Eric slowly stepped into the depths of the valley, following the direction indicated by the crystal ball. It was eerily quiet all around, and only the sound of his footsteps was clearly audible in this silence. The flowers and plants along the way were of various shapes. Some of the flower petals glistened like stars in the night sky; on some leaves, colorful liquids flowed, as if containing mysterious powers.
As he walked, Eric came to a huge lake. The lake water was crystal - clear, yet it exuded a deep blue hue, as if it could suck in one's soul. In the middle of the lake, there was a small island. On the island grew a gigantic tree with an extremely thick trunk. Its branches stretched out in all directions, and each branch was hung with golden fruits, giving off an alluring aroma.
Eric was entranced when suddenly, ripples spread across the lake surface. A huge water monster slowly rose from the lake. Its body was as massive as a whale, covered with hard blue scales. Its eyes were like two huge moons, emitting a cold light. The water monster opened its huge mouth and let out a roar, "Outsider, why have you intruded into my territory?"
Eric was startled, but he quickly composed himself and said politely, "I didn't mean to offend. I'm just looking for a way back home, and the crystal ball led me here." As he spoke, he held up the crystal ball in his hand.
The water monster glanced at the crystal ball, and a complex look flashed in its eyes. It said, "The golden fruits on that tree are called 'Fruits of Destiny'. Those who eat it will gain great power, but will also face an unknown fate. If you can pick one, I'll tell you the clue to leave the valley."
Eric looked at the island in the middle of the lake, hesitating. But thinking of the hope of going home, he decided to give it a try. He cast the wind - type magic he had learned during his adventures, creating a path made of wind on the lake surface. Eric stepped onto the wind - path carefully and walked towards the island.
However, the water monster didn't seem to want to let him succeed easily. Just as Eric reached the middle of the lake, the water monster suddenly stirred the lake water, and huge waves surged towards Eric. The waves were dozens of meters high, like a ferocious beast ready to devour Eric.
Eric held the crystal ball tightly and concentrated on maintaining the wind - path. He mobilized all the magic power in his body and formed a solid magic barrier in front of him. The waves crashed violently against the barrier, splashing countless water droplets. The huge impact made Eric's arms tremble slightly, and cracks began to appear on the magic barrier.
Eric gritted his teeth and continuously injected magic power to repair the barrier. At the same time, he used the wind - type magic to try to disperse the waves. After a fierce confrontation, the waves finally gradually subsided. Eric continued to move towards the island.
Finally, he landed on the island and came to the tree挂满金色果实的树下. Eric looked up at those "Fruits of Destiny", feeling both excited and nervous. He reached out his hand and gently picked one. The fruit felt warm in his hand, as if it had its own heartbeat.
The moment Eric picked the fruit, the entire valley started to shake. A powerful ray of light burst out from the fruit, enveloping Eric. When the light disappeared, Eric felt that his body was filled with unprecedented power, as if he could control all the elements between heaven and earth.
Seeing this, the water monster said, "Now, I can tell you the clue to leave the valley. Keep walking along the north side of the valley, and you'll encounter an ancient stone gate. There are strange runes engraved on the stone gate. Only by solving the riddle of the runes can the stone gate be opened, and then you can leave here."
After thanking the water monster, Eric, with the power of the "Fruit of Destiny", walked towards the north side of the valley. Along the way, he felt the changes in his own power and secretly pondered the way to solve the riddle of the runes on the stone gate. And what kind of secrets and challenges were hidden behind that ancient stone gate?