Shen Jingqi stood in the dim corner of the ancient temple, everything he had experienced felt like a nightmare, yet it was all too real.

The elder was sitting on a meditation mat in the temple, his figure lean but exuding an aura of authority. His gaze was profound and calm, as if he could see through all the secrets of the world. Shen Jingqi took a deep breath, working to calm himself, and began to speak slowly, recounting everything to the elder about how he, Xu An, and Lin Yu ventured into the valley, and the bizarre events that followed.

The elder listened silently, with no change in his expression. When Shen Jingqi finished speaking, he closed his eyes slightly and pondered for a moment. Inside the temple, it was so quiet that only Shen Jingqi's rapid breathing and the elder's faint sighs could be heard. Shen Jingqi stared intently at the elder, his gaze full of expectation and anxiety, desperately hoping the elder would give him an answer, one that could help him escape this terrifying predicament.

Finally, the elder slowly opened his eyes, his gaze like a flame directed at Shen Jingqi, and said, "You have triggered the taboo of the valley and been drawn into a mysterious space. This space is full of danger and unknowns, like a gigantic labyrinth, where even the slightest mistake could lead to eternal ruin. You must find three mystical keys to unlock the gateway to the real world."

Shen Jingqi felt his mind buzz - three mystical keys? It sounded like a far-off dream. A trace of despair flashed in his eyes, but it was quickly replaced by determination. He hurriedly asked, "Three mystical keys? Where can they be found? Please, you must tell me!"

The elder stood up and walked to the window of the temple, gazing at the ominous sky outside, slowly speaking, "These three keys are hidden in three mysterious lands within the desert. The first place is Flame Mountain, where blazing flames guard the key, flames like an angry dragon, capable of turning anything that approaches it to ashes; the second place is Ice Cave, where piercing ice blocks the path, its chilling aura seemingly able to freeze one's soul; the third place is Mist Forest, where enchanting mist confuses the mind, hiding countless unknown dangers within. Tread cautiously, I wish you luck."

Listening to the elder's words, Shen Jingqi was filled with fear and unease. Flame Mountain, Ice Cave, Mist Forest, each place seemed like a deathtrap. However, he knew he had no way back, in order to return to the real world and find Xu An and Lin Yu, he must embark on this adventure. He thanked the elder, bowed deeply, and then resolutely turned to leave the temple.

Outside the temple, fierce winds howled, and the sky was filled with yellow sand. Shen Jingqi braced against the wind and sand, struggling to move forward. He didn't know what awaited him ahead, whether it was ferocious beasts or treacherous traps, but he had only one belief in his heart: to find the keys, return to the real world, and reunite with Xu An and Lin Yu.

After walking for a long time, Shen Jingqi finally arrived at the edge of the desert. The desert stretched endlessly ahead, golden dunes dazzling under the sunlight. He took a deep breath and stepped into this land of death. The temperature in the desert was extremely high, with the scorching sand underfoot seeming to burn through the soles of his feet. Shen Jingqi trudged along, each step requiring tremendous effort.

Suddenly, a rumbling sound came from afar, as if thousands of horses were charging forward. Shen Jingqi was startled, looked up, and saw a giant mountain ahead engulfed in raging flames, rising into the sky, dyeing the entire sky red. This was Flame Mountain! Fear surged in Shen Jingqi's heart, yet he gritted his teeth and moved towards Flame Mountain.

As he approached Flame Mountain, a wave of scorching heat came rushing towards him, making it nearly impossible to breathe. The flames on Flame Mountain danced like furious dragons, weaving and soaring in the mountains with growls echoing. Shen Jingqi cautiously searched for the entrance to Flame Mountain, but all around were blazing flames, with no way in sight.

Just as he felt despair, he noticed a narrow crevice on the side of Flame Mountain, faintly radiating a weak light. Shen Jingqi's heart stirred, could this be the entrance to Flame Mountain? Without hesitating, he moved towards the crevice. As he approached, a powerful wave of heat blasted towards him, nearly knocking him to the ground, but he clung tightly to the rocks beside the crevice and crawled in with difficulty.

The crevice was filled with a pungent sulfur smell, and the temperature was extremely high. Shen Jingqi felt as though his skin was being scorched, but he gritted his teeth and continued forward step by step. Suddenly, a giant fireball appeared ahead, flying straight at him. Shen Jingqi was startled and quickly dodged to the side, the fireball grazing past him and reducing the rocks behind him to ashes.

With a racing heart, he continued walking forward, filled with caution. After advancing further, he finally arrived at the entrance of a massive cave. The cave shimmered with red light, as if concealing countless secrets. Shen Jingqi took a deep breath and walked into the cave.

The cave was filled with a blazing atmosphere, with molten lava flowing along the walls. Shen Jingqi walked cautiously, fearful of triggering any traps inadvertently. Suddenly, he heard a low roaring sound, seeming to come from deep within the cave. His heartbeat quickened, was there a dangerous creature here?

Following the sound, he saw a huge figure ahead. It was a giant beast covered in flames, its eyes like two enormous fireballs emitting a terrifying glow. The beast saw Shen Jingqi and roared angrily, rushing towards him. Shen Jingqi was shocked and quickly dodged to the side, the beast missed him, crashing into the cave wall, splashing lava everywhere.

Taking advantage of the opportunity, Shen Jingqi picked up a rock from the ground and hurled it at the beast. The rock hit the beast with a dull thud but did not cause any harm. The beast turned again, charging at Shen Jingqi. He dodged in all directions, feeling increasingly desperate. He knew this wasn't working; he had to find a way to defeat the beast to get the key.

Just when he felt hopeless, he suddenly noticed behind the beast there was a stone platform, and on the platform lay a key radiating red light. Could this be the first key? Shen Jingqi's heart leapt with hope, and he decided to take a risk. Seizing a moment when the beast lunged, he dashed to its rear and reached out for the key.

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