Chapter 284

The withered hand grabbed at Zhang Cheng like lightning, and he instinctively jumped backward, barely dodging it.

The fog surged, and a hunched figure emerged from it, withered skin wrapped around bones, and ghostly green light flickering in empty eye sockets.

Shadow Assassin!

"Careful, he is controlled by dark power!" The Messenger of Light exclaimed, her scepter emitting a soft light, trying to dispel the dark aura shrouding the Shadow Assassin.

However, the light was like a stone dropped into the ocean, having no effect on him at all.

When they stepped into the fog, a strange power began to erode their bodies.

The Starry Knight felt his strength flowing away like water, and his movements wielding his greatsword became sluggish and weak.

Even he, who was always brave and fearless, couldn't help but feel a hint of fear.

Kelinda felt a wave of dizziness; she struggled to support herself, her face pale.

"My ability... has been suppressed..." she said weakly.

The others also looked troubled, clearly all affected to varying degrees.

The Blue Star Guardian said in a deep voice, "There is something wrong with this fog." He tried to condense an energy shield, only to find the energy flow abnormally sluggish.

Even he, who was always steadfast, couldn't help but feel a bit flustered at this moment.

The Nebula Sage frowned, observing the surrounding fog carefully, trying to find its mystery.

However, the fog was ever-changing, as if it had a life of its own, making it difficult for him to grasp for a moment.

"Hmph, a bunch of arrogant guys." A sharp voice came from the depths of the fog, and then a gaunt figure appeared before them—it was the Dark Lord's henchman.

"You think you can approach the labyrinth guardian? It's just wishful thinking!" He said haughtily, his eyes full of contempt.

The Dark Lord slowly walked out of the fog, his tall figure casting a huge shadow, like an insurmountable mountain, pressing down on the group so they couldn't breathe.

He looked at the group, a cruel smile on the corner of his mouth: "You will all become my sacrifices!"

The Red-Robed Mage also appeared, glancing at the group, a hint of imperceptible worry flashing in his eyes, but he quickly covered it up.

"Master, these ants are not worth worrying about." He said respectfully to the Dark Lord.

The Green-Clothed Elf laughed contemptuously, her eyes sweeping over the group as if looking at a flock of lambs waiting to be slaughtered.

"You want to challenge the Master's authority just by yourselves? How ridiculous."

Zhang Cheng gritted his teeth; he knew they were now at an absolute disadvantage.

But he did not give up. He gripped his weapon tightly and looked at the Dark Lord with a firm gaze: "We will not give up! Even if we die, we will fight to the death!"

The Messenger of Light walked to Zhang Cheng's side, gently holding his hand, giving him silent support.

The Star Spirit suddenly let out a sharp cry, and the group felt their vision blur...

After the Star Spirit's cry, the world seemed to stand still for a moment.

When they opened their eyes again, they found themselves in a space filled with starlight; the fog still existed, but it no longer had the power to erode.

"This is... the Star Spirit's domain?" The Nebula Sage muttered to himself, looking up at the starry sky, a hint of realization flashing in his eyes.

"So that's it, this fog is not ordinary fog, but composed of a special kind of magic rune!"

The Nebula Sage sat cross-legged, eyes closed, and began to analyze the runes in the fog.

The others watched their surroundings vigilantly, guarding against dangers that might appear at any time.

The Dark Lord's group seemed to be startled by this sudden change and did not act rashly for a while.

Time passed second by second, sweat beads oozing from the Nebula Sage's forehead, but he remained focused on studying the runes.

Finally, he opened his eyes abruptly, a flash of brilliance in them.

"Found it! There is a fatal flaw in the arrangement of these runes!"

He quickly told the Star Spirit the method of breaking it. The Star Spirit let out a crisp cry, starlight swirled, and the fog began to roll violently, as if hit by some kind of power.

"What's going on?" The Dark Lord's expression changed; he felt his power weakening.

"Damn it!" The Red-Robed Mage also exclaimed, the light of the staff in his hand dimming, clearly affected.

The Green-Clothed Elf was so scared her face turned pale; she clutched the sleeve of the Red-Robed Mage tightly, trembling.

As the fog dissipated, the surrounding scene gradually became clear. The Shadow Assassin stood stiffly in place, and the green light flickering in his empty eye sockets gradually extinguished.

"The opportunity is here!" The Starry Knight roared, the first to rush out of the Star Spirit's domain, wielding his weapon and charging toward the Dark Lord like a bolt of lightning.

"No matter what the danger is, it cannot stop us!"

The Starry Knight's heroic actions inspired the group, and they rushed out of the fog one after another, launching fierce attacks on the enemy. The Messenger of Light walked to Zhang Cheng's side...

