I dominated the game from the start with cards.

The tornado howled, lifting the demon high into the sky before disappearing into the horizon, leaving behind a gray sky and a devastated battlefield. Li Xuan, Mu Yang, and Lin Yu collapsed to the ground, panting heavily, overwhelmed by the exhaustion of surviving the ordeal. Li Xuan gazed in the direction where the demon had vanished, his tense nerves finally relaxing slightly. However, his mind uncontrollably replayed every detail of the battle with the demon. The demon's resentful crimson eyes, the sound of its sharp claws tearing through the air, and the excruciating pain of each attack were all etched deeply into his mind like carvings. He abruptly closed his eyes, trying to dispel these horrific images, but they lingered like a persistent, intractable disease. Every moment of injury, every failed attack, was like a sharp knife piercing his heart. He felt a sense of powerlessness, as if trapped in an invisible cage, unable to escape. Not far away, Mu Yang was silently tending to the injured Sister Wu. Sister Wu's face was pale, and a gruesome wound lay on her arm; the blood had congealed, but it was still a shocking sight. Mu Yang carefully bandaged her wound, his eyes filled with guilt, as if he hadn't protected her well. Sister Wu gently held Mu Yang's hand, tenderly comforting him, "It's not your fault. We're all trying, aren't we?" Her voice, though weak, was full of strength, like a warm current slowly flowing into Mu Yang's heart. Old Zhou, leaning on his cane, slowly walked to Li Xuan's side and sighed deeply. "Don't be too happy yet, this is only temporary..." His voice was low and hoarse, carrying a hint of helplessness and worry. The power of the Ghost Fiend exceeded their imagination; even with their best efforts, they had only temporarily repelled it, not truly eliminated it. He knew that this battle was far from over, and even greater challenges lay ahead.

"We must find a way to completely eliminate the Ghost Fiend." Li Xuan's voice was hoarse but firm. He knew that if they couldn't completely eliminate this threat, they would live in fear forever. After a moment of silence, Lin Yu stood up, his gaze resolute. "I'll go find other explorers to inquire about the Ghost Fiend; perhaps I can find some clues." His tone was full of enthusiasm and determination, as if he were already prepared. However, Old Zhou shook his head, his brows furrowed. "No, that's too dangerous. There might be a larger force behind the Ghost Fiend. If we act rashly, we might expose our whereabouts and trigger more danger." His tone carried a hint of worry and warning. "But if we do nothing, we'll just be waiting to die!" Lin Yu's voice rose a few decibels, his tone filled with anxiety and dissatisfaction. He knew time was of the essence; they had to find a way to deal with the Ghost Fiend as soon as possible, or the consequences would be unimaginable. "I know you're anxious, but we must calm down and plan carefully." Old Zhou's tone remained calm; he knew that impulsiveness would only bring greater losses. “A plan? What time do we have to plan?” Lin Yu’s tone was filled with anger and despair. He felt like he was trapped in a giant spider web, unable to escape no matter how hard he struggled. He turned abruptly and strode away… Lin Yu’s pace quickened, almost jogging out of everyone’s sight. His back was filled with anger and resentment, like a wounded beast searching for a way out in despair. “Lin Yu!” Li Xuan called out, trying to stop him, but Lin Yu didn’t turn back. Instead, he quickened his pace and disappeared around the corner of the ruins. “Let him go,” Old Zhou sighed, his tone tinged with helplessness. “Young people are always impulsive.” “But…” Mu Yang hesitated. He was worried about Lin Yu’s safety, but he also knew that Old Zhou’s concerns were not unfounded. “What we need most now is to calm down,” Li Xuan took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down. “Old Zhou is right. Acting rashly will only bring greater danger.” He looked again in the direction where Ghost Fiend had disappeared, his brows furrowed. The sheer power of the Ghostly Fiend filled him with a profound sense of powerlessness. He had to find a way to defeat it, or they would all be in danger. Li Xuan closed his eyes and activated his mental perception. The scene of his battle with the Ghostly Fiend reappeared before his eyes, every detail vividly presented