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It was a dead lake.

The lake water is not clear, but a dirty, almost solidified inky black color. The surface is as smooth as a mirror, without a single ripple.

What makes people's scalp tingling is that on this inky black water, there are countless twisted black shadows floating and standing!

They barely maintained their human outlines, and the most frightening thing was that in the place of their eyes, there were two faint, ominous dark red lights burning, like the gaze from hell, fixed on the three people who set foot here.

The malice and oppression in the air suddenly intensified, even worse than in the thick mountain fog.

Although the shadows did not attack immediately, the aura of coldness, despair, and pure destruction emanating from them was like a physical wall, blocking the three people's path forward.

"What...what are these?" Maranie summoned her weapon and instinctively became alert.

Zheye immediately assumed a fighting stance, with faint crimson flames flowing in the palms of his hands, and his eyes stared solemnly at the densely packed red dots on the lake.

Ying also clenched the Prototype Slashing Rock, "It seems that this is the only way."

Her voice was steady, but her heart was equally heavy. The price of forcing her way into this lake of darkness was unpredictable.

Just as the three of them were about to bite the bullet and summon their weapons to force their way through—

Mutations reborn!

A soft and pure figure emitting a faint white glow appeared not far in front of them without any warning, just blocking them from the terrifying black lake.

Although the light and shadow were blurry, one could clearly make out the outline of a tall male figure. He exuded a peaceful aura that was out of tune with this filthy place.

"Stop! Don't get close to there!" Pure Light and Shadow made an urgent voice.

Ying immediately signaled Zhe and Malani to calm down and looked at Guangying warily: "Who are you?"

The light and shadow seemed to stabilize for a moment, and a voice tinged with fatigue and reminiscence said, "I am Murko. Once a comrade of Vichama, now... I am just a remnant of pure consciousness in the Kingdom of the Night God."

"Murko?!" Marani exclaimed. She naturally knew that Murko was the comrade who tried to salvage the ancient name of Vichama even after it was eroded by the abyss.

Murko's shadow nodded slightly, its light flickering. "Yes, I had already completely dissipated, and my soul power returned to this land. But Vichama... with his astonishing willpower, he refocused my fading aura and established a connection with his soul."

"I've been able to retain a faint sense of self, but I can only rely on this land and him to exist. However, I won't be able to exist for much longer."

His light and shadow turned to Ying and the other two, "I know the reason for your visit, so when I sensed someone going deep into the Kingdom of the Night God, I immediately rushed here, hoping to do my part to save you and your friends."

Knowing that it was a friend and not an enemy, the three people's tense nerves relaxed a little.

Ying immediately asked, "Murko, this lake...what are these black shadows? Is there any way to get through?"

"That's 'reverberation'."

Murko's light and shadow looked at the dark shadows burning red on the lake surface, and his voice was filled with compassion. "They are the remaining imprints of souls that have been completely eroded and twisted by the abyss. Only endless pain, resentment, and the instinct for destruction remain."

"They are hostile to all living beings. Once they enter the lake, they will attack in droves. Their attacks carry a strong spiritual pollution and are extremely dangerous!"

He paused, and the light and shadow became brighter: "I will clear the way for you!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Murko's shadow raised his hands, and a pure and gentle soul power spread out with him as the center.

A translucent arc-shaped barrier emitting soft white light formed in front of Ying and the other two, like a protective shield, isolating them from the dark shadows outside.

"Hurry! Follow me! The barrier can't hold for long!" Murko's voice was obviously strained.

Ying and the other two did not hesitate at all. They immediately followed Murko's light and shadow, along the edge of the barrier, and quickly circled to the flank of the lake.

Sure enough, when they approached the edge of the barrier, the black shadow on the lake seemed to be enraged, letting out a silent howl and rushing towards the barrier frantically.

Countless claws burning with red light and twisted bodies collided with the white light curtain, making a teeth-grinding sizzling sound, and each impact caused the barrier to fluctuate.

The barrier was clearly not strong enough to withstand such intensive attacks for a long time.

