Chapter 73: Enemy Attack
"It's getting closer," Lu Xiu was clearly the most sensitive to it.
Chen Zhen said, "Open the gates, let’s welcome this visitor. Let's see what kind of adversary Yinghuo has sent."
The gates of the Exorcism Committee slowly swung open. In front of the fountain, a dark figure appeared. All the streetlights outside the Committee began flickering restlessly and then, in an instant, they all went out.
Suddenly, Jiang Hong felt it too! The oppressive sensation was extremely strong. The dark figure outside the Exorcism Committee building slowly rose, elongating in the silence.
It was a giant!
It had a human form, almost completely naked, with a shiny silver piece of iron armor around its waist like a war skirt. With long hair and towering height, it stood nearly three meters tall and continued to grow!
"What is this?" Lu Xiu asked, puzzled.
The giant was slowly ascending the steps of the Exorcism Committee.
"Should we attack?" Xuan Hezhi's voice was filled with uncertainty.
Chen Zhen asked, "Can we communicate?"
At that moment, everyone, from their respective monitoring positions, watched the scene unfolding at the gate. The naked male giant stood with empty hands, his face hidden in the darkness.
Jiang Hong asked, "Should we try to find out what it is?"
Lu Xiu did not respond, appearing hesitant as the giant man continued to approach, nearly entering the Exorcism Committee’s gate.
Jiang Hong took out the Book of All Things and aimed it towards the gate, but Lu Xiu slowly pressed his hand, signaling him not to rush.
"Warning," an electronic female voice announced, echoing throughout the Exorcism Committee building, "Unknown entity approaching. Warning, danger."
"There's the Eternal Banner on the first floor," Cao Bin said. "The imposters must know about it. They're planning to force their way in."
Lu Xiu: "It's just this giant, no others in sight."
"Prepare for battle," Chen Zhen instructed. "Be mindful of the Eternal Banner's expanding range of influence. Try to conserve your strength and leave it to us. Jiang Hong, also try to see what it is."
Jiang Hong channeled his power into the Book of All Things, the runes lighting up. As the giant climbed the steps, the first thing that appeared was its bloodline, full of question marks, followed by its name shining faintly in the dark night.
"Gong Gong," Jiang Hong said, "It's named Gong Gong?"
Lu Xiu’s expression changed instantly, and he turned around, urging Jiang Hong to put on the aluminum pot and pushing him behind himself.
Meanwhile, the giant had already breached the Exorcism Committee. Its empty hands were as large as wheels, and even from the first floor, it exerted a tremendous oppressive force, looking down at Lu Xiu with its towering stature.
The giant took a big step towards Lu Xiu—who was unafraid, his right hand at his side, lips moving slightly as he began chanting dragon language spells!
"The Eternal Banner is activated," Chen Zhen’s voice remained calm.
A golden magical array appeared in the lobby, exerting a powerful force downwards, as if gravity had increased a hundredfold. The giant let out a deafening roar, shattering the floor-to-ceiling windows on the first floor, creating a storm-like turbulence!
Jiang Hong felt a buzzing in his head, instinctively moving away from the center of the storm, firmly holding the aluminum pot on his head. Luckily, at that moment, the pot shielded him from the roar, otherwise, his eardrums would have certainly burst.
The power of the Eternal Banner intensified, gravity pressing down furiously. The ceiling above started to cave in, and the surrounding steel beams twisted, seemingly collapsing towards the center.
Cao Bin exclaimed, "That's not the real Water God! Like Wuzhiqi, it’s an ancient deity resurrected by Yinghuo!"
Gong Gong's body was forced to bend, one hand supporting itself on the ground.
Lu Xiu completed the final rune, a cyan-white dragon flame appearing in his hand, and he shouted, "Solas!"
Then, with a swift movement, Lu Xiu leaped from the balcony and 'unleashed' his dragon flame. The flame coalesced in the air, transforming into a fiery whip that lashed towards Gong Gong!
Suddenly, Gong Gong erupted, his body blazing with black flames. Just as the dragon flame touched him, the gravitational pull of the Eternal Banner reached its peak, crushing the shattered railings and chandeliers from the ceiling towards the center.
Chen Zhen's phantom appeared in front of the balcony, hands ablaze with golden fire, pushing forward.
"Disperse!" Chen Zhen's figure appeared for just a second, infusing the golden fire into Lu Xiu's body, turning the dragon flame into a dazzling gold-red.
Jiang Hong slightly lifted the edge of the pot, stealing a glance. In the brief moment of confrontation between Lu Xiu and Gong Gong, the magical array in the center went silent for an instant, then erupted into a massive explosion, roaring outwards in all directions.
The gravity vanished, the array shattered, and an anti-gravitational force emerged. Everything in mid-air seemed to lose earth's gravity and floated up. Jiang Hong, uncontrolled, floated upwards.
Gong Gong broke free, leaped into the air, emitting a terrifying roar, dispersing ice crystals all around. A wave of cold mist swiftly approached, instantly shattering all floating objects into glistening white powder.
