They finally found the source of the light. Perhaps this was the key to leaving this place.

However, as they approached the globe of light, they discovered there was an invisible barrier surrounding it. They tried to pass through but were forcefully repelled.

"What's going on?" Xu An asked, rubbing his shoulder which was sore from the collision.

Shen Jingqi frowned and carefully examined the globe of light and the barrier. "It seems this barrier is not that easy to break through. Maybe we need to find a method," he said.

As they contemplated how to break through, the globe suddenly changed. The light became more dazzling, and a voice rang in their ears: "Welcome, brave adventurers. To leave here, you must pass my test."

"A test? What test?" Shen Jingqi shouted.

The voice didn't directly answer him, but continued, "Within this globe of light, three snakes are hidden. Only by finding these three snakes can the path to leave here be opened. Are you ready?"

Shen Jingqi and the others exchanged glances, their eyes filled with determination. "We are ready!" They said in unison.

As their words fell, the globe of light suddenly cracked open, and a strong suction pulled them inside.

When they opened their eyes again, they found themselves in an unfamiliar space. Darkness surrounded them, except for a faint light ahead. They walked towards the light, their hearts full of caution.

"What is this place?" Xu An asked softly.

Shen Jingqi shook his head. "We have to be careful, danger might be right beside us," he said.

Suddenly, the ground started to shake. Cracks opened beneath their feet, and black liquid gushed out from them. The liquid spread toward them like it was alive.

"Run!" Shen Jingqi shouted. They ran desperately, trying to avoid the chase of the black liquid. However, the liquid's speed increased, quickly catching up to them.

Lin Yu accidentally got splashed by the black liquid, and a sharp pain shot through his leg. He looked down to find the spot that was splashed had started to decay. "Ah!" He cried out in agony.

"Lin Yu!" Shen Jingqi and Xu An hurriedly stopped, trying to help him up.

"Leave me! Go on without me!" Lin Yu gritted his teeth. He knew he had become a burden to them.

"No! We can't leave you!" Shen Jingqi said. As he searched for a place to hide, he suddenly noticed a protruding rock ahead. He quickly pulled Xu An and Lin Yu to hide behind the rock.

The black liquid continuously struck the rock, and the rock began to tremble. Shen Jingqi was extremely anxious; he knew this wasn't a viable solution. He had to find the snakes to open the way out.

At that moment, he discovered a small hole beside the rock. A faint light flickered inside, seemingly hiding some secret. He was inspired: could the snakes be inside?

"I'll go take a look!" Shen Jingqi said.

"No! It's too dangerous!" Xu An and Lin Yu both protested.

"No time! Wait here for me!" Shen Jingqi said, then crawled into the hole.

The hole was very narrow, and Shen Jingqi had to bend over to move forward. The deeper he went, the brighter the light became. Finally, he reached the cave's end. At the end was a small box emanating a mysterious light.

Shen Jingqi felt a surge of joy. He stepped forward and opened the box. Inside lay a golden snake.

"Found it!" Shen Jingqi said excitedly. He picked up the box and prepared to leave the cave.

However, at this moment, a massive black shadow suddenly appeared in the cave. The shadow opened its bloody mouth and lunged at him. Startled, Shen Jingqi quickly dodged to the side, simultaneously swinging his short knife towards the shadow.

The shadow deftly avoided his attack and lunged at him again. Shen Jingqi engaged in a fierce battle with the shadow, acquiring a few more wounds. But he held the key tightly, unwilling to let go.

Outside the cave, Xu An and Lin Yu waited anxiously. They heard the sounds of battle coming from inside, their hearts filled with worry.

"Shen Jingqi will be alright, right?" Xu An asked.

"He will be fine. We must believe in him," Lin Yu said, though his heart was also filled with unease.

Just as they were anxiously waiting, Shen Jingqi finally rushed out of the cave. His steps were unsteady, each one laden with the exhaustion and dishevelment from battling unknown forces in the darkness. His body was covered in wounds, bloody gashes glaringly visible, with blood seeping continuously, soaking his clothes and looking especially stark in the darkness. Yet in his hand, he clutched the box tightly, as if it was his only lifeline in this perilous situation.

"I got the snake!" Shen Jingqi exclaimed excitedly, with a hint of uncontrollable excitement in his voice. His eyes shone with hope, as if he saw the dawn of escaping this dark space. However, he didn't notice that his hand holding the box was trembling slightly from excitement.

Xu An and Lin Yu breathed a sigh of relief, their tense nerves finally relaxing a bit. Xu An quickly stepped forward to support the unsteady Shen Jingqi, asking with concern, "Are you okay? Are you badly hurt?" His eyes were full of worry, his brows tightly furrowed as if he himself were the one injured.

Lin Yu also came over, looking at Shen Jingqi's wounds, he gasped: "These are severe injuries, but luckily we got the snake; we're one step closer to getting out." His voice carried a hint of relief but was more so filled with anxiety about the unknown challenges ahead.

Shen Jingqi gritted his teeth, enduring the pain, and said, "It's nothing, these minor injuries. Let's quickly find the other two snakes; time is running out, and who knows what other dangers await us in this dark space." His eyes revealed determination, his body weary yet his belief unwavering.

Xu An nodded and said, "Alright, let's move on. But everyone must be careful, this place is eerie." He tightened his grip on his weapon, vigilantly scanning the surroundings, as if ready for something to leap out from the darkness at any moment.

Lin Yu also clenched his fists and said, "Right, we can't let our guard down. Maybe those shadows and dangers are still lurking in the dark watching us." A flash of fear crossed his eyes but was quickly replaced by determination.

The three of them once again set off to find the other two snakes. The dark space seemed endless, an oppressive atmosphere surrounding them, suffocating. They proceeded cautiously, observing their surroundings with each step, fearing they might trigger some dangerous trap.

Suddenly, a strange sound came from ahead, like something scraping the ground. Shen Jingqi's heart tightened. He immediately stopped in his tracks, ears perked up to listen carefully. The sound grew closer, as if a giant monster was approaching them.

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