Shen Jingqi's heart skipped a beat as he realized he might have encountered the mysterious creatures of the ruins. He gripped the weapon in his hand tightly, preparing to face any possible attack.

Cold sweat instantly broke out on his forehead, sliding down his cheeks and soaking his collar.

"I didn't expect to encounter trouble so soon," he murmured quietly, his eyes revealing vigilance and tension. He quickly glanced around, trying to find traces of those mysterious creatures. However, there was only darkness and dead silence around him, as if the entire world had only him left.

Just then, a low growl emanated from the darkness, like the demonic sound from the depths of Hell. Shen Jingqi felt a tingling sensation on his scalp, and all the hairs on his body stood on end. He gripped the dagger tightly, crouching slightly, ready for battle.

The creatures seemed to sense his presence, letting out a more furious roar, the sound echoing through the narrow passage, making his eardrums ache. Then, shadows lunged from the darkness like a pack of hungry beasts.

Shen Jingqi reacted swiftly, swinging his dagger at the shadows. The dagger sliced through the air, producing a sharp whistling sound. A cold gleam flashed, one creature was struck by him, letting out a wail and crashing to the ground. However, more creatures surged forward, baring their fangs and claws, sharp talons glinting coldly in the dark.

The battle was extremely fierce, the creatures were powerful, their attacks swift. Their bodies were as hard as iron, and the dagger could only leave shallow wounds on them. Shen Jingqi barely repelled their attacks using the power of the Eighth Consciousness. His body swayed left and right under their assault, his steps becoming somewhat unsteady.

"Damn it, why are these creatures so hard to deal with!" he gritted through his teeth, his heart filled with anger and helplessness. He kept swinging the dagger, trying to drive the creatures back. However, as if tireless, they came at him wave after wave.

A creature caught him off guard, lunging from the side, its sharp claws raking toward his shoulder. Shen Jingqi felt a severe pain in his shoulder, blood instantly soaking his sleeve. He grunted, stumbling forward a few steps.

"I can't fall, I must hold on!" he encouraged himself silently. He fought through the pain, turning to stab the creature. The creature dodged his attack nimbly and then pounced again quickly.

As time passed, Shen Jingqi's strength gradually waned, and he began to fall behind. His movements became slower, his breathing more labored. Each swing of the dagger seemed to exhaust all his strength.

Looking at the ferocious creatures around him, Shen Jingqi felt like a lamb waiting to be slaughtered.

Just as he was about to give in, he suddenly thought of a solution. A glimmer of hope flashed in his eyes, like finding a ray of light in the darkness.

"Right, I can use the power of the Eighth Consciousness to create illusions!" he thought to himself. He focused, concentrating all his attention on the Eighth Consciousness. A faint glow began to emanate around his body, the power of the Eighth Consciousness surging.

He closed his eyes, imagining a terrifying scene in his mind. He envisioned those creatures being surrounded by a horde of even more powerful Monsters, which bared their fangs and claws and launched a fierce attack on them.

When he opened his eyes again, those creatures were indeed deceived by the illusion. Fear and panic filled their eyes as they began attacking each other. For a moment, the passage was in chaos, with roars and wails intertwined, like a carnival from Hell.

Seizing the opportunity, Shen Jingqi hid to the side, gulping huge breaths. Watching the creatures slaughtering each other, he felt a sense of relief. "Fortunately, I thought of this method, or today would have been the end."

However, he did not lower his guard. He knew the illusion could only confuse the creatures temporarily, and once they woke up, they would continue their attack. He had to find a way to leave here as quickly as possible.

He began to observe his surroundings carefully, trying to find some clues. Suddenly, he noticed some strange symbols engraved on the walls of the passage. Those symbols flickered with a faint light, as if conveying some kind of message to him.

He stepped closer, examining the symbols carefully. He found these symbols somewhat similar to those he had seen earlier in the ruins, seemingly a form of ancient script.

"Could these symbols be clues to leave here?" he pondered silently. He began trying to decipher the meaning of the symbols. Utilizing the power of the Eighth Consciousness, he attempted to resonate with the information within the symbols.

After some effort, he finally decoded some information. It turned out these symbols were a guide pointing to a mysterious place where a passage to leave the ruins was hidden.

Shen Jingqi felt a burst of joy within him and decided to follow the symbols' guidance to reach that mysterious place. Carefully avoiding the creatures still engaged in mutual slaughter, he proceeded along the passage.

He walked along the passage for a long time, finally reaching a mysterious place. It was a massive cave, filled with a mysterious aura. The walls of the cave shimmered with strange light as if countless stars were twinkling.

In the center of the cave was a gigantic pool, with crystal-clear water emitting a faint blue glow. Around the pool were some peculiar stones, covered with symbols and patterns.

Shen Jingqi cautiously stepped into the cave. He felt a powerful force emanating from the pool, seemingly calling out to him. He walked to the edge of the pool, gazing into the water.

Suddenly, he heard a low voice, as if coming from the pool. "Young man, you have finally arrived."

Shen Jingqi was startled, looking around, trying to find the source of the voice. However, there was only him and the massive pool around.

"Who's speaking?" he asked loudly.

"I am the Guardian of this ruin," the voice sounded again. "Your arrival here indicates you have enough courage and wisdom. I can help you leave this ruin, but you must promise me one condition."

Shen Jingqi was filled with doubt, not knowing what condition the mysterious Guardian would propose. But he knew this was his only chance to leave the ruin.

"What condition?" he asked.

"You must help me find a mystical artifact," the Guardian said. "This artifact is hidden in the deepest part of this ruin, possessing formidable power. Only by finding it can the secret of this ruin be unlocked."

Shen Jingqi frowned, understanding that this task would not be easy. But he had no other choice and had to accept the Guardian's condition.

"Alright, I promise you," he said.

The Guardian let out a low chuckle and said, "Very well, young man. I believe you have the capability. I will give you some hints to help you find that artifact."

After speaking, the water in the pool began to churn, forming a massive vortex. Within the vortex, a map appeared, marking the location of the artifact.

Shen Jingqi carefully memorized the details on the map, and then the Guardian's voice sounded once more. "Remember, this ruin is filled with dangers and traps. You must proceed cautiously and don't easily trust anyone."

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