I dominated the game from the start with cards.

Chapter 106 The Nemesis Finally Defeated at the Pinnacle of Glory

The afterimage of the Shadow Fiend still lingered in the air, like black smoke scattered by the wind. Fragments of the Soul-Sacrificing Banner shimmered with starlight, like a poignant funeral. But Li Xuan knew this was far from the end; the real battle had just begun. He gripped the dagger tightly, a chilling sensation spreading through his body, keeping him clear-headed. Ling Feng's words echoed in his ears—the secret of the dagger, the hatred of his sect—everything was like a giant net, tightly enveloping him. "Li Xuan, now!" Ling Feng's voice broke the brief silence. He pointed to a sphere shimmering with a ghostly green light in the center of the altar. "That is the source of the Shadow Fiend's power, and the key to controlling the Soul-Sacrificing Banner! You need to inscribe these runes on it." Ling Feng used his finger as a brush, drawing several complex runes in the air. These runes shimmered with golden light, moving through the air as if they possessed life. Li Xuan took a deep breath. He knew this was the key to turning the tide of the battle, a life-or-death struggle against time. He cautiously approached the eerie green sphere, which emanated a chilling aura that sent shivers down his spine. Holding his breath, he began to carve runes onto the sphere's surface with his dagger, following the instructions Ling Feng had taught him. "Don't even think about succeeding!" A furious roar echoed from the void. Although his form had disintegrated, his remaining power was still formidable. Black mist condensed again, forming a gigantic ghostly claw that lunged at Li Xuan. "Stop him!" Mu Yang shouted, flashing to his side and blocking Li Xuan's path. Lin Yu followed closely behind, the two of them joining forces to counter the Shadow Fiend's attack. The ghostly claw, carrying a sharp gale, slammed into Mu Yang's chest. He groaned, a trickle of blood escaping his lips, but he gritted his teeth, his eyes fixed firmly on the Shadow Fiend, showing no sign of retreat. "Mu Yang!" Li Xuan's heart tightened. He knew Mu Yang was buying him time. He gripped the dagger even tighter, each rune meticulously carved, golden light swirling across the sphere's surface, intertwining with the eerie green glow and emitting a sizzling sound. The Shadow Fiend's attacks grew increasingly fierce, and Mu Yang and Lin Yu gradually felt their strength waning. Lin Yu already had several wounds, blood staining his clothes. Mu Yang's face also turned pale, but he still held the Shadow Fiend tightly, preventing it from getting even a step closer to Li Xuan. "Just a little more..." Li Xuan gritted his teeth, sweat streaming down his forehead. The last rune—once completed, it would completely dismantle the Shadow Fiend's power. He concentrated all his mental energy on the dagger, which seemed to merge with him, radiating a dazzling light. "Done!" As the last rune was completed, the golden light on the sphere suddenly intensified, and the eerie green glow instantly dimmed. Li Xuan felt a powerful force surging from the sphere. He channeled his own power into it, counterattacking the Shadow Fiend… Ling Feng watched Li Xuan's actions, a barely perceptible glint in his eyes. He slowly spoke, “This is just the beginning…” Golden runes seemed to come alive, traversing the surface of the eerie green sphere, eventually weaving into a complex pattern that emitted a dazzling light. The sphere's light dimmed abruptly, and its previously dense, chilling aura dissipated, like a gem drained of its life force. Li Xuan felt a powerful force surging from the sphere. He seized the opportunity, channeling his spiritual power into it, counterattacking the Shadow Fiend. A strong energy fluctuation spread out from the sphere, distorting the air around the altar. The Shadow Fiend, struck by its own magical weapon, let out a shrill scream. Its massive body swayed precariously, the black mist churning violently like boiling water, as if it would collapse at any moment. “Success!” Lin Yu excitedly pumped his fist, his face beaming with the joy of victory. Although Mu Yang's face was pale, he couldn't help but smile. He knew they were only one step away from victory. However, just when everyone thought victory was assured, Shadow Fiend suddenly let out a deafening roar. His body, which had been dimming, suddenly emitted a scarlet light again. An even more powerful aura erupted from him, as if to tear the entire space apart. "No! Impossible!" Li Xuan looked at what was happening in disbelief. He had clearly succeeded in destroying Shadow Fiend's source of power, so why could he still unleash such power? "He burned his life force, trying to make a final struggle!" Ling Feng's voice was low and solemn, his eyes flashing with worry. The power unleashed by Shadow Fiend burning his life force far exceeded their previous estimates. The violent energy impacted everything around them, the stones on the altar shattered, and the ground began to shake violently. "We can't let him succeed!" Bai Yao shouted, waving her staff, and a dazzling wall of ice crystals appeared out of thin air, blocking everyone's path and resisting Shadow Fiend's energy impact. The ice wall cracked and shattered under Shadow Fiend's ferocious attacks. "Let's attack together!" Mu Yang shouted, charging at Shadow Fiend once more. Lin Yu followed closely behind, the two working in perfect harmony, moving like lightning around Shadow Fiend, searching for his weaknesses. Ling Feng also transformed into a streak of light, joining the battle. His longsword unleashed a series of sharp sword energies, relentlessly attacking Shadow Fiend.

