I dominated the game from the start with cards.

The black gem on the Shadow Demon's chest gleamed with an eerie light, as if mocking their overestimation of their abilities. Li Xuan gritted his teeth; he knew he had to destroy the gem as soon as possible, or they would all die here. "Mu Yang, close-range attack! Draw its attention!" Li Xuan shouted, simultaneously conjuring a mental energy blade in his hand and shooting it towards the gem. Mu Yang flashed forward, charging towards the Shadow Demon like a cheetah. He used both fists and feet, each move ruthless, aiming at the Shadow Demon's weak points. The Shadow Demon was entangled by Mu Yang and couldn't defend against Li Xuan's attacks. The mental energy blade struck the black gem precisely, producing a crisp sound. A crack appeared on the gem's surface, and its black light dimmed slightly. The Shadow Demon let out a painful roar, its attacks becoming even more ferocious. "Effective!" Li Xuan was overjoyed and conjured another mental energy blade, preparing to deliver a fatal blow to the gem. However, at that moment, the Shadow Demon suddenly unleashed a powerful dark force, enveloping everyone within it. Dark power surged in like a tidal wave, carrying a suffocating sense of oppression. Li Xuan felt a sudden darkness before his eyes, his mental energy instantly dissipated, and the blade in his hand vanished. "What's going on?" Li Xuan was startled and quickly steadied himself. He found himself trapped in a dark space, unable to see anything around him. "Li Xuan!" Mu Yang's voice came from the darkness, tinged with anxiety. "I'm here!" Li Xuan replied, "This dark power is too strong, we have to find a way to break out!" Li Xuan tried to gather his mental energy to investigate the surrounding situation, but found that his mental energy was suppressed by the dark power and could not extend outwards at all. "Damn it!" Li Xuan cursed inwardly, knowing that they were now in a desperate situation. The Shadow Demon's attacks became even more ferocious, each strike carrying a dark aura, making them impossible to defend against. Although Mu Yang was agile, he gradually felt his strength waning. "Pfft!" With a muffled sound, Mu Yang was struck by the Shadow Demon's fist, staggering back a few steps. A trickle of blood spilled from the corner of his mouth, and his face turned pale. "Mu Yang!" Li Xuan's heart tightened. He wanted to rush over to help, but found himself firmly bound by dark power, unable to move at all. Taking advantage of the situation, the Shadow Demon released an even stronger dark power, completely engulfing everyone. The dark power was like a giant vortex, swallowing them up. Li Xuan felt his consciousness gradually fading, and his body becoming heavier and heavier. "Could it be... that I'm going to die here..." Li Xuan was filled with resentment. Just then, he heard Sister Wu's exclamation: "Lin Yu! Hold on!" Li Xuan suddenly woke up, remembering that the unconscious Lin Yu was still beside him. Sister Wu was urgently treating him, while the Shadow Demon's attack was coming towards them... "Sister Wu, be careful!" Li Xuan's warning was drowned out by the Shadow Demon's ferocious attack. Sister Wu looked up and met the Shadow Demon's cold and merciless blood-red eyes. A suffocating sense of fear instantly enveloped her. But she did not back down. Instead, she stood even more firmly in front of the unconscious Lin Yu, using her frail body to build a last line of defense for him. The Shadow Demon's attack arrived as expected, a black energy wave slamming directly into Sister Wu. She groaned, struck by the dark power again, her body flying like a kite with a broken string, crashing heavily to the ground. Blood trickled from the corner of her mouth, staining her clothes, her face growing even paler, her breath weak. "Sister Wu!" Li Xuan's eyes widened in horror, watching helplessly as Sister Wu fell. He struggled desperately, trying to break free from the dark power's hold to save her, but found himself trapped in a quagmire, unable to move. Mu Yang was also severely injured and unable to fight. He struggled to crawl to Sister Wu's side, anxiously calling her name: "Sister Wu, how are you? Sister Wu..." Sister Wu opened her eyes with difficulty, looking at Mu Yang's anxious face, and smiled weakly: "Don't worry about me... I'm fine..." "You say you're fine, but you've coughed up blood!" Mu Yang's eyes reddened, his voice choked with emotion. He tore off a corner of his clothes, intending to bandage Sister Wu's wound, but found it deep enough to expose bone—a horrifying sight. "Cough, cough..." Sister Wu coughed violently a few times, more blood flowing from the corner of her mouth. She weakly grasped Mu Yang's hand, using her last strength to say, "You...you must live..." With that, Sister Wu's hand fell limply to her side, her eyes slowly closed, and her breath ceased. "Sister Wu! Sister Wu!" Mu Yang cried out in despair, but there was no longer any response from Sister Wu. Witnessing all this, Li Xuan felt a pain as if his heart were being torn apart. He activated his mental perception again, trying to find a way to break through the dark power, but found his senses severely limited by this dark force. He could only perceive the surrounding chaos, as if trapped in an invisible cage. The Shadow Demon's maniacal laughter echoed in the darkness, like a demon from hell, sending chills down everyone's spine. It seemed to enjoy this torment, approaching step by step, preparing to deliver the final, fatal blow. Suddenly, the Shadow Demon stopped laughing and turned its gaze to the other side.