Gravity restored, the Exorcism Committee's hall, along with the balcony, was destroyed, and countless debris plummeted downwards. Jiang Hong shouted out, and Lu Xiu timely flew over, grabbing him, and swiftly flew out!
"The Eternal Banner is useless!" Xuan Hezhi declared.
"Find a way to trap it!" Cao Bin shouted.
Before Jiang Hong could grasp the situation, a torrential flood engulfed the Exorcism Committee, pushing him and Lu Xiu against the ceiling. Lu Xiu suddenly turned, sealing Jiang Hong's lips, giving him a breath of air, then holding him tightly, they darted through the narrow underwater space like fishes, deftly escaping.
An Jie: "The basement is flooding."
Chen Zhen: "Close all the waterproof doors in the underground levels, gather on the ground floor."
Lu Xiu and Jiang Hong surfaced from the water. In the darkness, Gong Gong's entire body blazed with fierce black flames, floating above the water. The flood level was rising rapidly, turning the water surface pitch black, now reaching the third floor of the Exorcism Committee.
Cao Bin also emerged, drenched, and said in a grave voice, "Chen Zhen! Be careful of the outer barrier. If it breaks, the flood will engulf all of Beijing!"
Ke Da: "How do we fight this thing?! Quick, think of something!"
Chen Zhen: "Xuan Hezhi, Qi Wei, provide long-range harassment. Cao Bin, Ke Da, make a frontal assault. Lu Xiu, cover the flanks! An Jie, reinforce the barrier."
Thunder roared in the sky amidst the raging storm. Outside the Exorcism Committee was an endless expanse of water. Lu Xiu, holding Jiang Hong, flew up to the cafeteria balcony.
Then, Lu Xiu quickly leaped off the balcony again.
Gong Gong hovered above the black water surface, surrounded by lightning. However, the exorcists began their counterattack. Trees and vines intertwined, emerging from underwater, wildly extending towards the surface and towards Gong Gong, intertwining into a cage with flashing green light.
Xuan Hezhi, wielding two long swords, crossed them in front of him, a strong green light combating Gong Gong.
On the rooftop, Qi Wei, controlling a giant dragon, swooped in. The dragon's fire, massive and torrential, appeared like blood reflected in the sky. Gong Gong let out another roar as black water jets shot from the water surface, spiraling in the air, surrounded by black flames.
A massive wolf burst from the black water, carrying Cao Bin, flying towards Gong Gong.
Lu Xiu: "How much health left?!"
"What...what?" Jiang Hong realized Lu Xiu was speaking to him. "Let me check, almost 20% gone! No, 30!"
The moment Cao Bin and the gray-blue giant wolf lunged at Gong Gong, a resounding clash occurred as they met. Gong Gong raised its massive palm in defense, but Cao Bin's move was a feint. With a left arm block and a right arm thrust, a swift shift, he solidly struck Gong Gong's heart.
Chen Zhen: "Its movements are sluggish, avoid the black water jets!"
Jiang Hong hurried to the platform, arriving behind Xuan Hezhi, who was deeply concentrating on casting spells. Jiang Hong, still wearing the aluminum pot, went unnoticed by the adversary.
"Stay safe," Lu Xiu said.
"It's chanting," Jiang Hong observed. "Gong Gong is chanting a spell. I can see the progress bar!"
On the water's surface, Gong Gong kept dodging close-range attacks from the grey wolf and Cao Bin, not engaging them in combat. Suddenly, Lu Xiu shot out from under the water, making brief contact with Gong Gong before retreating.
"Did it break the chant?" Lu Xiu asked.
"Yes, it's broken!" Jiang Hong replied. "But it started chanting again! And I see more health bars underwater! It's an enemy, be careful! It's heading towards Qi Wei!"
Instantly, a figure shot out from beneath the water, aiming for Qi Wei in the air on his dragon. Caught off guard, Qi Wei was about to defend himself when the figure reached him.
A dark version of Lu Xiu appeared, bearing a sinister smile and wielding a dagger. But just as he was about to strike, a golden light materialized in front of Qi Wei's chest, blocking the deadly blow of the dark Lu Xiu!
The next moment, Lu Xiu appeared from the side, preempting the enemy's move with a palm strike on his back.
"Tullesu." The dragon language's power exploded, blasting the dark Lu Xiu back into the water!
It was a close call; if Jiang Hong hadn't seen the health bar, Qi Wei would have been caught by the sneak attack.
"Can you still see him?" Lu Xiu asked again.
"He's coming towards me!" Jiang Hong exclaimed. "He's almost here! He's here!"
Lu Xiu: "He won't find you! He's heading for Xuan Hezhi!"
The dark Lu Xiu burst out of the water, shooting towards Xuan Hezhi. But within a second of Jiang Hong reporting his position, Lu Xiu used a water evasion technique to appear behind Jiang Hong, waiting for the enemy.
"Tullesu." The two engaged in combat again near Xuan Hezhi and Jiang Hong. Lu Xiu seized the initiative for the second time with another dragon language destruction spell, bombarding the dark Lu Xiu, who was struck head-on and sent back into the water, splashing blood.
