After Xiao Yichen and the others returned to the castle from the cave, the atmosphere was exceptionally heavy. The wounded soldiers were receiving treatment, and each of their faces was etched with exhaustion and confusion. Xiao Yichen stayed by Lin Wan'er's bedside, looking at her pale face, his heart filled with overwhelming worry.

The leader of the men in black entered the room and looked at Xiao Yichen, saying, "General Xiao, although this trip to the cave was difficult, we didn't come away empty-handed. The information on those stone tablets may come in handy when we search for treasure later."

Xiao Yichen nodded slightly: "Yes, but the process is too dangerous, and we don't even know if this treasure can really save Wan'er. If it's just Murong Xuan's lie, we might lose even more if we take this risk."

“I understand your concerns, General. But we don’t have a better solution right now. Perhaps we could ask the old man in the village again to see if he has any other clues,” the leader of the men in black suggested.

Just then, a maid who was taking care of Lin Wan'er suddenly said, "General, Miss Lin's finger just moved!"

Xiao Yichen was startled. He quickly looked at Lin Wan'er and saw that her brows were slightly furrowed, as if she was trying to regain consciousness. Xiao Yichen grasped Lin Wan'er's hand and softly called out, "Wan'er, Wan'er, wake up."

After a while, Lin Wan'er slowly opened her eyes, her gaze somewhat confused: "Yichen, what's wrong with me?"

Xiao Yichen excitedly hugged Lin Wan'er: "Wan'er, you're finally awake! You exhausted your energy trying to dispel the dark power and remained unconscious until now."

Recalling what had happened before, Lin Wan'er said weakly, "Murong Xuan... how is he?"

"He's been locked up by us, Wan'er. You should rest well and don't worry about anything else," Xiao Yichen comforted her.

Lin Wan'er shook her head: "No, Yichen, I feel that Murong Xuan has an even bigger conspiracy. We cannot let our guard down."

Xiao Yichen looked at Lin Wan'er, knowing her intuition was always accurate: "Have you sensed something?"

Lin Wan'er closed her eyes, seemingly sensing something. After a while, she opened her eyes and said, "I want to try my mind-reading ability; perhaps I can get some information from Murong Xuan."

Xiao Yichen hesitated for a moment: "Wan'er, you just woke up and your body is still very weak. Mind reading takes a lot of strain on you, and I'm worried about your health."

“It’s alright, Yichen. The situation is critical, and we can’t let any clue slip by,” Lin Wan’er said firmly.

So, Xiao Yichen helped Lin Wan'er to the cell where Murong Xuan was being held. When Murong Xuan saw them arrive, a cold smile appeared on his lips: "Xiao Yichen, you're back? It seems you didn't die in the cave. What a pity."

Lin Wan'er ignored Murong Xuan's taunts. She walked to the front of the cell, concentrated, and used her mind-reading ability. A faint light shone from her forehead, enveloping Murong Xuan.

Murong Xuan felt a strange force invading his mind. He tried to resist, but found it was futile.

Lin Wan'er's consciousness entered Murong Xuan's mind, and she saw Murong Xuan's deepest thoughts and memories. Scenes flashed before her eyes: Murong Xuan's childhood experiences in the Mu Kingdom's palace, the cold looks and expectations he suffered, and how his ambition gradually swelled.

Through these memories, Lin Wan'er discovered Murong Xuan's true plan regarding the treasure. It turned out that Murong Xuan's claims that the treasure could save people and aid the Rong Kingdom were all lies. His true aim was to use the treasure's power to conquer the entire continent and become the supreme overlord. Furthermore, he had a hidden ally who provided him with much information about the treasure and assisted him in carrying out his conspiracy.

Lin Wan'er continued to delve into Murong Xuan's memories, discovering some crucial clues about the treasure. The treasure's location was even more hidden than they had imagined, situated in a mysterious space forgotten by time, requiring the collection of five ancient keys to unlock the passage. The clue they found in the cave was only one of them; the other four keys were hidden in other dangerous locations across the continent.

Furthermore, Lin Wan'er discovered that Murong Xuan had a secret backup plan within the castle. He had hidden a group of assassins somewhere in the castle. These assassins were specially trained, and if he was in danger or needed them, he could activate a mechanism to release them, plunging the castle into chaos, and then take the opportunity to escape.

