NFBE Chapter 583
Chapter 583
Everyone held their breath, staring at the enormous black shadow rising from the center of the altar.
It has no fixed form, as if it were formed from the purest darkness and malice. Its mere existence causes the surrounding air to freeze, the light to distort, and the space to groan under its unbearable burden.
"Back off!"
Zhang Qilin shouted sharply, and the Black Gold Ancient Blade was already unsheathed, transforming into a black lightning bolt to meet the attack first.
However, the blade, sharp enough to cleave metal, struck the shadowy figure, but it vanished without a trace, like a mud ox sinking into the sea, without even a ripple.
A blurry giant claw emerged from the shadows, seemingly slow, yet precisely striking Zhang Qilin's chest.
"boom!"
With a muffled thud, Zhang Qilin flew back like a kite with a broken string, crashing heavily onto the cold rock wall. Blood spilled from the corner of his mouth, and the black gold ancient sword fell from his hand to the ground with a crisp sound.
"Bro!"
Wu Tianzhen and the fat man exclaimed in surprise and attacked at the same time.
The fat man's gun spat fire, but the bullets pierced through the shadows and struck the altar behind him, leaving faint white marks.
Xie Xiaohua's throwing knife disappeared without a trace, as if it had shot into the void.
The shadowy figure seemed to be enraged, letting out a silent shriek that directly affected everyone's souls, causing them to have splitting headaches and freeze instantly.
It arrived like a ghost, its tentacled dark aura enveloping everyone.
"You wicked creature! Cease your rampage!"
Zhang Hao's expression was solemn. He formed a hand seal, and his body surged with energy. A blazing golden light transformed into a sharp sword and slashed towards the dark figure.
This was a strike he unleashed using his bloodline, enough to purify ordinary evil spirits.
However, the golden sword melted away as quickly as ice and snow meeting the blazing sun the moment it touched the shadow!
A wisp of black energy pierced through Zhang Hao's protective energy with superhuman speed, striking him hard in the chest.
"puff--"
Zhang Hao's body trembled violently, he spat out a mouthful of blood, staggered back several steps, and for the first time, an incredulous look of horror appeared on his face.
Since obtaining the All Things Fusion System, he has traversed all realms and has never suffered such a serious injury.
The power level of this dark figure completely exceeded his expectations!
The shadowy figure seemed to have identified Zhang Hao as the greatest threat, and its main body transformed into a gigantic, all-consuming dark maw, which descended upon the injured Zhang Hao.
The shadow of death descended instantly. Everyone was stunned by the terrifying pressure, unable to move even a finger, their eyes filled with despair.
At this critical moment——
"Roar--!!!"
A roar that seemed to come from the primordial era suddenly exploded from Zhang Hao's body!
The roar was filled with supreme majesty and power, instantly dispelling the soul suppression brought by the dark figure.
A bright light shone from Zhang Hao's chest, and his scorching blood and qi erupted like a volcano, unleashing a massive, blood-red figure wreathed in golden Dao patterns!
The First Qilin!
It resembles a giant lion, with deer antlers on its head, dragon scales covering its body, clouds rising from its hooves, and flames burning all over its body as if they could incinerate the void.
Its eyes were like two blazing suns, filled with an aura of antiquity, nobility, and dominance.
The moment the First Qilin appeared, the ancient pressure of the entire underground cavern was replaced by its regal aura. Its boundless life force and fluctuations of laws made everyone present feel as insignificant as ants.
The First Qilin glared at the massive, dark maw, a hint of anger flashing in its eyes.
It didn't even make any extra movements; it simply opened its huge mouth and sucked hard at the dark shadow!
An irresistible devouring force was generated. The terrifying black shadow that had rendered everyone helpless and severely injured Zhang Hao let out a shrill and twisted invisible shriek. As if it had encountered its nemesis, it was torn apart and stretched without any resistance, and finally turned into strands of pure dark energy, which were swallowed into the belly of the Qilin.
The whole process happened in the blink of an eye.
The underground cavern returned to silence, with only the faint crackling of the flames burning around the Primordial Qilin and the heavy breathing of the group.
"The knot... is over?"
The fat man slumped to the ground, wiping away a bead of cold sweat.
Xie Xiaohua helped the injured Zhang Qilin, while Wu Tianzhen quickly ran to Zhang Hao's side.
"Brother Hao, how are you?"
Zhang Hao suppressed his shock, shook his head, and looked solemnly at the altar:
"It's not over yet."
As if to prove his words, the center of the altar shook violently again, and this time, the black shadow that surged out was several times more powerful than the one before!
Its form became more solid, and the malice it emitted almost materialized, causing the surrounding ice to crack and melt.
The First Qilin let out a deep roar, seemingly sensing the challenge as well.
Its four hooves pounded the fire as it charged towards the second dark figure.
This time, the battle was no longer a one-sided massacre.
The shadowy figure conjured countless ferocious weapons and tentacles, colliding with the flames and claws surrounding the Primordial Qilin, producing a deafening roar. Energy shockwaves spread in all directions, causing the entire underground cavern to shake.
Finally, the Primordial Qilin erupted once more, its Dao patterns shining brightly, transforming into a massive vortex of laws that forcefully ground down and devoured the even stronger black shadow.
However, after devouring it, the figure of the Primordial Qilin was noticeably dimmer. It glanced back at Zhang Hao, then transformed into a stream of light and disappeared back into Zhang Hao's body.
No one dared to delay, and they rushed toward the altar during the brief interval.
The altar was constructed of a black material that was neither gold nor jade, and its surface was covered with strange runes that had never been seen before. These runes seemed to be slowly flowing, and looking at them for too long would make one dizzy.
In the center of the altar was a sunken pool, empty yet emanating the strongest ominous aura, clearly the origin of the two dark figures.
On the walls surrounding the altar, they discovered a series of ancient murals.
"Naive, quickly look at what it says here!"
Zhang Hao urged, while cautiously observing the indentation in the center of the altar.
Despite her discomfort, Wu Tianzhen carefully deciphered the murals composed of strange symbols and abstract patterns.
His face grew paler and paler, his voice trembling:
"The murals say... this is not the place where the ancient gods slumber, but... the place of sealing!"
It seals away a portion of the remains and will of an 'ancient god' who was dismembered and suppressed in ancient times.
Those dark shadows... weren't complete consciousness at all, but merely wisps of... lingering resentment occasionally escaping from the sealed remains of ancient gods!
"A sliver of regret?!"
The fat man screamed, his eyes nearly bulging out of their sockets:
"What a joke! A mere wisp of remnant life almost wiped us all out?! Even Brother Hao and that Qilin..."
Jie Xiaohua also gasped:
"If even a wisp of remnant spirit is this terrifying, how powerful must the sealed ancient god's true form be? It's simply unimaginable!"
Zhang Qilin wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, his eyes more solemn than ever before.
Zhang Hao stroked his still throbbing chest, staring at the bottomless depression in the center of the altar, his heart filled with turmoil.
Even a wisp of lingering remnant spirit is already so powerful; if the seal were to loosen, the ancient god's true power would be revealed, and he might even break free...
That would be a disaster for the entire world.
Only now did they truly realize that the secret at the core of Kunlun Mountain was far from the opportunity or treasure they had initially imagined, but rather a slumbering, terrifying entity capable of destroying everything.
The road ahead seemed to be instantly shrouded in endless darkness.