I dominated the game from the start with cards.

A ghostly blue light engulfed Li Xuan's figure, followed by Mu Yang and Lin Yu. After a moment of dizziness, a bone-chilling cold swept over them, as if they were in an ice cave. An indescribable sense of oppression filled the air, making it hard to breathe.

“It’s so cold here…” Lin Yu rubbed his arms, his breath quickly dissipating in the air. Li Xuan looked around and found themselves on a desolate ice plain. The sky was overcast, snowflakes fell in a flurry, and the ground was covered with a thick layer of snow that seemed to stretch to the horizon. An ominous premonition welled up in his heart, and he subconsciously gripped the dagger in his hand. “Watch out!” Mu Yang’s voice suddenly rang out. Almost simultaneously, a dark figure flashed out from the snowstorm, moving with astonishing speed, instantly rushing towards Lin Yu. Lin Yu reacted quickly, drawing his longsword to block, but the dark figure’s strength was unexpectedly powerful, and Lin Yu was forced to retreat repeatedly, his hands numb. The dark figure gradually revealed its form, a tall man with a ferocious face, his blood-red eyes flashing with a bloodthirsty light. He wore a black robe and held a ghost-headed knife that emitted a dark light. “Ghost Fiend!” Old Zhou’s voice was filled with terror. Ghost Fiend, a notorious guardian of hidden levels in the Infinite Flow space, is known for his cruelty and bloodthirstiness. His appearance signifies that they are facing an even greater crisis. Ignoring Elder Zhou, Ghost Fiend fixed his gaze on Lin Yu, a cruel sneer playing on his lips. He moved with lightning speed, charging at Lin Yu again, his ghost-headed blade whipping up gusts of cold wind. Lin Yu fought back fiercely, but Ghost Fiend's attacks were incredibly sharp, and he quickly found himself at a disadvantage. Seeing this, Mu Yang immediately joined the battle, engaging Ghost Fiend in close combat. Mu Yang was calm and composed, his moves steady, and for a time, he and Ghost Fiend were evenly matched. Ghost Fiend seemed to be deliberately feigning weakness, his attacks gradually slowing, revealing an opening. Mu Yang was delighted, seizing the opportunity, and threw a powerful punch at Ghost Fiend's chest. However, just as Mu Yang's fist was about to strike Ghost Fiend, a cunning glint flashed in Ghost Fiend's eyes. He suddenly unleashed astonishing power, his body swelling rapidly, and with a single palm strike, he sent Mu Yang flying. "Mu Yang!" Li Xuan cried out in alarm. Ghost Fiend seized the opportunity, his ghost-headed blade carrying a sharp killing intent, aimed directly at Mu Yang's throat. At the critical moment, Li Xuan's spiritual perception warned of the danger. He leaped towards Mu Yang, pushing him aside, and narrowly dodged Ghost Fiend's fatal blow. Having missed his attack, Ghost Fiend did not continue pursuing Li Xuan and Mu Yang. Instead, he turned his gaze to Old Zhou, a chilling smile playing on his lips. "Old man, it's your turn." He raised his ghost-headed blade and slowly walked towards Old Zhou… Ghost Fiend's sinister smile made Old Zhou's heart sink, a chill running from his feet to the top of his head. He knew he was no match for Ghost Fiend, but at this moment, he had to stand in front of him, buying time for the others. "Boy, your opponent is me!" Old Zhou roared, summoning all the remaining energy within him. His cane suddenly trembled, transforming into a longsword, its blade gleaming with a faint golden light. Ghost Fiend scoffed disdainfully, "A dying struggle!" He raised his ghost-headed saber high, its sharp killing intent slashing fiercely at Old Zhou. Old Zhou dared not take the blow head-on, dodging to the side. The ghost-headed saber grazed his clothes, leaving a deep gash. His longsword transformed into a golden streak, piercing towards Ghost Fiend's chest. Ghost Fiend dodged easily, easily avoiding