The Witcher: Start with the Lord Marrying a Wife.

Chapter 557 Shared Tactics Warfare Corrodes the Heart

Amy gripped her hand tightly, and blue and purple light collided fiercely between them.

"Hold on!" Amy shouted, her voice almost drowned out by the roar of energy. "We're about to succeed!"

At this critical moment, David suddenly leaped off the altar and ran wildly toward the black vortex.

His figure grew smaller and smaller in the wind and snow, until it was completely swallowed up by the purple light.

"David!" Amy's call echoed through the wind and snow, but there was no response.

The light on the altar reached its peak, and then suddenly went out.

The black vortex in the distance also disappeared, leaving only a huge ice hole, proving what had happened there.

The wind and snow gradually subsided, and the night sky returned to darkness.

Everyone stood silently on the altar, with only Liliana's faint sobs standing out clearly in the silence.

Amy stared in the direction David had disappeared, her staff hanging limply in her hand.

A tear slid down her cheek and froze into an ice crystal the moment it touched the ground.

Dawn arrived silently in the far north.

Night fell once more, and the far northern wilderness was shrouded in endless cold.

The wind and snow cut through the air like sharp blades, and the icy chill permeated the air, dyeing everything in the world with a solemn and deep silver-gray.

Under the dim starlight, the snowflakes, like countless broken silver fragments, tumbled in the wind and fell onto the frozen earth and broken rocks.

Outside the camp, the shadows in the distance grew longer, and a mysterious and eerie atmosphere slowly spread from the depths of darkness.

That place was known as the "Shadow Rift of the Abyss"—a point where chaotic laws dissipated, and a place that everyone feared and dreaded the most.

There, space was distorted and unpredictable, like a black vortex constantly spinning and devouring light and order.

Inside the tent, David sat quietly at the center of the totem rune array. His gaze was as deep and solemn as the night sky. At this moment, cold sweat was slightly visible on his forehead, but his expression remained firm.

He placed his hands on his knees, with faint blue ripples of spiritual energy appearing in his palms. This was the "Chaos Resonance Technique" he had just mastered—an ancient secret method that could reverse-analyze and trace the source of the frequency of chaotic energy.

Lena stood to the side, her eyes fixed on the complex waveform graph on the floating screen. The flickering data points were like a lighthouse in a chaotic ocean, guiding them.

“Based on the characteristics of the resonance waveform,” Lena said softly, “we have successfully located the spatial coordinates of the resonance source, which is in a very strange location—right at the edge of the Abyss Shadow Rift.”

David frowned. He raised his hand and gently touched the gray-white patch on his left arm. The patch seemed to sense the transmission of information and trembled slightly.

“That place…” he murmured, “is the place where darkness and order clash most fiercely, and it is also the place that our people have historically been most reluctant to intervene in.”

The wind howled incessantly outside the window, causing the tent flap to flutter several times.

A sense of oppression seeped into everyone's chest through the air, making their breathing short and heavy.

It felt like there were two invisible giant eyes watching their every move, constantly spying and judging them.

Amy walked slowly to David's side, raised her hand and gently grasped his shoulder, conveying comfort with her warmth.

“The closer we get, the more dangerous it becomes, but the greater our chance of cutting off the enemy’s advance,” she whispered. “This pursuit must be cautious yet decisive; there is no turning back.”

Zelllos stood at the tent entrance, sword drawn, his eyes fixed on the entrance to the crevices in the dark sky, which appeared and disappeared, twisting and swaying like snakes.

His face was ashen, and every wrinkle on his brow seemed to radiate an ever-growing unease.

“This path is fraught with intrigue and traps,” he warned. “The enemy is using the Shadow Council’s energy to obscure the entrance, rendering conventional detection completely ineffective.”

We must rely on David's unique bloodline energy and resonance techniques to break through the fog.

Liliana then presented an ancient talisman staff inlaid with a rare ice crystal from the Star-Eyed Clan. She placed it in the center of the rune array, and a chill instantly spread throughout the tent, causing everyone's skin to break out in goosebumps.

“This is the ‘Ice Mirror Shield,’ which can reflect and temporarily deflect the energy interference from the ‘Shadow Council,’” she explained, “but it can only be activated for a short time, so we must seize the opportunity.”

The faces of the people in the camp were illuminated by a bluish-purple light. Some had their lips tightly closed, while others had bright eyes, but without exception, they were all filled with determination and resolve.

