Chapter 151

The dark red light surging from the base cracks and the roar of demonic creatures coming from the left crack were like two death warrants, pushing the group, who had just escaped the danger of the stele's suction, back into a desperate situation.

"Shi Meng, Tie Shan, form the 'Rock Formation' to protect the right side, watch out for the eruption from the base cracks! Fellow Daoist Han Ying, use the Fairy Fairy Bingpo Mirror to assist in defense and delay the demonic creatures! Elder Xinghui, Chen Yue, find a way to interfere with the energy gathering in the cracks! Shadow Seven, Shadow Eleven, scout the types and numbers of the demonic creatures and find their weaknesses!" Zhao Yuan forcefully suppressed the churning Qi and blood in his body and the fatigue in his sea of consciousness, issuing instructions at a rapid pace, his voice carrying unquestionable decisiveness.

The group responded and moved. Shi Meng and Tie Shan roared, their feet taking root on the metal debris, their Qi and blood connected, and an earthy yellow, heavy luster appeared on their skin. An invisible force field barrier unfolded on the right side of the team, facing the approaching roars of the demonic creatures and the fishy wind.

Han Ying changed her hand seals, and the light of the Fairy Fairy Bingpo Heart-Protecting Mirror hovering above her head shifted. Large swaths of "Mystic Ice Condensation" surged toward the left crack like mist. Wherever it passed, countless tiny ice crystals condensed in the air, and the temperature plummeted.

Elder Xinghui gritted his teeth and sacrificed the array disk again. This time, it was not for defense, but condensed into several slender yet refined "Starlight Chains," shooting toward the base cracks like probes, attempting to interfere with the rhythm of the dark red light. Chen Yue struggled to raise the Star-Observing Instrument, sweat dripping from her forehead, trying hard to analyze the nature and weaknesses of the energy erupting from the cracks.

Shadow Seven and Shadow Eleven had already merged into the shadows of the surrounding buildings like two true ghosts, silently approaching the edge of the left crack, their image-recording disks and miniature detection magic tools beginning to work.

Zhao Yuan himself held his sword across his chest. Although the Sword Intent of Annihilation was slightly dim due to the heavy consumption of the "Heart-Questioning Slash" just now, under the clarity of his sword heart, it was even more refined and pure. He stared fixedly at the two threats, his mind connected to "Shadow-Annihilation," looking for the best moment to intervene.

The rustling and roaring in the left crack grew closer, and the thick demonic energy and fishy sea smell almost solidified. The first to rush out were not the humanoid demonic creatures they had expected, but a group of extremely twisted, nauseating "things"!

They had a shape roughly similar to deep-sea arthropods, but their shells were not hard and smooth; instead, they were covered in dark red, pus-filled blisters that seemed to be constantly oozing blood, and suckers that were constantly opening and closing. Their mouthparts were ferocious, filled with spiral-shaped sharp teeth, and their compound eyes flickered with chaotic dark purple demonic light. Bone spurs grew at the joints of their limbs, and their tails dragged slimy tentacles covered in suckers. They varied in size, the small ones like hunting dogs, the large ones as big as houses, and at a rough glance, there were no fewer than dozens of them! Even more bizarrely, these monsters were surrounded by wisps of blood-evil resentment similar to those at the stele, but even more chaotic, as if they had been jointly modified and catalyzed by two different evil forces!

"It's the demonized Deep-Sea Demon-Claw Crabs! They've been alienated by the dual pollution of the Abyss demonic energy and the blood-evil resentment here!" Elder Xinghui exclaimed, "Watch out for their body fluids and spit; they are highly corrosive and contain demonic thoughts!"

Before he finished speaking, the giant demonized Demon-Claw Crabs at the front had already opened their ferocious mouthparts, spitting out large amounts of dark green mucus that emitted a pungent fishy smell and demonic energy! The mucus shot toward the group like a rainstorm, making a "hissing" sound of intense corrosion upon contact with the "Mystic Ice Condensation" deployed by Han Ying. Large swaths of ice crystals were dissolved, and dark green poisonous mist filled the air!

