Chapter 60 - Chapter 61: The Final Clash

The air crackled with anticipation as the combined might of Chen Jiuzhang's group and Yun Tianhe faced off against the shadowy figure. The latter's form wavered, but its eyes burned with a fanatical determination, and the staff in its grasp pulsed with a malevolent, black - purple glow.​Yun Tianhe stepped forward, his blue - crystal orb - topped staff held high. "Surrender now, and I'll ensure your punishment is swift rather than eternal," he said, his voice carrying the weight of centuries of wisdom. But the shadowy figure only responded with a derisive laugh.​Suddenly, the ground began to shake violently. Cracks spiderwebbed across the chamber floor, and from the depths of the fissures, dark tendrils snaked their way out. The shadowy figure's lips curled into a triumphant sneer. "I told you I had allies. Meet the Abyssal Wraiths, creatures born from the darkest corners of the Gui Xu Secret Realm."​Dozens of translucent, ghost - like beings emerged from the cracks. Their bodies were wreathed in a mist that seemed to devour the light around them, and their hands ended in long, sharp claws that glinted menacingly. One of the wraiths let out a high - pitched screech, and the others joined in, creating a cacophony of sound that sent shivers down the spines of everyone present.​Chen Jiuzhang tightened his grip on the crystal - key. "We can't let these things stop us! Remember, we fight for the balance of the realm!" he shouted, rallying his companions.​Shen Qingluan raised the fragment of the Imperial Jade Seal, and a dome of golden light once again enveloped the group, providing a temporary shield against the initial onslaught of the Abyssal Wraiths. Zhang Chengying and Su Nian charged forward, Zhang's broken peachwood sword crackling with electricity and Su Nian's chains flying through the air, striking at the wraiths. But their attacks seemed to pass through the creatures' intangible forms with little effect.​Wu Laogou, his face pale with worry, frantically searched through his pockets for any remaining talismans. "These things are different from the ones we've faced before!" he shouted, throwing a talisman that merely dissipated upon contact with a wraith.​Yun Tianhe's eyes narrowed. "These wraiths are immune to physical attacks. We need to target their cores, the glowing orbs within their chests." With that, he waved his staff, and a beam of blue light shot out, piercing the chest of one of the wraiths. The creature let out a pained howl as its core shattered, and it dissolved into nothingness.​Taking Yun Tianhe's lead, the group adjusted their strategy. Luna sent a flurry of starlight - infused energy bolts towards the wraiths, aiming for their cores. Chen Jiuzhang channeled the power of the crystal - key, and a stream of white and black - mixed light sliced through the air, hitting several wraiths at once. Slowly but surely, they began to gain the upper hand, reducing the number of Abyssal Wraiths.​But the shadowy figure wasn't done yet. It let out a guttural scream, and a massive, swirling portal opened behind it. From the portal emerged a towering figure, its body made of pure darkness and its eyes two burning red slits. "Behold, the Dark Overlord, the true master of the shadows!" the shadowy figure cackled.​The Dark Overlord let out a roar that shook the entire chamber, and a wave of dark energy rushed towards the group, threatening to engulf them all. With the arrival of this new, powerful enemy, the final showdown for the Heart of the Realm was about to reach a whole new level of intensity.