Li Xuan did not directly participate in the battle; he stood aside, calmly observing the situation. He knew that with his current strength, confronting Shadow Fiend head-on would be futile. He needed to find an opportunity to deliver a fatal blow.

"Bai Yao, use your Frost Domain to restrict his movements!" Li Xuan's voice was calm and composed, like a commander on the battlefield. "Mu Yang, Lin Yu, attack his left shoulder, that's his weak point!" "Ling Feng, cover them!" Li Xuan's commands were clear and precise; everyone performed their duties with perfect coordination. Bai Yao waved her staff, and a bone-chilling cold instantly spread, enveloping Ying Sha. Ying Sha's movements noticeably slowed, and a thick layer of frost began to condense on his body. Mu Yang and Lin Yu seized the opportunity, simultaneously attacking Ying Sha's left shoulder. Their attacks were like a whirlwind, mercilessly striking Ying Sha. Ying Sha let out a painful roar; a deep, bone-revealing wound appeared on his left shoulder, black blood gushing out. "Now!" A glint flashed in Li Xuan's eyes, the dagger in his hand gleaming coldly… "Ready?" Ling Feng's voice suddenly rang out, his gaze deep and mysterious. The dagger in Li Xuan's hand gleamed with a chilling light, like a venomous snake's tongue, aimed directly at Ying Sha's heart. "Ready?" Ling Feng's voice rang out again, his tone tinged with excitement and anticipation. "Go!" Li Xuan shouted, his figure vanishing like a ghost. Bai Yao waved her staff, unleashing a barrage of ice spikes at Ying Sha, restricting his movements. Ling Feng's longsword transformed into streaks of silver light, dancing around Ying Sha, each swing generating a sharp sword aura. Lin Yu and Mu Yang, like two ferocious tigers, relentlessly attacked Ying Sha's left shoulder, the wound deepening, black blood gushing out like a fountain.

Shadow Fiend's roar grew weaker and weaker, and his body began to sway precariously. He knew he was powerless to turn the tide, his eyes filled with resentment and despair. Suddenly, Li Xuan appeared behind Shadow Fiend, and without hesitation, plunged the dagger in his hand into his heart.

Shadow Fiend's body shuddered violently, then slowly collapsed, the black mist dissipating, leaving only black blood on the ground. "We won!" Lin Yu shouted excitedly, his face beaming with the joy of victory.