Just as the barrier was flashing rapidly and was about to collapse, Murko and the other two finally bypassed the most dangerous core area of ​​the lake and rushed into a relatively narrow valley passage.

"Huh..." The moment he entered the passage, Murko's light and shadow even began to dim. "It's much safer here..."

Before he finished speaking, a heart-pounding growl and chaotic footsteps came from deep in the passage!

Chapter 77: Zhe's ability test, the highlight of March 7th

The next moment, hordes of various abyss-mimicking monsters surged out from the shadows of the passage like a black tide, roaring and rushing towards the three people who had just escaped from danger!

"Prepare for battle!" Ying shouted sternly.

The battle breaks out instantly!

Ying took the lead. She did not blindly rush towards the group of monsters, but stomped on the ground!

"The rock tide stacks up the mountains!"

Boom! The giant rock spikes, like awakened earth dragons, broke through the hard ground and instantly formed a solid rock barrier covered with jagged spikes in front of the passage!

This barrier not only blocked the monsters' frontal attack, but also divided the battlefield, preventing the three people from being surrounded by enemies.

Zhe's eyes focused, and he swung his hands forward suddenly. Red flames burst out from his hands like two roaring fire dragons in an instant!

The endless flames swept across like a high-pressure water gun, covering most of the battlefield that was restricted by the fluorescent rock barrier.

The red flames licked the monster's body, making crackling sounds.

Maranie was stunned - this guy's fire elemental power is free?

Elemental power was so powerful and seemingly endless?! This completely exceeded her understanding of how elemental power in Teyvat could be used!

Ying calmly controlled the rhythm of the battlefield.

Just as Zhe's flames burned the monster to a crisp and made it howl in pain, the wind elemental power that had been brewing in her hands suddenly erupted!

"The wind is stirring!"

A powerful tornado roared out and accurately swept into Zhe's flames!

The wind helps the fire!

The flames that originally covered the battlefield were instantly sucked into the violent tornado column, forming a huge fire tornado that reached the sky and the earth, burning with the fire of destruction!

The scorching air wave swept through the entire passage, completely devouring the remaining monsters!

Marani finally recovered from the shock of Zerna's "tycoon-style" firepower coverage and seized the opportunity! "Explosive Cascade Missile!"

Several water bombs shot out, accurately hitting several monsters that were affected by the edge of the fire tornado, their bodies charred but still struggling.

Hiss! The body, already burning with heat, was suddenly struck by the water element. The drastic temperature difference triggered a terrifying physical effect!

The hard shells and bodies of those monsters instantly shattered with a sharp "hissing" sound!

With the three people's textbook-like elemental reaction coordination, this seemingly large and aggressive wave of monsters was almost wiped out in just a few minutes.

Only a few were left lingering in the corner, but Zhe easily killed them with a few more flames.

The passage was filled with the smell of burning and the black smoke left behind by the abyss monsters, and a brief silence returned.

"Is...it over?" Zhe took a breath and looked at his hands that were still smoking. He couldn't believe that he was the one who released the violent fire just now.

Malani also put away her weapon, with a hint of fatigue on her face, but more of surprise and a hint of fear.

Ying frowned slightly, but did not put away the flaming sword. She scanned the depths of the passage vigilantly.

"Something's wrong."

She whispered, "The initial momentum of these monsters was clearly intended to overwhelm us. But after we counterattacked, what about the subsequent reinforcements? Is this all the Abyss can do? They're gone after just one test?"

Upon hearing this, Malani and Zhe immediately became alert.

Indeed, this victory came a little too easily and abruptly.

Murko's voice came from behind: "The Abyss never consumes energy in vain. Perhaps it is testing or accumulating strength..."

Ying's heart trembled. A test? Or... was the Abyss deliberately letting them pass, preparing a more terrifying trap ahead?

Or...are they concentrating their efforts on dealing with Katsina?

"No matter what, we can't stop. Marani, keep sensing the direction!"

Ying suppressed the doubts in her heart and looked determined.

No matter what big move the Abyss has in mind, rescuing Katsina is the primary goal!

