I dominated the game from the start with cards.

The array's light intensified, ancient runes swirling and dancing through the valley like awakened dragons. The surrounding dark forces grew increasingly violent, frantically battering the array's light barrier like trapped beasts, emitting piercing screams. The wind howled through the valley, the vegetation rustled, and a tense, oppressive atmosphere filled the air. The old man's aged face was grave; his hands moved rapidly through hand seals, his mouth chanting incantations, guiding the power of the array's core. The core emitted a soft light, intertwining with the array's light to form an unbreakable barrier, blocking the dark forces. Ye Ling stood in the center of the array, pale-faced, fine beads of sweat forming on his forehead. His injuries hadn't fully healed; each infusion of spiritual power brought excruciating pain, but he gritted his teeth, enduring the discomfort, and continuously poured his spiritual energy into the array. Shu Yao stood beside Ye Ling, her eyes filled with worry and heartache.

She gently held Ye Ling's hand, slowly channeling her spiritual energy into him, hoping to alleviate his pain. "Ye Ling, how are you?" Shu Yao asked softly, her voice trembling slightly. Ye Ling forced a smile and shook his head: "I'm fine, don't worry about me." However, his face grew increasingly pale, and his body began to tremble slightly. Qing Yue watched Ye Ling anxiously from the side. She knew Ye Ling's condition was poor, but she was powerless to help. Just then, Elder Ling suddenly stopped chanting. His expression became extremely grave, his gaze fixed intently on the center of the formation. "Something's wrong..." Elder Ling's tone carried a hint of fear, "This power..." Before he could finish speaking, the light of the formation suddenly flickered, as if it might be extinguished at any moment. The surrounding dark energy also violently assaulted the light barrier of the formation, emitting deafening roars. "What's going on?" Qing Yue exclaimed. "This dark power... is even stronger than we imagined!" Elder Ling's face turned extremely grim. "The formation is about to collapse!" Ye Ling gritted his teeth, pouring all his spiritual power into the formation, but his strength was ultimately limited and unable to withstand such a powerful dark force. Just as the formation was about to collapse, a figure suddenly appeared before everyone. The newcomer was dressed in black, with a handsome face, deep eyes, and an aura of mystery emanating from him. "Xingchen!" Ye Ling recognized the newcomer at a glance. Xingchen smiled slightly, nodded to Ye Ling, and then turned his gaze to the center of the formation. "I've come to lend you a hand." Xingchen's voice was calm yet powerful. He extended his right hand, and a powerful surge of spiritual power flowed from his palm, pouring into the formation. With Xingchen's addition, the light of the formation stabilized again, and the surrounding dark power was temporarily suppressed. Elder Ling looked at Xingchen, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes. "This is..." "He is my friend, Xingchen," Ye Ling said. Xingchen smiled slightly at Elder Ling, saying nothing, and continued to pour his spiritual power into the formation. "This power..." Elder Ling murmured to himself, a hint of doubt flashing in his eyes, "It seems... somewhat familiar..." He looked up at Xingchen, his eyes filled with inquiry. Xingchen simply smiled faintly, offering no explanation. Suddenly, an even more powerful dark force erupted from the center of the formation, scattering Xingchen's spiritual power. "Not good!" Elder Ling exclaimed, "The remnant soul of the Shadow! It hasn't completely disappeared!" The voice of the remnant soul of the Shadow came from the center of the formation, filled with resentment and anger. "Ye Ling! I won't let you go!" Before the words were finished, a black figure rushed out from the center of the formation, heading straight for Ye Ling. Qingyue's expression changed upon seeing this, and she hurriedly stepped in front of Ye Ling. "Qingyue, be careful!" Ye Ling shouted. Qingyue took a deep breath, her hands rapidly forming hand seals, and a powerful surge of spiritual energy erupted from her body… Qingyue let out a delicate shout, her pale hands glowing with a faint blue light, like flowing moonlight. She chanted an ancient spirit race incantation, and a strange energy fluctuation emanated from her body, resonating with the spiritual