Godlike: Double Penetration of the Starry Sky! A brutal beating of Ge Xiaolun at the start.

Just as Zhou Li was on the verge of despair, the rotation of the elemental vortex gradually slowed down, and the light became increasingly dazzling. Long Wen's tightly closed eyes suddenly opened, his eyes flashing with a sharp light. At this moment, he had completed Elemental Awakening 3.5! A powerful and majestic force surged from his body, making his clothes flutter loudly, and his body emitted a dazzling light, like a war god descending to earth.

Long Wen took a step forward and landed steadily on the ground. He was tall and imposing, with a confident smile on his face, a stark contrast to his appearance when he was struggling painfully in the vortex.

Chapter 197 The Strange Red Light

Seeing this, Zhou Li's eyes filled with surprise and relief. She rushed to Long Wen's side, ignoring everyone present, and hugged him tightly, sobbing, "Thank goodness, you're alright. I thought... I thought..."

Long Wen gently patted Zhou Li's back and said softly, "Silly girl, I told you, I won't abandon you."

However, before they could reminisce, a chilling aura swept in from all directions. The dark forces, sensing Longwen's transformation, surged forth once more. A group of puppets controlled by the dark forces lunged forward, their bodies twisted and grotesque, exuding a putrid stench, their hollow eye sockets flashing with an eerie red light.

Long Wen's eyes narrowed, and he shielded Zhou Li behind him, whispering, "Don't be afraid, I'm here." With that, he stomped his foot on the ground and rushed towards the group of puppets like a ghost.

His hands moved swiftly, forming hand seals. The newly awakened elemental power gathered in his palms, transforming into dazzling rays of light—some as scorching as fire, some as cold as ice, and some as violent as thunder. Long Wen unleashed exquisite techniques, each strike precisely hitting the puppet's vital points.

With a wave of his hand, he unleashed a long whip of fire that instantly ensnared several puppets. The puppets screamed in agony as the flames burned them, turning them to ashes in moments. Then, he flipped his palm, and icicles rained down like arrows, freezing several more puppets into ice sculptures before shattering them with a crash. With a stomp of his foot, lightning spread across the ground, electrocuting any nearby puppets until they were smoking and collapsed to the ground.

Zhou Li stood behind, her eyes filled with admiration and pride. She gripped her longsword tightly, ready to support Long Wen at any moment, but Long Wen was too powerful, and she couldn't find an opportunity to intervene.

"Hmph, with such meager abilities, you dare to attempt to invade the Teyvat continent!" Longwen snorted coldly, his voice resounding through the sky, carrying boundless majesty.

Although most of the puppets were dead or wounded, they continued to advance wave after wave, as if driven by an even stronger force. Long Wen's eyes were sharp, keenly sensing the traces of dark power. He flashed and rushed towards the direction where the dark aura was densest, and Zhou Li followed without hesitation.

The two traversed the desolate land, the surrounding environment growing increasingly eerie and terrifying. The sky was completely shrouded in darkness, so dark that one could not see their own hand in front of their face. Only the light emanating from Long Wen served as a beacon, illuminating their path forward.

Before long, a massive, dark lair appeared before them. The lair resembled a lurking ancient beast, emitting a nauseating stench, and was shrouded in a thick, dark mist, making it impossible to discern its true nature.

Long Wen took a deep breath and cautiously stepped into the lair. Inside, there were jagged rocks, and strange black slime flowed on the walls. Strange sounds came from time to time, as if they came from the deepest hell.

Zhou Li followed closely behind Long Wen, her heart pounding in her chest, her palms sweating, but she forced herself to remain calm and whispered, "Be careful." 727

Long Wen nodded slightly, slowing his pace and using his keen senses to explore the lair. Suddenly, he stopped, his gaze locking onto a surging dark core deep within the lair. That core, like a beating heart, continuously emitted dark power, controlling the puppet army outside.

"Found it!" Long Wen whispered.

Without hesitation, he concentrated all the elemental power in his body, raising his hands high, the light between his palms shining brightly, converging into a dazzling energy ball. Veins bulged on Long Wen's forehead, sweat poured down his face, and he gritted his teeth, enduring the excruciating pain of the backlash.