Lin Wan'er snapped out of Murong Xuan's thoughts, her face growing even paler, her body swaying precariously. Xiao Yichen quickly supported her: "Wan'er, how are you?"

Lin Wan'er gasped for breath: "Yichen, I know Murong Xuan's plan. He's lying to us. The treasure can't save me; he wants to use it to conquer the continent. Moreover, he's hiding assassins in the castle."

A flash of anger crossed Xiao Yichen's eyes: "That despicable man! We almost fell for his trick."

Upon hearing Lin Wan'er's words, the leader of the men in black also became serious: "It seems we need to readjust our plans. First, we need to find the assassins inside the castle and eliminate this threat."

So they immediately began searching the castle for any trace of the assassins. According to the information Lin Wan'er obtained from Murong Xuan's memories, the assassins were hidden in a secret space beneath the castle, with the entrance near the castle's kitchen.

They went into the kitchen and searched carefully for the entrance. After some searching, they found a loose floor tile behind a large water tank. After removing the tile, a staircase leading to the underground appeared before them.

"Everyone be careful, there might be danger down there," Xiao Yichen said.

The group cautiously descended the stairs. The underground space was dark and damp, filled with a pungent odor. Torches hung on the walls, their flickering light illuminating the surroundings.

Deep underground, they saw rows of cells, where assassins were imprisoned. These assassins had empty eyes, as if they had no souls, and they exuded a strong killing intent.

"We need to find a way to deal with these assassins; we can't let them be used by Murong Xuan," said the leader of the men in black.

Just as they were preparing to act, they suddenly heard the sound of a mechanism being activated. It turned out that Murong Xuan had noticed their actions and had activated the mechanism controlling the assassins in the cell.

The assassins broke free of their cell restraints and charged towards Xiao Yichen and his group. Their movements were swift and fierce, and the weapons in their hands gleamed coldly in the firelight.

Xiao Yichen and the leader of the men in black immediately stepped forward to engage the assassins in battle. These assassins were highly skilled in martial arts and impervious to pain, fighting with ferocity.

The Rong soldiers also joined the battle, but the attacks from the assassins overwhelmed them. In the fierce fighting, soldiers were constantly wounded.

Looking at the scene before her, Lin Wan'er knew she couldn't let things continue like this. She forced herself to use her weakened body to cast spells, attempting to control the minds of these undead. However, due to her extreme weakness, the spells were not very effective.

"Everyone, focus your attacks on their legs and make them unable to move!" Xiao Yichen shouted.

Following Xiao Yichen's instructions, the group changed their attack strategy, focusing their attacks on the legs of the assassins. After a fierce battle, they finally succeeded in subduing most of the assassins. However, they also paid a heavy price; many soldiers were wounded, and some even died.

After dealing with the assassins, Xiao Yichen and the others returned to the surface. They knew that Murong Xuan's conspiracy was becoming increasingly complex and they had to find a solution as soon as possible.

"We need to find clues about the other four keys as soon as possible; we can't let Murong Xuan get there first," the leader of the men in black said.

Xiao Yichen looked at Lin Wan'er: "Wan'er, did you see any specific locations of the other key clues in Murong Xuan's memories?"

Lin Wan'er recalled: "I only saw some blurry images. One of the keys seemed to be on a snow-capped mountain in the north, where there is an ancient temple covered in ice and snow. I need time to think about the others more carefully."

“Then let’s prepare to head to the snowy mountains in the north to find that key,” Xiao Yichen decided.

As they prepared to depart, they reinforced the castle's defenses to prevent Murong Xuan from escaping again or any other unforeseen circumstances. At the same time, they arranged for personnel to care for the wounded soldiers and continued to study the clues they had obtained in the cave and other information that might be related to the treasure.

This encounter with Murong Xuan made Xiao Yichen and his companions realize even more clearly that the challenges they faced far exceeded their expectations. Every step was fraught with danger, but in order to thwart Murong Xuan's ambitions and for the peace and tranquility of the continent, they had to forge ahead. In this treasure hunt filled with unknowns, they would continuously unravel new mysteries and encounter even more hardships and obstacles, as the struggle between good and evil intensified across the continent.

