Adventure Sleeve Battle Damage

The moment the white-clad elf Ah Xiu vanished, a crack appeared in the dark clouds that had gathered over Qingwu Town, allowing warm golden sunlight to filter down and fall on the small mound beside the dry well, as if drawing a gentle conclusion to this century-long feud. Lin Shen supported Xiu Xiu as she sat on the steps of the theater. The girl's face remained pale, and although the blood on her chest had been bandaged, her labored breathing was still evident.

"Rest here for half an hour first," Lin Shen fished out the remaining half bottle of water and carefully handed it to Xiu Xiu's lips. "Once you've recovered some strength, let's go to the altar. That black shadow can actually control Ah Xiu. Maybe it's related to the blood formation on the altar."

Chen Ba squatted aside and wiped the fragments of the bronze compass. Her fingertips ran across the increasingly dense black air on the fragments, and her brows were furrowed: "The breath of the black shadow just now is the same as the evil energy of the altar blood formation. I always feel that the blood formation is not only used to restrain souls, but also more like feeding something." Just as she finished speaking, a strange whistling sound suddenly came from the distance, like a strong wind passing through the narrow streets, but with a hint of strange stickiness.

Everyone instantly became alert. Li Ye gripped his broken hiking stick tightly and looked towards the source of the sound. "It's from the west side of the town. It seems like there's fog coming over here."

In a matter of moments, the fog spread to the vicinity of the theater—it wasn't just any white mist, but a faintly fishy, ​​bloody mist, the color of diluted cinnabar. Wherever it passed, the weeds on the stone pavement instantly withered and turned to black powder. Xiuxiu suddenly began coughing violently. She clutched her chest, the red light on her peach wood sword flickering violently, as if warning, "There's something wrong with this fog... It harbors an evil aura that will drain our yang energy."

Lin Shen immediately clasped his sleeves behind his back, took out the exorcism talisman that Su Wan had drawn earlier from his backpack, and distributed it to everyone: "Put the talisman paper in your arms, it will keep you away for a while. We can't stay here, we must leave the range of the blood mist as soon as possible."

Everyone helped each other to their feet and walked quickly towards the east of the town. The blood mist spread faster than expected, and the theater behind them was soon shrouded in blood mist. Only the creaking sound of decaying wood could be heard. Meng Yao was walking last. She looked back and suddenly pointed at the blood mist and shouted, "What is that!"

Everyone looked in the direction she pointed, only to see countless blurry figures emerging from the blood mist. These figures, without feet, floated in mid-air, slowly moving towards them. Chen Ba's face suddenly changed: "They are wandering souls in the blood mist! Enshrouded in evil energy, they have lost their minds and will attack living things!"

Su Wan immediately lit a talisman and threw it at the wandering soul. The talisman ignited in the air with an orange-red flame and landed in the blood mist with a sizzling sound. Several figures instantly dissipated, but more wandering souls emerged from the blood mist. "This isn't a solution. We don't have enough talismans," Su Wan said anxiously, his voice trembling. "We need to find someplace to hide."

Lin Munan suddenly pointed ahead: "There's a dilapidated temple ahead! It looks like it can still be used as a barrier!"

Everyone immediately quickened their pace and ran towards the dilapidated temple. The gate had long since decayed, with only half of the door panel hanging askew. The statue inside the temple had fallen to the ground, and the broken pottery was covered with dust. Lin Shen rushed in first, checked around, and shouted, "There's nothing wrong inside, come in!"

After everyone rushed into the ruined temple, Li Ye and Lin Munan immediately used broken wood and stones to prop up the door panels, while Su Wan pasted talismans in the cracks between the doors and windows to try to prevent the blood mist from seeping in. Xiuxiu leaned against the wall, her face even worse than before. She took out her peach wood sword, but found that the red light on the blade had become so weak that it was almost invisible, barely maintaining a slight warmth. "My yang energy is almost gone... The evil energy of this blood mist is too strong, the talisman paper won't block it for long."