Lu Xiu immediately pursued, while Jiang Hong was so tense he could barely stand.
"It's bad, Gong Gong's chant is almost complete!" Jiang Hong exclaimed, "The progress bar is nearly full."
Lu Xiu: "How much health left?"
"45%!" replied Jiang Hong.
Gong Gong's left hand formed a black fire. Amidst the chaos, Ke Da shouted, "Spread out! Whatever the spell is, dodge the AOE first!"
Xuan Hezhi instantly withdrew his spells and retreated, Qi Wei on his dragon soared higher, and Lu Xiu, chasing the dark Lu Xiu, emerged from the water into an aerial pursuit. Only Cao Bin was still fighting fiercely, trying to seize the opportunity to inflict a heavy blow on Gong Gong.
However, the next moment, a barrier flew out of the building, wrapping around Cao Bin like a protective shield, helping him withstand Gong Gong's wide-ranging spell.
"Cao Bin, can you not be so greedy for kills?" An Jie's voice rang out.
Cao Bin: "Mind your own outer barrier!"
Gong Gong's spell was activated.
Suddenly, a deadly silence enveloped everything. Black flames spread across the sky, exploding upon touching the water surface like a planetary burst. A fierce cold wind swept through, turning the black water into solid ice in seconds, spreading over the entire water surface. The submerged lower four floors of the Exorcism Committee were instantly encased in ice.
The ice compressed the building, causing a loud boom. As the ice expanded, the steel beams broke, and the concrete walls were pushed out. The thirty-three-story building was cut in half by the ice.
An Jie, still in his calm voice, announced, "The building is going to collapse."
Cao Bin: "Hold the barrier! Don’t get distracted!"
Cao Bin, still unwilling to give up the fight, realized he could no longer pursue Gong Gong and turned back, landing on the ice, using the momentum to slide towards the Exorcism Committee building.
"Ahh ahh ahh—" Jiang Hong heard chaotic noises everywhere. In the cafeteria, tables, chairs, and utensils flew out. The building tilted, Xuan Hezhi covered his head, and suddenly spotted Jiang Hong.
"Jiang Hong?!" Xuan Hezhi was shocked. "When did you get here?"
Jiang Hong: "！！！"
Jiang Hong's pot slid away in the moment the building collapsed, and he shouted, "Oh no! Where's my pot?!"
Xuan Hezhi: "What pot? Be careful! Come out to the balcony!"
Xuan Hezhi pulled Jiang Hong over, supporting him with one hand while looking for a suitable escape route.
Ke Da: "The building is going to collapse!"
"Stop shouting!" Qi Wei called from the air, "Let's deal with it first!"
Ke Da: "My collectible figures are in the office!"
Cao Bin swiftly skated towards the building. When about a hundred meters away, he crouched down, one hand pressing on the ice, turned sideways, and with an elegant kick, pointed into the distance. The gesture was the epitome of coolness!
The slowly collapsing building seemed to be supported by an invisible strong force, shaking a bit, and then gradually rising back to its original form!
Chen Zhen: "Pretty stylish."
"Where did you learn that move, the Stellar Shift?" Qi Wei dove from the sky again, attacking Gong Gong.
Cao Bin: "Taught by a master!"
"Where's my pot?" Jiang Hong hurriedly looked for his pot, not knowing where it had fallen.
"What pot?" Xuan Hezhi asked, puzzled.
"What pot?" Cao Bin asked amidst the chaos.
Chen Zhen: "Focus fire! Stop chatting!"
The cafeteria was littered with pots and pans, and outside had turned into a world of ice and snow. Gong Gong, though an ancient deity, seemed unaccustomed to close combat. Struggling against Cao Bin and the grey wolf's constant proximity, it appeared quite clumsy.
Dark Lu Xiu, having suffered a disadvantage, got hit by Lu Xiu twice and didn't dare to continue the fight, looking for an opportunity to ambush the exorcists but was tightly pursued by Lu Xiu, unable to find an opening.
"Which one is it?!" Faced with a heap of identical aluminum pots in the cafeteria, Jiang Hong was nearly driven mad. Then he remembered that he had initially found the pot using the Book of All Things, as it had the ability to deflect consciousness.
Using the Book of All Things, Jiang Hong indeed found a glowing magical item among the pots. Overjoyed at the reunion, he exclaimed in delight at having found it again!
"Jiang Hong! What are you doing?" Xuan Hezhi was utterly baffled as he watched Jiang Hong pick up an aluminum pot and put it on his head. Then he said, "Huh? What am I doing? What happened? Never mind..."
Xuan Hezhi immediately turned around to rejoin the battle.
Fearing his pot might slip off again, Jiang Hong found a rope, tied it around his chin like a helmet, and at the moment he put it on, a figure engulfed in black flames appeared inside the cafeteria.
"Finally found you," the dark Chen Zhen materialized.
Jiang Hong was startled, "！！！"
Too scared to speak, Jiang Hong watched him in terror, but with the pot on, even the dark Chen Zhen was momentarily bewildered and unable to detect him.
"Where did he go?" the dark Chen Zhen muttered to himself.
