Chapter 87: The Crimson Descent
The mid-levels of Black Tomb descended into a cavernous maw, the air heavy with the stale, oppressive scent of centuries-old dust and the menacing thrum of demonic qi pulsing from walls etched with glowing crimson runes and scattered bones. The faint light from qi lanterns flickered, casting eerie shadows across the uneven stone floor, where a demonic guardian—a towering brute at the 3rd Layer Profound Heavenly Realm with obsidian skin and eyes like smoldering coals—emerged, its qi-infused mace slamming into the ground with a bone-rattling crash. The team froze for a split second, the air thickening with tension, before Lin Xuan stepped forward, his crimson eyes narrowing with a fierce resolve. The Celestial Unity Crest on his back pulsed faintly, a quiet beacon as he assessed the threat.
Without hesitation, he unleashed Phantom Severance, his form blurring into a series of afterimages that danced around the guardian, evading a sweeping mace strike that shattered a nearby pillar into dust. The technique's speed caught the creature off-guard, and Lin Xuan followed with Internal Fracture Wave, the shockwave rippling from his core to slam into the guardian's chest, forcing it back with a guttural roar, cracks forming in its obsidian hide. "It's tough—hit its weak points!" he called out, his voice rough with effort, ducking as the mace swung again, the air whistling past his ear.
Liu Yang, his 9th Layer Qi Gathering qi robust, darted to the side, his blood-forged glaive gleaming as he channeled Energy Devour, the blade absorbing a tendril of the guardian's qi before slashing at its leg, drawing a spray of ichor. "Got its flank, Senior Brother—keep it busy!" he shouted, his young face alight with focus, the glaive's weight steadying him as he rolled away from a retaliatory swipe. Meanwhile, Bai Ningxue, her 1st Layer Profound Heavenly Realm aura a calm counterpoint, wove Thousand Lotus Seal Art with deft precision, her seals shimmering to bind the guardian's qi, her hands moving like a conductor's. "I'll weaken its flow—strike harder!" she urged, her tone serene yet urgent, the seals pulsing to restrict the creature's movements.
Ji Yunjing, at the 5th Layer Profound Heavenly Realm, monitored from a vantage point above, his silk robes fluttering as he signaled imperial guards to descend, their armor clanking in unison. "Reinforce the line—don't let it break through!" he commanded, his voice cutting through the chaos, his brow furrowed with the weight of command. Liu Yue, her Half-step Profound Heavenly Realm qi flowing with Frost Phoenix Cry, joined the fray, her snowflake mark glowing as she froze the guardian's mace mid-swing, the ice crackling under the strain. She glanced at Lin Xuan, a flicker of concern in her moonlight eyes. "It's slowing—let's finish this together!"
The battle stretched into the afternoon, the air growing thick with the stench of ichor and the rumble of collapsing stone, the guardian faltering as Lin Xuan pressed the advantage. With a final Nether Soul Devouring Technique, he drained a sliver of the creature's essence, weakening it enough for a combined strike from Liu Yang's glaive and Liu Yue's icy burst to bring it down, its body crumbling into dust. Exhausted but triumphant, Lin Xuan leaned against a wall, catching his breath. "That altar ahead—it's our next move," he said, his voice hoarse but determined. Liu Yue nodded, brushing frost from her hair, while Liu Yang grinned, wiping ichor from his blade. The team shared a weary look, the descent a hard-won step forward, the air buzzing with the clink of armor and the murmur of relief.