"Hold your breath! Maximize your protective spiritual light!" Han Ying shouted coldly, the light of the Fairy Fairy Bingpo Heart-Protecting Mirror flaring again, and thicker ice walls were erected in front of the group.

Shi Meng and Tie Shan roared, their Qi and blood power erupting, their fist winds and hammer shadows blasting out, smashing away the sporadic mucus that passed through the gaps in the ice walls and the small demonized Demon-Claw Crabs that lunged up. But those monsters had abnormally hard shells and were not afraid of death; after being smashed away and rolling a few times, they roared and lunged again, while more monsters swarmed in from the sides and rear!

Almost simultaneously, the dark red light in the base cracks also accumulated to its peak!

"Roar——!!!"

A roar, deeper and more magnificent than the roars of the demonized Demon-Claw Crabs, as if originating from the depths of the earth and carrying endless sorrow and anger, suddenly exploded from deep within the cracks! The entire ruin space shook violently, and the metal structures at the edge of the cracks groaned and cracked under the strain!

A dark red energy torrent with a diameter of over ten zhang, condensed into substance, mixed with countless tiny star bone fragments and resentment as viscous as blood plasma, shot into the sky from the cracks like a volcanic eruption! The torrent did not shoot directly at the group, but twisted and swirled in the air, rapidly condensing and outlining a huge and blurry silhouette—the silhouette was vaguely humanoid, but forcibly glued together by countless broken star bones and dark red energy, standing dozens of zhang tall, its head composed of several huge and broken star skulls stacked together, with cold dark red soul fire burning in its eye sockets!

"Star-Bone Wraith! It's a powerhouse of the Star-Fallen people who sank here, whose bones and resentment have been eroded and polluted by the covenant and blood-evil power, forming a guardian or... an avenger!" Chen Yue shouted with a trembling voice, the Star-Observing Instrument in her hand reporting frantically, showing that the energy fluctuation emitted by this Star-Bone Wraith was already approaching the late Soul Formation stage, and even vaguely touching the threshold of Spirit Transformation!

As soon as the Star-Bone Wraith took shape, its "head" burning with soul fire slowly turned, locking onto the tiny intruders below. It did not attack immediately, but emitted a wave of intent that was unclear in meaning but filled with endless sorrow and violence, as if questioning, and as if mourning. Immediately after, it raised an "arm" composed of countless broken bone fragments and pressed it down vaguely toward the direction of the group!

There was no grand momentum, but an invisible, terrifying force field mixed with star gravity, death annihilation, and blood-evil erosion suddenly descended! Everyone felt their bodies sink, as if carrying a mountain, their movements instantly becoming sluggish, their spiritual power operation becoming stagnant, and even their thinking seemed to be infected by that sorrowful and desperate intent, giving rise to a sense of powerlessness.

With dozens of demonized Demon-Claw Crabs besieging from the front and a Star-Bone Wraith near the Spirit Transformation level threatening from the rear, the team's defensive line was in jeopardy under the dual pressure!

"Little Friend Zhao Yuan!" Elder Xinghui transmitted his voice anxiously, "The Star-Bone Wraith's force field is too strong, our movements are restricted, I'm afraid we won't be able to hold on for long!"

A fierce light flashed in Zhao Yuan's eyes. He saw the key—although the demonized Demon-Claw Crabs on the left were numerous and posed a significant threat, the real fatal threat was that Star-Bone Wraith! Its force field suppression made the team's combat effectiveness greatly diminished; it had to be broken first!

But in his current state, confronting the Star-Bone Wraith head-on was no different from throwing an egg against a rock. The "Heart-Questioning Slash" against the stele just now made him realize that dealing with an existence intertwined with various powers such as covenants, resentment, and pollution might not be a simple matter of comparing power levels.

His gaze swept across the battlefield, seeing the blood-evil resentment surrounding the demonized Demon-Claw Crabs, and then looking at the Star-Bone Wraith's body composed of dark red energy and star bones, a bold, even crazy thought suddenly arose in his heart!

