The two split up and searched for Pei Xuan's whereabouts near the entrance to the secret realm.

After searching, Xu Yuehuai found an abandoned package in a clump of grass, containing some items she had previously given to Pei Xuan.

Her heart sank, and an ominous premonition welled up inside her.

Qi Guze also noticed the anomaly and quickly walked over. "These belong to Pei Xuan."

Xu Yuehua frowned deeply. "He secretly escaped internationally."

"We need to find him quickly," Qi Guze said, glancing around.

The two followed a path deeper into the secret realm, trying to find Pei Xuan's whereabouts.

In the secret realm, they encountered some dangerous beasts.

"Miss Xu, be careful!" Qi Guze drew his soft sword from his waist and immediately stood in front of Xu Yuehuai to protect her.

Xu Yuehua felt a warmth in her heart and also took out her dagger, preparing to fight the beast.

The beast had a blue face and fangs, and was extremely ferocious. Upon seeing them, it quickly pounced on them.

Xu Yuehuai and Qi Guze reacted quickly and dodged the beast's attack.

Qi Guze's soft sword moved like a nimble snake, deftly deflecting the beast's attack.

Xu Yuehuai used her keen skills to cleverly deal with the wild beasts.

After a fierce battle, they finally managed to drive away the beast.

Xu Yuehuai, panting, looked at Qi Guze and said, "Thank you."

Qi Guze shook his head. "We're in the same boat, so helping each other is only natural."

They continued deeper into the secret realm, encountering more ferocious beasts along the way.

But with their previous experience, they were able to handle it more effectively.

"Miss Xu, do you feel there's anything strange about this secret realm?" Qi Guze suddenly asked.

Xu Yuehuai frowned and pondered for a while, "I feel that the evil energy in this secret realm is unusually strong, but..."

"But what?" Qi Guze pressed.

"There seems to be a strange fluctuation here, which makes me feel uneasy," Xu Yuehuai said, his eyes warily scanning his surroundings.

Qi Guze nodded. "I have the same feeling. We need to be extra careful to avoid falling into someone's trap."

The two continued cautiously forward, keeping an eye out for any suspicious signs around them.

Just as they were about to lose patience, a noise suddenly came from afar.

The two immediately hid in the bushes nearby, holding their breath and observing the situation.

A man dressed in a black robe suddenly emerged from the woods and sped off in a certain direction.

Although they only saw his back, Xu Yuehuai and Qi Guze recognized him at a glance as Pei Xuan, the man they were looking for.

"Quick, let's catch up!" Qi Guze shouted, and the two quickly followed Pei Xuan's footsteps.

During the chase, they discovered that Pei Xuan seemed to be deliberately luring them deeper into the secret realm.

But the matter was of utmost importance, and they had no choice but to continue.

Gradually, the surrounding scenery became increasingly unfamiliar, as if we had entered an unknown and dangerous area.

Xu Yuehuai and Qi Guze both realized that the situation was not good, but they had no way out and could only grit their teeth and continue to chase Pei Xuan.

Just as they were about to catch up with Pei Xuan, a huge crack suddenly appeared in front of them.

Pei Xuan leaped into the crevice and vanished without a trace.

Xu Yuehuai and Qi Guze stood there, stunned and at a loss for what to do.

Qi Guze took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down. He observed the huge crack in front of him and found it to be bottomless, like a passage to hell.

“We have to go down and take a look,” Xu Yuehuai said with a determined look in her eyes, her brows furrowed.

Qi Guze nodded; he understood that they had no other choice.

The two cautiously approached the crevice, trying to find a safe place to descend.

They discovered a protruding rock at the edge of the crevice that could serve as a foothold.

Qi Guze stepped on it first, then reached out to help Xu Yuehuai.

"Be careful," Qi Guze warned, then began to climb down along the edge of the crack.

Xu Yuehuai followed closely behind, and the two slowly descended.

The deeper you go, the dimmer the light becomes, and an eerie atmosphere permeates the surroundings.

Soon after, they arrived at a spacious cave.

In the center of the cave is a huge stone platform, on which sits an ancient treasure chest.

"There's probably something dangerous inside that treasure chest," Xu Yuehuai said, pointing at the chest.

However, before they could get close to the treasure chest, a sinister laugh suddenly rang out.

A mysterious figure dressed in a black robe emerged from the darkness, his face bearing a terrifying smiling mask.

"You've finally arrived," the mysterious man said with a sneer. "I knew you'd follow me here."

Xu Yuehuai and Qi Guze immediately became alert, realizing they had been trapped.

"Who are you?" Qi Guze asked, while preparing to deal with a surprise attack.

"Who I am is unimportant," the mysterious man replied with a smile. "However, the fact that you are about to die cannot be changed."

The mysterious man suddenly launched an attack, his terrifying internal energy emanating black smoke, surging from his hands and rushing towards Xu Yuehuai and Qi Guze.

Qi Guze wielded his soft sword, using all his skills to defend against the attacks of the dark energy.

Xu Yuehuai quickly dodged the attacks while secretly taking an antidote pill and giving one to Qi Guze as well.

She held a dagger, ready to fight back.

The mysterious man's attacks were exceptionally fierce, seemingly endless.

Xu Yuehuai and Qi Guze fought with all their might, but gradually they felt powerless.

"This can't go on." Qi Guze said in a low voice, signaling Xu Yuehuai to prepare to retreat.

The two used the terrain to their advantage and engaged in a battle of wits with the mysterious man.

They tried to find each other's weaknesses, but the mysterious man's defenses seemed impenetrable.

During the fierce battle, Xu Yuehuai discovered that the mysterious man would occasionally reveal a weakness.

She remembered that moment and decided to use it to deliver a fatal blow.

Finally, the opportunity came.

The opening appeared when the mysterious man attacked them.

Without hesitation, Xu Yuehuai threw a small gunpowder ball at his opponent's vital point.

The gunpowder ball hit its target precisely and exploded with a bang. The mysterious man let out a shrill scream and swayed precariously.

Qi Guze seized the opportunity and thrust his sword into the mysterious man's chest.

His internal energy was suppressed, and he collapsed to the ground.

Xu Yuehuai and Qi Guze, panting heavily, finally defeated the enemy.

They tried to find clues about the mysterious man's identity, but found nothing.

They reluctantly walked to the treasure chest, opened it, and checked its contents.

The treasure chest was empty!

"Empty?" Xu Yuehuai was stunned. She searched the treasure chest reluctantly, hoping to find some clues.

Qi Guze looked around warily, sensing that there were other dangers lurking in the cave.

"Watch out!" Qi Guze suddenly pushed Xu Yuehuai away, and a sharp stone spike pierced straight through the top of Xu Yuehuai's head.