They knew that the journey ahead would be fraught with uncertainty, but they did not hesitate for a moment, because upholding their faith had become the sole meaning of their lives.

"Get ready," Lena instructed finally, before resolutely stepping toward the core of the array and constantly adjusting various barrier parameters to ensure stable operation.

"This mission is destined to be extremely difficult, but as long as we keep our minds pure, we will not lose our way!"

After a long wait, a storm suddenly gathered above the altar, and the blue and purple runes rapidly spun and spread into a dazzling net that enveloped the entire camp.

Continuous ripples appeared in the air, as if time was stretched or space was compressed. Everyone felt their vital energy converge with the spiritual veins of heaven and earth, and a kind of power arose spontaneously but was difficult to describe clearly.

Then, under the solemn gaze of everyone, David slowly closed his eyes and concentrated his entire being.

He mobilized the dual powers of blazing flames and freezing frost within his body, combined with the newly awakened Chaos Resonance Technique, and used it to neutralize the vibration frequency of his bloodline origin. He drew a light blue streamlined trajectory in mid-air, like a sharp arrow piercing through the void and pointing directly at the rift hidden in the mist in the distance!
In an instant, countless tiny and complex ripples emanated from his palm, spreading outwards like crystal-clear snowflakes falling from the sky. Each snowflake carried information signals of a different frequency, creating a strange interaction with the surrounding environment. This scene made everyone in the tent hold their breath; they could almost feel the ripples in that unusual space responding to a call, and an unseen yet soul-stirring drama was about to unfold!

Suddenly, the resonance trajectory abruptly converged, and a thick beam of dark purple mixed with eerie blue lightning shot into the sky, whipping up a raging tornado from the distant void, and crashing down on the gaping entrance that was entangled in the netherworld, covered with strange symbols and markings, and opened up like a cave!
The earth trembled, and the air howled and echoed with a desperate roar, as ominous omens swept in from all directions.

Zellros drew his sword and blocked the attack, his muscles bulging like a towering mountain, creating an indestructible barrier for the defense. Meanwhile, Amy cast a soul-purifying spell to strengthen her mental defenses and block any potential demonic interference or erosion.

Liliana brandished her staff, unleashing a small, crystal-clear shield with a warm yet cold glow from her fingertips. As it spun and changed patterns, it formed an indestructible barrier. At the same time, her brows revealed not only worry but also a hint of premonition of fear about the unknown future of the battle, yet she remained steadfast in her duty to protect her responsibilities!
As the battle slowly unfolded, endless darkness intertwined with illusory stars.

One by one, bizarre and strange creatures, seemingly from other dimensions, began to stir from the edge of the rift. Their bodies were made of dark ink drawn from the void and flowing clouds, lacking any real texture, yet they carried a terrifying and corrosive magic that spread through the surrounding air, causing the temperature to plummet to below zero degrees Celsius, accompanied by an indescribable pressure that made the bones of anyone who approached tremble!
However, even such terror could not stop the Star-Eyed Clan warriors from advancing bravely!
They looked at each other, their faith sustaining their strength, and were willing to forge the last line of defense with their lives!
At this moment, the resolute vows on everyone's faces burned like wildfire, and heaven and earth seemed to subtly respond to their powerful will...

……

After several hours of inspection, the resonance instrument transmitted more specific data: at the center of the spider web-like maze, there was a large passage with an unusually complex structure and surrounded by murky, twisted, and surreal textures, which was defined as one of the main control nodes.

That area was the most severely corroded and one of the core areas where the enemy forces were most concentrated, making it a key target for reinforcement and attack in this tracking operation!

David's face was resolute, yet it concealed his utter exhaustion. He rubbed the sweat from his brow, while his vertical pupils flashed with a cold, sharp light, revealing that the fury in his soul had not diminished in the slightest.

He slowly stood up, his entire skeleton armor emitting a faint, eerie glow that mingled with the gradually awakening, dusky dawn as he gazed into the distance, casting a glimmer of hope over this long and perilous journey…

Lena followed closely behind, organizing the equipment while simultaneously adjusting the instrument parameters. She glanced out the window at the gradually brightening horizon: "Although we're still some distance from our target, with our current technology and our master's bloodline abilities, we still have a chance to seal this gate to destruction..."

Amy prayed silently, hoping that the guardians would eventually survive this calamity and sacrifice their lives to ensure the eternal glory of their people...

