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Mark woke up by the waterfall. The morning light shone through the dense branches and leaves, casting mottled light and shadows on the ground. The waterfall rushed down and hit the rocks in the pool, making a deafening roar. The air was filled with water vapor and fresh water vapor. He rubbed his eyes and stretched his body, only to feel sore all over. Last night's battle and vigil made him feel very tired.

He turned his head to look at Albert beside him, and was surprised to find that Albert was in much better condition. The cracks on the trunk almost completely disappeared, replaced by smooth and vibrant bark, with a healthy green luster. The dense branches and leaves were also greener and full of vitality, swaying gently in the morning breeze, making a rustling sound.

What surprised Mark even more was that Albert actually spoke!

"Morning, Mark." Albert's voice was low and deep, with a hint of hoarseness, but full of vitality. Compared with the simple sounds he could only make before, he was completely different.

Mark was stunned for a moment, and then he smiled happily. "Albert, you... you can talk now!" He stood up excitedly, walked to Albert's side, and gently stroked his trunk with his hand, feeling the warm touch.

"Yes, Mark." Albert's voice sounded again, "Thanks to the blue flowers you found, they are of great help to my recovery." His branches swayed gently, as if expressing his inner joy.

Mark remembered what happened last night, and he hurried to the pond to look for the blue flowers. By the pond, the blue flowers looked particularly beautiful in the morning light, with crystal dew on the petals, shining with colorful light in the sun. He carefully picked the blue flowers, walked to Albert's side, and placed the flowers at the roots of his tree.

"These flowers will help you recover, you continue to absorb their energy." Mark said, his tone full of concern.

Albert lowered a few branches, gently rolled up the blue flowers, and put them into his mouth. The trunk emitted a faint green light, like breathing, flickering.

"I feel like I'll be able to turn back into human form soon." Albert's voice was full of hope.

Mark listened and was full of expectations.

Albert continued to absorb the energy of the blue flower, while Mark washed and packed his bag by the pool. The sun shone through the gaps in the leaves, forming mottled light and shadows on the ground, swaying gently with the breeze. The water in the pool was clear and reflected the blue sky, white clouds and surrounding trees, and the scenery was beautiful. Several birds sang happily on the branches, adding a touch of vitality to the forest in the early morning.

After washing, Mark began to observe the surrounding environment carefully. He found that there was a hidden cave at the edge of the pool below the waterfall. The entrance of the cave was blocked by dense vines and branches. If you don't observe carefully, it is difficult to find. A damp and corrupt smell emanated from the entrance of the cave, which made people feel a little uncomfortable.

"Albert, look there." Mark pointed in the direction of the cave and said.

Albert looked in the direction of Mark's finger, and the huge tree crown shook slightly, as if expressing doubts.

"I'll go over and take a look. You continue to absorb energy here." Mark said.

Albert gently shook the tree canopy to show his agreement.

Mark conjured a black dagger and cut off the vines and branches blocking the cave entrance, revealing a cave entrance that was only wide enough for one person to pass through. He carefully entered the cave. The cave was dark and damp, and the air was filled with a rotten smell, making it difficult to breathe. He covered his nose with his hand and walked slowly into the depths of the cave with the weak light coming in from the cave entrance.

The ground of the cave was uneven, covered with gravel and soil, soft to step on, and made a creaking sound. The walls of the cave were covered with moss and ferns, wet and sticky to the touch.

After walking about ten meters, Mark found some strange murals and symbols on the cave walls. These murals were painted with an unknown pigment, with bright colors and lifelike, depicting some strange creatures and scenes. The symbols are more abstract, composed of various lines and patterns, and look like some kind of text or totem.

Mark took out a dagger and carefully scraped off some of the paint on the murals, ready to take it back for research. The paint was dry and brittle, and it fell off with a slight scrape, revealing the rough rock surface underneath.

Suddenly, he heard a rustling sound from deep in the cave, as if something was crawling. He immediately became alert, held the dagger tightly, and slowly walked in the direction of the sound.

"Who is it?" Mark asked in a low voice, and the sound echoed in the empty cave.

No one answered, only the rustling sound became clearer and clearer.

Mark's heartbeat began to accelerate, he slowed down, held his breath, and listened carefully to the movements around him.

"Come out!" Mark shouted again, with a hint of warning in his tone.

Still no one answered, but the rustling sound became more urgent, as if something was approaching quickly.

Mark held the dagger tightly, stared at the front, and was ready for battle.

"Who is it?" A thin figure slowly appeared in the darkness, holding a burning branch in his hand, and the flickering firelight illuminated the young face. "Who are you?" The boy asked again, his voice trembling slightly because of fear.

Mark's tense nerves relaxed a little, he put down the dagger in his hand, and said: "My name is Mark. You don't have to be afraid, I have no ill intentions." He noticed that the boy was wearing rough animal skins and had no weapons in his hands except the burning branch.

The boy looked at Mark vigilantly, his eyes full of doubts: "How did you get in?" He took a step back and raised the branch in his hand a little higher. The firelight illuminated the cave behind him. Mark then discovered that there was a different world in the depths of the cave, which looked like a place to live.

"I found the cave entrance by the pool under the waterfall." Mark pointed behind him and explained patiently.

