Chapter 283

The figure emerging from the shadows gradually became clear; he was draped in an ancient black robe, his hood obscuring his face, and his entire being exuded an indescribable aura of vicissitudes.

Everyone watched this uninvited guest with vigilance, their weapons gripped tightly in their hands, the atmosphere instantly freezing.

"Who are you?" Zhang Cheng broke the silence, his voice low and powerful.

The black-robed person slowly raised his head; beneath the shadow of the hood, only a pair of eyes as deep as the starry sky could be seen.

"I am the guardian of this labyrinth." His voice was low and hoarse, as if it were an echo from ancient times.

"A guardian?" The Starry Knight sneered. "A guardian who hides in the dark? I think you look more like an accomplice of the Dark Lord!"

The guardian ignored the Starry Knight's provocation; he slowly scanned the group, his gaze finally landing on Zhang Cheng. "I know you are searching for the holy relic."

As soon as these words were spoken, everyone was startled. The Messenger of Light couldn't help but ask, "Do you know where the holy relic is?"

The guardian nodded slightly. "I do. But the holy relic is not something easily obtained; if you wish to acquire it, you must pass my trials."

"Trials?" Kelinda frowned slightly. "What kind of trials?"

"Three trials," the guardian said, holding up three fingers, his tone brooking no doubt. "Only by passing these three trials will you be qualified to obtain the holy relic."

Everyone looked at each other, feeling both excited and worried.

They were excited because they had finally found a clue to the holy relic, but worried because the guardian's origins were unknown, and they wondered what his trials would be.

"Why should I trust you?" Zhang Cheng stared sharply at the guardian. "What is your purpose?"

The guardian was silent for a moment, then slowly said, "The Dark Lord's power is eroding this labyrinth, and the holy relic is the only hope to stop him. I have guarded this labyrinth for a thousand years just to wait for someone capable of inheriting the holy relic."

His words carried a hint of sorrow, as if he were burdened by a heavy mission. Everyone felt the sincerity in his words, and the doubts in their hearts gradually dissipated.

"No matter what the trials are, we will not back down." The Starry Knight stepped forward and said confidently.

His courage infected the others, and everyone nodded in agreement.

The guardian looked at the group, a hint of admiration flashing in his eyes. "Very well, follow me. The first trial is..." He paused suddenly, his gaze turning toward the depths of the labyrinth, his expression becoming solemn. "... already begun."

The guardian's deep gaze swept over the group and finally landed in the depths of the labyrinth, where an invisible dark power seemed to be surging.

"The first trial is in the Canyon of the Dead." His voice was low, carrying a hint of imperceptible trembling.

"Canyon of the Dead?" The Nebula Sage frowned, flipping through the data in his memory chip. "Legend has it that the Canyon of the Dead is one of the most dangerous areas in the labyrinth, filled with all kinds of deadly traps and ferocious creatures."

"Hmph, whatever canyon it is, I, the Starry Knight, fear nothing!" The Starry Knight patted his chest and laughed heroically, trying to use his confidence to dispel the tension permeating the air.

Kelinda looked at the Starry Knight, her eyes full of admiration and a hint of affection. She said softly, "You are always so brave." The knight smiled slightly at her, a hint of tenderness in his eyes.

"Courage is commendable, but acting recklessly will only cost you your life." The guardian's tone was cold, interrupting their brief exchange.

"The dangers of the Canyon of the Dead are far beyond your imagination; a single misstep and you will be doomed forever."

His words were like ice, instantly extinguishing the Starry Knight's enthusiasm, and a chill shot from the soles of his feet to the top of his head.

The others also felt unprecedented pressure, and the atmosphere became heavy once again.

At this moment, the Messenger of Light stepped forward, her gentle voice carrying a hint of firmness: "We are a team, and no matter what difficulties we encounter, we must face them together." Her words were like a ray of sunshine in winter, warming everyone's hearts.

Zhang Cheng nodded, his gaze firm: "Guardian, lead the way."

The guardian said nothing more, turned, and walked toward the depths of the labyrinth, with the group following closely behind.

As they went deeper, the pressure in the air grew stronger, as if a pair of invisible eyes were watching them in the dark.

Suddenly, a piercing scream came from ahead, followed by a blood-soaked figure stumbling out. His eyes were full of fear, and he kept shouting, "Monster! There's a monster!"

