Ning Yu sensed the weakness of the runes, and a glimmer of hope ignited in his heart. He gritted his teeth, exerted all his strength, and concentrated all his power into one point to unleash a final attack.

"Break!"

The green light reached its peak at this moment, engulfing the runes like a flood bursting its banks. Silence fell over the world, broken only by streaks of green lightning crackling across the surface of the runes.

Finally, with a deafening roar, the runes shattered, turning into countless fragments that dissipated into the air. The black energy, like a punctured balloon, instantly collapsed and vanished without a trace.

Ning Yu collapsed to his knees, panting heavily, his clothes soaked with sweat. He felt completely drained, unable to move even a finger. But he couldn't care less; with his last ounce of strength, he turned to his teammates and anxiously called out, "Mu Xue... how are they..."

Mu Xue had been watching Ning Yu's battle closely, and seeing him win brought her a moment of relief. But before she could even feel happy, she noticed Ning Yu's weakened state and the injured teammates. She rushed to Ning Yu's side, supporting his swaying body, and said in a trembling voice, "Ning Yu, how are you? Hang in there!"

Looking at Mu Xue's anxious eyes, and then at his teammates who were barely breathing, Ning Yu felt a deep sense of helplessness. He had fought so hard to finally defeat the enemy, but how could he save his wounded comrades? Although the plant energy had been absorbed, he didn't know how to use it…

"I...I tried my best..." Ning Yu managed to utter a few words before everything went black and he lost consciousness...

As the last fragment of the rune dissipated into starlight, the oppressive aura of death that had hung over everyone vanished. However, the joy of surviving a catastrophe hadn't even had time to bloom on their faces before it was replaced by deep worry.

"team leader!"

"Ning Yu!"

The team members struggled to get up, but collapsed weakly due to their severe injuries. Mu Xue held Ning Yu's swaying body tightly, her beautiful eyes filled with anxiety and worry.

"Ning Yu, how are you? Don't scare me!"

Ning Yu's face was frighteningly pale, devoid of any color. His once bright eyes were now unfocused, and only his faint breathing indicated that he was still alive.

"I...I'm fine..." Ning Yu wanted to comfort Mu Xue, but as soon as he opened his mouth, he couldn't help but cough violently, and even a trace of blood seeped from the corner of his mouth.

"You're saying you're fine even in this state!" Mu Xue's eyes reddened, her voice choked with emotion. "Hang in there, I'll go find some usable supplies..."

“It’s no use…” Ning Yu said weakly, holding Mu Xue’s hand. “Ordinary medicines are ineffective against this kind of energy damage…”

Before he could finish speaking, he felt dizzy and his vision went black; he lost consciousness completely.

"Ning Yu!" Mu Xue exclaimed, quickly checking Ning Yu's breath with her hand. Feeling the faint breath, she felt slightly relieved. She looked around; the team members lying on the ground were still breathing, but their condition was not optimistic.

"Plant energy...plant energy..." Ning Yu's murmur before he lost consciousness echoed in Mu Xue's ears. She bit her lower lip, a resolute glint in her eyes.

"Ning Yu, you must hold on! I will definitely find a way to save you!"

She gently placed Ning Yu on the ground, then stood up and looked firmly at the injured team members.

"And you all, you must hold on too..."

Mu Xue took a deep breath, suppressing her panic, and began searching the vicinity for any usable supplies. Time ticked by, the sun set, night fell, and the glimmer of hope grew ever weaker…

After an unknown amount of time, Ning Yu slowly opened his eyes, only to be met with a dim sky and swaying tree shadows. He struggled to get up, but found his body as heavy as if it were filled with lead.

"You're awake?"

A familiar voice rang in his ears. Ning Yu turned his head with difficulty and saw Mu Xue standing beside him, her eyes filled with surprise and worry.

"How are the others?" Ning Yu asked, his voice hoarse.

“They are all still alive, but…” Mu Xue hesitated, a hint of sadness flashing in her eyes.

Ning Yu's heart sank. He knew that even if they survived by sheer luck, without timely medical treatment, they might...

"Don't worry, I'll find a way," Ning Yu said, taking a deep breath and forcing himself to stay alert.

He sat cross-legged on the ground and began to carefully study the plant energy within his body. He found this energy to be very peculiar, unlike any other energy he had encountered before, and elusive…