The words of the Mysterious Old Man cut off abruptly. His pupils contracted sharply, as if he had laid eyes on something utterly terrifying.
Simultaneously, from that widening dark rift, a nauseating aura surged forth like a black tide. Thick with a heavy stench of decay, the stench drove straight into the nasal cavities, turning stomachs while carrying a suffocating oppressive weight. It felt as though an invisible pair of giant hands were tightly gripping everyone's throats, instantly sweeping across the entire battlefield.
This black tide was no ordinary mist. Seeming to possess a life of its own, it rolled and wriggled in the air like countless clawing, gnashing black tentacles, brimming with greed and a desire for destruction as it swept toward the Lin family members.
Visually, the black tide resembled a pool of ink so thick it could never be dissolved, churning and surging with extreme aggression.
Taking the brunt of the onslaught was the defensive array set up by the Lin family disciples. The array, which had originally emitted a faint glow, shattered instantly under the impact of the black tide, tearing apart as though it were made of paper.
Accompanied by the sound of the array breaking, it was like fragile glass being ruthlessly smashed to pieces. A crisp "clatter" echoed, the sound of flying shards seeming to linger in the air.
"Ah—!"
Piercing screams rose and fell in succession. Some of the lower-cultivation Lin family disciples did not even have time to react before they were swallowed by the black tide.
Their bodies withered at a speed visible to the naked eye. Their skin turned ashen gray, resembling firewood drained of moisture, and their vitality drained away rapidly as if being sucked completely dry.
During this process, the hissing sound produced as the black tide devoured life could be clearly heard, much like a fire burning away at something.
"Fall back, quickly!" roared the Lin Family Patriarch, his face turning ashen. He had never witnessed such terrifying power, and his heart was filled with terror and despair.
Amidst this fear, flashes of the family's past glory suddenly crossed his mind—visions of his ancestors fighting bravely on the battlefield. Knowing he bore the responsibility of the family, he wanted to pull himself together and organize a defense, but the oppressive force of the black tide was simply too overwhelming. The arm he tried to raise dropped limply back down, his body trembling slightly as beads of sweat the size of peas rolled down his forehead.
Yet this black tide moved at an astonishing speed, sweeping across the entire battlefield in the blink of an eye.
Even the higher-cultivation Lin family disciples found it difficult to resist the corrosion of this terrifying power.
They hurriedly conjured their magical treasures, attempting to fend off the erosion of the black tide, only to find it utterly futile.
The glow of their treasures appeared dim and feeble before this black tide, flickering like a candle in the wind, threatening to be extinguished at any moment.
Lin Xuan felt a bone-chilling cold sweep through his entire body. The chill felt like countless icy needles pricking his skin, and his body seemed paralyzed, making it difficult to move.
He watched helplessly as his clansmen fell one by one, his heart filled with a sense of helplessness and despair. This power far exceeded anything he could have imagined.
When he saw Lin Hu charge straight into the black tide, a wave of anger and self-reproach surged within him. He silently swore that if he survived this crisis, he would dedicate himself to raising his strength to protect his family.
Lin Yao gripped Lin Xuan's hand tightly, her face as pale as paper, her body trembling uncontrollably.
"Brother Lin Xuan, I'm scared..." Lin Yao's voice trembled like that of a wounded little beast, evoking deep pity.
In this moment of crisis, memories of some simple healing spells taught to her by family elders flashed through her mind. She tried to silently recite the incantation in her heart, wishing to cast a layer of protection over Lin Hu, who was about to rush into the black tide. However, the spell vanished like a clay ox entering the sea, failing to produce even the slightest effect.
Lin Xuan gripped Lin Yao's hand tightly in an attempt to offer her some comfort, only to find that his own hand was trembling as well.
He took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down.
Right at this critical moment, the figure of Elder Lingfeng appeared before Lin Xuan.
His gaze was like a torch, his expression grave, and he grasped a longsword radiating a faint golden light in his hand.
Deep down, he knew that if the source of this evil power was not checked immediately, it would spell annihilation for the entire clan. As an elder of the family who had lived for a long time, he had already prepared himself to sacrifice his own life to secure a glimmer of survival for his kin. Furthermore, having faced powerful evil forces of a similar nature in the past, he made this seemingly reckless move.
"Everyone, pool your strength and protect yourselves!" Elder Lingfeng's voice rang through the battlefield like a great bronze bell, instilling a shred of hope.
Yet, just as everyone prepared to obey Elder Lingfeng's command, they discovered that instead of organizing a defense, he was charging straight toward that dark rift!
"Elder!" Lin Xuan cried out in shock, his heart filled with confusion.
Elder Lingfeng's actions were nothing short of earth-shattering.
With a light tap of his toes, his figure shot forward like a golden lightning bolt, piercing the darkness and heading directly toward the rift that continuously spewed forth the black tide.
His robes snapped violently in the wind, the surrounding space distorting due to his high-speed movement. Aside from solemnity, a trace of absolute resolve lingered in his eyes.
Along his path toward the rift, the black tide attempted to intercept him. As he swung his longsword to cleave the tide apart, the splashing black droplets hissed like corrosive sulfuric acid, burning deep black holes into the ground below while emitting a searing hiss.
The longsword in his hand hummed loudly, its blade bursting with a dazzling golden light that appeared exceptionally sacred against the dark backdrop.
