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Mark reached out and tried to touch the crystal stone suspended in the air. As soon as his fingers touched the smooth surface of the crystal stone, a powerful energy surged like a tide and bounced him away. He staggered back a few steps and almost fell.

Albert quickly supported Mark and asked with concern: "Mark, are you okay?" His voice echoed in the empty cave with a slight tremor. He supported Mark's arm, frowned, and his eyes were full of worry. The light in the cave was dim, and Albert could only barely see Mark's face with the faint light emitted by the crystal stone in the red-haired woman's hand.

Mark waved his hand to indicate that he was fine. He rubbed his arm that was numb from the shock, took a deep breath, and suppressed the surging blood in his body. The energy fluctuations emitted by the crystal stone made him feel palpitations. This power was powerful and mysterious, which made him feel a little uneasy. He looked up at the huge crystal stone, his eyes full of confusion and curiosity. "This fragment of the holy stone is rejecting me. This power... seems to have its own consciousness." He murmured in a low voice, with a hint of disbelief in his tone.

Seeing this, the red-haired woman immediately walked to the crystal stone, clasped her hands together, and chanted something.

"Under the guidance of the stars, I call you, the ancient spirit, and I resonate with you. With the wind as a letter and the moon as an alliance, let the light in this stone be gentle and peaceful."

The spell she chanted with a strange rhythm echoed in the empty cave, as if it could penetrate the rock and reach the sky. The light of the crystal stone gradually softened with her spell. The originally dazzling light became soft and warm, like moonlight falling in every corner of the cave, dispelling darkness and fear.

Feeling the change of the crystal stone, Mark stood up and approached the crystal stone again. He stretched out his hand carefully. This time, he did not touch the crystal stone directly, but hovered his palm a few centimeters above the crystal stone, feeling the energy fluctuations emanating from the crystal stone. This energy was warm and gentle, like a spring breeze, which made him feel comfortable. He closed his eyes and carefully felt the flow of this energy, trying to communicate the origin and function of this holy stone fragment. He slowly moved his palm and gently stroked along the surface of the crystal stone, feeling the texture and structure of the crystal stone. The surface of the crystal stone was as smooth as jade, but with a rough texture, as if it had been baptized by a long time.

Albert looked around vigilantly, paying attention to the possible dangers in the cave. The light in the cave was dim, and Albert could only barely see the surrounding environment with the faint light emitted by the crystal stone. The walls of the cave were covered with wet moss, and the ground was covered with a thin layer of mud, which was a bit slippery when stepped on. There was a damp and musty smell in the air, which made people feel a little uncomfortable. From time to time, he turned his head to look at the entrance of the cave to make sure that their retreat was not blocked. His eyes swept through every corner of the cave, trying to find any clues.

The red-haired woman stopped praying and turned to face Mark and Albert. Her eyes were filled with a complex emotion, including awe, sadness, and determination. "According to the records of our ancestors, a thousand years ago, the holy city was broken, and my ancestors fled here with this fragment of the holy stone. The ancestors were defeated by the Soul Taker. In order to protect this fragment, they sacrificed their lives and merged their souls into the fragment. They tried to use the power of the soul to block the Soul Taker's perception of the fragment of the holy stone." She pointed to the huge crystal stone in the center of the cave, "As time went by, the consciousness of the ancestors' souls was lost in the power. Some lost souls left the holy stone with the power of the fragments and randomly attached themselves to the surrounding creatures. The monster spider you encountered was one of them."

"The reason why the ground shook is because another soul left..." Her tone became hurried, and her eyes were full of anxiety.

"Albert, do you have a way to purify this fragment? Let the heroic spirits of the Valley Tribe be freed." Mark asked Albert.

"If we can find the fragment of the holy stone containing the power of the soul, then things will be simple. Now that this fragment is missing, I need to think about how to avoid harming these souls."

Albert sat cross-legged, making some strange symbols in the air with his hands. He frowned, his lips moved slightly, and he seemed to be muttering something. The soft light of the crystal stone reflected on his wrinkled face, making him look even older.

Seeing this, the red-haired woman walked to the crystal stone, stroked the surface of the crystal stone with both hands, and chanted an ancient spell in a low voice. Her voice was low and melodious, like an ancient ballad, echoing in the cave. The light emitted by the crystal stone became bright and dim as she chanted, as rhythmic as breathing. The air in the cave seemed to fluctuate with her chanting, filled with a mysterious and ancient atmosphere. The red-haired woman's long red hair was like a burning flame under the light of the crystal stone, making it even more charming.

Mark walked to the entrance of the cave to be on guard. He turned his back to Albert and the red-haired woman, and looked vigilantly at everything outside the cave. It was pitch black outside the cave, with only a few low roars of wild beasts from afar, which added to the tranquility and mystery of the valley. A breeze blew at the entrance of the cave, carrying a hint of the fragrance of soil and grass, which formed a sharp contrast with the humid air in the cave.

Suddenly, a low roar came from the far side of the cave, as if a sleeping giant beast was awakened and roared angrily. The roar echoed in the cave, causing the air to vibrate. The ground also shook violently, and gravel fell from the top of the cave, shining like a meteor under the light of the crystal stone.

Mark signaled Albert and the red-haired woman to prepare for battle. His eyes were sharp, like a sword out of its sheath, with a cold light. He said in a deep voice: "Be careful, something is coming!" His voice was low and powerful, and it was particularly clear in the vibrating cave.

The red-haired woman stopped singing, her eyes became sharp, like a hunting cheetah, full of aggression. She pulled out a dagger from her waist, and the blade of the dagger reflected the cold light under the light of the crystal stone, like the tongue of a poisonous snake, which made people shudder. She took a deep breath and prepared for the battle.

"Here it comes!" Mark shouted in a low voice, with a hint of nervousness in his voice.

There was a tremor, and a huge black shadow slowly walked out of the darkness and appeared in the sight of the three people.