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

As night fell, the village was peaceful. However, no one knew that a bigger storm was brewing.

"Brother Lin, do you think we can really solve this mystery?" Zhang Xun asked softly.

Lin Chen looked at the night sky, pondered for a moment, and answered firmly: "No matter how difficult it is, we must persevere. Because this is not only for ourselves, but also for the future of this land."

The men exchanged glances, their hearts brimming with confidence. They knew this journey had only just begun, and that even more unknowns and challenges awaited them. The villagers gradually dispersed, returning to their homes to rest. Lin Chen, Zhang Xun, Yun Shu, and the cloaked man sat together in a small hut at the village entrance, discussing their next course of action.

"We have to find more clues quickly." Lin Chen said in a deep voice, "Otherwise, those men in black will definitely appear again."

"Yeah, I think so too." Yun Shu nodded in agreement, "We can't give them any chance."

"Then how do we find clues?" Zhang Xun asked with a frown, "This secret room seems to be the only entrance."

"No, not necessarily." The cloaked man suddenly said, "I remember ancient books mentioning another place where clues might be hidden."

"Where?" Lin Chen asked immediately, his eyes flashing with anticipation.

"It's an ancient ruin, said to be located northeast of this land," the cloaked man explained. "The ruins there may contain some important information."

"Then we should set off as soon as possible without further delay," Yun Shu suggested. "However, we still need to inform the villagers first."

"Yes," Lin Chen nodded in agreement, "We can't just leave quietly like this. After all, someone still needs to be responsible for the safety of the villagers."

At this moment, a villager came running over and said breathlessly: "Brother Lin, there are a few strangers in the village. They said they want to see you."

Several people were stunned when they heard this, then looked at each other and became secretly alert.

"Okay, let's go over and take a look right away." Lin Chen said.

The villagers led them to the village's central square, where several unfamiliar men in long robes stood. One of them, looking quite dignified, stepped forward and saluted Lin Chen and the others, saying, "Gentlemen, I am a sage from the Far East. I heard that you have found the 'Key of Destiny,' and have come here to seek cooperation."

"Cooperation?" Lin Chen raised his eyebrows slightly, feeling a little confused.

"Yes, we are very interested in this artifact and hope to study it with you." The man who called himself a sage smiled.

The villagers who were watching began to whisper to each other. Some people couldn't help but whisper, "These people are really powerful. Even the sages come to see them."

"I heard from them that there seems to be some treasure. It seems that we are right to follow Brother Lin!"

"Yes, our village will definitely be successful in the future!"

"Wait a minute, we still need to discuss this matter." Lin Chen waved his hand to interrupt the other party, motioning him to wait a moment, then turned around to discuss with Zhang Xun and others.

"What do you think?" Lin Chen asked.

"These people seem to be from important backgrounds. Maybe they can really be of help," Zhang Xun said thoughtfully.

"But we can't completely trust them either," Yun Shu warned. "After all, the matter of the 'Key of Destiny' is too serious. The slightest mistake could lead to chaos."

"That's it," Lin Chen said after thinking for a while, "Let's talk to them first, but we must act with caution."

Back in the square, Lin Chen greeted the sage with a faint smile, "Sage, you are absolutely right. We do need help. But before that, could you please let us know your intentions?"

The sage readily replied, "Of course. In fact, there's an ancient prophecy in our Far East that mentions secrets related to the 'Key of Destiny.' If we can work together, we'll surely be able to unravel even more mysteries."

After hearing this, Lin Chen and the others exchanged glances and came up with an idea. In any case, having more strength is always better than fighting alone.

"Okay, let's form a temporary alliance!" Lin Chen made a decisive decision, "But I hope both sides can be honest with each other and face unknown challenges together."

"Of course." The sage nodded in agreement.

Thus, the two sides made an agreement to explore the ruins together tomorrow. As the night deepened, everyone returned to their homes to rest, their hearts filled with longing and anxiety for the future.

"What do you think? Could this be another trap?" Zhang Xun said softly to Yun Shu while lying on the bed.

"Who knows..." Yun Shu sighed softly, "But no matter what, we can only move forward. As long as there is hope, we must persevere."

At the same time, in a forest outside the village, several dark shadows were quietly gathering. The man in black who led them said gloomily, "I didn't expect them to find helpers, but it doesn't matter. Our plan is not over yet."

"What should we do next?" the minion beside him asked in a low voice.

"Continue to monitor their movements," the leading man in black sneered, "there will always be opportunities."

As the night deepened, the entire village fell into silence. And at this moment, who could know what kind of storms tomorrow would bring? The next morning, as the first rays of sunlight filtered through the village, Lin Chen and his companions were ready. They led the Far Eastern Sages and their group toward the ancient ruins northeast of the village. Along the way, villagers came out to see them off, their eyes filled with anticipation and hope.

"Can Brother Lin and his team really succeed?" asked a villager named Xiaohu.

"Of course!" Little Tiger's mother beside him answered confidently, "Brother Lin and Zhang Xun are both heroes of our village. With them around, there will definitely be no problem."

The figures of several people gradually disappeared on the distant horizon, leaving behind a trail of blurry footprints.

"Look what's that over there?" Yun Shu suddenly stopped and pointed ahead. Everyone looked in the direction of her finger and saw a dilapidated building complex faintly visible in the depths of a dense forest.

"That should be the ruins," the cloaked man confirmed. "Everyone, be careful. The environment here is quite complex."

As they approached the edge of the ruins, an inexplicable aura filled them. "This place is not ordinary," the sage commented, frowning.

"Yes," a young villager nearby couldn't help but say, "I heard this used to be a very prosperous city!"

Entering the ruins, one is greeted by the remains of various ancient buildings and numerous large stone tablets carved with strange symbols scattered around. "What do those symbols represent?" Zhang Xun asked curiously.

"It's probably some lost ancient text," Yun Shu speculated. "But I think it's better for us to look for some useful information first."

Everyone dispersed and began to search carefully. At this moment, a dazzling light shot out from the bottom of the ruins somewhere!