After a short rest, the three of them set out on their journey again. Unexpectedly, the rest of the journey went exceptionally smoothly.

Although the passage was still dark and rugged, filled with the breath of the abyss, it no longer encountered large-scale interception by monsters, and even sporadic harassment was rare.

This abnormal "smoothness" not only did not make the three of them relax, but instead felt like a heavy stone pressing on their hearts.

Ying gripped the sword tightly, his eyes as sharp as torches, constantly scanning the darkness around him.

Zhe and Malani were also on high alert and extremely nervous.

The silence of the abyss is more disturbing than the roar of the monster. What is it brewing?

Is Katsina okay now? Ying's doubts grew heavier, but her pace quickened.

No matter what is waiting ahead, they must get through it!

At the same time, on the other side, guided by Ianshan's faint sense of the breath of Katsina and her companions, Xing, March Seven and Ianshan trudged through the sticky and cold black mud, one step deep and one step shallow.

The filthy power of the abyss constantly tried to erode their protective energy, and the smell of decay in the air was also disgusting.

Finally, the depth of the black mud in front began to shallower, and the relatively solid "shore" covered with a black hard shell could be vaguely seen.

The three of them cheered up and quickened their pace, and were about to completely escape from this disgusting basin.

"We're almost there! It should be right in front..."

Before Yi Anshan finished speaking, San Yueqi, who was walking in front, suddenly let out a short scream: "Ahhh!"

At the edge of the slope on the shore of the basin, several twisted, translucent black shadows were floating silently!

They barely had a human form, emitting an aura of cold despair, and where their eyes should be were two faintly burning dark red dots of light, exactly the same as the "echoes" that Team Ying had encountered before!

"Ghost...ghost!" San Yueqi was frightened and subconsciously hid behind Xing, holding on to the corner of her clothes tightly.

In order to study the sheep spell, she has recently read a lot of books and watched a lot of video materials about souls, ghosts, etc. This is the time when her imagination is the most abundant and she is most easily frightened.

This sudden terrifying black shadow directly hit her fear point.

Yi Anshan immediately blocked the two men with his spear, his face solemn: "Don't be afraid! This is the mark of a soul that has been completely corroded and twisted by the abyss!"

"They have no physical form. Ordinary physical and elemental attacks are ineffective against them. Psychic attacks are their only means of attack! Best to avoid them!"

Her voice was a little hurried, and she obviously didn't want to get entangled with these things.

"Soul mark?" When Sanyueqi, who was hiding behind Xing, heard the word "soul", a flash of inspiration suddenly came to him in his fear!

She remembered her sheep charm.

"Soul power? Sheep talisman?" A thought emerged in her mind.

"March, hide well..." Xing was about to comfort March Seven, but saw her take a deep breath, as if she had made up some kind of decision, and stood out from behind him.

San Yueqi closed his eyes, concentrated his mind, and held the sheep talisman tightly in his right hand.

Om-!

A layer of light golden translucent energy barrier instantly spread out with March 7 as the center, enveloping the three people!

The barrier exudes a warm, tranquil, and soul-protecting aura, contrasting sharply with the foul abyssal energies and the cold despair of the reverberations surrounding it.

"Huh?" Xing looked at the golden barrier he had never seen before in surprise, and then looked at March Seven.

"March? Why did your shield...change color? And it even has patterns on it?" She asked directly without hesitation.

March Seven opened his eyes and looked at the successful golden barrier in front of him, with a hint of surprise and uncertainty on his face.

"It's not my ice shield! It's... it's the 'Soul Barrier' I constructed using the soul power of the Sheep Talisman!"

"Theoretically, it's used to defend against mental attacks... I just don't know if it's effective against these shadows..."

Taking a detour will waste valuable time and may also lead to other unknown dangers.

Looking at the black shadows in front of him that were attracted by the golden barrier and slowly approaching, Xing made a quick decision.

"Never mind! We'll know after we try! It's better than being trapped here! March, hold on! Let's charge!"

"Yeah!" San Yueqi nodded vigorously, concentrating on maintaining the barrier.

The three of them carefully stepped onto the slope and walked towards the shore.