At that moment, he suddenly heard a faint sound of footsteps. Those footsteps were exceptionally distinct in the silent ruins, causing his heartbeat to instantly accelerate. He raised his head alertly, glancing around, trying to find the source of the footsteps.

But everything around was silent; apart from his own breathing, there was no other sound. A wave of fear surged in Shen Jingqi's heart; he didn't know where these footsteps originated from, nor whether they were made by a person or something else.

He slowly rose from the ground, gripping his weapon tightly. His palms were covered in sweat, but he had no intention of backing down. He couldn't just sit and wait; he must take the initiative to strike.

He cautiously moved towards the direction the footsteps came from, each step taken with extraordinary care. His eyes were fixed ahead, not daring to relax in the slightest.

As he got closer, the sound of the footsteps became clearer. He could sense that whatever was making those footsteps was approaching him. His heart beat faster and his breath became rapid.

Suddenly, a shadow flashed across in front of him. The shadow moved so fast that he only managed to catch a glimpse of a blurred outline. Shen Jingqi was shocked in his heart, quickly turned, and chased after the shadow.

As he chased, he shouted loudly, "Who are you? Why are you following me?" But the shadow did not answer him, continuing to run forward.

Shen Jingqi followed closely behind the shadow, his heart full of confusion and fear. He didn't know who this shadow was, nor why it was following him. But he knew he had to catch up with it to uncover the truth.

They weaved through the ancient ruins, as if in a fierce chase. Shen Jingqi's speed increased, and his stamina drained continuously. But he did not give up, his mind only had one thought: to catch up with that shadow no matter what.

Finally, at a corner, Shen Jingqi caught up with the shadow. He reached out and grabbed the shadow's shoulder, pulling it forcefully into view.

When the shadow turned around, Shen Jingqi was stunned. He saw a face that was both familiar and unfamiliar — it was the face of a mysterious person he had previously encountered in the ruins.

"How can it be you? Why are you following me?" Shen Jingqi asked angrily.

The mysterious person smiled slightly, the smile exuding a kind of mysterious aura, making it hard to fathom. "I am here for my purposes, naturally. As for why I'm following you, you will understand when you awaken your Eighth Consciousness," the mysterious person said slowly, voice low and hoarse.

"Eighth Consciousness? What is that?" Shen Jingqi looked puzzled, his heart full of confusion.

The mysterious person did not answer his question, merely had a peculiar glint in his eyes. "You don't need to know too much now. When you truly awaken your Eighth Consciousness, everything will become clear." The mysterious person finished speaking, turning to leave.

Shen Jingqi hurriedly grabbed him, "You can't leave, you must make it clear." His eyes were filled with determination; he didn't want to be led by the nose by this mysterious person.

The mysterious person glanced at him with a sigh, "Since you are so persistent, I'll give you a hint. The Eighth Consciousness is the most essential power hidden deep within your heart. It can only be awakened when faced with a life-and-death decision or when the deepest fear of your heart is triggered. And this Dark Power is one of the keys to awakening the Eighth Consciousness."

Shen Jingqi's heart stirred, as if he understood something, yet also understood nothing. He looked at the mysterious person, "Then why do you know so much? Who are you really?"

The mysterious person was silent for a moment, then slowly said, "I am the guardian of these ruins, and also the one who guards the secret of the Eighth Consciousness. My mission is to guide people like you to awaken the Eighth Consciousness and to save this world."

"Save the world? How does that relate to the Eighth Consciousness?" Shen Jingqi grew even more puzzled.

The mysterious person looked into the distance, eyes revealing a kind of worry. "This world is facing an unprecedented crisis; a powerful evil force is awakening. Only those who awaken the Eighth Consciousness can possess enough power to confront this evil force and save the world."

Shen Jingqi felt a surge of mission in his heart; he knew he could not retreat. "Then how do I awaken the Eighth Consciousness?" he asked eagerly.

The mysterious person shook his head, "I cannot tell you directly; you need to explore that for yourself. I can only give you some clues; you must find the answer yourself."

After speaking, the mysterious person took out an ancient Jade Pendant from his bosom and handed it to Shen Jingqi. "This Jade Pendant will guide you to find the method to awaken the Eighth Consciousness, but be cautious; the process is fraught with danger."

Shen Jingqi received the Jade Pendant, sensing it exuded a warmth and mysterious power. He looked at the mysterious person, "Why are you helping me?"

The mysterious person smiled, "Because you are the chosen one, you have this potential. Besides, I also don't want to see this world destroyed by the evil forces."

After speaking, the mysterious person disappeared into the darkness. Shen Jingqi stood in place, tightly holding the Jade Pendant in his hand.

He began to meticulously study the Jade Pendant in his hand, which was engraved with strange symbols and patterns. He tried to decipher the meaning of these symbols and patterns but was at a loss. He knew this might be the key to awakening the Eighth Consciousness, and he had to find a way to figure it out.

Following the vague guidance of the Jade Pendant, he continued to explore the ruins.

Shen Jingqi clutched the Jade Pendant tightly, following the faint guidance deeper into the ruins. All around was dark and eerie, filled with a putrid smell, the torches on the walls flickered uncertainly, casting his shadow long and seemed like something was watching him from the shadows.

He hadn't gone far when he noticed something unusual underfoot. Just as he was about to stop, the stone slab beneath him suddenly caved in, and he instantly plummeted downwards. At that critical moment, he reacted quickly, grabbing the edge of the stone slab with both hands, his body dangling midair. Looking down, he saw an abyss filled with sharp wooden spikes, gleaming coldly.

"That was close!" Shen Jingqi shouted inwardly, sweating on his forehead. Taking a deep breath, he pulled himself up with force, flipping back on top due to his arm strength. Just as he steadied himself, a low roar echoed from ahead.

A giant Monster emerged slowly from the darkness, its figure like a bear but with three heads, each head terrifyingly grotesque, emanating an evil aura. The Monster's eyes glowed blood-red, and viscous saliva dripped continuously from its mouths, making a "drip, drop" sound.

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