The group hurried forward to support the figure. Looking closely, they discovered he was one of the explorers who had entered the labyrinth earlier.

"What happened?" Zhang Cheng asked urgently.

"The... the Canyon of the Dead... has... has monsters..." the man said intermittently, his tone full of fear. "They... they will devour people's souls..."

Before he could finish his sentence, he collapsed to the ground and stopped breathing.

The group looked at the corpse on the ground, their hearts filled with shock and fear.

The guardian looked at the group and slowly spoke: "The trial of the Canyon of the Dead now officially begins." He paused, his gaze becoming even deeper. "Remember, if anyone fails the trial..."

"If anyone fails the trial..." the labyrinth guardian's aged voice echoed in the empty cave, "... they will be trapped in the dark space forever, never to be reincarnated." His words were like a death warrant, striking hard at everyone's heart.

A cloud of fear shrouded the group, and even the usually optimistic Messenger of Light lost her smile, wringing her fingers uneasily.

The Starry Knight's previously straight back bent slightly, and his earlier feigned heroism vanished.

He glanced secretly at Kelinda and found her looking at him with worry, which made him even more flustered.

He clenched his fists, forcing himself to calm down, only to find his palms covered in cold sweat.

"Canyon of the Dead... devouring souls..." The terrified expression of the explorer before his death surfaced in Zhang Cheng's mind again.

He felt a sense of powerlessness; although he was nominally the core of this team, his strength was not outstanding.

The wisdom of the Nebula Sage, the bravery of the Starry Knight, the special abilities of Kelinda, and even the healing abilities of the Messenger of Light were all better suited to deal with the current crisis than he was.

He sighed silently, feeling unprecedented pressure.

"We must be careful and cautious." The Blue Star Guardian said in a deep voice, his tone full of worry. "The Canyon of the Dead is fraught with crises, and one wrong step could lead to eternal doom."

"Cautious? Hmph, being timid will only make us miss opportunities!" The Star Spirit's sharp voice retorted. "We should strike decisively and finish this quickly!"

"What do you know!" The Blue Star Guardian roared. "The dangers of the Canyon of the Dead are far beyond your imagination!"

"Coward!" The Star Spirit retorted without showing weakness. "You only know how to tremble there!"

The argument between the two intensified, and it looked like they were about to fight.

Zhang Cheng wanted to dissuade them, but felt his voice was like a mosquito, unable to intervene in their quarrel at all.

He felt incomparably frustrated; in front of his powerful teammates, he appeared so weak.

Just then, the labyrinth guardian suddenly turned and disappeared into the darkness, leaving only a cold sentence echoing in the air: "Be prepared before you come looking for me again."

The sudden disappearance of the labyrinth guardian left everyone stunned in place.

Zhang Cheng had expected the trial to begin immediately; he was mentally prepared for the challenge, his spirit tense, but it felt like punching cotton.

The Starry Knight even put away his energy weapon and complained, "What the hell, is this old guy playing with us?"

The Nebula Sage adjusted his glasses and pondered, "Perhaps this is another kind of trial, testing our patience and adaptability." The Messenger of Light looked around worriedly and said softly, "I feel the atmosphere here is not right; everyone be careful."

They began to organize their equipment, check their weapons, and replenish their energy, preparing for the upcoming trial.

Kelinda used her special abilities to sense the energy fluctuations around them, hoping to discover potential dangers in advance.

The Blue Star Guardian watched the surrounding darkness vigilantly, as if guarding against something.

In the darkness, a pair of scarlet eyes were closely watching their every move.

The Dark Lord was hiding in the shadows, a cruel smile on the corner of his mouth.

He was not in a hurry to strike, but was waiting for the best opportunity, preparing to deliver a fatal blow to this group of arrogant explorers.

He knew that the disappearance of the labyrinth guardian was no accident, but a carefully designed trap, and he was the hidden blade within that trap.

After the group reorganized, they moved in the direction where the labyrinth guardian had disappeared.

As they walked, a thick fog suddenly appeared ahead, and unknown dangers seemed to be hidden within it.

The group approached cautiously, Zhang Cheng gripped his weapon tightly and said in a low voice, "Careful, there's movement..." Before he could finish, a withered hand suddenly reached out from the fog...