A charm condensed into a ball of black energy in the air, lunging towards them.
"Yan Xi!"
No time left!
His swordsmanship was sharp and precise. With each fierce swing, dozens of guards couldn't stand against him alone. Simultaneously, he sustained numerous injuries.
Even so, there was still a distance between him and Lin Yan Xi.
She looked at Shen Mu Zhou with a hint of confusion and emptiness in her eyes. His deepest wound was on his shoulder, his flesh torn and bloody. His dark purple cloak was almost entirely stained crimson.
Ignoring his own injuries, he rushed towards her as if his life depended on it.
Lin Yan Xi knitted her brows. A cold glint flashed in her eyes. Her hands formed a seal, and a circular array materialized before her, held by both hands as a shield.
When the black energy struck the array, she was pushed back a short distance. The array acted as a solid shield, instantly dissolving the curse. The next moment, she leaped into the air, surrounded by a circle of talismans. As her hands moved, the talismans spun rapidly.
This was something she had seen in an ancient book. It was her first time using it; she wasn't sure if it would work.
She spread her arms wide and roared, "Soul Severing Technique!"
Countless talismans, glowing with purple light, shot towards the black cloaks.
The black cloaks were greatly alarmed. How was this possible?
The Soul Severing Technique was an advanced spell. With her strength, she shouldn't be able to summon Soul Severing Talismans.
They stumbled back in panic. Once they regained their footing, they quickly condensed their energy and formed a seal to block the talismans. They were still flung back a considerable distance. Two of the black cloaks cried out in agony, "Ah!"
The two writhed on the ground for a moment before their breaths ceased.
The remaining three struggled to their feet, their minds in disarray. How could a mere talisman master, who had just awakened her bloodline, possess such potent talismanic power?
The one standing at the forefront coughed up a mouthful of blood, half his face hidden within his black veil. "Purple talismans, she can use purple talismans!"
Talismanic arts were distinguished by color to indicate strength. The weakest were the common yellow talismans. After yellow talismans, one needed to cultivate small formations to use blue, red, purple, black, and gold. The highest cultivation was the gold talisman.
The previous Grand Talisman Master of Yue You, Jiang Hao, could only wield yellow and red talismans.
"You killed my mother!"
Her heart seethed with hatred, wishing to dispatch those before her before anything else. Her eyes were like frosted ice. Another small formation materialized at her fingertips.
With one Soul Severing Technique, they had lost two. The remaining three exchanged glances, quickly forming a defensive array. They cut their palms with daggers, and blood oozed out.
They formed seals with their hands and then placed their bloodied palms over the curses. The blood merged with the curses, and the pit instantly churned with sand and stones, the enclosed underground erupting with fierce winds.
This was the Blood Sacrifice Curse.
The guards were stunned by the scene, their gazes drawn to the black cloaks. They stood frozen, their swords held mid-air.
Shen Mu Zhou pulled Lin Yan Xi up and said, "You go first, I'll help save Little Stone."
His hand, stained with some blood, sent a chill through her wrist as he grabbed it. Her almond-shaped purple eyes looked at him, and she paused. Her somewhat unruly consciousness gradually returned.
She flung his hand away and said stubbornly in a low voice, "You take Little Stone and go first. I can handle this."
Little Stone lay on the ground, on the verge of death, his eyes dim, unable to speak.
The black cloaks chuckled. "Where are you going?"
As the words left their mouths, the three flung the blood-soaked charms upwards. The charms magnified several dozen times and circled in the air. A ball of black energy, like a vast abyss, hung in the sky, devouring all life.
"Help! No, help!"
The guards screamed in terror. They were swept into the air by the charms, like fragile leaves, twirling twice before being sucked into the black energy. Blood splattered everywhere, completely consumed by the darkness.
Those who reacted quickly clung to rocks and wooden stakes on the ground, trying to hold on longer.
Lin Yan Xi saw this and reversed her wrist, a small formation appearing at her fingertip. She pointed her finger at the charm, temporarily resisting the Blood Sacrifice Curse.
Seeing this, the black cloaks squeezed their casting hands, causing more blood to flow. With more blood to nourish the curse, the black energy in the sky expanded. Lin Yan Xi almost lost her footing and fell.
She forced herself to maintain the array, resisting the Blood Sacrifice Curse, and shouted to Shen Mu Zhou, "You hurry and go! Take Little Stone."
A guard, seizing the opportunity, approached Lin Yan Xi from behind with a broad saber, its tip pointed at her as he charged. Just as he was about to strike, Shen Mu Zhou blocked for her, the blade sinking into his waist.
He gritted his teeth, enduring the pain, not wanting her to discover his injury. He struck back, killing the guard, then forcefully pulled out the broken blade from his body, covering the wound with one hand.
With his other hand, he held his sword, protecting Lin Yan Xi from the guards.
She said anxiously, "Don't worry about me, go save Little Stone."
Shen Mu Zhou frowned and ran towards Little Stone.
The black cloaks were also nearing their limit. Seeing Shen Mu Zhou about to rescue Little Stone, he gently raised a hand. Little Stone, who had fallen to the ground, was pulled towards the black cloak's feet. He grabbed Little Stone by the collar.
"Little Stone!" Lin Yan Xi cried out his name. Her array began to show faint cracks.
Little Stone was on the verge of death. He opened his eyelids, gazing at Lin Yan Xi, faint tears shimmering in his eyes.
Mustering his last strength, he said, "Sister Yan Xi, don't be sad for me. In the next life, I'll go to the capital with you. You can take me to see Chang'an Street."
Next life…
"If you want to save him, obediently put away your array." The black cloak threatened.