Xuan Hezhi exclaimed, "Leader, why... why are you here? You... you're an imposter!"
Xuan Hezhi, already fearful of Chen Zhen, now faced the dark Chen Zhen, doubling his fear. He yelled out, momentarily unsure of what to do.
"I've been waiting for you," Chen Zhen's voice rang out.
The real Chen Zhen appeared!
However, after a brief encounter, the dark Chen Zhen chose not to linger. Engulfed in black fire, he suddenly vanished, reappearing outside the Exorcism Committee building.
"What's the matter," Chen Zhen spoke aloud, "Scared?"
Chen Zhen had been holding back, waiting for this moment. He calmly stepped out of the cafeteria.
The dark Chen Zhen sneered, levitating into the air, his body emitting a spray of black light.
"An interesting battle indeed, using An Jie's abilities, I see," the dark Chen Zhen murmured. "No wonder you managed both battlefields. I didn't think of that…"
"Even the wisest can miss something," Chen Zhen said solemnly. "We just won by numbers. Counterfeit, share your origin."
The term "counterfeit" seemed to instantly infuriate the dark Chen Zhen, who immediately retorted, "Today, I'll show you who the real counterfeit is!"
"We can't hold on any longer!" Cao Bin shouted. "We must retreat!"
"Gong Gong has only 10% health left!" Jiang Hong yelled.
The scene was truly surreal. Jiang Hong felt as if he were in some apocalyptic Hollywood blockbuster - on one side, a wild onslaught of demonic beasts; on the other, their own exorcists embroiled in a desperate battle, surrounded by enemies. In the sky, Qi Wei was besieged by a swarm of flying demons, while on the ground, Gong Gong finally regained the upper hand, his beast horde overwhelming Cao Bin and the others.
"Use the ultimate moves now! Don't wait any longer!" Ke Da bellowed. "We're not going to last!"
Jiang Hong took a moment to check with the Book of All Things and saw blood bars everywhere, each accompanied by a dark mist-like buff.
But even in that darkness, there were still sources of light flickering.
"The heart's lamp shines eternally bright as day!" With Chen Zhen's gentle voice, a powerful light rose from the ground, interweaving and shuttling through the air, manifesting the image of a burning lamp!
Instantly, the radiant light of the burning lamp spread across the land, scorching the dark demonic beasts advancing towards the Exorcism Committee!
However, the next moment, the dark Chen Zhen also wielded a lamp technique.
"In the cold silence of the night, only the ever-changing is eternal."
"Annihilation Heart Lamp manifests!"
A chill of desolation and emptiness instantly spread, engulfing the entire battlefield!
Qi Wei exclaimed, "There’s a dark version of the Heart Lamp too?!"
At the moment of confrontation between the Heart Lamp and the Annihilation Heart Lamp, Chen Zhen showed clear surprise. Darkness and light clashed on the battlefield, like the boundary of dawn and dusk, silently colliding. Then, with Gong Gong's roar in the darkness, the Annihilation Heart Lamp gained the upper hand, beginning to encircle the Exorcism Committee.
On the balcony, Chen Zhen, transformed into the Lamp Phenomenon, seemed like a lone island, as the encircling darkness drew closer.
The dark Chen Zhen stepped out of thin air, leading an endless mist behind him, appearing in front of the balcony.
"You must admit," the dark Chen Zhen declared, "annihilation will be the only end of this world..."
Chen Zhen, still upholding the glimmer of the Heart Lamp, now opened his eyes.
"The cycle of life and death, the endless recurrence, the constant renewal of life," Chen Zhen spoke resolutely, "is the true destiny of all things!"
In the next moment, Chen Zhen and the dark Chen Zhen exerted their full power, the Heart Lamp clashing with the Annihilation Heart Lamp!
Just as the dark Chen Zhen was about to speak again, trying to shake Chen Zhen's will —
— Beside the balcony, Jiang Hong, holding an elongated and thickened rolling pin from the cafeteria, suddenly appeared behind the dark Chen Zhen.
"Take this, impostor!" Jiang Hong swung the giant rolling pin with both hands, delivering a "strike to the back of the head" to the dark Chen Zhen.
In an instant, the Heart Lamp exploded with a hundredfold brilliance, rolling back like a tsunami of light. The dark flames dissipated, and intense light burst forth from the balcony, sweeping across the entire battlefield.
"Now's our chance!" Cao Bin shouted.
The intense light dispelled all the dark demonic beasts. The top-ranked exorcists unleashed their ultimate moves, converging at one point to strike Gong Gong. As a sea of light rolled in, Gong Gong's body shattered, turning into black smoke that dissipated in the air.
Another loud boom sounded, like a gale sweeping across the ice. The ice surface completely shattered, collapsing in layers, turning into dust, and the black water vanished without a trace.
Chen Zhen stood on the balcony, facing the disappearing wisps of black smoke.
"You can't destroy me," the dark Chen Zhen coldly stated. "One day, you will understand that true annihilation is the ultimate end."
"I will always be waiting here," Chen Zhen, reverting from the Lamp Phenomenon to his mortal form, responded indifferently.
