Possessed by my father, I was reborn and became the supreme ruler.

He let out a furious roar, a deafening sound like the howl of a wild beast, chilling everyone to the bone. Seeing the Shadow Demon trapped, a glimmer of hope ignited in the hearts of the crowd.

However, this hope was soon dashed.

Black energy surged around the Shadow Demon, and a powerful force erupted from his body like a volcanic eruption, unstoppable.

The golden runes began to tremble violently, crackling and popping. Finally, with a loud bang, the energy barrier shattered, and the Shadow Demon broke free, its eyes bloodshot and filled with murderous intent.

With each step he took, the ground trembled, and a powerful pressure enveloped everyone, making it hard to breathe.

He stretched out his jet-black claws, aiming straight for Ye Yunjian's throat.

Ye Yunjian's pupils shrank as he sensed the threat of death, but he showed no fear. The long sword in his hand shone even brighter as he prepared to fight to the death.

Just at this critical moment, a clear, cold voice rang out: "Stop!"

Lin Yao and Fairy Qingyu rushed to Gu Ling's side and helped him up.

A soft green light emanated from Lin Yao's fingertips as gentle spiritual energy slowly flowed into Gu Ling's body, nourishing his damaged meridians.

Fairy Qingyu gently wiped the blood from Gu Ling's forehead and whispered comfortingly, "Don't be afraid, everything will be alright." Gu Ling felt their concern and a warm feeling welled up in her heart. She smiled weakly.

On the other side of the battlefield, Zi Ling kept her eyes fixed on the Shadow Demon. She noticed that whenever the Shadow Demon launched an attack, a black scale on his back would slightly open, revealing a small patch of dark red skin underneath.

That patch of skin looked extremely fragile, a stark contrast to the Shadow Fiend's hard, black scales.

"I think I've discovered his weakness!" Zi Ling exclaimed excitedly, and told Ye Yunjian about her discovery.

Upon hearing this, Ye Yunjian was overjoyed.

He swung his sword again, the blade flashing like lightning, aimed directly at the dark red skin on the Shadow Demon's back.

Caught off guard, the Shadow Demon was stabbed by Ye Yunjian's sword and let out a painful roar.

He clutched his back, staring at Ye Yunjian in disbelief, seemingly unable to believe he had been hit so easily.

Ye Yunjian pressed his advantage relentlessly, his longsword transforming into afterimages, each strike precisely targeting the Shadow Demon's weaknesses.

The Shadow Fiend was forced into retreat, his body riddled with wounds, black blood dripping down with a hissing, corrosive sound, and wisps of white smoke rising from the ground.

Upon seeing this, the crowd cheered excitedly, as if they had seen the dawn of victory.

However, at that moment, Shadow Fiend's body suddenly began to twist, and like a melting shadow, it gradually disappeared into the darkness.

There was dead silence in the cave.

Everyone looked around in terror, but there was no sign of the Shadow Demon.

Suddenly, a chilling voice echoed in the cave: "You think this is the end? Foolish! You have fallen into a huge conspiracy..." The voice stopped abruptly, leaving only a chilling echo reverberating in the cave.

Ye Yunjian gripped his sword tightly, his gaze resolute.

Inside the cave, as the Shadow Demon departed, its chilling voice echoed in everyone's ears, as if every word was striking their heartstrings.

Ye Yunjian gripped his sword tightly, his gaze resolute, his eyes gleaming with an indomitable light.

He turned to look at everyone, his voice deep and powerful: "Don't panic, everyone. We've reached the heart of the conspiracy. Now, we must move forward and not let Shadow Fiend's escape go to waste."

Lin Yao clenched her fists. "As long as we find out the truth, we can find a way to solve this."

Nie Hanshan patted Ye Yunjian on the shoulder and laughed heartily, "Brother Ye, lead the way, we'll follow you."

Although Gu Ling was timid, he no longer backed down. He nodded and said, "Yes, Senior Brother Ye, you are the most experienced."

Elder Xuanfeng said in a deep voice, "Everyone be careful. The dangers hidden in this cave should not be underestimated. Remember, be vigilant about anything unusual."

Fairy Qingyu nodded slightly, a hint of coldness appearing in her eyes: "I will cover the rear. If there is any unusual activity, I will notify everyone immediately."

After regaining their composure, the group resumed their exploration.

The dark cave was like the belly of a giant beast, with the surrounding walls seemingly contracting slowly, constantly squeezing their nerves.

Each step felt exceptionally heavy, as if the ground beneath their feet was desperately trying to hold them back.

As he moved forward, Ye Yunjian kept the tip of his sword pointing ahead, his gaze sweeping back and forth across every corner of the cave, trying to catch a clue.

Lin Yao and Nie Hanshan followed closely behind, while Mo Chen frowned, constantly observing his surroundings, ready to deal with any potential crisis.

Suddenly, a strange light appeared ahead, as if it were a sign of some kind of restriction.

Mo Chen stepped forward and reached out to touch the light, but withdrew his hand the instant he touched it, his forehead covered in sweat.

“This restriction is more powerful than any we’ve encountered before,” Mo Chen’s voice trembled slightly. “I need time to break it, so everyone must remain vigilant.”

Ye Yunjian nodded, and the people around him immediately dispersed, forming a perimeter and keeping their eyes fixed on their surroundings.

The air inside the cave seemed to grow even heavier, each breath feeling like it was devouring one's soul.

Just then, a faint voice rang in Ye Yunjian's ear; it was Gu Ling's voice: "Senior Brother Ye, look over there—"

Ye Yunjian looked in the direction Gu Ling was pointing and saw a protruding dark red stone on the wall not far away, seemingly out of place with the rest of the cave.

A thought struck him, and he was about to step forward to check when he suddenly heard Mo Chen behind him exclaim, "Oh no! The power of the restriction is increasing!"

Ye Yunjian's heart tightened, and he rushed towards the dark red stone without regard for anything else. But the moment he touched it, a powerful force rebounded and sent him flying.

Amidst gasps of alarm, Ye Yunjian's figure crashed heavily to the ground like a kite with a broken string.

Ye Yunjian felt an overwhelming force strike him, as if his internal organs were being violently churned.

He groaned, a metallic taste rising in his throat, his vision went black, and he crashed heavily to the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust.

"Brother Ye!" Lin Yao exclaimed, rushing to Ye Yunjian's side and helping him up. She asked anxiously, "How are you?"

Ye Yunjian felt excruciating pain all over his body. His spiritual energy was surging wildly within him, like a runaway horse, causing him unbearable suffering.

His face was deathly pale, beads of sweat the size of soybeans appeared on his forehead, and his lips trembled, but he couldn't utter a single word.

Nie Hanshan and the others also gathered around, and their hearts sank when they saw Ye Yunjian's miserable state.

The power of this restriction far exceeded their imagination; even Ye Yunjian couldn't withstand it, so what could they do?