nashuaworldcup Chapter 594
Chapter 594
At the critical moment, a blue crystal suddenly flew out from between the mysterious man's brows, hovering above the chaotic energy. Images of the battle appeared on the crystal's surface: Zhao Qingyang's bloodied figure, Chen Mo's continued casting despite exhausting his spiritual power, Lin Xiu's unwavering gaze protecting his companions… The light grew stronger and stronger, gradually forcing the chaotic energy back to the altar. A look of relief flashed in the mysterious man's eyes: "So that's how it is… The true power of the Star Abyss Heart lies in the will to unite people's hearts."
As the last wisp of chaotic energy was sealed, the altar returned to calm. The blue crystal slowly descended, splitting into five orbs of light, each flying towards the group. The moment the orbs entered their bodies, their wounds began to heal, and their spiritual power rapidly recovered. The mysterious figure gazed at the distant, still-unlit star map: "Five more altars await unsealing. Everyone, are you willing to continue this battle of protection with me?"
Zhao Qingyang gripped the faintly glowing spear, Chen Mo tucked the luminous talisman into his robes, and Lin Xiu gently stroked the starlight flowing across the hilt of his sword. The three exchanged a glance and nodded simultaneously. In the distance, a new portal of light was faintly visible through the mist, promising them an even more thrilling adventure.
Dark clouds churned across the sky, thick, chaotic energy swirling in the air. The group stood on the rugged mountain path, their clothes fluttering in the fierce wind. They exchanged glances, their eyes reflecting each other's resolute expressions. Zhao Qingyang's knuckles were white from clenching his fists, veins bulging on his knuckles. He looked up at the faint outline of the altar deep within the clouds, his eyes burning with two flames: "Gentlemen, the peace of this world was bought with the lives of our ancestors. Even if the path leads to the abyss of hell, I, Zhao Qingyang, will forge a path to survival!" Before he finished speaking, the ancient trees beside the path suddenly emitted an eerie wail, like some colossal beast grinding its teeth in the darkness.
Chen Mo drew his sword from his waist with a backhand motion, the blade humming and sending forth a clear, melodious sword cry. Looking at his reflection in the sword's edge, a confident smile curved his lips: "Back in Blood Moon Canyon, we survived by the skin of our teeth; these monsters are nothing but chickens and dogs." As he spoke, he caught a glimpse of Lin Xiu putting a jade slip covered in runes into his robes—an ancient treasure they had obtained from their previous altar.
Lin Xiu noticed his companion's gaze and patted Chen Mo's shoulder heavily, the warmth of his palm seeping through the fabric: "Don't worry, as long as we're back to back, there's no obstacle we can't overcome." He turned to look at the mysterious figure at the end of the group—a man shrouded in a robe woven from gray mist the entire time, only his eyes shining like cold stars. The mysterious figure nodded slightly, raised his hand, and the mountain path beneath their feet automatically split open, leading directly to the altar deep within the clouds.
However, after traveling only a hundred paces, the ground suddenly trembled violently. A deafening roar echoed from the depths of the mountain ravine, and countless scarlet vertical pupils lit up from the darkness. A monstrous beast, resembling a giant python but with a human face, burst forth from the earth, its scales shimmering with an eerie light. Zhao Qingyang leaped forward first, his fist, imbued with the force of thunder, slamming into the lead beast. Chen Mo's sword followed closely behind, its light flashing like a bolt of lightning, tearing deep, bone-revealing wounds from the beast's scales. Lin Xiu, meanwhile, chanted incantations, golden light erupting from his fingertips transforming into chains, firmly binding the beast that attempted to flank him.
Nine ancient bronze coins suddenly flew from the mysterious figure's sleeve, hovering in mid-air and forming a star array. The runes on the coins emitted light, absorbing all the poisonous mist spewed by the demons. After half an hour of fierce fighting, the last demon beast crashed to the ground, but before the group could even catch their breath, the outline of the second altar in the distance became clearly visible. This altar stood atop a barren, solitary peak, the entire mountain stained a bluish-black by chaotic energy, the air thick with a nauseating stench of decay.
The mysterious figure suddenly raised his hand, signaling everyone to stop. He stared at the swirling, eerie purple patterns around the altar, his voice tinged with solemnity: "This is the remnant of an ancient god-slaying array. What it suppresses is likely far beyond our imagination." Before he finished speaking, the patterns on the altar's surface suddenly burst forth with blinding light, and the entire mountain began to shake violently. Countless sharp roars echoed from the depths of the altar. First, several wisps of pitch-black mist seeped out, and then, monsters with three pairs of bone wings burst forth from the ground. Each of them was ten zhang tall, their bodies covered with bone spikes inscribed with runes, and the flames they spewed were an eerie, icy blue.
