60: The final blow to the sixth floor and the shocking change

The leader of the Shadow Fiends, a Qi Refining Sixth Layer expert codenamed “You Zhua,” was currently in a relatively wide main mining tunnel, his chest heaving violently with anger. The Auras of four subordinates had vanished in quick succession, making him realize that not only had he failed the mission, but he might have been counter-schemed by those five brats!

What a colossal disgrace!

He was a Qi Refining Sixth Layer expert! A Silver Rank Killer among the Shadow Fiends! Yet he was being toyed with by a few juniors from the Outer Sect!

“Wen Youyi! Get your ass out here! You cowardly rat!” You Zhua roared, his voice echoing through the tunnel, only to be met by a deeper silence.

He forced himself to calm down and carefully sensed the movements around him. The chaotic energy deep within the mine pit severely interfered with his Divine Sense, but his extensive killing experience told him that danger was approaching.

Suddenly, out of the corner of his eye, he glimpsed a faint flash of starlight deep within a side tunnel on the left!

There!

Ferocious light burst forth from You Zhua's eyes, and his figure shot out like lightning, heading straight for that side tunnel! He decided to hold nothing back, using his strongest methods to achieve a quick victory!

However, the moment he charged into the side tunnel, a sudden change occurred!

“Buzz—!”

A pale silver starlight barrier lit up without warning right in front of him, instantly sealing off the narrow mining tunnel! It was the Star Domain!

“A petty trick! Break!” You Zhua had been prepared; he sneered, and his twin claws glowed with a dark, sinister light, carrying an Aura capable of tearing everything apart as they viciously clawed at the barrier!

He believed that with his Qi Refining Sixth Layer strength, a full-power burst would be enough to instantly tear open this tortoise shell!

But just as his sharp claws were about to touch the barrier, multicolored light simultaneously flared up behind the barrier—on the tunnel ceiling, the rock walls on both sides, and even the ground beneath his feet!

Gold, green, blue, red, and yellow (starlight)! Five basic Formation Bases had been set up here at some unknown time, forming a more solid “Five Elements Trapping Formation” that utilized the tunnel's topography!

The Star Domain blocked him in front, and the Five Elements Trapping Formation sealed him behind! Double confinement!

“What?!” You Zhua's expression changed drastically. He felt as if he had crashed into a sticky swamp, restrained on all sides by powerful forces. His speed plummeted, and his spiritual energy circulation became sluggish!

And precisely in this instant—when his old momentum was spent, new strength had yet to be generated, and his mind was intimidated by the Formation—

“Attack!”

Wen Youyi's sharp shout was like a battle horn signaling the charge!

From behind the Star Domain barrier, Zhao Iron Pillar was like a savage giant elephant, his muscles bulging as he concentrated all his power into a single punch, smashing it fiercely through the barrier! The force of the punch shook the entire tunnel!

Wang Wu and Senior Brother Li's Spells, like venomous snakes waiting to strike, emerged from the crevices of the rock walls on the left and right, aiming straight for You Zhua's ribs and lower body!

Senior Brother Zhang, meanwhile, shot his last few offensive Talismans, holding nothing back, straight toward You Zhua's face!

And Wen Youyi himself appeared like a phantom behind and to the side of You Zhua! What he held was no longer a dagger, but the Medium Grade Magical Artifact obtained from the Blood Wolf Valley mission—the “black tortoise shield”!

However, he wasn't using it for defense. Instead, he poured all his remaining spiritual energy, along with a trace of Star Power activated by the star core fragment, into the edge of the heavy shield, transforming it into a blunted heavy hammer. With an unstoppable Aura, he smashed it fiercely toward You Zhua's back!

This was the Ultimate Killing Blow—a strike that combined the power of The core five people, utilized the terrain, Formation, and Domain, and exploited the enemy's psychology!

You Zhua's pupils contracted violently as he felt an unprecedented threat of death! He frantically circulated his spiritual energy, trying to break free from the restraints, but the pincer attack and the chaotic Five Elements prevented him from unleashing his full strength!

“No—!”

Amidst the desperate roar—

“Boom!!!!!”

Zhao Iron Pillar's punch force penetrated the Domain via vibration!

Wang and Li's Spells struck heavily!

Senior Brother Zhang's Talismans exploded on You Zhua's face!

Wen Youyi's shield-hammer struck him squarely in the back!

Multiple forces erupted almost simultaneously! You Zhua's Protective Spiritual Light shattered like paper. He flew forward like a broken sack, spurting blood, crashing violently into the Star Domain barrier, and then slumped softly to the ground, his chest caved in and his spine broken. He was clearly beyond saving.

The Qi Refining Sixth Layer expert was executed!

The core five people looked at You Zhua's corpse, all breathing heavily. This series of calculations and explosive attacks had nearly exhausted all their mental and spiritual energy.

“Finally... solved it...” Zhao Iron Pillar plopped down onto the ground.

However, before they could even catch their breath, another sudden change occurred!

Perhaps the energy impact from the fight was too intense, or perhaps the mine pit's structure was inherently unstable; the entire tunnel suddenly began to shake violently, and rocks started raining down from the ceiling!

“Oh no! The mine pit is collapsing!” Wang Wu cried out.

“Go! To the Dark River Fissure!” Wen Youyi made a decisive call, forcing his exhausted body onward, leading the group toward the predetermined retreat route.

Just as they rushed into the narrow fissure leading to the Underground Dark River, a tremendous roar sounded behind them. The area where they had fought completely collapsed, buried under massive rocks!

The frigid river water carried The core five people along, adrift in the darkness.

After an unknown period, a light appeared ahead. The core five people swam out with effort, finding themselves in an unfamiliar mountain valley, having completely escaped the mine pit area.

Having survived the disaster, they exchanged wry smiles. Although they looked rough, they had ultimately survived and eliminated all their enemies.

Wen Youyi looked at the bloodstained black tortoise shield in his hand, his eyes cold.

“Five Elements Courtyard, Fire Cloud Child... I will remember this debt.”

He knew that this conflict would completely unveil their head-on confrontation with the Five Elements Courtyard and the power structure behind it.

(End of this chapter)