For a moment, the three stood at the edge of the severed corridor, none of them daring to charge forward. Despite being Saint Rank powerhouses who were usually high and mighty and feared nothing, they had to admit that the current situation was completely beyond their control.
“What should we do? Do we continue the attack?” one of them asked in a low voice, his tone tinged with a hint of hesitation.
“Attack? Are you insane?!” another hissed back, teeth clenched. “That kind of power... one wrong move and we’ll be obliterated! I only have one life, and I’m not willing to gamble it!”
A strange stalemate ensued. The three from the House of Red were unwilling to retreat but too afraid to step forward, fearing that Starlight might be hiding even more terrifying tricks up his sleeve.
Starlight stood at the other end of the corridor. Within his palm, a faint but heart-palpitating wisp of white light flickered once more, swirling slowly like a miniature vortex.
His expression was as calm as still water, as if the world-shaking blow he had just delivered was nothing more than a casual flick of his wrist.
Seeing Starlight’s composed demeanor, the three became even more uncertain.
Little did they know, Starlight was already at the end of his strength.
Throughout the consecutive battles, the mana in his body had long since been mostly depleted. This was precisely why he had chosen to use the least taxing water magic at the beginning to stall for time, rather than directly employing the other magic he was more proficient in.
Furthermore, even though the Power of Destruction had an absolute advantage over the other basic elements, Starlight could not rely on it to withstand continuous attacks from Saint Rank experts multiple times.
That previous strike had nearly drained all the remaining mana in his body just to achieve that level of effect.
The wisp of white light in his palm was nothing more than an illusion he had simulated using light magic; it possessed almost no actual power.
Starlight appeared calm and collected on the surface, but he was secretly anxious. He knew his facade could be seen through at any moment, but for now, this was the only way to buy time for Yserazor.
“I have to think of something quickly...” Starlight thought to himself, his gaze briefly sweeping over Xia Duo and Po Kong beside him.
Blood was still seeping from the wound on Xia Duo’s shoulder, and Po Kong’s face was somewhat pale. Clearly, neither of them was in an optimistic state.
Just then, the Saint Archmage suddenly narrowed his eyes, seemingly sensing something. He whispered to his companions, “Something’s wrong... that kid’s mana seems much weaker than before.”
Having said that, he immediately raised his staff. A flare of fire was about to shoot toward the group opposite him.
Starlight watched the glowing red light on the other side, and a drop of cold sweat broke out on his forehead. He thought, “Damn, if this keeps up, I won't be able to hide it anymore...”
Seeing this, Po Kong silently took half a step forward, shielding Starlight and Xia Duo. His gaze was cold as he whispered, “If it doesn't work out, let me handle it.”
Among them, only Po Kong still possessed the means to directly confront a Saint Rank expert. The divine artifact greatsword within him had long since finished charging over the past few days and was ready to unleash staggering power at any moment.
However, there was a problem with this move—the closer the distance, the greater the power. If he used it solely for defense, it would undoubtedly be a case of more loss than gain.
As the flames on the opposite side roared forth and a searing wave of heat rushed at them, Po Kong gritted his teeth. The mark on his chest instantly lit up, and the aura of the War God appeared in his hand.
Yet, at the very moment he finished gathering his strength and prepared to strike back, an emerald vine suddenly shot out from behind and wrapped around his waist.
At the same time, Starlight and Xia Duo were also ensnared by similar vines. The three were pulled back by a gentle but irresistible force, quickly retreating several steps.
“Moen?” Starlight looked back and realized that the transparent cover in the center of the room had completely vanished, and the emerald crystal was now radiating a dazzling light.
It appeared that Yserazor had successfully broken the barrier on the anchor and activated it.
Just as the blazing fire was about to consume everyone, a translucent spatial barrier suddenly appeared outside the room, blocking all the incoming flames at the doorway.
The flames slammed into the barrier with a hissing sound, unable to advance another inch.
“Get ready! We’re leaving!” Yserazor’s voice suddenly rang out.
Before Starlight could respond, he felt a powerful force envelop him, forcibly pulling him into a long conduit.
The surrounding scenery began to recede rapidly. Amidst the shifting light and shadow, everything became distorted and chaotic.
This was Starlight’s first time moving via a teleportation formation, and it felt completely different from his own instant movement.
Instant movement was more like an instantaneous jump, whereas a teleportation formation was a continuous traversal.
In this tunnel that seemed to have no end, the intense sense of weightlessness and spatial distortion made Starlight feel unwell. He instinctively closed his eyes, and suddenly, the only thing left in his ears was the whistling of the wind.
After an unknown amount of time, Starlight felt the ground beneath his feet become solid again, and he slowly opened his eyes.
The sight before him made him pause—the narrow corridor and the searing flames had long since vanished, replaced by a massive cavern.
The ceiling of the cavern was studded with countless magic crystals, emitting a soft and bright glow that illuminated the entire space as if it were broad daylight.
Starlight was about to take a step when he suddenly felt a wave of imbalance, as if he had lost control over his limbs.
A top-heavy sensation instantly swept through his body, causing him to lean over involuntarily and sink to one knee on the ground.
“What... what’s happening?” Starlight murmured softly, trying to steady himself, but the intense dizziness made it difficult to concentrate.
“The first time using a teleportation formation, it’s normal for the body to struggle to adapt,” Yserazor’s voice came from the side. “You’re actually doing quite well.”
Starlight looked back and saw an exhausted Yserazor swaying as he walked toward a dark green crystal.
That crystal was identical to the one in the House of Red’s castle, its surface shimmering with an eerie light.
In the next second, Yserazor suddenly raised a massive fist and smashed it violently against the crystal.
With a crisp crack, the crystal shattered, turning into countless fragments that scattered across the floor.
Only after doing this did Yserazor seem to breathe a sigh of relief, plopping down on the ground and panting heavily.
By this time, the dizziness in Starlight’s head had finally subsided a bit. He forced himself to stand up and began to carefully observe his surroundings.
He saw his teammates sprawled out nearby, their conditions not looking very optimistic.
Po Kong and Xia Duo were leaning against each other, their faces ghastly pale as they clearly struggled through the discomfort. Lian remained unconscious, her face pale and her breathing weak.
As for Little Gold, he had fainted directly during the teleportation and was currently lying motionless on the ground.
The only one in slightly better condition was Moen. After a period of rest, although her face was still somewhat pale, she was already able to slowly stand up by bracing herself against her legs.
Rate on N.U.
