The End of the World: Chaos

"What do you want? What do you want?" Yang Yi whispered to himself, his inner struggle revealed. He seemed to hear the Red Skull's deep voice: "Only by getting the soul can you exchange it for the Soul Stone."

"Exchange souls?" He frowned slightly and thought to himself, "How can I take out a soul for exchange?" This reminded him of the previous appearance of the Red Skull, and a feeling of powerlessness surged over him like a tide, almost suffocating him.

At this moment, a low cough suddenly came from the depths of the cave. Yang Yi was in a trance. He looked back and saw a middle-aged man slowly approaching. He was wearing a white robe, which exuded a sense of majesty. Coupled with the dark environment, he seemed even more mysterious. This man was the ancient mage, Li Qingyu.

"Yang Yi, are you okay?" Li Qingyu's voice was gentle, full of concern, and his eyes were sharp. "The Red Skull is definitely not a good guy. If you are yearning for the Soul Stone, he will definitely use many means to test you."

Yang Yi sighed, shook his head and said, "I don't want to dwell on it too much. I just want to explore the mystery of the Soul Gem. But this person made me realize that things are far from what I thought."

Li Qingyu slowly approached, his eyes sparkling with wisdom. "The Soul Gem is also a rare item, and it has a very deep connection with the soul. You must know that obtaining this treasure is not only a good thing, but also requires some form of sacrifice. For example, giving up a soul, or exchanging it for something else."

"What should I do to avoid sacrificing my soul?" Yang Yi asked nervously, his voice trembling slightly.

Li Qingyu pondered for a moment, shook his head and said, "No one has succeeded since ancient times, but we might as well try another method and use the rules of the soul gem."

"What are the rules?" A gleam of light flashed in Yang Yi's eyes, as if he saw the dawn of hope.

"The Soul Gem has an ancient rule: one soul for another. If you want to obtain this treasure, you need to find a creature willing to exchange its soul with it. Only in this way can the Soul Gem reveal its true power." Li Qingyu seemed to be thinking about something deeper while speaking.

Yang Yi hesitated, "How can I find a creature willing to exchange souls?"

Li Qingyu smiled slightly, pointed to the depths of the cave, and said in a sonorous tone: "Whether it is an intelligent creature or a soul trapped here. You only need to go deep into the cave to see its existence. But you must be careful, because it may not be friendly."

"I understand." Yang Yi nodded, his heart filled with anticipation and fear. Thinking of the unknown he was about to face, his heartbeat accelerated.

"Remember, your soul is unique, don't give up easily." Li Qingyu's words were deep and encouraging. Yang Yi took a deep breath and resolutely turned around to walk deeper into the cave.

In the gloomy passage, every step he took seemed to lead him into an endless abyss, as if countless pairs of eyes in the shadows around him were watching him. The air became increasingly colder, and the sense of oppression followed him like a shadow, making him suffocate.

Finally, he came to a wide stone chamber, with ancient runes on the walls, a soul suspended in the center, and translucent blue light rippling in the air. It was a vague yet peaceful figure, with a distorted face, but revealing a transcendent beauty.

"Why are you here?" Yang Yi asked cautiously, with a bit more awe in his expression.

The soul's voice was low and mysterious, carrying an ancient breath: "I used to be the guardian spirit of this place, but now I am trapped on this shore, with no way back. Are you here for the Soul Gem?"

"That's true, but I have no intention of exchanging my soul for it." Yang Yi spoke earnestly, trying to appear as calm as possible.

The soul seemed to be moved, and there was a look of surprise in his eyes. "Human, why are you not afraid of losing?"

"Although I am afraid, I am more afraid of losing my true self." Yang Yi's eyes were firm, like a torch illuminating the darkness, "I need the power of the Soul Gem to help me accomplish what I cannot accomplish on my own."

"Bravery and wisdom are what I admire." The soul's voice was loud and resounding throughout the stone chamber. "I can give you the Soul Gem, but I need you to help me regain my freedom."

"Why do you want to be free?" Yang Yi frowned slightly, feeling vaguely that things were not simple.

"I am trapped here, unable to escape. If I can recover my relics, I will be able to regain my strength and return home," the soul explained slowly, with deep anticipation in its voice.

"Where are the relics?" Yang Yi asked anxiously, with hope in his eyes.

The soul pointed to the deeper part of the stone chamber, and said in a distressed tone: "But in the dark corner, buried in the rock wall, there is the fire of my soul."

"I'll be there right away." Yang Yi had no choice but to walk quickly towards the direction the soul was guiding him.

In the corner of the stone room, he found a pile of ancient debris with a faint flame flickering on it. Carefully, he took it down, and a strange feeling surged in his hands.

"I found it!" Yang Yi looked back excitedly and raised the brilliant soul fire in his hand.

The soul's silhouette flickered, and gradually a clear outline emerged. "Thank you, young hero. Now, the Soul Gem will be yours."

As the soul sounded, the surrounding blue light began to condense, and the soul gem slowly floated in front of Yang Yi, shining brightly.

"I will treasure it." Yang Yi held the Soul Gem tightly.

"Remember, use it with caution. The alternation of souls must obey the laws of nature." The soul smiled slightly, with a hint of relief in his eyes.