Chapter 90: Confronting the Shadowwraith

The shadowwraith loomed large in the chamber, its massive form blocking out the meager light. Its red eyes scanned the room, locking onto the group cowering behind the rubble. With a flick of its tail, it sent a wave of debris flying towards them. Su Nian leaped out from her hiding spot, her damaged chains swinging as she deflected the incoming stones. "We can't just hide!" she shouted, her voice echoing through the chaos.​Zhang Chengying, his eyes fixed on the creature's scaled legs, spotted a weak point where the obsidian - like scales seemed thinner. "Its joints!" he yelled, pointing. "If we can target them, we might be able to slow it down!" Without a proper weapon, he picked up a large shard of stone and charged forward.​Chen Jiuzhang, still seeing the remnants of the past battle in his mind's eye, focused on the roiling pool. The water churned with a dark energy, but beneath the surface, he could sense a glimmer of the original, healing power. "Luna, Shen Qingluan, help me channel the pool's energy!" he called out.​Luna stood up, her legs shaking. She raised her hands, and a faint silver light began to gather above the pool. Shen Qingluan joined her, holding the fragment of the Imperial Jade Seal. Golden light intertwined with the starlight, creating a shimmering barrier over the water.​Wu Laogou, though still weak, rummaged through his pockets and pulled out a handful of rune - inscribed stones. "These might disrupt its dark magic," he said, his voice hoarse. He threw the stones at the shadowwraith, but the creature merely swatted them away with a growl.​The shadowwraith lunged at Zhang Chengying, its massive claws aimed at his head. At the last moment, Su Nian intercepted, her chains wrapping around the creature's arm. She pulled with all her might, but the shadowwraith was too strong. It dragged her across the floor, leaving a trail of sparks.​Chen Jiuzhang, seeing his friends in danger, knew they needed to act fast. He closed his eyes and reached out with his mind, trying to connect with the pool's energy. Images of ancient rituals filled his head, and he began to chant in an unknown language. The water in the pool began to rise, forming a large, glowing sphere.​Lyra, her silver staff in hand, launched a series of attacks at the shadowwraith's eyes, hoping to blind it. The strikes landed, but the creature's wounds quickly healed. "It's no use!" she shouted. "We need to use the pool's power, now!"​As the shadowwraith turned its attention towards the pool, ready to destroy it, Chen Jiuzhang unleashed the sphere of water. The glowing orb collided with the creature, creating a powerful shockwave. The shadowwraith let out a howl of pain, and for a moment, its movements slowed. But it wasn't defeated yet. Its body began to absorb the dark energy from the pool, growing even larger and more menacing. The battle for survival had just entered a more perilous phase.