Xiao Yichen and his entourage were busily preparing for their journey to the northern snow mountains, the castle a hive of activity. Soldiers were moving supplies and checking equipment, while scholars were studying data collected from caves and other locations, attempting to provide more support for the search for the key. However, amidst this seemingly orderly preparation, the entire continent was plunged into a deeper crisis due to the war and treasure saga instigated by Murong Xuan.

Within Rong Kingdom, the outbreak of war displaced people from the border regions. A massive influx of refugees into the interior placed a heavy burden on cities and villages. Food shortages worsened, prices soared, and social order began to crumble. Once prosperous towns were now filled with hunger and panic, and the streets echoed with cries and pleas.

The imperial court also faced immense pressure. Ministers disagreed on the war situation and the search for the treasure. Some conservative ministers believed that resources should be concentrated on addressing the military threat from the Mu Kingdom, ensuring national security first, and not diverting forces for a treasure that might not exist or was fraught with danger. Other ministers supported Xiao Yichen's actions, believing the treasure's power might be the key to turning the tide of the war and saving the Rong Kingdom. The emperor sat on his dragon throne, his brow furrowed. He knew this was a difficult choice. On one hand, the border war required vast amounts of manpower and resources to maintain the defenses; on the other hand, if the treasure was truly as powerful as legend suggested, finding it would be crucial for the future of the Rong Kingdom.

"Your Majesty, the domestic situation is critical, and the people are suffering terribly. If this continues, it may trigger internal strife," an old minister advised with deep concern.

"I am well aware of this, but if Murong Xuan's ambition is not curbed, even if we defend the border, we will never have peace in the future. That treasure may be our only hope to restrain him," the emperor said helplessly.

In the Kingdom of Mu, the situation was not optimistic either. Although Murong Xuan had instigated the war, the costs were equally enormous for Mu. Most of the young and able-bodied men were conscripted into the army, farmland was abandoned, and the economy suffered a severe blow. Moreover, because Murong Xuan's actions did not receive the support of all the nobles in Mu, some dissenting voices began to emerge. Some nobles feared that the war would plunge Mu into utter ruin, and they secretly plotted to overthrow Murong Xuan's rule or to negotiate peace with the Kingdom of Rong.

Amidst this complex situation, Xiao Yichen and his companions embarked on a journey to the snow-capped mountains of the north. Leading a squad of elite soldiers and several scholars, they traversed rugged mountain paths. The northern weather was bitterly cold, with howling winds making every step exceptionally difficult.

"Hold on, everyone, we must find that key." Xiao Yichen encouraged his team, looking at his tired but determined companions, his heart filled with a sense of mission.

Lin Wan'er was still weak, but she gritted her teeth and persevered. She knew she couldn't be a burden to everyone, and her mind-reading ability might play a crucial role in this operation.

After several days of arduous trekking, they finally arrived at the foot of the northern snow-capped mountains. The mountains soared into the clouds, their peaks covered in thick ice and snow, shimmering brilliantly in the sunlight. However, beneath that seemingly beautiful scenery lurked countless dangers.

"According to Murong Xuan's memory, that ancient temple should be deep in the snow-capped mountains. We must be careful of avalanches and wild beasts on the mountain," Lin Wan'er reminded everyone.

The group cautiously ventured deeper into the snow-capped mountains, wearing thick winter clothing, but the biting wind still stung their faces like knives. As the altitude increased, the air grew thinner, making breathing increasingly difficult.

Suddenly, a roaring sound came from ahead, like a thousand horses galloping by.

"It's an avalanche! Everyone, find cover!" the leader of the men in black shouted.

The group frantically searched for shelter from the avalanche, but the surrounding terrain was largely open, consisting only of massive rocks. They ran towards the rocks with all their might, managing to hide behind them just as the avalanche was about to engulf them. The avalanche swept in like a raging white wave, its immense force causing the earth to tremble. When the avalanche subsided, they emerged from behind the rocks and discovered that some soldiers and supplies had been buried beneath it.

"Save them first!" Xiao Yichen shouted.

Everyone immediately sprang into action, digging out the buried soldiers and supplies. After some effort, they rescued some soldiers, but some tragically perished. This sudden disaster somewhat impacted the morale of the troops.

"We cannot give up. Those brothers who sacrificed their lives will not have died in vain. We must complete the mission they left unfinished," Xiao Yichen said firmly.

