77: Astrological guidance leads to a precarious situation.

The entrance to the underground palace was violently sealed. The chilling Aura of the Guixu Cult Black-Robed Elder and his minions, along with the stench of demonic beasts, instantly rushed over, plunging the newly kindled flame of hope into shadow. Although the ritual had been activated and the star map displayed, if they couldn't escape, everything would be an illusion.

"Guard the star map and the ritual!" Lin Xuan roared, his body moving forward instead of retreating, actively facing the enemies blocking the entrance! He knew clearly that at this moment, they absolutely could not be allowed to interfere with Su Wanqing and the Three women who were memorizing the star map, nor could the activated ritual be destroyed.

His Mid-stage Golden Core Dharma power erupted without reservation, and pale golden vital Qi shot up into the sky. Lin Xuan swung his fists, and the fist Aura, like two golden meteors, fiercely smashed toward the leading Black-Robed Elder! He had to hold back this strongest enemy.

"An ant trying to stop a cart!" The Black-Robed Elder sneered hoarsely. His withered hand stretched out, five fingers splayed, and five streaks of finger wind, black as ink and carrying the power to corrode the Divine Soul, met the fist Aura. His cultivation had reached the Peak Golden Core Late Stage, and the magnitude of his Dharma power far surpassed Lin Xuan's.

"Bang! Bang!"

The fist Aura and finger wind collided, emitting dull, thunderous sounds. Lin Xuan's body shook violently. He felt a sinister, evil force eroding along the Meridians of his arm. He groaned. The Nine Revolutions Golden Body Art circulated frantically, and the ultimate Yang vital Qi burned, barely managing to dispel the invading force, but several shallow black marks were left on his knuckles, causing a sharp pain. The gap in Realm was undeniably revealed at this moment.

At the same time, the two Mid-stage Golden Core Guixu Cultists and several twisted demonic beasts bypassed the battle group and lunged toward Su Wanqing and the Three women near the ritual!

"Your opponents are us!" Su Wanqing shouted clearly. Her ice sword traced chilling light across the sky. The Taiyin Moon Essence transformed into ice walls and ice prisms, instantly blocking and freezing the two cultists and two demonic beasts charging at the front! Although she had just endured a bitter fight, her sword momentum was unprecedentedly resolute and fierce, all to protect the hope Lin Xuan had fought for.

Qu Feiyan suppressed the weakness caused by the loss of vital essence and blood. Her Seduction Skill was fully deployed, and an invisible force field enveloped the remaining demonic beasts, causing them to fall into madness and fight amongst themselves. Her face was pale, yet she giggled flirtatiously at a cultist attempting to bypass her: "Little Brother, where are you rushing off to? Come play with older sister~" Before her voice faded, several streams of pink, fatal light silently struck the opponent's vital points.

Gongsun Yu, meanwhile, fully activated the thunder light silver ring. Bolts of lightning, like silver snakes dancing wildly, accurately struck the enemies frozen by Su Wanqing or disturbed by Qu Feiyan, finishing them off and clearing the field. Her cultivation was the weakest, but her thunder Dao technique greatly restrained evil spirits. For a time, they cooperated seamlessly and stabilized the situation.

Inside the underground palace, the battle instantly intensified. Lin Xuan clashed head-on with the Black-Robed Elder. Every exchange shook the underground palace, sending stone fragments flying. Although he was at a disadvantage, relying on his powerful Physical Body, the ultimate Yang vital Qi, and the various resistances and recovery powers provided by the System feedback, he managed to barely hold on, clinging tightly to the opponent.

Su Wanqing and the Three women relied on their exquisite coordination and slight geographical advantage to contend with the remaining enemies, fiercely guarding the central ritual and Lin Xuan (whose Clone was occupied elsewhere, his main Divine Sense focused on memorizing the star map path).

The Black-Robed Elder, unable to breach the defense for long, grew anxious seeing the star map's light intensifying. He suddenly let out a sharp shriek! The sound was like demonic music pouring into the brain, directly attacking the Divine Soul!

Lin Xuan bore the brunt of the attack. His Sea of Consciousness felt a sharp pain, and his movements involuntarily paused. The Black-Robed Elder seized the opportunity, his ghostly claw tearing through the air, aiming straight for Lin Xuan's heart meridian! If this claw landed solidly, even Lin Xuan's physique would certainly be severely injured!

"Junior Brother Lin!"

"Big Brother Lin!"

Su Wanqing and Gongsun Yu exclaimed simultaneously. They wanted to rush back to help but were fiercely pinned down by their opponents.

At this critical moment, a red figure, like a moth darting toward a flame, violently slammed between Lin Xuan and the ghostly claw!

It was Qu Feiyan! She had somehow shaken off her opponent and actually used her body as a shield, standing in front of Lin Xuan!

"Pfft—!"

The pitch-black ghostly claw fiercely struck Qu Feiyan's back! The protective Seduction Light around her instantly shattered, her red dress was torn, revealing five terrifying wounds, deep enough to see bone and surrounded by black Qi! She violently spat out a large mouthful of fresh blood, which strangely contained tiny ice crystals and pink light. Her face instantly turned ashen, and her Aura was like a candle flickering in the wind.

