Chapter 286

The Blue Star Guardian's figure was as fast as lightning; the moment the black beam was about to swallow the Red-Robed Mage and the Green-Clothed Elf, he stepped forward, a pale blue halo instantly shrouding his entire body, taking this fatal blow head-on.

A deafening explosion echoed through the labyrinth, and the shockwave sent everyone reeling.

As the dust settled, the Blue Star Guardian knelt on one knee, his chest heaving violently, a trace of blood spilling from the corner of his mouth, and the pale blue halo becoming dim and flickering.

The Red-Robed Mage and the Green-Clothed Elf looked at him, still shaken; a hint of guilt flashed in the Green-Clothed Elf's eyes, and the Red-Robed Mage had a solemn expression.

"Blue Star Guardian!" Kelinda exclaimed, flying to his side and supporting his swaying body. "Are you okay?" She checked his injuries anxiously, her eyes full of worry.

"I'm fine..." The Blue Star Guardian's voice was a bit weak; he tried hard to squeeze out a smile. "Just... cough cough... a small injury."

"A small injury? You're spitting blood!" Kelinda's voice carried a sob. "It's all our fault; if it weren't for our arguing..."

"Now is not the time to talk about this," the Starry Knight said in a deep voice. "The Dark Lord's power is getting stronger; we must find a way..." Before he could finish, he was interrupted by the gaunt man under the Dark Lord.

"Hmph, arrogant!" The gaunt man said in a weird voice. "You bunch of scum want to fight Lord Dark Lord? It's just wishful thinking!" He was haughty, as if he had already seen their end.

Black Shark laughed even more wantonly: "Blue Star Guardian, do you think you can block Lord Dark Lord's attack? You're just lingering on your last breath!"

The pirates in the atmosphere group also echoed, mocking Zhang Cheng and the others, their words full of disdain and contempt.

The Nebula Sage frowned and whispered to Zhang Cheng: "Zhang Cheng, what should we do now? The Blue Star Guardian is seriously injured, and I'm afraid we..." His tone carried a hint of despair.

The Messenger of Light also looked at Zhang Cheng worriedly, her eyes full of expectation.

Just then, Zhang Cheng slowly stood up; there was no fear in his eyes, but rather a burning fighting spirit.

He took a deep breath, slowly raised his right hand, and a strange energy condensed in his hand, a heart-palpitating aura permeating the air.

"You... are happy too early." Zhang Cheng's voice was low and firm, a cold arc curling the corners of his mouth.

Zhang Cheng's slowly raised right hand suddenly clenched, and a dazzling golden light erupted in his palm, dispelling the surrounding darkness like the rising sun.

This golden light spread rapidly, forming a huge golden magic circle behind him, ancient and mysterious runes swirling within the circle, exuding a suffocating pressure.

"What is this?!" The smile on Black Shark's face froze; he felt an unprecedented sense of crisis, as if his throat were gripped by an invisible giant hand.

"Holy Counterattack!" Zhang Cheng's voice echoed through the labyrinth like a bell.

The golden magic circle shone brightly, absorbing all the black beams shot by the Dark Lord, and then reflecting them back with even more powerful force.

The Dark Lord never expected Zhang Cheng to possess such heaven-defying abilities and was caught off guard, hit by his own power.

He let out a painful roar, his body flying backward like a kite with a broken string, falling heavily to the ground, his black robe torn apart, revealing the charred skin underneath.

"Lord Dark Lord!" The gaunt man and the pirates were thrown into chaos, looking at Zhang Cheng in horror, their eyes full of fear and despair.

"We won!" The Messenger of Light shouted excitedly, and the other members cheered, their morale greatly boosted.

However, just as everyone was cheering, an unexpected change occurred.

The Shadow Assassin, who had been lurking in the dark, saw the Dark Lord injured, a flash of panic in his eyes.

His attack rhythm was disrupted, revealing a fatal flaw.

The Starry Knight was quick-witted, seizing this fleeting opportunity, the longsword in his hand turning into a silver light, accurately piercing the Shadow Assassin's right arm.

"Ah!" The Shadow Assassin let out a scream, the dagger in his hand falling to the ground, blood gushing from the wound.

He clutched his injured arm, his eyes full of pain and anger.

Just then, a figure fluttered down and landed in front of the group.

She was dressed in white, holding a staff, holy light surrounding her, like a fairy descending from the nine heavens.