Lin Shen squatted beside her and touched her forehead. The scorching heat made his heart tighten. "Hold on a little longer, we will definitely find a way." He turned to look at Chen Ba: "Is there any way to temporarily suppress the evil energy of the blood mist?"

Chen Ba walked around the temple holding the bronze compass fragment. The black energy on the fragment flickered, finally stopping in front of the shattered base of the statue. "The earth energy here is stronger than other places. Perhaps we can use the compass fragments and talisman paper to set up a simple Yang-gathering formation to temporarily preserve the Yang energy. However, someone needs to preside over the formation and cannot leave."

"I'll take charge," Xiuxiu suddenly said, slowly standing up against the wall. "My peach wood sword can sense yang energy, so it might be able to help. While you're here, find a way to break the blood mist."

Lin Shen immediately objected: "No, you are too weak now. Presiding over the formation will consume more Yang energy. It is too dangerous."

"There is no time," Xiuxiu shook her head, her eyes firm, "the blood mist is still spreading. If we wait any longer, we will all be trapped here. I am a cultivator, and I can still take on this responsibility." Without waiting for Lin Shen to say anything else, she walked to the base of the statue, stuck the peach wood sword into the ground, then took the compass fragment handed to her by Chen Ba and began to arrange the talisman paper.

Chen Ba quickly taught Xiuxiu the incantation for the Yang Gathering Formation, then said to Lin Shen, "We have at most two hours. After two hours, Xiuxiu's Yang energy will no longer be able to sustain it, and the formation will break. The altar must have the key to breaking the blood mist, so we must rush there as soon as possible."

Lin Shen looked at Xiu Xiu's pale but determined face, and finally nodded: "Meng Yao, you stay here to take care of Xiu Xiu, and the four of us will go to the altar. If we encounter danger, use this flare." He took out a red flare, handed it to Meng Yao, and then together with Chen Ba, Li Ye, and Lin Munan, pushed away the stone blocking the door panel and rushed towards the altar.

Inside the temple, Xiuxiu, following Chen Ba's instructions, chanted the incantation for the Gathering Yang Formation. The red light from the peach wood sword slowly brightened, interweaving with the faint blue light from the compass fragments to form a pale golden barrier that enveloped the ruined temple. Meng Yao crouched beside her, watching the cold sweat dripping from her forehead. She said distressedly, "Sister Xiuxiu, if you can't hold on any longer, tell me and I'll go find them."

Xiuxiu shook her head, her voice weak but firm: "We can't let them be distracted... We have to hold this place and wait for them to come back."

Meanwhile, Lin Shen and his companions had already crossed most of the street, drawing ever closer to the altar. The blood mist was thicker here, the air more pungent, and the number of wandering spirits around them had increased considerably. Chen Ba walked in front, using the compass fragment to guide the way. "The altar is just ahead! Look, the blood array's light is even brighter than before!"

Everyone looked up and saw the blood formation at the center of the altar emitting a dark red glow. A faint black mist swirled within the light, as if something was about to emerge. Lin Shen gripped his dagger tightly, his eyes solemn. "It seems our guess was correct. The blood formation is the source. If we destroy the blood formation, the blood mist should dissipate."

Just as they were about to approach the altar, the blood formation suddenly shook violently, and a black shadow rushed out of the blood formation and landed in front of them. The black shadow was larger than the black shadow that controlled Ah Xiu before, and it was shaped like a ball of twisted black mist. It was surrounded by dark red evil energy and looked even more sinister.

"You are here as expected," the black shadow made a hoarse voice, as if countless people were speaking at the same time, "Since you are here, stay and become a sacrifice to the blood formation!" As it said, it waved its hand and swung out countless black air blades, slashing towards the crowd.

A black air blade came with a piercing whistling sound. Lin Shen immediately pulled Li Ye beside him to the side to avoid it. The air blade grazed his arm and landed on the ground, instantly splitting the stone slab into a deep groove. Chen Ba took out a talisman paper and quickly chanted an incantation. The talisman paper transformed into a golden light shield, blocking the subsequent air blade, but it cracked at the moment of contact.

