Me? I was transported into a book? And I became a vicious villain?

The old man's sudden power shocked everyone, including the crazy mutant spider. It let out an unwilling roar, but did not dare to approach easily. Chu Mengmeng and Xiao Yichen looked at the old man in shock, as if they were meeting him for the first time.

"Old man, you..." Chu Mengmeng hesitated to speak. She wanted to ask something but didn't know where to start.

The old man smiled slightly, his eyes deep and kind, "I know you have a lot of questions in your heart, but now is not the time to explain. Come with me, I know how to leave here."

After saying that, he walked straight to the stone wall, stretched out his hand and pressed down on an inconspicuous stone brick. The stone wall rumbled open to both sides, revealing a deep passage.

"This is..." Chu Mengmeng and Xiao Yichen looked at each other, their hearts full of confusion and uneasiness.

"Don't worry, just follow me." The old man took the lead in stepping into the passage. Chu Mengmeng and Xiao Yichen looked at each other and followed closely.

The passage was winding, and the walls on both sides were engraved with ancient characters and patterns, which looked mysterious in the dim light. After walking for an unknown period of time, the view suddenly opened up and a wide underground space appeared in front of them.

In the center of the space, a huge crystal ball was suspended, emitting dazzling light. The surrounding walls were also engraved with dense words and patterns, as if telling some ancient secrets.

"This... is the core area of ​​the ruins." The old man pointed at the crystal ball, with a hint of awe in his tone, "It controls the power of the entire ruins."

Before Chu Mengmeng and Xiao Yichen had time to take a closer look, a sinister laugh suddenly came from behind them.

"Haha, it's true that after searching for a long time, I finally found it without any effort. Chu Mengmeng, I didn't expect that you actually found this place!"

Aunt Zhao and Chu Yunyao walked out from the shadows with ferocious smiles on their faces.

"What do you want to do?" Chu Mengmeng asked vigilantly.

"What? Of course I'm stopping you!" Chu Yunyao sneered, "The power of this relic can only belong to me!"

"Wishful thinking!" Xiao Yichen stood in front of Chu Mengmeng with a cold look in his eyes, "I won't let you succeed!"

A great battle was about to break out, however, at this moment, the crystal ball suddenly trembled violently, and a black shadow slowly emerged from the sphere, bringing with it a suffocating feeling of oppression.

"What is that?" Chu Mengmeng asked in horror.

The old man looked solemn and muttered to himself: "Oh no, it's the black shadow...it has awakened..."

"What is that?" Chu Mengmeng asked in horror, her voice trembling slightly.

The old man looked solemn and muttered to himself: "Oh no, it's the black shadow... it's awakened..." His voice was low and hoarse, as if it came from a distant time and space, carrying the meaning of an ancient prophecy.

A black shadow gradually emerged from the crystal ball. It had no fixed shape, like a ball of thick ink, rolling and twisting in the air, emitting a suffocating sense of oppression. It had no eyes, but seemed to be able to see through everything. Its cold eyes swept across everyone present, and finally stopped at Chu Mengmeng.

"Ah!" Chu Mengmeng felt as if she was being stared at by a poisonous snake. She felt cold all over and couldn't help but scream. Fear surged into her heart like a tide. She wanted to escape, but her legs felt like they were filled with lead and she couldn't move even a step.

"Mengmeng, don't be afraid, I'm here!" Xiao Yichen grabbed Chu Mengmeng's hand and protected her behind him. Although he also felt deeply afraid, at this moment, he had to be Chu Mengmeng's support.

The shadow let out a silent roar, and the air was filled with a disgusting stench, as if it came from the depths of hell. It slowly approached Chu Mengmeng, trying to use its invisible tentacles to reach into her heart and drag her into endless darkness.

"No! Don't come over!" Chu Mengmeng closed her eyes and shook her head desperately, all the fear and despair of the past emerged in her mind. At this moment, she felt a warm touch from the jade pendant on her wrist. This jade pendant was the only relic left to Chu Mengmeng by her mother, and she had always worn it close to her body and never left it.

A warm current flowed out of the jade pendant, flowing through the body, dispelling the fear and despair in her heart. Chu Mengmeng suddenly opened her eyes, and her originally frightened eyes became firm. She remembered her mother's last words before her death: "Mengmeng, you must remember, no matter what difficulties you encounter, don't give up hope. You have a powerful force hidden in your body, which is the power of love and courage..."

"Love and courage..." Chu Mengmeng murmured to herself, and a powerful force burst out from her body, turning into a golden light, dispelling the darkness around her. The black shadow let out a sharp roar, as if it was afraid of this power, and kept retreating.

"This is..." The old man looked at Chu Mengmeng in surprise, with a complex light flashing in his eyes, "Could it be... that the prophecy is true..."

The golden light became more and more dazzling, illuminating the entire underground space like daylight. Chu Mengmeng was bathed in the golden light, as if a god had descended from heaven, emitting a sacred and inviolable aura. She stretched out her hand, pointed at the shadow, and spoke in a clear and firm voice:

"I know who you are and what you want to do. But I will never give in to you! Love and hope will triumph over all darkness!"