Chapter 73: Enemy Attack
"It's getting closer," Lu Xiu was clearly the most sensitive to it.
Chen Zhen said, "Open the gates, let’s welcome this visitor. Let's see what kind of adversary Yinghuo has sent."
The gates of the Exorcism Committee slowly swung open. In front of the fountain, a dark figure appeared. All the streetlights outside the Committee began flickering restlessly and then, in an instant, they all went out.
Suddenly, Jiang Hong felt it too! The oppressive sensation was extremely strong. The dark figure outside the Exorcism Committee building slowly rose, elongating in the silence.
It was a giant!
It had a human form, almost completely naked, with a shiny silver piece of iron armor around its waist like a war skirt. With long hair and towering height, it stood nearly three meters tall and continued to grow!
"What is this?" Lu Xiu asked, puzzled.
The giant was slowly ascending the steps of the Exorcism Committee.
"Should we attack?" Xuan Hezhi's voice was filled with uncertainty.
Chen Zhen asked, "Can we communicate?"
At that moment, everyone, from their respective monitoring positions, watched the scene unfolding at the gate. The naked male giant stood with empty hands, his face hidden in the darkness.
Jiang Hong asked, "Should we try to find out what it is?"
Lu Xiu did not respond, appearing hesitant as the giant man continued to approach, nearly entering the Exorcism Committee’s gate.
Jiang Hong took out the Book of All Things and aimed it towards the gate, but Lu Xiu slowly pressed his hand, signaling him not to rush.
"Warning," an electronic female voice announced, echoing throughout the Exorcism Committee building, "Unknown entity approaching. Warning, danger."
"There's the Eternal Banner on the first floor," Cao Bin said. "The imposters must know about it. They're planning to force their way in."
Lu Xiu: "It's just this giant, no others in sight."
"Prepare for battle," Chen Zhen instructed. "Be mindful of the Eternal Banner's expanding range of influence. Try to conserve your strength and leave it to us. Jiang Hong, also try to see what it is."
Jiang Hong channeled his power into the Book of All Things, the runes lighting up. As the giant climbed the steps, the first thing that appeared was its bloodline, full of question marks, followed by its name shining faintly in the dark night.
"Gong Gong," Jiang Hong said, "It's named Gong Gong?"
Lu Xiu’s expression changed instantly, and he turned around, urging Jiang Hong to put on the aluminum pot and pushing him behind himself.
Meanwhile, the giant had already breached the Exorcism Committee. Its empty hands were as large as wheels, and even from the first floor, it exerted a tremendous oppressive force, looking down at Lu Xiu with its towering stature.
The giant took a big step towards Lu Xiu—who was unafraid, his right hand at his side, lips moving slightly as he began chanting dragon language spells!
"The Eternal Banner is activated," Chen Zhen’s voice remained calm.
A golden magical array appeared in the lobby, exerting a powerful force downwards, as if gravity had increased a hundredfold. The giant let out a deafening roar, shattering the floor-to-ceiling windows on the first floor, creating a storm-like turbulence!
Jiang Hong felt a buzzing in his head, instinctively moving away from the center of the storm, firmly holding the aluminum pot on his head. Luckily, at that moment, the pot shielded him from the roar, otherwise, his eardrums would have certainly burst.
The power of the Eternal Banner intensified, gravity pressing down furiously. The ceiling above started to cave in, and the surrounding steel beams twisted, seemingly collapsing towards the center.
Cao Bin exclaimed, "That's not the real Water God! Like Wuzhiqi, it’s an ancient deity resurrected by Yinghuo!"
Gong Gong's body was forced to bend, one hand supporting itself on the ground.
Lu Xiu completed the final rune, a cyan-white dragon flame appearing in his hand, and he shouted, "Solas!"
Then, with a swift movement, Lu Xiu leaped from the balcony and 'unleashed' his dragon flame. The flame coalesced in the air, transforming into a fiery whip that lashed towards Gong Gong!
Suddenly, Gong Gong erupted, his body blazing with black flames. Just as the dragon flame touched him, the gravitational pull of the Eternal Banner reached its peak, crushing the shattered railings and chandeliers from the ceiling towards the center.
Chen Zhen's phantom appeared in front of the balcony, hands ablaze with golden fire, pushing forward.
"Disperse!" Chen Zhen's figure appeared for just a second, infusing the golden fire into Lu Xiu's body, turning the dragon flame into a dazzling gold-red.
Jiang Hong slightly lifted the edge of the pot, stealing a glance. In the brief moment of confrontation between Lu Xiu and Gong Gong, the magical array in the center went silent for an instant, then erupted into a massive explosion, roaring outwards in all directions.
The gravity vanished, the array shattered, and an anti-gravitational force emerged. Everything in mid-air seemed to lose earth's gravity and floated up. Jiang Hong, uncontrolled, floated upwards.
Gong Gong broke free, leaped into the air, emitting a terrifying roar, dispersing ice crystals all around. A wave of cold mist swiftly approached, instantly shattering all floating objects into glistening white powder.
