The open field had become the most intense battlefield of their journey.A freezing wind howled across the land, yet nothing could match the tension hanging heavily in the air.At the center of the massive formation surrounding Qing Yuwen, her energy began to shimmer with a terrifying dark radiance.Zhi Hao, who had rushed closer, suddenly stopped. His eyes were filled with worry.“Yuwen... that's not you!” he shouted, his voice hoarse from overwhelming emotion.Qing Yuwen, her body bound by chains of dark energy, slowly opened her eyes.But there was no life within them.Only darkness.A chilling cold that seemed capable of crushing the soul.Her lips parted, yet the voice that emerged was no longer the gentle voice he knew.“Hahaha... Zhi Hao, why do you still call the name of someone who is already dead?”“You don't know, do you? I am now a part of the Demon Queen.”Her voice was deep, cold, and horrifying.Zhi Hao froze, his eyes widening.“No! This isn't Yuwen! This isn't her!” H

The dark corridor of the hidden base was filled with the clash of weapons and explosions of energy that shook the icy walls. Asta and Zhi Shin moved with extraordinary speed, working together against two enemies attacking from opposite directions. Asta, wrapped in a green radiance, led the assault. Massive roots burst forth and coiled around their enemies. Zhi Shin followed with graceful precision, summoning the power of nature. Thick roots erupted from the frozen floor, turning the very ground beneath their feet into a deadly weapon. “Don't let them move!” Asta shouted as she launched another enormous root toward the enemy. Remaining remarkably calm, Zhi Shin pressed his hand against the ground. A network of roots spread rapidly across the ice. “Chains of Life Roots!” he cried. The roots lashed out, wrapping tightly around their opponents and forcing them to a halt. But the enemies refused to surrender so easily. One of them unleashed powerful dark energy, blowing the roots ap

The icy corridor that had once been a battlefield now lay in ruins, littered with debris. The black mist was beginning to thin, but the biting cold still lingered, surrounding the group with an invisible pressure. Song Que and Zhi Hao, though exhausted after defeating Rok Zhen, continued forward with determined steps. Both knew that this was only the beginning of what awaited them.Ahead, Sanjung, Asta, and Zhi Shin had successfully wiped out the remaining guards who had tried to block their path. Sanjung stood in the middle of a pool of water that was slowly freezing, his spear glowing with a pale blue light, while Asta leaned weakly against an ice wall, the green energy surrounding her beginning to fade.“Are you all okay?” Song Que asked as he approached them.Sanjung nodded lightly, his gaze sharp. “We managed. But this place still seems to hide many dark secrets.”Zhi Shin helped Asta stand before saying, “We need to keep moving. I can feel Qing Yuwen’s energy becoming more and m

After the exhausting battle, Asta, Sanjung, and Zhi Shin finally managed to defeat Xu Meng and Li Rou. They immediately rushed toward the place where Zhi Hao and Song Que were trapped in battle against the Queen of Darkness.However, the moment they arrived at the center of the battlefield, they froze.Zhi Hao and Song Que were now caught within an overwhelming dark force. Their bodies were crushed by invisible yet tangible darkness, as if they could no longer move. Around them stood the Queen of Darkness, her aura growing increasingly terrifying.“What happened?!” Sanjung shouted, his voice filled with worry as he saw the condition of his friends.“We have to act now!” Asta cried, her eyes fixed on Zhi Hao, who looked weak but was still struggling with the little strength he had left.Before they could move, a horrifying low laugh echoed from the Queen of Darkness.“You think you can defeat me with light and hope? What you fail to understand is that I have already become part of this

Amid the chaos of the battle that had just ended, the atmosphere became tense and filled with uncertainty. Zhi Hao was still holding Qing Yuwen's powerless body in his arms, and through his confusion, he looked toward his older brother, Zhi Shin, with eyes full of anxiety."Yuwen, you have to hold on," Zhi Hao said, his voice filled with hope even though his heart felt shattered.However, Zhi Shin, standing beside them, looked at his younger brother with a gentle gaze, though there was a bitterness clearly visible in his eyes."Hao, calm yourself. A man must not cry."His voice was calm, trying to give strength to his younger brother, yet deep inside, even he was unsure."But, Brother..." Zhi Hao's voice trembled as he struggled to hold back his emotions while looking at his beloved lying weak and motionless.Before he could continue, Zhi Shin wrapped an arm around him."We should take her home. We will find a way to heal her," Zhi Shin said firmly, trying to ease the situation.Howev