Foundation Establishment-Stage Evil Spirit Appears

As they pressed forward, the deathly aura in the air grew even more oppressive. The runes on the sides of the tunnel flickered faintly, as if warning the group of the danger ahead.

"There's something up ahead," Wang Quan's keen spiritual sense detected a powerful, oppressive presence lurking in the darkness, waiting to strike at any moment.

At that instant, a deep, guttural roar echoed from the fissure in the tunnel ahead, sounding as if it had come from the very depths of hell. The roar caused the entire passage to tremble slightly. Along with the roar, a powerful wave of deathly energy surged out from the fissure, causing the surrounding temperature to plummet. It felt as though the entire space was being consumed by death.

"A Foundation Establishment-stage evil spirit!" Daoist Feng Ming's expression shifted dramatically. He quickly halted, his long sword vibrating slightly as spiritual energy rapidly gathered around him.

Wang Quan's spiritual sense locked onto the powerful aura ahead, and his heart sank. He knew this enemy was far stronger than any of the previous evil spirits they had encountered. This Foundation Establishment-level evil spirit radiated an intense deathly aura, and its spiritual body was incredibly solid—a massive, shadowy figure exuding cold, terrifying power.

The evil spirit's form gradually became clearer, its blood-red eyes glowing with malice. Its enormous body filled the tunnel, and the thick, black deathly energy swirled around it like a storm. Each of its movements caused the air to vibrate ominously.

"Be careful! This is a Foundation Establishment-level evil spirit with immense spiritual power. Don't be careless!" Daoist Feng Ming shouted, swinging his sword. A blast of sword energy, imbued with the power of wind, shot towards the spirit.

The green sword energy sliced through the air, aiming directly at the evil spirit's chest. However, the spirit's body was incredibly resilient. The sword energy only left a shallow crack on its form, which was quickly mended by the surrounding deathly aura.

"This thing's defense is even stronger than I expected," Daoist Feng Ming muttered, his expression serious. Clearly, the Foundation Establishment evil spirit's body was much tougher than the mid-tier spirits they had faced before.

Without hesitation, Wang Quan activated his Five Elements Secret Art, channeling the power of gold and fire within him. His sword flared with intense flames.

"Golden Flame Sword Art—Blazing Sky Slash!"

With a powerful swing, Wang Quan unleashed a blazing trail of sword energy that surged forth like a dragon of fire, aimed at the evil spirit's head. The intense heat pushed back the surrounding deathly aura, and the sword energy carried a sharp, penetrating force as it slashed toward the evil spirit.

The evil spirit let out a piercing screech, its red eyes burning with rage. It raised its massive black claws, shrouded in deathly energy, and struck down at Wang Quan.

"Boom!"

Wang Quan's sword energy struck the spirit's head, and the flames exploded across its form. The spirit's body seemed to warp slightly under the intense heat, but its defenses were incredibly strong, and the damage was superficial at best.

The evil spirit's claw came crashing down like a blade. Wang Quan's eyes narrowed, and he quickly summoned the power of the earth element, casting a protective shield of solid earth in front of him.

"Bang!"

The black claw smashed into the earth shield with a deafening roar, causing cracks to form across its surface. The impact forced Wang Quan back several steps, and his spiritual energy was briefly thrown into disarray.

"This Foundation Establishment-stage evil spirit is indeed powerful!" Wang Quan thought grimly. Even though he was already at the ninth level of Qi Refinement, he felt immense pressure from this evil spirit. Its defense and spiritual power were terrifying, and being corrupted by its deathly aura could be disastrous.

Daoist Feng Ming also realized the severity of the situation. With a cold snort, he swung his sword again, unleashing a barrage of sword strikes that rained down on the spirit like a storm. At the same time, he began chanting a spell, gathering even more spiritual energy for a powerful technique.

"Wind and Thunder Sword Art—Cloud-Splitting Slash!"

With a low shout, Feng Ming's sword suddenly crackled with the violent power of wind and thunder. The sword energy transformed into a flash of lightning, carrying tremendous force as it shot toward the spirit's chest.

The evil spirit roared in fury, its massive body swirling with thick deathly energy as it tried to block Feng Ming's attack. But the thunder-charged sword energy tore through the deathly aura with ease, slashing deep into the spirit's body.

"Boom!"

The spirit's body was split open by the thunderous strike, and deathly energy began pouring out of the wound. Its aura became unstable as the injury weakened it.

"Its defenses are down!" Wang Quan's eyes lit up as he seized the opportunity. With a swift motion, he channeled more spiritual energy into his sword, which flared with intense golden flames.

"Blazing Sky Slash!"

Another wave of fiery sword energy surged forth, striking the spirit's wound with devastating force. The flames burned the evil spirit's body, widening the gash and releasing more black mist.

The spirit screeched in agony as its form began to dissipate under the relentless assault, and the deathly aura surrounding it crumbled.

"Boom!"

With one final, massive explosion, the Foundation Establishment-stage evil spirit's body disintegrated. Its form dissolved into black ashes that scattered into the air, leaving behind only the fading traces of its deathly presence.

As the deathly energy in the air dissipated, both Wang Quan and Daoist Feng Ming breathed a sigh of relief.

"The power of a Foundation Establishment-level evil spirit is far beyond what we Qi Refinement cultivators can easily handle," Wang Quan thought to himself. The battle had put immense pressure on him, and without Feng Ming's timely intervention, it would have been nearly impossible to take down the spirit alone.

Daoist Feng Ming sheathed his sword, his expression still serious. "That spirit's body was incredibly strong. Without our combined efforts, it would have been difficult to win. We need to stay cautious—there could be even greater dangers ahead."

The group nodded in agreement, extending their spiritual senses to remain alert for any further movements in the tunnel. While the evil spirit had been defeated, they knew the path ahead remained fraught with unknown threats.

Wang Quan took a deep breath, circulating his spiritual energy to recover, as they prepared to venture deeper into the treacherous depths of the tunnel.