Old Zhou's attack, and his ghost-headed saber slashed down again. Old Zhou parried with his sword, and with a loud clang, his longsword was knocked away, blood gushing from his hand. Ghost Fiend's attacks grew increasingly fierce, pouring down like a storm. Old Zhou fought with all his might, but his strength was severely depleted; his movements grew slower, and his wounds multiplied. "Old Zhou!" Seeing Old Zhou in dire straits, Sister Wu was frantic with worry. She endured the excruciating pain, struggling to her feet to help. "Don't come any closer!" Old Zhou shouted urgently. However, it was too late. Ghost Fiend noticed Sister Wu's actions, a ruthless glint in his eyes. He swung his hand, sending a hidden force straight at Sister Wu. "Ah!" Sister Wu screamed, struck by the hidden force, her body flying backward like a kite with a broken string, crashing heavily to the ground, blood gushing from her mouth. Her already injured body was now even more writhing in pain, groaning incessantly on the ground. Ghost Fiend looked at Sister Wu lying on the ground, a cruel smile appearing on his lips: "Overestimating yourself!" Old Zhou, seeing this, was filled with rage and grief, his eyes bloodshot. He endured the excruciating pain, charging at Ghost Fiend again, his cane transforming into a flurry of staff shadows, attacking Ghost Fiend. However, all of this was in vain. Ghost Fiend's strength far surpassed Old Zhou's; his attacks were like tickles to Ghost Fiend. Ghost Fiend smiled contemptuously, his figure flashing as he dodged Old Zhou's attack, then struck Old Zhou's chest with a palm. "Pfft!" Old Zhou spat out a mouthful of blood, his body flying like a rag doll, crashing heavily to the ground, motionless. Ghost Fiend slowly walked up to Old Zhou, looking down at him with mockery in his eyes: "Old man, your life ends here." He raised his Ghost Head Blade, preparing to deliver the final blow to Old Zhou. Just then, Li Xuan's voice suddenly rang out: "Wait!" His eyes were tightly closed, his brows furrowed, as if he were working at full power on something. "I... I think... I see..." Li Xuan's eyes were tightly closed, fine beads of sweat appearing on his forehead. He was working at full power on his mental perception, trying to capture Ghost Fiend's weakness. Everything around him seemed to have disappeared, only Ghost Fiend's aura flickering in his perception, like a will-o'-the-wisp. This aura was eerie and powerful, sometimes icy cold, sometimes scorching hot, unpredictable and elusive. Li Xuan felt his spiritual power sinking into a quagmire, unable to advance an inch. "What is he doing?" Mu Yang asked in a low voice, watching Li Xuan's strange behavior. Lin Yu shook his head, indicating his confusion. They all knew Li Xuan possessed some special ability, but they had never seen him struggle like this. Just then, a gray-black mist emanated from Gui Sha, quickly spreading and enveloping everyone. "Not good, it's the mist!" Sister Wu's weak voice came from the ground, tinged with fear. She had heard of Gui Sha's mist, which could disrupt one's senses, disorient them, and leave them at his mercy. The mist grew thicker and thicker, visibility plummeting until it was pitch black. Gui Sha's figure appeared and disappeared in the mist, like a ghost from hell. His laughter echoed in the mist, sinister and terrifying, sending chills down everyone's spines. "Be careful!" Li Xuan suddenly opened his eyes and shouted a warning to everyone. His spiritual perception was severely limited by the mist, but he could still sense the approaching aura of the Ghost Fiend. The Ghost Fiend's attacks were even more unpredictable in the mist, and the others could only rely on their faint hearing and senses to determine his location, but it was often too late. Lin Yu's shoulder was slashed by the Ghost Fiend's ghost-head blade, leaving a deep wound from which blood gushed out.

