Alliance: Start Suona, send away the stupid sister Zhou

Chapter 940 Unknown
The next day, when the first ray of sunlight pierced through the morning mist and awakened the sleeping earth, the expedition team had already packed up and were ready to go. Looking at the journey that was still far away, yet close at hand, everyone's face was filled with determination and expectation.

"Let's go, towards the Shadow Forest, towards the unknown." Lin Feng gave an order, and the team embarked on a new journey. Their backs lengthened in the morning light. It was a fearless exploration of the future and a brave declaration of self-challenge.

At the edge of the Shadow Forest, mist lingered, like a mysterious veil, hiding the secrets deep in the forest. The trees were so tall and densely covered with branches and leaves that even at noon, only a few rays of sunlight could barely penetrate. The moment the expedition team entered the forest, an oppressive atmosphere immediately enveloped them.

"This place is even more eerie than I imagined." The female mage said softly, the staff in her hand trembling slightly, obviously sensing something unusual around her.

"Indeed, but since we are here, we don't plan to return empty-handed." The warrior's tone was firm, his eyes scanning the surroundings, ready to deal with any possible threats at any time.

"We have to be careful. The book says that the shadow creatures in the Shadow Forest will become extremely powerful under the moonlight." Lin Xier reminded, her fingers lightly touching the dagger at her waist, her heart full of alertness.

"Remember, maintain formation and try not to act separately." Lin Feng emphasized again that as the captain, his sense of responsibility allowed him to remain calm and sharp at all times.

As they went deeper, the surrounding environment became more bizarre. The occasional rustling sound made people tense up, but they always turned around to find nothing. Just when everyone was on edge, a wolf-like creature covered with a faint black mist appeared quietly, with green eyes flashing, locking onto the expedition team.

"Shadow Beast!" Lin Feng shouted in a low voice and drew his sword from its sheath. The silver sword light was particularly dazzling in the dim light.

"I'll hold it back, warrior, you look for an opportunity to attack!" The female mage quickly cast an illumination spell, and a ball of light exploded above the shadow beast's head, briefly exposing its position.

The warrior did not hesitate at all. Taking advantage of the light, he jumped up and swung his battle axe with a sound of breaking wind to hit the vital point of the shadow beast. At the same time, Lin Xier and Lin Feng surrounded it from both sides and blocked its retreat. After a short and fierce battle, the shadow beast turned into a wisp of black smoke and dissipated under the attack of light and sharp blades.

"Well done. Is everyone okay?" Lin Feng looked around at everyone and confirmed that all the team members were safe.

"This is just the beginning. The challenge of Shadow Forest has just begun." The female mage put away her staff, her eyes more determined.

Just as they were about to move on, the ground suddenly shook, and a powerful force came from the depths of the forest. Then, an ancient and deep voice rang in everyone's heart: "Foreign travelers, welcome to the Shadow Forest. Only by solving the mystery of the forest can you prove your qualifications."

"Where is the voice coming from?" The soldier looked around but couldn't find the source of the voice.

"I think this is our next puzzle." Lin Feng murmured. He looked into the distance. The fog there seemed to be thicker than before, hiding some unknown challenge.

"No matter what, we will not retreat." Lin Xier gripped the dagger tightly, fighting spirit burning in her eyes.

"Then it's settled. We will face it together. No matter what kind of trial it is, we have nothing to fear." After Lin Feng finished speaking, the team took another step forward, stepping into a deeper unknown area. Every step was based on courage and determination.

"Remember, we are each other's strength." The sorceress added softly, her magic ball of light guiding forward, illuminating the darkness ahead.

Just as their conversation gradually faded into the forest, a figure quietly appeared where they had just stood. It was an elf wrapped in silver-white light. "Your courage is commendable, but the Shadow Forest is far from being as simple as it seems. Travelers, I hope your faith can lead you through this shadowy land." After saying that, the elf turned into a stream of light and disappeared among the shadows of the trees, as if it was a preview of their future, or some kind of expectation from the ancient forest.