Continuing on, they encountered a pack of snow wolves. These wolves were entirely white, almost blending into the snowy landscape. Their eyes gleamed with a cold green light as they stared fiercely at Xiao Yichen and his companions.

"Prepare for battle!" the leader of the men in black ordered.

The snow wolves let out low growls and pounced on the group. They were incredibly fast and agile. Xiao Yichen and the others immediately drew their swords to meet the attack, engaging the snow wolves in a fierce battle. The snow wolves attacked relentlessly from all directions, their sharp claws and teeth inflicting considerable damage on the group.

Lin Wan'er cast a spell, creating an ice shield around her, temporarily blocking the snow wolves' attacks. But the snow wolves did not retreat; they circled the ice shield, looking for an opportunity to break through.

“We can’t stay trapped here forever; we have to find a way to drive them away,” Xiao Yichen said.

A scholar suddenly came up with a solution: "General, snow wolves are afraid of fire, so we can use fire to attack them."

Upon hearing this, Xiao Yichen immediately ordered his soldiers to bring out torches and ignite some flammable materials. A roaring fire broke out, and the snow wolves, seeing the flames, showed fear in their eyes. They began to retreat, but still lingered a short distance away, seemingly unwilling to give up their prey.

"Let's hurry and move on while we have the chance!" Xiao Yichen led the group around the snow wolves and continued towards the ancient temple.

After a difficult journey, they finally saw the ancient temple covered in ice and snow. The temple's architectural style was very unique, with huge stone pillars covered with mysterious symbols and patterns, and the roof buried under thick snow, revealing only some exquisite carvings.

"This should be the place we're looking for. Everyone be careful, there might be traps and mechanisms inside the temple," the leader of the men in black warned.

They cautiously entered the temple, which was filled with a mysterious and ancient atmosphere. Inside the hall were ancient statues of various shapes and sizes, some human, some animal, seemingly guarding the temple's secrets.

In the center of the temple, there is a huge stone platform with a circular recess that looks just right to hold a key.

“This should be where the key is kept. We’ll have to look for it in the temple,” Xiao Yichen said.

The group began searching the temple, meticulously examining every corner and every statue, hoping to find the hidden key. During the search, a soldier accidentally triggered a mechanism, which fired numerous ice arrows from the wall.

"Watch out!" Xiao Yichen shouted as he swung his sword and cut off several ice arrows aimed at him.

Others also dodged the ice arrows, but some soldiers were unfortunately hit by them and fell to the ground injured.

The leader of the men in black observed the firing pattern of the mechanism and then shouted, "Everyone, follow my instructions and avoid the range of the ice arrows."

Under the man in black's direction, the group successfully dodged the ice arrows and continued their search. After some effort, they discovered a glittering object in the hand of a statue.

"Found it!" a soldier shouted excitedly.

Xiao Yichen stepped forward, picked up the object, and sure enough, it was an ancient key. The key was covered with exquisite patterns and emitted a mysterious light.

“We’ve finally found the first key, but this is just the beginning. There are still three more keys waiting for us to find,” Xiao Yichen said.

Just as they were about to leave the temple, the temple suddenly began to shake violently, as if it were angered by their taking the keys.

"Oh no! The temple is collapsing! Everyone, run!" shouted the leader of the men in black.

The crowd hurriedly ran towards the outside of the temple, but the roof began to collapse, and huge stones rained down. They ran frantically through the danger and barely managed to escape the temple.

Standing outside the temple, watching the ancient building gradually buried in the avalanche, everyone breathed a sigh of relief. But they also knew that the road ahead was long, and more dangers awaited them. Moreover, the crisis on the continent was escalating; they had to find all the keys as soon as possible to stop Murong Xuan's conspiracy and save Rong Kingdom and the entire continent.

Upon returning to the castle, they brought back news of the key's discovery, offering a glimmer of hope to the Rong Kingdom. However, the domestic situation remained dire. They needed to find a way to alleviate the crisis while simultaneously searching for the treasure, seeking a path that balanced development with the fight against evil. This was undoubtedly a tremendous challenge for Xiao Yichen and his companions, and they would continue their arduous journey.

