Aki's attack came with remarkable speed. When Hayano Reo heard the warning and paused to defend, a gust of wind already surged just inches above her head—she saw a grotesque face, cold amber vertical pupils fixed upon her. The opponent clearly recognized her strength and deliberately targeted the weakest member of the team, aiming to strike her down decisively, even kill her, thus reducing the enemy's ranks. It was too late... Hayano Reo felt her resolve sink. Whether dodging or executing "Frostfall," she simply didn't have enough time. Just as a hawk strikes its prey, everything is within its sight—no matter which direction the prey flees, it cannot escape the sharp claws. Aki bit down firmly, raised her elegant brows, bent her knees, gripped the hilt of her ice-spirit blade, and tightened the supple curve of her legs. This was the opening stance of a *kiai*. Though deeply in peril, Hayano Reo remained actively engaged. At that moment, she noticed a terrifying, ethereal silhouette dressed in a red wedding gown materializing behind Aki, pressing tightly against his back. At that moment, Aichi's body stiffened, his wings ceased flapping, and, driven by inertia, he斜ly collided with Asano Ryouta. It was the Primordial Heavenly Sovereign—he had come to save me! Ryouta's heart leaped with joy, seizing the opportunity and swiftly drawing his blade from its scabbard. Sword strike! "Clang!" A perfect arc flashed past, igniting sparks across Aichi's chest. The armor cracked, oozing a deep green sap that quickly solidified into frost. Ahead, Zhang Yuanqing halted abruptly, turned around, and advanced with his bloodthirsty blade, entering the night-wanderer state, rushing toward Aichi, who was in the midst of a descent. As he approached the young insect beast, suddenly, a beam of deep yellow light from afar struck Aichi. The ghost bride froze mid-air, like a perfectly still painting. Aichi, who had just been about to crash, disengaged from the possession, his thin wings fluttered with a soft hum, and as he rose just a few centimeters above the ground, he opened his mouth to exhale a thick, viscous green mist. Her slender, smooth legs also developed patches of red spots within the green mist, showing mild ulceration. Zhang Yuanqing stepped into view, halting at the edge of the thick fog, and pulled out a young Japanese woman, shielding her behind him. "Ah, ah..." The island-born girl clutched her neck, her face flushed, coughing violently. She had accidentally inhaled the toxic mist. Zhang Yuanqing produced a dark pill and said, "A detox pill prepared by the wood spirit. Take it; within half an hour, you'll gain exceptional resistance to poison." Shallowo Reiko accepted the pill and swallowed it. The burning sensations in her throat and lungs subsided, and with a slightly hoarse voice, she said, "Thank you... thank you." Zhang Yuanqing hummed, "I knew you were useless—so I deliberately slowed down." Upon hearing this, Shallowo Reiko paused, startled. Had he been intentionally staying behind to protect her? A warm current surged through her heart, and she felt genuinely cared for. Without thinking, she drew closer to the man, finding a strong sense of security in his presence. At this moment, Guan Ya, Zhao Chenghuang, and Jiang Jingwei had already stopped marching, turning back to join their two teammates. On the other hand, Ai Yi stood atop the roof of a building along the street, frost clinging to his chest, coldly surveying the five of them. From the alleys on either side of the street, Bai Wu Jianji, Wei Wo Duzhun, and Jiu Lou Yu emerged, among whom Hong Wei held a bronze mirror—precisely the item she used earlier to freeze the ghost bride. The eighteen members of the Mountain Spirit faction surrounded Zhang Yuanqing's five-person team from all directions. "Master Yuan Shi Tian Zun," one of the Wuguo shamans shouted, "We didn't expect you to intercept us!" "Don't think that a little cleverness will allow you to walk in our footsteps!" "Bai Wu Jianji's move—drawing the fire from beneath the pot—is excellent," laughed the fire master from the Mountain Spirit faction. The evil-affiliated characters around them grinned fiercely, their expressions charged with excitement. To them, the enemy was now completely encircled, with a decisive 18-to-5 advantage; Master Yuan Shi Tian Zun Bai Wu Jin Ji turned to A Yi and asked, "Are you all right?" A Yi shook his head. "A bit cold." The blade carried an intense cold that seeped into his limbs and body, freezing his blood and muscles, creating a very unpleasant sensation. However, since he had undergone the transformation into a spirit-encrusted being, his vital energy was robust and his physique strong. As his blood flowed, most of the cold had already been dispelled. "Just a bit cold," he said. Bai Wu Jin nodded, then summoned a large red bow, drew it taut, and shouted, "Now, attack!" Instantly, poison