Choose Liu Bei at the start, I am the only one who knows the plot of the Three Kingdoms.

However, after breaking through the bone hammer's obstruction and energy barrier, especially the enormous burden brought by burning life force, the light of the sword rainbow that Gu Rubing had transformed into had dimmed by more than half, and its momentum was far less unstoppable than at the beginning.

"puff!"

Carrying this remaining, yet still unwavering, power, the tip of the longsword finally succeeded in piercing the pulsating, terrifyingly evil crystal!

But... it only penetrated halfway! The sword got stuck inside the crystal, failing to shatter it completely in one strike!
“Buzz——!!!”

The Evil Heart Crystal, having suffered such a severe blow, suddenly emitted an extremely violent tremor, like that of a dying beast!
The surface of the crystal was instantly covered with countless cracks, centered on the point where the sword was inserted!
Its originally regular pulsation became completely chaotic and frantic, and the dark red light it emitted flickered wildly and was extremely unstable, like a lamp with poor contact!
"Rumble...!"

The entire hall shook even more violently, and the fleshy pillars embedded with wailing souls on the dome began to crack, with large chunks of rubble and ash falling like raindrops! The evil array patterns on the ground flickered erratically.

"what!"

"puff!"

Those dark purple-robed sorcerers who were closely connected to the evil crystal through energy channels were struck as if by an invisible giant hammer the moment the crystal was damaged. They screamed and spat out mouthfuls of foul blood. Their evil power collapsed instantly, and they collapsed to the ground as if their bones had been removed, suffering extremely severe backlash from the evil magic!

However... the crisis is not over!
Although the evil crystal was severely damaged, covered in cracks, and its light flickered, it... was not completely broken!
It was still struggling. The dark red evil energy inside the crystal seemed to have a life of its own, and it was trying to wriggle and repair the cracks. Its tenacious vitality was frightening!
"Protect the Holy Crystal!!"

The Bone Armor Guardian managed to withstand Guan Yu's Green Dragon Crescent Blade, which nearly cleaved him in two, with his bare shoulders, relying solely on his insane willpower.
Recklessly abandoning Guan Yu, like a runaway siege engine, it charged madly towards Gu Rubing, who was still hanging on the crystal!

At almost the same time, the Shadow Guardian abandoned Ma Chao, who was entangled with him, and his figure completely transformed into a twisted and uncertain thick black smoke, carrying a chilling cold that freezes the soul and a piercing shriek, sweeping towards the exhausted Gu Rubing like a ghost!

At this moment, the two strongest guardians chose to disregard everything and vowed to tear this human who posed a deadly threat to the Holy Crystal to shreds!
As Gu Rubing hung on the crystal, the aftereffects of burning his life force struck him violently. He felt as if his meridians were being torn apart inch by inch, the pain was unbearable, his qi and blood were depleted, and he almost lost the strength to even hold the hilt of his sword.

Faced with the two guardians rushing towards him, a hint of helplessness and determination flashed in his eyes, and he had already prepared for the worst.

At this critical moment, when life and death were decided!
"call out--!"

An arrow that seemed plain and unadorned, without even much dazzling light, seemed to break through the limitations of space and silently shot towards us from an extremely tricky and almost impossible angle!

It's Huang Zhong!
He had somehow rushed deeper into the main hall, disregarding his own safety, and closed the distance to the limit of his shooting range!
This arrow embodies his life's work, all his understanding of the way to vanquish evil, and his unwavering will to protect his comrades and annihilate demons!

It skillfully bypassed the falling debris, passed through the gaps in the chaotic crowd, and avoided all the turbulent energy flows!

It did not shoot at any enemy; its target was none other than the hilt of the longsword deeply embedded in the evil crystal!
"Ding--!"

A crisp sound, so faint it was almost drowned out by the noise of the battlefield!

However, the extremely refined, pure, and unyielding power of the arrow, which was contained in the arrow, was like the last straw that broke the camel's back. It was transmitted to the sword with perfect precision and force, and through the sword, it blasted into the evil crystal that was already on the verge of collapse without reservation!
The evil crystal, already riddled with cracks and its energy was in a state of extreme chaos and rage, could no longer withstand the final blow from both inside and outside!
"boom!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

In the next instant, a terrifying roar, as if the heavens and earth were being created or the world was ending, suddenly erupted!