in his mind. The Ghostly Fiend's speed, strength, attack methods, and the chilling aura emanating from it all sent shivers down his spine. He repeatedly simulated the battle with the Ghostly Fiend in his mind, trying to find new clues. He tried changing his attack methods, trying to predict the Ghostly Fiend's next move, but each simulation ended in failure. The Ghostly Fiend's power was too great; none of his attacks could inflict any substantial damage on it. "Is there really no way?" Li Xuan's heart was filled with frustration. He felt as if he were trapped in a maze, unable to find a way out. Sister Wu's injuries had stabilized after simple treatment. She sat quietly to the side, watching Li Xuan and Old Zhou, her eyes filled with worry. She knew they were facing an unprecedented challenge, and she could do nothing about it. Time ticked by, and a tense atmosphere filled the air. Old Zhou, leaning on his cane, paced back and forth, his brow furrowed, seemingly deep in thought. Mu Yang silently stood guard beside Sister Wu, vigilantly observing their surroundings to prevent any unforeseen events. Suddenly, Old Zhou stopped, abruptly raising his head, a glint of light flashing in his eyes. "I remember!" he exclaimed excitedly, his voice trembling slightly. "I once heard of a special skill that can counteract enemies like Ghostly Fiends!" Everyone immediately turned their gaze to Old Zhou, their eyes filled with anticipation. Old Zhou took a deep breath and slowly said, "This skill is called..." He paused, his gaze sweeping over everyone before finally settling on Li Xuan's face, "...Soul Lock!" "Soul Lock," Old Zhou repeated, his tone grave, "is an extremely rare control skill. It can temporarily imprison an enemy's soul, rendering them unable to move." "Imprison the soul?" Mu Yang frowned. "That sounds like some kind of legendary skill. Does it really exist?" "It exists," Old Zhou nodded firmly. "I once saw a record of Soul Lock in an ancient book. It's said that this skill requires extremely strong mental power to cast, and it consumes a great deal of mental energy from the caster." He paused, then continued, "According to the ancient book, Soul Lock can not only imprison an enemy's soul but also disrupt their mind, plunging them into a state of chaos." Li Xuan's eyes lit up; he keenly grasped the key information in Old Zhou's words. "Disrupt the mind?" he murmured to himself, a flash of inspiration crossing his mind. He recalled his previous battle with the Ghost Fiend. The Ghost Fiend's speed and strength far surpassed that of ordinary people, and its attack methods were unpredictable and elusive. However, during the battle, he vaguely sensed that the Ghost Fiend seemed to lack reason; its attacks were more like the instinctive reactions of a wild beast than well-thought-out tactics. "If the Ghost Fiend truly lacks reason, then the mind-disrupting effect of the Soul Lock might have a greater impact on it!" Li Xuan said excitedly, his eyes gleaming with excitement. Old Zhou gave Li Xuan an approving look and said, "That's right. If we can successfully cast the Soul Lock on the Ghost Fiend, then we'll have a chance to find its weakness, and even defeat it completely." "But," Sister Wu asked worriedly, "who can cast the Soul Lock? This skill sounds very complex and requires immense mental strength." All eyes turned to Li Xuan. Li Xuan possessed special mental perception abilities, and his mental strength far exceeded that of ordinary people, making him the most likely candidate to master the Soul Lock. Li Xuan took a deep breath; he knew he carried the hopes of everyone on his shoulders. He closed his eyes, beginning to recall Elder Zhou's description and the ancient texts' records of the Soul Lock. Images flashed through his mind, various complex runes and incantations weaving and swirling before him. Time ticked by, and fine beads of sweat appeared on Li Xuan's forehead. He felt his mental energy being constantly depleted, but he didn't give up. He continued to try, repeatedly simulating the method of casting the Soul Lock. Suddenly, Li Xuan snapped his eyes open, a glint of light in them. "I've got it!" he exclaimed excitedly. "We can exploit the Ghost Fiend's lack of reason, design a trap, lure it in, and then cast the Soul Lock!" Li Xuan began to describe his plan in detail. He suggested using the terrain of the ruins to create a maze, luring the Ghost Fiend deep within.