Xiao Yichen and the others returned to the castle with the key they found in the ancient temple, thinking they could temporarily stabilize the situation. However, they did not expect to be greeted by a new nightmare - Murong Xuan had actually escaped from the prison.

The moment they stepped into the castle, an eerie atmosphere enveloped them. The soldiers guarding the cells lay sprawled on the ground, some lifeless, others severely wounded. The once sturdy cell doors were wide open, and the cells were empty; Murong Xuan had vanished without a trace.

Xiao Yichen's face immediately turned extremely gloomy. He clenched his fists, a surge of anger and self-reproach welling up inside him. "What happened? How did he escape?" he roared.

A surviving guard struggled to raise his head, his face filled with terror, and said, "General... we don't know either. Suddenly, a group of men in black appeared. They were highly skilled in martial arts, and we were no match for them. They opened the cell and took Murong Xuan away."

The leader of the men in black frowned: "It seems to be Murong Xuan's backup plan. Those men in black must have been arranged by him beforehand."

A hint of worry flashed in Lin Wan'er's eyes: "If Murong Xuan escapes, he will definitely continue his conspiracy. We must find him as soon as possible."

At this moment, panic gripped the castle. News of his escape spread, plunging soldiers and scholars alike into unease. They were acutely aware of Murong Xuan's danger; his escape was like a bomb that could explode at any moment, posing a tremendous threat to the entire Rong Kingdom.

In the Kingdom of Mu, Murong Xuan returned to his territory under the escort of men in black. Although he suffered setbacks in his confrontations with Xiao Yichen and others, the fire of ambition in his eyes burned even brighter.

"Hmph, Xiao Yichen, you think you can trap me? I'll make you pay for what you did today sooner or later," Murong Xuan said viciously.

Upon returning to the Mu Kingdom, Murong Xuan immediately regrouped his forces. He met with the nobles and generals who supported him, painting a picture of the immense allure of the treasure and the glorious prospects of conquering the continent, attempting to win them back.

"My friends, we cannot give up because of a little setback. That treasure is the key to our glory. Once we obtain it, the entire continent will be under our control. Rong Kingdom is just a stumbling block on our path, and we will surely crush it." Murong Xuan said passionately.

Some nobles and generals who had previously wavered were reignited by his words and decided to continue following Murong Xuan. However, others expressed concern about his insane plans, but dared not openly oppose him under Murong Xuan's tyrannical power.

Murong Xuan knew that to achieve his goal, he had to act quickly. He dispatched a large number of spies to track Xiao Yichen and his group, hoping to seize the keys they had already found and prevent them from continuing their search for other keys.

In Rong Kingdom, Xiao Yichen and his group did not sit idly by and await their fate. On the one hand, they strengthened the castle's defenses to prevent a sudden attack by Murong Xuan; on the other hand, they began to analyze Murong Xuan's possible whereabouts and next move.

Based on various clues and intelligence, they speculated that Murong Xuan might go to the caves they had previously explored or other mysterious locations related to the treasure, in an attempt to find the key first.

“We can’t let Murong Xuan get there first; we must find the rest of the keys before him,” Xiao Yichen decided.

They re-examined the keys brought back from the ancient temple, hoping to find clues about the location of the other keys. After careful observation of the patterns and symbols on the keys and extensive research, the scholars made new discoveries.

"General, the patterns on this key seem to be related to an ancient geographical map. Based on these clues, the next key might be in a mysterious forest in the east. There is said to be an ancient tribe shrouded in mist there, which holds many ancient secrets, and the key might be among them," a scholar said excitedly.

Xiao Yichen immediately ordered preparations to proceed to the mysterious eastern forest. Before setting off, he arranged for a portion of his soldiers to maintain order within the country and help the people address issues such as food shortages and refugee resettlement. Simultaneously, he instructed some strategists to closely monitor the movements of the Mu Kingdom and report back to him promptly.

The journey to the mysterious eastern forest was equally fraught with peril. Along the way, they had to traverse swamps and climb steep mountains. The swamps were riddled with traps; one wrong step and you would fall in, the more you struggled, the deeper you sank. The soldiers linked themselves together with branches and ropes, proceeding cautiously.

While traversing the mountains, they encountered torrential rain. Frequent landslides blocked the roads. But Xiao Yichen and his companions did not give up; they risked their lives to forge new paths.

