Chapter 277: Stronger Than Expected

The green‑clothed elf landed lightly before the group, her emerald dress standing out sharply in the dim light.

An anxious line crept across her brows, and her gaze fixed tightly on the red‑robed mage.

"Are you insane? Do you know what you're doing?"

The red‑robed mage frowned slightly, his tone tinged with displeasure: "Lu E, you arrived just in time; help me set up the formation to seal the Dark Lord."

The green‑clothed elf, named Lu E, ignored the mage's orders, raised her voice, and addressed everyone: "His plan may seem feasible, but in reality it hides enormous risk! This formation isn't meant to seal the Dark Lord at all, but—" She paused, drew a deep breath, then continued, "—it could cause the entire maze to collapse!"

The words shocked everyone. Xingyun Zhizhe's complexion changed dramatically, and he exclaimed, "Maze collapse? Then won't we all be trapped to death here?"

Xingji Xiake gripped his weapon tightly, glared at the red‑robed mage, and shouted, "How dare you deceive us!"

Kelinda looked at Zhang Cheng with worry and whispered, "Zhang Cheng, what should we do?"

Zhang Cheng furrowed his brows, his mind a whirl of thoughts.

The Dark Lord's threat loomed nearby, and now a new crisis emerged; they seemed caught in a dilemma.

He looked at the red‑robed mage and asked in a low voice, "Mage, is what Lu E said true?"

The red‑robed mage's face darkened, a flash of panic flickered in his eyes, but he quickly regained composure.

"Nonsense! My plan has absolutely no flaw. Lu E, you've been clouded by dark power!"

Lu E sneered, pulled an ancient stone tablet from her bosom, its surface covered with strange runes.

"This is what I found deep within the maze; it records the true purpose of this formation. Take a look yourself!"

The red‑robed mage took the tablet and examined it carefully. As time passed, his complexion grew increasingly grim, and fine beads of sweat seeped onto his forehead.

"This… this is impossible…" he muttered, disbelief filling his eyes.

The others grew more uneasy. Xingling's sharp voice rang again, "I told you he's a liar! You still don't believe!"

The Blue Star Guardian stepped beside Zhang Cheng and said gravely, "Zhang Cheng, we can no longer trust him."

Zhang Cheng inhaled deeply, his gaze steady on the red‑robed mage. "Mage, do you have anything else to say?"

The red‑robed mage let the tablet fall dejectedly, shook his head feebly. "I…"

Lu E stepped before the group, her expression solemn.

"The only way now is—" she halted abruptly, her gaze turning toward the maze's depths, her complexion shifting suddenly.

"It's too late…"

The red‑robed mage's face turned death‑white, his lips trembling as he tried to explain, but any words felt pale and powerless now.

The green‑clothed elf Lu E drew a yellowed parchment scroll from her sleeve, its pages densely filled with ancient prophecies and obscure runes.

She pointed to a passage, her tone icy: "It clearly states that forcibly activating the sealing formation with life force will cause the maze's structure to collapse, unleashing an incalculable disaster!"

The others stared at the script, a heavy shadow falling over their hearts.

Xingyun Zhizhe sat dejectedly on the ground, murmuring, "Have we… have we walked into a dead end again?" Guangming Shizhe clutched Kelinda's hand tightly, fear filling his eyes.

Even the usually composed Blue Star Guardian could not help but clench his fist, his gaze revealing deep despair.

Xingji Xiake could no longer restrain his fury; he drew his weapon abruptly, pointed at the red‑robed mage and roared, "You old liar! You've doomed us all!" He lunged forward, but Zhang Cheng seized him.

"Stop!" Zhang Cheng barked loudly, "Now is not the time for infighting! Even if we must settle scores, we must first survive!"

"Survive?" Xingji Xiake flung Zhang Cheng's hand aside, his tone dripping with sarcasm, "Look at our situation now—what chance do we have? You're always so naive! Every time you trust these so‑called 'masters,' what happens? We're led into peril again and again!"

Zhang Cheng's complexion also turned grim; he knew Xingji Xiake was right—he had indeed repeatedly placed trust in others, endangering his companions.

He clenched his teeth, a sense of helplessness filling his heart.

Facing Xingji Xiake's rebuke, he was powerless to retort, able only to endure silently.

He felt his own insignificance and incapacity, like a lone boat drifting on a boundless sea, ever at risk of being swallowed by towering waves.

As the group sank into despair, the ever‑silent white‑clothed elf suddenly stepped forward.

