Chapter 72: The Abyss of Despair

The red light barrier suddenly trembled, and the ghost king, along with the other black-robed figures of the Demon Sect, including the trapped strange beast, the Kui Niu, almost simultaneously turned their heads to look.

A flash of red light caught Tian Ling’er by surprise. She saw the crimson iron spike trembling fiercely, enveloped in a protective aura of red light, yet it remained motionless.

In a moment, everyone around had reacted. The black-robed figures of the Demon Sect rushed forward, and Tian Ling’er, pale-faced and panting, was just starting to panic when a sudden brightness caught her eye. With a wave of her hands, the Amber Crimson Ribbon burrowed into the ground.

Mid-air, the ghost king’s expression drastically changed. He stomped his foot in anger, “Little girl, you don’t know your limits! You’ve ruined everything!”

His figure flashed repeatedly, and he pounced down with incredible speed. But at that very moment, sharp whistles echoed from afar, and countless lights flared up. It turned out that both the righteous sects and the main force of the Demon Sect had arrived. In the midst of the intense battle, the most ferocious confrontations were between Daoist Cang Song and the Poisonous Old Master, and between Tian Yibu and the Elder Duanmu. Meanwhile, Su Ru was single-handedly holding off the wounded Blood-Sucking Old Monster and the young master Lin Feng, who had survived the Dead Spirit Abyss.

Other individuals, such as the monks from Tianyin Temple and the disciples of the Fragrant Valley, including the Powerful Venerable and his apprentice, had also arrived.

Seeing the massive light wall on the beach, with a strange, enormous beast trapped inside, everyone paused for a moment. The Poisonous Old Master and Elder Duanmu both leaped back, abandoning Daoist Cang Song and Tian Yibu.

Daoist Cang Song and Tian Yibu, no longer interested in fighting, let them go. Especially Tian Yibu, who, upon seeing his daughter surrounded by the Demon Sect, his face darkened, and he prepared to rush to her aid.

The Poisonous Old Master and Elder Duanmu stood together, first glancing at the fight involving Qinglong. Seeing Qinglong still handling three opponents with ease, they frowned and then looked up at the sky. The ancient tripod was still slowly rotating, radiating red light.

The Poisonous Old Master’s brows furrowed, and he said grimly, “The Dragon Subduing Tripod!”

Elder Duanmu, standing beside him, was startled and immediately looked up, his expression frozen.

Both of them were veterans of the Demon Sect, with far greater knowledge and experience than ordinary members. The ancient tripod, seen from afar, was intricately carved with dragon heads on its handles, and the mysterious formation around it resembled the legendary “Dragon Trapping Palace.”

This mystical Dragon Trapping Palace formation required the Dragon Subduing Tripod to activate, using its spiritual energy to trigger the deadly aura of the heavens and earth, confining even the most powerful practitioners.

Indeed, only such a rare treasure could trap an ancient beast like the Kui Niu.

Back on the battlefield, everyone had temporarily stopped fighting, their attention drawn to the scene.

The ghost king was swiftly descending from the sky, while Tian Yibu, concerned for his daughter, flew over despite being far away. Close by, Zhang Xiaofan, who had been following the earliest, was the closest to Tian Ling’er. Several black-robed figures from the Demon Sect were also rushing towards them.

The situation was about to explode, and the key lay with Tian Ling’er.

Zhang Xiaofan, seeing the black-robed figures closing in, jumped anxiously, flying towards Tian Ling’er. In mid-air, the burning stick in his hand emitted a bright green light, creating a barrier before the black-robed figures.

The black-robed figures screamed in alarm, and several treasures struck Zhang Xiaofan, causing him to stagger, but he managed to block them.

At this critical moment, Tian Ling’er cheered as the Amber Crimson Ribbon emerged from the ground, pushing the iron spike out.

The red light flickered violently, and the Dragon Trapping Palace formation began to crack, especially in front of Tian Ling’er, where a large hole appeared.

Within the red light, the Kui Niu roared, charging towards the gap.

Tian Ling’er, filled with joy, was about to recall the Amber Crimson Ribbon when she heard Zhang Xiaofan shout, “Senior Sister, be careful!”

She was startled and looked up, seeing the enormous Kui Niu charging towards her. With a thunderous roar, the massive creature slammed into the light barrier, causing the hole to widen dramatically. The red light flickered, and the ghost king, who was about to land, was pushed aside.

The Kui Niu, with its huge, fierce eyes, roared and charged at Tian Ling’er.

Terrified, Tian Ling’er froze, unable to move. Just as the Kui Niu was about to break free, all the black-robed figures retreated, except for Zhang Xiaofan, who, in shock, still charged forward, swinging the burning stick at the Kui Niu’s head.

