From cannon fodder villain to beloved heroine

An invisible, immense force, like Mount Tai pressing down, suddenly descended upon Yan Ruyu and Xu Lin'an.

The two felt a sudden heaviness around them, as if they were filled with lead, making every movement incredibly difficult.

The force was so heavy it was suffocating, as if it were crushing their bones.

Yan Ruyu's pretty face was tense, and fine beads of sweat appeared on her forehead. Her delicate features were all scrunched up.

She felt as if her blood was frozen, and every muscle in her body was screaming in pain.

She bit her lower lip hard, trying desperately to break free from these invisible shackles.

Xu Lin'an, who usually wore a gentle smile, now looked unusually serious.

His eyes were fixed on the magical artifact in the hands of the leader of the men in black, the veins on his forehead throbbed slightly, and his breathing became heavy.

He struggled to regulate his breathing, trying to resist the terrifying sense of oppression.

The surrounding light seemed to be completely swallowed up by the magical artifact, and the world was shrouded in darkness. Only the eerie light emanating from the artifact, like will-o'-the-wisps, was strange and unsettling.

A nauseating, putrid stench filled the air, as if one were in a gloomy hell.

The once vibrant trees have now withered and charred, as if all their life force has been drained away. Even the sand and gravel on the ground have cracked, revealing jagged fissures.

The leader of the men in black grinned maliciously, and his magical artifact suddenly trembled, unleashing a tsunami-like attack that swept towards the two of them.

The force was like countless invisible blades, tearing through the air and emitting a chilling whistling sound.

"Holy crap, these special effects are amazing!" Yan Ruyu couldn't help but swear, then grabbed Xu Lin'an and rolled on the spot, narrowly avoiding the attack.

The two were in a sorry state, like stray dogs, their clothes torn by the strong wind, leaving shocking gashes.

"This thing is ridiculously powerful!" Xu Lin'an couldn't care less about his usual composure, his tone tinged with embarrassment.

The two of them tried their best to dodge, their figures swaying erratically like leaves in the wind.

Wherever the attack passed, the ground was cratered and trees were snapped in half, with debris flying everywhere, leaving the scene in complete disarray.

Space itself seemed to be torn apart and distorted beyond recognition by this force.

Yan Ruyu was panting heavily. She looked at the endless attacks and felt a surge of frustration.

"If this continues, I'm afraid we're doomed!" she said breathlessly, just about to think of another solution, when she saw Xu Lin'an's eyes suddenly become firm.

"I can't hide anymore..." he muttered to himself. Before he finished speaking, he charged towards the direction of the attack like an arrow released from a bow.

Yan Ruyu was panting heavily, her heart filled with anxiety, when she saw Xu Lin'an suddenly become determined and rush towards the overwhelming attack like an arrow released from a bow.

She froze instantly. Her face, which was usually gentle and refined, was now filled with fearless courage, as if the whole world had stood still.

"Are you crazy!" Yan Ruyu shouted, her voice filled with shock and worry.

She watched as Xu Lin'an's figure tumbled and rolled amidst the attacks, each one nearly engulfing him, yet he still charged forward resolutely without the slightest hesitation.

The leader of the men in black stopped laughing abruptly, and the other men in black around him also showed expressions of surprise.

Their gazes swept back and forth between Xu Lin'an and Yan Ruyu, clearly not expecting Xu Lin'an to choose to fight back in such a desperate situation.

The air was thick with tension, as if the entire world had frozen in that moment.

A determined light shone in Xu Lin'an's eyes. With his own powerful strength and the assistance of the system, he finally got close to the mysterious magical artifact.

Every step felt like walking on a knife's edge, but he did not waver in the slightest.

The magical artifact's energy fluctuations grew increasingly intense, as if it could sense his threat...

Just as he was a few steps away from the magical artifact, a suffocating pressure filled the air.

Xu Lin'an's gaze was sharp and fixed on the key point of the magic artifact, where the strongest energy fluctuations were emanating.

His eyes lit up instantly, as if he had seen a glimmer of hope.

“Lin’an…” Yan Ruyu’s voice trembled slightly, but her eyes were full of trust and determination.

She knew that this time, no matter the outcome, she would stay by his side.

Just then, Xu Lin'an suddenly stretched his hands forward and tightly grasped the key parts of the magic weapon, as if he had become one with it.

The surrounding world instantly fell into a deathly silence, with only the eerie light emanating from the magical artifact flashing continuously, as if foreshadowing the earth-shattering changes that were about to take place.

Yan Ruyu felt as if an invisible hand was gripping her heart tightly, making it difficult for her to breathe.

She stared intently at Xu Lin'an's retreating figure, her heart filled with worry, fear, and trust...

A mix of emotions surged within her.

She knew that Xu Lin'an's move was extremely dangerous, but she had even more faith in his abilities and believed that he could definitely create a miracle.

Her tightly clenched hands trembled slightly, her nails digging deep into her palms, yet she felt no pain whatsoever.

She prayed silently, praying that he would return safely.

The trees around her, which had been lifeless, seemed to sense her prayer and began to glow with a faint green light.

After Xu Lin'an grasped the key part of the magic weapon, the leader of the men in black changed his expression drastically. He frantically activated the magic weapon, trying to strengthen the defense.

A powerful energy surge erupted from the magical artifact, colliding violently with Xu Lin'an's power and producing a deafening roar.

The surrounding air seemed to be torn apart, forming visible ripples that continued to spread outwards.

The black-clad bystanders involuntarily took a few steps back, fearing they might be drawn into this earth-shattering battle.

Xu Lin'an gritted his teeth, veins bulging on his forehead, as he pushed the power within his body to its limit, stubbornly resisting the counterattack of the magical artifact.

The surrounding trees were uprooted by this powerful force, and huge craters were blasted into the ground, making the whole scene as terrifying as the end of the world.

Just as Xu Lin'an was about to break through the magic weapon's defense, the magic weapon suddenly erupted with dazzling light, and a huge energy wave, like a roaring beast, swept towards Xu Lin'an.

This energy wave was far more powerful than the previous attacks, and everything around it seemed utterly vulnerable in the face of this power.

Xu Lin'an's body was struck hard by the energy wave, and he flew backward like a kite with a broken string, crashing heavily to the ground, where he remained motionless.

Yan Ruyu's pupils suddenly contracted, and she cried out in terror, "Lin'an!"