Legendary Person: I brought my skills back to reality!

Xu Hao carefully put the prayer helmet into his backpack, having already made up his mind. He planned to leave this precious piece of equipment for Lin Ya.

Although Lin Ya has not yet demonstrated any obvious abilities, she is undoubtedly an Awakened One. When Xu Hao returns this time, she will be able to master basic spells such as Fireball and Fire Resistance Ring.

Xu Hao gently stroked his backpack, his brows furrowed slightly. He knew that once Lin Ya's abilities were discovered, the Bureau of Supernatural Affairs would definitely become interested in her. Nine times out of ten, they would want to recruit him. Even if he didn't have to work on the front lines because of his influence, and with him protecting her regularly, there was no guarantee she wouldn't encounter danger.

Strange appearances can happen without warning, and who knows when it might happen to you? It's always good to have the ability to protect yourself.

The image of the seemingly fragile glass ring that had successfully protected Lin Ya in the abandoned factory flashed through Xu Hao's mind. A slight smile appeared on his face. If even such a small item could be effective, then this powerful prayer helmet would undoubtedly provide Lin Ya with even more reliable protection.

He carefully reviewed the helmet's attributes, secretly estimating its defensive capabilities. Even the kind of bizarre monster he encountered in the abandoned factory last time would likely struggle to penetrate the armor's protection.

Xu Hao sighed softly, praying that everything else about the helmet was fine, but the fact that it would explode if he was killed was a bit of a pain.

However, this disadvantage doesn't exist in the real world. After all, there's no resurrection mechanism in reality; if you're dead, you're truly dead, there's no flash of light that will revive you.

What's the point of dropping equipment back then?

After distributing their equipment, Xu Hao and Zi Yu decided to continue fighting monsters and leveling up. Working together seamlessly, they quickly cleared the surrounding area.

Just as they were focused on the battle, several figures appeared on the distant hillside. Leading them was a burly man with a ferocious smile; it was Hei Sha, the same man who had fought Xu Hao and Zi Yu before. Behind him were four or five henchmen, all glaring menacingly at Xu Hao and Zi Yu.

It turned out that one of Black Fiend's henchmen had just witnessed Xu Hao and Zi Yu killing a zombie and obtaining a Prayer Helmet. He immediately ran to inform Black Fiend, who was leveling up nearby. Upon hearing this, Black Fiend's eyes flashed with greed, and he quickly gathered several trusted subordinates, preparing for a surprise attack.

As Hei Sha walked, he whispered to his subordinates, "That little Taoist priest and that woman, they used to fight us for monsters, so they're enemies. You guys go at them together later, don't give them a chance to react."

The group slowly approached, using the terrain for cover to quietly encircle Xu Hao and Zi Yu. When they were only a few dozen meters away from Xu Hao and Zi Yu, Hei Sha suddenly shouted, "Brothers, charge!"

Five or six people rushed out instantly, pouncing on Xu Hao and Zi Yu who were caught off guard. Xu Hao heard the commotion and quickly turned around. His expression changed when he saw who it was. He immediately pulled Zi Yu back a few steps and stared warily at Hei Sha and the others.

Black Demon grinned maliciously and said, "Kid, long time no see. I heard you guys just got a good loot, how about we share it?"

Black Fiend led the charge, clad in a brand-new set of heavy armor, gleaming silver, clearly a new piece of equipment he had acquired after reaching level 22. He wielded a horse-slaying saber, looking imposing and awe-inspiring.

Behind Black Fiend, four accomplices followed closely. They were around level 17 or 18, and although they were not as powerful as Black Fiend, they still exuded a formidable aura.

The five figures spread out in a fan shape, slowly approaching Xu Hao and Zi Yu, their eyes gleaming with greed and hostility. Hei Sha grinned maliciously, raising his broadsword, the tip pointing directly at Xu Hao, clearly considering him his primary target. The two mages began chanting incantations softly, their Sea Souls glowing faintly, ready to attack at any moment. The warrior and Taoist moved to the left and right respectively, attempting to encircle the two and cut off their possible escape routes.

