I dominated the game from the start with cards.

The woman in black robes appeared too abruptly, as if stepping directly from the void. A chilling aura swirled around her, strangely merging with the aura emanating from the mysterious man, creating an even stronger sense of oppression that enveloped everyone's hearts. Li Xuan and the others felt their breath catch in their throats, as if the surrounding air had thickened. "It seems you've run into some trouble..." the woman's voice was icy, like the friction of ice, sending chills down their spines. She didn't look at Li Xuan and the others, but instead focused her gaze on the mysterious man, her tone carrying a barely perceptible concern. The mysterious man nodded slightly, his deep gaze sweeping over Li Xuan and the others, a cruel smile curling at the corner of his lips: "Just some overconfident ants." Just then, the woman's figure flashed, attacking Lin Yu with lightning speed! Lin Yu, still recovering from old injuries from the previous battle, had no time to react to this sudden attack. With a muffled thud, Lin Yu was struck again, flying backward like a kite with a broken string, crashing heavily to the ground and curling up in pain. "Lin Yu!" Li Xuan and Mu Yang exclaimed simultaneously, a surge of intense anger and worry rising within them. They never expected this mysterious woman to launch a sneak attack on Lin Yu the moment she appeared, her methods so ruthless! "Cough cough..." Lin Yu struggled to stand, but couldn't help coughing up blood. His face was pale, his lips trembled, and his eyes were filled with pain and resentment. "You...despicable!" Mu Yang glared at the woman in black robes, gritting his teeth. The woman in black robes, however, remained unfazed. She glanced contemptuously at Lin Yu lying on the ground and sneered, "The strong prey on the weak; that's the law of this world." Li Xuan stared intently at the woman in black robes, his eyes burning with rage. He clenched his fists, his knuckles turning white from the force. Lin Yu was his partner; he would never allow anyone to harm him! Bai Yao supported the swaying Li Xuan, her beautiful eyes filled with worry: "Li Xuan, calm down! Don't be impulsive!" Li Xuan took a deep breath, trying to suppress the anger in his heart. He knew that now was not the time to act rashly. The opponent was powerful and of unknown origin; acting rashly would only put him in a more dangerous situation. He had to calm down, find an opportunity to protect his companions, and uncover the truth behind the destruction of his sect! The mysterious man looked at Li Xuan and the others, his eyes filled with mockery: "What? Want to avenge him? With your abilities?" The woman in black robes slowly walked to the mysterious man's side, gently placing her hand on his shoulder, a bewitching smile playing on her lips: "Stop playing around, let's finish this quickly." The mysterious man nodded slightly, a cold glint flashing in his eyes. He slowly raised the object in his hand, and an even more powerful energy fluctuation began to gather... "It seems the show has only just begun," he murmured. Li Xuan saw Lin Yu lying in a pool of blood, and the surging anger in his chest could no longer be suppressed. A powerful killing intent erupted from him, his crimson eyes fixed on the woman in black robes, like a ferocious beast ready to devour its prey. "You deserve to die!" With a roar, Li Xuan's figure blurred into a blur as he charged towards the woman in black robes. He no longer concealed his strength; his mental perception was fully activated, every change in the surrounding environment clearly imprinted in his mind. The ruins, the rubble, the dust—all became weapons in his eyes. His figure moved erratically, swiftly weaving through the ruins, using the debris to create multiple illusions, confusing the woman in black robes. For a moment, the woman in black robes couldn't pinpoint Li Xuan's true form. Her brow furrowed slightly, a hint of surprise flashing in her eyes. "A mere trick!" Though she spoke with disdain, the woman in black robes dared not let her guard down. Black energy surged around her, forming a protective shield, as she vigilantly observed the surrounding movements. Just then, Li Xuan's true form suddenly appeared behind her, a sharp dagger gleaming in his hand, aimed straight at the black-robed woman's back! The black-robed woman reacted swiftly, turning abruptly and striking out with a palm, knocking Li Xuan's dagger away. However, this was merely a feint. The real killing move was hidden in his other hand. A talisman, shimmering with a ghostly blue light, was silently affixed to the black-robed woman's body. The talisman instantly erupted with powerful energy, forcing the black-robed woman back several steps. The black aura around her dissipated, revealing her originally alluring face, now filled with shock and disbelief. "You…" Before she could finish speaking, Li Xuan pressed forward again, his fists and feet raining down on her.

Caught off guard, the woman in black was forced to retreat repeatedly, looking utterly disheveled.

