Courtyard House: Report enemy agents at the start, and you'll take off immediately.

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Hongyan gripped the hilt of her sword tightly, her eyes cold and resolute: "Help us? With just a few guys who don't even dare to show their true faces? Tell me, what exactly do you want? If you dare to cause trouble, don't blame me for being impolite!"

One of the men in the black cloak slowly removed his hood, revealing a sinister face. "Little girl, don't be so nervous. My name is Zhao De, and we just hope to play a small role in this battle." He smiled slightly, but there was no warmth in his eyes.

A commotion suddenly broke out among the onlookers. An older man pushed through the crowd and exclaimed in surprise, "Isn't that the blacksmith's son who's been missing from town for so long? I heard he joined some dark organization a few days ago, and it turns out it's true!"

"The Dark Organization?" This news was like a pebble thrown into calm water, creating ripples among the crowd. Whispers began to circulate among them.

A young man carrying a hunting bow couldn't help but step forward and ask, "The dark forces... they sound pretty powerful. But since they claim they want to help, why don't we listen to what they have to say?" He turned to Loves and Zhao De for their opinions.

Lovis pondered for a moment, then looked at Zhao De, his tone calm and cautious: "Since that's the case, then please tell us clearly what your purpose is. At the same time, I also warn you that any action that is detrimental to sealing the Dragon Soul will be resolutely resisted by all of us."

"Haha, don't worry, don't worry." Zhao De returned an even deeper smile. "It's actually very simple. I just want to see the legendary power. I don't have any ill intentions."

Just then, Yunxiao ran back from a distance, carrying the last necessities. Seeing this scene, she immediately stopped. "What's going on? Who are these friends?"

Another woman, also dressed in a black cloak, spoke up: "Brother, there's no need to worry. We're not enemies; perhaps we'll even become important allies in the future."

Chapter 1034 Burning Desire for Battle

Chapter 1034 Burning Desire for Battle

Just as everyone hesitated about whether to trust each other, the giant dragon in the distant sky once again let out a deafening, earth-shaking roar. The entire earth trembled, forcing everyone to turn their attention back to this sealing ritual, a race against time.

"No matter what, the most urgent task is to complete the mission as soon as possible," Windbell said urgently, her eyes firm. "Once the seal is successfully sealed, all the troubles will be resolved."

So, despite having many questions, Zhao De and the others decided to put the matter aside for the time being and continue according to plan. "Alright, but you must stay away from the center and observe from the sidelines."

Zhao De nodded in agreement, and then led his companions to a more distant location to wait.

Just when everyone thought they could focus on the sealing without worry, the uncle who had mentioned Zhao De's background suddenly remembered something and hurriedly stepped forward to whisper to Zhao De, "Young man, I think I've heard people say that this group seems to be looking for some kind of ancient manual, which is said to contain many powerful spells that have been lost for a long time... Maybe they're after the scroll we have too."

Upon hearing this, Zhao De couldn't help but gasp. He glanced at Loves, who was completely absorbed in his work, and silently made a decision: he must protect the ancient scroll at all costs.

"Hey, old mage!" a young man who had just joined the party and seemed to greatly admire Lovis suddenly shouted, "If we really can defeat the dragon and save this land, where do you think we should go on our next adventure? Aren't there more unknown dangers waiting for us to overcome together?"

Loves looked up at his new teammates, who were full of enthusiasm and anticipation, and smiled gently: "This world is always full of endless miracles and challenges. As long as you have a brave heart to explore, you will encounter your own legend on the road ahead."

However, at this very moment, whether it's the impending outcome of the battle or the hidden conspiracies and undercurrents behind these conversations filled with anticipation for the future, a major turning point is brewing in the air...

Zhao De and his companions slowly retreated to a safe area, but their eyes remained fixed on their every move. In their eyes seemed to lie an unspeakable longing, like an endless pursuit of some kind of power or knowledge.

Meanwhile, Yunxiao handed the necessities to Lovis and immediately joined the preparations for setting up the sealing array. "Sister Windbell Grass, were those guys really okay?" he asked the girl next to him in a low voice while he was busy. "Although they said nice things, they gave me a strange feeling."

Bellflower stopped what she was doing, turned to look at him seriously, and said, "Don't be too nervous, little brother. Now we need to concentrate on completing our current task. As for those people... leave them to your older brother and the archmages." After saying that, she resumed her work, and her words seemed to make the surrounding air seem a little heavier.

"Hmph! What an uninvited bunch." Red Flame was vigilantly observing everything from a short distance away. Although she appeared calm on the surface, a burning desire for battle had already ignited within her. "I hope I don't hold everyone back if anything goes wrong."

