As the group stepped into the light beyond the stone gate, the scene before them abruptly changed. The original underground cave vanished, replaced by a vast, boundless void, with stars twinkling all around, as if they were in the midst of a boundless universe. However, this seemingly tranquil void faintly exuded a chilling aura of danger.
Lin Yang cautiously looked around, sensing a powerful force lurking in the shadows, watching them. Just then, black cracks suddenly appeared in the void, from which countless wisps of black mist surged forth, quickly spreading and enveloping the group. From within the mist, eerie sounds echoed, as if countless wronged souls were wailing within.
The members of the Linghe Chamber of Commerce quickly activated their defensive magical artifacts, and layer upon layer of spiritual energy shields rose up, blocking the black mist. However, the mist seemed to possess some kind of corrosive property; the shields hissed and gradually dimmed under its erosion.
The sword cultivators of the Spirit Sword Sect flew on their swords, attempting to break through the encirclement of the black mist. However, the mist seemed endless, and no matter which direction they flew, they could not find an exit. Moreover, their spiritual energy was consumed extremely quickly within the mist, and soon some sword cultivators began to feel their strength waning.
Zhao Wanbao, the head of Wanbao Pavilion, frowned deeply as he manipulated a magical artifact capable of dispelling the mist—the Clear Wind Bell. The bell rang crisply, and gusts of wind blew from it, attempting to disperse the black mist. However, the mist was only temporarily dispersed, quickly gathering again.
Lin Yang knew that passive defense and blindly breaking through were not solutions. He concentrated his mind, attempting to use the power of the mysterious light to explore the secrets of this void. Under the perception of the mysterious light, he discovered that the black mist seemed to be formed from a powerful resentment, and at the center of the mist was a core emitting an eerie light—perhaps the key to breaking the predicament.
Lin Yang shared his discovery with the others, saying, "We can't continue this blind resistance. We must find the core of the fog and destroy it to break this deadlock. Everyone, stay close to me and be on guard." The others nodded and followed closely behind Lin Yang, heading towards the core of the fog.
As they ventured deeper, the black mist grew increasingly thick, and the surrounding pressure intensified. Under this immense pressure, the Linghe Merchant Guild's defensive shield finally shattered. The black mist instantly surged in, and everyone felt a chill penetrate their very bones, making it difficult to circulate their spiritual energy.
Lin Yang quickly used spatial magic to create a relatively stable space around everyone, temporarily blocking the invasion of the black mist. However, he knew that this was only a temporary measure, and he had to find the core of the mist as soon as possible.
Just then, a group of monsters formed from black mist suddenly appeared in the void. These monsters had different shapes, some resembling wolves and others like pythons, and they lunged at the group with bared fangs and claws.
The sword cultivators of the Spirit Sword Sect immediately unleashed their sword skills, engaging in fierce combat with the monsters. However, these monsters were ethereal beings, and ordinary sword techniques could only inflict temporary damage on them, as they could quickly reform.
The disciples of Wanbaoge manipulated magical artifacts, attempting to find the monsters' weaknesses. They discovered that these monsters were particularly wary of magical artifacts containing the power of light. Therefore, the disciples of Wanbaoge unleashed magical artifacts with light attributes, such as the Light Pearl and the Holy Radiance Mirror. Wherever the light shone, the monsters let out painful roars and their movements became sluggish.
Taking advantage of this opportunity, Lin Yang unleashed an attack spell that fused with the power of the mysterious light. A beam of light shot from his hand, striking a large monster. The monster was instantly engulfed by the light, turning into a wisp of black smoke and dissipating.
With everyone's combined attack, the number of monsters gradually decreased. But just then, a huge figure suddenly appeared from the black mist. The figure resembled an old man dressed in a black robe, his face was blurred, and his eyes flashed with an eerie red light.
The old man in black robes spoke slowly, his voice sounding as if it came from the deepest hell: "You ants, how dare you trespass here, attempting to seize treasures. Today is your death day!" With that, he waved his black staff, and a beam of black light shot towards the crowd.
Lin Yang swiftly cast a spatial defense spell, creating a spatial barrier in front of everyone. The black beam of light struck the barrier, producing a loud bang. The spatial barrier trembled violently, and cracks appeared.
Lin Yang felt a tingling sensation in his arm. He knew that the black-robed elder was extremely powerful, and in their current state, it would be difficult for them to contend with him. But he couldn't give up, and he quickly thought of a solution.
Just then, he suddenly remembered some clues he had obtained in the ruins, which seemed to be related to how to deal with this powerful resentment. He immediately shouted to everyone, "Concentrate, everyone, gather your spiritual power here. I will try to use a special method to fight against him."
Upon hearing this, everyone poured their spiritual energy into Lin Yang's body. Lin Yang circulated his spiritual energy, combining it with the power of the mysterious light spot, and unleashed a spell that fused spatial laws and purifying power. A beam of five-colored light shot from his hand, colliding with the black pillar of light.
The beams of light clashed with the pillars of light, erupting in a dazzling display of light in the void. Under the impact of the light, the black mist began to dissipate rapidly, and the figure of the old man in black robes became ethereal.
However, the old man in black robes had no intention of giving up easily. He roared and swung his staff again, instantly increasing the power of the black pillar of light. Under the impact of the black pillar of light, the multicolored light gradually lost its strength.
Lin Yang gritted his teeth, doing his best to maintain the operation of the spell. He knew that this was their last chance; if they couldn't defeat the black-robed elder, they would all perish in this void.
At this critical moment, Lin Yang suddenly noticed that the resentment power within the black-robed elder had momentarily become disordered while he was casting a powerful spell. Seizing the opportunity, he concentrated all his power on one point and shot it towards the part of the black-robed elder's body where the resentment was disordered.
A multicolored ray of light, like a sharp blade, pierced through the black pillar of light and struck the old man in black robes. The old man let out a scream as his body began to disintegrate. As the old man vanished, the black mist rapidly dissipated, and everyone was finally freed from their predicament.
But they knew this was not the end. At the edge of this void, a final test awaited them, and the mysterious treasure might lie just beyond that test. The group rested briefly, adjusted their state, and continued towards the unknown dangers ahead.
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