Shen Jingqi, Xu An, and Lin Yu gripped the golden key tightly, their determined gazes following the faint glow it emitted, as they slowly ventured into the depths of the unknown.

The passageway was filled with a musty, decaying scent; ghostly green flames flickered on the walls, swaying as if they might extinguish at any moment, or perhaps concealing countless pairs of watchful eyes. Lin Yu shivered involuntarily and whispered, "This place is so eerie, it feels like there's always a pair of eyes watching us from behind." Xu An frowned and replied, "Don't scare yourself; just stay alert." Shen Jingqi said nothing, only tightened his grip on the sword in his hand, scanning his surroundings with sharper eyes.

Suddenly, a low growl echoed from ahead, a sound seemingly from the depths of hell, making the walls of the passage tremble slightly. The three halted instantly, exchanging a tense glance. "What's that sound?" Lin Yu's voice quivered slightly. Shen Jingqi lowered his voice and said, "Whatever it is, everyone be careful and get ready to fight."

As the growl grew louder, a massive shadow slowly emerged from around the corner of the passageway. It was a monstrous creature resembling a hellish wolf, with blood-red eyes and green venom dripping from its mouth. Its fur was matted and coarse, emitting a nauseating stench.

"That's the legendary Hell Wolf!" Xu An exclaimed. Seeing the three, the Hell Wolf let out an even fiercer roar and lunged towards them. Shen Jingqi shouted, "Attack!" The three quickly dispersed, forming a triangular formation to surround the Hell Wolf.

Shen Jingqi darted to the left side of the Hell Wolf like a flash of lightning, raising his sword high and slashing at the wolf's leg. The wolf reacted swiftly, swinging its tail forcefully to deflect Shen Jingqi's attack. Meanwhile, Xu An rapidly formed seals with his hands, chanting, and an icy blue arrow shot from his hands towards the wolf's eyes. The wolf tilted its head, dodging the ice arrow, but it grazed the wolf's ear, leaving a blood trail.

Taking advantage of the wolf's distraction, Lin Yu stealthily circled to its back, a dagger in his hand glinting coldly as he aimed for the wolf's hind leg. Just as the dagger was about to strike, the wolf sensed danger and turned, snapping at Lin Yu. Shocked, Lin Yu leapt back but not before the wolf's teeth nicked his arm, blood dripping instantly.

"Lin Yu!" Shen Jingqi and Xu An called out worriedly. Lin Yu gritted his teeth, enduring the pain, and said, "I'm fine, keep attacking!" They launched another assault, but the Hell Wolf was too formidable, and their attacks caused it minimal harm.

As the three began to tire and found themselves in a bind, the golden key in Shen Jingqi's hand suddenly emitted a brilliant light. The radiance shot towards the Hell Wolf like a sharp sword. Blinded by the light, the wolf let out a pained roar and stumbled backward.

"Here's our chance!" Shen Jingqi shouted, focusing his energy and sensing a formidable power emanating from the golden key. Harnessing this power, he leaped high, his sword shimmering with golden light as he struck at the Hell Wolf's head. The sword pierced accurately into the wolf's head, and it let out one last roar before collapsing and dissipating into a black mist.

Breathing a sigh of relief, the three collapsed to the ground. "That was too close; without the key, we would've been in real danger." Lin Yu said with lingering fear. Xu An nodded, saying, "It seems this key truly has magical power; we must make good use of it." Shen Jingqi stood, looking at the key in his hand. "But we can't rely on it completely; there's still a long way ahead, with more dangers awaiting us."

After a brief rest, the trio continued forward, following the glow of the golden key. The passage grew narrower and darker, forcing them to tread cautiously. Suddenly, a gigantic stone door appeared before them, engraved with strange symbols and patterns, exuding a mysterious aura.

"What could be behind this stone door?" Lin Yu wondered aloud. Shen Jingqi approached, carefully examining the symbols and patterns on the door, trying to figure out how to open it. "I feel like I've seen these symbols somewhere before, but I can't quite recall where." Shen Jingqi said, frowning.

At that moment, the golden key suddenly flew from Shen Jingqi's hand, hovering above the stone door. The light from the key resonated with the symbols on the door, which began to flicker with multicolored light. As the light shimmered, the stone door slowly opened.

A brilliant light burst from behind the door, forcing the three to shield their eyes. As the light subsided, they cautiously opened their eyes and were awestruck by the sight before them. Behind the stone door was a vast circular hall, with a giant pool at its center, filled with crystal-clear water but emitting a chill. Around the pool were twelve massive statues, each distinctly carved, some resembling fierce beasts, others elegant fairies, all so lifelike they seemed almost alive.

"What is this place?" Lin Yu exclaimed in awe. Xu An shook his head and said, "I don't know, but it feels like there's a huge secret hidden here." Shen Jingqi gazed at the pool and statues, his curiosity piqued. He decided to approach the pool for a closer look.

As he reached the pool's edge, suddenly, the water began to churn violently, and a giant Water Monster emerged from the pool. Its body resembled a giant snake, but with a lion-like head, its eyes glowing blue, and a powerful stream of water gushing from its mouth, rushing towards Shen Jingqi.

Shen Jingqi quickly retreated, avoiding the water's attack. "Another monster!" Lin Yu shouted. The three assumed battle stances again, ready to face the Water Monster's challenge.

The Water Monster climbed out of the pool, its body writhing and making hissing sounds. It lunged at Shen Jingqi, who sidestepped to dodge the attack. Xu An seized the opportunity to strike, waving his hands to conjure a massive wall of water that surged towards the Water Monster. The monster was pressed down by the water wall, but it quickly struggled back to its feet.

Lin Yu circled behind the Water Monster, aiming his dagger at its tail. Sensing the threat, the monster whipped its tail, sending Lin Yu flying. He landed heavily on the ground, a trickle of blood at the corner of his mouth.

"Lin Yu!" Shen Jingqi and Xu An cried out in concern. Struggling to his feet, Lin Yu said, "I'm fine; this Water Monster is too strong. We need to think of a plan." Shen Jingqi looked at the Water Monster and then at the golden key in his hand, an idea forming in his mind: "Maybe this key can subdue the Water Monster."

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