Chapter 198 It's all over

"Long Wen, be careful!" Zhou Li shouted anxiously.

Long Wen seemed oblivious. He roared and hurled the energy ball in his hand at the core of the dark power. In an instant, a blinding light erupted, blinding everyone. Then, a deafening roar resounded, and the entire lair trembled violently, beginning to collapse.

The core of the dark power was shattered by this attack. The dark mist receded rapidly like a tide, the sky gradually returned to its azure color, and sunlight pierced through the clouds, shining on this ancient and weathered land.

Long Wen let out a long sigh, his body went limp, and he knelt on one knee. Zhou Li quickly stepped forward to support him, asking with concern, "Are you alright?"

Long Wen raised his head, looked at Zhou Li, and smiled wearily but happily: "I'm fine, it's all over."

As dawn broke, the pale sunlight cast a soft golden glow on the ancient, weathered stone gates of the Elemental Trial Grounds. Long Wen, dressed in a sleek, upright robe, stood at the entrance, his deep eyes filled with unwavering resolve. Beside him, Zhou Li, still in her signature purple gown, her usually cold and beautiful face now etched with worry, bit her lower lip, hesitant to speak.

Long Wen turned to look at Zhou Li, gently taking her hand in his. A confident smile played on his lips. "Zhou Li, don't worry, I will definitely return safely. This elemental awakening trial is an essential step for me to improve my strength. Even if the road ahead is full of thorns, I will never back down." His voice was steady and powerful, as if carrying the strength to pierce through the morning mist, trying to dispel the gloom in Zhou Li's heart.

Zhou Li tilted her head slightly, her eyes filled with longing and reluctance. "Long Wen, I know your determination, but this trial ground is mysterious and unpredictable. I have a feeling there will be many dangers. Please be careful and don't be reckless. I'll be here waiting for you." As she spoke, she grasped Long Wen's hand in return, the warmth of her palm conveying her concern.

Releasing Zhou Li's hand, Long Wen took a deep breath and steadily stepped into the trial grounds. The moment he crossed the stone gate, a powerful sense of oppression overwhelmed him, making his chest feel tight, as if a thousand-pound weight was pressing down on him. The surrounding elements seemed to be stirred by an invisible hand, becoming restless and a tense, dangerous atmosphere filled the air. Wind elements howled past his ears, whipping up dust that stung his eyes; water elements condensed into fine droplets in the air, suspended like the prelude to an impending downpour; fire elements leaped and flickered, scorching the earth, making it scorch and smoke; earth elements caused the ground beneath his feet to tremble slightly, as if a giant beast was awakening underground.

"Hmph, dark forces, you think you can stop me? Not so easy!" Long Wen snorted coldly, his fists clenched so tightly that his bones cracked, his eyes growing increasingly resolute, like a burning torch illuminating the chaotic space.

In an instant, a sinister laugh echoed from the darkness, seemingly emanating from the deepest hell, sending chills down one's spine. Immediately afterward, a swarm of elemental puppets surged forth from all directions. These puppets varied in shape, formed from different elements, radiating an eerie glow. Some were enveloped in raging flames, the flickering flames resembling grotesque ghost faces; others seemed composed of flowing water, their forms agile yet concealing deadly intent; still others resembled massive boulders, each step causing the ground to tremble, their every movement carrying the power to shatter mountains and split rocks. Most terrifyingly, their eyes gleamed with an eerie light, clearly possessing a degree of intelligence, far more difficult to deal with than ordinary puppets.

Chapter 199 You must hold on!

"Well done!" Long Wen shouted, his awakened elemental power surging rapidly. With a flick of his hands, a water curtain rose in front of him, attempting to block the fire golem's attack. Upon seeing this, the fire golem suddenly spewed out a thick pillar of fire. The pillar of fire collided with the water curtain, instantly creating a large cloud of water mist that hissed and spread, obstructing Long Wen's vision.

Before he could even react, the water elemental puppet seized the opportunity, transforming into a stream of water that meandered towards his feet, attempting to trip him. Long Wen dodged, leaping to the side to avoid the water, only to find the earth elemental puppet already raising its massive rock fist high, about to crash down with the force of a mountain. Long Wen hurriedly raised his hand, gathering wind element into a strong gust of wind to try and disperse the boulder. However, while the wind did disperse the boulder, the fragments scattered like projectiles, cutting 727's cheek.

