Chapter 105: Into the Abyssal Depths

The moment the group stepped through the portal, a bone - chilling cold seeped into their bones. Chen Jiuzhang tightened his grip on the crystal - key, which now pulsed with an erratic, blue - white light, as if it was as wary of the new environment as they were. The air was thick with a strange, misty fog that obscured their vision, making it impossible to see more than a few feet ahead.​"Stay close," Chen Jiuzhang murmured, his voice echoing in the eerie silence. His words seemed to hang in the air, as if even sound itself was hesitant to break the stillness.​Su Nian nodded, her chains at the ready. The clinking of the metal links was the only other noise besides their cautious footsteps. "I don't like this. It feels like we're being watched."​As if in response to her words, a series of soft, slithering sounds filled the air. The fog began to swirl, and shadowy forms emerged from the mist. Creatures with multiple eyes and long, tentacle - like appendages slithered towards them, their bodies glistening with a viscous, purple slime.​Zhang Chengying raised his makeshift weapon, a sharpened piece of debris from the previous battle. "Here we go again," he muttered, his muscles tensed and ready for combat.​Luna's starlight - woven gown flared to life, casting a protective glow around the group. "I'll try to hold them off," she said, her voice steady despite the fear that gripped her heart. She raised her hands, and a wave of starlight shot towards the approaching creatures. The light seared their flesh, causing them to let out high - pitched screeches, but more of them emerged from the fog, seemingly endless in number.​Lyra, her eyes closed in concentration, began to chant. Silver runes materialized in the air around her, forming a barrier that blocked the path of the creatures. But the barrier trembled under the constant onslaught, and she could feel her energy rapidly depleting. "We need to find a way out of here," she gasped. "These things just keep coming!"​Just then, Chen Jiuzhang noticed something strange. The crystal - key was not only reacting to the creatures but also to a faint, pulsating light in the distance. The light seemed to be calling out to the key, like a siren's song. "Over there," he shouted, pointing towards the light. "I think the key is leading us to something important. Maybe a way out!"​The group fought their way through the horde of creatures, Su Nian's chains lashing out, Zhang Chengying's strikes fending off the attacks, and Luna and Lyra providing cover with their magic. As they drew closer to the light, the fog began to thin, and they could make out the silhouette of a massive, ancient structure.​But before they could reach it, a figure emerged from the shadows of the structure. It was a tall, gaunt being with skin as pale as the moon and eyes that glowed an otherworldly green. It held a staff adorned with a large, black crystal, and its presence alone sent a wave of dread through the group.​"Intruders," the being hissed, its voice like the scraping of nails on a chalkboard. "You dare to enter the domain of the Abyssal Keepers? Prepare to face the consequences."​The group braced themselves, their weapons at the ready. They had come too far to be stopped now, but the power emanating from the strange being made it clear that this would be one of their toughest battles yet.