After a heart-stopping battle, the powerful divine beast was finally defeated. Its massive body crashed to the ground, then gradually dissipated amid a cloud of smoke. Everyone watched nervously as the weight on their hearts was finally lifted.
They had successfully obtained the legendary divine artifact, and everyone was thrilled. Carrying this precious artifact, they set off on their journey back to the Immortal Realm, filled with hope that they could resolve the crisis of the sect's vanished secret manuals and magical treasures.
When they returned to the Immortal Realm, the entire sect erupted in excitement. People crowded around, curiously staring at the divine artifact. Everyone carefully placed it at the center of the sect, hoping it would unleash its miraculous power and save the sect from its predicament.
Once the divine artifact was in place, it began to emit a gentle glow. The light seemed to possess a calming power, gradually soothing the restless spiritual energy around it. Seeing this, everyone breathed a sigh of relief, feeling that the crisis had seemingly been resolved.
However, just as everyone lowered their guard slightly, something unexpected happened. The divine artifact suddenly began to shake violently, and its once-gentle light instantly became blindingly intense, making it nearly impossible to look at directly.
The Mysterious Immortal's expression changed drastically. He cried out, "Not good! This divine artifact has been corrupted by evil power!" A trace of fear and despair seeped into his voice.
Before his words had even faded, a thunderous bang rang out. As if unable to withstand the impact of that evil power, the divine artifact suddenly exploded. A powerful wave of dark energy erupted like a volcano, violently blasting everyone backward.
The dark energy spread rapidly. Wherever it reached, the once-pure spiritual energy of the Immortal Realm was stained black