Gravity restored, the Exorcism Committee's hall, along with the balcony, was destroyed, and countless debris plummeted downwards. Jiang Hong shouted out, and Lu Xiu timely flew over, grabbing him, and swiftly flew out!
"The Eternal Banner is useless!" Xuan Hezhi declared.
"Find a way to trap it!" Cao Bin shouted.
Before Jiang Hong could grasp the situation, a torrential flood engulfed the Exorcism Committee, pushing him and Lu Xiu against the ceiling. Lu Xiu suddenly turned, sealing Jiang Hong's lips, giving him a breath of air, then holding him tightly, they darted through the narrow underwater space like fishes, deftly escaping.
An Jie: "The basement is flooding."
Chen Zhen: "Close all the waterproof doors in the underground levels, gather on the ground floor."
Lu Xiu and Jiang Hong surfaced from the water. In the darkness, Gong Gong's entire body blazed with fierce black flames, floating above the water. The flood level was rising rapidly, turning the water surface pitch black, now reaching the third floor of the Exorcism Committee.
Cao Bin also emerged, drenched, and said in a grave voice, "Chen Zhen! Be careful of the outer barrier. If it breaks, the flood will engulf all of Beijing!"
Ke Da: "How do we fight this thing?! Quick, think of something!"
Chen Zhen: "Xuan Hezhi, Qi Wei, provide long-range harassment. Cao Bin, Ke Da, make a frontal assault. Lu Xiu, cover the flanks! An Jie, reinforce the barrier."
Thunder roared in the sky amidst the raging storm. Outside the Exorcism Committee was an endless expanse of water. Lu Xiu, holding Jiang Hong, flew up to the cafeteria balcony.
Then, Lu Xiu quickly leaped off the balcony again.
Gong Gong hovered above the black water surface, surrounded by lightning. However, the exorcists began their counterattack. Trees and vines intertwined, emerging from underwater, wildly extending towards the surface and towards Gong Gong, intertwining into a cage with flashing green light.
Xuan Hezhi, wielding two long swords, crossed them in front of him, a strong green light combating Gong Gong.
On the rooftop, Qi Wei, controlling a giant dragon, swooped in. The dragon's fire, massive and torrential, appeared like blood reflected in the sky. Gong Gong let out another roar as black water jets shot from the water surface, spiraling in the air, surrounded by black flames.
A massive wolf burst from the black water, carrying Cao Bin, flying towards Gong Gong.
Lu Xiu: "How much health left?!"
"What...what?" Jiang Hong realized Lu Xiu was speaking to him. "Let me check, almost 20% gone! No, 30!"
The moment Cao Bin and the gray-blue giant wolf lunged at Gong Gong, a resounding clash occurred as they met. Gong Gong raised its massive palm in defense, but Cao Bin's move was a feint. With a left arm block and a right arm thrust, a swift shift, he solidly struck Gong Gong's heart.
Chen Zhen: "Its movements are sluggish, avoid the black water jets!"
Jiang Hong hurried to the platform, arriving behind Xuan Hezhi, who was deeply concentrating on casting spells. Jiang Hong, still wearing the aluminum pot, went unnoticed by the adversary.
"Stay safe," Lu Xiu said.
"It's chanting," Jiang Hong observed. "Gong Gong is chanting a spell. I can see the progress bar!"
On the water's surface, Gong Gong kept dodging close-range attacks from the grey wolf and Cao Bin, not engaging them in combat. Suddenly, Lu Xiu shot out from under the water, making brief contact with Gong Gong before retreating.
"Did it break the chant?" Lu Xiu asked.
"Yes, it's broken!" Jiang Hong replied. "But it started chanting again! And I see more health bars underwater! It's an enemy, be careful! It's heading towards Qi Wei!"
Instantly, a figure shot out from beneath the water, aiming for Qi Wei in the air on his dragon. Caught off guard, Qi Wei was about to defend himself when the figure reached him.
A dark version of Lu Xiu appeared, bearing a sinister smile and wielding a dagger. But just as he was about to strike, a golden light materialized in front of Qi Wei's chest, blocking the deadly blow of the dark Lu Xiu!
The next moment, Lu Xiu appeared from the side, preempting the enemy's move with a palm strike on his back.
"Tullesu." The dragon language's power exploded, blasting the dark Lu Xiu back into the water!
It was a close call; if Jiang Hong hadn't seen the health bar, Qi Wei would have been caught by the sneak attack.
"Can you still see him?" Lu Xiu asked again.
"He's coming towards me!" Jiang Hong exclaimed. "He's almost here! He's here!"
Lu Xiu: "He won't find you! He's heading for Xuan Hezhi!"
The dark Lu Xiu burst out of the water, shooting towards Xuan Hezhi. But within a second of Jiang Hong reporting his position, Lu Xiu used a water evasion technique to appear behind Jiang Hong, waiting for the enemy.
"Tullesu." The two engaged in combat again near Xuan Hezhi and Jiang Hong. Lu Xiu seized the initiative for the second time with another dragon language destruction spell, bombarding the dark Lu Xiu, who was struck head-on and sent back into the water, splashing blood.