Xu Hao's eyes sharpened as he gripped his staff tightly and said coldly, "Black Fiend, it's you again!? What do you want?"

Black Fiend grinned menacingly as he approached, the tip of his blade pointed directly at Xu Hao's chest: "Kid, stop playing dumb. Hand over the prayer helmet that just exploded, and I might consider sparing your life."

Zi Yu looked flustered and whispered, "Xu Hao, what should we do? We can't beat them."

Xu Hao gritted his teeth and said, "Don't be afraid, stay close to me."

Before he could finish speaking, Hei Sha had already swung his blade. Xu Hao hurriedly raised his sword to parry, and with a loud clang, the impact made his hand go numb.

"Kid, you're pretty tough. Brothers, let's go!" Black Fiend roared.

At Hei Sha's command, the battle erupted instantly. The two mages simultaneously brandished their staffs, sending two fireballs hurtling towards them. Xu Hao hurriedly pulled Zi Yu aside to dodge; the fireballs grazed past, and a wave of scorching heat washed over them. An ice arrow struck the ground, instantly crystallizing into ice.

At the same time, two warriors charged forward wielding broadswords. Xu Hao parried left and right, his sword clashing with the blade, sparks flying. He barely managed to withstand the attack, but was forced to retreat step by step. Zi Yu was not to be outdone, waving her staff and releasing a bolt of lightning, forcing back one of the approaching Taoist priests.

"Watch out!" Xu Hao suddenly shouted, pulling Zi Yu behind him. Hei Sha's saber came whistling through the air. Xu Hao hastily raised his sword to block, but felt a tremendous force and staggered backward.

The magical light flashed incessantly, and the sounds of clashing swords echoed continuously. Xu Hao and Zi Yu stood back to back, struggling to fend off attacks from all directions. Beads of sweat trickled down Xu Hao's forehead, and Zi Yu's face turned pale.

"Zi Yu, find a chance to run!" Xu Hao shouted loudly while parrying Hei Sha's attacks.

Zi Yu shook her head, gritted her teeth, and stubbornly said, "I won't leave!" She clenched her teeth, waved her staff, and released bolts of lightning. Although the power was considerable, it only relieved some of the pressure on Xu Hao.

The two fought and retreated, Xu Hao's sword clashing repeatedly with Hei Sha's blade, sparks flying. Zi Yu brandished her staff, unleashing bolts of lightning to barely fend off the attacks of the others. However, the enemy's numerical advantage gradually became apparent, forcing Xu Hao and Zi Yu to retreat continuously.

Just then, Xu Hao suddenly felt his feet sink into the ground. He instinctively reached out to grab something, but only grasped at air. A feeling of weightlessness washed over him, and Xu Hao realized with horror that he was falling.

"Zi Yu! Watch out!" Xu Hao shouted, trying to warn Zi Yu behind him.

Hearing Xu Hao's shout, Zi Yu turned around to check the situation. However, her footstep landed on the soft soil at the edge of the cave entrance. The soil instantly collapsed, and Zi Yu cried out in alarm, losing her balance and falling into the darkness along with Xu Hao.

"Ah—" Zi Yu's scream echoed in the cave, then was swallowed by the darkness.

Hei Sha and the others stared in disbelief at the scene, unable to react for a moment. They had been pursuing with great momentum, but suddenly they had lost their target.

"Where...where are they?" one of his men stammered, his eyes filled with fear and confusion.

Black Fiend's face was grim as he cautiously approached the edge of the cave entrance. He bent down, braced himself with his hands on the ground, and peered down. All he could see was pitch blackness, an unfathomable abyss, where even Xu Hao and Zi Yu were nowhere to be seen.

"Damn it, what kind of place is this?" Black Fiend cursed angrily, a hint of unease in his voice. He stood up, looked around, and suddenly, as if he had thought of something, his expression changed drastically.

"Could it be...?!" Black Fiend exclaimed, his voice filled with fear and disbelief. He abruptly took a few steps back, as if afraid that he too would fall into that mysterious black hole.