Chapter 1112
Shattered in response
"You can never break the Demonic Sound Spell!" the black-robed man sneered, his demonic energy surging as he pressed towards Shi Ji.
Shi Ji calmly fought back, but the black-robed man's attacks were exceptionally fierce, and he gradually began to struggle. At this moment, Mu Xue's incantation reached its climax, and her longsword suddenly pierced the core of the magic circle. A huge burst of light erupted, and the magic circle shattered in response.
"We did it!" Mu Xue exclaimed joyfully.
The man in black robes was shocked to see this and roared, "You actually broke the Demonic Sound Spell!" He unleashed his demonic energy in a fit of rage and attacked Shi Ji even more fiercely.
Taking advantage of the instant the magic circle shattered, Shi Ji swiftly counterattacked, piercing the black-robed man's shoulder with her sword. The black-robed man cried out in pain, retreating rapidly, his eyes fixed on Shi Ji and Mu Xue with a sinister glint: "You just wait, this isn't over yet!"
The man in black robes suddenly leaped up and disappeared into the night. Shi Ji let out a long sigh of relief and looked at Mu Xue: "Well done, Mu Xue."
Mu Xue smiled slightly, but her face still showed worry: "We must find the other disciples as soon as possible and ensure their safety."
However, just as Shi Ji finished speaking, a cold laugh suddenly came from inside the tower: "Do you really think you're safe just because you destroyed the magic circle?" The voice was chilling and piercing, and a tall figure slowly emerged from the shadows.
The man was dressed in a black robe, holding a strange staff in his hand, and his face was covered with hideous markings. His eyes were like an eagle's as he coldly swept over Shi Ji and Mu Xue: "You are doomed today. There is no way you will leave here alive."
Shi Ji and Mu Xue exchanged a glance, their hearts filled with suspicion: "Who are you?"
"I am the guardian of this tower, the Black Demon Lord," the black-robed man sneered. "You destroyed the Demonic Sound Spell, but in doing so, you have enraged me. Prepare to die!"
Before he could finish speaking, the Black Demon Lord suddenly swung his staff, and a dense black demonic aura rushed towards Shi Ji and his junior sister. Shi Ji quickly raised his sword to block, but the demonic aura was too fierce, and he was forced back several steps, almost falling.
The junior sister nimbly dodged the impact of the demonic energy. She quickly chanted an incantation, and her longsword flashed with an icy blue light as she thrust it straight at the Black Demon Lord. However, the Black Demon Lord simply waved his hand, easily deflecting her attack.
"You're too weak!" The Black Demon Venerable sneered and launched another attack. This time, his staff slashed down, and a bolt of black lightning struck straight at Shi Ji and his junior sister.
Shi Ji quickly dodged to the side, but her junior sister was struck and fell heavily to the ground, blood trickling from the corner of her mouth. Shi Ji was shocked and rushed over to help her up: "Junior sister, are you alright?"
The junior sister gritted her teeth and nodded, but her face was pale, clearly indicating that she was seriously injured. Shi Ji was anxious, knowing that if things continued like this, neither of them would be able to leave this place alive.
"We must join forces and find an opportunity to fight back!" Shi Ji whispered to her junior sister.
The junior sister nodded and forced herself to stand up. The two exchanged a glance and launched their final counterattack simultaneously. Shi Ji charged towards the Black Demon Venerable, while at the same time, the junior sister unleashed her full power, her longsword transforming into countless ice blades that shot towards the Black Demon Venerable.
The Black Demon Lord sneered, waving his staff to easily deflect the attacks. But at that moment, Shi Ji suddenly leaped up, thrusting her sword straight at the Black Demon Lord's heart. The Black Demon Lord was shocked and hurriedly dodged, but was still stabbed in the shoulder by Shi Ji.
The Black Demon Lord roared and swung his staff, sending Shi Ji flying. Shi Ji crashed heavily to the ground, spitting out a mouthful of blood, but her eyes still shone with unwavering determination.
"Junior sister, now's the time!" Shi Ji shouted.
Upon hearing this, the junior sister unleashed her full power on her longsword, causing it to flash with icy blue light once more, transforming into a massive ice blade that slashed straight at the Black Demon Venerable. The Black Demon Venerable was shocked and hastily waved his staff to defend himself, but by then his strength was insufficient, and the ice blade struck him hard, freezing him completely within the ice.
