Chapter 278: Now, This Is True Despair

The Dark Lord broke free from the red‑robed mage's restraints, like a ferocious beast escaping a cage, and its roar reverberated through the entire maze.

Thick darkness swirled around him, like ink dropped into clear water, spreading rapidly and devouring everything nearby.

The runes on the corridor pillars hissed, and the crystal that had been emitting a gentle glow was now shrouded in an ominous shadow.

"Bad! This dark power is corrupting the maze!" Xingyun Zhizhe's face grew grave, the star disc in his hand spun wildly, yet he could not decipher the sudden surge of dark energy.

Just as everyone hesitated in shock, the Amethyst Guardian— the ten‑meter‑tall giant statue that had long lain silent in the distance— suddenly flickered with an eerie purple‑black light.

The light pulsed on and off like a breath, making hearts race.

"What is that…" Guangming Shizhe pointed to the distance, voice trembling. She instinctively clenched Xingling's hand, seeking a hint of comfort.

"Could it be… corrupted by the dark power?" Zhang Cheng's pupils suddenly contracted, and an ominous foreboding rose in his heart.

The Amethyst Guardian, originally the force protecting the maze, now exuded an unsettling aura.

Black cracks began to appear across its amethyst, spreading like a spiderweb, and the eerie light seeped out from those fissures.

In the next instant, the Amethyst Guardian moved. It slowly raised its massive arm, the long sword in its hand humming, its tip pointing straight at the group.

"It… it's attacking us!" Xingji Xiake shouted, drawing the energy sword from his back and assuming a defensive stance.

The Amethyst Guardian that had once protected the maze was now an enemy, and this sudden turn caught everyone off guard.

The Amethyst Guardian swung its long sword, each strike carrying destructive force.

It knew the maze's layout, and each attack perfectly sealed the group's escape routes.

"Kelinda, watch out!" Lan Xing shouted, pushing Kelinda aside, while he himself took the Amethyst Guardian's blow head‑on.

His massive body flew backward like a kite with a broken string, crashing heavily to the ground with a muffled thud.

"Lan Xing!" Kelinda shouted, rushing toward Lan Xing recklessly, her eyes filled with worry and anxiety.

"Hmph, a swarm of ants dares to challenge the Dark Lord's authority!" a gaunt figure emerged from the darkness, the henchman of Black Shark.

A mocking grin spread across his face, as if he were enjoying a good show.

"Now, this is true despair…"

Kelinda knelt beside Lan Xing, tears blurring her vision.

"Are you okay? Don't scare me!" she whispered, trying to channel a trace of Guangming Shizhe's healing energy into him, but found it barely effective; the darkness's corruption was too strong.

The gaunt man's sharp laugh pierced the tense air.

"Presumptuous! You scrawny minnows think you can challenge the Dark Lord's authority? How laughable!" he boasted, pointing at Zhang Cheng and the others, his eyes full of contempt.

"Look at you, a pitiful mess, like dogs of a bereaved family! And we will possess an entire galaxy!"

Xingji Xiake let out a roar, brandishing his energy sword as he charged at the Amethyst Guardian.

The sword light flashed, yet it was like an ant shaking a tree; the Amethyst Guardian's massive body merely quivered slightly and easily evaded the attack.

It swung a reverse slash, accompanied by a whistling wind, slashing straight at Xingji Xiake.

The knight barely dodged, but the powerful sword aura knocked him back several steps, nearly causing him to fall.

Seeing this, Zhang Cheng's gaze hardened, and his hands swiftly formed seals.

A golden halo shot from his hands, encircling the Amethyst Guardian.

It was his newly grasped skill—"Time Stasis"— capable of briefly restraining a target's movement.

The Amethyst Guardian's massive body indeed froze for a moment, sparking a sliver of hope in everyone's hearts.

However, that hope vanished in an instant.

The Amethyst Guardian let out a roar, black vapors surged on its body, and it violently broke free from the Time Stasis's shackles.

The golden halo shattered, turning into specks of starlight that dissolved into the air.

"Useless, your struggle is in vain!" the gaunt man crowed, even finding a clean stone to sit on, as if savoring a spectacular gladiatorial bout.

"The Dark Lord's power is not something ants can contend with," the surrounding pirates jeered, their mockery rising and falling, further highlighting Zhang Cheng and his companions' helplessness.

The white‑clad Elf looked at Zhang Cheng with worry, anxiety filling her eyes.

She bit her lip, wanting to step forward to help, but understood her own feeble power and could only pray silently.

Xingyun Zhizhe furrowed his brow as the star disc in his hand spun faster and faster.

He continuously analyzed the situation, trying to find a glimmer of a breakthrough.