She radiated a gentle glow, like a lantern in the darkness, offering the others a sliver of hope.

Her clear voice echoed through the silent maze: "I can try to use purification power to stabilize the maze's structure…" She paused, her gaze fixed on the red‑robed mage, "and cooperate with your plan."

The white‑clothed elf's words flowed like a clear spring over the group's parched hearts, igniting a faint spark of hope amid the despair.

The holy light she emitted dispelled part of the gloom that shrouded the others' minds.

Xingji Xiake's fury eased slightly; he sheathed his weapon, his gaze turning complex as he looked at the white‑clothed elf.

Kelinda moved beside the white‑clothed elf, gripping her hand tightly, her eyes slightly reddened, gratitude evident: "Thank you, thank you for being willing to help us." The white‑clothed elf returned the grip, gave her a resolute look, and said gently, "No need to thank me; it's what I should do." Their friendship deepened at that moment, like two shining stars reflecting each other in the dark maze.

Xingyun Zhizhe rose slowly from the ground, approached the white‑clothed elf, and bowed deeply: "Miss Elf, the lives of all of us rest upon you." His voice trembled, edged with a sob, revealing his inner anxiety and unease.

The white‑clothed elf nodded lightly, signaling everyone to quiet down.

She slowly closed her eyes, pressed her palms together, and murmured incantations.

A powerful purifying force surged from her body, forming streams of holy light that spread outward.

The maze's walls, those bizarre runes, began to flicker erratically, as if suppressed by some force.

The red‑robed mage, seeing this, also acted at once.

He drew a gem flashing with red light from his chest, raised it high above his head, and chanted an ancient incantation.

The gem's radiance grew ever brighter, eventually forming a red pillar of light that shot straight into the heavens.

At that moment, the ever‑silent green‑clothed elf suddenly spoke: "I'll lend you a hand as well." Her voice was crisp and pleasant, yet carried a barely perceptible cunning.

She moved to the white‑clothed elf's side, extended her slender hands, green light shimmering in her palms.

This sudden move caught everyone off guard, even the ever‑vigilant Zhang Cheng felt surprised.

He stared intently at the green‑clothed elf, trying to read something in her eyes, but found her gaze as calm as water, inscrutable.

The green light of the green‑clothed elf intertwined with the white light of the white‑clothed elf, creating a strange luminous veil that enveloped the entire maze… The red‑robed mage's incantations grew louder, and the maze began to quake violently, as if something were about to burst forth.

"Begin." the green‑clothed elf whispered.

The green light merged into the white light, not as the anticipated clash but as an interwoven fusion, forming a stronger stabilizing force.

The group's previously taut nerves relaxed slightly, and Xingji Xiake's clenched fist slowly loosened.

Zhang Cheng slightly squinted, scrutinizing the green‑clothed Elf, trying to see through her sudden change.

"I've changed my mind," the green‑clothed Elf said calmly, as if the earlier hostility had never existed, "the red‑robed mage's plan is too radical; I must stop him." Her words left everyone more puzzled; Xingyun Zhizhe stepped forward and asked cautiously, "What exactly is your purpose?"

The green‑clothed Elf did not answer directly, but looked at the white‑clothed Elf: "Stabilizing the maze requires stronger power; I am willing to contribute my strength." The white‑clothed Elf nodded, accepting this unexpected aid; the two forces converged, the maze's tremors gradually subsided, the runes ceased flashing and became stable.

Just as everyone thought the crisis was about to be resolved and prepared to reconvene on the next action plan, a sudden anomaly erupted.

From deep within the maze came a deafening roar; the red‑robed mage's crimson light pillar shook violently, and a black figure streaked out like lightning—it was the Dark Lord!

He exuded a suffocating aura of darkness, his scarlet eyes filled with murderous desire.

The red‑robed mage let out a startled cry, clearly not expecting the Dark Lord to breach part of his barrier.

"Damn, he's stronger than anticipated!" the red‑robed mage's complexion turned pale, and the red gem's glow dimmed slightly.

The Dark Lord broke free of his restraints, a torrent of ferocious power surged, shrouding everything around in darkness.

A new crisis descended, and the group fell into peril again; Zhang Cheng's gaze hardened, and he whispered, "Prepare for battle!" At that moment, deep within the maze, the long‑dormant Amethyst Guardian suddenly flickered with eerie light… "What is that…" Guangming Shizhe pointed toward the distance, voice trembling.