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

"It seems that there are many more enemies than we thought." The cloaked man said in a deep voice.

Lin Chen nodded and gripped his sword tightly: "No matter what, we can't give up."

"Yes, we must find that secret headquarters." Zhang Xun said firmly.

"Yes, for the sake of the people in the village, we must succeed!" Yun Shu also echoed.

The little girl held Lin Chen's hand tightly, a nervous expression on her face. "Brother, I'm scared..."

"Don't be afraid, I will protect you." Lin Chen comforted gently, "We will definitely succeed."

Suddenly, a group of men in black rushed in from all directions, holding various weapons and staring at them fiercely. The leader was a burly man with a stern face and fierce eyes.

"You guys, how dare you break into our territory!" roared the leading man in black.

"What we are looking for is your leader." Lin Chen responded coldly.

"Dream on! None of you will leave here alive today!" The man in black laughed angrily and waved his hand to signal his men to attack.

Suddenly, the battle erupted again. Lin Chen, Zhang Xun, and Yun Shu fought with all their might, and the cloaked man, unwilling to be outdone, unleashed his unique skills. Although outnumbered, the four gradually gained the upper hand thanks to their tacit coordination and formidable strength.

"Look, those people are really strong!" The surrounding villagers were amazed.

"It's amazing! Master Lin and his men are simply divine soldiers sent from heaven!" an old villager said excitedly.

"That's right, Master Lin and his men will definitely be able to beat back these evil guys and protect our village!" another woman echoed.

As the battle intensified, the leading man in black finally lost his temper and took action himself. He slapped Lin Chen with a fierce palm. Lin Chen responded calmly, swinging his sword and completely neutralizing the opponent's attacks.

"You're quite capable." The man in black said breathlessly.

"You're not bad either." Lin Chen sneered.

As the two men confronted each other, the cloaked man suddenly pulled out a small smoke bomb from his pocket and hurled it at the black-clad crowd. Suddenly, a pale blue smoke spread out, shrouding everyone in a fog.

"Now is the time to split up and move forward quickly!" the cloaked man shouted.

Lin Chen immediately led everyone through the smoke, moving quickly towards the mysterious castle. As the smoke gradually dissipated, the men in black fell to the ground, unable to move.

"Huh, we finally got rid of them." Zhang Xun breathed a sigh of relief.

"This is only temporary," the cloaked man reminded, "We need to reach our destination as soon as possible."

The group continued on their journey, passing through several dense forests before finally arriving at the enormous castle. Towering into the clouds, surrounded by a deep moat, it looked exceptionally eerie.

"Is this the place we are looking for?" Yun Shu asked.

"Yes," the cloaked man nodded, "This is the Shadow King's secret base."

"Then let's go in quickly!" Zhang Xun said anxiously.

Lin Chen took a deep breath, his eyes determined: "Let's go and face the final challenge."

Just as they were about to sneak into the castle, a deep laugh suddenly emanated from the darkness. A figure slowly emerged: it was the true leader the mysterious cloaked man had mentioned—the Shadow King.

"Welcome to my castle," the Shadow King said coldly, "but I'm afraid you will never be able to leave here again."

"Hmph, stop talking nonsense!" Zhang Xun shouted angrily.

"Do you think you can defeat me with just a few people?" The Shadow King sneered, "You are too naive."

"You'll know if you try it!" Lin Chen raised his sword and prepared to fight.

"Wait," the little girl suddenly said, "Brother, can I help you?"

"Of course, little one." Lin Chen said gently, "We need your eyes."

"Okay, brother!" The little girl nodded vigorously.

Just as the battle was about to break out again, a dazzling light suddenly shot out from the depths of the castle, shaking the entire world.

"What is that?" Lin Chen asked in surprise.

"I don't know, but I always feel it's something important." Yun Shu said softly.

"Perhaps, this is our real goal." The cloaked man said in a deep voice.

"No matter what it is, let's deal with this one first." Zhang Xun drew his weapon, ready to go.

"Hmph, then let me see if you have the ability to get that thing from me." The Shadow King sneered and his figure instantly disappeared into the night.

"No matter what, we must persevere." Lin Chen gripped the sword tightly, his eyes firm.

"Brother, I believe you can do it!" The little girl grabbed Lin Chen's clothes tightly, her eyes full of trust.

"Well, let's face the future battles together!" Lin Chen responded softly.

The four stood side by side, ready to face the ultimate challenge. And that mysterious light seemed to foreshadow a deeper destiny.

"Brother Lin, do you think we can really find the answer?" Zhang Xun asked in a low voice.

"We'll know only if we keep going," Lin Chen replied firmly, "but no matter what the outcome, we won't give up."

"That's right," the cloaked man nodded. "Everything that follows will bear witness to our courage and determination."

The four continued forward, embarking on an unknown journey. This mysterious and dangerous forest seemed to quietly await their arrival. The castle's shadow loomed over them, and the air around them seemed frozen. Lin Chen gripped his sword tightly, his eyes burning with determination.

"Are you ready?" Lin Chen asked in a low voice.

"Of course!" Zhang Xun waved his weapon with high morale.

"We will definitely succeed!" Yun Shu nodded firmly.

"Brother, I will try my best!" The little girl followed Lin Chen closely, her little face full of courage.

The four of them approached the castle gate, each step feeling particularly heavy. Suddenly, there was a noise in the bushes nearby, and several villagers poked their heads out from the darkness, their eyes filled with fear and anticipation.

"Mr. Lin, do you really want to go in?" a middle-aged villager asked in a trembling voice.

"Yes, we must find the answer." Lin Chen nodded.

"Oh my God, there are countless dangers in there! You must be careful!" said an old woman worriedly.

"Don't worry, grandma, we will return safely!" Zhang Xun patted his chest proudly.

"You must come back alive!" a child shouted, his voice full of envy and worry.

"Thank you for your concern, we will do our best." Lin Chen responded with a smile.

At that moment, the castle gate slowly opened, and a dark, cold light shone through, accompanied by a series of low roars. The villagers took a few steps back, their eyes filled with horror.

"What is this strange thing?" exclaimed a villager.

"I don't know, but this is definitely a bad premonition!" another villager said nervously.