energy emanating from Ye Ling. The two forces intertwined and merged, forming an even more powerful energy flow that continuously poured into the formation. The formation's light suddenly intensified; the previously shaky light barrier now became incredibly solid, shimmering with dazzling brilliance, like a sacred barrier firmly blocking the dark forces outside. The ancient runes spun and danced even faster, radiating a chilling pressure. The remnant soul of the shadowy creature sensed the change in the formation and let out a sharp roar. It realized that the formation was activating more smoothly than expected, and if allowed to continue, it would be completely annihilated. Its scarlet eyes flashed with malice, and it decided to gamble everything, attacking the formation with all its might. In the first wave of attacks, the remnant ghostly soul transformed into countless black spikes, raining down on the array's light barrier like a storm. The spikes, accompanied by a piercing whistle, tore through the air and slammed into the barrier. Seeing this, Ye Ling immediately drew a "Black Tortoise Shield" card from his deck and hurled it into the air. The card transformed into a massive tortoise-shell shield, blocking the array and deflecting all the black spikes. However, the remnant ghostly soul's attacks did not cease. It immediately launched a second wave of attacks, raising its hands high, and a powerful dark force surged from its body, forming a massive dark vortex in the air, spinning wildly, attempting to uproot the array. Ye Ling's expression changed; the power of this dark vortex far exceeded his expectations. He hurriedly drew several cards, releasing various defensive powers, but still could not withstand the vortex's corrosive influence. The array's light began to flicker, seemingly on the verge of collapse. At this critical moment, Stardust intervened. He flashed and appeared in front of the dark vortex, his hands forming a strange hand seal. A mysterious power surged from his body, disrupting the rotation of the dark vortex and greatly reducing its power.

Enraged by the failure of its two attacks, the remnant ghostly spirit let out a deafening roar, condensing all its dark power into a gigantic black skull. With a world-destroying force, it slammed into the formation. Everyone's expressions changed drastically; the black skull's power was terrifying. If the formation were breached, the consequences would be unimaginable. At this critical moment, Elder Ling intervened. He chanted an ancient incantation, and a mysterious rune flew from his hand, merging into the formation. The formation's light surged again, forming an indestructible barrier that forcefully blocked the black skull's attack. The black skull let out a shrill scream the moment it touched the formation's light barrier, then shattered into countless black fragments that dissipated into the air. The remnant ghostly spirit let out a defiant roar, its figure fading until it vanished completely. The crisis was averted, and the valley returned to tranquility. Elder Ling looked at Ye Ling, a hint of admiration flashing in his eyes, and slowly said, "You did very well..." The light of the array gradually dissipated, and a faint spiritual energy permeated the valley, as if it had undergone a baptism. Ye Ling slowly put away the remaining cards in his hand, exhaling a breath of stale air wearily. Although the battle was brief, it had consumed a great deal of his spiritual power. He turned to look at Shu Yao beside him, and seeing that she was unharmed, the weight in his heart finally lifted. Shu Yao looked at Ye Ling's resolute appearance during the battle, her eyes filled with admiration. She walked to Ye Ling's side, gently stroked his face, and whispered in his ear, "You are the best, my love." Ye Ling felt Shu Yao's tenderness, and a warm current surged in his heart, dispelling the fatigue from the battle. He held Shu Yao's hand, their fingers intertwined, feeling each other's body heat, and his heart was filled with strength. He looked up at the sky; where the ghostly remnant soul had completely disappeared, a trace of cold aura still lingered. Images of his numerous encounters with the Shadow flashed through Ye Ling's mind: eerie ancient tombs, bizarre illusions, each a life-or-death crisis. The Shadow was treacherous and cunning, like a leech, always appearing and causing endless trouble. This time, he had finally eliminated this thorn in his side. "This time, I owe