"Senior Sister Qu!" Lin Xuan's eyes were splitting with rage. He embraced her soft, collapsing body, feeling her vitality rapidly draining away. An unprecedented panic and fury surged in his heart! He frantically channeled Dharma power into her body, trying to stabilize her injuries.

Qu Feiyan leaned in his arms, struggling to lift her hand, seemingly wanting to touch his cheek, but it fell down weakly. Only a faint, threadlike voice came: "Little Brother Lin... this time... older sister... really took a loss..." She tried to flash her usual seductive smile, but it pulled at her wounds, turning into a painful spasm, and her eyes gradually lost focus.

"No—!" Lin Xuan let out a low roar, his eyes instantly turning bloodshot! He carefully laid Qu Feiyan flat on the ground, then abruptly turned, looking at the Black-Robed Elder, his gaze as cold as eternal ice!

"You deserve to die!"

An Aura far more ferocious than before erupted from Lin Xuan's body! His Golden Core spun wildly, the immortal abode pivot token shone brightly, even drawing upon the power of the underground palace ritual! He held nothing back, forcibly imprinting the just-memorized star map path into his mind, and immediately threw his entire focus into the battle!

He no longer dodged, but met attack with attack! Fists, palms, fingers, legs—every part of his body became a weapon of slaughter. The ultimate Yang vital Qi and Golden Core Dharma power, mixed with towering rage, poured down upon the Black-Robed Elder like a violent storm!

The Black-Robed Elder was intimidated by Lin Xuan's sudden madness and surging Aura. For a moment, he was forced to retreat step by step, his body accumulating several charred fist marks and burn traces.

Su Wanqing and Gongsun Yu also erupted with greater strength due to Qu Feiyan's severe injuries. Their sword light and thunder became more intense, actually forcing their respective opponents into a chaotic scramble.

However, the Black-Robed Elder was ultimately a veteran Late Golden Core Stage expert. He quickly stabilized the situation and sneered, "A spent force! Let's see how long you can last!" He summoned a black soul banner, and countless resentful souls shrieked out, instantly filling the underground palace with ghostly Qi.

Lin Xuan was worried about Qu Feiyan's injuries and knew they couldn't stay here long. He suddenly punched the Black-Robed Elder back and shouted to Su Wanqing and Gongsun Yu: "Go! Take Senior Sister Qu, follow the star map guidance, I will cover the retreat!"

He fully activated the immortal abode pivot token. Pure light wrapped around the core star marrow gold of the ritual, forcibly retrieving it. Simultaneously, a powerful spatial fluctuation erupted from the ritual, temporarily disrupting the space inside the underground palace!

"Don't even think about it!" The Black-Robed Elder roared, and the soul banner swept toward Lin Xuan.

Lin Xuan neither dodged nor avoided, but actively charged toward the soul banner, while fiercely throwing the piece of star marrow gold toward Su Wanqing: "Hurry and go!"

Su Wanqing caught the star marrow gold. Looking at Lin Xuan, who was facing the soul banner and the Black-Robed Elder alone, a trace of resolute pain flashed in her icy eyes, but she knew this was no time to hesitate. She picked up the unconscious Qu Feiyan and shouted to Gongsun Yu: "Go!"

Gongsun Yu nodded tearfully. The two transformed into streaks of light, following the star map path transmitted by Lin Xuan's Divine Sense, rushing toward an extremely unstable spatial vortex that had quietly appeared on the other side of the underground palace due to the ritual's activation!

Lin Xuan endured a blow from the soul banner, spitting out a mouthful of fresh blood, and used the force of the recoil to also rush toward the spatial vortex.

"Where do you think you're escaping to!" The Black-Robed Elder followed closely behind, his ghostly claw striking again!

Just as Lin Xuan was about to disappear into the vortex, he abruptly turned back, pouring all his remaining Dharma power into the immortal abode pivot token. A pure light, unprecedentedly brilliant and like a sharp sword, fiercely slashed toward the pursuing Black-Robed Elder!

"Boom!"

The pure light and the ghostly claw collided again, triggering a violent explosion, and the entire underground palace began to collapse!

The spatial vortex instantly closed after Lin Xuan disappeared into it.

The Black-Robed Elder was halted for a moment by the explosion, and could only watch helplessly as the four disappeared. He was furious, stomping in rage, but could only face the continuously collapsing underground palace... After a moment of dizzying disorientation, Lin Xuan heavily crashed onto the hard ground, spitting out another mouthful of fresh blood. He endured his injuries and immediately looked around.

Su Wanqing and Gongsun Yu were unharmed and were looking at him anxiously. Qu Feiyan lay nearby, her Aura weak, and the black Qi at her wound was still spreading.

Lin Xuan struggled to crawl over, grasping Qu Feiyan's cold hand, feeling her faint pulse. His heart was filled with lingering fear and an indescribable emotion. This time, she had gambled her life to win back his vitality, and it also allowed him to see certain things clearly.

He raised his head, looking at this new, unknown, but temporarily safe space. His gaze fell upon the faces of Su Wanqing and Gongsun Yu, which were similarly etched with worry and affection.

The road ahead remained unknown, but some bonds, forged between life and death, were now unbreakable.