As they drew closer, they discovered that the glowing object was an ancient chest. The surface of the chest was covered with strange runes that flickered with a mysterious light, as if telling a story of a hidden history. The strange sound was coming from the crevices of the chest, like a demon trapped inside, growling softly.

"This chest..." Shen Jingqi muttered to himself, his eyes full of confusion and curiosity. He crouched down, carefully examining the chest, trying to figure out a way to open it.

Lin Yue also crouched down, looking at the chest with a mixture of fear and curiosity in her heart. She spoke softly, "Jingqi, could this chest be dangerous? The sound inside is terrifying."

Shen Jingqi lifted his head, looked at Lin Yue, and said, "Don't be afraid. Since we have come this far, we can't turn back halfway. This chest might be related to the secrets we're seeking. We need to open it and take a look."

He began to carefully study the runes on the chest, trying to discern a pattern. Those runes seemed like some kind of ancient code, complex and mysterious. Shen Jingqi frowned, his eyes revealing a glow of concentration and contemplation. His fingers lightly touched the runes, as if he were having a silent dialogue with them.

Lin Yue watched nervously from the side, her hands unconsciously gripping the hem of her clothes, her eyes full of worry. She occasionally glanced at Shen Jingqi, then at the chest emitting an eerie light, her heart filled with unease.

Suddenly, Shen Jingqi's eyes lit up, as if he had discovered something. He gently pressed a few spots in sequence according to the runes. With a "click," the chest slowly opened.

A powerful aura surged out from the chest, cold and piercing, like a chill from another world. Lin Yue couldn't help but shiver, instinctively stepping back.

Inside the chest lay a mirror. The frame of the mirror was inlaid with various strange gemstones, emitting a dazzling light. The strange sound stopped abruptly the moment the chest opened.

"What kind of mirror is this?" Lin Yue asked curiously, her eyes filled with doubt and expectation.

Shen Jingqi carefully picked up the mirror, gently blowing away the dust on it. The moment he looked into the mirror, his body shuddered violently, his eyes filled with shock and fear. In the mirror appeared a strange scene. It was a desolate desert, with howling winds and swirling sands. In the center of the desert stood a massive pyramid, the top of which shimmered with a mysterious light.

"What... what is this?" Shen Jingqi stammered, his voice full of disbelief.

Lin Yue leaned in and also stared at the scene in the mirror, shocked. She said, "How can this mirror show such an image? Could it be related to the secret we're searching for?"

While they were puzzled, a shadow suddenly appeared in the mirror. Tall and blurry, like a ghost, it slowly walked towards the pyramid, leaving behind a trail of black footprints with each step.

"Who is that?" Lin Yue asked in terror, her body tightly clinging to Shen Jingqi's, her eyes full of fear.

Shen Jingqi held the mirror tightly, his gaze revealing vigilance. He said, "I don't know, but this certainly isn't simple. This mirror might be the key guiding us to find the secret."

Just as they were preparing to study the mirror closely, suddenly, the trees around them began to shake violently. Leaves fell like a green rainstorm. A powerful force surged from all directions, as if trying to engulf them.

"What's happening?" Lin Yue exclaimed in terror, her body tightly pressed against Shen Jingqi's, her eyes filled with fear.

Shen Jingqi gripped his sword tightly, watching the surroundings with caution. He shouted, "I don't know, but be careful, there might be danger."

At that moment, a group of shadows leaped out from the woods. These shadows were agile, moving swiftly, like a group of well-trained assassins. Their eyes glowed with a red light, revealing endless malice and greed.

"Who... are you?" Shen Jingqi asked loudly, his eyes filled with anger and vigilance.

The shadows did not speak, quickly surrounding Shen Jingqi and Lin Yue. One of them let out a low growl and then charged at them.

Shen Jingqi swiftly drew his sword and faced it head-on. The clash of sword and claw created a piercing sound, sparks flying and illuminating the dark forest.

Lin Yue also swung her whip, drawing beautiful arcs in the air like a nimble snake. However, the shadows were very agile, easily dodging her attacks and pouncing on Shen Jingqi and Lin Yue once more.

Shen Jingqi and Lin Yue gradually felt exhausted. Their stamina was draining, and injuries multiplying. The shadows' attacks grew more intense, seemingly tireless.

"Jingqi, what do we do? We can't hold on for much longer," Lin Yue shouted anxiously, her eyes filled with despair.

Shen Jingqi, while defending against the shadows' attacks, pondered a strategy. Suddenly, he thought of the mirror. Perhaps this mirror could help them escape.

"Yue'Er, hold the mirror, let's see if it can help us against them," Shen Jingqi shouted.

Lin Yue swiftly took the mirror, gripping it tightly. She looked at the image in the mirror, filled with doubt, unsure of the mirror's use.

At that moment, a shadow took the opportunity to lunge at Lin Yue. She screamed in terror, instinctively raising the mirror. Just as the shadow was about to reach her, a strong beam of light shot out from the mirror, hitting the shadow directly. The shadow let out a scream, instantly turning into a puff of black smoke, disappearing into the air.

"This mirror..." Lin Yue said in surprise, her eyes filled with joy.

Shen Jingqi also saw this scene and said excitedly, "Yue'Er, the mirror is powerful. Let's use it against these shadows."

They began to use the mirror to fight the shadows. Whenever a shadow approached, Lin Yue would raise the mirror, from which a beam of light would shoot out, repelling it. Nevertheless, the shadows seemed undeterred, continuing to swarm them endlessly.

"It seems the mirror's light is limited," Lin Yue said anxiously, her eyes filled with concern.

While they were struggling to hold on, suddenly, the image in the mirror changed.

The barren desert vanished, replaced by a mysterious forest.

The forest was shrouded in a thin mist, and some ancient structures could be vaguely seen.