I dominated the game from the start with cards.

Li Xuan turned around abruptly and saw Bai Yao standing behind him, her eyes filled with worry. "Where are you going?" she asked softly. "I..." Li Xuan hesitated for a moment, but finally decided to tell her the truth, "I feel there's something behind the stone door, and I want to go see it." Bai Yao frowned: "But Elder Zhang said..." "I know," Li Xuan interrupted her, "but the feeling is too strong; I have to go see it." Bai Yao was silent for a moment, then finally nodded: "I'll go with you." Li Xuan didn't refuse; he knew Bai Yao's personality—once she made up her mind, she wouldn't easily change it.

The two exchanged a glance and silently pushed open the stone door. Behind the door was a long, narrow passage, the walls on both sides of which were also covered with ancient runes.

Deep within the passage, a strange energy fluctuation grew stronger, sending a chill down Li Xuan's spine. "Be careful," Li Xuan whispered, "I sense something's wrong here." Bai Yao nodded, gripping her weapon tightly. The two slowly advanced along the passage, the surrounding air growing increasingly oppressive, as if something was lurking in the shadows, watching them. Suddenly, a soft footstep echoed from the depths of the passage. Li Xuan and Bai Yao immediately stopped, holding their breath, listening intently to their surroundings. The footsteps grew closer and clearer, seemingly from more than one person. Li Xuan and Bai Yao exchanged a glance, a hint of seriousness flashing in their eyes. They knew they had been discovered. At that moment, Mu Yang, Lin Yu, and Ling Feng emerged from the stone chamber. Seeing Li Xuan and Bai Yao standing at the passage entrance, they immediately understood what had happened. "Why are you here too?" Li Xuan asked softly. "We were worried about you," Mu Yang said in a deep voice, "so we followed." Li Xuan nodded, a warm feeling welling up inside him. He knew that no matter what happened, his companions would stand by him. “Let’s go,” Lingfeng said, “Let’s go take a look together.” The five continued along the passage, the surrounding air growing increasingly oppressive, a chilling aura washing over them. Just as they entered the area at the end of the passage, strange sounds echoed around them, like the low growls of some creature. The group immediately became alert, gripping their weapons tightly. This area was wider than the passage, with scattered pebbles and bones on the ground, and a putrid smell permeated the air. In the center of the area stood a massive altar, covered in eerie symbols. The group cautiously approached the altar, the low growls becoming clearer and more piercing. Suddenly, a dark figure darted out from behind the altar… “Watch out!” Lin Yu shouted. The figure moved with incredible speed, like a black lightning bolt, rushing straight at them. Lin Yu reacted swiftly, yelling as he swung his giant axe, slicing through the air with a whistling sound, and fiercely struck the figure. “Clang!” A deafening clang of metal clashing rang out, sparks flying. Lin Yu's giant axe struck the shadowy figure solidly, yet it felt as if it had struck a block of hard steel. The immense recoil made Lin Yu's hands numb, but he didn't flinch. Instead, he used the force to turn and sweep his axe horizontally, forcing the shadowy figure back several steps. After being forced back by Lin Yu, the shadowy figure didn't immediately attack. Instead, it moved rapidly around the group, searching for an opening. It would sometimes become a blur, sometimes disappear into the darkness, making its movements unpredictable. Seeing this, Mu Yang immediately joined the battle. He was agile, his twin swords flashing like the wind, blocking several of the shadowy figure's main attack directions. He and Lin Yu worked together, one attacking and the other defending, firmly confining the shadowy figure within a certain area. However, the shadowy figure seemed unafraid of their combined attack. It constantly changed its attack methods, sometimes tearing with its claws, sometimes letting out a piercing scream, making