Chapter 231: Sharks That Smell Blood

Zhang Cheng walked toward the Dark Valley without hesitation, every step carrying absolute resolve. His senses fully open, that cold, serpentine breath of danger was emanating from exactly that place.

"Zhang Cheng, are you sure you won't reconsider?" the Lan Xing Guardian followed closely behind him, brows tightly furrowed. "That aura is evil and powerful. I'm worried..."

"I know," Zhang Cheng did not slow his pace, his tone unusually firm. "But I sense that clues related to the Blood Night Demon Family may be hidden there. I have to go see for myself."

Kelinda's pale face was filled with worry. Her injuries had not fully healed, yet she still gritted her teeth and followed. "I'm coming too! I won't let you venture alone!"

"Kelinda, you..." Zhang Cheng tried to stop her, but her resolute gaze silenced him.

"Don't worry, I'll take care of myself." Kelinda smiled, and though the exhaustion was hard to hide in that smile, it still radiated a soul-stirring resolve.

The mysterious Elf, who had been silent all along, now gently waved the staff in her hand. Pale green light flowed around her body, as if responding to Kelinda's words.

Seeing that their decision could not be changed, the Lan Xing Guardian could only sigh helplessly. "Alright, but you must be careful! If you encounter danger, retreat immediately. Don't linger in battle!"

"We will." Zhang Cheng nodded solemnly, then continued striding forward.

The Dark Valley, true to its name, was shrouded in a suffocating darkness. Towering peaks blocked out the sky, sunlight barely piercing through. Heavy fog permeated the valley, as if it were a gateway to hell.

Zhang Cheng's group of three advanced cautiously, every step taken with extraordinary care. The valley was dead silent, only the faint echo of their footsteps reverberating, adding to the eerie atmosphere.

"Careful!" the Lan Xing Guardian suddenly barked in a low voice, condensing a dazzling beam of energy in his hand that shattered a boulder ahead into fragments.

The instant the boulder shattered, a black shadow lunged at Zhang Cheng with extreme speed. Zhang Cheng was already on guard—he flashed aside, narrowly dodging the attack.

Looking closely, the black shadow was actually a creature resembling a cheetah, but its entire body was pitch-black as ink, without a single hair, only a pair of blood-red eyes gleaming with ferocity.

"What is this thing?" Kelinda asked in surprise, condensing a dazzling orb of energy in her hand, ready for combat at any moment.

"Careful, these things are extremely dangerous!" the Lan Xing Guardian said in a low voice. "They're incredibly fast and their attack power is formidable. Don't let them get close!"

The moment those words fell, a series of piercing howls suddenly rang out through the valley. Immediately after, countless black shadows surged from all directions, swarming toward them like a tidal wave... The dark mass of spectral creatures, like a pool of thick ink, poured out from the crevices of the valley, instantly surrounding Zhang Cheng and the others. They had no physical form, their shapes flickering and erratic, their shrieks piercing eardrums and leaving one dizzy and disoriented.

"What the hell are these things!" Zhang Cheng swung the energy sword in his hand, the azure blade light cutting through the air, but it passed straight through the spectral creatures' bodies without dealing any damage.

"They have no physical form—they're energy beings!" the Lan Xing Guardian roared. "Don't linger in battle, evade as much as you can!"

The spectral creatures were simply too numerous. Like a black tide, they surged madly toward Zhang Cheng and the others, trying to devour them. Kelinda fired one energy orb after another from her hands, each exploding into dazzling bursts of light, yet still unable to halt their assault.

"Damn it!" Zhang Cheng was forced to retreat again and again. These spectral creatures seemed to be everywhere, seeping through every gap, impossible to defend against.

"Argh!" the Lan Xing Guardian grunted. His arm was pierced by a spectral creature, and a wisp of black qi immediately rose from the wound, his face growing even paler.

"Are you alright?" Kelinda asked anxiously.

"I'm fine," the Lan Xing Guardian said through gritted teeth. "These spectral creatures' attacks are corrosive. Be careful!"

Zhang Cheng's heart sank. The Lan Xing Guardian was already wounded, and they were trapped within the spectral creatures' encirclement. The situation was growing increasingly dire for them.

"This won't work. We have to break through!" Zhang Cheng made a snap decision, swinging his sword to force back several spectral creatures, then said to Kelinda, "Kelinda, use your Demon Power!"

Kelinda bit her lip hard, a flash of resolve in her eyes. She pressed her hands together and chanted an ancient incantation in a low voice.

As the chant rang out, a powerful dark force erupted from within her body, spreading outward like a shockwave. The spectral creatures near her let out mournful shrieks and were instantly shaken into ash.

"Go, now!" Kelinda shouted. Black energy churned around her, forming an indestructible barrier that kept the spectral creatures at bay.

Zhang Cheng and the Lan Xing Guardian seized the opportunity and fought their way outward. However, the spectral creatures were simply too numerous—impossible to kill them all. Every step forward came at a tremendous cost.

"Kelinda, are you alright?" Zhang Cheng glanced back and saw that Kelinda's face had turned deathly pale, her forehead covered in fine beads of sweat.

"I..." Kelinda opened her mouth, but suddenly let out a muffled groan. The black energy barrier flickered violently several times, then shattered with a boom...