spears, arrows, and fire balls surged toward the five-member group. Meanwhile, top-tier fighters such as Wei Wu Du and Jiu Lou Yu remained alert, seeking opportunities to strike hard blows at their enemies. "Boom!" The fire ball exploded on the ground, sending a powerful gust that tore through several enemy figures. Arrows and poison spears also pierced Zhang Yuanqing and the others, all of them landing empty. The plump young man frowned and halted his teammates' attacks: "This is a conjuring technique..." Everyone immediately stopped. Dust swirled in the air, and the surrounding space grew quiet—now, the figures of the Primordial Heavenly Sovereign and others were nowhere to be seen. The entrance to the abandoned park was equally empty. The five people, along with the two spectral corpses, seemed to have vanished entirely. Red Wei's eyes shimmered with dizzying spirals, and as she carefully scanned the surroundings, her composed features grew increasingly serious: "We've all been transported into this realm—this isn't just a regular illusion. It's something more profound." A typical enchantment can only create phantom images to confuse the enemy and cannot make people disappear entirely—just as during the visit to the Mountain God's temple, the Primordial Heavenly Sovereign and that woman were actually concealed within the temple, with their physical forms projected by spiritual servants. At that time, if the Primordial Heavenly Sovereign's true form had been visible to the onlookers, the illusionist would have inevitably detected it. And once the phantom form was torn apart, the true form would immediately manifest. Yet the current situation is different—Yuanshi Tianzun and his companions cannot have vanished. The only explanation is that every member of the Shangui faction has been plunged into a profound illusion. Such a powerful illusion transcends the capabilities of an extraordinary realm. "How do we break this illusion? Act quickly—don't let Yuanshi Tianzun and his party escape into the array!" Kou Beiyue shouted angrily, his face flushed with urgency, though inside he was secretly relieved. As a loyal supporter stationed within the enemy camp, he had been deeply concerned for Yuanshi Tianzun. "Never mind, boss—stay calm! I've got this!" The plump young man declared, then produced six small flags. The flags had a black background embroidered with eerie crimson symbols. After gazing at the symbols for several seconds, he felt dizzy and nauseated, prompting him to quickly shift his gaze. With a swift flick of his wrist, he launched the six flags into the air. Vortexes began to form in his eyes, and he murmured incantations continuously. The six flags hovered in midair, unfurling and fluttering, sending out concentric ripples of black energy. Ripples passed through, and everyone clearly sensed an invisible force gradually fading. The environment remained unchanged, yet it had subtly transformed. I—well, I’ll eventually settle this with you, little fat fellow… Kou Beiyue gritted her teeth, silently vowing. "They're there!" As the illusion dissolved, they saw the figures of Yuan Shǐ Tian Zun and others appearing at the entrance of the park. At that moment, Yuan Shǐ Tian Zun stood at the entrance of the abandoned park, pulling out a lush, vibrant gem. The gem emitted a faint glow, causing the sealing enchantment of the park to dissolve like foam, and seven figures swiftly rushed into the park, vanishing from the sight of the mountain spirits' ranks. "Buzzing…" Ai Yi took off from the rooftop, swiftly pursuing. Bai Wu Jin Bi and the others followed close behind. … At the top of the bank building, the setting sun now bled crimson, marking the hour of dusk. Standing atop the building was a six-meter-tall stone statue, identical in appearance to the one at the mountain temple, only taller and more intricately carved. The stone sculpture appears as a graceful woman, slightly bowing her head, her hands gently folded in front of her chest but not fully closed, leaving a small gap. To the left of the bank building lies a lush, green park; to the right, an abandoned subway station; directly across, the city's central shopping mall. At the heart of these three, there stretches a vast, blood-soaked lake. The evening breeze carries the pungent odor from the lake, sweeping it up to the rooftops. They expected the final group to be the most dangerous, yet everyone held strong confidence in the last team. For among them stood the Primordial Heavenly Sovereign, Zhao Chenghuang, Gu Ya clad in her complete set, and Jiang Jingwei, blessed with extraordinary talents. This time, the Primordial Heavenly Sovereign and his companions once again did not let the audience down. The Peony Immortal nodded, withdrawing the Forest Heart entrusted to her by the Primordial Heavenly Sovereign. As the vibrant, lush gem appeared, a gentle glow emerged from the stone statue’s