135: Crossbows break the barrier and sudden changes occur in the valley

The black crossbow bolts struck the Luoxia Valley barrier, emitting a dull explosion. The light wall trembled violently, its already faint glow instantly dimming, and spiderweb-like cracks appeared on its surface. Several arrowheads even pierced through the cracks, carrying black-purple venom, and nailed into the ground within the valley.

"No good!" Liu Shan's eyes were bloodshot. New Power rapidly condensed in his palm, and the greenish-gold light shield instantly expanded, blocking in front of the barrier. "They want to use the venom to corrode the Formation Plate!"

The black-robed death warriors clearly had a plan. Seeing the crossbow bolts take effect, they immediately swarmed out from the mountain forest, holding short blades coated with venom, like a black tide, rushing towards the cracks in the barrier. Their movements were uniform and fearless; even when blocked by the light shield, they simply crashed into it one after another with their bodies, attempting to open a gap for subsequent crossbow bolts.

"These people... have no pain?" Liu Zhi's scalp tingled, and he nearly dropped the dagger in his hand. He could see the black-robed person at the very front have his arm shattered by the light shield, yet he didn't even hum, still wielding his short blade with his other hand, frantically hacking at the light shield.

Lin Qingxue's soft sword transformed into a white light, precisely piercing the throat of a black-robed person. The person's body stiffened for a moment, black blood gushing from the wound, yet he still maintained the posture of swinging his blade until the soft sword was withdrawn, then he fell straight down, his eyes still devoid of any emotion.

"They are death warriors controlled by Blood纹 Old Freak," Lin Qingxue's voice carried a chill. "Their Divine Souls were long ago devoured; now they are merely Puppets obeying orders."

Liu Shan's heart sank even lower. Blood纹 Old Freak's remnants could actually cultivate so many death warriors; it seemed the White-Robed Figure's schemes in the Blood Ruins were far grander than he had imagined.

The cracks in the barrier grew larger and larger. Black-purple venom seeped into the valley along the cracks. The moment it touched the ground, the greenish-black spiritual field soil began to smoke, as if corroded by strong acid.

"We can't wait any longer!" Liu Shan growled. The greenish-gold light in his palm surged, and the light shield transformed into a giant sword shadow, sweeping across the crowd of black-robed death warriors!

Wherever the sword shadow passed, the black-robed death warriors fell like mown wheat, black blood splattering on the ground with sizzling sounds. But the death warriors behind them still rushed forward fearlessly, filling the gaps with their bodies, as if there was no end.

Suddenly, an urgent bell rang from within the valley—it was the Pill Chamber's alarm bell!

"Oh no!" Liu Shan's heart skipped a beat. "They're creating a diversion; their real target is inside the valley!"

He looked inside the barrier, only to see several dark figures squeezing through the cracks, moving as swiftly as civet cats. They were clearly elites among the death warriors, heading directly towards the Pill Chamber!

"Liu Zhi! Take Qingxue inside first! Protect Shi Yan and the clansmen!" Liu Shan roared, New Power erupting without reservation. The greenish-gold sword shadow expanded again, forcefully tearing a gap in the death warrior crowd. "I'll be right behind you!"

Liu Zhi gritted his teeth, knowing this was no time for hesitation. He grabbed Lin Qingxue's hand and, under the cover of the sword shadow, rushed towards the crack in the barrier: "Father! Be careful!"

Lin Qingxue looked back at Liu Shan, her eyes full of worry, but she still followed Liu Zhi into the valley.

Liu Shan watched them disappear behind the crack, then turned to face the black-robed death warriors who had surrounded him again. The three-colored mark on his brow spun wildly, and a faint hint of black began to mix with the greenish-gold light—he was borrowing the power of Shadow Eaters to a limited extent to deal with the endless stream of death warriors.

As the power of Shadow Eaters emerged, the black-robed death warriors' movements visibly slowed. The moment their bodies touched the black light, they began to rot at a speed visible to the naked eye, emitting painful hisses, finally showing a trace of a living creature's reaction.

"Sure enough... you also fear Shadow Eaters." Liu Shan's lips curved into a cold arc. New Power was pushed to its limit, and the interweaving greenish-black light exploded among the death warriors, creating a vacuum zone.

