Chapter 276: Lingering Fear Remains

The red light faded, and the red-robed mage's figure appeared clearly before everyone.

He was tall and upright, his red robe in the darkness like a burning flame, and the red gem at the tip of his staff flickered with eerie light.

The Dark Lord's previously snarling smile froze on his face, and his cold gaze fixed tightly on the unwelcome guest.

"Who are you?" the Dark Lord's hoarse voice carried a hint of caution.

The red-robed mage ignored the Dark Lord and turned his gaze to Zhang Cheng and the others, smiling slightly: "Everyone, no need to panic; I know a way to seal this demon without sacrificing anyone."

This was undoubtedly a glimmer of hope.

Xingji Xiake's grip on his energy sword relaxed a little, Kelinda's tense expression eased slightly, and even the usually calm Zhang Cheng's eyes flashed with a hint of hope.

"Really?" Xingyun Zhizhe stepped forward, his tone tinged with doubt, "What conditions do you have?"

The red-robed mage chuckled lightly: "Conditions? I ask for nothing, I just cannot stand this rampant dark power. Sealing the Dark Lord is also a good thing for me."

"What is your method?" Zhang Cheng asked in a low voice, still keeping his guard up.

The red-robed mage's sudden appearance and his overly casual words made it hard to fully trust him.

The red-robed mage smiled mysteriously: "The method is simple, but it requires your cooperation. I need you to help me gather seven Star Soul Stones; only when all seven are collected can the sealing formation be activated."

"Star Soul Stone?" Xingling floated to Zhang Cheng's side, its ethereal voice tinged with doubt, "What is that?"

"Star Soul Stones are energy crystals scattered throughout the maze, containing the powerful Xingling force," the red-robed mage explained, "Only by gathering them can the sealing formation be opened to suppress the Dark Lord forever."

The group exchanged glances; it sounded easy, but their intuition told them it was not that simple.

Zhang Cheng stared at the red-robed mage, his gaze sharp: "Are you sure this is all?"

The red-robed mage smiled faintly, did not answer directly, and simply raised his staff.

The Dark Lord was about to strike when a red energy barrier instantly appeared before the group, completely blocking the Dark Lord's attack.

The Dark Lord flinched slightly, a flash of surprise crossing his eyes.

"How about it? My strength is enough to prove my sincerity," the red-robed mage's voice was deep and powerful, "Now, what is your choice?"

The red-robed mage's magical barrier was like an impenetrable copper wall, completely stopping the Dark Lord's impending attack.

The Dark Lord's contempt in his eyes was instantly replaced by shock; he stared at the red-robed mage in disbelief, as if realizing for the first time that he faced a true opponent.

The others were stunned, the red-robed mage's effortless bearing undeniably injected them with a dose of courage.

Hope rose again in the abyss of despair.

"This power…" Xingji Xiake muttered, his energy sword humming, seemingly responding to the powerful energy surge.

"Perhaps we truly have a chance of salvation…" Kelinda lightly patted her chest, her nervousness easing a bit.

However, just as everyone was exhilarated by the red-robed mage's great power, Xingling emitted a discordant voice: "Wait! Things may not be that simple. This person appeared too suspiciously; his motives may not be pure, we cannot trust him lightly."

"Xingling is right," Zhang Cheng added his own question, "We've never heard of Star Soul Stones before; how did he learn of them? And why is he helping us? What are his motives?"

The Blue Star Guardian frowned and retorted: "But do we have any other options now? Rather than sit and await death, we should take a chance. Even if he has ulterior motives, it's still better than waiting here to die."

"You're gambling!" Xingling's tone grew urgent, "We cannot risk everyone's lives!"

The Blue Star Guardian stood firm: "Then what do you suggest? Do you have a better plan?"

Xingling was momentarily speechless; indeed it had no better solution. The atmosphere grew tense, each side holding their ground without yielding.

At that moment, Guangming Shizhe tightly grabbed Zhang Cheng's sleeve; her eyes were full of reliance on him. Zhang Cheng gently patted her hand, giving her a reassuring look.

Then he lifted his head, his gaze fixed firmly on the red-robed mage, and slowly said, "We need time to consider…" The red-robed mage nodded slightly, as if having anticipated Zhang Cheng's response.

