin Chen, her eyes full of curiosity and anticipation.

"Of course," Lin Chen replied firmly, "As long as we work together, there is nothing we can't overcome. Let's go, the road ahead is still long, let us meet every challenge together."

"Yes!" The little girl nodded excitedly and followed Lin Chen closely. Their steps were firm and powerful as they headed towards an unknown future.

As they departed, the cloaked man's eyes grew deeper, a faint smile playing at the corners of his mouth. Was all this accidental or premeditated? The answers would be revealed one by one on the road ahead. As night deepened, Lin Chen and his group returned to the village center. The villagers gathered around them, chattering about the thrilling scene.

"You're truly amazing, Master Lin!" an old villager said excitedly, "You were actually able to defeat that mysterious master!"

"Yes, yes!" another middle-aged woman echoed, "Everyone in our village says you are our patron saint!"

The little girl held Lin Chen's hand tightly, her eyes sparkling with admiration. "Brother, you are truly the bravest person in the world!"

"Thank you for your praise." Lin Chen smiled modestly and turned to the cloaked man and asked, "Now that the situation has stabilized, can you take us to see your real leader?"

The cloaked man nodded, a sly look in his eyes. "Of course, but before that, I have something else to confirm."

He pulled a small jade bottle from his bosom and shook it gently, releasing a few wisps of pale blue smoke. "This is 'True Word Mist,' which allows one to speak one's true thoughts. I'd like to take this opportunity to thoroughly verify the little girl's abilities."