They first arrived at the first dangerous place—the Dark Forest.

This forest seemed to be shrouded in a mysterious and eerie veil, filled with a thick fog that roamed like a ghost among the trees, making everything blurry and strange. The trees were tall and twisted, their thick trunks covered with age-old cracks, their branches stretching wildly like monsters with fangs and claws, ready to devour any intruders. The ground beneath their feet was soft and damp, every step making a "puff puff" sound, as if the forest was issuing a low, ominous warning.

"This place feels eerie, who knows how many dangers are hidden here," Xu An muttered softly, his voice carrying a slight tremble. His eyes scanned the surroundings vigilantly, his fists clenched unconsciously, and beads of sweat appeared on his forehead.

Shen Jingqi gripped the long sword in his hand, the blade glinting with a cold light in the dim light. He said in a low voice, "Everyone be careful, stay close to me." His gaze was steady and firm, though his heart held some unease. After all, the infamous Dark Forest was known to hide unknown dangers.

They moved forward cautiously, each step taken with extreme care, as if fearing to disturb some dreadful presence in the forest. Suddenly, a low growl came from ahead, sounding as if from the depths of hell, full of ferocity and menace. They all stopped in their tracks, as if hit with an immobilization spell.

"What is that?" Lin Yu asked nervously, his voice filled with obvious fear, his body involuntarily shrinking back. His eyes were full of terror, his mind continuously conjuring images of terrifying monsters.

Shen Jingqi signaled everyone to stay silent, he slowly moved forward, each step almost soundless. His heart pounded in his chest, as if about to burst through. When he parted a thicket, a huge black bear appeared before him. This black bear was massive, like a small mountain, its eyes exuding ferocious light, like burning flames, roaring a threatening growl at them, causing the surrounding leaves to tremble.

"Not good, it's a black bear!" Shen Jingqi shouted, his voice tinged with panic, but he quickly regained composure. He swiftly drew his long sword, the blade glinting coldly in the sunlight. His eyes showed determination, his mind filled with only one thought: protect everyone.

The black bear roared and charged at them, its massive body like an out-of-control tank, bearing down with overwhelming force. Shen Jingqi leapt forward, thrusting his sword at the black bear. His movements were swift and agile, as if honed through countless practices. The bear deftly dodged, then extended a giant paw toward Shen Jingqi. The bear's paw whistled through the air, seemingly capable of crushing everything. Shen Jingqi sidestepped, swinging his sword at the bear's leg, his gaze tightly focused on the bear's movements, not daring a moment of neglect. The bear roared in pain, attacking more frenetically, its every move filled with rage and power, overwhelming Shen Jingqi.

"Everyone, help!" Shen Jingqi shouted, a hint of urgency in his voice. His stamina was waning, knowing he couldn't defeat the fierce bear alone.

Xu An and Lin Yu rushed over immediately. Xu An wielded a dagger, attacking the bear from the side. His eyes showed bravery; despite being filled with fear, he knew he couldn't retreat. Seizing the moment, he stabbed at the bear's body, but its hide was as tough as iron, the dagger leaving only a shallow wound. The bear, enraged, turned to pounce at Xu An. Xu An quickly retreated, narrowly missing being knocked down. Lin Yu cast magic, beams of light shooting at the bear. The lights streaked through the darkness like meteors, carrying a mysterious power. The bear, hit by the light, let out a pained howl, but it didn't retreat, attacking even more fiercely.

Under their combined attack, the bear gradually couldn't withstand it. Its movements slowed, its body covered in wounds. Finally, Shen Jingqi seized the opportunity, stabbing the bear in a vital spot. The bear let out a miserable howl, its huge body collapsing to the ground with a cloud of dust.

The group breathed a sigh of relief, though the tension in their hearts hadn't completely dissipated. They knew this was only the first danger in the Dark Forest, with unknown terrifying challenges ahead. They continued forward, each step taken with caution, their eyes vigilantly observing everything around.

However, the danger didn't end there. As they reached the forest's depths, they suddenly felt the ground shaking. The tremor grew stronger, as if a giant beast was rolling underground.

"What's happening?" Lin Yu shouted in terror, his voice filled with despair, his legs trembling uncontrollably, nearly losing balance.

Suddenly, a swarm of giant centipedes emerged from underground. These centipedes were huge, each several meters long, exuding a pungent odor, as if crawling out of a decaying swamp. They charged at the group, their countless legs scuttling swiftly on the ground, making a "hissing" sound, sending chills down everyone's spine.

"Run!" Shen Jingqi shouted urgently, turning to flee with the group, his heart filled with fear. He knew they couldn't possibly contend with such a numerous and fierce foe.

But the centipedes were fast, closing in quickly. Shen Jingqi swung his sword while running, severing the bodies of a few centipedes. The centipedes' juices splattered everywhere, emitting a nauseating stench. Yet, there were too many centipedes, gradually encircling them. The centipedes surrounded them tightly, emitting "hissing" sounds, as if mocking their helplessness.

"This won't work, we need a way to break out," Xu An said anxiously, his eyes filled with despair and helplessness. His mind raced for an escape plan, but he was at a loss.

Shen Jingqi looked at the surrounding centipedes, quickly thinking of a strategy. Sweat beaded on his forehead, his eyes showing anxiety. Suddenly, he thought of something, and said to Lin Yu, "Lin Yu, use magic to create a wall of fire, block the centipedes outside."

Lin Yu nodded, despite his magic power being quite depleted, knowing it was the only way. He focused, casting magic.

A fiercely burning wall of fire appeared before them, the flames intense and fierce, as if capable of turning everything to ashes.

The centipedes were stopped by the wall of fire, not daring to approach easily. They lingered outside the fire, emitting angry cries.

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