Zhao Qingyang felt a tightness in his throat; the oppressive feeling these monsters gave him far surpassed any enemy he had encountered before. But he still clenched his fists first, his nails almost digging into his palms: "Attack together! This is a battle of defense; there is no turning back!" Chen Mo and Lin Xiu shouted simultaneously, the three charging forward in a triangular formation, while the mysterious figure formed hand seals, reinforcing their formation from behind. The roar of battle echoed through the valley, chaotic energy surging like a tide. This bitter battle, concerning the survival of heaven and earth, had only just begun...
The deafening roar of the battle was deafening, and Zhao Qingyang's black iron spear was already riddled with cracks from its clashes with the monsters. He twisted his body to dodge a bone spike, but failed to defend against a bone wing attacking from the side—the bone wing swept across with a whooshing sound, slamming heavily onto the spear shaft. With a crisp sound of metal breaking, the spear was sent flying backward, carving a three-zhang-long trench in the ground.
Zhao Qingyang staggered and knelt on one knee, a metallic taste rising in his throat. The moment he looked up, a monstrous stench assaulted his senses, and icy blue flames surging from the monster's gaping maw pressed down like a tidal wave. The flames carried a chilling aura, freezing the air in their wake. In the nick of time, Chen Mo moved with lightning speed, his talisman blazing with blinding golden light, forcefully erecting a barrier before the flames. The cinnabar patterns on the talisman crackled, seemingly about to be consumed by the flames.
"Brother Zhao, catch!" Chen Mo roared, his sword flying from his hand. The sword drew a silver arc in the air, its hilt landing precisely in Zhao Qingyang's palm. Zhao Qingyang flicked his wrist, the blade tracing a sharp arc, colliding with the monster's newly swung bone wing, sending sparks flying. He used the momentum to leap into the air, unleashing seven consecutive sword strikes in mid-air, aiming straight for the weakest scale on the monster's neck.
Meanwhile, Lin Xiu was surrounded by monsters. These monsters worked in perfect harmony, some using bone spikes to block his escape route, others spewing poisonous mist to obscure his vision. Several tears appeared in Lin Xiu's Taoist robe, and drops of blood seeping from his shoulders fell to the ground, instantly corroded by the poisonous mist, leaving charred marks. He struggled to maintain his hand seals, but the golden light in his palms grew dimmer and dimmer.
Seeing this, the mysterious man quickened his hand seals, his palms moving rapidly. A hazy mist condensed around him, transforming into countless golden runes that merged into the grand array in the air. In an instant, a tangible golden light descended from the sky, enveloping Lin Xiu. As the runes swirled, the attacking monsters were forced back several feet. Taking advantage of the moment, Lin Xiu pulled out a healing pill and swallowed it, his pale face slightly easing.
Just then, the entire altar suddenly groaned under its immense weight. Cracks spread across the ground like a spiderweb, and a deafening crash of breaking chains echoed from the depths of the altar. A colossal, pitch-black figure slowly rose, exuding a suffocating pressure. With each spiked giant foot it raised, the mountain trembled. When the shadow was fully revealed, everyone gasped—this guardian beast was a full twenty feet tall, with six pairs of bony wings on its back and a crystal burning with eerie blue flames embedded in its forehead. Every line of its design flowed with the mysterious aura of ancient formations.
"This is the guardian beast of the array's core! Beware of the God-Slaying Crystal on its forehead!" The mysterious man's voice was urgent. The copper coin array in his sleeve shone brightly, but dimmed the instant it touched the guardian beast. The guardian beast roared to the sky, the shockwave sending everyone flying. Zhao Qingyang steadied himself in mid-air, gazing at the ferocious glint in the enormous creature's eyes, a resolute determination rising within him. He gripped his sword tightly and turned to his companions: "Gentlemen, this battle concerns the very survival of heaven and earth!"
Chen Mo wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, pointing his sword at the guardian beast: "What are you afraid of? At worst, we'll fight to the death!" Lin Xiu formed his natal hand seals, Dao patterns flowing around his body: "I'll restrain its movements, you find an opportunity to destroy the crystal core!" The mysterious man was silent for a moment, then his body, shrouded in gray mist, suddenly emitted a dazzling light: "I'll buy you ten breaths, don't waste them!"
The four figures crisscrossed amidst the chaotic energy, launching a new offensive against the guardian beast. Each flap of the beast's bone wings sent up a shower of rubble, and icy blue flames scorched the mountain peaks. But their gazes grew ever more resolute—the seal on this altar must be broken; their mission to protect heaven and earth could not be thwarted here.