"Elder Xinghui, Fellow Daoist Han Ying, do your best to buy me three breaths of time! Shrink the defense, use the Fairy Fairy Bingpo Mirror and Starlight Chains to temporarily drag down the Star-Bone Wraith's force field sensing!" Zhao Yuan shouted via voice transmission, while his figure advanced instead of retreating, actually rushing toward the area where the demonized Demon-Claw Crabs were most dense!

"Zhao Yuan!" Han Ying exclaimed, but her hands did not stop, the light of the Fairy Fairy Bingpo Heart-Protecting Mirror flowing, and a refined icy blue beam shot toward the Star-Bone Wraith, not to attack, but to attempt to create a "sluggishness" in its force field. Elder Xinghui also gritted his teeth and urged all the Starlight Chains, tangling toward the Star-Bone Wraith's "arm" like a spider web; although they were easily broken, they successfully attracted some of its attention.

Although Shi Meng and Tie Shan did not understand, their trust in Zhao Yuan made them roar and shrink the defensive circle, using their bodies to resist more attacks from the demonized Demon-Claw Crabs, creating space for Zhao Yuan.

Zhao Yuan turned into a grayish-white sword light, shuttling through the group of demonized Demon-Claw Crabs. The sword light of "Shadow-Annihilation" was not intense, but extremely precise. He did not intend to kill these monsters—that would consume his already limited spiritual power. His target was the blood-evil resentment surrounding the monsters' bodies, which was of the same origin as the Star-Bone Wraith!

Every time the tip of "Shadow-Annihilation" tapped or swept, it skillfully "flicked" and "peeled off" a wisp of dark red blood-evil resentment thread! Once these threads left the monster's body, they were like rootless duckweed, and under the guidance of the Sword Intent of Annihilation, they did not attack Zhao Yuan; instead, they were controlled by his exquisite sword technique, gathering around the sword body like butterflies fluttering through flowers!

Three breaths of time passed in a flash.

Zhao Yuan traveled a circle through the monster group in a perilous manner, and around the sword body of "Shadow-Annihilation," dozens of writhing blood-evil resentment threads filled with violent aura had gathered, forming a dark red energy ball that made one's heart palpitate!

And at this moment, the Star-Bone Wraith seemed to be thoroughly enraged by the interference of Han Ying and Xinghui. Its huge bone arm changed its pressing posture, its five fingers spread, and a more refined dark red energy ball, inside which scenes of stars shattering seemed to exist, condensed in its palm, about to smash down!

Now is the time!

A brilliant light shot from Zhao Yuan's eyes, his figure suddenly rising, leaving the monster group, and facing the huge Star-Bone Wraith! He held "Shadow-Annihilation" with both hands, the tip of the sword pointing directly at the terrifying energy ball about to be launched in the Wraith's palm, while the dozens of blood-evil resentment threads surrounding the sword body surged frantically into the tip of the sword as if attracted by a magnet!

"Use your resentment and evil as the edge for my sword! Slash!"

Zhao Yuan roared, pouring all his remaining spiritual power and sword intent into a fierce sword strike!

This sword strike was not pure annihilation, nor was it the previous "Heart-Questioning." It fused Zhao Yuan's understanding of the "sinking," "covenant," and "resentment" of these ruins, and even used the blood-evil resentment of the same origin stripped from the monsters as a "guide"!

The sword light was a mix of grayish-white and dark red, not grand, but carrying a strange power of "resonance" and "traction," shooting straight at the energy core in the Star-Bone Wraith's palm!

The Star-Bone Wraith seemed to perceive the strangeness of this sword strike, emitting a roar mixed with doubt and anger, and the dark red energy ball in its palm accelerated its launch!

However, the two forces did not collide violently as expected.

The moment Zhao Yuan's gray-red sword light touched the energy ball, it was like a key inserted into a keyhole. The dozens of blood-evil resentment threads contained in the sword light were like the most skillful "spies," instantly merging into the interior of the energy ball! Immediately after, the sword intent infused by Zhao Yuan into the sword light, which fused the realms of annihilation and "slashing through illusion," followed this tiny "channel" and exploded within the energy ball like a virus!

