The moment they stepped into the Castle, a wave of stale, decaying air washed over them, as if the Castle itself had been asleep for years, exhaling its rot. Inside, the Castle was dim and gloomy, a forgotten corner of time, with only a few weak rays of light filtering through the dilapidated windows, barely illuminating the path ahead.
Hu Yulun gripped Isabella's hand tightly, as if it were his only anchor in the darkness. He cautiously moved forward, each step deliberate, as if afraid of waking something hidden within the Castle.
Isabella's voice was soft in the silence. "Be careful," she whispered. "We don't know what's in here." Her eyes betrayed a hint of worry, as if she feared the unknown ahead.
Hu Yulun felt Isabella's tension. He squeezed her hand, trying to offer some comfort and courage. They continued forward, their footsteps echoing softly on the ancient stone floor, reverberating through the empty Castle, and sending a chill down their spines.
Suddenly, a chilling laugh echoed through the empty Castle, as if from the depths of hell, filled with endless malice and mockery.
"Hahaha, you dare to enter!" The voice was like a phantom, seemingly coming from all directions, making it impossible to pinpoint its source. Hu Yulun stopped, his heart racing, and beads of sweat forming on his forehead. He nervously looked around, shouting, "Who's there? Come out!" His voice echoed through the Castle, but there was no response.
Just then, a dark shadow flashed above them like lightning, accompanied by a bone-chilling gust of wind. Isabella instinctively raised her sword in a defensive stance, her eyes filled with determination and resolve.
The atmosphere in the Castle became even more oppressive, as if an invisible pressure was bearing down on them. Hu Yulun and Isabella huddled together, their breathing quickening. The appearance of the shadow made them realize that the Castle concealed a great danger. However, they didn't back down, instead resolving to face it bravely.
"Don't be afraid, I'm here," Hu Yulun comforted.
They continued forward, arriving in a large hall. A huge table stood in the center, and on it, a box emitted an eerie glow.
"Maybe the Money Bag is in that box," Hu Yulun said.
Just as they were about to approach the table, a group of Skeleton Soldiers emerged from the shadows, blocking their path.
"It seems getting the box won't be easy," Isabella said.
Hu Yulun's eyes were resolute. "Then we'll fight our way through!"
The two of them charged towards the Skeleton Soldiers without hesitation, their momentum like a rampaging tiger. The sword in Hu Yulun's hand flashed with cold light, each swing carrying a sharp gust of wind, as if to tear the air apart. His movements were agile and powerful, the blade drawing dazzling arcs in the air, accurately hitting the vital points of the Skeleton Soldiers.
Isabella stood to the side, her magical light like brilliant stars in the night sky, shining with mysterious and powerful energy. She chanted ancient spells, her hands continuously dancing, releasing beams of colorful magic light. These beams were as fast as lightning, accurately hitting the Skeleton Soldiers and shattering them.
The Skeleton Soldiers fell back under their combined attacks, but they didn't give up resisting. They swung their weapons, attempting to fight back, but Hu Yulun and Isabella easily dodged or deflected their attacks.
As time passed, the Skeleton Soldiers fell one after another, and the battlefield was filled with the strong scent of death. But Hu Yulun and Isabella weren't affected by this scent; their eyes were firm and resolute, filled with a desire for victory.
Finally, the last Skeleton Soldier fell to the ground, turning into a pile of white bones. Hu Yulun and Isabella exchanged a smile and then walked towards the table together.
Hu Yulun reached out to take the box. Just as he was about to touch it, a huge Monster swooped down from the ceiling.
"Watch out!" Isabella pulled Hu Yulun away.
Facing this powerful Monster, would they be able to successfully get the Money Bag and leave the Castle?
The Monster stood before them like a small mountain, its body so large it was terrifying. Its rough skin was covered with a layer of incredibly hard scales, which shimmered with a cold light in the dim light. A pair of blood-red eyes were like burning flames, emitting a fiercely ferocious light, as if they could burn a person's soul to ashes.
It opened its mouth, which was like a giant abyss, and let out a muffled growl. Immediately after, a scorching flame spewed out of its mouth, with the momentum of destroying everything, directly towards Hu Yulun and Isabella.
Hu Yulun's pupils contracted sharply, his face instantly a mask of terror and determination. He shoved Isabella backward with all his might, shouting, "Watch out!" Isabella stumbled, caught off guard by the sudden push, and steadied herself, her eyes filled with tension and worry.
"This monster is terrifying!" Isabella exclaimed.
Hu Yulun gritted his teeth, replying, "Don't worry, we can definitely beat it!"
With that, he gripped his sword tightly, preparing to meet the oncoming flames.
Hu Yulun quickly shielded Isabella, rolling to the side to dodge the flames. The moment he was up, his sword was already drawn, and he charged towards the monster. Isabella, not to be outdone, waved her Magic Scepter, and a pillar of ice shot towards the monster.
The monster swung its massive claws, easily shattering the ice pillar. Hu Yulun seized the opportunity, leaping onto the monster's arm and slashing at its eyes with his sword. The monster roared in pain, flinging Hu Yulun away with a powerful swipe.
Hu Yulun slammed into the wall, a trickle of blood at the corner of his mouth, but he immediately stood up and charged the monster again. Isabella continuously cast spells, creating opportunities for Hu Yulun to attack.
Enraged by their attacks, the monster unleashed a more furious assault. Its tail swept across, and Hu Yulun narrowly jumped aside, the spot where he had been moments ago now a large crater.
