Xuan Yang lay on the bed, feeling a faint warmth emanating from the pendant on his chest, a warm current spreading throughout his body.
The fatigue that had weighed him down vanished, replaced by an inexplicable sense of power.
He suddenly opened his eyes, a glint of brilliance flashing within them, as if two flames were burning brightly.
He knew that his fate was about to change.
No longer would he be a pawn to be manipulated; he was now a true player in the game!
He would take control of his destiny and uncover all the mysteries!
Rising from his bed, he quietly left his home and headed toward the dilapidated temple.
The night enveloped the village, its stillness almost eerie.
The broken temple appeared even more sinister in the darkness, resembling a lurking beast.
Xuan Yang took a deep breath and pushed open the temple's heavy door.
Inside, it was pitch black; he couldn't see his hand in front of his face. Only a few beams of moonlight filtered through the damaged roof, casting mottled shadows on the ground.
Xuan Yang cautiously stepped inside, careful not to disturb anything.
Suddenly, he felt the pendant on his chest heat up once more, a powerful force surging from it, illuminating the entire temple.
Bathed in the pendant's glow, Xuan Yang beheld a shocking sight.
In the center of the temple stood an ancient altar!
The altar was covered with mysterious runes that exuded an enigmatic aura.
At its center lay a black stone, inscribed with strange symbols.
Xuan Yang approached the altar and carefully examined the runes and symbols.
He sensed that they were trying to convey something to him, yet he could not grasp their meaning.
He reached out his hand, wanting to touch the Black Stone.
Just as his fingers were about to make contact with the stone, the runes on the altar suddenly lit up, emitting a dazzling light.
Xuan Yang was startled by the sudden brilliance and quickly stepped back a few paces.
The light lasted for a moment before gradually fading away.
When the glow completely disappeared, the black stone on the altar was gone.
Xuan Yang stood there in a daze, unsure of what had just happened.
He approached the altar again and examined it carefully, but found nothing unusual.
Could everything that just occurred have been an illusion?
Xuan Yang shook his head; he didn't believe that.
He felt that what had happened held some special significance.
He began to recall the runes and symbols he had seen earlier in detail.
Suddenly, he remembered that the Old Village Chief had once told him about a great secret hidden within the dilapidated temple.
Could this secret be related to the altar?
Xuan Yang's heart began to race; he felt he was getting closer to the truth.
He looked at the altar again, his eyes filled with anticipation and excitement.
He believed that if he could uncover the secret of the altar, he would be able to solve all the mysteries!
Just then, he heard footsteps approaching.
Someone was coming!
Xuan Yang quickly hid himself.
He crouched behind the altar, holding his breath and daring not to move.
The footsteps grew closer, and soon, a figure appeared at the entrance of the dilapidated temple.
It was the Old Village Chief!
Xuan Yang's heart skipped a beat; he had no idea why the Old Village Chief would come here.
Could it be that the Old Village Chief had discovered the secret of the altar?
The Old Village Chief slowly walked into the broken temple, holding an oil lamp that cast a dim light on his wrinkled face.
He approached the altar, placed the oil lamp on the ground, and then knelt down.
With his hands clasped together, he murmured something, as if in prayer.
Xuan Yang remained hidden behind the altar, afraid to make a sound for fear of being discovered by the Old Village Chief.
He listened intently to the Old Village Chief's prayer, hoping to glean some clues from it.
"Great Puppet Master, please hear my prayer. Guide us and lead us into the light..."
Puppet Master?
Xuan Yang's heart stirred; he remembered what the Shadow had once said—that he was the reincarnation of the Puppet Master.
Could it be that the Old Village Chief knew about this too?
The Old Village Chief's prayer continued, his voice growing more fervent and sincere.
"Please tell us how we can awaken your power, how we can defeat the Shadow, how we can save our village..."
The Shadow?
Xuan Yang felt a jolt of surprise; he had not expected the Old Village Chief to be aware of the Shadows' existence.
It seemed that the Old Village Chief knew more than he had imagined!
After finishing his prayers, the Old Village Chief stood up, picked up the oil lamp, and prepared to leave.
At that moment, a sudden burst of intense light emanated from the Pendant hanging on Xuan Yang's chest, illuminating the entire dilapidated temple.
The Old Village Chief was startled by the unexpected brightness, causing the oil lamp in his hand to fall to the ground and shatter into pieces.
He turned around and saw Xuan Yang hiding behind the altar.
"Who... who are you?" the Old Village Chief asked in terror.
Xuan Yang stepped out from behind the altar, his eyes filled with determination and confidence.
"I am the reincarnation of the Puppet Master. I have come to save this village!"
The Old Village Chief was taken aback, staring at Xuan Yang with shock and disbelief in his eyes.
"Are you... really...?"
"Yes, I am!" Xuan Yang interrupted him, his voice resonating with power. "Now, tell me everything about the Shadows!"
The Old Village Chief looked at Xuan Yang, a complex expression flashing across his face.
He fell silent for a moment before slowly speaking. "The Shadows are your..."
Suddenly, the doors of the temple were burst open, and a group of villagers rushed in, surrounding Xuan Yang and the Old Village Chief.
"Village Chief, we found him! He is indeed here!"
"Capture him! Don't let him escape!"
The villagers' faces twisted with rage, their eyes filled with hatred and anger.
Xuan Yang looked at the villagers, filled with confusion and disbelief.
Why were they capturing him?
What had he done wrong?
The Old Village Chief gazed at Xuan Yang, a hint of helplessness and sorrow flickering in his eyes.
"Child, you should leave. Get away from here and never come back..."
"Why?" Xuan Yang asked, bewildered.
The Old Village Chief did not respond; he simply shook his head and closed his eyes.
The villagers surged forward, seizing Xuan Yang.
He struggled desperately, but it was futile.
They dragged him out of the dilapidated temple, heading toward the village.
He had no idea what awaited him, but he knew he had to survive!
He had to uncover the truth; he had to save this village!
He must...
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