Rebirth of the Scumbag and the Retribution of the White Lotus

The darkness within the cracks wriggled like a living thing, and a suffocating, oppressive atmosphere permeated the air. Zhao Shufang and Lu Lingyuan stood before the ball of light, exhausted both physically and mentally, but their gazes remained as resolute as ever.

The ball of light radiated a dazzling light, and the surrounding space fluctuated more violently. With each fluctuation, it felt as if an invisible force was pushing the two men, trying to drive them away from this place. However, they did not retreat, their eyes filled with determination and fearlessness.

"Is this... a seal?" Lu Lingyuan stared at the ball of light, his brows furrowed. "You said there was a more powerful force behind this. Is this it?"

Zhao Shufang took a deep breath. Although her body still showed a trace of fatigue, her eyes were remarkably clear. "Yes, this ball of light is the core of a seal. The power of the seal is very strong. A powerful person once set up a formation here to seal off a terrifying existence. I suspect that this existence may be... the truth we have been searching for."

"The truth?" Lu Lingyuan frowned and looked at her doubtfully. "Are you saying that behind all this, there is a power more terrifying than we can imagine?"

"That's right." Zhao Shufang nodded. "According to my perception, behind this seal lies an ancient power, powerful enough to shake the foundations of the entire world. I've always felt an indescribable threat, as if it were dormant, yet constantly resurrecting."

Lu Lingyuan's heartbeat quickened, his mind racing. "Can this power destroy the entire world? Can we withstand it?"

"If we don't stop it from reviving, the whole world will be plunged into endless darkness." Zhao Shufang's eyes became more determined. "So, we have no choice but to keep moving forward."

Her words were filled with power, but also carried a heavy sense of responsibility. She knew that every step forward might be fraught with danger, but she had no reason to retreat. Now that she had come this far, the only way to uncover the true mystery was to move forward.

"Let's go," Lu Lingyuan said softly, tightening his grip on the sword. He also understood that this wasn't just a personal battle between them, but one that concerned the fate of the world.

The two of them said nothing more, walking side by side in tacit understanding. As they approached, the overwhelming sense of oppression intensified again, as if the entire space was vibrating, and the strong energy fluctuations made it difficult for them to breathe.

Suddenly, a portion of the light ball began to crack, and a faint black image emerged from it. The image seemed to be a vague human figure, emitting a deep black aura, staring at them with a look filled with indifference and mockery.

"Finally here..." The voice was low and hoarse, with an air of arrogance.

Zhao Shufang and Lu Lingyuan's bodies shook. The black shadow in front of them seemed not just the manifestation of a certain existence, but more like a kind of oppression that made it almost impossible for them to breathe.

"Who... are you?" Zhao Shufang gritted her teeth, suppressing the fear in her heart, her eyes still firm.

The shadow sneered, his voice filled with endless chill. "Me? You don't even know who I am, yet you dare to step into this place? How foolish!"

Zhao Shufang knew full well that the being before her was no ordinary enemy. The aura he exuded was enough to make her feel deeply threatened. She was even certain that this being definitely did not belong to this world, but had descended from another, darker dimension.

"Who the hell are you? What do you want?" Lu Lingyuan also gripped the sword tightly, his eyes full of hostility.

The shadow chuckled softly, his voice filled with disdain. "You are just insignificant ants, unable to understand the meaning of my existence. You are nothing but ignorant pawns, unable to even touch the truth."

Zhao Shufang and Lu Lingyuan were startled, as if they had sensed something unusual. "Pawn?" Zhao Shufang narrowed her eyes. "Are you saying this... is all being manipulated by someone behind the scenes?"

"Hmph, manipulation? You greatly underestimate yourselves, and the current state of affairs in this world." The shadow snorted coldly. "Your world has always been controlled by some ancient force, and all your efforts are geared towards a power struggle within this land. And your so-called 'truth' is nothing but a series of deceptions set up for you by those in high positions."

"This..." Lu Lingyuan felt dizzy and realized that things might be far more complicated than they had imagined.

"Are you saying...that those seemingly mysterious forces are actually controlled by some kind of human intervention?" Zhao Shufang stared at the black shadow, trying to find more clues from its words.

"You lowly creatures will never understand." The shadow's smile grew even more sinister. "The truth you seek is nothing but a carefully crafted game. And I am the master of that game."

As its voice fell, the entire space seemed to begin to vibrate violently again. The edges of the crack began to collapse, and black energy surged out, sweeping around. Zhao Shufang and Lu Lingyuan could barely stand, the powerful energy pressing down on their bodies as if they were being crushed by a huge rock.

"What's going on? This energy..." Zhao Shufang gritted her teeth, trying her best to maintain her balance. "It's... releasing the power of the seal!"

The shadow's laughter grew louder. "Yes, I finally understand. The seal of this world should have been broken. My era has just begun."

At this moment, Zhao Shufang suddenly raised her head, her eyes flashing with determination, "No! You must not be revived!"

Her voice was filled with power, like a sharp arrow shot towards the shadow, trying to break through the darkness. She knew that if she didn't stop the shadow's revival at this moment, the whole world would be plunged into endless disaster.

"Break!" Zhao Shufang suddenly threw a talisman into the air, which ignited a blazing flame and quickly pounced on the black shadow. At the same time, Lu Lingyuan also gripped the hilt of his sword tightly and raised it forward. The powerful sword energy hit the black shadow like a torrent.

However, the black shadow was not panicked at all. Instead, he laughed coldly, "Your strength is not worth mentioning at all."

A powerful black mist swept over, instantly engulfing the talismans and sword energy, reducing them to nothingness. Zhao Shufang and Lu Lingyuan were forced to retreat again, the shadow before them surprisingly able to easily dissipate their attacks.

"You, ultimately, cannot escape the shackles of fate." The shadow's voice grew increasingly cold. "Now, what awaits you is the abyss."

As soon as it finished speaking, the entire space shook violently, as if it was about to collapse completely.

"We have no way out." Zhao Shufang's eyes were firm. Feeling the powerful force of the black shadow, she tightly grasped the talisman in her hand, her eyes filled with determination, "We must fight with all our might and never let it revive!"

Lu Lingyuan also gripped the hilt of his sword tightly, his body ready for the final battle. "Let's decide the outcome! This is the battle!"