it impossible to defend against. Even more troublesome was its ability to release a strange black mist, which quickly spread and obscured everyone's vision. "Damn it, what is that thing!" Lin Yu cursed, swinging his giant axe but only hitting empty air. "Calm down!" Li Xuan's voice rang out from within the mist; his mental perception played a crucial role at this moment. "It's to your left rear, at three o'clock!" Guided by Li Xuan, Lin Yu didn't hesitate to swing his axe fiercely to his left rear. A muffled groan was heard, and the black shadow emerged from the mist. Struck by Lin Yu's giant axe, it staggered back a few steps. Mu Yang seized the opportunity, his twin swords flashing like lightning, striking the black shadow squarely in the chest. The black shadow let out a shrill scream, its body trembling violently, black blood gushing from the wound. However, just when everyone thought victory was assured, the black shadow suddenly let out a deafening roar. Its body began to swell, and the black mist thickened, completely enveloping everyone. "Be careful!" Li Xuan warned again, his mental energy highly concentrated, trying to sense the movements of the shadowy figure. In the mist, the shadowy figure's attacks became even more ferocious, wildly waving its claws, each strike carrying a sharp killing intent. Lin Yu and Mu Yang tried their best to defend, but their vision was obstructed, leaving them only able to passively endure the attacks. Suddenly, Li Xuan sensed a powerful mental energy fluctuation emanating from the shadowy figure. This fluctuation felt incredibly familiar, yet utterly strange. "This…this is…" Li Xuan's pupils contracted sharply, his heart filled with shock. Just then, the shadowy figure suddenly stopped attacking, letting out a low roar, then abruptly turned and fled towards the altar. "Chase!" Li Xuan shouted, rushing out first. Lin Yu and Mu Yang followed closely behind, also sensing the shadowy figure's strangeness, their hearts filled with doubt. Bai Yao stood rooted to the spot, nervously watching Li Xuan's retreating figure. She bit her lip, her eyes fixed on him, her hands unconsciously clenching. “Li Xuan…” she murmured softly, her heart filled with worry. Li Xuan chased the shadowy figure to the altar. The shadowy figure suddenly stopped, turned around, and stared at Li Xuan with a pair of scarlet eyes, letting out a low roar: “You… you’re still alive…” The shadowy figure’s scarlet eyes were fixed on Li Xuan, its hoarse voice carrying a chilling coldness: “You… you’re still alive…” These words exploded in Li Xuan’s mind like a thunderclap. He froze, a chill running from the soles of his feet to the top of his head. This shadowy figure, did it know him? Bai Yao watched nervously from the side, biting her lip, her eyes fixed on Li Xuan, her hands unconsciously clenching. She could feel Li Xuan’s shock and unease at this moment, and her heart clenched as well. “What exactly are you?!” Li Xuan suppressed the horror in his heart and asked sharply. The shadowy figure let out a teeth-grinding shriek, seemingly mocking Li Xuan’s ignorance. It did not answer, but instead transformed into a shadowy figure again and fled into the depths of the altar. "Chase!" Li Xuan snapped out of his daze and shouted, taking the lead in pursuit. Lin Yu and Mu Yang followed closely behind, also sensing something amiss and filled with doubt. During the chase, the shadowy figure grew increasingly faster, darting effortlessly through the narrow passages. Mu Yang, recalling the methods his sect had taught him for dealing with unknown creatures: observe their weaknesses, utilize the environment, and cooperate as a team. He immediately warned Li Xuan and Lin Yu, "This thing is very fast, and it seems very familiar with this environment. We must be careful!" "I know!" Li Xuan said in a low voice. He unleashed his full mental perception, striving to track the shadowy figure's movements. Lin Yu, meanwhile, wielded his giant axe, ready to deliver a fatal blow at any moment.

They chased after them until they finally arrived at a spacious underground space.