"Elder!" Lin Xuan cried out once more, his voice laced with astonishment and incomprehension.
Along with the other Lin family disciples, he could not fathom why Elder Lingfeng had abandoned the defense and instead chosen to court danger alone. They all knew that the evil power contained within that rift was terrifying enough to curdle the blood of anyone merely from its leaking aura.
Just as everyone stood in a state of shock and doubt, Lin Hu let out a furious roar and was the first to react.
With eyes blazing red like those of a wounded beast, he snatched up a broadsword from beside him. The runes etched upon the blade began to flash with light, his muscles bulging from sheer exertion as he bellowed, "We cannot let the Elder take risks alone! Brothers, charge with me!" Without another thought, he plunged headlong into the black tide, followed closely by dozens of Lin family disciples.
With every step they took, the ground beneath their feet cracked under the corrosive weight of the evil power. Their battle cries echoed within the black tide, and like moths to a flame, they marched unhesitatingly toward the tide of death and despair.
Their eyes shone with a do-or-die determination, their figures painting a tragic and heroic picture against the dark background.
Lin Xuan's heart tightened. He saw how minuscule Lin Hu's figure appeared amidst the black tide, like a lone leaf in a vast ocean, liable to be swallowed at any second.
He wanted to stop them, but found himself paralyzed by terror and a sense of utter helplessness.
The black tide acted like a bottomless pit, devouring everything in its path while emitting a spine-chilling hissing sound, reminiscent of countless venomous worms writhing together.
Lin Hu swung his broadsword, kicking up waves of chilling light wherever the blade passed as he tried to tear through the black tide.
Yet these attacks vanished like a stone sinking into the ocean, failing to achieve the slightest effect.
Instead, like a malignant tumor clinging to bone, the black tide continuously eroded their bodies.
"Ah—!" Lin Hu let out a miserable shriek as he felt his body being gnawed upon by countless ants, sending waves of excruciating pain straight to his core.
His skin began to turn ashen, and his life force drained away at a rapid pace.
"Brother Hu!"
Lin Xuan watched helplessly as Lin Hu and the other clansmen fell one by one, their bodies turning into lifeless, withered wood drained of all moisture. A sense of despair pressed down upon his heart like a massive mountain, making it almost impossible to breathe.
The air grew thick with a pungent smell of blood and rotting decay, the mingled stench stinging the nostrils and threatening to induce vomiting.
Right at this critical juncture, a beam of white light suddenly flashed before Lin Xuan's eyes.
Staring closely, he realized it was a White-robed Swordsman wielding a longsword.
The swordsman moved with ethereal grace, descending upon the scene like an immortal being. The moment he appeared, the surrounding air seemed instantly purified, the fresh sensation standing in stark contrast to the surrounding stench of decay.
His longsword danced like flying wind, slicing dazzling trails of sword qi through the black tide.
Wherever the sword light swept, the black tide retreated in disarray as if encountering its natural nemesis.
"What esteemed expert..." Before Lin Xuan could process the thought, he heard Lin Yao's terrified scream ring out not far away.
"Brother Hu!" Lin Yao cried out anxiously, her frail arms embracing Lin Hu as he collapsed onto the ground. Her hands trembling slightly, she fished out the very last healing pill from her tunic and quickly shoved it into Lin Hu's mouth.
As she gently stroked Lin Hu's cheek, he felt the warmth of her touch, finding a sliver of light on the brink of death. A faint, weak smile appeared on his previously ashen face.
"Brother Hu, you must hold on. I won't let you die!" Lin Yao's voice was laced with sobs, yet her tone remained resolute.
Her words seemed to imbue Lin Hu with boundless strength, and he nodded laboriously.
At that moment, a piercing whistle echoed from afar, immediately followed by a dazzling beam of white light tearing through the darkness like divine soldiers descending from the heavens.
Lifting their heads, the crowd beheld a White-robed Swordsman stepping upon a flying sword, soaring through the air.
His figure was ethereal, akin to an immortal, and the longsword in his hand blazed with radiance, carving brilliant arcs of light across the sky.
A faint halo shimmered around his flying sword.
"Everyone, fall back quickly! I shall block this evil power!" The White-robed Swordsman's voice rang like a great bell, shaking the entire battlefield.
No sooner had the words left his lips than he swung his sword in a single slash. A formidable immortal spell burst from the tip of the blade, transforming into a massive barrier of light that instantly erected itself before the crowd, holding the black tide at bay.
The moment the light barrier formed, ancient runes flickered within the radiance. When the black tide slammed against the barrier, ripples spread across its surface like pebbles tossed into a calm lake, yet the barrier stood firm and unshaken.
Blocked by the barrier, the black tide let out mournful hissing sounds, retreating continuously as though facing its mortal enemy.
Hope reignited instantly within the hearts of the crowd, their despairing expressions giving way to excitement.
Lin Xuan could not help widening his eyes, his heart filled with gratitude and awe.
The White-robed Swordsman stood steadfast before the light barrier, his expression grave.
His gaze swept across the surroundings, sensing the massive conspiracy lurking behind this evil force.
The figure of the Black-robed Elder flickered faintly within the dark rift, while under his command, the Shadow Demon General appeared to be preparing for a fresh assault.
Master Xuanfeng's...