Li Xuan followed its gaze and saw Old Zhou standing there, a dagger emitting a faint golden light in his hand, his eyes firmly fixed on the Shadow Demon. "Old man, do you also want to die?" the Shadow Demon said disdainfully. Old Zhou didn't speak, but silently pointed his dagger at the Shadow Demon, a powerful aura emanating from him. The Shadow Demon seemed to sense the threat, a hint of fear flashing in its eyes. It suddenly let out a sharp howl, and an even denser dark power erupted from its body, transforming into a black pillar of light that shot straight towards Old Zhou… Old Zhou shouted, "Not good!" The dagger in his hand suddenly burst forth with dazzling light… The dagger's light, like exploding stars, briefly forced back the Shadow Demon's dark pillar of light. Old Zhou's figure flashed, appearing behind the Shadow Demon like a ghost, his dagger carrying a sharp gust of wind, aimed straight at the Shadow Demon's back. The Shadow Demon seemed to have anticipated this, its body twisting strangely before Zhou Lao's dagger struck, dodging the fatal blow. It let out a piercing shriek, and the black mist around it suddenly churned, forming a massive vortex that enveloped Zhou Lao. "Zhou Lao!" Li Xuan cried out, trying to rush to help, but he was still bound by the dark power and unable to move. Trapped in the black vortex, Zhou Lao felt as if the surrounding space was being distorted; his movements became sluggish, and the dagger in his hand lost its former sharpness. He tried to break free, but found the vortex like an invisible cage, firmly holding him captive. Mu Yang looked at Sister Wu lying in a pool of blood, then at the trapped Zhou Lao, his eyes bloodshot, a burning rage raging in his chest. He endured the excruciating pain, struggling to his feet, and roared at the Shadow Demon, "You monster! I'll kill you!" He staggered towards the Shadow Demon, gathering his last bit of energy in his hand, and slammed it down fiercely. However, his attacks were like tickles to the powerful Shadow Demon, causing no real damage whatsoever. The Shadow Demon glanced contemptuously at Mu Yang, unleashing a wisp of black mist that sent Mu Yang flying. Mu Yang crashed heavily to the ground, spitting out a mouthful of blood, his vision blurred, and he nearly fainted. "Mu Yang!" Li Xuan was frantic. He desperately used his mental perception abilities, trying to find the Shadow Demon's weakness. In the chaos, he suddenly detected something unusual. He discovered that whenever the Shadow Demon activated this new trapping skill, its movements would pause briefly, as if it were gathering energy. "Mu Yang, listen to me!" Li Xuan shouted, enduring the intense pain from his mental exhaustion, "The Shadow Demon pauses briefly when it activates its skill, seize the opportunity to attack!" Hearing Li Xuan's voice, Mu Yang roused himself, focusing intently on observing the Shadow Demon's movements. Sure enough, when the Shadow Demon activated the black vortex again, its body momentarily froze. "Now!" Li Xuan's voice rang out again. Seizing this fleeting opportunity, Mu Yang mustered all his remaining strength, concentrating all his energy into his fist, and slammed it down hard on the Shadow Demon. With a muffled "bang," Mu Yang's fist struck the Shadow Demon squarely in the chest. Although the attack didn't cause significant damage, it did elicit a painful roar, and the demon swayed slightly. Seeing his attack succeed, a glimmer of hope ignited in Mu Yang's heart. He gathered his strength again, preparing for another attack. However, the Shadow Demon's attacks grew increasingly fierce; black energy waves surged like a storm, and Li Xuan and Mu Yang gradually became overwhelmed, their bodies riddled with wounds. "No, we'll