Qinglong, who had just fended off Song Daren’s Ten Tiger Immortal Sword, glanced at Zhang Xiaofan and saw the burning stick strike the Kui Niu. Suddenly, his body tensed, and he exclaimed, “That…!”

The Kui Niu, an ancient beast, sensed the incoming treasure and swung its head, directly colliding with the burning stick. The impact sent the stick flying back, and Zhang Xiaofan staggered, feeling a powerful force overwhelming him, forcing him to retreat several steps.

With Zhang Xiaofan’s interference, Tian Ling’er regained her senses, her face pale, and started to back away. However, the Kui Niu, enraged by the humans, ignored who was in front of it and aimed to kill.

As Tian Ling’er took a half-step back, the Kui Niu’s jaws descended again.

From a distance, Su Ru and Qi Hao rushed out, and Tian Yibu, moving like lightning, but still too far to help. Tian Ling’er, not an ordinary girl, was determined to survive. In desperation, she waved the Amber Crimson Ribbon, hoping to block the Kui Niu and find a way to escape. Zhang Xiaofan also leapt to her aid.

It seemed the red light from the Amber Crimson Ribbon and the Dragon Trapping Palace formation further enraged the Kui Niu. Roaring, it charged with the force of a mountain, biting down.

The Amber Crimson Ribbon, overwhelmed by the Kui Niu’s mouth, pressed down on Tian Ling’er, forcing her to her knees. Seeing Zhang Xiaofan, she urgently shouted, “Xiaofan, run!”

Knowing the beast was too strong, Zhang Xiaofan, in that moment of fear, felt a surge of emotion. He took a deep breath, gripped the burning stick, and charged forward, shouting like a warrior facing death, like a tragic hero, the stick blazing with a fiery light, as if reliving centuries of time.

As the Kui Niu roared, Zhang Xiaofan also roared, the burning stick emitting a never-before-seen brilliance, a flame burning with life.

A thunderous boom echoed through the sky, shaking the heavens.

Zhang Xiaofan’s knees gave way, and blood trickled from his orifices, dripping onto the burning stick.

Stunned, Tian Ling’er suddenly felt weightless, as Tian Yibu finally reached her, pulling her back. When he turned, Zhang Xiaofan was pinned under the Kui Niu.

The Kui Niu, roaring, lifted its massive foot to crush Zhang Xiaofan, terrifying everyone, including Tian Yibu.

Zhang Xiaofan, gasping, felt his bones nearly shatter. As the Kui Niu’s foot descended, he slowly raised his head, seeing only the darkness.

Suddenly, the golden and blue light burst forth, intertwining and illuminating his face. On the top of the burning stick, a Buddhist mantra appeared: “卐”!

Below the mantra, a faintly glowing Taiji pattern appeared.

Everyone was stunned, except the Kui Niu, which roared and continued to stomp. The boy, facing death, raised his hands to block.

Time seemed to pause.

The cold wind blew, and leaves fell.

The ghost king, descending like lightning, seized the red iron spike, plunged it into the sand, and cut his wrist, splattering blood on it. Instantly, the red light reactivated the Dragon Trapping Palace formation, imprisoning the Kui Niu again.

The ghost king, relieved, watched the Kui Niu struggle against the red light, finally unable to break free.

As the ghost king relaxed, he turned to see the boy still in a defensive stance, the burning stick dimming, his face covered in blood, a look of sorrow in his eyes.

“Great Brahman Prajna! This is Great Brahman Prajna!” the monks from Tianyin Temple, including Fashan, exclaimed, shocked.

Only Fazheng, standing quietly, gazed at Zhang Xiaofan, a light flickering in his eyes.

Turning slowly, Zhang Xiaofan, his body drained, faced everyone. Tian Yibu, pale, and the other disciples of Qingyun, looked at him in disbelief.

Behind him, the ghost king sighed deeply.

Tian Ling’er, pale, walked a few steps forward, then stopped, the distance between them suddenly insurmountable. “Xiaofan,” she whispered, “is what these masters say true?”

Zhang Xiaofan’s lips trembled, fear rising from within. He looked at Tian Ling’er, his master, and the other disciples, their faces unfamiliar.

He wanted to shout, but no words came out.

The wind tugged at his clothes, and suddenly, another voice rang out, “It’s the Blood-Sucking Pearl, there’s no mistake!”

All faces, both Demon Sect and righteous, changed.

“The round pearl on his treasure, with blood threads, must be the Blood-Sucking Pearl of the Black Heart Elder from eight hundred years ago!”

Amid the uproar, Zhang Xiaofan, deaf to everything, smiled bitterly, collapsing to the ground, his vision darkening.