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

Lin Chen and his companions followed Xiaomei through a dense forest until they arrived at the legendary cave. The entrance was covered in vines and weeds, making it particularly hidden. A faint blue light emanated from within, seemingly guiding them forward.

"Is this the cave you were talking about?" Yun Shu asked softly, with curiosity and alertness in his eyes.

"That's right," Xiaomei nodded, "This place has always been a forbidden area in our village. It is said that it hides ancient secrets."

"Then let's go in and take a look." Lin Chen said firmly and stepped into the cave first.

Entering the cave, fluorescent mosses shimmered on the surrounding rock walls, giving the dark space a touch of mysterious beauty. They walked forward cautiously and soon came to a spacious stone chamber.

"The light is coming from the front." The little girl pointed to a stone platform in front and said, with a hint of excitement in her voice.

"Everyone, prepare your weapons. We don't know what dangers may arise." Zhang Xun reminded in a low voice.

The group continued forward and soon discovered the source of the light on the stone platform—a crystal emitting a blue glow. This crystal emitted a soft and warm glow, as if it possessed some mysterious power.

"What is this?" Lin Chen stepped forward and looked carefully.

"It seems we've found something valuable." The sage stepped forward and studied it carefully. "This might be one of the answers we're looking for."

Just as everyone was about to investigate further, a strange sound suddenly came from deep within the stone chamber. The sound gradually approached and became clearer, as if someone was crying.

"Listen, what's that sound?" Xiaohu asked nervously.

"Be careful, it might be a trap." Lin Chen said in a deep voice.

As soon as he finished speaking, a group of pale people in tattered clothes suddenly appeared in the stone chamber. Their eyes were full of fear and despair, as if they had been tortured.

"Help... Save us..." pleaded an old woman in the lead.

"Who are you? Why are you here?" Lin Chen asked with concern.

"We are villagers from this forest and were captured here by a group of terrible monsters." The old woman explained with tears in her eyes.

"We must rescue them." Lin Chen said firmly.

"It's so scary! Are those monsters really that powerful?" a little boy next to him asked tremblingly.

"Don't be afraid, we are here." Yun Shu comforted him. She held the little boy's hand, giving him a sense of security.

"Okay, let's escort these villagers out first." Lin Chen turned and said to everyone.

"Wait, we can't leave yet." The sage stopped him, "We need to find out why these villagers were captured."

"Then what should we do?" Zhang Xun asked doubtfully.

"Let's split up. One group will protect the villagers and leave, while the other group will stay here and find out the truth," suggested the sage.

"Okay, Zhang Xun, take a few villagers away and ensure their safety." Lin Chen ordered decisively.

"No problem!" Zhang Xun nodded and led several villagers towards the cave entrance.

"Let's stay here and find the answer behind all this." Lin Chen said firmly.

"How brave!" one villager said excitedly, "If it weren't for you, we would have been finished long ago."

"As long as we unite as one, there is no difficulty that we cannot overcome," Lin Chen encouraged.

Just as they were discussing their next move, the dark figure from before reappeared, sneering, "Do you think things are that simple? This game has only just begun..."

"Who are you? Why are you following us?" Lin Chen asked sternly.

The shadow didn't answer, but just let out a low laugh and disappeared into the darkness.

"Who is this person? Why is he trying to stop us?" Yun Shu asked worriedly.

"No matter what, we can't let him succeed again." Lin Chen said firmly, "Let's go, keep moving forward!"

"Well, we will face all difficulties together." Yun Shu held Lin Chen's hand and gave him the greatest support.

"Yes, we must find the answer!" the little girl said firmly.

So, Lin Chen and his companions continued to move forward in the dark cave, heading towards an unknown destiny. And that mysterious shadow seemed to be silently observing them in the dark, waiting for the arrival of the next challenge.

"What will be waiting for us ahead?" Xiaohu asked nervously.

"No matter what it is, we will not back down!" Lin Chen replied firmly.

They continued on in the darkness, each step filled with uncertainty and challenges, but their unwavering faith remained unwavering. As Lin Chen and his companions advanced through the darkness, the air inside the cave grew increasingly colder, and the fluorescent moss shimmering on the surrounding rock walls seemed to emit a faint sigh. They carefully navigated each obstacle, gradually deepening into this mysterious cave.

"This place is really spooky." Xiaohu gripped the dagger tightly in his hand and looked around from time to time. "What if a ghost suddenly jumps out?"

"Don't worry, we will protect each other." Yun Shu comforted him. She held the little boy's hand tightly, giving him a sense of security.

Suddenly, a low roar came from the front and everyone became alert.

"What's that sound?" Xiaomei asked in horror.

"It might be a trap set by that shadow." Lin Chen said calmly, signaling everyone to stay alert.

Just as they were about to fight, a figure slowly emerged from the darkness. It was an old man wearing an old robe and holding a cane, with an unfathomable look in his eyes.

"Who are you? Why are you breaking in here?" The old man's voice was low and majestic.

"We are here to rescue people," Lin Chen replied, "We found some imprisoned villagers and want to find out the truth."

The old man stared at Lin Chen, seemingly lost in thought. "Don't you know this is a forbidden area?" he said slowly. "It hides many secrets, and not everyone can enter easily."

"Then can you tell us what the secret here is?" Lin Chen asked.

The old man was silent for a moment, then nodded. "Follow me, and I'll tell you everything."

So, everyone followed the old man and continued forward, and soon they entered a spacious hall. In the center of the hall stood a huge stone platform, on which were placed all kinds of strange objects, emitting a dazzling light.

"This is the legendary temple," the old man explained. "Thousands of years ago, this was where our ancestors lived, but a disaster left the land barren."

"What is that disaster?" Yun Shu asked.