The male protagonist of the book is poisonous

After that thrilling battle with the fire lizards, Luo Chen and I, through magical herbs and meditation, recovered some of our magic and physical strength. Although our bodies were still exhausted, as if carrying a heavy burden, and our magic and physical strength had only recovered a small fraction, the powerful attraction emanating from the artifact fragments, like the most powerful magnet in the universe, irresistibly drew us deeper into the Flame Valley.

We slowly advanced along a winding path, resembling the coils of a giant python. Flames on either side of the path pulsed ever more fiercely like enraged beasts, their blazing flames a silent warning of the unknown dangers that awaited us. At this moment, the entire Valley of Fire seemed shrouded in a mysterious veil, an indescribable aura slowly permeating the valley. It was like an invisible hand, gently gripping my heart, causing it to beat uncontrollably faster, like the beating of a war drum, warning me of impending danger.

"Do you feel that there seems to be something unusual here?" I lowered my voice, looked around vigilantly, and said softly to Luo Chen.

Luo Chen nodded slightly. His eyes were as sharp as an eagle's, and he was also carefully observing everything around him. "Well, this aura is indeed very strange, full of unknowns and mysteries. We must be more cautious than before."

Suddenly, without warning, a vast cave appeared ahead. The entrance was blocked by a barrier shimmering with a strange light. That light was like the brightest stars in the night sky, crushed into countless tiny particles, each composed of complex and mysterious magical runes. These runes shimmered in shades of faint blue, light purple, and orange-yellow, revealing a mysterious and ancient power, like a mystical whisper from ancient times, stirring both awe and curiosity.

"What is this?" I walked slowly towards the barrier involuntarily as if attracted by a magnet, my eyes full of curiosity and desire to explore, and at the same time, I reached out to touch the rune barrier that was emitting charming light.

"Don't move!" Luo Chen reacted extremely quickly. He rushed forward, grabbed my hand, and pulled me back to a safe distance. His voice was filled with anxiety and worry. "This looks like some kind of magical restriction. Touching it rashly could lead to extremely dangerous consequences. It might trigger a hidden magical trap or trigger a powerful magical counterattack."

I retracted my hand with a lingering fear, but my eyes remained fixed on the barrier. "Look, these runes seem to have some kind of pattern. Perhaps we can find a way to break it." There was a hint of excitement in my voice, as if I had seen a ray of light in the darkness.

Luo Chen also leaned in for a closer inspection. His brow furrowed slightly, his eyes revealing concentration and deep thought. He muttered to himself as he studied, "This rune seems to be inextricably linked to the element of fire, yet it's also blended with other unknown forces. This power feels extremely ancient and powerful. I've never seen such a complex combination of runes."

As we racked our brains trying to figure out how to break this magical barrier, I suddenly noticed tiny patterns carved into the nearby rock. I crouched down and carefully brushed away the thin layer of dust, as if uncovering an ancient treasure. As the dust fell, the patterns, like long-dormant spirits awakened, appeared before our eyes, clearly visible.

"Luo Chen, look here." I couldn't suppress my inner excitement and shouted with my voice slightly raised.

Luo Chen heard my cry and hurried over. When he saw the patterns, his eyes suddenly lit up, as if he had found the clue to the exit from a dark maze. "These patterns seem to tell a story, perhaps closely related to this restriction."

We carefully examined the patterns, like archaeologists examining ancient artifacts. The crude yet mysterious lines of the patterns revealed that, long ago, a sorcerer, almost godlike in power, journeyed to the Valley of Fire. Clad in black robes, he wielded a wand radiating a powerful magical glow, his gaze piercing and deep. Here, he discovered an unknown force as mysterious as the depths of the universe. Like a sleeping beast, it lurked within the valley's depths, emitting a beckoning yet dangerous aura. To prevent this power from being exploited by evildoers, the sorcerer cast a powerful spell, sealing it within the cave and meticulously setting up a magical barrier to prevent any from approaching. And, from subtle hints within the patterns, this mysterious force seemed to be subtly and intimately connected to the artifact fragments, like two intertwined branches of a single, mystical tree.

