I dominated the game from the start with cards.

The campfire crackled in the camp, its light illuminating everything around them and casting swaying shadows of trees onto the tents, dancing like ghosts. The exhausted group had already drifted off to sleep, only the occasional chirping of insects breaking the silence of the night. Li Xuan lay in his sleeping bag, unable to fall asleep. He felt a strange unease, as if an invisible hand was gripping his throat, making it hard to breathe. He tossed and turned, finally opening his eyes. The deep night sky was dotted with stars, but they offered no reassurance. Just then, his evolved spiritual perception was suddenly activated. A strong sense of danger surged through his body like an electric current, instantly waking him. He sat bolt upright, cautiously scanning his surroundings, his heart pounding. "Something's coming..." he whispered, his face grave. Li Xuan quickly got up and grabbed his weapon—a sharp dagger. He strode to Mu Yang's tent and shook his sleeping companion vigorously. "Mu Yang! Wake up! Something's happened!" Mu Yang groggily opened his eyes, and seeing Li Xuan's tense expression, he immediately snapped awake. "What's wrong?" He quickly got up and grabbed his weapon. Li Xuan briefly explained his senses to Mu Yang and quickly woke the others. Old Zhou, Sister Wu, and the newly joined partner Lin Yu were all startled awake by the sudden alarm, grabbing their weapons with tense expressions. "What's going on?" Sister Wu rubbed her sleepy eyes, her tone tinged with unease. "My mental senses tell me that danger is approaching," Li Xuan said in a deep voice, his sharp eyes scanning the surrounding darkness. Old Zhou stroked his beard, his brows furrowed. "It seems that mysterious organization has made a new move." "Could you be overthinking it?" Although Mu Yang was also prepared for battle, he remained calm. "In this desolate wilderness, it might just be some wild animals." "My senses don't lie," Li Xuan said firmly, gripping his dagger tightly, his palms slightly sweaty. He knew that this danger was unusual. Lin Yu patted Li Xuan on the shoulder, saying warmly and generously, "Don't worry, Li Xuan, we'll face this with you!" Just then, Ling Feng's figure silently appeared beside them. His expression was solemn, and his tone was low: "Get ready, they're here." The atmosphere instantly froze, filled with tension. Everyone gripped their weapons, standing back to back in a circle, warily watching the surrounding darkness. The trees around the camp rustled, as if something was rapidly approaching. Suddenly, Li Xuan felt a chilling killing intent lock onto him. He abruptly turned his head, looking in the direction from which the killing intent came. "Watch out!" Ling Feng shouted. A dark figure flashed out from the trees, moving with astonishing speed... Just then, the shadow launched its attack. He moved like a shadow, instantly appearing in front of everyone, his sharp blade aimed at Lin Yu, who was closest to him. Lin Yu hurriedly dodged, but was still cut on the arm, blood instantly staining his sleeve. "Ah!" Lin Yu groaned, staggering backward. Seeing Lin Yu injured, Sister Wu was heartbroken. Ignoring the danger, she rushed to him, wanting to bandage his wounds. "Lin Yu, how are you?" she asked anxiously, pulling bandages and medicine from her backpack. However, Shadow didn't let the opportunity pass. He sneered, his figure flashing, reappearing behind Sister Wu, his sharp blade aimed straight for her back. At the critical moment, Mu Yang acted, forcefully pushing Sister Wu aside and using his body to shield her from Shadow's attack. "Mu Yang!" Sister Wu cried out in terror. Mu Yang groaned, a trickle of blood spilling from the corner of his mouth. Shadow's blade had pierced his shoulder blade, the intense pain almost making him unable to stand. But he gritted his teeth and persevered, not falling. He knew that if he fell, Sister Wu would be in danger. Seeing this, Li Xuan's heart sank. He knew they had underestimated Shadow's strength. This mysterious assassin was not only incredibly fast but also ruthless and merciless. He took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down. Now is not the time to panic; he must find a way to turn the tide. "Lingfeng!" Li Xuan shouted, "We need your help!" Lingfeng's figure flashed, appearing before everyone. He waved his hands, and a transparent barrier appeared before them, temporarily blocking the shadow's attack. "You all heal your wounds first; I'll deal with him."

Lingfeng's tone was calm, yet carried an undeniable air of authority.

The shadowy attacks struck the barrier time and again, producing dull thuds.

Although the barrier was sturdy, it could not withstand the shadow's attacks indefinitely.

