"This is the central hub," Shen Jingqi said.

They approached the control panel, carefully examining the buttons and switches. Shen Jingqi noticed a screen on the control panel displaying some strange patterns and characters. He tried operating the buttons, and the patterns on the screen began to change.

"It seems these buttons can control different mechanisms," Shen Jingqi said, "Let's see if there's a button that controls the exit."

They fumbled around the control panel, and suddenly, Xu An inadvertently pressed a button. Suddenly, a rumbling sound filled the room, and the ground began to shake.

"Oh no, did I press the wrong button?" Xu An shouted in panic.

Shen Jingqi was also a bit flustered, but he quickly calmed down and said, "Don't panic, let's see what happens."

Once the shaking stopped, they found that one side of the room's wall slowly opened, revealing a passageway leading outside. A ray of light shining through the passage gave them hope.

"Great, we can get out," Shen Jingqi said excitedly.

The two quickly moved through the passageway, and when they exited the valley, it was already dawn. Sunlight bathed them, giving them a sense of warmth. They looked back at the mysterious valley, feeling a mix of emotions.

"We really escaped death this time," Xu An said.

Shen Jingqi nodded and said, "Yes, but we've also gained a lot. There must be more secrets hidden in this valley; we should explore it again someday."

However, just as they were about to leave, Shen Jingqi suddenly noticed a pair of eyes seemingly watching them from the valley's entrance. He was startled and quickly pulled Xu An aside.

"Look, there seems to be someone there," Shen Jingqi whispered.

Xu An looked in the direction Shen Jingqi pointed and indeed saw a figure briefly appear at the entrance.

"Who could it be? Is it someone else trapped in the valley?" Xu An asked, puzzled.

Shen Jingqi shook his head and said, "I don't know, but we should be cautious. This person's sudden appearance is quite suspicious."

They decided not to leave and discreetly observe the mysterious person's movements. After a while, the mysterious figure appeared at the entrance again, glanced around, and then walked into the valley.

"He's going into the valley; let's follow and see," Shen Jingqi said.

The two cautiously followed the mysterious person, maintaining a certain distance. The mysterious person seemed very familiar with the valley's environment, navigating effortlessly through the passages and arriving at a closed chamber.

The chamber door was tightly shut, and the mysterious person took out a key from his pocket, unlocking the door. Shen Jingqi and Xu An hid in the shadows, watching as the mysterious person entered the chamber, full of curiosity.

"Should we go in and take a look?" Xu An asked.

Shen Jingqi thought for a moment and said, "Let's go in and take a look; maybe we can discover more secrets."

They quietly approached the chamber door and listened closely to the sounds inside. Inside, there was a faint sound of rummaging, as if the mysterious person was searching for something.

Shen Jingqi gently pushed the door open, and he and Xu An entered together. The chamber was filled with an ancient aura, with various old books and artifacts arranged around. The mysterious person heard the noise, turned around, and saw Shen Jingqi and Xu An, surprised.

"Who are you? How did you end up here?" the mysterious person asked warily.

Shen Jingqi said, "We accidentally stumbled into this valley and got trapped inside. Who are you? What are you looking for here?"

The mysterious person hesitated for a moment and said, "My name is Lin Yu. I also accidentally entered here. I'm looking for an ancient scroll that's said to contain a powerful force."

Shen Jingqi and Xu An exchanged a glance, even more intrigued.

"What scroll? Can you tell us?" Shen Jingqi asked.

Lin Yu nodded and said, "The scroll is called 'Valley Secret Manual.' It's said that whoever possesses it can control the secrets of the entire valley and even gain unimaginable power. I've been searching here for a long time but haven't found it yet."

Shen Jingqi said, "Let's work together; maybe a team can accomplish more."

Lin Yu thought about it, found it reasonable, and agreed. Thus, the three began meticulously searching the chamber. After a thorough search, they finally discovered a hidden compartment in a corner. The compartment had a strange lock that required a specific key to open.

"It looks like this is where the scroll is stored," Lin Yu said, "But where is the key?"

As they felt perplexed, Shen Jingqi suddenly noticed a mural next to the hidden compartment, depicting some strange patterns and symbols that resembled those seen earlier at the central hub.

"Could these patterns be related to the key?" Shen Jingqi said.

They started studying the patterns on the mural. After some thinking and trying, they finally figured out how to open the hidden compartment. It opened slowly, revealing a book emitting a mysterious glow inside.

"This is the 'Valley Secret Manual'!" Lin Yu said excitedly.

He reached to grab the scroll, and at that moment, the scroll suddenly emitted a strong light, enveloping the three of them. Shen Jingqi only felt darkness before losing consciousness.

When he awoke again, he found himself in a strange place. Around him was a desolate desert, with the blistering sun hanging high, baking the ground. He searched around for Xu An and Lin Yu but found nothing.

"Xu An! Lin Yu! Where are you?" Shen Jingqi shouted loudly, his voice echoing through the barren desert without any response.

Filled with confusion and fear, he trudged onward through the desert.

He didn't know how long he had been going when he became extremely tired and thirsty, his body reaching its limit. Just when he felt hopeless, he suddenly saw a small oasis ahead. His heart filled with joy, and he quickened his pace towards the oasis.

Upon reaching the oasis, he discovered an ancient temple. The temple's doors were tightly shut, and a mysterious aura surrounded it. Shen Jingqi hesitated for a moment but decided to go in and take a look.

He pushed open the temple doors, finding the interior dimly lit. He walked cautiously inward, suddenly hearing a deep chanting voice. Following the direction of the voice, he found an elderly man, dressed in a robe, sitting cross-legged, chanting with his eyes closed.

"Who are you? Where is this place?" Shen Jingqi asked.

The elder slowly opened his eyes, glanced at him, and said, "I am the Guardian of this temple. Why have you come here?"

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