C13 A Cold Light Appeared in His Bloodshot Eyes

Xia Yi sensed the oppressive force of the 'evil spirit,' but just as it began to affect him, a familiar warmth flowed within him, helping to counteract the 'evil spirit's' formidable pressure.

The resolution was slow, yet it allowed Xia Yi to appear more at ease.

"Spit! I am nothing like you despicable humans!"

The 'evil spirit' seemed to have heard the most revolting words imaginable, cursing furiously as it surged toward Xia Yi in an instant.

Yang Zhangzhen and the others were so startled that they tensed up, exerting all their strength to back away and create distance from the 'evil spirit.'

Xia Yi tried to move, but found himself immobilized. Despite the warmth inside him neutralizing the 'evil spirit's' pressure, he remained frozen in place, his strength the weakest among the four.

The 'evil spirit' hovered midair, looking down at Xia Yi with overwhelming arrogance.

Unable to move his legs, Xia Yi was forced to lift his head and feign composure as he locked eyes with the 'evil spirit.'

Upon closer inspection, Xia Yi realized the black shadow was a mass of roiling black mist, churning like boiling water, its true form obscured unless viewed from a closer distance.

Yang Zhangzhen intended to rescue Xia Yi but was taken aback by the sight of him boldly confronting the 'evil spirit.'

'I've finally witnessed the grace of the Verdant Lord. His heart brims with noble spirit, unafraid of gods or demons, showing no fear even in the face of the 'evil spirit.''

'He may have lost his Martial Spirit, but Xia Yi remains the indomitable Verdant Lord!'

Unaware of Yang Zhangzhen's internal praise, Xia Yi would have responded with a sense of injustice, thinking, 'You couldn't be more correct!'

Confronting the 'evil spirit's' "stare," Xia Yi struggled to breathe. His face flushed, his eyes began to blur, and he felt as if he were on the verge of suffocation.

"Kekeke, you humans are nothing but waste. Just standing before you makes you want to kneel and bow your head to me. So, don't insult me by comparing me to humans!" The black mist emitted a grating, sharp laugh, nearly shattering their eardrums and consciousness.

Xia Yi felt as though he was on the verge of suffocation, his consciousness fading into a blur. The whites of his eyes nearly overtook his sockets as his body collapsed to the ground, beyond his control.

Yang Zhangzhen, witnessing Xia Yi being overpowered by the evil spirit, was filled with shock and rage. The image of Xia Yi defiantly staring down the evil spirit lingered in his memory.

Having already faced death once, Xia Yi, the Verdant Lord, would not be allowed to perish again—not if Yang Zhangzhen had anything to say about it.

With bated breath and concentrated spirit, Yang Zhangzhen let out an inward roar of defiance. His figure vibrated, sending ripples through the air as two indistinct forms of himself appeared on either side. After a brief tremor, the two figures merged back into Yang Zhangzhen's true form, uniting as one. His aura erupted, surging with newfound intensity.

Clad in silver armor, Yang Zhangzhen stood with eyes shut and a grave expression. In that moment, he resembled an inviolable, majestic silver-armored deity.

"Ha!" he bellowed, eyes snapping open as he unleashed a divine rebuke. A visible pale golden wave radiated outward, causing the dark energy on the third floor to waver and significantly weakening the evil spirit's oppressive force.

Su Zizhi and Zhao Jingjing, now liberated, regained their agility and promptly called forth their martial spirits to bolster Yang Zhangzhen's momentum.

In a flash, the opposing forces were locked in a standoff.

"Release Xia Yi!" Yang Zhangzhen commanded, assuming a battle stance with a long spear materializing between his hands. A glint of cold light struck first, followed by the spear lunging forth like a dragon.

The spear, dragon-like, coiled towards the evil spirit, its tip shimmering with a silver brilliance reminiscent of a shooting star, and it thrust fiercely into the swirling black Qi.

The evil spirit let out a contemptuous snort, seemingly unimpressed by Yang Zhangzhen's spear. It made no attempt to evade, allowing the black Qi to meet the spear's thrust head-on.

"Clang! Clang! Clang!" The third floor of the Spirit Gathering Tower echoed with the grating sound of metal on metal, the shrillness so intense that Su Zizhi and Zhao Jingjing were left with splitting headaches, unable to offer Yang Zhangzhen any assistance.

Xia Yi's condition showed no signs of improvement. As the evil spirit clashed fiercely with Yang Zhangzhen, the swirling black smoke clung to Xia Yi, leaving him crushed under its oppressive force.

At that moment, Xia Yi's eyes were overrun with white, giving the impression of a man possessed by a demon, his body beginning to twitch subtly.

From the outset, Yang Zhangzhen had unleashed his full power. Initially, he was concerned that his might would jeopardize Xia Yi's safety, so he directed his spear solely at the evil spirit, aiming to drive it back.

However, when he realized that Xia Yi was teetering on the brink of death, Yang Zhangzhen cast aside all other concerns. His spear whirled through the air like a dragon soaring skyward, thrusting towards Xia Yi.

"Heh, quite the courageous one," came a voice of admiration from within the billowing black mist.

Unmoved, Yang Zhangzhen ignored the evil spirit's compliment, his entire being engrossed in the heat of battle.

As the spear's icy gleam approached Xia Yi, Yang Zhangzhen's gaze was resolute, his wrist flicking deftly. The spear's glint swept past Xia Yi's face like a shooting star, striking at the evil spirit.

"Clang!"

The silver spear struck the black smoke.

The sound of the fierce impact drowned out all others. Su Zizhi and Zhao Jingjing offered no resistance, spewing blood and collapsing unconscious.

Yang Zhangzhen's frame shook violently, the flesh of his palms split, and he coughed up blood that soaked both his hands and the silver spear he clutched.

The spear radiated a brilliant silver light, and for a moment, it seemed as though a true dragon was entwined around it. The dragon's head emerged at the tip of the gleam, its maw agape, emitting a silent roar towards the relentless black smoke.

"Ugh!" A stifled grunt echoed from within the black mist.

With tears of blood, Yang Zhangzhen managed to forcefully enhance his fighting prowess, pushing the evil spirit back a step.

Xia Yi, finally free from the evil spirit's crushing presence, stood wavering on the spot, looking as though he might collapse at any second.

Despite the surge in his combat strength, Yang Zhangzhen felt the backlash immediately—his energy was sapped in an instant, and his body slumped helplessly to the ground.

In the instant before losing consciousness, Yang Zhangzhen thought he saw Xia Yi's eyes blaze blood-red before darkness enveloped him.

"Hehehe, you're quite strong, but unfortunately, you're nowhere near that little guy, Wu Liang. If you had fought tooth and nail to buy time or exerted all your effort to break free, I'd have been at a loss. But to think you'd gamble with your life in a desperate attempt to save this kid, only to sacrifice yourself in the process."

"Foolish human, both you and your Martial Spirit are exceptional. I'll help myself, then."

Dark mists enveloped the unconscious Yang Zhangzhen on the ground, clinging to him as if salivating.

"Hmm?"

The swirling darkness abruptly stilled, sensing an anomaly behind it.

A pair of blood-red eyes emerged, staring emptily through the billowing mists.

Xia Yi stood his ground, enveloped in a protective golden radiance, with an oval halo appearing behind his head, accentuating his bewitching blood-red eyes.

"To vanquish demons and uphold the righteous path, one must endure three thousand trials before descending from the heavens."