Zelllos gripped his sword and stepped forward: "Let us overcome all obstacles, fear no dangers ahead, and write our future with our blood!"

The vast wilderness fell silent once more, save for a few birds and beasts returning to their nests in fright, and the rustling of branches in the howling wind...

At the entrance to the Abyss Shadow Rift, the black void resembled the gaping maw of a colossal beast, emanating a suffocatingly chilling aura.

Space here is distorted and deformed, like an endless abyss swallowing all light and order.

A fierce wind raged, carrying ice crystals and shadow fragments, forming eerie vortices at the edge of the rift, as if it were the coldest and most secretive forbidden place in the world.

David stood before the rift, clad in bone armor, the runes of which shimmered with an eerie blue hue interwoven with fiery light.

His vertical pupils were fixed on the depths of the void, and an indescribable unease settled in his chest.

He slowly inhaled a breath of cold air, his fingers gripping the hilt of his sword as if he were grasping at the last glimmer of hope for survival.

“This…is the place.” His voice was low, yet carried an undeniable firmness.

Lena and Zelllos stood silently on either side, their eyes sharp, capturing every minute change in the desolate and eerily heavy atmosphere.

Liliana, looking pale, supported Amy, while the two of them were responsible for releasing protective barriers and providing healing assistance.

“The fragmented energy is still active,” Lena pointed to the data floating on the display screen of the instrument in her hand, “The ‘Shadow Council’ has taken advantage of the extreme chaotic energy here, disguising it as ordinary spatial distortion, which ordinary detectors cannot penetrate.”

“We can only find the true passage through your bloodline resonance, David.” Her tone was slightly tense, but a hint of expectation flashed in her eyes.

David nodded. He knew that what awaited him ahead was not only enemies, but also the darkest fears and limits of his own soul.

He took a step, each step landing on the chilling, icy snow, but his face was resolute, showing no sign of retreat.

Suddenly, a cold, eerie shadow burst forth from the edge of the crack, appearing ferocious and terrifying as if it had grown out of the void.

They were a group of humanoid creatures shrouded in black ghostly flames, with blurred faces but vaguely revealing twisted smiles—the "Heart Eaters" sent by the Shadow Council.

They moved silently and swiftly, like a storm, materializing their intense negative emotions and enveloping David without a sound.

Clumps of black mist swirled around, each wisp of which was permeated with a soul-corroding power, making the surrounding air thick and foul, and creating an ominous pressure that shook one's mind and shattered one's will!

"Warning!" Zelllos shouted, swinging his sword at the nearest Heart Eater, but as the blade touched it, the opponent vanished into countless shadows, leaving only a suffocating chill that filled the surroundings.

Amy immediately cast a soul-purifying spell. She clasped her hands together, and the pure white moonlight magic transformed into a halo, temporarily suppressing some of the spreading corruption.

But it still couldn't stop those ghostly shadows from entangling and attacking, plunging the entire battlefield into a state of anxiety and suffocation!
David's chest heaved violently as he tried to summon the power of flames and frost within him to resist this mental assault, but he was suddenly struck by an indescribable grief—a familiar yet soul-wrenching sense of despair surged into his heart, pushing him to the brink of collapse!

His vision began to blur, as if he had been pulled from reality by some force.

Layers of illusion slowly unfolded: it was a pitch-black, endless sea, torn apart by a bone-chilling wind; in the center of the sea, a man's body was vaguely visible, bound tightly by chains and struggling in pain—it was his father, a shattered illusion trapped in this eternal abyss!
The father's lips trembled, and he cried out silently, while the despair and sorrow in his eyes seemed to pierce through time and space and strike David's chest.

He felt the pain piercing his very core like a sharp dagger, each beat like a knife cutting his skin, the pain piercing his very soul!
Tears blurred his vision, but the runes on the bone armor emitted a blazing blue-purple light in response to the father's painful fluctuations, creating a strange reaction with the surrounding dilapidated space.

This force brought both shock and a redemptive fire, giving him the courage to finally resist the mental shackles as sorrow spread!
"Stop!" he roared through gritted teeth, his voice a deep, furious cry from the depths of his being. "I will not yield! I will not let you destroy me with these illusions! You... 'Heart Eaters'!"

The sound reverberated and echoed over the desolate wasteland, effectively dispelling some of the intrusive gloom.

But the shadows that lingered around us did not completely disappear.

(End of this chapter)