The black shadow twisted violently, roaring silently, as if making its last struggle. The golden light and the black shadow collided violently in the air, and the entire underground space was shaking, as if it would collapse at any time.

Will the light of love and hope dispel the darkness, or will the despair of the shadow devour everything? Everyone's eyes are focused on Chu Mengmeng, waiting for the final outcome...

The golden light and the black shadow intertwined, just like the battle between gods and demons in myths and legends, and the whole underground space was reverberating with a deafening roar. Chu Mengmeng's eyes were firm, and her hands kept changing the spells, controlling the golden light and repelling the attacks of the black shadows again and again.

Xiao Yichen was guarding Chu Mengmeng on the side. The long sword in his hand flashed with cold light, and every swing could accurately cut off the tentacles of the black shadow. He did not have the powerful strength like Chu Mengmeng, but he used his wisdom and calmness to resolve the attacks of the black shadow again and again.

"Mengmeng, to the left!" Xiao Yichen kept his eyes and ears open and reminded Chu Mengmeng in time. Chu Mengmeng understood and quickly mobilized the golden light to repel the black shadow that attacked from the left.

With the tacit cooperation of the two, the attack of the black shadow was gradually disintegrated, and its power was constantly consumed. At this time, a sound of a mechanism suddenly came from the underground space, and the originally flat ground began to move, forming a series of platforms of varying heights.

"Be careful!" Xiao Yichen grabbed Chu Mengmeng and took her to a higher platform. Before they could stand firmly, the platform began to vibrate violently, and many strange symbols appeared on the surrounding walls, flashing strange lights.

"These symbols... are some kind of formation!" Xiao Yichen recognized the origin of these symbols at a glance. He had seen similar records in ancient books and knew that this was a very dangerous formation. Once trapped, it would be difficult to escape.

"What should we do?" Chu Mengmeng asked anxiously. Although she possessed great power, she knew nothing about formations.

"Don't worry, leave it to me!" Xiao Yichen calmly observed the surrounding environment and quickly analyzed the operation rules of the formation in his mind. He found that these platforms did not move randomly, but followed a certain trajectory. As long as he found the rules, he could break the formation.

"Mengmeng, follow me!" Xiao Yichen pulled Chu Mengmeng and shuttled between the constantly moving platforms. With his keen observation and extraordinary wisdom, he avoided danger again and again and finally found the exit of the formation.

Just as they were about to escape from the formation, the black shadow suddenly roared, and its body began to swell, emitting an even more terrifying aura. The originally blurry shape gradually became clear, turning into a hideous human face, full of malice and despair.

"You... all must die!" The black shadow made a hoarse voice, like a curse from hell, which was creepy.

"Oh no, it's going to fight!" Xiao Yichen's face changed. He knew that the black shadow had reached the end of its rope and was about to launch its final attack. A more dangerous battle was about to begin...

The shadow's roar echoed throughout the underground space, making people shudder. Its hideous face was twisted, as if it was enduring great pain, and as if it was brewing an even more terrible attack.

"Mengmeng, be careful!" Xiao Yichen protected Chu Mengmeng behind him, and watched the changes of the black shadow vigilantly. He knew that this was the moment of a life-and-death battle.

The shadow's body expanded violently, and the air around it seemed to be sucked out, forming a powerful suction force that pulled Chu Mengmeng and Xiao Yichen towards it. The golden light in Chu Mengmeng's hand also became flickering, as if it was disturbed by some powerful force.

"Hahaha, you all must die! You all must die!" The black shadow laughed wildly, his voice filled with despair and madness.

At this moment, the hypocritical and vicious faces of Aunt Zhao and Chu Yunyao suddenly emerged in Chu Mengmeng's mind. Their ridicule, their frame-up, their indifference and ruthlessness, scene by scene flashed by like a movie.

"No! I can't die! I still have to protect the people I love, and make those who hurt me pay the price!" The anger in Chu Mengmeng's heart was completely ignited. She was no longer afraid and no longer retreated.

"Golden light protects the body!" Chu Mengmeng shouted, and the golden light in her hand suddenly surged, covering her and Xiao Yichen. The suction force of the black shadow was blocked by the golden light and could not get any closer.

"Xiao Yichen, we can't just sit there and wait for death! Only by completely destroying it can we survive!" Chu Mengmeng's eyes were firm and her tone was full of determination.

Xiao Yichen looked at Chu Mengmeng in front of him, and his heart was filled with shock. He knew that Chu Mengmeng was no longer the innocent girl at this moment, but a brave and fearless warrior!

"Okay! Let's fight together!" Xiao Yichen clenched the sword in his hand, his eyes flashing with determination. He knew that this was their last battle, either defeat the shadow or be swallowed by it, there was no third choice.

At this moment, an old and majestic voice suddenly came from the depths of the underground space: "Young man, don't be controlled by your inner demons! Courage is not about defeating fear, but facing fear!"

This voice seemed to have some kind of magic power, instantly penetrating the shadows and reaching the ears of Chu Mengmeng and Xiao Yichen. They turned their heads at the same time to look in the direction of the voice, and saw an old man in a gray robe and with white hair and beard slowly walking out of the darkness...