With the altar utterly destroyed and the Ghost King dragged back into the Scarlet Abyss, everyone's nerves, stretched to their limit, finally relaxed.
The valley was a wreck. Shattered bones and severed Demon Wraith limbs carpeted the ground, while crimson-gold flames still burned among the altar's ruins. A pungent stench of charred flesh filled the air, occasionally accompanied by the faint sound of stones tumbling into the deep pit.
Several young martial artists could no longer hold themselves up. They slumped straight to the ground, gasping for breath. Some could not stop their hands from trembling, only lowering their chipped weapons after confirming that the rift to the Scarlet Abyss had completely closed.
Luo Yun stood to one side, leaning on his saber. Most of his Golden Scale Armor was damaged, and several plates over his chest had shattered completely. Gu Chenfeng's left arm hung limply at his side, half his sleeve soaked in blood. Clearly, the fighting had injured his bones and tendons.
"Old Gu, can you still save that arm?"
Luo Yun asked between ragged breaths.
"It's just one broken bone. Nothing serious."
Gu Chenfeng bit down on the corner of his robe and used his right hand to secure his left arm again. An injury like this was no great problem for him.
Zhang Zhen stood alone before the sealed rift to the Scarlet Abyss, his robes snapping in the wind. He did not immediately relax because the Ghost King had retreated. Instead, he extended his perception, probing the depths of the rift again and again.
Only when the last wisp of baleful ghostly energy dispersed and the sealing runes sank back into the mountain wall did Zhang Zhen's tightly knitted brows ease slightly.
He turned around, sweeping his gaze over everyone before finally settling on Lu