A gray mist swirled around the mysterious figure, and a star array composed of nine ancient bronze coins suddenly burst forth with blinding golden light, forcing the guardian beast to take a half-step back. In that fleeting moment, Zhao Qingyang's toes touched the ground, and his figure shot out like an arrow. Gravel on the mountain path flew under his feet, each step he took was incredibly precise, as if he were one with the rhythm of the battlefield. The guardian beast sensed the disturbance, and its six pairs of bone wings flapped simultaneously, creating a gale that swept rocks from the entire cliff into the air.
Zhao Qingyang weaved and darted through the flying rocks, his black robes fluttering in the wind. As he approached the guardian beast, he abruptly stomped on a protruding rock ridge, soaring into the air like a hawk. His sword, imbued with the force of lightning, clashed with the eerie blue light of the God-Slaying Crystal in mid-air, producing a sharp, shattering sound. However, the guardian beast reacted swiftly, its massive head swung violently, a tremendous force traveling through the blade. Zhao Qingyang's hand split open, and he was sent flying backward, tracing a bloody arc through the air.
At the critical moment, the talisman in Chen Mo's hand suddenly burst into flames, transforming into a giant golden net. The net enveloped Zhao Qingyang's falling body, the power of the runes absorbing most of the impact. Looking at his companion's pale face, Chen Mo gritted his teeth and said, "Don't try to hold on! This beast is too troublesome!"
Lin Xiu quietly circled behind the guardian beast, his fingertips stained with the blood from the battle, and rapidly traced ancient runes in the air. With a low chant, a three-zhang-high earthen wall suddenly rose from the ground, tightly binding the guardian beast's barbed legs. The guardian beast roared angrily, its muscles bulging, and the surface of the earthen wall instantly cracked like a spiderweb. Amidst the collapsing debris, flying chunks of earth knocked Lin Xiu off balance.
The mysterious man's face was now deathly pale, beads of sweat rolling down his forehead, soaking his robe shrouded in gray mist. His hands moved with increasing speed, forming hand seals, but the light of the great formation flickered under the guardian beast's attacks. Suddenly, the guardian beast's bony wings swept across like scythes, and the mysterious man, unable to dodge, took a solid blow to the chest. He was sent flying backward, crashing into the mountainside, blood dripping from his mouth and turning into wisps of green smoke.
"This can't go on!" Zhao Qingyang wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, his gaze fixed on the God-Slaying Crystal on the guardian beast's forehead. He keenly noticed that after each attack, the crystal would ripple subtly, flickering like a heartbeat. "When it attacks, the crystal core's protection weakens!" he shouted, looking at his companions, his eyes gleaming with hope.
Chen Mo immediately understood, unfurling the talismans in his hand into a fan shape, the runes moving as if alive. Lin Xiu bit his fingertip, merging his blood into the Dao patterns in the air, causing the radiant magic seal to condense into chains. The three charged towards the guardian beast in a triangular formation. Just as the guardian beast flapped its bone wings, Zhao Qingyang suddenly accelerated, using the help of the gale to thrust his sword straight at the weakest core of the God-Slaying Crystal. At the same time, Chen Mo's talismans transformed into a rain of fire, while Lin Xiu's chains entangled the guardian beast's joints.
"Shatter!" Zhao Qingyang roared, his sword plunging three inches into the crystal core. The guardian beast let out a deafening scream, its six pairs of bone wings flapping wildly, causing the entire mountain to shake violently. But this final struggle lasted only a moment. With a crisp cracking sound, the guardian beast's massive body crashed to the ground, the dust it kicked up obscuring half the sky. Meanwhile, the sealing patterns on the altar were visibly crumbling, the chaotic energy churning even more violently…
The roar of the fallen guardian beast had barely faded when the shattered God-Slaying Crystal suddenly erupted with a blinding purple light. Countless tiny fragments floated in the air, as if drawn by invisible threads, and began to spin rapidly. The chaotic energy emanating from between the fragments, like boiling ink, condensed in mid-air into a blurry humanoid silhouette. As the silhouette gradually became clearer, a pair of eyes gleaming with an eerie blue light opened, their gaze seemingly capable of piercing the soul, carrying an ancient malice and mockery.
"Hahahaha!" A piercing laugh echoed through the valley, making everyone's eardrums ache. The evil figure's voice was as unpleasant as the scraping of metal, "Over the years, countless self-proclaimed righteous fools have tried to break the seal, only to become my nourishment. You are no exception!" Before the words were finished, its hands suddenly opened wide, and the surrounding chaotic energy instantly transformed into a black wave, surging forward with a sharp whooshing sound.
Zhao Qingyang felt waves of excruciating pain from his wounds, but his gaze grew ever more resolute. He gripped his sword tightly, the runes on its blade gleaming blindingly under the corrosive influence of the chaotic energy. "Come on!" he roared, charging headlong into the shockwave. Through the mist cleaved by the sword's blade, distorted human faces were vaguely visible, each emitting a piercing scream.