"Damn it!" Long Wen thought to himself, annoyed. These puppets coordinated their attacks, one after another, and his newly awakened abilities were not enough to defend against them. He kept dodging left and right, his eyes rapidly scanning his surroundings, trying to find a weakness in the puppets. Fine beads of sweat gradually appeared on his forehead. Although he was extremely anxious, he still forced himself to remain calm and told himself not to panic.

Outside the training grounds, Zhou Li was frantic with worry. Her beautiful eyes were fixed on Long Wen inside, her hands unconsciously clenched into fists, her nails digging into her palms, leaving crescent-shaped marks. "Long Wen, you must hold on..." she murmured to herself, her voice trembling slightly, filled with worry yet powerless to do anything but pray silently for Long Wen in her heart.

Under the onslaught of the puppets, Long Wen gradually felt his strength waning, and several wounds appeared on his body, his clothes torn and stained with blood. Just when he was in despair, during a dodge, he inadvertently discovered that whenever these puppets launched an attack, the elemental cores on their chests would flicker slightly, and the frequency seemed to be in unison, as if there was some kind of resonance.

"Could this be their weakness?" Long Wen's heart skipped a beat, and his eyes instantly sharpened like an eagle's. He seized the opportunity, and when all the puppets attacked at the same time again, he no longer dodged. Instead, he gathered all the elemental power in his body into his palm, and the light in his palm was dazzling, causing the surrounding puppets to pause slightly.

"Break!" Long Wen roared, his figure flashing like lightning as he charged towards one of the flame golems, slamming the light in his hand into its core. In an instant, a powerful energy surge erupted from the flame golem, triggering a chain reaction. The cores of the other golems flickered uncontrollably. Then, as if losing their support, these golems collapsed with a crash, turning into countless elemental fragments that dissipated into the air.

Long Wen knelt on one knee, panting heavily. Sweat soaked his hair, strands clinging to his cheeks. His chest heaved violently, but his eyes shone with the triumphant light of triumph over hardship and adversity.

"Long Wen, you're amazing!" Zhou Li exclaimed excitedly, her eyes filled with admiration and joy. Ignoring the lingering danger in the training ground, she rushed in, ran to Long Wen's side, squatted down, and gently helped him up. "You're injured, let me take a look." Her voice was soft, with a hint of heartache and concern, her eyes reddening and tears welling up.

Long Wen looked at Zhou Li, grinned, his smile a little tired but still bright, "I'm fine, don't worry." He raised his hand and gently wiped away the tears from the corners of Zhou Li's eyes, his movements tender and doting.

Chapter 200: Proceed with caution

However, before they could even recover, an even more powerful dark aura suddenly emanated from the depths of the training grounds, like a sleeping behemoth awakening, radiating a chilling pressure. This aura spread rapidly like ink, once again shrouding the space that had just been filled with the joy of victory in gloom. Long Wen and Zhou Li exchanged a glance, both seeing solemnity and determination in each other's eyes.

“It seems the greater challenge has only just begun…” Long Wen slowly stood up, clenched his fists, and once again mobilized the elemental power within his body. Despite being covered in wounds, he showed no fear, preparing to face the unknown crisis that was about to arrive. Zhou Li also stood up, standing close to Long Wen, her long whip subtly tightening in her hand. She stood shoulder to shoulder with Long Wen, her purple skirt fluttering in the wind, like a cold and beautiful flower blooming on the edge of darkness.

At this moment, the dark aura grew even stronger, and a low roar could be faintly heard, like a furious howl from an endless abyss. Long Wen frowned slightly, his eyes warily fixed on the direction from which the aura was coming, and whispered, "Zhou Li, be careful. This power is far greater than before."

Zhou Li nodded gently, "Yes, I understand. Please be careful too." Her voice was soft yet firm. She raised the long whip in her hand slightly, and the tip of the whip made a soft hissing sound as it rubbed against the air, as if it were a challenge to the darkness.

Suddenly, a dark shadow shot out from the darkness with lightning speed, creating a whistling sound. Long Wen reacted quickly, dodging to the side. The shadow grazed his shoulder, and upon closer inspection, he realized it was a sharp arrow formed from dark power.

