Chapter 67 - Chapter 68: Chaos Unleashed

The chamber trembled violently as the Heart of the Realm pulsated like a beating heart gone wild. Streaks of multicolored energy shot through the air, colliding with the shadowy figure's dark attack in a shower of sparks. Chen Jiuzhang's veins bulged under the strain of channeling the overwhelming power, his vision blurring at the edges. "I... I can't hold it!" he gasped, his knees threatening to buckle.​The shadowy figure laughed maniacally, its form flickering as it poured more dark energy into its staff. "Fight it all you want, but the Heart will consume you! It belongs to the void, and I will see it returned!" Dark tendrils erupted from the ground, snaking towards the group and wrapping around their ankles.​Su Nian hacked at the tendrils with her chains, but they regenerated almost instantly. Her eyes darted to Luna, who was still weakened from taking the mist - creature's attack. "We need to do something fast! Jiuzhang is going to burn out!"​Luna gritted her teeth and forced herself to stand. Her starlight - woven gown, now a tattered mess, glowed with a faint, desperate light. "I might be able to help. But you have to trust me." She met Su Nian's skeptical gaze, and for a moment, something in her eyes made the chain - wielding warrior hesitate.​Zhang Chengying, his broken peachwood sword ablaze with the last of his electricity, charged at the shadowy figure. "You won't get away with this!" But as he swung his sword, the shadowy figure vanished, reappearing behind him and delivering a blast of dark energy that sent him crashing into the wall.​Shen Qingluan, her face pale from overexertion, held the fragment of the Imperial Jade Seal high. A golden barrier formed around Chen Jiuzhang, buying him a few precious seconds. "Wu Laogou, do you have anything that can disrupt its power?"​The old man rummaged through his pockets frantically, his hands shaking. "There's... there's one thing, but it's a long shot." He pulled out a small, black -ened amulet, its surface covered in strange symbols. "This was passed down in my family for generations. It's supposed to repel dark magic, but I've never used it before."​With a deep breath, Wu Laogou threw the amulet at the shadowy figure. It exploded on contact, sending out a shockwave of golden energy that disrupted the creature's attack and caused the dark tendrils to recoil.​Taking advantage of the distraction, Luna rushed to Chen Jiuzhang's side. "Let me in," she said, placing her hands on the crystal - key. "I know how to balance the power. The Heart of the Realm isn't just a source of destruction; it can restore as well. But we need to work together."​Su Nian watched warily, ready to intervene at a moment's notice. But as Luna closed her eyes and began to chant, a soothing wave of starlight - infused energy flowed from her hands into the key, and Chen Jiuzhang felt the raging power within him start to calm.​The shadowy figure let out a scream of rage. "No! You can't do this! The Heart is mine!" It raised its staff, and a massive black hole began to form above its head, sucking in everything around it, including the remaining mist - creatures.​As the black hole threatened to engulf the entire chamber, Chen Jiuzhang and Luna, their powers intertwined, pointed the crystal - key at the swirling abyss. A beam of pure, blinding light shot out, colliding with the darkness in a final, earth - shattering clash. The fate of the Gui Xu Secret Realm hung in the balance as the two forces fought for dominance, and the group braced themselves for the outcome.