133: Heart of Rules, Crimson Ritual

"Captain Zhang, Nickname!"

Duan Kong's expression changed, and he shouted, "Although those Demonic Beasts are Sixth-Tier, their intelligence is not high. I have specially made [Demon Binding Ropes] and [Soul Suppressing Nails] cards from above, which are enough to restrain them for a moment!"

His gaze was fixed on the silent Old Flame Spirit on the other side.

"The real trouble is that Flame Spirit! He seems to be a native of this realm and can directly mobilize the realm's intrinsic Flame Power, which is completely different from our Source Power system. He's very troublesome!"

Zhang Yue's expression grew even more solemn upon hearing this, and he cursed his bad luck inwardly.

He had naturally also seen the extraordinary nature of the Old Flame Spirit.

"Then how do we deal with him?" Zhang Yue asked in a deep voice.

A hint of ruthlessness flashed in Duan Kong's eyes: "To deal with such native creatures, ordinary methods are probably ineffective. The only way is to use a blank card and try to forcibly seal him!"

"Blank cards have no tier requirements, but success depends on luck!"

"Once successful, he will be assimilated by the heart of rules, and all his power will turn into a card, making him no longer a concern."

"It's just... this sealing requires a perfect timing, preferably when the opponent is severely injured, which can greatly increase the success rate!"

In the instant the two exchanged words, Brother Octopus's attack was already approaching!

"Defensive formation!" Duan Kong roared, and at the same time, his hands flashed with light.

The Provincial Government Team Members behind him reacted extremely quickly, having already prepared.

"[Source Energy Cannon]!"

"[Frost Ray]!"

"[Giant Rock Spike]!"

...Several beams of skill light of different colors, mixed with violent Source Power, whistled out from the edge of the card formation, meeting the dozens of thunder tentacles!

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Violent explosions echoed within the volcano, stirring up monstrous waves!

Energy beams collided with the thunder tentacles, exploding into blinding flashes of light that made the entire seabed flicker between bright and dark.

Most of the attacks were forcibly blown apart by the tentacles, but a few attacks landed on Brother Octopus's main body, blasting its skin open and causing it to emit painful shrieks!

"Now! [Demon Binding Rope]!"

Duan Kong seized the opportunity and violently threw out several cards shimmering with a purple halo!

The cards exploded in the air, transforming into several Source Power chains as thick as a child's arm, coiling around the three Sixth-Tier Demonic Beasts at an astonishing speed!

Brother Octopus bore the brunt, its tentacles instantly bound tightly by the chains. No matter how it struggled, it was unable to break free in a short period!

The other two Sixth-Tier Demonic Beasts, the Deep Sea Giant Python and the Swordfish Demon Beast, were also not spared, each having one or two chains wrapped around their vital body parts, immediately hindering their movement.

"[Soul Suppressing Nail]! Attack their soul weak points!" Zhang Yue was no novice; he immediately seized the opportunity Duan Kong created and ordered his subordinates.

Li Qian and the others received the order and activated the specially made cards in their hands.

Several energy spikes appeared out of thin air, carrying piercing whooshing sounds, accurately shooting towards the heads of the three Demonic Beasts!

"Oww—!"

"Hiss—!"

"Oh—!"

The three Sixth-Tier Demonic Beasts simultaneously let out shrill roars. The excruciating pain from their souls drove them almost mad, and their massive bodies thrashed wildly on the seabed, turning everything upside down!

From behind the distant clouds, Lu Yuan saw all of this clearly.

He secretly clicked his tongue: "Goodness, these Provincial Government guys really have a lot of trump cards. Both [Demon Binding Ropes] and [Soul Suppressing Nails] are rare items."

These cards were clearly specially made to target high-tier Demonic Beasts, and their effects were remarkable.

"It seems that the Canglan Provincial Government has really invested heavily for this secret realm trip."

Just as the two Provincial Government teams temporarily suppressed the three Sixth-Tier Demonic Beasts, the Old Flame Spirit, who had been silent and motionless, finally made a move.

He did not immediately intervene to attack the card formation but instead let out a series of ancient and prolonged chants.

On the huge flame hammer in his hand, the originally solid flames suddenly surged, and a force of flame even more terrifying and purer than before wildly condensed on the hammerhead!

The space around the hammerhead twisted due to this terrifying high temperature!

"What is he doing?" Lu Yuan's heart tightened, feeling a great threat.

The power the Old Flame Spirit was accumulating would be deadly!

"Who is the target? The Provincial Government people? Or those Demonic Beasts? Or... is it the heart of rules?"