"This black shadow is much stronger than before!" Chen Ba shouted anxiously, "It's absorbing the power of the blood formation. If we delay any longer, we won't be a match for it!"

Lin Munan pulled out a fire axe from his backpack—he had found it near the dilapidated house. He gripped the axe tightly and rushed towards the shadow. "We can't let it continue to absorb the power of the blood formation! I'll hold it back, and you guys go and destroy the blood formation!"

The shadowy figure sensed Lin Munan's intention and immediately released a stream of black energy, wrapping around his ankle. Lin Munan lost his balance and fell to the ground. The black energy climbed up his ankle and instantly wrapped around his entire body. "Hurry... leave me alone..." Lin Munan cried, struggling, his face rapidly turning pale.

“Mu Nan!” Li Ye’s eyes were bloodshot. He picked up the broken trekking pole on the ground and threw it towards the shadow. The pole passed through the black air, but was bounced away just before it hit the shadow. “Damn it!”

Lin Shen looked at Lin Munan who was entangled by the black air, and then glanced at the blood formation that kept flashing on the altar. He made up his mind: "Chen Ba, you find a way to save Munan, I will destroy the blood formation!" After he said that, he rushed towards the altar without waiting for Chen Ba's response.

Seeing this, the shadow immediately released a portion of its black energy and chased after Lin Shen. Chen Ba seized this opportunity, pulled out a fragment of the bronze compass, and poured all her strength into it. The fragment emitted a strong blue light, and she threw it towards the black energy that was entangled with Lin Mu Nan: "Command!"

The blue light fell on the black gas, instantly burning it away. Lin Munan was able to break free. He staggered to his feet. Although his face was pale, he still held the fire axe tightly. "I'm fine, go help Lin Shen!"

Chen Ba nodded and ran towards Lin Shen. Lin Shen had already reached the foot of the altar. Just as he was about to climb onto it, the black energy behind him caught up and wrapped around his wrist. The black energy carried a biting chill, instantly numbing his arm and nearly causing the dagger to slip from his grasp.

"Want to destroy the blood formation? Not that easy!" The voice of the black shadow sounded behind him, and more black air surged over, entangling Lin Shen's body and slowly dragging him towards the direction of the black shadow.

At that moment, Chen Ba arrived. She placed a talisman paper on the black energy, and it ignited into flames, instantly shrinking the black energy. Lin Shen seized the opportunity to break free. He stumbled up the altar and gazed at the blood array in the center—composed of countless dark red runes, between which flowed a black liquid that resembled blood, constantly converging toward the center of the array.

"The center of the formation is in the middle!" Chen Ba shouted, throwing a handful of peach wood nails to Lin Shen, "Use the peach wood nails to drive into the center of the formation. It can temporarily suppress the blood formation!"

Lin Shen caught the peach wood nail and rushed towards the center of the formation. The black shadow had already broken free from Lin Munan and Li Ye's entanglement and rushed towards the altar. It swung out a thick black energy and attacked Lin Shen's back. Lin Shen sensed the danger, but did not turn back. He used all his strength to stab the peach wood nail into the center of the formation.

"Swish—" The moment the mahogany nail pierced the center of the blood array, the blood array emitted a piercing sound. The dark red light instantly dimmed, and the black liquid began to solidify. The black shadow let out a shrill scream, and its body shook violently, as if it was enduring great pain.

"Success!" Li Ye shouted excitedly, but just as he finished speaking, the black shadow suddenly went crazy and rushed towards the altar, trying to pull out the peach wood nail. Lin Shen immediately blocked the formation and stabbed the black shadow with his dagger, but was knocked back by the black energy thrown by the black shadow, falling heavily under the altar and spurting out a mouthful of blood.

At this critical moment, a loud explosion suddenly sounded in the distance, and then a red flare cut through the blood mist and exploded in the air - it was Meng Yao's flare!