"Time is precious," his voice was low, with a hint of warning, "The Dark Lord's power is growing, and my barrier cannot hold much longer." As soon as he finished, the Dark Lord let out a deafening roar, and even stronger dark energy surged toward the barrier like a tide.

The barrier quivered violently, emitting a harsh grinding sound; its flickering light grew increasingly unstable, ready to collapse at any moment.

Guangming Shizhe gasped, crouching behind Zhang Cheng, her body trembling slightly.

Xingji Xiake gripped his energy sword tightly, his expression solemn, feeling the suffocating pressure emanating from the Dark Lord.

The Blue Star Guardian wore an anxious face, pacing back and forth, muttering, "What do we do? What do we do?" He looked at Zhang Cheng, his eyes full of helplessness, as if placing all hope on him.

In stark contrast to their panic, the white-clad elf stood aside, expression indifferent, as if detached from the situation.

She silently watched the red-robed mage, her eyes flashing with complex light, as if seeing through his hidden secrets.

And Xingling expressed its doubt more directly: "He is merely buying time! We cannot trust him!" Its voice was sharp and grating, cutting across everyone's nerves, heightening the tension.

The gaunt man stood behind the Dark Lord, emitting a shrill, piercing laugh, as if mocking their incompetence and despair.

"Struggle, ants! Your fate was sealed long ago!" his voice was full of mockery and contempt, more like pouring oil on the fire, making everyone's hearts more anxious.

The Black Shark wore a grim face, silent, but the greedy glint in his eyes revealed his ambition.

He seemed indifferent to the clash between the Dark Lord and the red-robed mage, instead scheming how to reap the greatest profit from the chaos.

Zhang Cheng inhaled deeply, striving to stay calm.

He knew this was not the time to hesitate; a decision had to be made quickly.

He looked around, seeing his teammates' worried gazes, feeling the Dark Lord's mounting pressure, and finally he lifted his head, his gaze steady on the red-robed mage: "You said, what do you need us to do?"

The red-robed mage's mouth curled into a barely perceptible smile.

He did not answer Zhang Cheng's question directly, but slowly raised his hand, pointing to some strange runes scattered on the ground.

"Arrange these runes in the order I specify…" his voice was deep and mysterious, bearing an undeniable authority.

The group exchanged looks; the red-robed mage's action surprised everyone.

He did not choose to confront the Dark Lord directly, but had them set these odd runes… Xingyun Zhizhe stepped forward, scrutinizing the runes, his expression gradually growing serious.

"These runes…" he paused, his tone filled with unease, "seem… connected to an ancient forbidden spell…"

"Forbidden spell?" Zhang Cheng's heart sank as he looked at Xingyun Zhizhe, "What does that mean?" Xingyun Zhizhe furrowed his brows, pointing at a spiral rune and said, "I have seen this rune in ancient texts; it signifies a 'Soul Sacrifice'…"

The group inhaled a gasp of cold air.

"Soul Sacrifice?" Guangming Shizhe clutched her mouth in terror, trembling behind Zhang Cheng.

Xingji Xiake also tightened his grip on his energy sword, his eyes vigilantly scanning the red-robed mage.

Even the usually composed white-clad elf now frowned slightly, a hint of worry flashing in her eyes.

The red‑robed mage paid no heed to the crowd's reaction, his tone still calm: "Don't be misled by the ancient texts; the power of these runes is not as evil as you imagine. I am merely borrowing their power to construct a special magical array to seal the Dark Lord."

The Xingling's sharp voice rang out again: "Lies! You are clearly trying to use us to start some forbidden ritual!" A flash of impatience crossed the red‑robed mage's eyes, yet he remained calm: "I have no time to explain to you; believe it or not, if you don't obey, we'll all die here!" The Dark Lord's roar grew nearer, and the barrier's tremor grew more violent, as if it would collapse at any moment.

Zhang Cheng knew time was pressing; he had to make a choice.

"We'll follow his instructions," Zhang Cheng gritted his teeth, making up his mind. Rather than sit and wait for death, it was better to take a gamble.

The others were full of doubt, but at this moment they had no choice; they could only follow the red‑robed mage's instructions and begin to move the runes on the ground cautiously.

As the runes shifted, a strange aura spread through the air, and the surrounding temperature dropped sharply, sending a chill down everyone's spine.

At that moment, a crisp voice broke the tense atmosphere: "Stop!" The group turned toward the sound and saw an Elf clad in green clothing sprinting toward them at speed…