Chapter 1035 Scratching Head and Smiling Bitterly

Chapter 1035 Scratching Head and Smiling Bitterly

As time passed, the sealing ritual entered its crucial moment, and everyone was fully focused on their respective tasks. The strange runes inscribed around them began to emit a faint glow, and a mysterious and powerful energy field gradually formed and spread, covering the entire area.

Just then, the uncle who had previously mentioned Zhao De's true identity suddenly jumped out from the side: "Oh my goodness, this is incredible! Look over there—"

Following the direction the uncle pointed, everyone present felt an unprecedented chill. Because, without anyone noticing, Zhao De and the others had subtly changed their positions, forming a semi-circle around everyone. Moreover, a faint black mist emanated from each of them…

Seeing this, Zhao De immediately drew his longsword and stood in front of the crowd, shouting sternly, "You really have ill intentions! Explain what you want right now, or don't blame us for being impolite!"

Zhao De simply shrugged, indicating his indifference: "Sigh~ Young people are always so impulsive. Alright, alright, please allow me to introduce you all—this is what we're really interested in!" Before he finished speaking, he suddenly reached out and instantly snatched the ancient scroll placed aside for the ceremony!

The crowd erupted in a cacophony of gasps and exclamations—

"My God! What kind of move is that? I've never heard of it before..." A young hunter stared wide-eyed, his face full of disbelief.

"Dark magic... truly one of the most evil forces in legend..." Another old man shook his head repeatedly in sigh.

"This is amazing! To witness such a supernatural phenomenon is incredibly lucky!" Several adventurers were so excited that they stomped their feet, wishing they could rush forward and investigate further.

"What do we do, what do we do... The dragon is about to come back to life... Waaaaah..." Several children were so frightened that they hugged their heads and cried.

However, the most anxious person at this moment was none other than Lovis, who was in charge of presiding over the ceremony. Losing the crucial artifact not only meant that the mission they were about to complete might be in vain, but worse, if the other party intended to use the contents of the scroll to awaken the ancient demon, then the entire human world would be plunged into disaster... Thinking of this, Lovis quickly turned around and shouted to his teammates, "Quickly prepare for battle! We must stop them from leaving here no matter what! And you, sir, help us find clues and see if we can break out of this predicament."

Thus began an unexpected yet unpredictable contest—just as tensions were running high, a bird suddenly flew across the sky, emitting a sharp cry that drew much attention…

"Wait... isn't this the little white cat we usually use to deliver messages?" Zhao De looked up at the sky thoughtfully.

At the same time, Little White, with something in its mouth, swooped down towards them and landed steadily on Zhao De's shoulder, placing a letter in his hand...

"Hey buddy, looks like someone's trying to warn us about something," Red Flame chuckled, patting his companion's shoulder.

"Hmm? What does this mean... Could it be some kind of turning point?" Yunxiao curiously leaned over to try and steal a few peeks, but was pushed away by the other party and could only scratch his head helplessly with a wry smile.

Chapter 1036 Time is running out.

Chapter 1036 Time is running out.

Loves took the letter, quickly glanced through it, his expression changed slightly, and then he showed it to the others...

"So what should we do now?" Bellflower frowned as she looked at the dense text on the letter.

“It seems our enemies are not just these people in front of us,” Lovis said gravely. “We must make a decision as soon as possible.”

At this moment, the last rays of sunlight on the horizon gradually disappeared, and the darkness of night enveloped the already eerie scene, adding to the oppressive atmosphere.

Meanwhile, the figures of Zhao De and his men in the distance became even more indistinct in the darkness, seemingly poised to engage in a potential conflict...

"No matter what, tonight will be a turning point in our lives," Zhao De said in a low voice, his eyes resolute as if he were ready to face any difficulty.

"Then what are we waiting for? Strike first!" Hongyan drew her sword first, and fiery red battle aura erupted from her body, standing out conspicuously in the night. The onlookers gasped in surprise at the sight.

"My God, that girl has such power!"

"Is that fire-type battle aura? This is a rare and powerful elemental force!"

Just as Hongyan was about to make her move, Zhao De stopped her, saying, "Don't rush to attack. Let's see what they're up to first. Zhao De, tell me your real purpose."

Zhao De's lips curled into a strange smile. "Smart people are always more popular. Alright, I'll tell you. The power in this scroll is the key we've been searching for. It can awaken ancient creatures slumbering in the deep sea. We want to use that powerful force to fight against the evil forces that are trying to destroy the world."

Upon hearing this, everyone present exchanged bewildered glances, and even the previously excited adventurers stopped in their tracks.

"Hey, brother, are you serious? What ancient behemoth? It sounds even more outrageous than dragon legends." A young man holding a spear and wearing simple leather armor asked with a frown, clearly not believing Zhao De's words.