The black energy barrier shattered like glass, dissolving into specks of starlight that scattered in the air. Kelinda grunted, her figure swaying, nearly collapsing to the ground. Her Demon Power completely exhausted, she was now utterly weak, her pale face devoid of all color.

"Kelinda!" Zhang Cheng's heart jolted at the sight. He quickly swung his sword to drive back several spectral creatures trying to close in and rushed toward Kelinda.

"Don't come over here!" Kelinda cried out weakly. "These spectral creatures are targeting me. Go, quickly!"

"No, I can't leave you behind!" Zhang Cheng said firmly, his eyes filled with worry and urgency.

The spectral creatures let out piercing shrieks, like sharks that had caught the scent of blood, and surged madly toward Kelinda.

"How truly touching," an ethereal voice suddenly rang out. "A pity that you will all die here."

A figure clad in a black robe with a hood slowly stepped out from among the spectral creatures. His voice was low and hoarse, grating like metal scraping against metal.

"Who are you?" Zhang Cheng asked warily, gripping the energy sword in his hand tightly.

The black-robed figure did not answer. He slowly raised his right hand, and a powerful dark force surged from within him. The spectral creatures, as if summoned, gathered toward him one after another, ultimately transforming into a black cloak that draped over his body.

"You're from the Blood Night Demon Family!" Kelinda recognized this dark force and said through gritted teeth.

"Heh, it seems you haven't forgotten us," the black-robed figure let out a cold, sinister laugh. "Rest assured, I will make you watch your friends die one by one before your very eyes!"

Just then, the mysterious Elf, who had not acted until now, suddenly flew into midair. She pressed her hands together and chanted an ancient incantation in a low voice.

As she chanted, specks of starlight surged from her body, transforming into strange runes that floated in the air.

"Stop!" the black-robed figure perceived the mysterious Elf's intent and barked sharply.

However, it was already too late.

The mysterious Elf finished her chant, and the runes emitted a soft glow, attempting to soothe the frenzied spectral creatures.

Yet the spectral creatures seemed provoked instead, growing even more violent. They let out deafening shrieks and surged toward the mysterious Elf like a tide.

"No!" Zhang Cheng's eyes split with rage, wanting to rush forward to stop them, but blocked by countless spectral creatures.

The mysterious Elf was surrounded by spectral creatures, her body enveloped in black mist. Only her frail silhouette could be faintly seen struggling within.

"Hahaha, overestimating yourselves!" the black-robed figure laughed wildly.

Kelinda closed her eyes in despair, tears sliding down her cheeks.

Just then, Zhang Cheng felt a powerful force awaken within him. He snapped his eyes open, his gaze like lightning, fixed dead on the black-robed figure, and said word by word: "You deserve to die!"

Zhang Cheng's heart pounded violently, as if beating a war drum. He had never craved power like this before—craved tearing the black-robed figure before him and those spectral creatures to shreds. He tried once more to mobilize that mysterious power within him, but the earlier battle with the spectral creatures had nearly depleted all his energy. Right now, he was like a ship that had lost its power, at the mercy of fate's waves.

The mysterious Elf's chanting grew weaker and weaker, her figure teetering within the black mist. Kelinda struggled to stand, but collapsed to the ground again from weakness, able only to watch helplessly as the scene unfolded. Despair and self-blame gnawed at her heart like venomous serpents.

"Hahaha, what a pitiful struggle." The black-robed figure laughed recklessly, spreading his arms as if to embrace the impending victory. "You shall obediently become my sacrifices!"

At this critical moment hanging by a thread, a beam of golden light tore across the sky, descending from above like lightning and striking heavily upon that mass of black mist. The black mist churned violently, letting out piercing shrieks, as if enduring tremendous agony.

"Who is it?!" the black-robed figure exclaimed in shock and fury. He snapped his head up, looking toward the direction where the golden light had appeared.

A tall figure slowly emerged from the golden light. He wore golden armor and wielded a long spear crackling with lightning, his entire body radiating a suffocating aura of dominance.

"Lan Xing Guardian!" Kelinda recognized the newcomer and shouted with delight.

"You are…" Zhang Cheng looked at the man before him, who seemed like a deity, and was filled with shock.

The Lan Xing Guardian ignored Zhang Cheng and the man in black robes, walked straight to the black mist, pointed his long spear at the mysterious Elf, and said in a deep voice, "Hold on, child, I'm coming to help you."

As soon as the words left his mouth, the Lan Xing Guardian's spear erupted with dazzling lightning, the bolts flashing like silver snakes, surging wildly toward the black mist, trying to tear it apart.

The man in black robes saw this and his face turned extremely sour. He never expected the Lan Xing Guardian to appear here.

The man in black robes gave the Lan Xing Guardian a deep look, a hint of fear flashing in his eyes, then he suddenly swung his black cloak, and the ghostly creatures, as if obeying a command, turned and rushed toward Zhang Cheng, Kelinda and the others.

"Not good!" the Lan Xing Guardian's expression changed, but before he could react, the man in black robes turned into a black shadow and vanished from the spot at astonishing speed.

"Damn it!" the Lan Xing Guardian roared, but he was entangled by the black mist before him and could not break free.

Zhang Cheng looked at his wounded companion, charged angrily at the swarm of ghostly creatures, trying to use his own body to buy his comrades some time, but was heavily surrounded by the ghostly creatures…