The evil crystal that was suspended above the blood pool and held together the entire Guzang Evil Array exploded completely!
Countless dark red crystal fragments, imbued with destructive power, shot out like billions of shooting stars at supersonic speeds towards every corner of the hall! Wherever the fragments passed, space seemed to distort and burn!
The first to be hit were the Bone Armor Guardian and the Shadow Guardian who were charging at them!
"Do not--!!!"

The Bone Armor Guardian only had time to let out a desperate roar filled with endless fear and resentment before his massive body was instantly pierced by hundreds of fragments of fel energy!
His hard bone armor was like paper in front of the fragments containing the evil energy of the crystal source. His whole body was like a tattered cloth being set on fire. Amidst the shrill and inhuman screams, it quickly melted and disintegrated, turning into a pool of writhing black filth!

The black smoke formed by the Shadow Guardian was as if it had encountered its nemesis. Under the impact of the fragments of evil energy, it made a hissing sound and instantly became riddled with holes. A piercing shriek came from the black smoke, and then it quickly dissipated and vanished like ice and snow under the sun, leaving no trace!

Those sorcerers, dark gold guards, and various magical creations that were closer to the explosion's epicenter fell down in droves, like harvested wheat!

Whether it is flesh and blood or energy structure, it is extremely fragile in the face of the destructive energy of the crystal explosion. It is instantly torn apart, vaporized, or corroded into twisted debris by evil energy!

A violent fel energy shockwave followed closely behind the fragments, spreading wildly in all directions like a tsunami!
Gu Rubing, who was the first to be hit, felt an irresistible force slam into his back. The longsword hanging on the crystal slipped from his hand instantly, and he was thrown away like a kite with a broken string.
He spat out a mouthful of blood mixed with fragments of internal organs in mid-air, and finally slammed heavily like a broken sack onto a still-pulsating pillar of flesh and blood in the distance with a muffled thud, before sliding to the ground, his fate unknown.

With the earth-shattering explosion of the Evil Heart Crystal, it was as if some foundation that sustained the existence of this Demon Realm Palace was instantly severed!

On the floor of the entire hall, the evil array patterns that originally flowed with dark red light like blood vessels suddenly flickered violently a few times as if their source had been cut off. Then, they receded rapidly like a tide, completely extinguished and dimmed, and could no longer draw any energy!

The enormous blood pool in the center, having lost the pull of the crystal energy, seemed to lose its vitality. The churning bubbles rapidly diminished, eventually fading into silence, leaving only a nauseating stench that still lingered.

The terrifying pillars of flesh that supported the dome, forcibly fused together with blood, flesh, and soul, rapidly withered, dried up, and turned black at a speed visible to the naked eye.
The countless pained faces embedded on the surface seemed to have been released, turning into wisps of smoke and dissipating into the air with a sigh of relief. The entire fleshy pillar then shattered inch by inch, as if it had undergone millions of years of weathering, turning into ashes and falling down in a flurry!
The evil heart is shattered! The core of the massive evil array that Guzang City relied on to sustain itself and cover the surrounding area has been completely destroyed!
The remaining Penglai defenders who were still fighting and resisting fiercely—whether they were the Dark Gold Guards or the Divine Marchers—seemed to have their backbone and some kind of mental control removed at this moment!
The numb and fanatical glint in their eyes dimmed and dissipated instantly, replaced by an extreme sense of bewilderment and helplessness!
Their movements became stiff and hesitant, their formation instantly collapsed, and they spun around in place like headless flies. Some even dropped their weapons and made incomprehensible hoarse noises.

At this moment, with the sound of the evil crystal exploding, the scales of victory finally and irreversibly tipped in favor of Gu Rubing!
The devastating explosion of the Evil Heart Crystal not only destroyed the energy center, but the exploding fragments and violent shockwaves also almost wiped out the remaining high-level forces of Penglai in the main hall! Two of the three strongest guardians died and one was seriously injured, the core deep purple-robed evil sorcerers were either dead or crippled, and the elite guards also suffered heavy losses.

Without unified command, coordination, and most importantly, the blessing of evil magic, the remaining Penglai army was plunged into chaos, leaderless and fighting their own battles.

This ebb and flow! In contrast, Gu Rubing's army's morale soared to its peak like a volcanic eruption!

"Cough cough..."

Gu Rubing endured the excruciating pain that felt as if his internal organs were shifting, as well as the extreme weakness brought on by burning his life potential. He used the longsword that had been with him for many years but was now covered in cracks to hold the ground firmly, stubbornly and little by little supporting his battered body.

