However, just as they were preparing to approach the Magic Array, a low growl suddenly echoed, as if rising from the depths of Hell. Immediately after, a group of mysterious creatures slowly emerged from the shadows surrounding the Magic Array. These creatures were massive, as tall as a two-story building, their bodies covered in black scales that shimmered with a cold luster under the light of the Magic Array. Their eyes glowed red, like burning flames, exuding a sense of ferocity and brutality. They let out low growls from their mouths, as if declaring war on them.

"These are the mysterious creatures guarding the Magic Array!" Xu An shouted, with a hint of fear in his voice.

Shen Jingqi gripped the sword tightly in his hand, his gaze firm as he looked at the mysterious creatures. "Everyone, be careful and prepare for battle! We cannot be intimidated by them; we must charge forward and unravel the secrets of the Magic Array!"

The mysterious creatures advanced towards them step by step, each stride causing the ground to tremble violently. Their footsteps echoed like heavy drumbeats, pounding on their hearts, making their pulses quicken involuntarily. The air was thick with the stench of blood and rot, making them feel nauseous and suffocated.

"These creatures look extremely powerful; can we really defeat them?" Xu An said hesitantly, with a trace of timidity in his voice.

Shen Jingqi glanced at him and said firmly, "We cannot retreat! If we give up now, all our previous efforts will have been in vain. Besides, we have each other; as long as we unite, we can definitely defeat them!"

Li Baiyu also nodded, his eyes showing wisdom and calmness. "Don't panic, everyone. Let's first observe these creatures' attack patterns, identify their weaknesses, and then counterattack."

Just then, one of the mysterious creatures suddenly launched an attack. It opened its gaping maw and lunged at Shen Jingqi. Shen Jingqi reacted quickly, sidestepping to avoid the creature's attack and then swung his sword at its leg. The sword struck the creature's scales, producing a sharp, ear-piercing sound, but only left a shallow mark.

"These scales are too hard; our attacks have little effect on them!" Shen Jingqi shouted, a hint of urgency on his face.

Meanwhile, other mysterious creatures began to attack as well. Some used their massive claws to strike at them, while others swept their tails towards them, plunging them into a predicament.

"Be careful, everyone!" Li Baiyu shouted, dodging the mysterious creatures' attacks while calling out, "Focus your attacks as much as possible!"

Shen Jingqi and Xu An listened and immediately adjusted their attack strategies. They seized the opportunity and launched an attack against the mysterious creatures. One of the creatures was pierced by Shen Jingqi's sword, letting out a painful roar and staggering. Seizing the opportunity, Shen Jingqi struck again, completely taking it down.

"It worked! Keep going, everyone!" Shen Jingqi exclaimed excitedly, a confident smile on his face.

Through their combined efforts, one mysterious creature after another was defeated. However, the creatures seemed endless, continuously emerging from the shadows. Their energy gradually depleted, and their movements became somewhat sluggish.

"This isn't working; we need to find a way to shake them off!" Xu An shouted, his voice tinged with exhaustion.

Shen Jingqi nodded, his gaze sweeping the surroundings, trying to find a breakthrough. Suddenly, he noticed a narrow passageway on one side of the Magic Array. "Follow me, everyone; we'll break through there!" Shen Jingqi shouted, running towards the passage as he spoke.

The three of them quickly dashed into the passage, with the mysterious creatures in close pursuit. The passage was dim, filled with a damp, misty atmosphere. Their footsteps echoed in the passage, like a countdown to death.

"Hurry, we must shake them off!" Shen Jingqi shouted, his voice echoing in the passage.

Finally, they emerged from the passage, reaching a relatively safe spot. The mysterious creatures seemed to be blocked by the passage, unable to catch up for the moment. They breathed a sigh of relief, collapsing onto the ground, gasping for breath.

"We finally got rid of them..." Xu An said, with a hint of relief in his voice.

However, Shen Jingqi did not let down his guard, knowing this was only a temporary respite. "We can't stay here too long; those creatures could catch up at any moment. We need to unravel the Magic Array's secret and find the castle's entrance quickly."

Li Baiyu nodded, his gaze returning to the Magic Array. "This Magic Array must have a core control point. If we find it, we can unlock its secret."

The trio approached the Magic Array once more, carefully searching for the core control point. After some thorough observation and attempts, Li Baiyu finally discovered the location of the core control point. "Over here! Everyone, come help!" Li Baiyu shouted.

Shen Jingqi and Xu An immediately ran over, following Li Baiyu's instructions, and operated the core control point together. As they worked, the glow of the Magic Array began to gradually weaken, and the surrounding runes and patterns ceased to flicker.

"We did it! The Magic Array has been unlocked!" Li Baiyu exclaimed excitedly.

At that moment, the ground suddenly began to shake. To their surprise, a huge opening appeared where the Magic Array was, emitting a strong suction, as if trying to draw them in.

"This is the entrance to the castle!" Shen Jingqi shouted, a trace of excitement and anticipation in his eyes.

Li Baiyu entered first, followed closely by Shen Jingqi, the stone door closing with a boom behind them.

The opening exuded a mysterious aura, wrapping around every soul that stepped in, making them feel both tense and exhilarated. Shen Jingqi closely followed Li Baiyu, his own rapid heartbeat echoing clearly at the quiet entrance of the cave.

The cave was dimly lit, illuminated only by the flickering glow of their torches, casting shadowy reflections on the surrounding stone walls. Shen Jingqi's gaze remained fixed ahead, cautiously moving with each step, fearing that something terrifying might suddenly spring from the darkness. Suddenly, a slight rustling sound came from ahead, and Shen Jingqi's body instantly tensed, instinctively raising his sword. In a subdued voice, he asked nervously, "Senior, did you hear that? What was that sound?"

Li Baiyu furrowed his brow, listened intently for a moment, and replied softly, "It might be a small animal. Let's move up slowly and check it out." She advanced cautiously, while Shen Jingqi took a deep breath, striving to keep calm, and followed closely behind.