Li Xuan knew they had to find a breakthrough as soon as possible. He vigilantly observed the shadow's attacks while simultaneously considering countermeasures. He noticed that while the shadow's attacks were swift, they followed a certain pattern. Before each attack, the shadow would pause slightly, seemingly gathering strength. If they could seize this opportunity, they might find a chance to counterattack. "Mu Yang, can you still fight?" Li Xuan asked in a low voice. Mu Yang gritted his teeth and nodded. "I can." Li Xuan took a deep breath, a resolute glint in his eyes. "Alright, let's attack together!" Just then, the shadow's attacks suddenly stopped. He coldly stared at everyone, a strange smile playing on his lips. "It seems you've run out of tricks." Li Xuan ignored the shadow's taunts, his eyes fixed on the shadow's every move, waiting for the perfect moment… He whispered to Mu Yang, "Ready?" "Ready." Mu Yang's voice was deep and firm. Although the wound on his shoulder still throbbed, the fighting spirit burning in his eyes remained undiminished. Li Xuan nodded, his gaze sharp and fixed on the shadow. He took a deep breath and said in a low voice, "Lingfeng, please hold on a little longer, we'll be right there!" Lingfeng smiled slightly, a hint of appreciation flashing in his eyes. "Don't worry, leave it to me." He constantly changed hand seals to maintain the barrier, while secretly observing the shadow's movements, looking for the best opportunity to attack for Li Xuan and Mu Yang. A faint golden light rippled across the barrier, like an unbreakable bulwark, firmly blocking the shadow's attacks. The shadow's attacks landed on the barrier again and again, stirring up ripples, but it could not break through this defense. His face grew increasingly gloomy, a hint of anxiety flashing in his eyes. "Now!" Li Xuan seized the brief pause after the shadow's attack and shouted. Before the words were even finished, he and Mu Yang launched their attacks simultaneously. Mu Yang endured the excruciating pain, wielding his longsword, the sword light slashing towards the shadow like a bolt of lightning. Li Xuan, using his keen senses, anticipated Shadow's next move, his dagger piercing Shadow's vitals like a venomous snake. Lin Yu and Sister Wu joined the battle. Although injured, Lin Yu still fought fiercely, creating opportunities for Li Xuan and Mu Yang. Sister Wu provided support from the sidelines, ready to heal their wounds at any moment. Under Li Xuan's command, the group coordinated perfectly, their attacks surging towards Shadow like a tidal wave. Shadow gradually felt his strength waning; his attack speed slowed, and his movements became sluggish. He knew he couldn't continue this entanglement. Suddenly, Shadow let out a chilling laugh, his body quickly enveloped in a cloud of black smoke. When the smoke dissipated, Shadow had vanished. "Damn it, he got away!" Lin Yu cursed, slamming his fist into the ground. "Don't chase him," Ling Feng stopped the others from giving chase, his expression grave. "This could very well be a trap." "But..." Lin Yu was unwilling to give up. “Lingfeng is right, we can’t take risks,” Mu Yang advised. “Shadow is very strong; we can’t underestimate them.” Li Xuan nodded; he knew Lingfeng and Mu Yang were right. Although he desperately wanted to capture Shadow and avenge his sect, he knew it wasn’t the right time yet. They needed to be more cautious and careful. After Shadow escaped, he quickly returned to a hidden cave. Deep inside the cave, a tall, sinister-looking man sat on a stone chair, his eyes flashing with a cold light. “Mission failed?” the man’s tone was icy, devoid of any emotion. “Yes, leader,” Shadow knelt on one knee, head bowed, and said, “They are more difficult to deal with than I imagined.” Upon hearing this, a sinister smile appeared on the man’s lips. “It’s alright, the game has only just begun…” He slowly stood up, walked to the cave entrance, and gazed at the distant sky, his eyes flashing with a chilling light. “Li Xuan, we’ll meet again soon…” “We have to chase after him! What if he goes back and informs us?” Lin Yu’s tone was impatient. He glared fiercely in the direction he had disappeared, his clenched fist trembling slightly from the force. Shadow’s escape filled him with immense frustration. He had finally had a chance to catch him, but he had slipped away like this. Sister Wu was also worried: “Yes, Lingfeng, isn’t it too risky for us to just let him go like this?” As she spoke, she carefully bandaged Lin Yu’s wounds, her movements gentle and practiced. Lingfeng shook his head, his expression serious: “I know you’re all anxious, but it’s precisely at times like these that we need to remain calm. Shadow’s strength should not be underestimated. He deliberately created an opening to escape, which could very well be a trap to lure us into.” He paused, his gaze sweeping over everyone, “If we rashly pursue him, we will only fall into the enemy’s trap.” Li Xuan remained silent, his brows furrowed as he carefully observed his surroundings. Lingfeng's words sent a chill down his spine. He recalled his previous encounters with Shadow, each time feeling as if they were holding back, testing their strength. This escape might indeed have another purpose. "Lingfeng is right," Mu Yang nodded in agreement. "We can't act rashly. The most urgent thing is to figure out Shadow's intentions first, and then formulate a corresponding countermeasure." He rubbed his injured shoulder, his face pale, but his tone remained firm. Seeing that Li Xuan and Mu Yang supported Lingfeng's decision, Lin Yu, though still unwilling, had no choice but to give up. He sighed and shook his head helplessly. Meanwhile, Shadow had returned to their secret base hidden deep in the mountains. In the dimly lit cave, a tall, sinister-looking man sat on a stone chair, his eyes sharp as a hawk's, flashing with a cold light. "Useless!" the man said coldly, without a trace of emotion. Shadow knelt on one knee, head bowed, not daring to look the man in the eye: "I failed in my duty, please punish me, leader." "Speak, what happened?" The man's tone was calm, yet it carried an invisible pressure. Shadow recounted the events in detail, leaving nothing out. After listening, the man remained silent for a moment, then a sinister smile suddenly appeared on his lips: "Interesting. It seems they are more troublesome than I imagined." He slowly stood up, walked to the cave entrance, and gazed at the distant sky, his eyes flashing with a chilling light. "Li Xuan… it seems I'll have to take action myself."

He reached for a black stone on the stone platform beside him and picked it up. The stone was engraved with complex runes and exuded an eerie aura.

He gripped the stone tightly in his hand, a fierce glint flashing in his eyes.

Li Xuan and the others returned to the previous battlefield and carefully searched every inch of the surrounding land, hoping to find some clues left by the shadows.

Suddenly, Li Xuan's gaze was drawn to a rune on the ground that was shimmering with an eerie light. He slowly crouched down, carefully examining the rune, a sense of foreboding rising in his heart. He reached out to touch the rune, but was grabbed by Ling Feng.

"Don't touch it!" Lingfeng's voice was low and urgent. "This thing is dangerous..."