Night fell again, and the expedition team sat in a secret cave found by Lin Xier and Lin Feng. Outside was the endless darkness of the Shadow Forest, while inside the cave was bright because of the warmth of the team.

"No matter what happens, at least we are still together now." Lin Feng looked at his friends sitting in a circle, his heart filled with gratitude.

"That's right, this companionship is our greatest strength." Lin Xier agreed, her eyes showing both determination to face the challenge and trust in her partner.

Just as the conversation was getting better, a strange wave suddenly spread in the cave, and the air seemed to be distorted by an invisible force, making people feel cold. Then, a tiny but unignorable blue light slowly rose from the deepest part of the cave, gradually gathering into a dazzling column, illuminating the entire cave like daylight.

"What is that?" Lin Xier exclaimed, her voice full of curiosity and vigilance. She was the first to stand up and move towards the light source.

The warrior and the female mage followed closely behind, and the three of them walked towards the mysterious blue light. In the light, a divine artifact was quietly suspended in the air - a long staff that was crystal clear and emitted a deep blue light. The staff was wrapped with faint runes, which seemed to contain endless mysteries and power. It was the legendary Staff of the Void.

"The Staff of the Void... How is this possible?" the sorceress exclaimed, her voice trembling slightly with excitement. She had heard of the legend of this ancient artifact, but she had never expected to see it in person under such circumstances.

"It seems that our journey is not just about facing challenges." Lin Feng said calmly, but his eyes could not hide his desire and awe for this artifact. He knew that the appearance of the Void Staff would definitely lead to a series of changes.

"The appearance of the artifact will surely attract countless greedy eyes. We must quickly decide whether to possess it or protect it." The warrior's words were loud and clear, and he looked at everyone firmly, seeking consensus.

"We can't let it fall into the wrong hands." Lin Xier said firmly, holding the dagger tightly in her hand. She knew very well that if a divine weapon with such power fell into the hands of evil forces, the consequences would be disastrous.

At this moment, a burst of hurried footsteps approached from afar, breaking the silence in the cave. A strange voice sounded outside the cave: "Haha, it seems that good luck is really on our side. The Void Staff, the legendary power, will belong to us today!"

Everyone quickly formed a defensive posture and looked towards the cave entrance vigilantly. Several strangers with different equipment entered one after another. The leader had a greedy look on his face and stared at the Void Staff, obviously coming for the artifact.

"Friends, this thing is not something you can get your hands on." The warrior stepped forward and stood between the crowd and the newcomer, with his battle axe horizontally, making his position clear. "If you block our way, you must be prepared to pay the price." The other party snorted coldly and waved his hand, and his companions behind him quickly dispersed, forming an encirclement.

"It seems that conflict is unavoidable." The female mage chanted a spell in a low voice, light jumping on her fingertips, ready to meet the enemy at any time.

"We are here to protect, not to plunder. I hope you can make a wise choice." Lin Feng's tone was calm, but his eyes were firm. He knew very well that once a conflict broke out, everyone would face a life-and-death test.

"Wisdom? In this world where the strong are respected, strength is everything." The leader sneered and then waved his hand to signal the attack.

The battle was about to start. Lin Xier nimbly shuttled between the enemies, her dagger was as accurate and deadly as a swallow piercing a willow; the warrior's battle axe was invincible, and every blow was accompanied by an explosion in the air, shocking everyone; the female mage controlled the power of the elements, and her spells were like gorgeous fireworks, illuminating every corner of the cave.

As the two sides were fighting fiercely, the Void Staff suddenly emitted a brighter light, and an invisible force surged out of the staff, knocking everyone back. Then, it slowly descended and finally stopped in front of Lin Feng, as if recognizing its master.

"This is..." Lin Feng was stunned, looking at the Void Staff in his hand, with mixed feelings in his heart. He knew that from this moment on, the gears of fate had quietly turned.

"Lin Feng, it seems that it has chosen you." The female mage said softly, with both relief and worry in her eyes.

"What should we do?" Lin Xier asked, her eyes wandering between the artifact and her teammates, knowing that this sudden change would make their journey more difficult.