However, before he could finish speaking, an old hunter beside him softly replied, "Child, this world is far more complex than you imagine. Since these self-proclaimed 'Shadow Hunters' dare to stand up and reveal their true intentions, perhaps there really is something extraordinary hidden behind them..."

At this moment, the mysterious uncle suddenly spoke up: "Hey young man, although I don't quite know what they're planning to do, it would definitely be a bad thing if this unknown energy fell into the hands of bad guys!"

Meanwhile, Loves and Bellflower were already discussing their next move. "Brother, if what they say really does constitute a threat of that level..."

Before she could finish speaking, Loves interrupted his sister, "Whether it's true or not, we must make sure we're in a favorable position. And according to the instructions in this secret letter, it seems there's another equally powerful but opposing force heading this way."

At the same time, the dark aura behind Zhao De grew increasingly intense. "Time is running out," he said, his tone carrying an undeniable force. "Either choose to face the dangers ahead with us, or continue living as ordinary people and regret it when the final catastrophe strikes!"

Chapter 1037 Undeterred by Challenges

Chapter 1037 Undeterred by Challenges

These words stirred a wave of emotion within the crowd. An older woman slowly stepped out of the group, her eyes gleaming with unwavering wisdom. "Young people are always full of courage and idealism, but sometimes they can make grave mistakes due to ignorance." Her voice was neither too loud nor too soft, just loud enough for everyone around to hear. "Whatever path you choose, remember to take responsibility for your decisions—both in life and after death."

After the old man finished speaking, a brief and oppressive silence fell over the room once more. Until a small black bird flew overhead again, its sharp cry breaking the tranquility…

Yunxiao looked up at the black bird flying in the night sky, a hint of doubt on his face. "Strange, isn't that our carrier pigeon, Little Black? How come it's here? Could it be..."

"As expected, there are other variables!" Zhao De immediately realized, and quickly took a cloth bag from his waist and threw it to his companion. "Yunxiao, go and see what important information it brought. Leave the rest to us!"

After receiving the cloth bag, the little boy nodded and then disappeared from everyone's sight to search for the little creature that had brought the unexpected information...

At this moment, all eyes were once again focused on the group of opponents who had suddenly changed their attitude. An invisible tension filled the air; even the breathing seemed to have become more distinct…

"Now, please give your answer—are you enemies or friends?" Zhao De asked one last time.

At this moment, no one knows what will happen next. Everyone is filled with all sorts of speculation and anxiety. The only constant is that everyone is prepared to face the unknown challenges.

Zhao De took a deep breath and looked around at the adventurers with their varied expressions, his gaze as firm as ever. "We have no reason to trust someone who has just revealed his true purpose."

No sooner had he finished speaking than a seemingly experienced middle-aged swordsman interjected, "That's right, who knows if this is another, even bigger trap. But on the other hand, if what he said is true..." His tone was slightly hesitant, clearly still struggling internally, "we can't just ignore it."

“Yes! What if this really is the last chance to save the world?” another young girl exclaimed excitedly, her eyes sparkling with anticipation and courage. “I want to be the hero in that story, even if it’s just a tiny little part of it.”

"But... what is the price?" someone asked.

Zhao De listened quietly to the discussion, his face still bearing that mysterious smile. "Time is precious, everyone," he gently reminded them. "Once a decision is made, we must act quickly. And our patience is running out."

At this moment, Hongyan couldn't help but speak up again. "Enough!" she snorted coldly, her longsword trembling slightly as it emitted a clear, ringing sound. "Instead of guessing here, let's directly test whether they truly want to form an alliance!"

Upon hearing this, many people present looked at the bold and decisive girl with surprise, and then a chorus of agreement arose. "She's right, it's better to see for ourselves than to guess."

Seeing this, Zhao De pondered for a moment and then nodded in agreement. "Alright. Then let's determine whether the other party is trustworthy through a trial." Turning to Zhao De, he said solemnly, "If you truly come with the shared goal of fighting against evil forces, then you should not fear any challenge."

Chapter 1038 Contains Important Clues

Chapter 1038 Contains Important Clues

Upon hearing this, Zhao De didn't immediately agree or refuse. Instead, he looked at his companions beside him for their opinions. They seemed to exchange glances and quickly reached a consensus. Finally, on behalf of the entire team, he replied, "Since you insist, we'll accept."

Following that, Loves proposed detailed competition rules: each side would send two participants to compete in a one-on-one duel, and to ensure fairness, a best-of-three format would be adopted.

Soon, amidst the enthusiastic cheers of the onlookers, the battle was about to begin.