She spun around violently, stumbling as she threw herself at the fallen Lin Mo. The Angelic power that had been condensed in her hands, ready to completely seal the rift, instantly dissipated. The golden light around her dimmed, and her transparent wings trembled slightly, as if they would completely vanish into the air in the very next second.
Lin Mo lay quietly on the cold ground. The wound on his chest, struck by the black shadow, continuously oozed black blood. As the blood dripped to the earth, it emitted a sharp sizzling sound, corroding the ground into tiny black holes—a testament to the overbearing and insidious nature of the Void power. His face was as black as ink. His once clear eyes had lost all their luster, leaving only a dead gray. His breathing was as faint as a candle in the wind; every inhalation brought intense agony, his chest rising and falling slightly, as if his next breath would be his last.
Having succeeded in its strike, the black shadow didn't linger. It hovered in mid-air, letting out a sharp, piercing shriek. The black mist covering its body churned endlessly, seemingly gloating over its success, or perhaps gathering its strength to launch another attack—to completely slaughter Qian Renxue and Lin Mo and force the Void rift back open. Its size was much smaller than the Void Commander from before, only about half the height of a human. Its entire body was composed of pure black mist with no discernible facial features, save for a pair of eyes flickering with a ghostly green light, radiating a cold killing intent and greed.
"Monster!" Zhao Feng's eyes nearly split with rage. He had just landed, and the severe wound on his chest tore open again from the violent movement. A mouthful of fresh blood spurted out, staining the ground before him red. But he ignored his own pain. He gripped his battle axe tightly with both hands. The absolute last trace of soul power in his body surged frantically, bringing a faint red glow to the axe blade. Dragging his heavy body, he charged at the black shadow. Even if there was only a glimmer of hope, he would protect Qian Renxue and Lin Mo, and he would avenge their fallen comrades.
All across the battlefield, the surviving team members struggled to their feet. Most of them were severely wounded—some with broken arms, others with damaged internal organs, coughing up blood, their bodies caked in mud and gore. Yet, their eyes remained resolute, without the slightest hint of retreat. They looked at the fallen Lin Mo, at the heartbroken and furious Qian Renxue, and at the arrogant black shadow. The flames of anger in their hearts were reignited. The residual soul power within them slowly condensed; even if it cost them their final breath, they were ready to take this Void remnant down with them.
Qian Renxue knelt beside Lin Mo, tightly clutching his cold body. Tears slipped uncontrollably from the corners of her eyes, dripping onto his ink-black cheeks and mingling with the black blood. Her skin was so pale it was almost transparent, and her lips were dry and cracked. Her life force and Angelic power were nearly exhausted; she barely had the energy to sustain her wings. Tiny cracks began to form along the edges of her golden wings, and their light grew dimmer and dimmer.
"Lin Mo, wake up... please don't scare me..." Qian Renxue's voice choked with endless self-blame and regret. "It's all my fault. I was too stubborn. I insisted on using that forbidden art. If I hadn't drained my life force... if I were just a little stronger... you wouldn't be hurt..." As she spoke, she carefully channeled the very last wisp of Angelic power in her body into Lin Mo, trying to suppress the Void energy inside him and save his life.
But the Void power was far too overbearing. The Angelic power Qian Renxue injected was like a stone dropped into the sea. The moment it entered Lin Mo's body, it was instantly swallowed by the black Void energy. It had absolutely no effect; instead, it caused Lin Mo's body to shudder slightly, and even more black blood overflowed from the corners of his lips. Qian Renxue could clearly feel that Lin Mo's life force was rapidly draining away. The Void power was like a disease gnawing at his bones, inch by inch eroding his meridians and his soul. In a short while, he would be completely consumed by the Void, turning into a puddle of black water and vanishing from this world entirely.
"No... I won't let you die!" A flash of absolute resolve appeared in Qian Renxue's eyes. She violently threw her head back to glare at the black shadow in mid-air. Her eyes burned with boundless hatred and killing intent—an intent that even overshadowed the resolve she had shown when facing the Void Commander. She slowly set Lin Mo down and struggled to her feet. Although her body was critically weak and her steps faltered, as if she might collapse at any moment, her spine remained ramrod straight. Like an unyielding angel, even if she had to sacrifice her very last shred of life, she would avenge Lin Mo and completely eradicate this Void remnant.
The remaining Angelic power within her was mobilized once more. A faint golden light flickered around her body, and her transparent wings unfolded again. Though fragile, they radiated an unwavering light. She pressed her palms together and silently began to chant the Angel Clan's incantation once more. This time, however, she did not invoke the forbidden art that required her life force. Her life force was already nearly spent; using that art again would only accelerate her death. If that happened, not only would she fail to save Lin Mo, but she wouldn't be able to destroy the black shadow either—all their efforts would simply be in vain.
This time, she was going to mobilize the Angelic Source Power hidden deep within her soul. It was the most core, the most powerful energy of the Angel Clan. But at the same time, drawing upon this power would cause irreversible damage to her soul. Even if she managed to survive, she would lose all her cultivation and never be able to use Angelic power again. But Qian Renxue no longer cared. As long as she could save Lin Mo, as long as she could destroy this Void remnant and protect this land, she was willing to pay the price, even if it meant losing her cultivation, even if it meant her soul was scattered to the winds.
As the incantation flowed from her lips, Qian Renxue's body began to glow softly. The golden light grew steadily brighter. While not as blinding as when she had used the forbidden art, it carried a pure, overwhelmingly powerful sacred might. This energy was gentle, yet incomparably overbearing—capable of effortlessly suppressing the Void. Her soul began to tremble, and a piercing, bone-deep agony radiated from its very core, making her frown involuntarily as a trickle of golden blood leaked from the corner of her mouth. But she didn't stop. She continued her chant, relentlessly drawing upon the Angelic Source Power from the depths of her soul.
Sensing the sacred power erupting from Qian Renxue, the black shadow hovering in mid-air let out a shriek of pure terror. It could feel that while this power was faint, it was far more terrifying and infinitely purer than the energy she had unleashed with her forbidden art. It was an energy that could effortlessly purge it from existence. Without a moment's hesitation, the creature whipped around, preparing to flee back toward the Void rift. It wanted to escape, to return to the Void space, bide its time, and invade this land once again.
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