Lu Xiu immediately pursued, while Jiang Hong was so tense he could barely stand.
"It's bad, Gong Gong's chant is almost complete!" Jiang Hong exclaimed, "The progress bar is nearly full."
Lu Xiu: "How much health left?"
"45%!" replied Jiang Hong.
Gong Gong's left hand formed a black fire. Amidst the chaos, Ke Da shouted, "Spread out! Whatever the spell is, dodge the AOE first!"
Xuan Hezhi instantly withdrew his spells and retreated, Qi Wei on his dragon soared higher, and Lu Xiu, chasing the dark Lu Xiu, emerged from the water into an aerial pursuit. Only Cao Bin was still fighting fiercely, trying to seize the opportunity to inflict a heavy blow on Gong Gong.
However, the next moment, a barrier flew out of the building, wrapping around Cao Bin like a protective shield, helping him withstand Gong Gong's wide-ranging spell.
"Cao Bin, can you not be so greedy for kills?" An Jie's voice rang out.
Cao Bin: "Mind your own outer barrier!"
Gong Gong's spell was activated.
Suddenly, a deadly silence enveloped everything. Black flames spread across the sky, exploding upon touching the water surface like a planetary burst. A fierce cold wind swept through, turning the black water into solid ice in seconds, spreading over the entire water surface. The submerged lower four floors of the Exorcism Committee were instantly encased in ice.
The ice compressed the building, causing a loud boom. As the ice expanded, the steel beams broke, and the concrete walls were pushed out. The thirty-three-story building was cut in half by the ice.
An Jie, still in his calm voice, announced, "The building is going to collapse."
Cao Bin: "Hold the barrier! Don’t get distracted!"
Cao Bin, still unwilling to give up the fight, realized he could no longer pursue Gong Gong and turned back, landing on the ice, using the momentum to slide towards the Exorcism Committee building.
"Ahh ahh ahh—" Jiang Hong heard chaotic noises everywhere. In the cafeteria, tables, chairs, and utensils flew out. The building tilted, Xuan Hezhi covered his head, and suddenly spotted Jiang Hong.
"Jiang Hong?!" Xuan Hezhi was shocked. "When did you get here?"
Jiang Hong: "！！！"
Jiang Hong's pot slid away in the moment the building collapsed, and he shouted, "Oh no! Where's my pot?!"
Xuan Hezhi: "What pot? Be careful! Come out to the balcony!"
Xuan Hezhi pulled Jiang Hong over, supporting him with one hand while looking for a suitable escape route.
Ke Da: "The building is going to collapse!"
"Stop shouting!" Qi Wei called from the air, "Let's deal with it first!"
Ke Da: "My collectible figures are in the office!"
Cao Bin swiftly skated towards the building. When about a hundred meters away, he crouched down, one hand pressing on the ice, turned sideways, and with an elegant kick, pointed into the distance. The gesture was the epitome of coolness!
The slowly collapsing building seemed to be supported by an invisible strong force, shaking a bit, and then gradually rising back to its original form!
Chen Zhen: "Pretty stylish."
"Where did you learn that move, the Stellar Shift?" Qi Wei dove from the sky again, attacking Gong Gong.
Cao Bin: "Taught by a master!"
"Where's my pot?" Jiang Hong hurriedly looked for his pot, not knowing where it had fallen.
"What pot?" Xuan Hezhi asked, puzzled.
"What pot?" Cao Bin asked amidst the chaos.
Chen Zhen: "Focus fire! Stop chatting!"
The cafeteria was littered with pots and pans, and outside had turned into a world of ice and snow. Gong Gong, though an ancient deity, seemed unaccustomed to close combat. Struggling against Cao Bin and the grey wolf's constant proximity, it appeared quite clumsy.
Dark Lu Xiu, having suffered a disadvantage, got hit by Lu Xiu twice and didn't dare to continue the fight, looking for an opportunity to ambush the exorcists but was tightly pursued by Lu Xiu, unable to find an opening.
"Which one is it?!" Faced with a heap of identical aluminum pots in the cafeteria, Jiang Hong was nearly driven mad. Then he remembered that he had initially found the pot using the Book of All Things, as it had the ability to deflect consciousness.
Using the Book of All Things, Jiang Hong indeed found a glowing magical item among the pots. Overjoyed at the reunion, he exclaimed in delight at having found it again!
"Jiang Hong! What are you doing?" Xuan Hezhi was utterly baffled as he watched Jiang Hong pick up an aluminum pot and put it on his head. Then he said, "Huh? What am I doing? What happened? Never mind..."
Xuan Hezhi immediately turned around to rejoin the battle.
Fearing his pot might slip off again, Jiang Hong found a rope, tied it around his chin like a helmet, and at the moment he put it on, a figure engulfed in black flames appeared inside the cafeteria.
"Finally found you," the dark Chen Zhen materialized.
Jiang Hong was startled, "！！！"
Too scared to speak, Jiang Hong watched him in terror, but with the pot on, even the dark Chen Zhen was momentarily bewildered and unable to detect him.
"Where did he go?" the dark Chen Zhen muttered to himself.
