"What's going on?" Xu An rubbed his bruised arm and asked in confusion.

Shen Jingqi frowned, pondering a strategy to deal with the situation. "It seems this barrier isn't so easily broken. Perhaps we need to find a way to open it," he said.

As they contemplated how to open the barrier, an eerie laughter suddenly echoed through the room. It seemed to come from all directions, chilling them to the bone.

"Who? Who's laughing?" Lin Yu asked in horror. His voice had taken on a bit of a tremor, and his eyes were filled with fear.

The laughter gradually stopped, and a figure slowly emerged from the darkness. It was a man dressed in a long black robe, his face obscured by a mask, making it impossible to see his features. His eyes exuded a sinister air, causing a shiver down one's spine.

"Welcome, brave adventurers." The Black-clothed Man spoke, his voice low and hoarse.

"Who are you? Why did you lure us here?" Shen Jingqi asked loudly. His eyes were filled with vigilance, and he gripped the weapon in his hand tightly.

The Black-clothed Man let out a cold laugh and said, "Who I am is not important. What's important is that the snake in your hand and the snakes here are the key to opening a mysterious treasure. As long as you hand the snake over to me, I'll let you live."

"Treasure? What treasure?" Xu An asked. His eyes revealed a hint of curiosity mixed with a touch of skepticism.

The Black-clothed Man said, "It's a treasure of endless wealth and power. Whoever obtains it can become the ruler of this world. However, you have no choice; either hand over the snake or die here."

Shen Jingqi and the others exchanged glances, their hearts filled with hesitation. On one hand, they were eager for the treasure; on the other, they didn't know if the Black-clothed Man was telling the truth, fearing they might fall into greater danger if they gave up the snake.

"We won't hand the snake over to you. Who knows what you're planning," Shen Jingqi replied firmly. His eyes conveyed an unyielding resolve, as if telling the Black-clothed Man that they wouldn't easily surrender.

A murderous glint flashed in the Black-clothed Man's eyes, and he slowly raised his hand, saying, "Since you refuse to drink the toast, you'll have to drink the penalty wine. Don't blame me for being impolite."

As he finished speaking, a group of dark shadows suddenly appeared in the room. These shadows were different from those they had encountered earlier, emanating a powerful aura as if they were demons from Hell.

"Be careful!" Shen Jingqi shouted. They quickly stood back to back, ready to face the attack from the shadows.

The shadows lunged at them, and another intense battle unfolded. Shen Jingqi and the others fought back with all their might against the shadows' attacks, but the shadows were too strong, and they gradually became overwhelmed.

In the midst of the battle, Shen Jingqi's gaze was as sharp as an eagle's. He suddenly noticed that the Black-clothed Man, despite his cold and ruthless appearance, seemed to occasionally cast his gaze at the snake in the glass case. The snake coiled within, its scales gleaming with a mysterious luster, as if hiding secrets unknown.

Could this snake really be so important to him? Shen Jingqi had a sudden revelation, a bold idea flashing through his mind like lightning.

"Xu An, Lin Yu, we need to get closer to the glass case. Maybe we can use the snake against him," Shen Jingqi whispered urgently, a sense of anticipation in his voice. His eyes were fixed on the Black-clothed Man, fearing to miss any subtle reaction from him.

Xu An and Lin Yu exchanged a glance, a flash of determination in their eyes. They nodded slightly, taking advantage of the gaps in the shadows' frenzied attacks, moving like three agile leopards towards the glass case. Each step was cautious, as if treading on thin ice, fearing to alert the lurking danger in the darkness.

The Black-clothed Man seemed to have sensed their intention. His eyes grew dark and sinister, a cruel cold smile curling at his lips. He hurriedly waved his arms, commanding the shadows to stop them like mad dogs. The shadows let out sharp hisses, clawing and rushing at Shen Jingqi and the others.

Shen Jingqi and the others resisted the shadows' attacks fiercely, their bodies weaving through the darkness, fists and feet raining down like a storm. Each attack was accompanied by the sound of wind breaking, as if trying to break the shackles of darkness. Their clothes were soaked with sweat, but they showed no sign of retreat, inching step by step towards the glass case.

Finally, they arrived before the glass case. Shen Jingqi looked at the snake inside, his heart filled with anticipation. The snake seemed to sense their attention, raising its head slightly, flicking its tongue, with an enigmatic air in its eyes. Unsure if this plan would work, he had no other options left. His hand clenched into a fist, knuckles whitening with exertion.

"What secret does this snake hold? Can it really help us out of this predicament?" Shen Jingqi pondered quietly, his eyes betraying a hint of anxiety.

Just as they were contemplating how to use the snake, it suddenly emitted a burst of light. The light burst forth from the snake, like a rising sun, growing ever brighter and illuminating the entire room. The shadows screamed in agony under the light, their bodies contorting as if burned by fire, then fading into nothingness.

The Black-clothed Man was blinded by the light, covering his eyes in anger, shouting, "No! This can't be!" His voice was filled with shock and frustration, as though his plans had been entirely thwarted.

The light gradually faded, and the barrier on the glass case disappeared. Shen Jingqi and the others seized the opportunity to take the snake out. The three golden snakes gathered together, emitting a dazzling light. The light was like a golden ribbon, drifting through the air, dazzling their eyes. Within the light, a mysterious passage appeared.

"This is the way out!" Shen Jingqi exclaimed excitedly, hope gleaming in his eyes. His heart raced, as if seeing the dawn of escaping this dark space.

Without hesitation, they stepped into the passage and disappeared into the light. A faint mist filled the passage, obscuring the road ahead. The ground beneath their feet was rugged and uneven, hiding countless traps within.

"Where does this passage lead? Could there be danger?" Lin Yu asked with a bit of worry, his eyes revealing a trace of fear.

"Don't worry about that now, let's just keep moving. Better than staying there waiting for death," Xu An said firmly, patting Lin Yu's shoulder.

Shen Jingqi led the way, his eyes scanning the surroundings cautiously. Suddenly, he heard faint footsteps, as if someone was secretly following them. His body tensed instantly, gripping his weapon even tighter.

"Did you hear footsteps?" Shen Jingqi asked in a low voice.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.