Then, he would be responsible for casting the Soul Lock to control the Ghost Fiend's movements, while the others would take the opportunity to attack its weaknesses. This plan, though somewhat risky, targeted the Ghost Fiend's weaknesses, giving everyone hope. Everyone agreed and began preparing diligently. Old Zhou watched their busy figures, a hint of satisfaction flashing in his eyes. He slowly said, "In the Infinite Flow Space, hidden level guardians like the Ghost Fiend often have special backgrounds and rules. Understanding these rules is crucial to dealing with them effectively." Night fell, and an eerie silence permeated the ruins. Li Xuan and the others had completed setting up the traps, quietly waiting for the Ghost Fiend to appear. "Will it come?" Mu Yang asked in a low voice, a hint of worry in his tone. Li Xuan didn't answer, only gripping his dagger tightly, his gaze fixed on the entrance to the maze. A gust of cold wind blew past, and a rustling sound came from the ruins… The rustling sound grew closer, and a chilling aura gradually spread. Old Zhou lowered his voice and continued explaining the rules of the Infinite Flow Space: "These guardians are not simple monsters; they are often closely connected to the history and structure of this space. Sometimes, their existence reflects a past tragedy, the lingering echo of unresolved conflicts. Understanding their origins and motivations may be the key to defeating them. The Ghost Fiend… it is very likely related to a powerful source of negative energy within this specific area." Sister Wu worriedly pulled her coat tighter. "So, we were just fighting blindly before, without finding the right way to deal with it?" "That's right," Old Zhou sighed. "Know yourself and know your enemy, and you will never be defeated. We know nothing about the Ghost Fiend, so naturally, it's difficult to win." Li Xuan stared intently at the entrance to the maze, the blade of his dagger reflecting a cold light. "Old Zhou is right, this time we need to change our strategy." He briefly explained their plan to the newly joined Lin Yu, who rubbed his hands excitedly after listening. "Exciting! I love this kind of battle where you outsmart the enemy!" The key to the new plan was to exploit the Ghost Fiend's potential weakness—its lack of rationality. The maze they had carefully arranged was not to trap the Ghost Fiend, but to guide it, leading it into a pre-set trap. Several key nodes were set up within the maze, each containing bait to attract the ghostly demon and specially marked to facilitate Li Xuan's precise targeting when casting "Soul Lock." The waiting time always felt exceptionally long, each second like torture. Everyone held their breath, afraid to make a sound, lest they disturb the approaching ghostly demon. The wind in the ruins seemed to have stopped, and a suffocating tension filled the air. Suddenly, a dark shadow appeared at the maze entrance; the ghostly demon slowly materialized. It seemed more solid than before, and the chilling aura emanating from it was even stronger. It paused, its crimson eyes scanning the surroundings, seemingly sensing something unusual. "It...it seems to be observing..." Mu Yang's voice was barely audible, trembling slightly. Li Xuan narrowed his eyes slightly; he could feel the powerful energy fluctuations emanating from the ghostly demon. The ghostly demon didn't immediately enter the maze but stood motionless at the entrance. It seemed to be hesitating, contemplating. "Could it have already discovered our trap?" Sister Wu's worry was palpable. Li Xuan remained silent, his gaze fixed intently on the Ghost Fiend, his mental energy highly concentrated, attempting to capture every subtle movement. Time seemed to freeze, the air thick with oppression and unease. Suddenly, the Ghost Fiend moved, slowly raising its head, its scarlet eyes fixed on Li Xuan's direction… “It…it’s coming…” Lin Yu’s voice was hoarse. Li Xuan took a deep breath; he knew the moment of truth had arrived. He gripped the dagger in his hand, his gaze resolute and cold.

The demon walked step by step into the maze...