58: Battle of the Stone Temple (Part 2)

Inside the stone hall, Nangong Wan and the Ink Flood Dragon's struggle had reached a fever pitch.

The Vermillion Bird Ring glowed red, and each collision with the Ink Flood Dragon's Demonic Qi made Nangong Wan's already injured body even more overwhelmed.

She bit her silver teeth, and an unnatural flush appeared on her beautiful face due to the rapid consumption of spiritual power.

This Ink Flood Dragon was not only thick-skinned and tough-fleshed, but its Demonic Qi was also strangely profound, far beyond what ordinary second-tier Yao Beasts could compare to.

“Pfft!”

After another head-on clash, Nangong Wan only felt a sweetness in her throat, and a trace of blood spilled from the corner of her mouth.

She forcibly suppressed her churning Qi and blood, and a hint of anxiety flashed in her beautiful eyes.

If this continued, before she could exhaust this beast to death, she would probably be the first to run out of spiritual power.

She glanced at Lin Feng, who was sitting cross-legged “adjusting his breath” not far away; he still had his eyes tightly closed, his face as pale as paper, seemingly gravely injured.

Nangong Wan sighed lightly in her heart, after all, he was only a Qi Refinement Stage Cultivator; she couldn't fully rely on him.

Just as her thoughts raced, contemplating a way to escape, and even preparing to use some secret technique at any cost, Lin Feng, behind her, stirred.

She only heard him let out a muffled groan, and then he “struggled” to stand up from the ground, his body swaying slightly.

“Nangong Senior…”

Lin Feng's voice was hoarse and weak, as if he had used all his strength.

Nangong Wan turned her head at the sound, only to see Lin Feng trembling as he fumbled in his Storage Pouch, finally pulling out a… golden, glittering brick?

The brick was about the size of a palm, entirely crimson gold, and its surface seemed to be carved with some intricate patterns, emitting an air of lavishness like a parvenu under the dim light of the stone hall.

Nangong Wan was slightly startled, what was this? It didn't look like a Magical Artifact, but rather an ordinary gold ingot.

Lin Feng, however, held this “gold brick” in his palm, took a deep breath, and a look of determination appeared on his face.

“Nangong Senior! This Yao Beast is fierce, Junior… cough cough… Junior still has a Talisman Treasure here, its power is decent, but it's not easy to activate; please Senior, hold it off for a while longer, wait for me to… cough… gather power for a strike!”

He coughed a few times as he spoke, as if he would collapse at any moment.

Nangong Wan's heart stirred upon hearing this.

However, looking at his current state, could he still successfully activate the Talisman Treasure?

But there was no better option available now.

“Good! You be careful!” Nangong Wan made a decisive decision, letting out a soft cry, and the Vermillion Bird Ring's light surged, forcefully attracting the Ink Flood Dragon's attention to herself.

Seeing Nangong Wan cooperate decisively, Lin Feng secretly praised her in his heart, but on the surface, he looked like he was concentrating on Qi Gathering.

He held the [99K Pure Gold Brick] from the System Mall in one hand, muttering incantations, while the other hand formed a strange hand seal, and fine beads of sweat seeped from his forehead.

The light on the gold brick grew brighter and brighter, and an astonishing spiritual power fluctuation emanated from it, far exceeding that of ordinary Magical Artifacts.

The Ink Flood Dragon also seemed to sense the threat, its momentum attacking Nangong Wan paused slightly, and its giant lantern-like eyes looked at Lin Feng warily.

Nangong Wan was delighted at the sight, thinking: “This Talisman Treasure looks incredibly powerful! If it can hit a vital spot, it will definitely severely wound this beast!”

She was afraid the Ink Flood Dragon would dodge or interrupt Lin Feng's spell casting.

With this thought, a hint of determination flashed in Nangong Wan's eyes.

She suddenly opened her mouth and actually spewed a small ball of crimson essence blood onto the Vermillion Bird Ring in front of her!

“Buzz!”

The Vermillion Bird Ring absorbed Nangong Wan's essence blood, its red light instantly became several times more intense, emitting a high-pitched Phoenix cry, and its volume also swelled by a circle.

“Bind!”

Nangong Wan pointed her delicate hand, and the greatly expanded Vermillion Bird Ring, like a fiery red chain, whistled and wrapped around the Ink Flood Dragon with lightning speed.

The Ink Flood Dragon was being intimidated by the aura of the gold brick Talisman Treasure and didn't react for a moment.

“Awoo!”

It let out a roar of shock and anger, its massive body tightly bound layer by layer by the Vermillion Bird Ring, unable to break free for a moment.

“Nangong Senior, get out of the way!”

