I dominated the game from the start with cards.

The Shadow's voice abruptly ceased, replaced by a deafening roar. The black energy vortex suddenly contracted, then violently erupted, sweeping outwards like a shockwave. Sand and stones flew, dust billowed, obscuring the sky. Li Xuan and the others were forced back by this powerful energy, almost losing their footing. Sister Wu's healing spell was interrupted, she let out a muffled groan, and a trickle of blood escaped from the corner of her mouth. Old Zhou was even blasted away, crashing heavily to the ground, unconscious. "Be careful!" Li Xuan shouted, warning everyone. As the dust settled, Shadow Princess and the Shadow reappeared before them. They emanated an even denser aura of darkness, their eyes filled with madness and killing intent. The Shadow's skin had turned a strange deep purple, his muscles bulging, as if brimming with explosive power. Shadow Princess's hair had turned blood red, dancing wildly in the air like venomous snakes, sending chills down everyone's spine. The Shadow charged towards Li Xuan and the others first, his speed and strength greater than before. Li Xuan directed everyone to scatter and take cover, then faced the Shadow head-on. "Mu Yang, Lin Yu, you two deal with Shadow Maiden!" Li Xuan shouted. Mu Yang and Lin Yu nodded and immediately turned to Shadow Maiden. Shadow Maiden wielded her ribbons, forming a barrier to block Mu Yang and Lin Yu's attacks. The ribbons were as agile as serpents, unpredictable and elusive. Li Xuan clashed head-on with the Shadow. The Shadow's attacks were ferocious and brutal, each punch carrying destructive power. Li Xuan, relying on his agility and precise prediction, constantly dodged the Shadow's attacks, waiting for an opportunity to counterattack.