Mu Yang also took a heavy blow to the abdomen, letting out a painful groan and staggering backward. Li Xuan gritted his teeth, enduring the exhaustion of his mental energy, and tried his best to keep track of the Ghost Fiend's movements. He discovered that although the Ghost Fiend moved freely in the mist, it seemed to be slightly affected, with its attack speed and power slightly reduced. This was an opportunity! Li Xuan's gaze swept across the surrounding environment, and a thought flashed through his mind. He picked up a stone and threw it forcefully at the distant ruins, making a loud bang. Immediately afterwards, he threw several more stones in succession, creating various sounds, trying to disrupt the Ghost Fiend's judgment. The Ghost Fiend was indeed attracted by these sudden sounds, and its attack rhythm was disrupted, giving everyone a chance to catch their breath. Li Xuan took the opportunity to pull Mu Yang and Lin Yu together, back to back, forming a simple defensive formation. However, Ghost Fiend quickly saw through Li Xuan's scheme. He let out a chilling laugh, "A mere trick!" From within the mist, the Ghost-Head Blade swung again, carrying an even more ferocious killing intent as it attacked the group. Ghost Fiend's attacks poured down like a storm. Li Xuan and the others fought with all their might, but they still couldn't withstand Ghost Fiend's overwhelming power. Lin Yu and Mu Yang fell one after another, losing their fighting ability. Li Xuan also felt that his physical and mental strength had reached its limit, and his vision blurred. "It's over..." Ghost Fiend's voice rang in Li Xuan's ears, like the pronouncement of death. He raised the Ghost-Head Blade high, preparing to deliver the final blow to Li Xuan. "No..." Li Xuan used his last bit of strength to utter this word. He closed his eyes helplessly, awaiting death... Ghost Fiend's Ghost-Head Blade stopped in mid-air... Ghost Fiend's Ghost-Head Blade stopped only an inch from Li Xuan's forehead. The air seemed to freeze, the shadow of death looming over Li Xuan; he could even feel the icy chill emanating from the blade. Just at this critical moment, a sharp whistle shattered the silence. The whistle came from Elder Zhou. He had been hiding in the shadows, observing the battle. Seeing Li Xuan and the others in dire straits, he finally made his move. The whistle contained a special energy fluctuation, instantly piercing through the Ghost Fiend's mist and striking deep into his soul. The Ghost Fiend clutched his head in agony, letting out a piercing scream, and the ghost-headed saber fell to the ground. The mist quickly dissipated, revealing the Ghost Fiend's contorted face in pain. "Now!" Elder Zhou's voice came from afar. Li Xuan, enduring the excruciating pain, struggled to his feet. Mu Yang and Lin Yu also rose, their eyes still burning with the fire of battle despite their numerous wounds. They knew this was their only chance. Li Xuan quickly analyzed the situation. Although the Ghost Fiend was temporarily incapacitated by the whistle, this effect wouldn't last long. They had to seize this brief opportunity to deliver a fatal blow. Li Xuan looked around, his gaze landing on a pile of abandoned mechanical wreckage. A daring plan formed in his mind. "Mu Yang, Lin Yu, cover me!" Li Xuan roared, charging towards the mechanical wreckage. Mu Yang and Lin Yu immediately understood Li Xuan's intention. Enduring their pain, they fiercely attacked Ghost Fiend, drawing his attention. Although Ghost Fiend was in excruciating pain, he still maintained formidable fighting power. He swung his demonic claws, deflecting Mu Yang and Lin Yu's attacks one by one. His eyes were filled with rage and killing intent, as if he wanted to tear everything in his path to shreds. Li Xuan darted through the mechanical wreckage, searching for suitable parts. Time was of the essence; he had to complete his plan as quickly as possible. He found a thick metal pipe, several gears, and some metal fragments, and began to assemble them rapidly. "Quick! He's about to recover!" Mu Yang's voice carried a hint of anxiety. Ghost Fiend's screams gradually subsided, and his eyes gradually regained their clarity. He stared coldly at Li Xuan, a cruel smile playing on his lips. Li Xuan finally completed his assembly. He aimed the assembled device at Ghost Fiend and took a deep breath. "Now!" Li Xuan activated the device. The device roared, unleashing a powerful jet of air that whipped up dust and debris, forming a small tornado that swept towards Gui Sha. Caught off guard, Gui Sha was engulfed by the tornado. He roared angrily, trying to break free, but it was all in vain. The tornado's power grew stronger, lifting him higher and higher until he disappeared into the sky. Li Xuan, Mu Yang, and Lin Yu collapsed to the ground, utterly exhausted. They stared in the direction Gui Sha had vanished, their hearts filled with the relief of surviving a close call. However, Old Zhou's voice broke the brief silence: "Don't be too happy yet, this is only temporary..." His words trailed off, leaving a suspenseful echo.

It's late today.