The leader of the black-clad men took a step forward, his eyes filled with scorn and greed, muttering something under his breath.

Shen Jingqi translated for Lin Yue, "He said if we hand over the item, we can live."

Lin Yue was taken aback; she hadn't expected this group to be after the Divine Artifact. She instinctively tightened her grip on Shen Jingqi's arm and whispered, "Shen Jingqi, what do we do? They seem to know we have the Divine Artifact."

Shen Jingqi patted her hand, signaling her not to panic. He looked at the group of black-clad men and said, "The Divine Artifact is something we obtained through countless hardships. Why should we hand it over to you?" His eyes revealed a hint of determination, as if telling them he would never easily give up the Divine Artifact.

The black-clad man sneered and said, "Just the two of you think you can keep the Divine Artifact? Utterly foolish." With a wave of his hand, the men behind him drew their weapons and began to surround them.

Shen Jingqi and Lin Yue immediately stood back-to-back, watching the surrounding black-clad men with caution. Their hearts pounded rapidly as if about to burst from their chests. But they knew that at this moment, they absolutely couldn't back down, or there would be no way out but death.

"Lin Yue, be careful, we must protect the Divine Artifact at all costs," Shen Jingqi said softly, his eyes filled with resolve.

Lin Yue nodded and replied, "Yeah, I won't let them succeed."

The battle was ready to ignite at any moment. A black-clad man charged at Shen Jingqi first, wielding a long knife whose blade glinted coldly. Shen Jingqi sidestepped to avoid the attack, then countered with a backward slash, thrusting his sword toward the man's chest. The man quickly stepped back, dodging the blow.

Meanwhile, another black-clad man leaped at Lin Yue. Lin Yue nimbly dodged and then sliced at the man's arm with her dagger. The man screamed in pain but did not retreat; instead, he attacked Lin Yue even more ferociously.

The battle grew increasingly intense, and Shen Jingqi and Lin Yue gradually began to feel the strain. The number of black-clad men kept increasing, seeming endless as they swarmed from all directions. Shen Jingqi was gradually getting wounded, his blood staining his clothes red, but he gritted his teeth and resisted tenaciously.

Lin Yue was equally undaunted. Her dagger was like a nimble viper, weaving through the black-clad men and seeking opportunities to strike. However, her stamina was also waning, and her movements began to slow.

Lin Yue said to Shen Jingqi, "They've encircled us completely. How do we break through?"

Just as the encircling tightened, the Divine Artifact suddenly emitted a strong light. The light was so tangible it formed blades, shooting toward the surrounding black-clad men. Startled by the sudden radiance, the men retreated one after another.

"What is this thing?" the leader of the black-clad men shouted in terror, his eyes filled with fear.

Shen Jingqi and Lin Yue were also stunned; they hadn't expected the Divine Artifact to emit light at this moment. But they quickly responded, taking advantage of the black-clad men's retreat to charge in one direction.

They ran desperately, with the black-clad men in close pursuit. Yet, the light from the Divine Artifact seemed to have an intimidating effect, slowing their pursuers down.

"Why did the Divine Artifact suddenly emit light?" Lin Yue asked as she ran, her eyes filled with confusion.

Shen Jingqi shook his head and said, "I don't know, but it seems that the Divine Artifact has many secrets we are yet unaware of. Maybe it is protecting us."

They didn't know how long they had been running before they finally shook off their pursuers. They hid in a secluded cave, leaning against the walls and panting heavily.

"We've finally lost them," Lin Yue said wearily. Her body felt utterly drained, as if all her strength had been sapped.

Shen Jingqi stared at the Divine Artifact in his hand, lost in thought. This artifact had repeatedly displayed its mysterious powers, first driving away the shadows in the cave, now aiding their escape from the black-clad men. How many secrets did it hold? What fate would these secrets bring them?

"This Divine Artifact is definitely not simple; we must uncover its secrets," Shen Jingqi said, his eyes showing a glimmer of determination.

Lin Yue nodded and said, "But where do we start? We know nothing about the Divine Artifact."

Just then, they heard a strange sound in the cave, like someone sobbing quietly, or the wind howling. The sound grew nearer, as if right beside them.

"What is that noise? Is there someone else in the cave?" Lin Yue asked nervously, her body tensing again, filled with fear.

Shen Jingqi tightened his grip on his sword, watching his surroundings vigilantly. He said, "I don't know; let's be careful."

Following the direction of the sound, they found it came from the depths of the cave. The cave was filled with a damp smell, and the walls glowed with eerie light. Every step they took echoed, as if countless eyes were watching them.

Suddenly, a dark shadow flickered in front of them. Shen Jingqi and Lin Yue immediately stopped, watching their surroundings cautiously. The shadow moved so swiftly that before they could see it clearly, it had vanished into the darkness.

They continued forward and discovered a vast stone chamber in the cave. The chamber contained some ancient artifacts, exuding a mysterious aura. In the center was a nine-foot-high stone platform covered in strange symbols and patterns.

"Could these symbols and patterns be related to the Divine Artifact?" Lin Yue asked curiously as she walked slowly toward the stone platform.

Shen Jingqi hurriedly pulled her back, saying, "Be careful, there might be danger."

They cautiously examined the symbols and patterns on the platform, finding some that closely resembled those on the Divine Artifact.

"Is this the place to uncover the Divine Artifact's secrets?" Shen Jingqi hypothesized, his eyes fixed on the stone platform as if searching for answers.

At that moment, the Divine Artifact emitted a faint glow, illuminating certain symbols on the platform. The symbols began to flicker as if responding to the artifact's light.

Suddenly, the stone platform started to rotate, emitting a deep rumbling sound. The stone chamber's floor began to shake, as if an earthquake were imminent.

"Not good, there's danger!" Shen Jingqi shouted, hurriedly pulling Lin Yue back.

A black hole appeared at the center of the stone platform, radiating a powerful suction force, seemingly wanting to swallow everything into it.