"You're fast, but too weak!" Shadow mocked. Li Xuan ignored Shadow's taunt. He focused his mind, sensing the surrounding energy fluctuations, searching for Shadow's weakness. Shadow threw another punch, which Li Xuan dodged to the side. He then swiftly kicked Shadow in the abdomen. Shadow reacted quickly, blocking Li Xuan's attack, but was still knocked back several steps. "You've got some skill!" A hint of surprise flashed in Shadow's eyes. Li Xuan didn't speak. He took a deep breath, preparing to launch an even fiercer attack. He knew this battle had only just begun, and they had to go all out to defeat these two powerful enemies. Mu Yang and Lin Yu were also locked in a fierce battle. Shadow Princess's ribbons could not only defend but also attack, and their attack methods were unpredictable and varied, making them difficult to defend against. Although Mu Yang and Lin Yu cooperated well, they still couldn't break through Shadow Princess's defense. "This won't do!" Mu Yang said, "We must find her weakness!" Lin Yu nodded, his eyes filled with fighting spirit. "I'll figure something out!" Just then, Shadow Princess suddenly let out a sharp scream. Her body began to tremble violently, and her ribbons became disordered. "What's going on?" Lin Yu asked in confusion. Mu Yang's expression suddenly turned serious. "Not good, she seems to be..." Shadow Princess's body suddenly erupted with a strong black light, and a powerful energy wave spread outwards... "She's going to self-destruct!" Before Shadow Princess's scream had completely dissipated, the black light poured out like a flood, and the strong energy wave shook everything around. "She's going to self-destruct!" Mu Yang's voice was drowned out by the roar of the explosion. He pushed Lin Yu aside and used his body to block most of the impact. After the explosion, dust filled the air, obscuring the sky. Li Xuan barely managed to steady himself, his heart sinking. He knew that Shadow Princess's self-destruction was only to cover the attack of Shadow. Sure enough, a black shadow darted out from the dust and mist like lightning, heading straight for Li Xuan. The Shadow's speed and power, amplified by the explosion, reached a terrifying level. Li Xuan barely managed to parry before being punched away, crashing heavily into a boulder and spitting out a mouthful of blood. "Li Xuan!" Mu Yang struggled to his feet, his eyes wide with rage at the sight. He endured the excruciating pain, trying to rush to Li Xuan's aid, but was entangled by the Shadow Maiden's ribbons. It turned out that the Shadow Maiden's self-destruction was merely a feint; she had used the explosion as cover to hide in the shadows, waiting for her chance. The Shadow Maiden's ribbons coiled around Mu Yang like venomous snakes, tightening their grip until he was immobilized. A cruel smile played on her lips as she tightened her grip, the ribbons almost suffocating Mu Yang. "Mu Yang!" Lin Yu also scrambled to his feet. His leg, struck by the Shadow, was bleeding profusely, but ignoring the pain, he swung his sword at the Shadow Maiden. The Shadow Maiden smiled contemptuously, her figure flashing as she dodged Lin Yu's attack. With a flick of her ribbon, she knocked Lin Yu to the ground again. "Overestimating yourself!" Shadow didn't press her advantage against Li Xuan; instead, she turned and joined the attack on Mu Yang and Lin Yu. She and Shadow Maiden coordinated perfectly, one attacking and the other defending, their movements precise and controlled, forcing Mu Yang and Lin Yu into dire straits. Each of Shadow's attacks was powerful and heavy, like a hammer blow to Mu Yang. Although Mu Yang tried his best to defend, new wounds continued to accumulate on his body. Lin Yu's leg was severely injured, making movement difficult; he could only barely hold on, but he still gritted his teeth and persisted, swinging his sword again and again at Shadow Maiden and Shadow, trying to buy Mu Yang a chance to breathe. While dodging Shadow's attack, Lin Yu stumbled and fell to the ground. A cold glint flashed in Shadow's eyes, and without mercy, she kicked Lin Yu's leg. "Ah!" Lin Yu screamed in agony; the sound of his leg bones cracking was horrifying, and blood gushed out, staining the ground red. Li Xuan struggled to his feet, his eyes wide with rage at the sight. He endured the excruciating pain and charged at the Shadow again, only to be entangled by the Shadow Maiden's ribbons. The Shadow Maiden and the Shadow's attacks grew increasingly coordinated, their movements fluid and continuous, putting immense pressure on Li Xuan and the others. Li Xuan felt his body growing heavier, his consciousness fading. He knew that if this continued, they would all die here. Just then, his mental perception detected an anomaly. He discovered that when the Shadow Maiden and the Shadow unleashed their combined skill, a brief energy connection was formed between their bodies. "Wait..." Li Xuan's voice was weak, yet filled with unprecedented determination. Li Xuan coughed up blood, staining the sand beneath him. "Wait..." His weak voice was torn apart by the wind and sand, yet strangely, it caused the frenzied Shadow and Shadow Maiden to pause for a moment. The Shadow frowned, glancing at Li Xuan with a hint of contempt in its eyes. What could a dying man possibly say? Shadow Princess smiled alluringly, a ribbon swirling around her fingertips like a venomous snake poised to strike. "What? Want to beg for mercy? Too late!" "Their combined skill... has a weakness..." Li Xuan uttered with difficulty, his gaze fixed on the two figures. He activated his mental perception to its fullest extent, and the faint energy connection point gradually became clear in his eyes, like a firefly flickering in the darkness, weak yet real. Shadow and Shadow Princess exchanged a glance, a sense of unease rising in their hearts. How did this dying man see the flaw in their combined skill? Could it be...? Just then, a warm light enveloped Li Xuan. Old Zhou, who had appeared at the edge of the battlefield, was pale and his hands trembled, yet he resolutely channeled a stream of pure energy into Li Xuan's body. "Child, this is the last thing I can do..." Old Zhou's voice was weak and feeble, yet carried an undeniable determination, "From now on, it's up to you..." A powerful force surged into Li Xuan's body, repairing his damaged form and dispelling the weariness and despair that enveloped him. He felt an unprecedented power, as if the slumbering dragon within him had finally awakened. Li Xuan took a deep breath, slowly stood up, his eyes flashing with unwavering determination. He looked at Elder Zhou, nodded solemnly, and said nothing more; everything was understood without words. Shadow and Shadow Maiden realized something was wrong and launched another attack. Shadow's fist, accompanied by a whistling sound, hurtled straight for Li Xuan's face. Shadow Maiden's ribbons coiled around him like serpents, attempting to bind Li Xuan once more. However, this time, Li Xuan did not dodge. A glint flashed in his eyes, and with the power transmitted by Elder Zhou, his body shot through Shadow's defenses like an arrow. In a blur, he was already between Shadow Maiden and Shadow, the energy connection point within him.