Blood still clung to the corner of his mouth, and his face was as pale as paper, but his eyes shone with an unwavering and sharp light, like stars tempered by fire!

He glanced at the collapsing enemy troops before him, then looked at the soldiers beside him who, though also suffering heavy casualties, had burning eyes, and issued his final command in a hoarse voice that seemed to contain immense power.

"Fellow soldiers! The evil formation has been broken, and the demon leader has been slain! The moment to wipe out the remaining enemies and restore Guzang is here! Kill—!"

"kill!!!"

"Reclaim Guzang!"

"Avenge your dead brothers!"

The surviving soldiers, whether generals or ordinary soldiers, erupted with long-suppressed roars and howls that shook the entire hall!
All the weariness and pain seemed to be dispelled by the dawn of victory and the flames of revenge!

Like tigers descending from the mountain or dragons emerging from the sea, they launched a final, thunderous charge against the remaining enemies who were plunged into chaos, panic, and even despair!

"I, Guan, hereby surrender the evil spirits!"

Guan Yu's phoenix eyes flashed with cold light. Although his shoulder was also injured by the Bone Armor Guardian's dying counterattack, he still wielded the Azure Dragon Blade like a wheel. The azure blade energy was invincible, specifically targeting the small enemy leaders who were still trying to gather and resist.

"Hahaha! That's great! Die!"

Covered in blood, Zhang Fei fought with increasing ferocity. His eighteen-foot spear, like a black storm of death, charged left and right through the chaotic enemy ranks. Each roar shattered the courage of a group of enemies, and each swing of the spear cleared an area.

Zhao Yun's silver armor was stained with blood, but his bright silver spear remained as agile as ever. He led the White Horse Cavalry, who were still able to fight, like a highly efficient killing machine, precisely cutting and piercing the enemy's formation, completely nipping any attempt to reorganize in the bud.

Ma Chao's spear moved like a dragon, showcasing the ferocity of the Xiliang cavalry to the fullest. Even when dismounted and fighting on foot, his spear technique remained ruthless and swift, specifically targeting and killing elite guards with superior strength.

Even the veteran general Huang Zhong abandoned his longbow, drew his sword from his waist, and fought alongside ordinary soldiers. His swordsmanship was skillful and his momentum was as strong as ever!
Without the protection of the evil formation, without the command of the guardians, and without the evil energy that controlled their actions, these remaining elite guards and divine soldiers, though still fierce individually, were no longer able to organize any effective resistance.

They were quickly divided and surrounded by Gu Rubing's army, whose morale was soaring, and then mercilessly annihilated under the furious swords and spears!

The battle, like a wildfire, quickly spread from the core hall to the entire governor's mansion! The remaining Penglai garrison within the mansion was utterly powerless to stop this torrent of revenge, suffering defeat after defeat, with almost all of them killed or wounded.

Immediately afterwards, news of the victory and the explosion of the evil crystal spread like wildfire throughout the entire city of Guzang!
Without the energy supply from the evil crystals, the grotesque moss covering the city walls, which wriggled like living creatures, withered, turned black, and fell off at a visible speed!
The engraved runes lost their luster and became like ordinary markings.

The dark green, bubbling venom in the moat seemed to have lost its source of activity; its toxicity began to weaken, and its color became turbid and dull.

The evil magic towers that stood throughout the city, constantly spewing fel energy to interfere, were as if their spines had been removed, and they dimmed and collapsed one after another, turning into piles of smoky ruins!
"The evil formation has been broken! Our lord has succeeded! Charge into the city!"

Upon hearing this news, Gu Rubing's troops, who were still entangled with the Penglai defenders outside the city, were greatly encouraged and cheered loudly!

Their previously somewhat sluggish offensive suddenly became incredibly fierce, launching a final, devastating attack on the already demoralized camps and sections of the city wall!

Upon learning that the core had been destroyed, all the high-ranking officials had perished, and the evil formation had collapsed, the morale of the Penglai army within the city, which had been barely maintained, instantly crumbled completely!

Large numbers of the guerrillas and junior officers lost their will to fight and began to flee en masse, or abandon their weapons and surrender on their knees!
Only a very small number of die-hards were still putting up a last stand, but they were quickly swallowed up by the overwhelming tide of Gu Rubing's army that swept across the city and were mercilessly slaughtered!

A thorough and massive purge targeting the remaining forces of Penglai unfolded fiercely in every street and building of Guzang City, lasting for a full day and night! (End of Chapter)