The Black Demon Lord struggled desperately, but the ice grew thicker and thicker until his body was completely frozen and he could not move.
The Black Demon Lord was encased in ice, a sinister smile on his face. His voice came from within the ice: "You actually had accomplices. How despicable!"
Shi Ji and her junior sister exchanged a glance, their hearts filled with doubt and unease. Just then, footsteps echoed from inside the tower. A figure slowly emerged, clad in silver armor, wielding a long spear, his gaze cold and stern.
"It's quite lively here." The newcomer chuckled, his gaze sweeping over Shi Ji and his junior sister. "It seems you two need some help."
Shi Ji frowned: "Who are you?"
"I am the Silver-Armored Guard Captain, here to assist you on orders." The Silver-Armored Guard Captain said, brandishing his spear, and a powerful aura emanated from him.
The junior sister nodded slightly: "In that case, let's cooperate. Let's deal with the Black Demon Venerable first, and we can talk about other things later."
The silver-armored guard nodded, his gaze shifting to the frozen Black Demon Lord: "Although he is temporarily trapped, his power should not be underestimated. We must defeat him completely."
The Black Demon Lord sneered, "Do you think you can win like this?" His demonic energy surged, and cracks began to appear in the ice.
"Attack!" the silver-armored guard shouted, thrusting his spear forward, a silver light aimed directly at the Black Demon Lord's heart. Shi Ji and her junior sister also launched their attacks simultaneously, their icy blue sword light and sharp sword energy surging towards the Black Demon Lord.
The Black Demon Lord struggled desperately, trying to resist, but was ultimately overwhelmed by the combined attack of the three. With a shrill scream, the Black Demon Lord's body shattered under the powerful attack, turning into a cloud of black smoke that gradually dissipated.
Shi Ji let out a long sigh of relief, sheathed her longsword, and looked at the silver-armored guard: "Thank you for your help."
The silver-armored guard smiled slightly: "No need to be polite, our goals are the same. Now, we need to find the other disciples as soon as possible and ensure their safety."
The junior sister nodded: "That's right, we must act immediately."
The three quickly left the tower and headed towards the camp. Along the way, they noticed that the disciples affected by the demonic spell were gradually regaining consciousness, but they still appeared extremely weak. Shi Ji and her junior sister tried their best to comfort the disciples while vigilantly observing their surroundings for any potential enemies.
Back at the camp, Han Bingjue's face lit up with joy upon seeing them return: "You succeeded!"
Shi Ji nodded: "Yes, but we cannot let our guard down. The enemy may have a backup plan."
The silver-armored guard looked around: "It's not safe here. We need to move to a more secluded place." His junior sister agreed: "Yes, we need a safe place to heal and recover our strength."
They found a secluded valley and settled down temporarily. The disciples gradually recovered, while Shiji, her junior sister, and the silver-armored guard discussed their next plan.
"We must find out the truth behind this attack and eradicate these evil forces completely," Shi Ji said firmly.
The junior sister and the silver-armored guard nodded in agreement. They knew that the challenge before them was just the beginning, and many more battles awaited them in the future.
A few days later, the disciples' injuries gradually healed, and they resumed training to prepare for the next possible battle. Shi Ji, her junior sister, and the Silver-Armored Guard continued their investigation, trying to find the force behind the Black Demon Lord.
“According to the intelligence we have, the Black Demon Lord is just a small fry; the real mastermind is still hiding in the shadows,” the Silver Armored Guard said, his expression grave. “We must find them to truly eliminate the threat.”
The junior sister nodded: "We need more clues. Perhaps we can find some clues in the Black Demon Lord's relics."
Shi Ji agreed, saying, "We can also send out spies to gather information and learn as much as possible about the situation."
So they began to carefully search for traces and relics left behind by the Dark Lord. After some effort, they discovered a hidden map inside the Dark Lord's staff, which marked several secret strongholds.
“These outposts are likely their secret bases,” Shi Ji said thoughtfully, looking at the map.
“We need to split up and investigate these outposts,” the Silver-Armored Guard suggested.
The junior sister nodded: "We can send out small teams to each stronghold to investigate the situation. Once we find any trace of the enemy, we should report it immediately."
Shi Ji agreed with the plan: "We must be careful and make sure that every step goes smoothly."