After several days of arduous trekking, they finally arrived at the edge of the mysterious eastern forest. A thick fog shrouded the forest, reducing visibility to almost nothing. A mysterious aura emanated from it, sending chills down their spines.

"Everyone be careful, this forest is full of unknowns. Don't get separated, stay in close contact," Xiao Yichen reminded everyone.

They slowly entered the forest, the mist clinging to them like tentacles, each step feeling as if they would be swallowed by it. The trees in the forest were exceptionally tall, their branches intertwined, almost completely blocking out the sunlight. The occasional calls of unknown birds and roars of wild beasts added to the eerie atmosphere.

Suddenly, a soldier let out a scream. Everyone rushed over and saw that he was tightly wrapped by a vine that grew out of the ground. The vine was covered with sharp thorns that kept piercing the soldier's body.

"Save him!" Xiao Yichen shouted.

The group immediately rushed forward, using their swords to cut the vines, but the vines seemed to be alive, constantly surging in from all directions. The leader of the men in black used his unique movement technique to weave through the vines, searching for their source. He discovered that these vines extended from a huge ancient tree deep in the forest.

"Attack that ancient tree!" shouted the leader of the men in black.

The soldiers concentrated their firepower and launched an attack on the ancient tree. Under the onslaught of swords and magic, the ancient tree gradually ceased its attack, and the entangled soldier was rescued, but he was already seriously injured.

Continuing deeper into the forest, they encountered a group of mysterious creatures. These creatures resembled humans, but were short in stature, with green skin, large eyes, and sharp teeth. They wielded crude weapons and emitted shrill cries at Xiao Yichen and his companions.

"What kind of monster is this?" a soldier asked in terror.

"Whatever it is, prepare for battle!" Xiao Yichen said.

These mysterious creatures attacked them, moving nimbly and darting through the forest. Though their weapons were rudimentary, their attacks were ferocious and numerous.

Lin Wan'er cast a spell, creating a protective barrier around herself, temporarily blocking the mysterious creatures' attacks. But the creatures didn't seem afraid; they circled the barrier, searching for an opportunity to break through.

“We can’t stay trapped here forever; we have to find a way to get rid of them,” said the leader of the men in black.

Xiao Yichen observed these mysterious creatures and discovered that they seemed to be very sensitive to a certain sound. He ordered his soldiers to try making a loud noise, and sure enough, the mysterious creatures began to panic upon hearing the sound.

"Now's the time, charge over there!" Xiao Yichen shouted.

Taking advantage of the opportunity, the group broke through the encirclement of the mysterious creatures and continued deeper into the forest. As they ventured further, the mist gradually dissipated, revealing a tribe surrounded by ancient buildings. The houses in the tribe were constructed from massive timbers and stones, exuding a primitive atmosphere.

"This should be the place we're looking for. Everyone, be careful," Xiao Yichen said.

They entered the tribe, where the inhabitants watched them warily. These inhabitants were somewhat similar in clothing and appearance to the mysterious creatures they had encountered before, but seemed more civilized.

“We are envoys from Rong Kingdom, and we mean no harm. We are simply here to find something that is very important to us,” Xiao Yichen said, attempting to communicate with the tribal residents.

However, the tribespeople didn't seem to understand their words and remained wary. Just as the two sides were at an impasse, an elder emerged from the tribe. The elder was dressed in magnificent clothes and wore a feather headdress symbolizing his status. He looked at Xiao Yichen and his companions with a deep gaze.

"Why have you come?" the elder asked in an ancient language.

Fortunately, one of the scholars in the group understood this ancient language, and he stepped forward to communicate with the elder. After some conversation, the elder learned of their purpose.

"The key you are looking for is in our tribe's sacred ground, but the sacred ground is strictly guarded, and only those who pass the test can enter," the elder said.

"What kind of test?" Xiao Yichen asked.

“That is a test of courage, wisdom, and kindness; only the truly brave can pass it,” the elder replied.

Xiao Yichen and the others knew they were about to face a new challenge, but to stop Murong Xuan and save the continent, they had no choice but to accept the test and head towards the tribe's sacred land. Meanwhile, Murong Xuan was hot on their heels, his figure lurking like a ghost in the shadows, waiting for the perfect moment to seize the key. A new contest was about to unfold in this mysterious eastern forest.