"Isabella, focus your attacks on its weak points!" Hu Yulun shouted.
"Understood!" Isabella replied. She focused her mind, and magical light gathered at the top of her Magic Scepter, forming a huge ball of light that shot towards the Monster's abdomen.
Taking advantage of the Monster's distraction, Hu Yulun leaped forward and plunged his sword deep into its back. The Monster let out a painful roar and struggled desperately.
Isabella cast another spell, a powerful binding technique that temporarily immobilized the Monster. Hu Yulun seized the opportunity, pulled out his sword, and thrust it again into the Monster's vital spot.
With their tacit cooperation, the Monster finally fell to the ground, no longer moving. Hu Yulun and Isabella were both panting, their clothes soaked with sweat, but their eyes were filled with the joy of victory.
Hu Yulun and Isabella stood beside the fallen Monster, breathing heavily.
"We finally got rid of this thing," Hu Yulun said, using his sword to support himself, clearly exhausted.
Isabella wiped the sweat from her forehead and responded with a smile, "Yes, but we still can't let our guard down."
Their gazes returned to the box on the table. Hu Yulun cautiously stepped forward and gently opened it.
However, the box didn't contain the Money Bag they had hoped for, only a yellowed Parchment.
Hu Yulun picked up the Parchment, which was covered in strange symbols and writing.
"What is this?" Isabella asked, leaning closer.
Hu Yulun frowned, studying it carefully: "It looks like some kind of clue or code."
Just then, the environment around them suddenly changed. The dimly lit hall became even more eerie, and strange runes appeared on the walls, flickering with an unsettling light.
"This is bad, there might be new dangers!" Isabella said nervously.
Hu Yulun tightly clenched the Parchment and said, "No matter what, let's find a way out first."
They walked back the way they came, only to find the passage blocked by a Magical Barrier.
Hu Yulun tried to break the barrier with his sword, but a powerful force repelled him.
"What should we do?" Isabella asked anxiously.
Hu Yulun thought calmly, and suddenly he remembered the symbols on the Parchment.
"Maybe these symbols are the key to unlocking this barrier," Hu Yulun said.
Isabella nodded. "Then let's try it quickly."
They began to compare the symbols, searching for the corresponding positions on the barrier. After some effort, the Magical Barrier slowly disappeared.
They continued forward, their hearts filled with hope, looking forward to getting out of this mysterious and dangerous place as soon as possible.
They ran along the passage, the chilling sound of wind whistling in their ears, as if countless eyes were watching them from the darkness.
"Faster, hurry!" Hu Yulun shouted.
Isabella followed closely behind him, their footsteps echoing in the narrow passage.
Suddenly, multiple paths appeared ahead, each exuding a mysterious and dangerous aura.
"Which way?" Isabella asked, a little flustered.
Hu Yulun stopped and carefully examined each path. He noticed shallow footprints on one of them, as if someone had passed through not long ago.
"This way!" Hu Yulun said decisively.
The two of them entered this path, and the light grew dimmer. Just then, a sharp cry pierced the air, and a group of dark shadows swept overhead.
Hu Yulun raised his sword, ready to fight. But as the shadows drew closer, they realized it was just a swarm of frightened Bats.
After the false alarm, they continued forward. Soon, a glimmer of light appeared ahead.
"It's the exit!" Isabella exclaimed excitedly.
They quickened their pace, running towards the light. When they emerged from the passage, they found themselves in a tranquil Valley.
The Valley was filled with the songs of birds and the scent of flowers, a stark contrast to the Castle's eerie atmosphere.
"We finally made it out," Hu Yulun sighed in relief.
However, before they could enjoy the moment of peace, they heard a commotion in the distance.
"Uh oh, we might be in trouble again," Hu Yulun's expression turned serious once more.
They looked in the direction of the sound and saw a group of people on horseback galloping towards them…
Hu Yulun and Isabella immediately became alert. Isabella gripped her Magic Scepter tightly, while Hu Yulun held his sword in front of him.
As the sound of the horses' hooves grew closer, they could see the riders' attire. They were wearing uniform clothing, like members of some organization.
"Who are you?" the leading Strong Man shouted.
Hu Yulun responded, "We are just travelers passing through, we just escaped from that Castle."
The Strong Man frowned, sizing them up. "Castle? That's not a place that just anyone can escape from alive."
Isabella said, "We went through a lot of hardships to get away."
The Strong Man pondered for a moment, then said, "You don't look like you're lying, but we're ordered to patrol here and can't just let you leave."
Hu Yulun's heart clenched. "What do you want?"
The Strong Man chuckled. "As long as you can prove you mean no harm, we won't make things difficult for you."
Hu Yulun and Isabella exchanged a look, unsure how to prove themselves.
Just then, Isabella had a flash of inspiration. She pulled out the Parchment she'd found in the Castle. "We brought this out of the Castle. Maybe it will be useful to you."
The Strong Man took the Parchment, examined it carefully, and his expression shifted slightly. "This... this seems to be a very important clue. Alright, you can go."
Hu Yulun and Isabella breathed a sigh of relief. After thanking him, they hurried away.
They walked a distance and found a quiet spot to rest.
"Where should we go next?" Isabella asked.
Hu Yulun gazed into the distance. "Let's get out of here first, then figure things out."
They stood up and continued their journey into the unknown. What challenges and opportunities awaited them?
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(End of Chapter)