The moment Xuan Gu's pupils contracted, a sudden change erupted above the lake.
The three array platforms absorbed an immense amount of blood and vital energy. It was no longer merely "flowing in," but being forcibly dragged over by some tyrannical force. Runes across the platforms' surfaces lit up one after another, turning bright crimson before rapidly settling into an almost black, viscous blood-red, like freshly formed scabs.
The array platforms themselves began to emit low hums, clearly groaning as their materials struggled under the impact.
The Time Sandglass hovered above Zhang Tie's head. The sole remaining grain of golden sand within it had completely lost its light.
The sandglass remained still for an instant, then began collapsing from the top, turning into fine motes of golden light that drifted down and sank into Zhang Tie's brow. With the obstruction gone, the six Black Shadows that had long lurked beneath the lake surged forth like evil dragons freed from their shackles, no longer holding back.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
The sound of water breaking was sharp and piercing.
Six pitch-black chains as thick as bowls shot into the sky and lunged toward Zhang Tie.
At that moment, the humming of the three blood-colored array platforms suspended in midair abruptly ceased, replaced directly by a cracking sound.
Dense fractures spread across the platforms like spiderwebs. Blood-colored light violently pulsed from within the cracks, as though they would explode completely at any moment.
Zhang Tie's eyes were as still as ancient wells. Facing the chains that had already closed to within three feet of him, he parted his lips slightly.
"Perish."
His voice was not loud, yet it carried a strange rhythm that stirred the power accumulated to its limit within the array platforms.
The uppermost platform, the one covered in the most