"White-Clothed Elf!" Kelinda exclaimed in surprise.

The White-Clothed Elf nodded slightly, waving the staff in her hand gently, and a soft white light shrouded the entire battlefield, the dark power on the Dark Lord and the Shadow Assassin beginning to dissipate rapidly... The White-Clothed Elf's gaze fell on the Dark Lord, a flash of determination in her eyes.

The White-Clothed Elf joined the battle, the staff in her hand waving, holy light spreading like ripples, and wherever it passed, the dark power melted like ice and snow.

The Dark Lord and the Shadow Assassin's power were clearly restricted; their movements became sluggish, and their attacks lost their previous sharpness.

The Dark Lord roared angrily, black energy gathering into a huge energy ball in his hand, smashing it fiercely toward the White-Clothed Elf.

The elf's figure was light, floating to the side like a feather, barely dodging the attack.

The energy ball hit the ground, making a deafening explosion, and a huge crater was blasted into the ground.

The White-Clothed Elf did not give the Dark Lord a chance to catch his breath; she waved the staff in her hand, and a holy beam of light shot toward the Dark Lord.

The beam hit the Dark Lord, making a "sizzling" sound, like fire burning ice.

The Dark Lord let out a painful roar, and the dark power on his body weakened a bit more.

The Shadow Assassin, hiding in the dark, tried to sneak attack the White-Clothed Elf, but the Starry Knight was prepared, his longsword swinging like lightning, forcing the Shadow Assassin back.

The Messenger of Light walked to Zhang Cheng's side, leaning tightly against him.

Her body trembled slightly; the battle just now left her with lingering fears.

"It's okay now." Zhang Cheng gently hugged her, giving her a sense of security.

Having experienced this life-and-death trial, the feelings between them deepened.

The Star Spirit and the gray-bearded old man began to discuss the next attack strategy.

The Star Spirit believed they should concentrate their power to attack the Shadow Assassin and eliminate him completely.

The gray-bearded old man believed they should continue to attack the Dark Lord; as long as he was defeated, the remaining pirates would be nothing to fear.

"The Shadow Assassin's speed is too fast; it's hard for us to catch him. Better to solve the Dark Lord first." The old man stroked his beard and said in a deep voice.

"The Dark Lord is powerful; our chances of winning if we attack him now are slim. Better to solve the Shadow Assassin first to reduce our pressure." The Star Spirit retorted.

Just as everyone was arguing, the Dark Lord suddenly let out a cold laugh.

He raised his hands high, chanting words, the surrounding space began to distort, and a powerful force was brewing.

"What is he doing?" Zhang Cheng's heart sank, and an ominous premonition surged in his heart.

The Dark Lord's voice echoed in the distorted space: "Feel despair..."

"Stupid! The assassin is just a minor ailment, the Dark Lord is the real threat!" The gray-bearded old man heavily pounded the wooden staff in his hand, and the ground trembled slightly.

"Eliminate him first, everything else is nothing to fear!"

The Star Spirit's indifferent voice echoed in the distorted space: "Old man, your wisdom is blinded by outdated experience. The assassin's movement is tricky, making him the biggest threat. Although the Dark Lord is strong, he has been suppressed by the White-Clothed Elf and is not worth worrying about."

"Suppressed? You are too naive!" The old man snorted coldly, pointing to the intensifying space distortion. "He is accumulating power; once it erupts, the consequences will be unimaginable!"

Zhang Cheng frowned; the Dark Lord's cold laughter and the constantly distorting space made him feel extremely uneasy.

He gripped his weapon and whispered to the Messenger of Light: "Protect yourself." The Messenger of Light held his hand tightly, her eyes full of worry.

"Enough!" Zhang Cheng sternly interrupted the argument between the Star Spirit and the old man. "Now is not the time for infighting! No matter what, stop the Dark Lord first!"

The White-Clothed Elf's expression was solemn, holy light flickering in her hands. "His power is increasing rapidly; I can't suppress it much longer!"

The Starry Knight swung his longsword, sword energy forcing back the Shadow Assassin who was trying to sneak attack again, and said in a deep voice: "We can't delay any longer; we must act immediately!"

The Dark Lord's laughter became more and more rampant, the space distorted more and more severely, and the surrounding scenery began to blur, as if about to be swallowed.

He slowly lowered his raised hands, his eyes flashing with chilling black light.

"Welcome... the Gate of the Void!"