"Here... someone has been here before," Lin Yu's voice trembled slightly, mixed with an unmistakable fear and curiosity. His fingers unconsciously curled slightly, his gaze fixed intensely on the skeletal remains on the ground, as if they would come to life the next moment, recounting the horror they once encountered.

Shen Jingqi crouched down, his movements steady and swift, as if racing against time, eager to find more clues from the skeleton. His brows furrowed, eyes sharp, carefully observing every mark on the remains. "Judging by these markings, it seems he was killed by some kind of powerful force." His voice was low and serious, each word like a heavy hammer striking the hearts of the three. He secretly pondered: What on earth was this powerful force? A monster? Or some unknown natural phenomenon?

Xu An's expression turned extremely grave, his lips pressed into a tight line, eyes revealing deep concern. "This suggests there's something even more dangerous awaiting us ahead," he said, his voice barely audible yet resonant like thunder in the silent air. Terrifying scenes kept flashing in his mind, those unknown dangers haunting him like specters.

The three fell silent for a moment, the surrounding air seemed to freeze, only their heavy breathing and heartbeat audible. They were acutely aware that the journey was fraught with peril, each step potentially a matter of life and death. Yet, they knew they couldn't retreat; to protect their kingdom and to seek the legendary power that could save everything, they must courageously face every challenge.

"Let's go. No matter what's ahead, we can't turn back," Shen Jingqi was the first to break the silence, standing up with his gaze fixed firmly on the distance. Though fear lingered in his heart, a greater sense of mission and responsibility drove him—his pledge to the kingdom and his duty to protect the people.

Xu An and Lin Yu exchanged a glance, finding the same resolve in each other's eyes. They nodded and quietly followed behind Shen Jingqi, continuing towards the unknown ahead. Their steps were heavy, yet each one was laden with strength, embodying their relentless pursuit of hope.

Not knowing how long they had traveled, time seemed to stretch interminably, every second feeling like a year. Suddenly, a glimmer of light appeared ahead, like a beacon in the darkness, drawing them closer. They quickened their pace, excitement and anticipation gradually overshadowing their fear.

When they finally emerged from the dense forest, a mysterious mountain peak loomed vaguely before them, shrouded in thick fog like a layer of mystical veils, concealing countless secrets. The peak towered into the clouds, piercing the sky, exuding an aura of majesty and mystery.

"Is that the mountain peak we're looking for?" Lin Yu said excitedly, his eyes shining with curiosity and yearning for power. His hands clenched unconsciously, as if already feeling the call of that mysterious force.

Shen Jingqi nodded. "It should be it, but we must remain vigilant; there might be more dangers ahead," he said, a hint of caution in his eyes. He had a premonition that the mountain would not easily allow them to approach, nor would the mysterious power be easily obtained.

Just as they were preparing to advance, suddenly, the ground began to tremble violently. The shaking was like turbulent waves, making it difficult for them to remain steady, their bodies swaying with the earth's undulations. Alarmed, they discovered the trees around them collapsing, as if some immense force was destroying everything. The sound of branches snapping and the thunderous crash of trees intertwining formed a terrifying symphony.

"What's happening?" Xu An shouted loudly, his voice filled with fear and confusion. His body swayed uncontrollably, hands desperately grasping nearby branches, trying to stabilize himself. Terror filled his heart, uncertain of where this force originated, or what would happen next.

Lin Yu was also frightened by the sudden change, his face pale and legs weak, almost collapsing to the ground. "Is... is it the Mountain God's anger?" he muttered, his eyes filled with deep fear. In his heart, this mysterious mountain peak was sacred and majestic, and the current disturbance made him think of the Mountain God's wrath.

Shen Jingqi tightly gripped his sword, his gaze firm and composed. "Everyone, stay calm, stabilize yourselves, and observe the situation," he shouted loudly, his voice full of power and authority. Though slightly tense, he knew he must remain calm at this critical moment, leading everyone through the ordeal.

They tried to steady themselves, eyes fixed on the surroundings. As the ground shook more intensely, they noticed a huge crack forming not far away. The crack resembled a giant mouth, continuously expanding, seemingly poised to swallow them whole. Black smoke billowed from the fissure, emitting a pungent odor, nauseating to the senses.

"Look! There's something inside the crack!" Lin Yu suddenly pointed at the fissure excitedly, his voice sharp with alarm.

The three followed his direction, seeing a gigantic figure slowly rising from the crack. The figure was over ten meters tall, emitting a black glow, as if forged from darkness itself. Its body was twisted and misshapen, lacking distinct features, with only a pair of enormous red eyes flashing with malevolent gleams.

"What... what kind of monster is this?" Xu An said fearfully, his body trembling uncontrollably. His mind was blank, wholly overwhelmed by the monstrous presence before him.

Though Shen Jingqi was also filled with shock and fear, he knew they couldn't remain idle. "Get ready, everyone, we have to fight!" he shouted, drawing his sword, its blade gleaming coldly as if challenging the monster.

The monster let out a deafening roar, the sound like thunder, aching their ears. It swung its massive arms, slamming towards them. The limbs were like gigantic stone pillars, carrying immense force, threatening to destroy everything in their path.

Shen Jingqi deftly sidestepped, evading the monster's attack. His body moved like a nimble swallow amongst the monster's assault, timing precisely to strike its arm with his sword. The blade screeched against the monster's limb, barely causing any damage.

"Its skin is too tough!" Shen Jingqi lamented inwardly. He knew this approach was futile; they must identify the monster's weakness.