"If we can break this restriction, maybe we can find clues to the artifact fragments." I was so excited that my voice trembled slightly, and the artifact fragments seemed to be just around the corner.

Luo Chen frowned, crossed his arms, and fell into deep thought. "But how do we crack it? These patterns give us some information, but it's far from enough. We're still missing a crucial piece, like finding only one part of a puzzle and still not being able to piece together the complete picture."

Unwilling to give up, I meticulously searched the surroundings, examining every rock and corner, hoping against hope to find more clues. Then, on the other side of the cave entrance, I discovered a sunken stone. Its shape was peculiar, strikingly similar to a magic crystal in my bag. The magic crystal flickered faintly within the bag, as if echoing the sunken stone.

"Luo Chen, look at this." I said, my eyes shining as if I had discovered a new world, pointing at the concave stone.

Luo Chen followed my finger, looking at the sunken stone, then at the magic crystal in his bag. Then, thoughtfully, he pulled the crystal out of his bag. His movements were extremely cautious, as if he were handling the most fragile treasure in the world. He carefully placed the crystal into the recess. As the crystal nestled seamlessly into place, the runes on the magical barrier seemed to be infused with new vitality, flickering even more intensely. The runes' light grew even brighter, their colors constantly shifting, like a dazzling magical light show.

"It seems to be working, but something is still missing." Luo Chen stared at the flashing runes, his brows still furrowed as he spoke.

I cast my gaze once more upon the patterns on the rocks, my eyes like a scanner, capturing every detail. Suddenly, I spotted a pattern depicting a figure dripping blood onto something resembling a magic circle. Though simple, the image was like a flash of lightning in the darkness, instantly illuminating my thoughts.

"Luo Chen, I think I understand." Without hesitation, I pulled a small knife from my waist. The blade gleamed coldly in the light of the cave. I gritted my teeth, closed my eyes, and forcefully cut my finger. A drop of bright red blood slowly dripped from my finger, like a crystal ruby, landing on the magical barrier.

As the blood dripped, the runes on the magical barrier seemed to come alive and began to rearrange themselves. Like nimble spirits, the runes danced in the air, rapidly shifting positions. Soon, the barrier, like an impenetrable fortress, slowly vanished like the morning mist, leaving only an empty entrance, as if inviting us in.

"Let's go in." Luo Chen's eyes were determined, and he took the lead to walk into the cave.

We cautiously entered the cave. As soon as we stepped inside, a refreshing breeze washed over us. It was as pure and cool as a mountain spring, a stark contrast to the infernal heat outside. The cave walls were inlaid with luminous crystals of various sizes. These crystals emitted a soft yet brilliant light, illuminating the cave like daylight. The light refracted and reflected within the cave, creating brilliant, colorful bands of light, as if countless rainbows were dancing through the cave.

At the far end of the cave, we came upon a massive stone platform. Carved from a single, solid block of stone, it was covered in ancient and mysterious patterns, emanating a faint magical energy. Atop the platform sat a box emitting a faint blue light. The material of the box looked quite strange, as if crafted from some mysterious metal. Its surface was covered in intricate runes, which intertwined with the faint blue light, as if revealing ancient secrets.

"Could there be artifact fragments in there?" I was so excited that my voice was a little distorted. My eyes were fixed on the box that was emitting charming light, and my feet involuntarily moved towards the stone platform.

We slowly approached the stone platform, filled with excitement and nervousness. When we were only a few steps away, a swarm of small fire spirits suddenly emerged from all directions. These fire spirits were tiny, as small as newborn babies, but they wielded tiny flaming swords, blazing with flames that heated the air around them. They quickly surrounded us, forming a tight circle, their eyes filled with vigilance and hostility.

"It seems that getting the box is not so easy." Luo Chen took a deep breath and tightly gripped the sword in his hand. The hilt of the sword became slightly hot from his grip. His eyes became as firm as steel and he was ready for battle.

I quickly adjusted myself, summoning the little remaining magic power within me, ready to fight at any moment. "No matter what, we must get that box." My voice was calm, yet it shone with undeniable determination.