"What... what kind of monster is this?" Lin Yu and Xu An asked in terror, their voices drowned out by the monster's roar. They kept retreating until they hit the wall and stopped.

Shen Jingqi tightly gripped the dagger in his hand, a hint of determination in his eyes: "No matter what it is, we must stop it! Otherwise, the entire kingdom will be destroyed!" His voice was not loud, but it was full of strength, slightly calming Lin Yu and Xu An.

The monster's massive body slowly turned, its eyes like two huge red lanterns, emitting an evil glow. It looked at the three of them, as if observing three insignificant ants, a cruel smile at the corner of its mouth.

Suddenly, the monster raised a gigantic claw and slammed it down towards them. The claw brought a powerful wind pressure, making their clothes flutter noisily. Shen Jingqi reacted swiftly, grabbing Lin Yu and Xu An and rolling to the side. With a "boom," the claw hit the spot where they had been standing, creating a huge crater, scattering debris.

"That was close!" Lin Yu said, still terrified, his face ashen, cold sweat on his forehead.

Shen Jingqi said nothing, quickly getting up from the ground, his eyes fixed on the monster, searching for its weak point. Seeing that its attack had missed, the monster roared again, charging at them with astonishing speed, like a black lightning bolt, instantly reaching them.

Shen Jingqi sidestepped, dodging the monster's impact, and stabbed the dagger towards the monster's leg. However, the monster's skin was as hard as iron, with the dagger only producing a screeching noise, unable to harm it.

"Its skin is too hard; our weapons can't hurt it!" Xu An shouted anxiously, despair etched across his face.

Shen Jingqi gritted his teeth, contemplating a strategy. Suddenly, he noticed that although the monster's eyes emitted an evil glow, they seemed sensitive to light. An idea struck him, and he shouted to Lin Yu and Xu An: "Find a way to attract its attention, I'll find a light source!"

Lin Yu and Xu An nodded, knowing they must follow Shen Jingqi's arrangements despite their fear. They picked up stones from the ground, hurling them at the monster while shouting loudly, trying to attract its attention.

Angered by their actions, the monster roared furiously, turning to charge at Lin Yu and Xu An. Scared, they turned and ran, fleeing throughout the palace, the monster in hot pursuit.

Seizing the opportunity, Shen Jingqi searched the palace for a light source. He found some torches hanging on the walls and quickly ran over, grabbing one. Holding the torch, he shone it towards the monster's eyes.

Stimulated by the strong light, the monster let out a mournful scream, covering its eyes with its claw, its body shaking continuously. Shen Jingqi felt a thrill in his heart, knowing his guess was correct. He shouted to Lin Yu and Xu An: "Hurry, use the torches to attack it!"

Upon hearing the shout, Lin Yu and Xu An immediately ran over. Taking torches from Shen Jingqi, they charged at the monster, stabbing at its eyes, mouth, and other parts. The monster writhed in agony, emitting piercing screams.

However, the monster did not give up. Suddenly, it opened its mouth, spewing a black smoke. The smoke carried an acrid smell, making them nauseated. Shen Jingqi and the others were enveloped by the smoke, their vision becoming blurred.

"Not good, the smoke is poisonous!" Shen Jingqi shouted.

Lin Yu and Xu An's steps faltered, almost dropping the torches. The monster seized the opportunity, charging at them again, faster and stronger than before.

Shen Jingqi knew they were at a life-and-death juncture. He gritted his teeth, courage swelling within him. He shouted to Lin Yu and Xu An: "Run quickly, I'll hold it off!"

"No, we can't leave you!" Lin Yu and Xu An replied firmly, a hint of determination in their eyes.

Shen Jingqi felt warmth in his heart but knew it wasn't time for sentiment. "Listen to me, only by living can you find a way to save the kingdom!" he shouted, then charged at the monster despite their protests.

Shen Jingqi engaged in a deadly fight with the monster. Using his agility, he darted around the monster, continuously seeking opportunities to attack its weak points. However, the monster's strength was too great, and Shen Jingqi gradually became exhausted.

Taking a deep breath, Shen Jingqi gathered all his strength and charged at the monster. He leaped, landing on the monster, and stabbed his dagger fiercely.

The monster let out an ear-splitting scream, its body shaking violently. Shen Jingqi held onto the monster's body, refusing to let go. The monster struggled frantically, rolling on the ground, trying to shake Shen Jingqi off.

Feeling as though his body was about to be crushed, Shen Jingqi stubbornly held the dagger, unwilling to let go. Finally, with a loud crash, the monster's body slumped down, motionless.

Shen Jingqi felt as if he was being crushed under a thousand-pound weight, every joint bemoaning painfully. Having just slid down from the frightful monster, he collapsed on the ground, like a heap of spent mud. The monster's foul-smelling blood splattered over him, sticky and revolting.

He gasped heavily, each breath like pulling an old bellows, his throat burning. Sweat drenched his clothes, clinging tightly to him as cold surged up his spine. His vision blackened, his head dizzy, as if the entire world was spinning.

Just then, rapid footsteps approached from afar. Shen Jingqi strained to lift his head, two familiar figures emerging from his blurred vision—Lin Yu and Xu An. Their faces were anxious, rushing towards him.

"Shen Jingqi! How are you?" Lin Yu shouted, his voice full of worry. He hurried to Shen Jingqi's side, kneeling with hands trembling as he tried to lift him.

Xu An followed closely, concern evident in his eyes, panting as he said: "Hang in there, we'll get you out of here now."

Shen Jingqi slowly opened his eyes, looking at his two companions, a warm feeling rising within him. He squeezed out a weak smile, his voice nearly inaudible: "I'm... I'm okay..."

Lin Yu and Xu An exchanged glances, then carefully lifted Shen Jingqi. Leaning on Lin Yu, Shen Jingqi felt his legs weak, unable to exert any strength. He gazed at the desolate battlefield, with monster remains and broken weapons strewn around, feeling deeply moved.

"We did it..." Shen Jingqi said with all his strength, a satisfied smile on his face. The smile bore fatigue but also hopes for the future.

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