However, just when Li Xuan thought victory was assured, a sudden change occurred. The woman in black robes let out a sharp shriek, and a strange black energy erupted from her body, instantly engulfing everyone. The world before them abruptly darkened, and Li Xuan found himself in a completely unfamiliar space. It was pitch black, the air thick with a suffocating sense of oppression, and various dangerous energy fluctuations surged like a tide. "Where is this?" Bai Yao's voice echoed in the darkness, tinged with fear. "Damn it, we've fallen into her trap!" Mu Yang's voice followed closely, his tone grave. In the darkness, a pair of scarlet eyes slowly opened, emitting a chilling laugh: "Welcome to my domain. Here, you will all become my prey!" The laughter reverberated in the darkness, carrying endless malice, sending shivers down everyone's spine… "The game has only just begun," the mysterious figure's deep voice came from the depths of the darkness. Darkness swallowed everything; not a hand could be seen in front of one's face. A nauseating stench filled the thick air, accompanied by a cacophony of eerie sounds, like countless crawling insects wriggling on eardrums. Under the cover of darkness, the shadowy figures moved with unbridled ferocity, darting among the crowd like ghosts, their sharp claws tearing through the air and stirring up gusts of cold wind. Mu Yang and Ling Feng stood back to back, vigilantly observing their surroundings. Ling Feng's longsword flashed with silver light, repelling the approaching shadowy figures. Mu Yang calmly observed the figures' movements, searching for their weaknesses. The two worked in perfect harmony, forming an impenetrable wall of protection for Bai Yao and Lin Yu behind them. Bai Yao held the unconscious Lin Yu tightly, channeling spiritual energy into him, anxiously watching Li Xuan's fierce battle with the mysterious figure. Li Xuan's figure appeared and disappeared in the darkness, locked in combat with the mysterious figure. The mysterious figure's movements were unpredictable and ruthless, and Li Xuan was gradually losing ground. Several wounds had appeared on his body, blood staining his clothes. "Brother Xuan!" Bai Yao's heart ached as she watched Li Xuan in peril. Ignoring the danger, she rushed to Li Xuan and hugged him tightly. "Brother Xuan, no matter what happens, I'll be with you." Li Xuan felt Bai Yao's warmth, a surge of comfort washing over him. He gripped her hand tightly, his eyes resolute: "Yao'er, don't be afraid, I will protect you." He took a deep breath and faced the mysterious man again. His mental perception was fully activated, capturing the mysterious man's every move. He no longer held back, unleashing all the techniques he had learned, engaging in a desperate battle. Swords flashed, energy surged, and the entire dark space trembled. In the midst of the fierce battle, Mu Yang suddenly recalled a crisis his sect had once faced. They had been trapped in a similar formation, fraught with danger. Ultimately, it was the old sect leader who discovered the formation's weakness, leading everyone to safety. "Formation…weakness…" Mu Yang murmured, a glint of light flashing in his eyes. He began to carefully observe his surroundings, searching for flaws in this dark space. Just as Li Xuan was about to collapse, he inadvertently caught sight of a symbol worn on the mysterious woman's chest. He had seen that symbol in ancient texts before; it was the symbol of a notorious evil organization. "She...she's connected to them..." Li Xuan was shocked, realizing that things were far more complex than he had imagined. Behind the mysterious woman lay a much larger conspiracy. "Who...are you?" Li Xuan asked through gritted teeth. The mysterious woman sneered, "You...you'll find out soon enough." A black dagger suddenly appeared in his hand, gleaming with an eerie light...The black dagger sliced ​​through the air, aimed straight at Li Xuan's throat. In the nick of time, Bai Yao pushed Li Xuan away, the dagger piercing her shoulder. "Yao'er!" Li Xuan's eyes widened in horror as he tightly embraced Bai Yao. Blood stained her clothes and also stained Li Xuan's eyes. In the chaos, Mu Yang's thoughts drifted back to the past. He recalled a crisis his sect had faced years ago, trapped in a similar formation surrounded by deadly illusions and traps. The situation was dire, and everyone was gripped by despair. It was the old sect leader who, calm and collected, carefully observed the changing environment and ultimately found the core of the formation, leading everyone to safety. The old sect leader had once said, "In crisis, there is always hope; the key to breaking the deadlock often lies in the smallest details." These words, like lightning, pierced the fog before Mu Yang's eyes. He began to focus intently on the surrounding darkness, ignoring the frantically attacking shadows and the battle between Li Xuan and the mysterious man. He tried to find patterns in this dark space, searching for any possible flaw. The patterns on the ground, the direction of energy flow in the air, even the trajectories of the shadows appearing and disappearing, all became objects of his observation. Li Xuan held the injured Bai Yao, his heart aching. He raised his head, glaring angrily at the mysterious man: "Who are you? Why did you do this?" The mysterious man sneered, about to speak, but was interrupted by the mysterious woman beside him. She glanced at Li Xuan with disdain, a distinctive symbol flashing in the darkness on her chest. It was a symbol Li Xuan had seen in ancient texts, representing a notorious and evil organization—the "Shadow Hand." This organization operated in secrecy and used ruthless methods, once wreaking havoc on the continent, and was ultimately wiped out by a joint effort of various sects. However, according to the ancient texts, the leader of the "Shadow Hand" was not captured but mysteriously disappeared. Li Xuan's heart sank; he knew what this symbol meant. It meant that behind the mysterious figure lurked a force far larger and more dangerous than he had imagined. The destruction of his sect might also be related to this organization. "The Shadow Hand... it hasn't been completely eradicated yet..." Li Xuan muttered to himself, a hint of fear flashing in his eyes, but even more so, a burning flame of revenge. The mysterious woman seemed pleased with Li Xuan's reaction, a chilling smile playing on her lips. "It seems you've recognized us. That's right, we are remnants of the 'Shadow Hand.' As for why we did this..." She paused deliberately, her gaze sweeping over everyone present, "...soon, you'll all find out." As soon as she finished speaking, the pressure in the dark space intensified, a suffocating sense of dread spreading. A tall figure slowly emerged from the darkness, clad in a black robe, wearing a bizarre mask, radiating a terrifying aura. "Welcome, Elder..." the mysterious man and woman simultaneously knelt on one knee, speaking respectfully.