a great debt to Senior Xingchen and Elder Ling," Ye Ling said sincerely, turning his gaze to Xingchen and Elder Ling, his gratitude overflowing. "Without you, the consequences would have been unimaginable." Xingchen smiled faintly and said, "No need to be polite, it was nothing. You were the key to this battle; your growth rate is astonishing." Elder Ling stroked his long beard, looking at Ye Ling with kindness, and said, "The power within you is extraordinary; use it wisely and do not stray from the right path." Ye Ling nodded solemnly, knowing he bore a heavy responsibility. He not only had to unravel the secrets of his own abilities but also protect those around him and safeguard this supernatural world. Qingyue skipped and hopped to Ye Ling, grinning, "Brother Ye Ling, you're amazing! I want to be as strong as you someday!" Ye Ling patted Qingyue's head, encouraging her, "As long as you cultivate diligently, you can definitely do it." Just as everyone was immersed in the joy of victory, a barely perceptible chilling aura quietly spread. A faint sigh seemed to echo in the air, almost imperceptible, sending shivers down one's spine. Ye Ling's alarm bells rang; he keenly sensed that things weren't over yet… A cold voice echoed in Ye Ling's mind: "You think this is the end? I'll be back…" Ye Ling turned sharply, only to find himself alone. He gripped Shu Yao's hand tightly, a resolute glint in his eyes. Elder Ling frowned, his voice low and menacing, "Be careful…" The lingering shadow and remnant soul flickered erratically, like a wisp of black smoke, twisting and struggling within the array's light. Unable to directly destroy the formation, it turned its attention to the people within, attempting to undermine their will from within. "Little girl of the Spirit Clan," the ghostly voice whispered, piercing Qingyue's mind, "Do you really believe these people? Wasn't the destruction of the Spirit Clan a disaster they brought?" Qingyue's petite body trembled slightly; the ghostly voice's words pierced her heart like needles. She recalled the tragic deaths of her people, and a wavering arose in her heart. She instinctively looked at Ye Ling, only to see his unwavering gaze, filled with trust and encouragement. This calmed her wavering heart again. She took a deep breath, stood firmly in place, without flinching. Seeing its first plan fail, the ghostly voice turned its attention to Ye Ling again. "Do you think you can protect her?" the ghostly voice was filled with malice. "You will only bring her disaster; she will ultimately die because of you!" Ye Ling's hand unconsciously tightened around Shu Yao's hand, his knuckles turning white. Shu Yao sensed Ye Ling's tension and grasped his hand in return, offering him silent comfort. Ye Ling took a deep breath, his gaze unwavering, ignoring the remnant spirit's provocations. He knew he had to be strong to protect Shu Yao and fight against this evil force. The two sides were locked in a stalemate, but the light from the formation grew stronger. Having absorbed enough spiritual energy, it began to counterattack. A dazzling beam of purifying light shot from the center of the formation, striking the remnant spirit directly. The remnant spirit let out a shrill scream in the light; its dark power melted away like ice and snow, gradually vanishing into nothingness. "No…impossible…" The remnant spirit's voice grew weaker and weaker, filled with resentment and bitterness.

Before vanishing completely, it uttered a final curse: "This...this is just the beginning...the disaster...is not over..." The purifying light dissipated, and the array's glow gradually dimmed. The valley returned to tranquility, broken only by the rustling of leaves in the breeze. Ye Ling and the others remained vigilant, not daring to relax for a moment. Although the remnant spirit of the ghostly figure had been destroyed, Ye Ling still sensed something amiss. A barely perceptible chill permeated the air, sending shivers down his spine. He felt as if a pair of eyes were watching them from the shadows, but he couldn't find any clues. "Be careful..." Elder Ling's deep, solemn voice broke the valley's silence. His gaze was sharp, scanning the surrounding woods as if trying to see through any disguise. Ye Ling gripped the card in his hand tightly, his eyes warily scanning everything around him. A gust of cold wind blew by, rustling the leaves, as if responding to Elder Ling's warning. A strange unease was spreading through Ye Ling's heart...