Li Xuan took a deep breath, concentrated all the power in his body into one point, and suddenly unleashed it!

"break!"

A low shout shook the heavens and earth. A powerful energy surge emanated from Li Xuan, spreading outwards. The combined skill of Shadow Princess and Dark Shadow was instantly destroyed; the powerful backlash sent them flying with screams. When the dust settled, Li Xuan stood still, his body swaying slightly, yet he remained upright. He looked at Shadow Princess and Dark Shadow lying on the ground, his eyes devoid of joy, only deep solemnity. He knew this was just the beginning. Mu Yang and Lin Yu struggled to their feet, their hearts filled with shock at what they had witnessed. Li Xuan had actually done it! "We...won?" Lin Yu's voice trembled, tinged with disbelief. Li Xuan shook his head. "No, this is just a small victory. The real enemy is yet to come..." He looked up into the distance, his gaze deep and resolute. "I must avenge my sect! I must uncover the truth!" Sister Wu arrived and tended to Mu Yang and Lin Yu's wounds. Old Zhou walked to Li Xuan's side, patted him on the shoulder, and said nothing, his eyes filled with relief and expectation. The wind and sand still howled, stirring up dust and obscuring the road ahead. How far were they from the truth of their sect's destruction? "Let's go," Li Xuan's voice was low and firm, "Let's keep going." He took a step forward, heading towards the unknown distance... Ahead, shadowy figures seemed to be waiting for them. Li Xuan clenched his fist, a resolute glint in his eyes... Old Zhou's power flowed like a warm current, instantly coursing through Li Xuan's body, repairing his damaged meridians. The previous sense of powerlessness vanished, replaced by an unprecedented surge of strength. He felt as if he had been reborn, brimming with power. The shadow's attack was close at hand, carrying a sharp punch that could shatter rocks. However, Li Xuan no longer dodged. A glint flashed in his eyes, and his body moved with the speed of a cheetah, surprisingly striking first, bypassing the shadow's attack and heading straight for the energy connection point between them. Shadow Princess's ribbons coiled around him like venomous snakes, attempting to stop Li Xuan. However, Li Xuan was too fast; the ribbons could only catch his afterimages. In a flash, he arrived before the energy connection point. This connection point flickered with an eerie light, pulsating like a heart, maintaining the combined skill of Shadow Princess and Dark Shadow. Li Xuan took a deep breath, concentrating the energy transmitted by Elder Zhou and his own power into a single point, and then unleashed a powerful blast! "Break!" A low roar, filled with Li Xuan's anger and determination, emanated from him, spreading out like a shockwave, even distorting space itself. The connection point trembled violently under Li Xuan's attack, then shattered with a deafening roar. Shadow Princess and Dark Shadow simultaneously screamed in agony; their energy connection severed, and the powerful backlash sent them flying like kites with broken strings, crashing heavily to the ground, rendered incapable of fighting. As the dust settled, Li Xuan stood in place, his body swaying slightly, but he remained unyielding. He looked at Shadow Princess and Dark Shadow lying on the ground, his eyes devoid of joy, only filled with deep solemnity. He knew this was just the beginning; greater challenges lay ahead. Mu Yang and Lin Yu struggled to their feet, their hearts filled with shock at what they had witnessed. They hadn't expected Li Xuan to actually do it, defeating the powerful Shadow Princess and Dark Shadow single-handedly. Sister Wu rushed over, tending to Mu Yang and Lin Yu's wounds with practiced skill, her eyes filled with concern. Old Zhou walked to Li Xuan's side, patted his shoulder, saying nothing, but his eyes were filled with relief and expectation. He knew Li Xuan had grown up; he was now capable of standing alone. The wind and sand continued to howl, whipping up dust that obscured the road ahead and the future. How far were they from the truth of their sect's destruction? No one knew. "Let's go," Li Xuan's voice was low and firm, "We'll keep moving forward." He strode towards the unknown distance, towards the truth hidden in the mist. Ahead, shadowy figures loomed, as if something awaited them. Li Xuan clenched his fists, a resolute glint in his eyes… A soft footstep echoed from the sandstorm… Li Xuan abruptly stopped, warily scanning his surroundings. He sensed a new danger approaching, a chilling, bone-deep killing intent that sent shivers down his spine. “Who goes there?!”