"Hmph, a sneak attack!" Long Wen roared, his wind element surging within him, his figure transforming into a blur as he chased after the archer into the depths of darkness, trying to find the one who had shot the arrow. Zhou Li followed closely behind, wielding her long whip to deflect any further sneak attacks. "If you want to hurt Long Wen, you'll have to get past me first!" Her tone was icy cold, revealing a resolute determination to die for her cause.

They chased him to an open space, where they saw a figure in black robes hovering in the air, emanating a strong aura of darkness. His face was obscured, but his blood-red eyes, like those of a demon from hell, were fixed on Long Wen and his companion.

"You've managed to break my puppet array, you've got some skill, but what follows is your death!" The black-robed figure let out a piercing laugh, the sound echoing in the empty space, sending chills down everyone's spine.

·· ····Requesting flowers··· ····· .

Long Wen snorted coldly, "How arrogant! Today we'll see what you're capable of!" With that, he swiftly formed hand seals, and the water, fire, wind, and earth elements within his body surged wildly, converging in front of him to form a multicolored shield, protecting him and Zhou Li within it. Zhou Li stood sideways beside Long Wen, her long whip held horizontally in front of her chest, her beautiful eyes fixed on the black-robed figure, ready to strike at any moment.

.... .. ....

Upon seeing this, the figure in black robes waved his hands, and countless black tentacles surged from the darkness, coiling towards Long Wen and his companion like venomous snakes. Long Wen's eyes sharpened, and he manipulated wind elements to disperse some of the tentacles. At the same time, fire elements erupted, igniting the approaching tentacles, which sizzled and emitted a pungent, burnt smell.

Zhou Li seized the opportunity, swung her long whip, and the tip of the whip, like a nimble snake's tongue, precisely wrapped around a tentacle. With a forceful pull, she uprooted the tentacle, and black sap splattered all over the ground, corroding it and causing it to sizzle and smoke.

Chapter 201 Thanks to You

The black-robed figure seemed enraged, flashing to appear before Long Wen in an instant. One hand transformed into a black blade, aimed straight for Long Wen's throat. Long Wen dodged to the side, his elemental power transforming into ice shards, shooting towards the black-robed figure's eyes. The black-robed figure raised his hand and shattered the ice shards, but Zhou Li seized the opportunity to strike his back with her whip. With a crisp "crack," the black-robed figure staggered.

"Hmph, you think you can kill us so easily!" Long Wen's eyes widened in anger as he gathered his elemental power once more, preparing to launch a fatal attack. Zhou Li also cooperated closely, her long whip whirling around in a tight, impenetrable manner, forming an offensive and defensive alliance with Long Wen.

After a long and fierce battle, the black-robed figure gradually became outmatched, sustaining multiple injuries and his dark aura weakening. "You... just wait..." the black-robed figure uttered a harsh threat before transforming into a wisp of black smoke and fleeing.

Long Wen and Zhou Li collapsed to the ground, panting heavily, their bodies covered in wounds and bloodstains. "We finally repelled them..." Long Wen wiped the sweat from his face and grinned, though exhausted, he couldn't hide the excitement in his eyes.

Zhou Li leaned gently on Long Wen's shoulder. "Thanks to you this time." Her voice was languid, and now that she had let down her guard, she revealed her girlish side.

Long Wen turned his head slightly to look at Zhou Li, a faint smile playing on his lips. "With you by my side, how could I not give it my all?" Their eyes met, and a sweet atmosphere seemed to fill the air.

Long Wen gripped his weapon tightly and followed the faint yet chilling aura of darkness, stepping into the dark power's lair, which resembled the entrance to an abyss. The moment he entered, an intense, almost tangible, dark aura assaulted him, like a monstrous beast opening its blood-red maw, ready to devour him instantly.

Long Wen's steps faltered instinctively, his heart pounding as if it would burst from his chest. He narrowed his eyes, warily surveying his surroundings. A deathly silence enveloped him, save for the surging, ink-like darkness that relentlessly assaulted his senses. Every breath of air felt heavy and oppressive, as if filled with lead. The ground beneath his feet was uneven and reeked of decay. Occasionally, he would step on something soft and yielding, his heart tightening. Looking down, he saw only a blurry, indistinct object, resembling a lump of rotting flesh. He forced himself to endure the nausea and continued onward.

