Rebirth of the Scumbag and the Retribution of the White Lotus

As the last monster disappeared into the air, the surrounding space finally returned to a brief tranquility. The oppressive feeling in the air seemed to ease, but Zhao Shufang and Lu Lingyuan were not relaxed at all. They knew that this was only a temporary calm.

"We've cleared out these monsters, but the road ahead seems even more dangerous," Zhao Shufang whispered, a vigilant glint in her eyes. "The energy of these monsters doesn't just come from the outside world. It's likely part of this space, closely connected to this rift itself."

Lu Lingyuan nodded, gripping the hilt tightly as he cast his gaze towards the gradually deforming crack ahead. His intuition told him that this wasn't just a rift in space. There seemed to be a greater mystery hidden behind it.

"Are you saying that there might be a more complicated reason behind this crack?" he asked with a hint of doubt in his tone.

Zhao Shufang was silent for a moment, her brow furrowed. "Yes. Based on the aura I sensed, this crack seems to have been artificially created, and there's some powerful force hidden behind it. Those monsters might have been controlled by this power, becoming the guardians of this space."

"Guardian?" Lu Lingyuan frowned in confusion. "Then what is the purpose of this crack? Is it to prevent us from getting close to a certain place?"

Zhao Shufang took a deep breath, her gaze growing more resolute. "Yes. Now, I increasingly believe that this crack leads to an extremely important location, and this place is the 'core' we must reach."

"Core..." Lu Lingyuan repeated the word, a sudden unease rising within him. He vaguely sensed that this so-called "core" was far more complex than they had imagined. Perhaps it concealed some unfathomable secret.

"Let's move on." Zhao Shufang's voice was unquestionable. Although there was obvious fatigue in her words, her eyes were still as clear as water, with a determination that could not be ignored.

The two continued to journey through the rift, the surrounding scenery constantly shifting, the sense of spatial distortion growing stronger. With each step, they seemed to be getting closer to their unknown destination. However, as they approached, an even stronger pressure rose from the depths of the rift, a pressure that threatened to completely engulf them.

"I feel it." Zhao Shufang suddenly stopped, frowning. "This oppressive feeling... is unusual. We're getting closer and closer to the 'core,' but it seems some powerful being is guarding it."

Lu Lingyuan frowned, staring ahead. The depths of the crack seemed like an endless black hole, swallowing everything. "Is there any way to avoid this pressure?" he whispered.

"Not yet." Zhao Shufang shook her head, her eyes still fixed on the front. "But, if I'm not mistaken, this pressure should be related to the core power of space. We need to find its source before we can break it."

"The source..." Lu Lingyuan nodded silently, "Can we determine the location of the source?"

Zhao Shufang took a deep breath and suddenly looked up, her eyes flashing. "Got it! I can sense the spatial fluctuations ahead growing stronger. The core's source is over there. We just need to break through the layers of obstacles and we'll get there."

As soon as the words fell, the space ahead suddenly changed dramatically. Like the center of a huge vortex, the cracks began to twist violently, as if swallowing the two of them. Lu Lingyuan's heart tightened, and a trace of alertness flashed in his eyes, "Be careful!"

However, Zhao Shufang's reaction was faster than his. Her hands danced quickly, and the talisman in the air was quickly cast by her. Suddenly, the talisman turned into a light curtain, protecting the two of them.

"Break!" Zhao Shufang shouted softly. As her voice fell, the talisman's light curtain instantly burst into dazzling light, and the surrounding space fluctuations shook violently, as if to tear the entire world apart.

"This is..." A hint of surprise flashed in Lu Lingyuan's eyes. He could feel that Zhao Shufang's spell could cause such drastic changes in the entire crack in such a short period of time, as if it were some kind of powerful and unfathomable force.

However, the crack did not completely disappear because of Zhao Shufang's spell. Instead, more monsters began to crawl out from the depths of the crack. Their appearance was even more terrifying, and they exuded dark energy that was even stronger than before.

"We have to speed up!" Zhao Shufang rushed forward without hesitation, followed closely by Lu Lingyuan. The two of them crossed the twisted space and quickly approached the depths of the crack.

At this moment, a blurry scene gradually emerged on the other side of the crack. It resembled a large and intricate altar, with a huge ball of light in the center, emitting an intense glow. Zhao Shufang and Lu Lingyuan's hearts suddenly trembled, their eyes drawn to the ball of light.

"That's it!" Zhao Shufang whispered, "The source of the core is in that ball of light. We must get there as soon as possible."

However, just as they were about to approach the ball of light, a powerful force suddenly erupted from it, instantly sending the two flying. Zhao Shufang was thrown to the ground, feeling a sharp pain in her chest, but she stood up without hesitation and quickly regained her balance.

"This power... is completely different from what I've encountered before!" She coughed a few times, her brow furrowed. "It seems that there's an even more powerful force hidden behind the ball of light."

Lu Lingyuan also stood up with a heavy look in his eyes, "Zhao Shufang, you said that there is some powerful force behind the core here, right..." His voice paused.

"Yes." Zhao Shufang stared ahead, her voice low, "That force is the real enemy we are facing."