Lin Feng took a deep breath and looked at each of his companions one by one: "Let's keep moving forward and protect the Void Staff so that it won't become a weapon for the greedy. Also, I believe that the secrets hidden in this staff may help us solve the mystery of the Shadow Forest."

The warrior nodded in agreement, and the others also expressed their support. After the decision was made, the team packed up and set out on the journey again. The difference was that this time they not only carried courage and wisdom, but also the chosen artifact - the Void Staff.

Just as the team was about to leave the cave and continue to explore the depths of the Shadow Forest, a sudden powerful force suddenly swept through the entire cave. It was the first test of the new owner of the Void Staff. Along with the dazzling blue light, an irresistible energy wave spread out, and the team members were hit by this force, staggering back, and suffered varying degrees of injury.

"Be careful!" Lin Feng shouted. He tried to use his body to protect the Void Staff from being affected, but the force was too strong and even he was knocked to the ground. The long staff in his hand flew out of his hand, and after spinning several times in the air, it opened a deep portal on its own and disappeared in the blink of an eye.

"What... is going on?" Lin Xier struggled to get up, covering her bruised arm with her hand, her face full of shock and confusion.

"The Void Staff... ran away?" The warrior rubbed his eyes in disbelief and looked around, trying to find any trace of it.

The female mage fell to her knees, gasping in pain. It was obvious that the impact just now had caused her considerable damage. "The power contained in this staff is far beyond our imagination... We may have triggered some kind of protection mechanism."

Lin Feng stood up slowly. Although his chest ached, his eyes remained firm. "We must find it. The Void Staff chose me, and it chose our team. No matter where it went, there must be a deeper meaning behind it."

"But we are all injured now, how can we find him?" Lin Xier looked around worriedly. All her teammates looked exhausted.

"Rest and recover our strength. That's what we need to do most now." The female sorceress stood up with difficulty and used the remaining magic power to perform preliminary treatment on everyone's wounds. "We must believe that the Void Staff will not leave for no reason. Perhaps it is guiding us to some important place."

Night fell again, and they simply treated their wounds in the cave, taking turns to keep watch, alert for possible dangers. Time passed quietly in an atmosphere of uneasiness and expectation.

The next morning, when the first ray of sunlight shone through the gaps in the dense forest and fell on everyone's faces, Lin Feng suddenly opened his eyes with a decisive light flashing in his eyes, "I have an idea, but I need everyone's support and trust."

"Tell me about it." The soldier dusted himself off and looked at Lin Feng seriously.

"The Staff of the Void carries a power beyond reality. I think it may have returned to where it originally belonged - the core of the Shadow Forest. There lies the deepest secret of the forest, and it is also the key to unlocking it all." Lin Feng's voice was full of confidence.

"We have never been to that place, and it is full of dangers." Although Lin Xier was worried, she still chose to believe Lin Feng.

"That's right, but we have no choice. Only by finding and mastering the Staff of the Void can we truly protect it from being abused by evil forces." The sorceress nodded firmly.

After packing up, the group set out on a journey to the core of Shadow Forest with uncertainty and determination. They passed through the winding forest paths, crossed the steep canyon, and finally arrived in front of a huge stone gate covered with ancient runes. In the center of the stone gate, there was a depression, the shape of which just matched the Void Staff.

"It seems that we have found the right place." The warrior whispered, looking at the stone door that seemed to be waiting for their arrival.

Lin Feng carefully placed the Void Staff in his hand into the groove. In an instant, the stone door opened with a bang, revealing a passage leading to the core of the Shadow Forest, which was filled with mysterious and powerful magical fluctuations.

Just as they were about to step in, Lin Xier grabbed Lin Feng's hand, turned around and said to him: "No matter what the road ahead is, we will always be together."

"Together, until the end." Lin Feng held Lin Xier's hand tightly, and then the four of them stepped into the unknown and challenging passage hand in hand. Their backs looked both small and great in the dimming light.

The light inside the passage gradually brightened, revealing a strange scene. The space seemed to be distorted, and colorful lights intertwined in the air, forming a series of flowing paintings. This is the true core of the Shadow Forest and the origin of the Void Staff.