The energy ball trembled violently, its stable internal structure disrupted by the resentment threads carrying the same origin but a different "instruction" (Sword Intent of Annihilation), and was "slashed" open from the inside by Zhao Yuan's sword intent!

Boom!

The dark red energy ball disintegrated in mid-air, turning into countless chaotic energy streams that counter-attacked the Star-Bone Wraith itself! Although it failed to cause substantial damage to it, it successfully interrupted its attack and caused its huge body to pause slightly, its soul fire flickering violently, clearly indicating that the internal energy circulation had experienced a brief disorder!

"Now! Focus fire!" Zhao Yuan roared until his voice was hoarse, his body swaying slightly due to exhaustion, but he still stared fixedly at the Star-Bone Wraith.

No need for more words; the group, who had been waiting for the opportunity, erupted instantly!

"Fairy Fairy Bingpo: Mystic Prison Suppression!" Han Ying shouted, the light of the Fairy Fairy Bingpo Heart-Protecting Mirror flaring, and a thick icy blue beam of light precisely hit a deep crack at the junction of the Star-Bone Wraith's head and torso, which had been revealed due to the energy disorder! The power of extreme cold surged in frantically, attempting to freeze the energy flow inside it!

"Starlight: Broken Chain!" Elder Xinghui ignored the consumption, urging the array disk to shoot out the last few Starlight Chains condensed into substance, tightly tangling the bone arm joints of the Star-Bone Wraith, where the energy had just dissipated and not yet recovered!

Shi Meng and Tie Shan seized the opportunity when the demonized Demon-Claw Crabs were in momentary chaos because the Star-Bone Wraith was frustrated, erupting and attacking, their Qi and blood power fully unleashed, crushing over like two chariots, blasting several larger demonized Demon-Claw Crabs into fragments!

The figures of Shadow Seven and Shadow Eleven appeared behind the Star-Bone Wraith like ghosts, not with sharp blades in their hands, but with several specially made "Demon-Breaking Awls" and "Soul-Suppressing Nails," precisely shooting toward several energy nodes and the suspected core of its remnant soul on its back!

The group's attacks landed on the Star-Bone Wraith almost simultaneously. Although they failed to severely wound it, the superposition of interference, sluggishness, freezing, and stinging from various forces, especially since the internal energy circulation was already disordered due to Zhao Yuan's sword strike, immediately caused this huge wraith to emit a painful roar, its movements becoming stiff and chaotic, and that terrifying force field suppression also suddenly weakened!

"Go! Take this opportunity to enter below the base cracks!" Zhao Yuan made a decisive decision, pointing to the base cracks that had temporarily expanded due to the energy eruption and where the dark red light had slightly faded. He judged that the Star-Bone Wraith was a defensive mechanism of the ruins, and its core might be connected to the true secret below. Staying here to tangle with it would only result in being exhausted by more and more demonized creatures; it was better to risk going deep into the core!

Although the group was shocked, they knew this was the only possible chance to break the situation. Without the slightest hesitation, under a new starlight shield barely supported by Elder Xinghui, the team fought and retreated, braving the sporadic pursuit of the demonized Demon-Claw Crabs, and leaped down toward the deep base cracks emitting ominous light!

The Star-Bone Wraith emitted an unwilling roar, attempting to pursue, but its body was interfered with by various forces, its movements sluggish, and it could only watch helplessly as this group of intruders disappeared into the depths of the cracks. Having lost its main target, its anger seemed to turn toward the Demon-Claw Crabs emitting demonic energy around it, and the dark red energy tide began to sweep across the surroundings indiscriminately...

The moment he leaped into the cracks, Zhao Yuan only felt himself wrapped in a cold, viscous dark red energy stream filled with resentment and ancient aura, falling rapidly. In his ears was the whistling wind and the faint prayers and wails that seemed to come from eons ago. He gripped "Shadow-Annihilation" tightly, the sword body transmitting a slight tremor, as if sensing some larger, more ancient "existence" deeper below.

The fall seemed endless.