both die here if this continues!" Li Xuan gritted his teeth, making a difficult decision. "We must get out of here first!" He struggled to his feet, helping Mu Yang to his feet, and the two of them, supporting each other, ran towards the exit of the checkpoint. The Shadow Demon's maniacal laughter echoed behind them, like a death knell, sending chills down their spines. “Next time…next time I will definitely defeat you!” Li Xuan glanced back at the Shadow Demon, his eyes filled with resentment and…madness. The Shadow Demon’s black vortex attacked again, and Old Zhou grunted, his figure appearing and disappearing in the black mist, as if he would be swallowed up at any moment. Li Xuan’s mental energy was almost exhausted, but he still stared intently at the Shadow Demon, trying to seize that fleeting moment of pause. “Mu Yang, left! Three steps, attack!” Li Xuan’s voice was hoarse and urgent. Mu Yang’s figure flashed, rushing towards the Shadow Demon’s left side like an arrow released from a bow, his fist flashing with a pale blue light. The Shadow Demon’s massive body paused slightly, seemingly surprised by Mu Yang’s speed. In that split second, Mu Yang’s fist slammed hard into the Shadow Demon’s ribs. “Roar!” The Shadow Demon let out a painful roar, its body swaying, and the black mist became slightly disordered. Although Mu Yang’s attack did not cause fatal damage, it made the Shadow Demon feel threatened. Its scarlet eyes stared at Mu Yang, filled with anger and killing intent. Seeing the attack was effective, a glimmer of hope ignited in Li Xuan's heart. He gritted his teeth and once again channeled his mental energy. "One more time! Mu Yang, aim for its head!" However, the Shadow Demon had learned its lesson and gave Mu Yang no further chances. It swung its enormous black claws, and black energy waves surged towards Mu Yang like a tidal wave, forcing him back. "Damn it!" Mu Yang cursed under his breath, his wounds widening, blood staining his clothes. Although trapped in the black vortex, Old Zhou was still trying to find a way out. The dagger in his hand gleamed coldly as he relentlessly attacked the surrounding black mist, attempting to tear a crack. However, the black mist seemed endless, and no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't escape. Seeing the situation growing increasingly critical, Li Xuan knew he couldn't delay any longer. "Mu Yang, let's retreat!" He made a decisive move, pulling Mu Yang towards the exit of the checkpoint. The two ran wildly, the Shadow Demon's furious roar and the black energy waves chasing behind them. They were covered in wounds and almost exhausted, but their will to survive kept them going. Finally, they saw the exit of the checkpoint, a blinding white light appearing before them. Without hesitation, the two rushed in, their figures disappearing into the white light. Outside the checkpoint, Lin Yu waited anxiously. Seeing Li Xuan and Mu Yang emerge covered in wounds, he rushed forward. "How did it go? Did you succeed?" Li Xuan shook his head, his face pale. "We failed. The Shadow Demon is too strong." Mu Yang leaned against the wall, panting heavily, his eyes filled with resentment. "We'll be back!" After returning to the safe zone, Li Xuan's mind kept replaying the scenes of the battle. The helplessness of Old Zhou trapped in the black vortex, the image of Sister Wu lying in a pool of blood, the moments when Mu Yang was repeatedly knocked away—all these images pierced his heart like sharp knives.

He clenched his fists, his nails digging deep into his flesh, his heart filled with anger and resentment.

“Shadow Fiend…” he murmured, a cold glint in his eyes. He walked to the wall and slammed his fist into it, leaving a deep fist mark.