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

And just when they were about to be swallowed by an unknown threat...

Led by Elena, they passed through numerous obstacles and finally arrived at the legendary cave entrance. In the night, the cave entrance looked particularly deep and mysterious.

"Are we really going in?" Leah said, looking at the hole that seemed to swallow up all light, her voice filled with uncertainty. "I have a feeling this place isn't simple."

"Now that we're here, there's nothing to be afraid of." Lin Chen said firmly, "Let's go, for our goal!"

So, under his leadership, the team slowly stepped into the unknown world. Soon after entering the cave, the surroundings immediately became pitch dark, with only the occasional faint sound of dripping water breaking the almost suffocating silence.

"Who has a light source? I don't want to be blind here." Leo broke the silence. Although his tone was still relaxed, one could feel the tension that was difficult to conceal.

"Don't worry, just look at me." Xiao Jie pulled out a seemingly ordinary stone from his backpack. It was a fluorite he'd accidentally found during a previous trip. It glowed and heated in the dark. "This should be enough for a while."

With the help of the glowstone, everyone could vaguely see the winding path ahead and the strange patterns on the cave walls. "Wow, these symbols are so strange," Leah said, curiously observing everything around her as she walked. "I wonder what they mean?"

As he was speaking, a cold wind suddenly blew past, and a low and long wail echoed in the originally peaceful space...

"What's that sound?" Arnold's voice trembled a little, and his whole body involuntarily took a few steps back.

Just as everyone was on edge, a massive creature covered in dark red scales appeared from a corner not far ahead. Its cold, ruthless eyes stared straight at the intruders, as if considering whether to devour these uninvited guests completely.

"Be careful!" Lin Chen shouted, quickly drawing his sword and preparing for battle. "Everyone, get your weapons ready. We must unite to defeat it!"

As Lin Chen finished speaking, the others also showed their weapons - Leah held a small, exquisite but extremely sharp dagger in her hand; Leo held a sledgehammer, and the ground could be felt to vibrate slightly with every step he took; as for Arnold, he held a peculiarly shaped staff, muttering something as if preparing some kind of magic.

"Looks like we can only resolve this head-on..." Facing such a powerful enemy, even though he felt a bit terrified, Lin Chen knew now was not the time to retreat. "Everyone, charge with me!"

Just as the two sides were about to clash, a deafening roar suddenly erupted from outside the cave, shaking the entire cave. Clearly, something major had happened outside.

"Wait a minute! Did you hear that?" Leah stopped and looked back in the direction she came from, with a complicated expression. "Something seems to be happening outside..."

"Don't worry about that for now. The crisis at hand hasn't been resolved yet!" Although Lin Chen was still confused, he didn't have time to think about it and continued to attack the monster. "While its attention is being distracted, we need to get through this area as quickly as possible!"

As the fierce fight was going on, a louder noise came from the distance, as if the entire mountain was about to collapse. At the same time, they vaguely heard several human screams and calls for help...

"What the hell is going on?" Leo couldn't help but shout, "Could it be that other expedition teams besides us are in danger?!"

"No matter what, there's no time to hesitate now." Lin Chen decisively gave the order, "End this battle as soon as possible, and then go check the specific situation!"

Finally, with the concerted efforts of the four, they successfully repelled the beast, and no one was injured. However, when they hurriedly rushed out of the cave, they were stunned by the scene before them.

The outside was completely surrounded by a group of menacing, black-armored soldiers. Among them, a woman in a gorgeous robe and a golden crown stood at the front, watching everything with a sneer.

"Welcome, warriors, to my territory," the woman began. Her voice was as soft as silk, yet it carried a chilling aura. "I am Queen Elise, the ruler here. Perhaps we could talk..."

"Does she want to negotiate? Or..." Leia asked in a low voice, obviously skeptical of the "queen" who suddenly appeared.

Lin Chen narrowed his eyes and carefully studied the other party for a moment, then said in a deep voice: "No matter what you plan to do, please remember: we are not people who can be easily intimidated."

"Oh? That's great." Queen Elise smiled slightly and turned to wave to her subordinates. "Please follow us. There are still many stories about this place worth exploring."

"It seems that I will have to face new challenges next." Leo shook his head helplessly, and prayed silently in his heart that he could get through this difficult time smoothly.

"But no matter what, as long as we are still together, there is nothing to be afraid of." Lin Chen answered firmly, his eyes full of faith.

Just as they were about to follow the queen to leave, Arnold quietly pulled Lin Chen's sleeve and asked in a low voice: "Do you think she is reliable?"

Lin Chen paused slightly and looked back at Arnold, a complicated look flashing in his eyes. "I don't know, but we don't have much choice, do we? We can only go on and see what her purpose is."

"Okay, this is the only way." Arnold nodded, but still felt a little uneasy.

And so, under the gaze of countless eyes, Lin Chen and his companions embarked on a journey into the unknown. And this was just the beginning of another adventure. Led by Queen Elise, Lin Chen and his companions passed through the dense lines of soldiers and entered the palace. It was a completely different world, with gorgeous decorations and exquisite designs that were dazzling.

"It's so beautiful here." Leah exclaimed in a low voice, her eyes constantly wandering around, as if there were surprises hidden in every corner.

"Don't let your guard down," Lin Chen warned, "We don't know her purpose."

As they entered the hall, a murmur rose from the surroundings, seemingly coming from all directions. Several servants stood by, exchanging curious glances.

"Who are these people?" a young guard in palace uniform asked in a low voice, his eyes fixed on the sword in Lin Chen's hand.

"It is said that they defeated the guardians of the underground. They are warriors."