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

Wang Qiang panted heavily, trying to calm himself down, and finally said, "Over in the village... unidentified creatures have appeared again! They are attacking the villagers, and the situation is very critical!"

Lin Chen's heart sank as he immediately realized this might be part of a new threat. He turned to the old man and said, "Master Guardian, our situation has changed. Our homeland is facing a new threat, and we need to resolve the crisis there first."

The old man nodded, his eyes showing a hint of understanding and appreciation. "I understand. Protecting your home is a top priority. But remember, time is of the essence, and closing the portal cannot be delayed for too long."

"Thank you for your understanding." Lin Chen quickly turned to his teammates. "Zhang Tao, Li Na, you and Wang Qiang return to the village and do your best to protect the villagers. This guardian and I will work on countermeasures here."

"Captain, are you sure? We can go back together!" Zhang Tao said worriedly.

"Don't worry, I will come back to meet you as soon as possible. You go and deal with the village affairs first." Lin Chen said firmly.

"Okay, be careful!" Li Na nodded, her eyes showing both worry and trust.

"Captain, we'll wait for you to come back." Wang Qiang patted Lin Chen's shoulder vigorously, then turned around and led the team away in a hurry.

Lin Chen took a deep breath and turned to face the Guardian: "Master Guardian, please tell me, are these creatures we are facing now related to this portal?"

The guardian nodded and said, "Yes, these creatures are infiltrating through the portal that is gradually getting out of control. We must find and seal it as quickly as possible."

"So, where is the 'Heart of Wind'?" Lin Chen asked.

"As I said, the 'Heart of the Wind' is located in the eastern Sky City. But to reach it, you need to cross a place called the 'Dark Forest'. This forest is full of unknown dangers, but it also hides important clues."

"Dark Forest..." Lin Chen muttered to himself, countless imaginary scenes appearing in his mind. "Then how can we get in there?"

"I will provide you with a guiding light." The guardian smiled slightly and gently waved his staff. Suddenly, a ball of soft light surrounded Lin Chen. "Follow this light, it will lead you to your destination."

"Thank you." Lin Chen nodded gratefully, his heart full of fighting spirit and determination.

Just as Lin Chen was about to set off, the guardian spoke again: "There is one more thing I want to remind you of. On the way to the Sky City, you will encounter a tribe called the 'Shadow Clan'. They have guarded the secret path to the Sky City for generations. But for some reason, they have become hostile to outsiders. You must be careful."

"I understand. We will try our best to avoid conflicts." Lin Chen said firmly.

With that, Lin Chen embarked on a new journey, following the guiding light and heading towards unknown challenges. The villagers behind him, filled with both anticipation and worry, silently prayed for their hero to return safely and save their homes from the dire straits.

"The captain will definitely succeed. Let's wait for him to come back!" a young villager said excitedly.

"Yes, Lin Chen is the pride of our village!" another villager echoed.

Hope and faith gleamed in the eyes of the villagers. They believed that as long as they united as one, no difficulty was insurmountable. Deep in the dense forest, Lin Chen's figure gradually faded away. What awaited him were even more difficult tests and unknown adventures...

"Come on, Captain! We believe you can find the answer!" Wang Qiang's voice echoed in the air, conveying everyone's blessings and expectations. As Lin Chen stepped into the dark forest, the air seemed to suddenly grow heavier, a sense of oppression pervading the air. The trees grew densely together, nearly blocking out the sunlight. The occasional rays of light that filtered through added a touch of mystery to the forest.

"It's really dangerous here." Lin Chen whispered, scanning the surroundings vigilantly, "We must remain vigilant at all times."

At that moment, a rustling sound broke the silence. Not far away, a small creature covered in spikes slowly approached. Lin Chen immediately drew his sword, ready to engage, but the creature suddenly stopped, let out a warning sound similar to a scream, and quickly disappeared into the bushes.

"What the hell is this place..." Lin Chen muttered to himself. Just as he was thinking about his next move, he suddenly heard a voice behind him.

"Oh, is it a new adventurer?" A voice came from the shade of the tree. Lin Chen turned around and saw a young girl standing there, holding an exquisite bow and arrow in her hand, her eyes full of curiosity and alertness.

"Who are you?" Lin Chen asked, feeling a little surprised to meet someone at this time.

"I'm a hunter here, my name is Xiaoyu." The girl smiled friendly. "Is this your first time here?"

"Yes, I am heading to the Sky City to look for the 'Heart of Wind'." Lin Chen briefly introduced the purpose of his trip.

Xiaoyu nodded, as if she was familiar with the name. "I see. This road is very dangerous, but you have no way out. Come with me, I know a relatively safer way."

Following Xiaoyu along the winding path, Lin Chen noticed a slightly more relaxed atmosphere. As they walked, Xiaoyu recounted stories about the forest and her own experiences. "Actually, I once dreamed of becoming a hero," Xiaoyu said, gazing into the distance. "But then I realized that true courage isn't about leaving, but staying here to protect our home."

"Everyone has a different definition of courage." Lin Chen sighed, and at the same time, he had a deeper understanding of the responsibilities he shouldered.

At that moment, they heard hurried footsteps in the distance. Several figures sprinted through the woods toward them. "Hurry, hurry! They're chasing us!" a voice shouted.

Immediately afterwards, several figures rushed out of the woods. Leading them was a seemingly elderly man, his face filled with fear. "Monster! A strange monster is attacking our village!"

"Don't be afraid, we are here." Xiaoyu hurriedly comforted him, while also watching vigilantly for possible situations behind the old man.

"Looks like we have to change our plans temporarily," Lin Chen decided. After signaling to Xiaoyu, he turned to the old man and the others and said, "You guys come with me first. It's too dangerous here to stay."

Just as they were about to set off, an ominous gust of wind blew by, accompanied by a low roar. From the other side of the forest, several huge black shadows slowly approached...