Just then, Lin Feng shouted loudly, the light of the gold brick Talisman Treasure in his hand had condensed to its extreme, transforming into a dazzling golden meteor, carrying an irresistible might, and smashed directly towards the trapped Ink Flood Dragon's head!

Nangong Wan was overjoyed to see the astonishing power of the Talisman Treasure Lin Feng was wielding, and she quickly retreated backward as instructed.

She had already given her all; now it depended on Lin Feng's strike!

Lin Feng's heart, however, sank slightly at the sight.

He had intentionally not communicated the detailed cooperation with Nangong Wan in advance, precisely because he was afraid she would control the Ink Flood Dragon to death.

His gold brick Talisman Treasure indeed had considerable power; if it hit the bound Ink Flood Dragon's vital spot, it might truly be a one-shot kill.

Now that Nangong Wan had bound it, the Ink Flood Dragon couldn't move, wouldn't his gold brick smashing down mean an early finish?

No, the plan had to change!

As his thoughts raced, after Lin Feng threw out the gold brick Talisman Treasure, the fingers of his hand hidden in his sleeve moved imperceptibly, and an extremely subtle hand seal was quietly cast, entering the Ink Flood Dragon's body.

The Demonic Qi within the Ink Flood Dragon's body instantly became incomparably violent, actually stimulating some kind of potential!

“Roar—!!!”

The Ink Flood Dragon let out an earth-shattering, furious roar, and a surge of dark green Demonic Qi shot up into the sky around its body, its massive frame shaking violently!

“Crack! Crack!”

Nangong Wan's Vermillion Bird Ring, activated by her essence blood, actually let out a groan of distress under this sudden immense force, several fine cracks appeared on its surface, and its light rapidly dimmed.

“Pfft!”

Nangong Wan felt as if she had been struck hard, spitting out another mouthful of fresh blood, her face instantly turning as pale as paper.

The Vermillion Bird Ring was connected to her mind, and when it was damaged, she also suffered a considerable backlash.

And the Ink Flood Dragon took this opportunity to violently shake its head.

“Boom!”

The gold brick Talisman Treasure barely grazed the Ink Flood Dragon's head, heavily smashing onto its hard back!

Sparks flew, and scales scattered!

The Ink Flood Dragon cried out in agony, a several-foot-sized dent was smashed into its back, and dark green blood gushed out.

Although it was seriously injured, it clearly did not damage its fundamental vital points.

After one strike, the gold brick Talisman Treasure's light dissipated, turning into an ordinary gold brick, which fell to the ground with a “clank.”

“How could this be?!” Nangong Wan looked at the near-failure situation, feeling the even more severe injuries in her body due to the backlash, and a deep sense of powerlessness and despair surged in her heart.

She turned to look at Lin Feng, only to see that after he unleashed the Talisman Treasure, he “plop” knelt on one knee, his face ashen, threads of black blood oozing from the corner of his mouth, his aura extremely weak, as if all his essence, Qi, and spirit had been drained by that one strike.

“Lin Feng!” Nangong Wan exclaimed.

She understood; it must be that Lin Feng had forcibly activated the Talisman Treasure, and he was already at the end of his rope, perhaps even having damaged his Origin.

And she, not only failed to help, but because of her rash action, disrupted his rhythm, causing him to forcibly activate the Talisman Treasure.

A thick sense of self-reproach surged into Nangong Wan's heart.

She looked at Lin Feng's appearance, which seemed to have burned out, her eyes filled with guilt.

“Lin Feng, enough! Really enough! Thank you for your help today!” Nangong Wan's voice trembled slightly, but her tone was unusually firm, “If you acknowledge me as your Senior, then quickly break the Restriction and lead the Yanyue Sect Disciples out through the entrance! I will block this beast!”

She took a deep breath, and a hint of determination to die flashed in her eyes.

Today, she was probably doomed.

But no matter what, she couldn't let Lin Feng also perish here just to save her!

Lin Feng heard this, slowly raised his head, and looked deeply at Nangong Wan with a complex, unreadable gaze.

He didn't speak, just nodded silently.

Then, he struggled to get up from the ground, his body staggering as he flew towards the entrance of the stone hall.

Nangong Wan watched Lin Feng leave, and the last stone in her heart finally fell into place.

Soon, a series of “rumbling” muffled sounds came from the entrance of the stone hall, as if Lin Feng was attacking the Restriction there, trying to open a passage.

Nangong Wan completely relaxed.

She turned around and once again faced the Ink Flood Dragon, which was even more enraged due to its injuries.

At this moment, only coldness remained in her eyes.

“Beast!” Nangong Wan cried out, and the remaining spiritual power in her body erupted without reservation, the damaged Vermillion Bird Ring once again glowed brightly red, emitting an unyielding Phoenix cry.