"Jigoo... ji..."

The Flame Sprite in Lu Yuan's arms seemed to sense the same source of fluctuation, twisting its body uneasily and letting out low chirps, shrinking its small head hard into Lu Yuan's embrace. Fortunately, the combat suit was heat-resistant.

Lu Yuan's gaze remained fixed on the battlefield; the situation was becoming increasingly complex.

"Roar!"

Brother Octopus, doubly restricted by the [Demon Binding Ropes] and [Soul Suppressing Nails], was now enraged to the extreme!

Its massive body suddenly shook, and the suckers on its dozens of tentacles suddenly opened, spraying out large areas of dazzling high-voltage current!

These currents did not attack a single individual but, like scattered flowers from a celestial maiden, indiscriminately blasted towards the Provincial Government Team Members at the edge of the platform!

Zzzzzzzz—!

A terrifying current net instantly covered half of the platform!

"Nickname!"

"Quick, dodge!"

Exclamations rose and fell.

Although the Provincial Government Team Members were well-trained, under such a wide-ranging, high-intensity attack, confusion still arose.

One team member failed to dodge in time and was grazed by the current, letting out a scream. Half of his body was charred, and he immediately lost combat effectiveness, tumbling into the volcano below!

"Xiao Liu!" Li Qian's eyes were bloodshot.

More team members frantically activated defensive cards or awkwardly dodged towards the center of the platform.

The edge defense of the card formation immediately showed a slight loosening!

Lu Yuan thought, what a pity.

His gaze was more focused on the suspended heart of rules.

After that team member fell into the volcano, and his life essence and the cards that burst out were absorbed by some invisible force below, Lu Yuan clearly perceived that the red light on the surface of the heart of rules seemed to brighten a few shades!

This was... a sacrifice?

Lu Yuan's heart stirred.

"Could it be... that it still needs some kind of catalyst, or rather, a sacrifice, to complete its final transformation?"

Once this thought arose, it could not be dispelled.

This huge volcano might be a trap prepared in advance!

"Hold steady! Hold your ground!" Duan Kong shouted sternly, his face grim.

He hadn't expected these Demonic Beasts to be so fearless, nor had he expected the Old Flame Spirit to choose this moment to accumulate a powerful move.

"Captain Zhang, have your people hold the right flank! I'll go deal with that beast!"

As Duan Kong spoke, a light flashed in his hand, and a card shimmering with gold light appeared.

The three greatest treasures of Region Canglan! gold Equipment card—

"[Vajra Demon-Subduing Pestle]!"

A several-meter-long gold giant pestle appeared out of thin air, accompanied by an endless stream of Source Power, carrying immense force, and slammed heavily into Brother Octopus, who was continuously spewing current!

Boom!

Brother Octopus let out a muffled grunt from the impact, and its current offensive paused.

Feeling dizzy... Just then, the other two Sixth-Tier Demonic Beasts, the Deep Sea Giant Python and the Swordfish Demon Beast, also seized the opportunity to attack!

The Giant Python opened its bloody maw and spat out a stream of black water arrows containing potent venom, shooting directly at the core of the card formation!

The Swordfish Demon Beast aimed the bone sword on its snout at the platform, its entire body transforming into a silver lightning bolt, charging fiercely, attempting to break through the defense at a single point!

The Demonic Beasts' offensive grew increasingly fierce!

Although the Provincial Government side could temporarily resist with their excellent equipment and cards, casualties among the team members had already begun to appear, and the defensive formation was becoming precarious!

"Hold on! Everyone, hold on!" Zhang Yue roared, his thunder roar spear flashing with electricity, constantly repelling incoming skill attacks.

What made him even more anxious was that the Flame Great Hammer in the Old Flame Spirit's hand had accumulated energy to a terrifying degree!

The flames on the hammerhead were like a miniature sun about to explode, emitting a high temperature capable of melting everything!

Who would he attack?

Once he joined the battle, the already precarious balance would instantly be shattered!

And the heart of rules, after absorbing the scattered energy from the battlefield and the life essence of several fallen team members, its surface red light became even more eerie, and its internal pulsation grew faster and more powerful!

It was like a greedy heart, drawing everything around it, brewing its final transformation.

But Lu Yuan always felt that it still lacked the most crucial link, like the final stroke in painting a dragon's eye.

Just then, the Old Flame Spirit's chanting abruptly stopped!

The giant hammer in his hand, burning with dark gold flames, was raised high!

An aura of world-destroying power locked onto the entire battlefield!

...