"Oh no! Something happened to Xiuxiu!" Lin Shen's heart tightened. He struggled to stand up, but found that his chest was in severe pain and he couldn't move at all.

Chen Ba also saw the signal flare, and his expression suddenly changed: "The Sun Gathering Formation is broken! Xiuxiu, she..."

The black shadow seemed to have sensed something. It stopped attacking and looked in the direction of the flare with a strange smile on its face: "It turns out there is still a fish that has slipped through the net... It's just right. If we catch her, we can complete the blood formation!" As it spoke, it turned into a black shadow and flew towards the direction of the ruined temple.

"Don't even think about hurting Xiuxiu!" Lin Shen's eyes were red with anxiety. He used all his strength to struggle to his feet and chased after the shadow. Chen Ba, Li Ye, and Lin Munan immediately followed, and the four of them ran wildly towards the ruined temple.

The blood mist seemed to have thinned somewhat due to the suppression of the blood formation, but it still obscured vision. Everyone was anxious and could only run forward desperately, with Xiuxiu's pale face constantly appearing in their minds.

Finally, the ruined temple appeared before his eyes—the temple gate had been destroyed, the pale golden barrier had long since vanished, and the ground was littered with shattered talisman paper and fragments of the peach wood sword. Lin Shen rushed into the temple and immediately saw Xiuxiu and Meng Yao lying on the ground.

Meng Yao was entangled by the black energy and could not move. She could only look at Xiuxiu with tears in her eyes: "Sister Xiuxiu... I'm sorry, I didn't protect you well..."

Xiuxiu lay on the ground, a black blade of energy lodged in her chest, her clothes stained red with blood. Her breathing was weak, and her peach wood sword had fallen to the side, losing all its radiance and becoming a simple piece of wood. A dark shadow floated beside her, continuously sucking her yang energy with its black energy. Xiuxiu's face grew paler and paler, and her body slowly became transparent.

"Xiu Xiu!" Lin Shen rushed forward like crazy, stabbing at the black shadow. The black shadow dodged sideways and sneered, "Come now? Too late! I've almost sucked away all her Yang energy. She'll soon become a sacrifice to the blood formation."

Xiuxiu heard Lin Shen's voice and slowly opened her eyes. She looked at Lin Shen with a faint smile on her lips: "Brother Lin Shen... don't be sad... I'm very happy to be with you..." Her voice became lower and lower, and her eyes began to blur.

"No! You can't die!" Lin Shen squatted beside her, trying to cover the wound on her chest, but blood kept gushing out from between his fingers. "We haven't left Qingwu Town yet, and haven't seen the outside world together yet. You can't just leave like this!"

Xiuxiu shook her head slightly. She reached out her hand, wanting to touch Lin Shen's face, but it fell in mid-air. Her body trembled slightly, and then she became completely motionless. The fragments of the peach wood sword slowly turned to ash around her.

"Xiu Xiu--!" Lin Shen hugged her cold body and let out a heart-wrenching cry. His voice echoed in the ruined temple, carrying endless pain and despair.

The black shadow looked at this scene and laughed triumphantly: "It's useless, she is dead. Next, it's your turn!" As it said, it swung out countless black air and attacked everyone.

Lin Shen slowly raised his head, tears gone from his eyes, only a cold hatred remaining. He gently placed Xiuxiu's body on the ground and picked up the dagger. The blade, stained with Xiuxiu's blood, gleamed with a cold light. "I will kill you and avenge Xiuxiu!" He roared, charging towards the shadow, the madness in his eyes even more terrifying than the shadow's own evil aura.

Chen Ba, Li Ye, and Lin Munan also clenched their weapons. They gazed upon Xiuxiu's cold body, their eyes filled with grief and anger. The four launched a final attack on the shadowy figure. Inside the ruined temple, screams, the clash of weapons, and incantations intertwined as a decisive battle for revenge officially began. Xiuxiu's body lay quietly in a corner, never to awaken again. Only the ashes of the peach wood sword remained, slowly dispersing in the air, a sad conclusion to this unfinished journey.