Zhang Shi used his Shadow Step to weave through the gaps in the wind blades, while his left hand reached for his waist, pulling out a bottle of antidote he had prepared beforehand. He bit open the stopper with his teeth, tilted his head back, and drank it down. The medicine quickly spread through his body, slightly reducing the pain in his right arm and slowing the rate of festering. He knew that this medicine could only provide temporary relief; he had to end the battle as soon as possible.

Seeing that the wind blades were ineffective, the lizardman leader grew even more ferocious. He slammed his wand into the ground, his hands rapidly forming hand seals in the air. A massive black magic circle appeared beneath his feet, surging with eerie energy, like an entrance to an abyss. Zhang Shi was startled; he could sense the destructive power contained within the magic circle. If it were to fully materialize, he would have no chance of survival.

At the critical moment of life and death, Zhang Shi cleared his mind of all distractions, mobilized all his magical power, and gathered it in his left hand. A complex rune gradually appeared on his left palm. This was his trump card for survival, which he would never dare to use lightly unless absolutely necessary. The rune shimmered with a faint light, forming a stark contrast with the surrounding darkness.

Just as the magic circle was about to be completed, Zhang Shi shouted and slammed his left hand into the ground. The runes instantly burst into dazzling light, and an invisible shockwave spread outwards from him. Wherever this shockwave reached, the magical elements were forcibly disrupted, and the magic circle that was forming seemed to be torn apart by an invisible hand, cracks appearing before it finally collapsed with a crash.

The lizardman leader suffered a backlash from the magic, coughing up blood and collapsing to the ground. Zhang Shi seized the opportunity to rush forward, raising his broken blade and stabbing it fiercely into the lizardman leader's heart. The opponent's eyes widened, and then he fell silent. But Zhang Shi dared not be careless. He knew that the opponent had the ability to resurrect, so he used Lao Duan to chop the corpse into mincemeat before stopping.

After dealing with the lizardman leader's corpse, Zhang Shi's tense nerves relaxed slightly. He leaned wearily against a stone pillar, breathing heavily. Although the wound on his right arm had stopped worsening, it still caused him sharp, piercing pain. Looking around, he saw that most of the black mist in the hall had dissipated, and the eerie chill had faded considerably, but the pervasive stench of blood was even stronger and more pungent.

After resting for a while, Zhang Shiqiang struggled to pick up some potentially useful items scattered on the ground, including a mysterious gem that had fallen from the lizardman leader's wand and several scales engraved with strange runes. He knew that these spoils might hold the key to unlocking the mysteries of lizardman magic, and that they might come in very handy for future research.

Dragging his heavy steps, Zhang Shi slowly walked towards the palace exit, each step feeling as if it weighed a ton. As he approached the door, a commotion arose outside, and his heart tightened, thinking that the lizardmen had introduced another unexpected event. He gripped his broken blade tightly and slipped out the door.

Outside the palace, sunlight streamed onto the ravaged battlefield. The Alliance warriors erupted in a deafening cheer upon seeing Zhang Shi appear. Zhao Feng and Ge Dalong rushed forward first. Zhao Feng, his face covered in blood, a battle axe slung over his shoulder, his teeth stained red as he grinned. He slapped Zhang Shi's shoulder hard: "Good lad! I knew you could do it!" The slap sent a jolt of pain through Zhang Shi's wounds, but his heart was filled with warmth. Ge Dalong, his magic nearly depleted, swayed, yet his eyes remained bright. He handed Zhang Shi the last remaining magic potion: "Drink this quickly; you must be exhausted."

Zhang Shi took the drink and downed it in one gulp, feeling his parched strength slowly begin to recover. Looking around, the battlefield was littered with corpses; Alliance warriors had suffered heavy losses, and the remains of lizardmen were piled high, blood mingling with mud, staining the earth an eerie dark red. The surviving warriors, though wounded and exhausted, had eyes filled with the unwavering determination and pride of victory.

Just as everyone was about to assemble and retreat, suddenly, the ground trembled violently, and an eerie red light appeared on the distant horizon, as if some terrifying thing was about to burst forth from the earth. Zhang Shi's expression changed drastically, and an ominous premonition welled up in his heart. He hurriedly shouted to the others, "Something's wrong! We're probably going to change things. Quickly, retreat to higher ground!" Upon hearing this, the soldiers quickly ran towards the nearby hills.

As soon as they reached the top of the hill, they saw the ground crack open where the lizardman's palace had once stood, and a beam of crimson light shot up from the earth, within which a gigantic figure struggled and writhed. When the crimson light dissipated, a colossal lizard, as large as a mountain and engulfed in black flames, suddenly appeared. With each breath, it spewed out billowing smoke, its blood-red vertical pupils locking onto the group on the hill, and it let out a deafening roar that made their eardrums ache.

Zhang Shi inwardly groaned. He had thought the battle was over after killing the lizardman leader, but he hadn't expected such a hidden trick. Beside him, Zhao Feng gripped his battle axe tightly, glaring angrily: "Whatever monster it is, kill them one by one!" Ge Dalong, however, frowned, looking worried: "This magical fluctuation is too strong. A direct confrontation is probably not an option. We need to think of a way."

Zhang Shi stared at the behemoth, his mind racing. Suddenly, he remembered the spoils he had collected in the palace. He took out the rune scales and examined them closely in his palm. He noticed that the scales shimmered faintly under the behemoth's magical fluctuations, as if responding to them. A thought struck him, and Zhang Shi shouted to Ge Dalong, "Old Ge, freeze these scales with ice magic, quick!"

Although Ge Dalong was unaware of what was happening, he unleashed ice magic without hesitation. A chilling aura instantly enveloped the scales, and in the blink of an eye, the scales were encased in ice, their light growing even brighter, accompanied by strange rhythms. Seeing this, Zhang Shi, holding the ice-covered scales, charged towards the giant beast. Simultaneously, he used his Shadow Step technique, employing his ghostly speed to weave through the gaps in the flames surrounding the beast, seeking an opportunity to strike.

As Zhang Shi approached the giant beast's head, just as it opened its blood-red maw to breathe fire, he hurled the ice-encased scales into its mouth. The giant beast was startled at first, then a muffled thud came from its belly, as if something had exploded inside. It writhed in agony, flames flickering wildly around its body, and black mist continuously poured out from where the scales had embedded themselves.

Taking advantage of the opportunity, Zhang Shi retreated back to the hill, where he, Zhao Feng, and Ge Dalong watched the giant beast's reaction. The beast thrashed about on the ground for a while, its movements gradually slowing, the black flames growing weaker, before finally collapsing with a crash and remaining motionless. This time, everyone truly felt the crisis was completely over, and cheers erupted once more, echoing for a long time in the air above the battle-worn battlefield.

After this battle, Zhang Shi, Zhao Feng, and Ge Dalong became renowned. They led the surviving warriors back to the island, sharing the thrills and growth they experienced along the way. Upon returning to the island, they shared their loot and combat experience, helping the alliance improve its strength and laying a solid foundation for facing future unknown challenges. After all, the lizardmen's crisis was not over, and no one knew when their next attack would be. All the survivors silently gathered their strength, ready to fight at any moment.