Unbeknownst to all, the Purple Moon hidden behind the heavy clouds emerged again, its hazy yet gentle purple light cascading down from the sky, adding a touch of mystique to the valley. The mournful wind's howl suddenly transformed, roaring like an angry man, reverberating through the empty valley. The world seemed to change dramatically as Mr. Rui took out that eerily metallic-looking flat surface.

Holding the flat surface in his hands, Mr. Rui maintained a solemn expression, not daring to breathe heavily. Everyone behind him fixed their burning gazes on the flat surface in Mr. Rui's hands. Being the closest to Mr. Rui, Sorres, Sodar, and Jue stepped forward simultaneously, subtly positioning themselves to protect Mr. Rui. If any danger arose, they could shield him immediately.

However, all eyes locked onto the flat surface in Mr. Rui's possession failed to notice the actions of the trio. He carefully carried the flat surface towards the stone sculpture, each step as heavy as if he were carrying dozens of stones upon him. A glimmer of hope flashed in his eyes—years of toil might finally bear fruit; how could he not be exhilarated?

This flat surface served as the key to unlocking all secrets. To find this key, he scoured every accessible book and fragment, and it was his relentless efforts that led to today's success.

With utmost caution, he slowly raised the key in his hand, directing it toward the groove atop the sculpture. His movements were so deliberate that it felt as though the time and space around him were about to freeze. As Mr. Rui continued, those surrounding him unconsciously held their breath, fearing any noise might disrupt the process.

A sanctified and solemn expression adorned Mr. Rui's face as his hand slowly descended. Even at this tense moment, he unintentionally held his breath, intently watching the distance between the key and the groove, lowering it bit by bit, as though worrying that any careless action might turn years of painstaking efforts to ashes. Time flowed slowly, and so slowly that everybody felt their hearts congested.

Finally, with a faint scraping sound, the key embedded itself into the groove, fitting perfectly, even with its intricate patterns subtly aligning with those around the groove. A barely perceptible white light flickered across the key, then melted into the mirror-like surface. At that moment of immersion, numerous tiny white dots appeared on the mirror-like surface, resembling stars scattered across the night sky. But this scene flashed briefly, even Mr. Rui, who kept his eyes on the surface, failed to notice it.

Though the marvelous scene went unnoticed, Mr. Rui's excitement remained unscathed. Holding his breath, he finally took a deep breath and exhaled heavily, as though completing an extremely challenging task, and his face broke into a rare flush of elation.

He stared at the stone sculpture, stretching his right hand to the side, saying, "Dagger." The concise words revealed his resolve.

Without hesitation, Sorres handed the prepared dagger to Mr. Rui. He too appeared thrilled, finally able to witness the fruit of their years-long efforts, eagerly anticipating what they might obtain.

The white dagger gleamed malevolently under the bright light, possessing an aura that seemed to swallow everything. Mr. Rui gripped the dagger, slowly directing it towards his left palm. With a drop of blood into the key, the final step would be complete, and he would acquire the legendary artifact.

The legendary artifact carried immense allure—rumor had it that acquiring it meant reigning supreme. Mr. Rui's ambitions weren't grand; all he desired was dominion over the Quicksand Star Domain, nothing more.

Just as the dagger almost pierced his left palm, a sharp sound suddenly cut through the roaring winds. A pale blue light shot directly toward Mr. Rui's face. Should this strike land accurately, even Mr. Rui as a superpower user could be gravely injured. But those by his side weren't ordinary—they included superpower users renowned for their swift speed from the Wind Element.

Among them, Jue remained the most alert, the only one not seduced by the enchanting world Mr. Rui depicted. He watched Mr. Rui's actions coldly, making him the first to notice the assailant. As the cyan light drew a phantom arc in the air, Jue let out a cold snort, and a Wind Ball soared from his back, directly intercepting the cyan light.

A soft "pop" followed. Though not loud amidst the howling winds, the sound snapped everyone out of their reverie over the artifact. Mr. Rui angrily raised his head, wishing to discover who interrupted his dreams at the pivotal juncture. Before he spotted anyone, a sinister voice rang out.

"Mr. Rui, hogging such a good thing doesn't seem right, does it?" The voice sounded piercingly peculiar amidst the roaring winds.

Upon hearing the voice, Mr. Rui's expression shifted dramatically. He hastily looked in the direction of the voice and saw nearly a hundred people standing in the nearby darkness. At the fore was a tall, thin middle-aged man, a sinister look on his face, his triangular eyes intermittently flashing with malice. Behind him stood many bloodthirsty individuals, ready to spring into action.

Witnessing such a formation, Mr. Rui's men rapidly formed a battle array, poised for assault. They hadn't anticipated that people were lurking so close. They had thoroughly searched the area upon arrival and stationed sentries around the perimeter.

Yet, these people managed to infiltrate silently, implying the sentries outside were likely all eliminated.

"Who are you?" Mr. Rui regarded the sudden appearance of this group, struggling to recall the leader's face—it might be a stranger.

"Tsk tsk, Mr. Rui, how forgetful of you. Imagine forgetting me so soon." The middle-aged man persisted in his odd tone, suggesting familiarity with Mr. Rui. Speaking, he stepped forward from the shadows.

The bright light illuminated his face, showcasing the gruesome, intersecting scars upon it. It's hard to imagine what someone would look like if their face were covered in such dense scars. The scars made the middle-aged man's face bizarrely twisted, akin to a dough misshaped by a poor molding.

"Spotting my face, did it jog your memory?" Madness flashed in the middle-aged man's eyes—a madness elicited when old wounds are reopened. As he stepped forward, his followers moved forward too.

"Can't believe you're still alive." When Mr. Rui recognized the scarred face, surprise flashed in his eyes, but it quickly subsided, "Doro, what do you want?"

"Can't you guess what I want?" Doro's face began distorting; the dense scars squirmed like variously sized centipedes, looking exceedingly eerie and terrifying, his eyes flickering with crazed intent.

Mr. Rui sighed softly, "This isn't something you can touch. For now, I'll let you go tonight, leave." Mr. Rui hoped to avoid conflict with Doro at such a critical moment, which would be most unwise.

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