Chapter 274: Uneasy Heart

A sudden cold wind swept through the room without warning, catching everyone off guard.

A black shadow flashed by like a wraith, breaking the previously focused atmosphere; the air instantly solidified, and tension spread over everyone like an invisible net.

Xingji Xiake reacted the fastest, letting out a low growl as he drew the light sword from his back; the blade emitted a humming buzz and surged straight toward the black shadow.

The black shadow was the Shadow Assassin, whose body moved with extraordinary agility, like a drifting leaf, easily evading the Xiake's fierce attack.

The Xiake's strike missed, and the Shadow Assassin seized the moment to counter, slashing a short dagger through the air straight for the Xiake's throat.

The Xiake quickly sidestepped, narrowly avoiding being cut.

"Careful!" the Blue Star Guardian shouted, immediately joining the fight; the energy shield in his hand flashed with dazzling light, blocking the assassin's follow‑up attacks.

The two teamed up, surrounding the Shadow Assassin in the center.

The Xiake's swordplay was swift and fierce like a raging storm, while the Blue Star Guardian's shield was unbreakable as a bronze wall of iron; their coordination was seamless, balancing offense and defense, and for a moment they fought the Shadow Assassin in a deadlock.

The gray‑bearded elder and Xingyun Zhizhe quickly retreated to a corner, and Xingling transformed into a streak of light that circled them, forming a protective barrier.

Guangming Shizhe's hand emitted a soft white glow, ready to provide support at any moment.

Kelinda watched the battle anxiously, prepared to use her special ability to assist at any time.

Zhang Cheng stood aside, his gaze calm as he observed the fight, analyzing the enemy's patterns.

Although the Shadow Assassin was surrounded by the two, he remained unflustered; his movements stayed agile, his strikes ruthless, each blow lethal.

He seemed able to anticipate the Xiake's and the Guardian's attack trajectories, always evading their blows at the last instant and waiting for a chance to counter.

"This assassin's skill is extraordinary; he is probably not an ordinary figure," Xingyun Zhizhe said in a low voice, his tone tinged with worry.

The gray‑bearded elder nodded slightly, a solemn glint in his eyes, "There is a dark aura about him..."

The Shadow Assassin let out a cold laugh, his figure flashing as he widened the distance from the Xiake and the Guardian.

At some point, a black poisoned blade appeared in his hand, its tip shimmering with an eerie green light that sent chills down the spine.

He flicked his wrist, and the poisoned blade shot like an arrow, soaring toward Guangming Shizhe… the blade sliced through the air, emitting a sharp whine as it rushed at Guangming Shizhe.

At the critical moment, Kelinda leapt without hesitation toward Guangming Shizhe, using her body to block the deadly strike.

The poisoned blade cut across Kelinda's arm, and blood instantly stained her sleeve scarlet.

"Kelinda!" Guangming Shizhe shouted, his eyes full of worry and guilt.

The others gathered around, asking concernedly about Kelinda's injuries.

Xingji Xiake, even more frustrated, pounded the wall, "It's all because I reacted too slowly!" His self‑reproach highlighted Zhang Cheng's composure, yet also underscored his own helplessness.

"I'm fine..." Kelinda's face turned pale as she forced herself to speak through the pain, but her trembling voice betrayed her weakness.

A pirate goon from the atmosphere crew saw this and sneered sarcastically, "Yo, I thought you were some great figure, but turns out you're just a delicate little girl!" His contemptuous tone and exaggerated posture subtly highlighted the protagonists' vulnerability and Zhang Cheng's sense of powerlessness.

Everyone expected the Shadow Assassin to press the advantage and continue attacking the wounded Kelinda, but instead he made a move that surprised everyone.

He flashed, slipping past the crowd and sprinting straight toward the gray‑bearded elder in the room's corner!

"Bad! He's trying to stop the elder from deciphering the symbols on the wall!" Xingyun Zhizhe exclaimed.

Only then did they realize the Shadow Assassin's target wasn't them, but the mysterious symbols!

Could those symbols conceal some crucial secret?

The Shadow Assassin moved with blinding speed, arriving before the gray‑bearded elder in an instant, his dagger flashing with a cold gleam.

Though the elder was aged, his reaction was unusually swift; he stepped back quickly, evading the assassin's lethal strike.

"What do you intend to do?" the elder barked, a murky anger flashing in his eyes.

"To stop you!" the Shadow Assassin replied coldly, his eyes full of murderous intent. He swung the dagger again toward the gray‑bearded elder.

At that critical moment, Xingyun Zhizhe suddenly began chanting a spell…

Xingyun Zhizhe uttered the incantation, spitting out obscure, incomprehensible syllables that seemed to contain ancient, mysterious power.

A dazzling beam of wisdom burst from his fingertips, instantly enveloping the Shadow Assassin.

The assassin's movements visibly slowed, as if mired in quicksand; his once fluid attacks became clumsy.

It was Xingyun Zhizhe's trump card technique—"Wisdom Light Slowing".

The move not only slows the enemy's actions but also briefly disrupts their thoughts, plunging them into temporary confusion.