The Messenger of Light walked to Zhang Cheng's side, took out a clean white handkerchief, and gently wiped the sweat from his forehead.

The starlight fell, reflecting in her gentle brows and eyes, as if plating her with a layer of holy radiance.

Zhang Cheng's gaze fell on her focused expression, and a warm current surged in his heart.

In this labyrinth fraught with crises, this simple action made him feel an unprecedented sense of peace and tranquility.

He gently held the Messenger of Light's hand and smiled at her gratefully.

There was no need for many words between them; the moment their eyes met, their feelings quietly warmed in this subtle action.

Suddenly, a black shadow darted out from the shadows of the labyrinth, breaking this brief tranquility.

The Shadow Assassin, like a ghostly figure, his blade flashing with cold light, headed straight for the Nebula Sage.

He knew that as long as this sage was eliminated, the others would not be able to break the labyrinth's mechanisms.

"Careful!" Zhang Cheng shouted.

The Starry Knight and the Blue Star Guardian reacted with lightning speed, blocking the Nebula Sage almost the moment the Shadow Assassin appeared.

The Starry Knight wielded his energy sword, the sword light like a rainbow, colliding with the Shadow Assassin's blade and making a harsh metallic clashing sound.

The Blue Star Guardian summoned an energy shield, protecting the Nebula Sage behind him.

The Shadow Assassin's attacks were tricky and varied; he would hide in the shadows and then suddenly appear to launch a fatal blow.

But he was facing the experienced Starry Knight and the Blue Star Guardian, who possessed powerful defensive capabilities.

The Starry Knight's attacks were like a storm, forcing the Shadow Assassin to struggle for breath, while the Blue Star Guardian's energy shield was unbreakable, neutralizing the Shadow Assassin's attacks one by one.

The two cooperated tacitly, both offensive and defensive, gradually gaining the upper hand.

In the distance, the Red-Robed Mage watched the fierce battle, the light of his staff flickering.

"This is too slow; let me end this battle!" He raised his staff high, preparing to release a powerful attack spell.

"Wait!" The Green-Clothed Elf grabbed the Red-Robed Mage's sleeve. "Your spell is too powerful; what if you accidentally hurt our own people?"

The Red-Robed Mage frowned. "Womanly benevolence! Now is not the time to worry about such things!"

"You..." The Green-Clothed Elf's voice trembled. "Could it be that you..."

"What about me! I know what I'm doing!" The Red-Robed Mage shook off the Green-Clothed Elf's hand, the red light at the tip of his staff becoming even more dazzling.

The Green-Clothed Elf bit her lip, a flash of determination in her eyes; she quickly chanted a spell, and a green barrier appeared around the Starry Knight and the Blue Star Guardian.

"At least this can protect them!"

The Red-Robed Mage snorted coldly, ignoring the Green-Clothed Elf, and pointed his staff at the Shadow Assassin.

A scorching pillar of fire erupted from the tip of the staff, heading straight for the Shadow Assassin.

The Shadow Assassin reacted quickly, dodging the attack with a flash, and the pillar of fire hit the labyrinth wall, sending debris flying.

Just then, a cold aura permeated the air, and the light in the labyrinth seemed to dim a bit.

The Dark Lord's figure slowly appeared beside the Shadow Assassin, surrounded by black mist, making people shudder.

"It seems my little pet needs some help." His voice was low, carrying a hint of mockery.

The Shadow Assassin bowed slightly, indicating submission.

The Dark Lord raised his hand, and a black energy was injected into the Shadow Assassin's body; the wounds on the Shadow Assassin's body healed rapidly, and his aura became even more powerful.

"Damn it!" The Starry Knight cursed, the light of the energy sword in his hand becoming even brighter.

He felt a powerful sense of pressure; the Dark Lord's power far exceeded that of the previous Shadow Assassin.

Zhang Cheng observed the situation calmly, his brain working at high speed.

He had to come up with a way to deal with the current crisis.

He turned to look at the Nebula Sage. "Sage, is there any way to restrain the dark power?"

The Nebula Sage frowned, pondered for a moment, and said, "The Messenger of Light's purification power might be effective, but it needs time to prepare." He looked at the Messenger of Light. "Messenger of Light, how long do you need?"

The Messenger of Light took a deep breath, and holy light began to condense in her hands. "Give me one minute."

One minute, at this moment, seemed incomparably long.

The dark power surged like a tide, the Shadow Assassin appeared and disappeared in the darkness, and the group watched them nervously, not knowing from which direction they would launch an attack.

Zhang Cheng gripped his weapon, his gaze firm. "No matter what, we must hold on for this minute!" He said in a low voice, his tone full of determination.

"Prepare..."