Xuan Hezhi exclaimed, "Leader, why... why are you here? You... you're an imposter!"
Xuan Hezhi, already fearful of Chen Zhen, now faced the dark Chen Zhen, doubling his fear. He yelled out, momentarily unsure of what to do.
"I've been waiting for you," Chen Zhen's voice rang out.
The real Chen Zhen appeared!
However, after a brief encounter, the dark Chen Zhen chose not to linger. Engulfed in black fire, he suddenly vanished, reappearing outside the Exorcism Committee building.
"What's the matter," Chen Zhen spoke aloud, "Scared?"
Chen Zhen had been holding back, waiting for this moment. He calmly stepped out of the cafeteria.
The dark Chen Zhen sneered, levitating into the air, his body emitting a spray of black light.
"An interesting battle indeed, using An Jie's abilities, I see," the dark Chen Zhen murmured. "No wonder you managed both battlefields. I didn't think of that…"
"Even the wisest can miss something," Chen Zhen said solemnly. "We just won by numbers. Counterfeit, share your origin."
The term "counterfeit" seemed to instantly infuriate the dark Chen Zhen, who immediately retorted, "Today, I'll show you who the real counterfeit is!"
"We can't hold on any longer!" Cao Bin shouted. "We must retreat!"
"Gong Gong has only 10% health left!" Jiang Hong yelled.
The scene was truly surreal. Jiang Hong felt as if he were in some apocalyptic Hollywood blockbuster - on one side, a wild onslaught of demonic beasts; on the other, their own exorcists embroiled in a desperate battle, surrounded by enemies. In the sky, Qi Wei was besieged by a swarm of flying demons, while on the ground, Gong Gong finally regained the upper hand, his beast horde overwhelming Cao Bin and the others.
"Use the ultimate moves now! Don't wait any longer!" Ke Da bellowed. "We're not going to last!"
Jiang Hong took a moment to check with the Book of All Things and saw blood bars everywhere, each accompanied by a dark mist-like buff.
But even in that darkness, there were still sources of light flickering.
"The heart's lamp shines eternally bright as day!" With Chen Zhen's gentle voice, a powerful light rose from the ground, interweaving and shuttling through the air, manifesting the image of a burning lamp!
Instantly, the radiant light of the burning lamp spread across the land, scorching the dark demonic beasts advancing towards the Exorcism Committee!
However, the next moment, the dark Chen Zhen also wielded a lamp technique.
"In the cold silence of the night, only the ever-changing is eternal."
"Annihilation Heart Lamp manifests!"
A chill of desolation and emptiness instantly spread, engulfing the entire battlefield!
Qi Wei exclaimed, "There’s a dark version of the Heart Lamp too?!"
At the moment of confrontation between the Heart Lamp and the Annihilation Heart Lamp, Chen Zhen showed clear surprise. Darkness and light clashed on the battlefield, like the boundary of dawn and dusk, silently colliding. Then, with Gong Gong's roar in the darkness, the Annihilation Heart Lamp gained the upper hand, beginning to encircle the Exorcism Committee.
On the balcony, Chen Zhen, transformed into the Lamp Phenomenon, seemed like a lone island, as the encircling darkness drew closer.
The dark Chen Zhen stepped out of thin air, leading an endless mist behind him, appearing in front of the balcony.
"You must admit," the dark Chen Zhen declared, "annihilation will be the only end of this world..."
Chen Zhen, still upholding the glimmer of the Heart Lamp, now opened his eyes.
"The cycle of life and death, the endless recurrence, the constant renewal of life," Chen Zhen spoke resolutely, "is the true destiny of all things!"
In the next moment, Chen Zhen and the dark Chen Zhen exerted their full power, the Heart Lamp clashing with the Annihilation Heart Lamp!
Just as the dark Chen Zhen was about to speak again, trying to shake Chen Zhen's will —
— Beside the balcony, Jiang Hong, holding an elongated and thickened rolling pin from the cafeteria, suddenly appeared behind the dark Chen Zhen.
"Take this, impostor!" Jiang Hong swung the giant rolling pin with both hands, delivering a "strike to the back of the head" to the dark Chen Zhen.
In an instant, the Heart Lamp exploded with a hundredfold brilliance, rolling back like a tsunami of light. The dark flames dissipated, and intense light burst forth from the balcony, sweeping across the entire battlefield.
"Now's our chance!" Cao Bin shouted.
The intense light dispelled all the dark demonic beasts. The top-ranked exorcists unleashed their ultimate moves, converging at one point to strike Gong Gong. As a sea of light rolled in, Gong Gong's body shattered, turning into black smoke that dissipated in the air.
Another loud boom sounded, like a gale sweeping across the ice. The ice surface completely shattered, collapsing in layers, turning into dust, and the black water vanished without a trace.
Chen Zhen stood on the balcony, facing the disappearing wisps of black smoke.
"You can't destroy me," the dark Chen Zhen coldly stated. "One day, you will understand that true annihilation is the ultimate end."
"I will always be waiting here," Chen Zhen, reverting from the Lamp Phenomenon to his mortal form, responded indifferently.