hands, resonating with the gem. Suddenly, she sensed a powerful suction that seized the Forest Heart, drawing it away. The Forest Heart transformed into a surge of green light, entering the open palm of the stone statue. Boom! A magnificent column of green light erupted skyward, soaring into the heavens and surpassing the golden glow of the setting sun, dyeing the clouds above the palace complex a vibrant emerald. …… The abandoned subway station. The Little Fairy of Niulanshan opened her eyes and, through the perspective of the wild dogs outside, saw the green light column rising skyward. She declared aloud, "The Yuan Shi Tian Zun and the others have entered the park. The array at the Bank Building has been activated. Within the next ten minutes, we will activate the second array." It seems they've escaped interception—everything is progressing smoothly... The independent practitioners and official travelers stationed underground felt a subtle relief. As soon as the words fell, the ghost bride, dressed in a vibrant red wedding gown, drifted out of her husband's body and stood at the tree's branch, her red veil still draped over her head, gazing toward the two wizards hurrying swiftly across the sky. Suddenly, the two wizards transformed into headless flies, circling in small, erratic patterns above the park. Ghostly wallowing! Seeing this, Jiang Jingwei exhaled a stream of flame from her palm, coalescing it into a long bow. Then, she drew the bowstring, launching two slender flame-arrows from her fingertips toward the sky-bound wizards. This was an inspiration drawn from her versatile, unorthodox attacks. The speed and range of the arrows could reach and strike the aerial foes, while fireballs, constrained by gravity and air resistance, posed less threat to agile flyers. Though fire-wizards were often overlooked, when it came to combat prowess, only the spirits of influence could rival them. "Whoosh! Whoosh!" The two arrows shot forth, carrying a warm, scorching wind. "Plash—!" A powerful rush of water erupted from afar, two clear streams surging forward and dousing the flaming arrows. Only I remain, stepping through the surging waves, cutting through the forest just in time. Meanwhile, Red Wei, with her long, graceful legs, leapt over the underbrush, glanced up at the two witch-gesturers caught in a spell of disorientation, and snapped her fingers with a crisp sound. A and Tashui, instantly freed from the illusion, landed gracefully and joined their companions. One after another, soft rustling sounds echoed as five strong figures—Bai Wu Jie Xi, Jiu Lou Yu, and others—burst from the undergrowth, crossed the forest, and reached the open ground. The entire Mountain Ghost contingent gathered, now facing off against Zhang Yuanqing and his five allies. Bai Wu Jie Xi scanned the enemy, gazed toward the deep heart of the park, and smiled, "I can already smell blood... What kind of creature requires such a massive sacrifice?" "He said, turning his gaze toward the bank building, "Master Yuanshi, I assume your mission has certain limitations, otherwise why is only the array at the bank building activated, while the other three remain still? I'm guessing—perhaps there's an order constraint, or a time constraint? Either way, as long as there are limitations, there are vulnerabilities. What if we delay, tie you up here? What then?" Only by scheduling the abandoned park for last can they ensure that, at the very moment Zhang Yuanqing returns the Forest Heart, they secure victory. The price to pay is enduring twenty-seven minutes. "Enough talk!" Jiang Jingwei growled, "Let's go—my fist will send each of you flying!" Bai Wu Jian said nothing, simply spread his palms and summoned a dark, pulsating heart. The heart beat steadily, as if alive. In front of all present, he took the dark heart whole and swallowed it down. Bai Wu Jian's face instantly grew fierce, and a series of "hmm-hmm" sounds emerged from his throat. His pupils straightened into a pale golden hue, while the whites of his eyes deepened to a rich black. With a sharp crackling sound, his white shirt, loose athletic pants, formal jacket, and shoes all shattered. Beneath the strain, his bones cracked like beans, his muscles swelled, and within seconds, his height surged to three meters. Large patches of hair fell away, leaving his head bald, with thick, coarse manes growing from the back of his neck. A single curved horn emerged from his forehead. His skin turned deep black, thick and resilient, with black, sharp claws extending from his fingers and toes. The previously well-defined abdominal muscles swelled and expanded, forming a prominent belly. In an instant, Bai Wu Jin Bi transformed into an unusually massive creature—bald-headed, with a hard mane rising from behind his head, a lion's nose, a broad mouth, prominent fangs, deep black skin, standing three meters tall, and a large belly.