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The goblin shrank under Albert's gaze, and it dipped its finger in the water on the ground and drew a few symbols on the ground. The water stains quickly spread on the wet mud, and the edges of the symbols became blurred, but Albert still recognized that it was some kind of ancient text. In the dim light, Albert squinted his eyes and carefully identified the symbols drawn by the goblin, and his fingers unconsciously tapped the edge of the stone slab.

"These symbols represent... order." Albert pondered for a moment, and his eyes shifted from the symbols on the ground to the runes around the pool.

"According to the meaning of these symbols, we need to touch the runes around the pool in a specific order to remove the trap." He said in a firm tone, with a gleam of wisdom in his eyes.

Albert told Mark the order he had interpreted. Mark walked to the edge of the pool, took a deep breath, and stared at the runes with a focused expression. He touched the runes one by one in the order Albert said. Every time he touched a rune, the rune would flash and emit a faint fluorescence. As Mark touched the last rune, the runes around the pool flashed several times at the same time, and then the light went out, and the hanging stalactites stopped dripping.

The cave suddenly became quiet, leaving only the slightly rapid breathing of Mark and Albert, and the subtle sobbing of the ground.

Mark walked to the center of the pool and took out the fragment of the holy stone. The fragment was warm to the touch and emitted a soft light, like the brightest star in the night sky, illuminating Mark's face and the hope burning in his heart.

When the goblin saw that the fragment of the holy stone was taken away by Mark, a trace of imperceptible disappointment flashed in his eyes. It lowered its head and rubbed the corner of its clothes with its dirty hands. Its body trembled slightly, as if it was suppressing some emotions.

The dim light in the cave made the goblin's facial expression hidden in the shadows, making it elusive. Only the occasional flash of dark red light in its eyes made people vaguely feel its inner fluctuations.

Mark put away the fragments, turned around and said to Albert, "Let's go out first."

Albert nodded, and the two turned and walked towards the cave exit.

The goblin followed them silently, lowering his head and walking step by step. His figure looked particularly thin in the dim light, as if he would disappear in the darkness at any time. When he reached the cave exit, the goblin suddenly stopped. It looked back at the depths of the cave, a hint of hesitation flashed in its eyes, and finally followed Mark and Albert out of the cave.

Walking out of the cave, the warm sunshine sprinkled on the body, dispelling the cold and dampness in the cave. In the dense forest, the birds sang and the flowers bloomed, and the air was fresh, which formed a sharp contrast with the gloomy and terrifying cave before.

The goblin suddenly stopped, pointing in a direction, mumbling something in his mouth, his voice hoarse, like the sound of dead branches rubbing against each other. Its thin body looked even thinner in the sun, like a dead leaf that could be blown away by the wind at any time. Its exposed skin was covered with scars and dirt, which was particularly dazzling in the sun. Albert carefully observed the goblin's gestures and expressions. The goblin's fingers were well-jointed, his nails were black, and his fingertips were covered with dirt. The wrinkles on its face were crisscrossed like gullies, and in its deep eye sockets, a pair of dark red eyes rolled around, flashing a cunning light.

Albert guessed that it might be taking them to a new place. The surrounding trees were towering into the clouds, with lush branches and leaves, covering the sky and the sun. The sun shone through the gaps in the leaves, casting mottled light and shadows on the ground. The breeze blew, and the leaves rustled, like a whisper, which made people feel a little mysterious.

"Where does it want to take us?" Mark asked with a hint of doubt in his tone. He blocked the dazzling sunlight with his hand, stared at the goblin closely, and observed its every move.

Albert shook his head, "I don't know, but I suggest following it. We need to find out why the owner of the castle hid the fragments." His tone was calm, but there was a hint of vigilance in his eyes.

He knew that although the goblin looked weak, it might be more familiar with the terrain and the hidden dangers in this forest than they were.

Mark and Albert decided to follow the goblin and continue to move forward. They passed through the dense forest, with thick fallen leaves under their feet, making a "rustling" sound when they stepped on them. The sun shone through the gaps in the leaves, casting mottled light and shadows on the ground, swaying gently with the breeze.

The sound of unknown birds came from a distance, crisp and pleasant, adding a touch of vitality to this quiet forest. After walking for about an hour, they came to a cliff. The cliffs towered into the clouds, like a natural barrier, isolating them from the outside world. Below the cliff is a bottomless abyss, surrounded by clouds and mist, which is daunting. The goblin pointed to a path below the cliff and motioned them to go down. The path was winding and hidden in the dense vegetation. If it weren't for the goblin's guidance, it would be difficult for them to find this path.

The path was rugged and covered with gravel and thorns, and one could fall if he was not careful. Mark and Albert walked down the path carefully, taking every step with extreme caution. On the cliff, the mountain wind whistled, making the clothes rustle. On the edge of the cliff, some unknown wild flowers grew, swaying in the wind, exuding a faint fragrance.

About half an hour later, they finally came to the bottom of the cliff. This is a hidden valley with birds singing and flowers blooming, and the scenery is pleasant, which is in sharp contrast to the gloomy and terrifying cave before.

In the center of the valley, there is an ancient altar, which is engraved with mysterious runes. The runes emit a faint fluorescence, which is particularly eye-catching in the sun. Around the altar, various exotic flowers and plants grow, exuding a refreshing fragrance.

The goblin walked to the altar, knelt down, and began to pray. It muttered something in its mouth, and its voice was low and hoarse, like an ancient spell, echoing in the valley. The runes on the altar suddenly emitted a dazzling light, and a portal appeared in the center of the altar. The portal was round and emitted a soft light, like the entrance to another world, full of mystery and unknown.

The goblin stood up and motioned Mark and Albert to enter the portal. It pointed at the portal with its finger, and its eyes flashed with expectation. Mark and Albert looked at each other, their eyes full of hesitation. They didn't know what was on the other side of the portal, nor did they know what was waiting for them.

"Go in?" Mark asked in a low voice, with a hint of uneasiness in his tone.

Albert took a deep breath and nodded, "Go in." His tone was firm, and his eyes were full of determination.

Mark pushed the goblin and said, "You go in first." The goblin walked into the portal unwillingly, and Mark and Albert followed closely behind.