Seeing his companions being forced back, Lin Yang was extremely anxious and quickly asked what was wrong. Although everyone had been impacted, they were all unharmed. They endured the discomfort and resumed their fighting stances, staring intently at the mysterious expert emanating a powerful dark aura.

This mysterious expert was dressed in a long black robe, his face hidden in the shadow of his hood, revealing only a pair of eyes that gleamed with a chilling light, sending shivers down one's spine. The black longsword in his hand seemed to be a manifestation of darkness, constantly emanating a terrifying aura.

"You ignorant ants, ruining my plans! Today, I'll make sure you don't leave alive!" The mysterious expert's voice was deep and cold, as if it came from the deepest hell. With that, he flashed forward like a ghost, his black longsword drawing a black arc, carrying a sharp dark sword aura, aimed straight at Lin Yang's throat.

Lin Yang dared not be careless and swiftly used the "Starry Shadow Step," his figure transforming into a streak of starlight and instantly disappearing from his spot. The black longsword missed its target, its sword energy striking a nearby rock, instantly turning it into dust, with fragments flying everywhere. Taking advantage of the mysterious expert's weakened state, Lin Yang unleashed the "Starlight Piercing" technique from the "Starry Sword Manual." Several sharp starlight beams condensed on the Starry Golden Sword, shooting towards the mysterious expert like meteors.

The mysterious expert snorted coldly, his longsword flashing rapidly, forming a black light barrier that blocked the incoming starlight. The starlight collided with the black light barrier, erupting in a series of flashes and booming sounds. At the same time, elite disciples from other sects also launched their attacks, assaulting the mysterious expert from all directions.

The Xuanfeng Sect disciples unleashed the "Gentle Wind Tornado Technique," creating a cyan tornado around the mysterious expert, attempting to engulf him. Meanwhile, the Yanshen Sect disciples unleashed the "Roaring Flame Dragon," a colossal fiery dragon roaring as it lunged towards the mysterious expert, its flames illuminating the entire valley.

The mysterious expert, though at the center of the attack, showed no fear. He stomped his feet on the ground, unleashing a powerful surge of dark energy that ripped away the tornado and the fire dragon. Then, he pointed his longsword at the sky, chanting incantations. Instantly, dark clouds filled the sky, and bolts of black lightning struck down from them, hurtling towards the group.

Seeing this, Lin Yang immediately shouted, "Everyone scatter and take cover!" The crowd hurriedly used their movement techniques to dodge the black lightning. The lightning struck the ground, blasting huge craters, sending dirt and rocks flying. While dodging the lightning, Lin Yang pondered a solution. He knew that the mysterious expert before them was far too powerful; if they didn't devise a plan quickly, their lives would be in danger.

Suddenly, Lin Yang noticed that whenever the mysterious expert unleashed a powerful spell, the runes on his black longsword would flash, as if the sword was providing him with power. A thought struck Lin Yang: perhaps if he could find a way to disarm the expert, he could weaken his strength.

Taking advantage of a gap in the mysterious expert's spellcasting, Lin Yang unleashed "Starry Sky-Splitting Slash," sending a sword aura imbued with the power of stars slashing towards the mysterious expert's longsword. The mysterious expert sensed Lin Yang's intention, his eyes turning cold. He swung his longsword, unleashing a black sword aura to meet Lin Yang's attack.

The two sword energies collided in mid-air, erupting with intense light. Lin Yang felt a powerful recoil, his arm went numb, but he gritted his teeth and unleashed "Star Shattering Void" once more, his strongest attack at the moment. A massive golden sword energy tore through space, slashing towards the mysterious expert and the longsword in his hand.

The mysterious expert sensed the immense power of the attack, his expression slightly changing. He no longer held back, channeling his dark energy to its limit, forming a sturdy black shield in front of him. The golden sword energy struck the black shield, causing it to tremble violently and develop cracks.

While Lin Yang and the mysterious expert were locked in a stalemate, the elite disciples from other sects were not idle either. Taking advantage of the mysterious expert's full strength in resisting Lin Yang's attacks, they unleashed their strongest spells and attacked the mysterious expert.

The Xuanfeng Sect elder unleashed "Xuanfeng Heavenly Wrath," creating a massive whirlwind that swept towards the mysterious expert. Meanwhile, the Yanshen Sect protector unleashed "Infernal Fire Sea," instantly engulfing the entire valley in flames, the intense heat distorting the very air.

Under the combined attack of the group, the mysterious expert finally began to falter. His black shield shattered with a "bang" under the impact of the golden sword energy and other spells. The powerful shockwave forced the mysterious expert back several steps, a trickle of blood escaping from the corner of his mouth.

However, the mysterious master did not give up. A ruthless glint flashed in his eyes as he plunged his longsword into the ground and rapidly formed hand seals. Suddenly, countless black vines, covered in sharp thorns, surged from the ground and frantically coiled towards the group.

Lin Yang and the others hurriedly cast spells to defend themselves. Lin Yang used "Star Shield" to temporarily block the approaching vines. However, the vines continued to surge forward, and the group gradually became overwhelmed. Just then, Su Ran arrived. With a wave of her hands, she cast "Absolute Zero Freeze," causing the surrounding temperature to plummet and the black vines to be instantly frozen.

The mysterious expert's eyes flashed with surprise when he saw the vines frozen in ice. He hadn't expected that there was such a powerful ice magic practitioner among them. Taking advantage of the mysterious expert's distraction, Lin Yang seized the opportunity and once again unleashed the ultimate move from the "Starry Sky Sword Manual," "Starry Sky Annihilation Judgment."