Just as he was about to seize the opportunity to rush into the valley, the scrawny black-robed person suddenly pulled a small black horn from hisPregnant and blew into it.

"Woo—woo—"

The horn sound was deep and eerie, unlike a mundane instrument; it resembled the roar of some demonic creature. As the horn sounded, the black-robed death warriors who had been rushing forward suddenly stopped their movements, each pulling out a small black porcelain bottle from theirPregnant, pulling out the stopper, and drinking the liquid inside!

The death warriors who drank the liquid began to convulse violently. Greenish-black Blood Mark quickly appeared on their skin, their aura surged several times, and a frantic red light burned in their eyes. They no longer feared even the power of Shadow Eaters and rushed towards Liu Shan again!

"It's the 'Death-Urging Talisman'!" Liu Shan's face changed drastically. Relevant information flashed through the Xuan Jin Dragon's memory fragments—this was a forbidden medicine refined from Blood纹 Old Freak's essence blood, capable of instantly boosting strength at the cost of burning life, ultimately leading to complete demonization, turning into an irrational monster.

He dared not confront them directly and could only turn and rush towards the crack in the barrier. The interweaving greenish-black light formed a light wall behind him, temporarily blocking the charge of the demonized death warriors, but the light of the wall was rapidly dimming, clearly not able to hold out for long.

The bell within the valley grew more urgent, mixed with the crisp clang of weapons and sharp screams. Clearly, Liu Zhi and the others had already engaged the infiltrating death warriors.

Liu Shan's heart was in his throat. He rushed towards the crack with all his might. Just as his hand was about to touch the barrier, a red-glowing claw suddenly extended from the mountain forest to the side, with a sharp sound of tearing air, aiming directly for his back!

It was that scrawny black-robed person! He had actually also taken the Death-Urging Talisman. His body had expanded several times, greenish-black Blood Mark covered his entire face, and he was completely demonized!

There was no avoiding it!

Liu Shan could only forcibly twist his body, and the interweaving greenish-black light condensed on his back, taking the full force of the claw!

"Puff—!"

The claw pierced through the light wall, deeply embedding itself in his back, bringing out a gush of hot blood. Greenish-black Blood Mark rapidly spread along the wound, bringing an intense, bone-deep pain and numbness.

"Ugh!"

Liu Shan groaned, using the force of the impact. His body, like a kite with a broken string, passed through the crack in the barrier and fell into Luoxia Valley.

The moment he landed, he saw a scene that made his eyes burn with fury—

At the entrance of the Pill Chamber, Liu Zhi was being attacked by three demonized death warriors. A deep, bone-visible wound had appeared on his arm, blood staining half of his sleeve, yet he still desperately protected Shi Yan behind him, wielding his dagger without any technique, clearly on the verge of collapsing.

Lin Qingxue's soft sword was entangled with two death warriors. Her shoulder had been struck by a crossbow bolt, and black-purple venom was spreading along the wound. Her face was ashen, and her movements had slowed considerably.

And around them lay several corpses of Luoxia Valley clansmen, including Uncle Wang, who had been guarding the valley entrance earlier. A short blade was plunged into his chest, his eyes wide open, clearly having been ambushed and killed by surprise.

The biye flowers in the spiritual field had withered again. The previously repaired land was once more stained with black-purple venom, emitting a pungent, fishy odor.

Liu Shan's heart felt as if it had been fiercely gripped by that claw again, the pain making it impossible to breathe.

He struggled to stand up, but the intense pain in his back made his vision go black. His body swayed and he fell to the ground again.

The roars of the demonized death warriors came from outside the barrier; the crack was being widened by them little by little.

The death warriors who had infiltrated the valley noticed him, and with sinister smiles, they all turned and walked towards him, the short blades in their hands glinting coldly.

Liu Zhi saw him fall and let out a desperate cry: "Father!"

Liu Shan looked at the approaching death warriors, at Liu Zhi's desperate face, at Lin Qingxue's struggling figure trying to come to help. An unprecedented wave of anger and powerlessness surged wildly in his heart.

The Blood Mark on his back was still spreading, and the numbness gradually spread throughout his body; he barely had the strength to lift a finger.

The three-colored mark on his brow flickered, seemingly struggling with this desperate situation as well.

He could only watch as the death warrior's short blade slowly aimed for his chest.