A heavy stench of blood filled the air, mingled with the nauseating smell of rotting earth and plants. Mu Xue watched her teammates being utterly helpless against the colossal beast, her heart filled with resentment. She knew that without obtaining that plant, Ning Yu might never wake up, and they would struggle to survive in this perilous world.

"Captain..." The team members fell one by one, but a glimmer of hope remained in their desperate eyes. It was their trust in Mu Xue and their desire to live.

"I can't give up, never!" Mu Xue endured the surging blood and qi in her body. She struggled to stand up, but the intense pain made her fall to the ground again and again.

“Ning Yu, I promised to take you back, I can’t break my promise…” Mu Xue’s fingers dug deep into the soil, and blood stained the black earth.

Suddenly, as if remembering something, her eyes hardened. She forced herself to stand, enduring the pain, and gathered the remaining team members, her voice hoarse but exceptionally firm:

"We can't afford to be scattered anymore. Let's concentrate all our abilities and attack its eyes!"

The team members exchanged bewildered glances, their eyes filled with fear and hesitation. The monster was covered in hard scales, its only weakness being its eyes. But attacking its eyes meant entering its attack range, a near-certain death sentence.

"I know this is dangerous, but we have no other way out." Mu Xue's gaze swept over everyone, her tone filled with unwavering determination. "For Ning Yu, for ourselves, let's fight to the death!"

Looking into Mu Xue's resolute eyes and feeling the unwavering aura emanating from her, the last trace of fear in the team members vanished. They gripped their weapons tightly, helped each other to their feet, and their eyes gradually hardened with determination.

"Alright! Let's give it our all!"

The team members began gathering their supernatural abilities as planned; multicolored lights flickered in their hands, coalescing into a powerful energy surge. But just then, the large creature seemed to sense their intentions, letting out a deafening roar. Its crimson eyes fixed on them, and the next second, it charged madly towards Mu Xue and the others…

A blinding light. The creature roared in agony, shaking its massive head, but it did not fall. Instead, its rage seemed to intensify, its single eye burning with a chilling fury. It locked its gaze on Mu Xue, and with a terrifying roar, charged... After the blinding light, the world seemed to freeze for a moment. Then, a deafening roar echoed through the heavens, shaking the earth. The colossal creature writhed wildly in agony, thick black liquid flowing from its single remaining eye, and a nauseating stench of burning flesh filled the air.

It didn't fall!

"roar--!"

The large creature was utterly enraged. It abandoned its other targets, its single, scarlet eye locked onto Mu Xue like a volcano about to erupt. With overwhelming force, it launched a final, fierce attack on Mu Xue.

"Captain!" the team members exclaimed, a sense of despair spreading through their hearts.

"Don't worry about me! Run!" Mu Xue roared, her figure dodging the giant beast's attacks like a ghost, rushing towards the plant that emitted a faint light.

Every dodge felt like walking on a knife's edge; one wrong step and she would be shattered to pieces. But she had no way out; everyone's hopes rested on her.

It's getting closer!

Just as Mu Xue was about to touch the plant, the large creature suddenly swung its giant claws and slammed them down on her. A howling wind swept through, carrying a suffocating sense of oppression; Mu Xue could even feel the breath of death enveloping her.

It's too late...

She closed her eyes in despair, but the expected excruciating pain did not come.

"boom--"

A deafening roar, as if something had exploded right next to her ear, rang out. Mu Xue opened her eyes in shock to see a figure blocking her path. A violent surge of energy emanated from that figure, spreading outwards like a raging storm that overturned the giant beast.

As the smoke cleared, Ning Yu's figure was revealed. He slowly opened his eyes, a chilling glint flashing within them, and a cold smile curled at the corner of his lips: "You dare touch my man?"

Time seemed to freeze at that moment, and everyone stared in disbelief at the scene before them. The once invincible beast was now struggling in agony, its already battered body now bearing several more deep, bone-revealing wounds.

Ning Yu slowly straightened up, exuding a suffocating aura like a demon god descending. His clothes were tattered, revealing his well-defined muscles, his short black hair danced wildly in the wind, and his eyes flashed with a cold, chilling light, sending shivers down one's spine.

"Captain... Captain..." The team members' voices trembled, as if they had witnessed a miracle. They had never seen Ning Yu so terrifying, as if a primordial beast dormant within him had finally awakened, determined to tear everything in its path to shreds.

Ning Yu ignored everyone and walked step by step toward the giant beast. Each step seemed to weigh heavily on everyone's hearts, making them breathless.

The behemoth seemed to sense the threat of death; it struggled to stand but collapsed helplessly to the ground. Its one-eyed form stared intently at Ning Yu, filled with fear and despair.

The giant beast let out a defiant roar, attempting a final struggle.

Ning Yu's lips curled into a cold smile, his eyes flashing with a chilling light: "It's over."

No sooner had he finished speaking than he vanished in a flash. When he reappeared, he was already in front of the giant beast. His five fingers formed a claw, and with a whistling sound as he tore through the air, he fiercely stabbed it into the beast's single eye.

"Pfft—"

A sickening sound rang out, the beast's screams abruptly stopped, and its massive body crashed to the ground, never to move again.

Ning Yu slowly withdrew his hand, letting the black blood drip from his fingertips, blooming into eerie flowers on the desolate land.

He turned around and walked step by step toward Mu Xue. Each step seemed to cross the boundary between life and death, filled with deep concern and worry.

Mu Xue stood there, stunned, watching Ning Yu walk towards her step by step. His figure was so tall and imposing, as if he were holding up the sky for her, shielding her from all the storms.

"rather……"

She opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but found her throat dry and unable to make a sound.

Ning Yu walked up to her, reached out and gently stroked her cheek. The icy look in his eyes melted instantly, turning into endless tenderness: "It's alright, I'm here..."