Legend of the Embroiderer

Chapter 366 The Mysterious Changes of the Fragments

In the thick, as dark as tar, the sound of chains being dragged was like the footsteps of death, approaching from afar, each drag feeling like a scraping against Li Zhao and Ling Yue's taut nerves.

Li Zhao shielded Lingyue behind him, and the Source of Light rekindled in his palm. However, the pale light could only illuminate a three-meter radius around him, as if its power had been swallowed by darkness.

Further away, the seven fragments of light flickered like will-o'-the-wisps, exuding an eerie and chilling aura, as if luring them into an even deeper trap.

"Watch out!" Lingyue's pupils contracted sharply, and she instinctively grabbed Li Zhao's wrist and rolled to the side.

A jet-black chain grazed their scalps, leaving a sparking trail in the air and emitting a piercing shriek.

At the end of the chain was a giant claw covered in spikes, its surface swirling with dark red patterns of the same origin as the black-robed man, as if the blood vessels of a living creature were pulsating.

The moment the giant claw slammed into the ground, a bottomless rift was torn open in the chaotic space, from which a bone-chilling cold and a strong smell of blood surged forth.

The seven fragments of light suddenly trembled violently, and three of them flew towards Li Zhao at the same time.

Li Zhao was on high alert, but he didn't expect that the fragment would suddenly split into countless tiny pieces within reach, rushing towards his face like a swarm of black bees.

The instant the shard pierced his skin, it was as if a thunderbolt exploded in Li Zhao's mind, and countless images flooded back like a tidal wave:

Countless figures in black robes stood at different points in time and space, the gems at the top of their scepters forming a complete dark heart, each beat causing the universe to tremble.

Wenli was shrouded in black mist, and her eyes filled with guilt that turned into tears of blood. Her mournful cries echoed in the void.

What terrified him most was the sight of Lingyue lying in a pool of blood, a fragment in her hand bearing ancient runes he had never seen before, her desperate eyes staring straight at him.

"This is... a mental attack by the Shadow Guard!"

Lingyue's voice was distorted with pain. She bit her fingertip, and her blood drew ancient runes in the air, forming a defensive barrier.

The runes shimmered with a faint light, yet they shone brightly in the darkness.

"These fragments are the shadow guards' clones, they will..."

Before he could finish speaking, two more fragments of light transformed into human figures, and two figures shrouded in black cloaks slowly emerged.

Their arms, covered in twisted scales, extended from beneath their cloaks. Black liquid dripped from their fingertips, corroding the surrounding space with a hissing sound, as if the space itself were slowly dissolving.

The shadow guard on the left raised his hand and waved it, causing space to distort like the surface of water, with countless phantoms emerging from the distortion.

These phantom figures all resembled Li Zhao, but they wore black robes and had flames of hatred burning in their eyes.

They raised their scepters and chanted in unison, the deep incantations echoing in the space. Suddenly, huge black chains shot out from the ground, binding Li Zhao's legs tightly like giant pythons.

The chains were covered with eerie runes, each one radiating an evil aura. They tightened more and more, causing blood to seep from Li Zhao's skin.

The shadow guard on the right shot a dark purple beam of light at Lingyue. Wherever the beam passed, the space crumbled into dust like corroded cloth, leaving nothing but barren land.

Li Zhao endured the mental impact of the fragments and fused the Yin-Yang Sphere fragments with the Source of Light.

The moment the dazzling light burst forth, the phantoms emitted a piercing shriek, and some of them turned to ashes.

But the shadow guards' attacks did not weaken. The shadow guard on the left suddenly lifted his cloak, revealing a face that was very similar to Li Zhao's, except that his skin was grayish-white, and his mouth was split open to his ears, revealing a mouthful of sharp fangs, like a demon from hell.

"A vessel of light? Nothing more than a sacrifice we've waited a thousand years for!" Its voice was like the scraping of metal, full of mockery and malice.

Lingyue's defensive barrier began to crack under the impact of the dark purple beam of light, with fine cracks spreading like a spider web.

Her forehead was covered in sweat, and her face was as pale as paper. Maintaining the barrier for even a second came at a great cost.

Suddenly, she remembered Wenli's eyes before she disappeared—behind that guilt, there seemed to be a deeper secret.

She gritted her teeth and risked separating a wisp of consciousness to try and touch the nearest fragment.

The runes on the surface of the fragment suddenly lit up, and a long-forgotten memory flooded into her mind:

Wenli confronted the dark will before the ancient altar, and finally chose to split her soul into fragments. One of the fragments contained the key power to fight the Shadow Guard!

"Li Zhao! Attack the purple markings on their chests!"

Lingyue's voice was sharp and broken, as if she had used up all her strength.

"There's a clue in Wenli's fragment!" She threw out her fragment with all her might. The fragment resonated with other fragments in the air, forming a golden net of light that temporarily trapped the shadow guard on the right.

The net of light shimmered with a holy glow, colliding fiercely with the dark power of the Shadow Guards, emitting dazzling sparks.

Li Zhao seized the opportunity and condensed the three powers into an arrow. The arrow was wrapped with the power of light and darkness and exuded a chilling pressure.

The arrow struck the left-hand shadow guard, piercing his chest. The monster let out a deafening scream as its body began to disintegrate into black mist, filled with a pungent stench of decay.

The disintegrating mist did not dissipate; instead, it reformed into seven figures in the air. Each shadow guard had a complete purple pattern on its chest, like seven beating, evil hearts, exuding a suffocating sense of oppression.

Even more terrifying, the remaining fragments of light in the distance began to twist and deform, transforming into a massive black vortex, from which emanated a low, soul-chilling murmur:

"Foolish ants, thinking you can break the shackles of fate? The true darkness has only just awakened..."

Lingyue suddenly noticed that dark red patterns were spreading at an alarming rate under Li Zhao's skin, resonating with the purple patterns on the Shadow Guard's chest.

Li Zhao's eyes gradually became vacant, and the source of light in his hand began to dim, as if it were being gradually swallowed by darkness.

She rushed forward without hesitation, using her body to block the Shadow Guard's attack, while simultaneously injecting the memory fragments obtained from Wenli's remains into Li Zhao's body.

In Lingyue's memory, Wenli's last words echoed: "Tell Li Zhao that only by accepting the darkness can one truly control the light..."

Just as the Shadow Guard's attack was about to hit Lingyue, Li Zhao suddenly opened his eyes, which flashed with a black and white light.

As he raised his hand, a black and white energy wave spread out, instantly freezing the movements of all the shadow guards.

But before they could even catch their breath, the entire chaotic space began to shrink rapidly. The seven shadow guards transformed into streams of light and disappeared into Li Zhao's body. Patterns identical to those of the Dark Heart appeared on his body's surface, and a familiar, cold smile curled at the corner of his lips.

"The game is about to move to the next stage..."

Looking at the familiar yet unfamiliar Li Zhao, Lingyue felt a chill run from her feet to her heart. She didn't know if the person in front of her was still the same comrade-in-arms she once fought alongside, and how they would face the even more terrifying challenges ahead.