"We must find the source of this dark power and never let it harm the Teyvat continent again..." Longwen silently encouraged himself. Although his palms were sweaty and his legs were trembling slightly, his firm belief was like a ray of light, piercing through layers of darkness and supporting him as he ventured deeper and deeper...

Meanwhile, Zhou Li, anxiously waiting outside the nest, kept glancing at the bottomless cave entrance, her hands clenched tightly until her knuckles turned white. Her face was full of worry, and her usually cold and beautiful eyes were now filled with unease: "Long Wen, you must return safely..." she murmured to herself, trying to sense his safety through the deep emotional bond she shared with him.

Inside the lair, Long Wen carefully navigated around one twisted stone pillar after another, resembling the ribs of a colossal beast. Each step was as light as a cat's, as if afraid to disturb the unknown terrors lurking within. Suddenly, a faint buzzing sound echoed in his mind, followed by a flood of dreamlike yet alluring images.

He saw himself clad in dazzling armor, wielding immense power in his hands capable of destroying the world; with a mere gesture, he could cause mountains to crumble and rivers to flow backward.

Chapter 202 In Danger

Countless treasures, shimmering with an eerie light, piled up like mountains, gleaming beneath his feet. He could easily seize this boundless wealth with a single reach. For a moment, Long Wen's eyes glazed over, his breathing quickened, and his steps unconsciously veered towards the illusory allure.

"With this power, I can protect everyone and never let Zhou Li be in danger again... Those treasures can also be used to help more people..." A faint voice struggled in Long Wen's heart.

However, just as he was about to completely succumb, Zhou Li's firm and trusting gaze struck him like a sharp lightning bolt. "Long Wen, I believe in you. No matter what happens, we'll face it together." Memories of their past together, her heroic figure fighting alongside him on the battlefield, and those moments of life and death together flashed through his mind like a revolving lantern.

Long Wen jolted awake, his eyes instantly regaining their clarity. He angrily swung his weapon, slashing fiercely at the illusory scene: "Hmph, trying to tempt me? Dream on!" With this roar, the alluring illusion shattered like a bubble, vanishing without a trace.

Meanwhile, Zhou Li, who was outside, seemed to sense Long Wen's inner struggle and determination. She breathed a slight sigh of relief, but her worry did not fade: "You must be safe..."

Long Wen shook his head, dispelling the lingering confusion, and refocused his mind. He took a deep breath, slowly closed his eyes, and mobilized the elemental abilities he had awakened. In an instant, he could "see" the dark power flowing like a black river through the lair, every undercurrent and every whirlpool clearly presented in his perception.

"Found it!" Long Wen suddenly opened his eyes, a sharp glint in them. Following the flow of dark power, he strode forward. Along the way, strange shadowy creatures would occasionally leap out from the darkness, baring their fangs and claws as they attacked him.

Long Wen dodged a ghostly, foul-smelling monster's claws with a swift movement, then swung his blade across its neck. Dark green blood splattered, sizzling and corroding on the ground. Before he could catch his breath, several more monsters swooped down from the shadows above. Long Wen lunged forward, his weapon spinning rapidly to form a defensive halo that sliced ​​the monsters down.

After a difficult exploration, Long Wen finally arrived at a spacious cave. In the center of the cave, a huge sphere, seemingly formed from pure darkness, floated in the air, continuously radiating a dark aura—the core of the dark power.

"It's you who's causing this!" Long Wen gritted his teeth, his eyes burning with rage. Without hesitation, he leaped high into the air, gathering all the elemental power in his hands. His palms shone brightly, like a falling star, and he smashed them fiercely towards the core of darkness.

With a deafening roar, Long Wen's attack slammed heavily into the Dark Core, instantly unleashing a powerful surge of energy. The Dark Core trembled violently, its surface cracking like a spiderweb. The surrounding nests were also affected, with boulders tumbling down and the cave walls teetering on the verge of collapse.

Long Wen was overjoyed and was about to press his advantage when, unexpectedly, the dark forces suddenly unleashed a counterattack that was far more powerful than he had ever imagined.

Chapter 203 isn't over yet!