Without her array to resist, the Blood Sacrifice Curse would grow stronger, devouring all life. They had used their own blood to enhance the curse to fight her. It was feared that the innocent people of Ghost City would also be sucked into the curse.
"Sister Yan Xi…" He was held by the collar by the black cloak, lifted high. His bones were broken in multiple places, and the pain was almost suffocating.
Lin Yan Xi hesitated. The array in her hands gradually weakened, and the black energy in the sky grew larger. Many villagers began to be sucked into the vortex.
Many faces flashed through her mind: Meng'er, Sister Lian'er, the楼主, the bun shop owner... and the innocent villagers in the pit who were waiting for her to save them, waiting to go home.
She withdrew her arms to her chest, quickly forming seals again, strengthening the array, but it reached her limit.
The villagers were temporarily safe.
"What? You don't want this good brother anymore?" the black cloak pressed.
Little Stone endured the pain all over his body and struggled. He bit the black cloak's hand. The black cloak let go, and Little Stone was swept away by the wind.
His body was like a kite, swaying precariously. He brushed past Lin Yan Xi. He tried his best to hook his lips at her, to look as if he were smiling beautifully.
Just like the first time she met Little Stone, a spirited young man with a bright smile.
"Sister, goodbye."
The array in her hands shattered completely. She extended her delicate hand, trying to grasp him. Her fingertips brushed his sleeve, and then she watched powerlessly as he was swept into the sky by the black energy, sucked into the vortex. His blood instantly gushed out, and his body dissolved into blood.
"Little Stone!" Lin Yan Xi cried out his name, her voice hoarse. All she could hear were his laughter and his calls of "Sister Yan Xi" from the past few days.
Her Sister Yan Xi, her Brother Jiang, ultimately couldn't protect him.
"Lin Yan Xi." Shen Mu Zhou scooped her up as she was about to fall.
Her purple eyes gradually faded, revealing her clear black and white irises. Her talismanic art had dissipated.
Before Little Stone was sucked into the Blood Sacrifice Curse, a handkerchief fluttered down into her hand. Lin Yan Xi's fingers twitched. This handkerchief was something she had given to Little Stone.
She clenched the handkerchief tightly. Unable to channel the術法 within her, her inner breath became unstable, and a trickle of blood flowed from the corner of her lips.
The Blood Sacrifice Curse grew stronger. Shen Mu Zhou gripped his sword and thrust it forcefully into the ground for leverage, holding Lin Yan Xi tightly in his embrace. They were caught in the black vortex, about to be sucked into the curse.
The girl's delicate body lay softly in his arms. She had used a large amount of talismanic energy and was now very weak, her arms hanging limply. Her hands were tightly clenched around the handkerchief, and silently, tears streamed down her face.
He held her with all his might, as if wanting to meld her into his body.
"Let go of me. That's the Blood Sacrifice Curse. If this continues, we'll both die."
Shen Mu Zhou remained silent, only holding her tighter, gripping the sword hilt and thrusting it deeper into the ground.
With a crisp "crack," the long sword snapped.
The two were suddenly swept into the whirlwind, drawing closer to the black energy. He looked down at the woman in his arms. Her clear, bright pupils were now completely devoid of spirit, her innocent, guilt-ridden eyes looking back at him.
In the moment their gazes intertwined, he seemed to understand. Who the person in his dream was no longer important. What mattered was who he wished her to be.
"Fire! Fire!"
The pit suddenly echoed with several loud bangs. The pit collapsed, and the guard who had been the first to run out was blown back to the ground by an explosion.
The black cloaks were also knocked to the ground by debris from the explosion.
The ball of black energy from the Blood Sacrifice Curse in the sky gradually dissipated.
Shen Mu Zhou and Lin Yan Xi fell to the ground. The explosions in the pit continued.
The remaining guards, seeing the pit collapse and the jailer dead, most of them chose to flee. Those who didn't escape were injured and unable to move.
In the center of the pit, only Lin Yan Xi and Shen Mu Zhou remained, along with the three black cloaks.
She was the first to react, struggling to get up. Picking up a short blade at random, she intended to kill them.
To avenge her mother and Little Stone.
The black cloaks pointed at Lin Yan Xi, saying, "The pit has collapsed. If we let her escape again, we'll all die!"
Lin Yan Xi held the short blade in front of her, shielding herself. The dark pit was ablaze with fire. Shen Mu Zhou stood beside her.
"You go first. This is my revenge, and I will do it myself!" Lin Yan Xi did not want to drag him into danger.
Shen Mu Zhou's tone remained calm. He said in a low voice, "I will face this with you."
She glanced at his inscrutable eyes and averted her gaze somewhat unnaturally.
The three black cloaks surrounded them.
One of them snorted and conjured a curse again. "Die!"
Several streams of black energy shot towards them like long swords. Shen Mu Zhou pulled Lin Yan Xi, barely dodging the attack. His long sword broke off a small section, and the half-blade plunged into the heart of a black cloak.
The black cloak struggled for a moment before falling to the ground, dead.
Lin Yan Xi had never learned swordsmanship. Although she held a short sword, her arm was still cut.
Only two black cloaks remained. They each held a curse talisman and with a slight shake, eight figures identical to themselves appeared.
"It's the Clone Spell," Lin Yan Xi said.
She quickly recalled what the ancient book said: "The clones will mimic the actions of the main body, but their movements will be slightly slower. The clones will only dissipate if the main body is killed."
But there were too many clones, forming a circle around them. Ten black cloaks simultaneously conjured curses emitting black energy and flew towards them.
Which one is fake!
No, she couldn't tell. Looking left and right at these black cloaks, she knew their weakness but still couldn't discern the main body at a glance.
"You dare harm my disciple!"