The boy was silent for a while, as if thinking about the authenticity of Mark's words. He looked at the dagger in Mark's hand, then looked at the paint that Mark scraped off, and finally set his eyes on Mark's face. "Are you... here to find something?" he asked cautiously, with a hint of tentativeness in his tone.

Mark shook his head in denial, pointing to Albert who was vaguely visible above the waterfall, "I came in to solve my companion's problem."

The boy looked at Mark half-doubtfully, his eyes sweeping back and forth over him. His thin body wrapped in rough animal skins looked even thinner. The branch in his hand trembled slightly, and the firelight reflected on his tender face, flickering and reflecting his complex expression. Finally, the boy seemed to let down his guard and slowly said, "Come in, it's dangerous outside." After that, he turned and walked deep into the cave. His thin figure looked a little lonely in the swaying firelight.

Mark followed the boy into the depths of the cave and found that there was a different world here. The interior of the cave was much more spacious than the entrance and relatively dry. There were some simple furniture and daily necessities in the cave, such as beds, tables and chairs built with stones and wood, as well as some clothes sewn with animal skins and simple pottery. It looks like a hidden residence. Stalactites of various shapes hang from the top of the cave. Under the light of the fire, they reflect strange light, like gems dotted in the cave. A faint smell of herbs permeates the air, mixed with the smell of soil and wood, forming a unique smell.

Several ragged adults are sitting around a bonfire, and the firelight illuminates their weathered faces. When they saw Mark appear, they immediately showed a vigilant look and stood up, holding simple weapons in their hands, such as sharpened sticks, knives made of stones and bones, etc. Although these weapons are simple, they seem extremely heavy in their hands, as if they contain some special meaning. They stared at Mark with sharp eyes, their bodies tense, ready to fight at any time. On the walls of the cave, there are some dried herbs and animal skins, as well as some unknown animal bones. These things cast strange shadows under the light of the fire, making the whole cave look more mysterious and ancient.

Seeing this, the boy hurriedly explained to everyone: "He is not an enemy." Although his voice was childish, it seemed particularly firm at this moment, as if it carried some special authority. After hearing the boy's explanation, everyone slowly put down their weapons and sat down by the fire again. They still looked at Mark vigilantly, their eyes full of scrutiny and inquiry, as if they wanted to see through Mark's heart. The fire crackled, sparks flew, illuminating their rough faces, and also reflecting the uneasiness and doubts in their hearts. Seeing this, Mark took the initiative to say: "My name is Mark, my companion is Albert, he doesn't know why he became a tree man, I came here to help him recover." As he spoke, he pointed to Albert above the waterfall, his expression sincere and his tone calm. When everyone heard the word "tree man", their faces became solemn. An elderly man slowly spoke, his voice low and hoarse, like an ancient tree whispering: "How did he become a tree man?" His eyes were deep and sharp, as if he could see through everything. Mark recounted the process of fighting with the replica, "I don't know why the replica rune in Albert's stomach turned him into a tree man, but I found that you have a blue flower that can neutralize the power in his body and turn him back into a human." He paused, concealing his suspicion of him, and continued, "We want to know more about the blue flower. Do you know anything about it?"

The old man listened carefully to Mark's story. His wrinkled face was solemn and his eyes were deep, as if he was thinking about something. After a long time, he slowly spoke in a low and slow tone: "Our clan has guarded this valley for generations. The blue flower you mentioned is just a plant that has grown from some energy in our clan." His words were like an ancient spell, with a mysterious and solemn atmosphere.

The old man stood up and motioned Mark to follow him. He was leaning on a wooden stick, and his steps were unsteady, but his eyes were extremely firm. Mark followed the old man, walked through the crowd, and walked to the deepest part of the cave. The light in the depths of the cave was dimmer, the air was more humid, and an ancient and mysterious atmosphere came to his face.

In the deepest part of the cave, Mark saw a huge stone wall, which was engraved with ancient words and patterns. These words and patterns were carved very finely, with smooth lines and lifelike, as if telling an ancient and mysterious story. The stalactites above the stone wall, because of the perennial dripping of water, formed a natural small pool below. The water in the pool was clear and reflected the words and patterns on the stone wall, making the whole scene more mysterious and solemn. The old man pointed to the pattern on the stone wall and began to tell a legend about ancient gods and demons. His voice was low and slow, like an ancient ballad, echoing in the empty cave.

"In ancient times, gods and demons once fought a world-shaking battle on this land..." The old man told slowly, his voice sometimes high and sometimes low. Mark found that the old man was talking about the battle of the Holy City.

"Later, the gods were defeated and the world was occupied by demons. But for some reason, the demons suddenly disappeared, and a more mysterious terror appeared." Mark listened carefully to the old man's story, his heart full of shock and confusion. It turned out that after the Holy City War, there was another party involved. It seems that he was the last great terror to intervene. But why can't we hear any news about him in the world? Only the news of Toby's rebirth organization?

He realized that he was involved in an ancient dispute. Behind this dispute, there was a huge secret, and the holy stone was the key to unlocking this secret.

"The blue flower you mentioned grows in an altar. There are 12 gems left by our ancestors when the demons disappeared."

"12 gems?" Mark was delighted. Those were the 12 sacred stones of the tribe, which were taken away by Elvira as weapons at that time. More importantly, the 12 sacred stones were originally integrated with the sacred stone.