Xingji Xiake seized the fleeting chance, letting out a roar; his long sword traced a fierce arc, slashing hard across the Shadow Assassin's arm.

The assassin let out a painful howl as his dagger clattered to the ground.

Black blood gushed from the wound, emitting a nauseating, fetid stench.

"Damn it!" the assassin shouted, clutching his injured arm and glaring ferociously at Xingji Xiake.

His gaze was filled with anger and resentment, like a wounded beast ready to strike back at any moment.

At that moment, a white Elf appeared beside Kelinda, gently grasping her injured arm.

Holy light radiated from her palm, slowly flowing into Kelinda's wound.

Kelinda felt a warm force spread through her body, and the intense pain gradually faded.

She looked at the white Elf gratefully, her eyes full of trust and reliance.

Their hands clasped tightly together, as if transmitting each other's warmth and strength.

"Thank you, Elf," Kelinda's voice was a bit weak, yet full of sincerity.

The white Elf smiled gently, "You're welcome, Kelinda. Protecting you is my duty."

The Shadow Assassin's sudden appearance and attack made everyone realize the situation was far more complex and dangerous than imagined.

It was clear the assassin was targeting the gray‑bearded elder and the symbols on the wall, indicating the symbols likely concealed an important secret, perhaps even affecting the entire labyrinth's fate.

Zhang Cheng furrowed his brow, his gaze sweeping back and forth between the Shadow Assassin and the gray‑bearded elder.

He felt a vague unease, always sensing that things were not that simple.

The Shadow Assassin's strength was not to be underestimated, and his sudden appearance suggested someone had deliberately orchestrated it.

"Xingling, we must quickly uncover the meaning of those symbols," Zhang Cheng said gravely.

Xingling nodded, indicating agreement.

However, at that moment, Zhang Cheng and Xingling diverged on how to deal with the Shadow Assassin's subsequent attacks.

Zhang Cheng advocated pressing the advantage, subduing the assassin while it was wounded to eliminate future trouble.

Xingling, however, thought they should first protect the gray-bearded elder to prevent him from being attacked again.

"We must protect the elder first!" Xingling's voice was a bit urgent, "Those symbols likely relate to the maze's secret; if the elder meets an accident, we won't be able to solve this mystery."

"But…" Zhang Cheng was about to say something, but Xingling cut him off.

"No 'but'!" Xingling's tone was unusually firm, "Now is not the time to play hero; we must prioritize the bigger picture!"

Zhang Cheng clenched his fists, his gaze flickering uncertainly…

"We cannot let the tiger return to the mountain!" Zhang Cheng's voice trembled slightly with excitement, "Now is his weakest moment; if we let him escape, it will be hard to catch him next time!"

Xingling's electronic voice was cold and calm: "Zhang Cheng, you're too impulsive! Protecting the elder and the symbols is the top priority. The assassin is just a petty thug; even if he escapes, it's no big deal, but if the elder and the symbols fall into the Dark Lord's hands, the consequences would be unimaginable!"

"Petty thug?" Xingji Xiake covered his still bleeding arm, angrily saying, "That guy almost took my life! This isn't something a petty thug could do!"

"Xingji Xiake is right," Kelinda also weakly echoed, "This assassin's skill and strength are great; we can't be careless."

Zhang Cheng pointed at the wall behind the gray-bearded elder, "Those symbols are the key! If we can decipher their meaning, we might find a way to deal with the Dark Lord, and then we won't fear the assassin any longer."

Xingling fell silent for a moment, its electronic voice tinged with helplessness: "Zhang Cheng, I know you're anxious, but we must stay calm. The current situation is unclear; rash action will only lead us into greater danger."

Just as the group continued to argue, the Shadow Assassin's figure vanished into the darkness like a phantom.

A faint scent of blood lingered in the air, reminding everyone of the thrilling scene that had just occurred.

"He fled..." Blue Star Guardian warnedly looked around, speaking in a low voice.

Although the assassin had vanished, the tense atmosphere still lingered.

Everyone knew he was certainly still nearby, lurking in the darkness, waiting for a chance to strike, ready to launch another attack at any moment.

Guangming Shizhe walked to Kelinda's side, lightly patting her shoulder, and gently reassured, "Don't worry, Kelinda, we will protect you."

Kelinda gratefully nodded, but her clenched hands revealed her inner unease.

Zhang Cheng took a deep breath, striving to calm himself. He knew Xingling's point was reasonable, but abandoning the pursuit of the assassin like this left him truly unwilling.

Suddenly, the gray-bearded elder let out a low groan, trembling as he reached out, pointing at the symbols on the wall, his lips moving as if to say something.

"Elder..." Zhang Cheng hurried forward to support him.

A flicker of fear flashed in the elder's cloudy eyes; using his last ounce of strength, he rasped, "Darkness... descends..."

Before the words finished, the elder's hand drooped weakly, his breath gone.

Almost at the same time, the surrounding dark aura suddenly thickened, a powerful pressure surged… Xingling's electronic voice quivered slightly: "Bad, Dark Lord..."