They immediately sprang into action, organizing small teams to head to several strongholds marked on the map. Shi Ji, her junior sister, and the Silver-Armored Guard each led a team deep into enemy territory to conduct a secret investigation.
Shi Ji led her team to their first outpost, a cave hidden deep in the mountains. The cave entrance was riddled with traps, but thanks to her keen observation skills, Shi Ji successfully avoided all of them and led her team deep into the cave.
The cave was dimly lit, and a chilling atmosphere filled the air. Shi Ji gripped his longsword and cautiously moved forward. Suddenly, he heard a whispering voice coming from ahead.
Shi Ji gestured for his team to stop, while he quietly approached the source of the sound. He held his breath, listening intently to the whispers, trying to discern what they were saying.
“We need to speed things up. The Lord has been very displeased with the Black Demon Lord’s failure,” a hoarse voice said.
Another voice responded in a low voice: "Yes, I heard that the Lord is already gathering other forces and preparing for the next move."
Shi Ji frowned; this was clearly important intelligence. He turned and signaled his team to prepare for battle, then continued forward, quietly approaching the location of the two men in black.
Just then, one of the team members stepped on a dry branch, making a slight sound. The two men in black immediately became alert, drew their weapons, and looked in the direction of the sound.
"Who's there?" one of the men in black asked sharply.
Shi Ji knew he could no longer hide, so he shouted, "Attack!" He charged out first, his longsword flashing in the darkness, pointing directly at the enemy.
The team members followed closely behind, engaging in fierce combat. The cave was cramped, and the echoes were deafening. Shi Ji skillfully dodged the enemy's attacks, searching for the best opportunity to strike. Finally, he seized an opening and pierced the chest of one of the men in black with his sword.
Seeing this, the other man in black turned and fled. Shi Ji quickly gave chase and intercepted him at the cave's exit. After a struggle, Shi Ji successfully subdued him and tied him up.
“Speak! Who is your master? What other schemes are you plotting?” Shi Ji asked coldly, her sword pressed against the man in black’s throat.
The man in black looked terrified, but he kept his lips tightly shut, refusing to utter a single word. Shi Ji frowned, knowing that further questioning would be futile, so she decided to take him back to reunite with her junior sister and the silver-armored guard.
The junior sister discovered a hidden basement containing a large number of documents and books, seemingly recording the activities of the dark forces. She carefully collected these materials, intending to take them back to camp for analysis.
The Silver-Armored Guard found several prisoners in an abandoned temple. They were ordinary civilians captured by the forces of the Dark Demon. The Silver-Armored Guard quickly rescued them and took them back to the camp.
A few days later, the three teams reunited in a secluded valley. Shi Ji handed the captured men in black over to her junior sister and the silver-armored guard, while her junior sister presented the collected documents to everyone.
“These documents record many secrets of the Dark Arts, including some of their hidden strongholds and operational plans,” the junior sister said. “We can find their weaknesses from them.”
The Silver-Armored Guard also reported on the prisoners' situation: "These prisoners provided some useful intelligence, which we can use to further strike the enemy."
Shi Ji nodded, pondered for a moment, and then said, "Very good. We now have more information, which is very beneficial for our next move. However, we must proceed with caution and avoid alerting the enemy."
The junior sister added, "Yes, we need to plan carefully and catch the enemy off guard. I suggest we first analyze these documents carefully to find the core strongholds of the Black Demon forces, and then formulate a detailed action plan."
The Silver-Armored Guard agreed: "That's true, and we also need to ensure the operation is swift and covert, so they don't have time to move or destroy evidence."
Shi Ji clapped her hands, drawing everyone's attention: "Then let's split up. Junior Sister, you lead a team to carefully study these documents and find valuable clues as soon as possible. Silver Armor Guard, you are responsible for settling the prisoners and ensuring their safety, while also gathering as much intelligence as possible from them. I will lead another team for combat training to improve our combat effectiveness. We will meet again in three days to formulate a specific action plan."
"Understood!" the junior sister and the silver-armored guard replied in unison, and then each led their respective teams away.
Three days later, the three teams reunited in the valley. The junior sister brought an important discovery: "According to historical records, a core stronghold of the Black Demon forces is located in a mountain to the north. It's not only their supply depot but also their secret training ground." (End of Chapter)