Although Mu Yang's face was pale, he couldn't help but smile. He knew they had finally defeated this powerful enemy. Bai Yao's gaze remained fixed on Li Xuan, her eyes filled with adoration and burning love. After the battle, she excitedly rushed to Li Xuan, and the two embraced tightly. Bai Yao's body pressed against Li Xuan, feeling the warmth and strength emanating from him. Her lips trembled slightly as she whispered, "You are my hero." Li Xuan gently stroked Bai Yao's hair, feeling her soft body and faint fragrance. His heart was filled with joy and satisfaction. At this moment, he forgot all his troubles and pain, wanting only to quietly enjoy this moment of tenderness. The hardships after his sect's destruction flashed through Li Xuan's mind, and now he finally felt a sense of vengeful pleasure. But he knew this was just the beginning; he had more important tasks to complete. While cleaning up the battlefield, they found a black token on Ying Sha. The token was engraved with a mysterious pattern, emanating a faint evil aura. "What is this?" Lin Yu asked curiously. Li Xuan took the token and carefully examined the pattern on it. He sensed a familiar aura emanating from the token, an aura that reminded him of the night his sect was destroyed. "This… seems related to the force that destroyed our sect," Li Xuan said in a low, heavy voice. Ling Feng stepped forward, carefully examining the pattern on the token. His brow furrowed, a hint of worry flashing in his eyes. "I've seen this pattern in ancient texts before. It represents a mysterious and evil organization." "What organization?" everyone asked in unison. Ling Feng took a deep breath and slowly said, "The Shadow Gate." Li Xuan gripped the token tightly, a cold glint in his eyes. "The Shadow Gate… it seems our next target is it." The group gathered their spoils, preparing to leave this dangerous place. Just as they were about to leave, Li Xuan suddenly stopped. He sensed a powerful aura approaching, an aura that made his heart pound. "Be careful!" Li Xuan shouted, and everyone immediately became alert. A figure in a black cloak slowly appeared before them, his face masked, obscuring his expression. "Who are you?" Li Xuan asked in a deep voice. The man in black robes didn't answer. He slowly raised his right hand, revealing a black dagger. "Looks like new trouble is coming..." Li Xuan's tone carried a hint of helplessness. The Shadow Fiend's massive body crashed to the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust, the air thick with the nauseating smell of black blood. Li Xuan's chest heaved violently, his hand gripping the dagger trembling slightly. The joy of victory surged like a tide, only to be quickly replaced by a deeper emotion. In his mind, raging flames engulfed his once peaceful and harmonious sect. His master's kind face, his fellow disciples' hearty laughter—all became fragmented images, mercilessly burned by the fire. He seemed to return to that desperate night, helplessly kneeling amidst the ruins, the screams of his sect's slaughter echoing in his ears. "Xuan, are you alright?" Bai Yao's concerned voice pulled him back to reality. Looking at the beautiful face before him, filled with worry, a warm current surged through his heart. Bai Yao's appearance was like a beacon in the darkness, illuminating his path of revenge. He gently embraced Bai Yao, whispering in her ear, "I'm alright, we won." The joy of victory didn't last long. Ling Feng's words extinguished everyone's enthusiasm like a bucket of cold water. "The Shadow Gate..." Li Xuan murmured the name, a chill running from his feet to his head. He wasn't unfamiliar with the name; it had been mentioned in some of his sect's ancient texts. It was an extremely mysterious and powerful evil organization, said to possess the ability to manipulate dark forces. Could it be... that the sect's destruction was related to them? While clearing the battlefield, they found a black fragment in Shadow Fiend's tattered robes, engraved with strange runes and emanating a faint evil aura. Li Xuan immediately recognized the runes as identical to those he had seen in the ruins of his sect! His heart skipped a beat. Could this fragment be the key connecting the sect's tragedy to the Shadow Gate? "What... is this?" Lin Yu picked up the fragment and asked curiously. Li Xuan took the fragment and carefully examined the runes on it, attempting to use his spiritual perception to probe the information behind them. However, he only sensed a chaotic aura, like a fog, blocking his investigation. This aura made him uneasy, as if something terrifying was lurking within it. "The runes on this fragment are exactly the same as what I saw in the ruins of my sect." Li Xuan's voice was low and hoarse, each word seemingly squeezed out from between his teeth.

Lingfeng stepped forward, carefully examining the runes on the fragment, his expression turning grave. "These runes… I feel like I've seen them somewhere before…" he struggled to recall, his brow furrowed. "I remember! An ancient text records that these runes are used by the Shadow Gate to mark sacrifices! Could it be… Shadow Fiend is just one of their sacrifices?" A sacrifice? A collective gasp swept through the crowd. If someone as powerful as Shadow Fiend was merely a sacrifice, what exactly was the Shadow Gate planning? What terrifying being were they about to face? Li Xuan gripped the fragment tightly, his knuckles turning white. He knew this was just the beginning; even greater challenges awaited them. He looked up into the distance, his gaze deep and resolute. "The Shadow Gate…" he murmured, his voice filled with chilling killing intent. "I will find you, and avenge my sect…!" Suddenly, the runes on the fragment began to emit a faint glow… Chapter 57: Following the Clues and Unveiling the Mystery