The Starry Golden Sword shone brightly, its stellar power surging wildly. A colossal golden sword shadow, imbued with world-destroying power, soared into the sky, slashing towards the mysterious expert. Sensing the threat of death, the mysterious expert mustered all his remaining dark power, concentrating it all into his sword in an attempt to withstand this fatal blow.

The golden sword shadow collided with the mysterious master's dark power, unleashing a deafening roar. The entire valley trembled violently under the impact of this powerful force, as if it were about to collapse. When the light dissipated, the mysterious master knelt on one knee, his black longsword cracked, and his body covered in wounds, blood flowing continuously.

Taking advantage of the opportunity, Lin Yang and the others surrounded the mysterious expert. "You are no longer able to fight, surrender!" Lin Yang said. The mysterious expert raised his head, his eyes filled with resentment and unwillingness. "Hmph, even if I die, you won't be able to stop our plan!" With that, he suddenly self-destructed.

A powerful surge of dark energy erupted instantly, catching Lin Yang and the others completely off guard. At this critical moment, Lin Yang produced the Five-Colored Bead, which released a five-colored light barrier that enveloped everyone. The dark energy struck the barrier, causing it to tremble violently, but ultimately it withstood the mysterious expert's self-destruction.

As the dark forces dissipated, Lin Yang and the others emerged from the multicolored light curtain. Looking at the devastated valley before them, they felt a lingering fear. Although they had successfully repelled the mysterious expert, it had also made them deeply aware of the power and danger posed by the mysterious forces.

"It seems the mysterious forces will stop at nothing to obtain the magical treasures within the ruins. We must relay this message back as soon as possible so that all the major sects can make full preparations," Lin Yang said. Everyone nodded in agreement, and then they quickly left the valley, heading towards their respective sects.

Upon returning to his sect, Lin Yang recounted in detail to the sect leader and representatives from the other sects the battle with the mysterious expert and the news of the mysterious force's search for a magical artifact capable of controlling the dark power of the world. Everyone's expressions turned grave after hearing this.

"The ambitions of this mysterious force are even greater than we imagined. If they obtain that magic treasure, the entire cultivation world will be plunged into utter ruin," said the Xuanfeng Sect Master.

“That’s right, we must come up with a solution as soon as possible to stop them from entering the ruins,” said the Sect Master of the Flame God Sect.

Representatives from various sects expressed their opinions, and after a heated discussion, they finally decided to unite to find the location of the mysterious ruins in the Linghuan Mountains, enter the ruins first, seize the magical treasures, or break the restrictions in the ruins to prevent the mysterious forces from obtaining the magical treasures.

Thus, the major sects began intensive preparations for entering the ruins. They selected their most elite disciples, prepared various magical treasures and elixirs, and formulated detailed plans. Lin Yang, as one of the key figures in this operation, actively participated in the preparations. He was well aware of the arduousness of this mission, but he held a firm belief in his heart that he must stop the conspiracy of the mysterious forces and safeguard the peace of the cultivation world.

During the preparations, Lin Yang continued to cultivate the "Starry Sky Sword Manual," attempting to further enhance his strength. At the same time, he also discussed tactics with his friends Su Ran, Ling Feng, and others, researching how to deal with the various dangers within the ruins.

“Su Ran, you’re becoming more and more proficient in fusing ice magic and dark elements. You might be able to use that to your advantage in the ruins,” Lin Yang said.

"Yes, I will continue to cultivate diligently. However, the ruins are fraught with danger, so we must still be careful," Su Ran said.

Ling Feng gripped his longsword tightly, his eyes resolute, and said, "No matter what difficulties we encounter, I will fight alongside everyone and never let the mysterious forces succeed!"

With preparations complete, elite disciples from various sects gathered at the foot of the Spirit Illusion Mountain Range. Dressed in neat uniforms and wielding various magical treasures, their morale was high. Lin Yang stood at the front of the group, looking at the people before him, his heart filled with confidence.

"Everyone, this mission is arduous, but we bear the heavy responsibility of protecting the cultivation world. We must unite as one, overcome difficulties, and thwart the conspiracy of the mysterious forces!" Lin Yang shouted.

"Protect the cultivation world!" the crowd shouted in unison, their voices echoing through the valley. Then, the large group marched into the Spirit Illusion Mountain Range, heading towards the mysterious ruins. What challenges awaited them, whether they could successfully stop the mysterious forces—everything was unknown. But everyone held firm to their beliefs, forging ahead without hesitation.

Upon entering the Spirit Illusion Mountain Range, the group proceeded cautiously according to their pre-arranged plan. A mysterious aura permeated the mountain range, with tall, dense trees all around, sunlight filtering through the leaves to create dappled patterns. However, the group had no time to appreciate the beautiful scenery; they remained constantly vigilant for any movement around them.

Suddenly, a rustling sound came from the woods ahead. Everyone immediately stopped and assumed fighting stances. Lin Yang circulated his Star Power, sensing the surrounding atmosphere. "Be careful, a powerful demonic beast is approaching," Lin Yang whispered.

As soon as the words were spoken, a gigantic monster charged out of the forest. This monster resembled a lion, its entire body covered in black scales, its eyes flashing red, and it spewed forth raging flames from its mouth.

"This is a Blackscale Flame Lion, it's very powerful, everyone be careful!" shouted a disciple who was quite knowledgeable about demonic beasts.

Upon seeing the group, the Blackscale Flame Lion let out a deafening roar and then pounced towards them.