Chapter 97: Battles on Two Fronts

In the mist - shrouded landscape of his soul, Chen Jiuzhang braced himself as the horde of nightmarish creatures lunged forward. The first beast, a towering wolf - like being with eyes that glowed an eerie green, snapped its jaws inches from his face. He dodged to the side, his hand instinctively reaching for a weapon that wasn't there. Panic threatened to overtake him, but he forced himself to focus. This was a battle of the mind as much as it was of the body.​The shadowy figure watched with a cruel smirk, its arms crossed. "Give up, Chen Jiuzhang. You're outmatched. These creatures are born from your deepest fears - the fear of failure, of losing your friends, of never living up to your own expectations."​Ignoring the taunts, Chen Jiuzhang spotted a jagged rock on the ground. He snatched it up and swung at the wolf - beast. The rock connected with its muzzle, causing it to yelp and retreat. But more creatures swarmed in, their claws raking at his clothes and skin. One of them, a serpent - like being with multiple heads, wrapped itself around his leg, trying to drag him down.​Back on the floating platform, Su Nian, Zhang Chengying, and Lyra readied themselves for their counterattack. As the light - beings raised their staffs high, preparing their most powerful strikes, the trio charged forward. Su Nian's chains whipped through the air, wrapping around the arm of one of the figures. She pulled with all her strength, trying to disrupt its concentration.​Zhang Chengying, using the shard of rock as a makeshift dagger, aimed for the torso of another light - being. His attack passed through the figure's intangible form, but the momentary distraction caused the energy bolt it was channeling to veer off - course. Lyra, meanwhile, began to chant a powerful incantation. Her broken staff glowed brightly, and a gust of wind blew towards the light - beings, knocking some of them off - balance.​The light - beings recovered quickly, and their attacks grew more furious. A wall of energy pushed Su Nian, Zhang Chengying, and Lyra back towards the edge of the platform. "We can't keep this up!" Zhang Chengying shouted, his voice strained.​In the soul - realm, Chen Jiuzhang was on his last legs. The wounds from the creatures' attacks stung, and his strength was fading. But then, he remembered the faces of his friends - Su Nian's fierce determination, Zhang Chengying's unwavering loyalty, Luna's gentle strength. A newfound resolve filled him.​He closed his eyes and focused, reaching deep within himself. The memory of the crystal - key's pure, untainted power came to mind. When he opened his eyes again, a faint blue glow surrounded his hands. With a shout, he lunged at the horde of creatures, his strikes now landing with more force. The shadowy figure's smirk faded, replaced by a look of surprise.​As Chen Jiuzhang fought to overcome his inner demons, his friends on the floating platform faced their own seemingly insurmountable odds. The outcome of both battles would determine whether they could continue their quest to restore the balance of the Gui Xu Secret Realm or be consumed by the darkness that threatened to engulf them all.