In the center of the space stood a massive altar, its surface covered in strange runes, emanating an eerie aura. A dark figure stood motionless in the center of the altar, its back to them. "Be careful, there might be a trap here!" Mu Yang warned. Li Xuan nodded and cautiously approached the altar. Just then, the dark figure suddenly turned around, its form even larger and its face more ferocious than before. "You...all must die!" the dark figure roared deafeningly, a powerful pressure emanating from it, making it difficult for everyone to breathe. Lin Yu was the first to be attacked, swinging his giant axe and fiercely striking the dark figure. However, the dark figure was incredibly fast, easily dodging Lin Yu's attack and grabbing his shoulder with a claw, blood gushing out instantly. "Lin Yu!" Mu Yang cried out in alarm, immediately rushing to his aid. He drew both swords simultaneously, their flashing light forcing the dark figure to retreat several steps. Li Xuan joined the battle, using his mental perception to constantly predict the shadowy figure's attacks and give instructions to Lin Yu and Mu Yang. The three of them, working together, gradually gained the upper hand. Just when everyone thought they were winning, the shadowy figure suddenly split into several smaller shadows, their attacks becoming more agile and dense. While dodging the attacks, Li Xuan's gaze inadvertently swept over one of the smaller shadows, and he was shocked to discover that on its back was a mark resembling a sect emblem! Li Xuan's heart skipped a beat, an indescribable emotion welling up inside him. This mysterious shadow was actually related to his sect! He abruptly turned to look at the other smaller shadows, and sure enough, each of them had the same mark on its back! "This…" Li Xuan's pupils suddenly contracted, his heart filled with shock. He was about to warn Lin Yu and Mu Yang when suddenly, the runes on the altar began to flash, emitting a dazzling light… "Not good!" Li Xuan shouted… The dazzling light instantly engulfed the entire underground space, and Li Xuan instinctively closed his eyes. The cries of Lin Yu and Mu Yang, along with the piercing screech of the small black shadows, reached his ears. The light lasted for a moment, then gradually faded. Li Xuan slowly opened his eyes, the scene before him sending a chill down his spine. The runes on the altar had stopped flashing, but the atmosphere of the entire space had become even more eerie. A heavy, nauseating stench of blood filled the air. "Lin Yu! Mu Yang!" Li Xuan hurriedly called out his companion's name. "I'm here!" Lin Yu's voice came from not far away, tinged with pain. Li Xuan looked in the direction of the voice and saw Lin Yu clutching his shoulder, his face pale, blood seeping from between his fingers. Beside him, Mu Yang was warily scanning their surroundings, the twin swords in his hands gleaming coldly. "Where are those small black shadows?" Li Xuan asked, a sense of foreboding rising in his heart. "They've disappeared..." Mu Yang's tone was grave, "They all vanished the moment the light appeared." Li Xuan's heart sank. He knew this was far from over. The disappearance of those small dark figures didn't mean the danger was over; rather, it foreshadowed an even greater crisis. He walked to Lin Yu's side and asked with concern, "How are you?" "I'm fine, just some superficial injuries," Lin Yu said through gritted teeth. "But those small dark figures… did you notice the markings on their backs?" Li Xuan nodded. "I saw them. They're exactly the same as our sect's insignia." Lin Yu and Mu Yang exchanged a glance, both seeing shock and confusion in each other's eyes. These mysterious dark figures were actually connected to their destroyed sect! What was going on? Could it be that the sect's destruction wasn't accidental, but rather something else entirely? "Could it be… that these dark figures were the ones who destroyed our sect?" Lin Yu guessed, his tone filled with anger and bewilderment. "It's too early to draw conclusions," Mu Yang analyzed calmly. "We must find more clues to unravel this mystery." Li Xuan took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down. He knew this wasn't the time for grief and anger; the most urgent task was to find out the truth and avenge their sect! “We must leave here,” Li Xuan said in a deep voice. “This place is too dangerous.” Lin Yu and Mu Yang both agreed. They cautiously retraced their steps, vigilantly observing their surroundings. The eerie atmosphere in the air made them feel incredibly oppressed, as if something was lurking in the shadows, watching them. Just as they were about to reach the exit, a powerful aura suddenly descended, enveloping the entire space. Li Xuan's mental perception alarmed wildly: Danger! Extreme danger! He looked up sharply and saw a figure clad in a black robe slowly emerging from the darkness, emanating an evil aura, like a messenger from hell.

"It seems you've discovered something you shouldn't have..." The black-robed man's hoarse voice echoed in the space, carrying a hint of sinister laughter.