Suddenly, his eyes lit up as he looked at the Amethyst Guardian's eyes.

"Wait, its gaze…"

Xingyun Zhizhe pointed at the Amethyst Guardian's eyes, his tone urgent yet clear: "Look at its gaze! Though filled with dark energy, a hint of clarity remains deep within! It hasn't been fully controlled!"

Hearing this, Zhang Cheng and the others immediately observed closely. Indeed, within the Amethyst Guardian's raging stare lay a trace of struggle and pain.

"Perhaps we still have a chance!" Xingyun Zhizhe's star disc glowed intensely, a dazzling beam of wisdom light shooting toward the Amethyst Guardian.

The light was not an attack but contained powerful purification and guiding force.

The wisdom light struck the Amethyst Guardian, which let out a painful roar as its massive body trembled.

Black vapors intertwined with golden light, like two forces colliding fiercely.

Everyone held their breath, watching the silent battle tensely.

The gaunt man's grin hardened, and he leapt from the stone, shouting sharply, "What's happening? What's going on?" The other pirates also panicked, their shouts turning into fearful whispers.

At last, the golden light gained the upper hand.

The Amethyst Guardian ceased struggling, the darkness in its eyes gradually receding, replaced by a hint of bewilderment and confusion.

Its massive body slowly knelt to the ground, bowing its head.

"Success!" Xingji Xiake exclaimed, pumping his fists excitedly. The group's tense nerves finally relaxed, and they let out a long sigh.

Guangming Shizhe immediately ran to Lan Xing's side, gently helping him to his feet.

Her hands emitted a soft glow, healing his wounds.

Lan Xing looked at her concerned eyes, and a warm current rose in his heart.

"I'm fine…" he smiled weakly, grasping her hand.

Kelinda also wiped away her tears, a look of relief on her face. She walked to Zhang Cheng's side and gave him a gentle hug. "Thank you, Zhang Cheng."

Zhang Cheng patted her shoulder, but his gaze turned to the purple crystal guardian kneeling on the ground. He knew the crisis was not yet fully resolved.

At that moment, a red‑robed mage and a green‑clothed elf suddenly appeared before the group.

The red‑robed mage brandished a staff, his eyes sharply fixed on the purple crystal guardian.

"It must be eradicated completely! Otherwise the repercussions will be endless!"

The green‑clothed elf shook her head. "No, it can still be saved! We can try to fully purify it!"

The red‑robed mage snorted coldly. "Purify? You're too naive! The dark power has already seeped into its marrow; it cannot be completely removed!"

The green‑clothed elf showed no retreat.

"How would we know without trying? Moreover…" she paused, giving Zhang Cheng a meaning‑laden look, "perhaps, he has a way…"

"Foolish! The mercy of a woman!" The red‑robed mage slammed his staff down, the ground trembling, "This thing has already been corrupted by darkness; purification is futile! If we cut it off, chaos will follow!"

The green‑clothed elf was undeterred, her emerald eyes flashing with brilliance: "What do you know? Purification is the hope of all living things! Moreover, it is a guardian by nature, and the lingering guardian power within cannot be ignored! Zhang Cheng," she turned to him, voice firm, "you must have a way, right?"

Before Zhang Cheng could speak, Xingyun Zhizhe stepped forward, brows knit: "Both of you, now is not the time for debate. The purple crystal guardian's condition is unstable; the dark power is striking back. We must decide quickly!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the purple crystal guardian kneeling on the ground let out a painful roar; the black energy that had receded surged again, coiling around its massive body, golden light intertwining with dark vapors, as if it would be wholly devoured by darkness in the next instant.

At the same time, a heart‑pounding wave of energy echoed from afar.

The Dark Lord's silhouette flickered in the gloom, his hands raised, a sphere of pitch‑black energy expanding continuously in his grasp, exuding a destructive aura.

"Bad! He's about to launch an attack!" Xingji Xiake drew his weapon, readying a strict formation.

The crowd instantly fell into a dilemma with no way forward or back.

Destroying the purple crystal guardian would reduce their strength against the Dark Lord; purifying it, however, risks it being controlled again.

Time ticked by second after second, the air thick with tension and despair.

Just as the purple crystal guardian was about to be fully overtaken by dark power and the Dark Lord's attack readied, a soft blue light flashed… a figure materialized out of thin air.

Crystal‑clear skin, floating long blue hair, she held a crystal staff, looking like an elf stepping out of a dream.

"Crystal elf…" Kelinda murmured softly, her gaze full of hope yet tinged with an indescribable unease.

The crowd held their breath, eyes fixed on the suddenly appearing elf, unsure whether she could alter the dire situation… "She… who is she?" the gaunt man asked, his voice trembling.