"Everyone, be careful! The next wave of attacks might be even fiercer!" Annabelle Hung warned the three women.
As soon as she finished speaking, the ground beneath their feet suddenly shook violently. Cracks split the earth, and frigid energy surged out, quickly surrounding them.
The spiritual fire barrier Annabelle Hung had set up was gradually weakening under the assault of the yin-chilled earth energy. Meanwhile, the ground churned and split apart—the Mirage Lizard was trying to drag them underground.
Annabelle's eyes snapped open, her pupils blazing like flames. Dark spiritual fire swirled around her, giving her a hellish, demonic appearance. She crossed her palms at her chest, pressed them together, then raised them overhead and forcefully swung downward: "Thunderfire Slash!"
With a fierce shout, dozens of curved blades of fire slashed through the air, accompanied by the roar of wind and thunder. They shot into the ground like fiery ropes, yanking forcefully toward the depths below. May Gu shivered, feeling the chill intensify as supernatural mist curled around her, the cold biting through her usual composure.
Yellow earth rapidly filled the fissures, burying the split ground left by the Mirage Lizard. At the same time, the fiery ropes extended underground, wrapping tightly around the frenzied beast.
Summoned earth kept pouring in, sealing the cracks. Annabelle Hung mobilized every bit of yellow earth she could, causing the ground beneath them to rise. Repair and destruction continued in turn, as the Mirage Lizard vigorously clashed with her beneath the surface.
After a tense standoff, Annabelle grew angry with the beast. Gathering her strength, she wrapped it in earth and forcibly dragged the Mirage Lizard out from underground.
Rows of fiery ropes crackled with sparks, anchoring the Mirage Lizard to the ground and holding it fast. The once-rampaging beast now lay on the surface like a dead fish, its body twitching in defiance under Annabelle's furious power.
"Hmph, let me burn it! Let's see if it's still so cocky..." Annabelle Hung snorted, gathering her strength as a ball of spiritual fire ignited in her palm. With a sly grin, she pulled out a Pyro Seal, channeling her qi into the talisman—a burst of blazing yang fire erupted, ready to roast the beast and show off her favorite trick.
Suddenly, the Mirage Lizard snapped its wide, flat jaws and bit viciously into the fiery ropes binding its body!
"Graaagh..." Blood spurted instantly as the lizard severed a chunk of its own tongue. The yin-chilled earth energy churned wildly, melting the ropes of fire that had wrapped around its body. This thing was so desperate to escape it resorted to self-mutilation!
In that moment, the Mirage Lizard had already broken free of more than half its bonds. Its tail, now completely liberated, whipped furiously, sending clouds of dust flying everywhere.
"Huff! Huff!" Wisps of pale, ghostly mist billowed from its body, spreading a chilling aura through the air.
"So cold..." Even May Gu, standing outside the fray, shuddered from the biting chill—the mist rolling off the Mirage Lizard was the culprit.
"Earth energy..." Annabelle Hung pulled May Gu aside and said, "The Mirage Lizard keeps absorbing earth energy."
"Why does it need earth energy?" May Gu asked anxiously.
"The Mirage Lizard is a spirit beast of the earth element—its power depends entirely on earth energy. Looks like it's ready to go all out against us," Annabelle Hung replied coldly.
Boom! As soon as she finished speaking, the ground split open and the Mirage Lizard dove back underground.
"Heh... Earth energy is yin, Pyro Seal is yang. How could I forget my specialty?" Annabelle Hung teased herself, pulling out a Pyro Seal. She channeled her qi, and a wave of blazing yang heat surged forth, transforming into a fierce blaze that enveloped the spot where the Mirage Lizard had burrowed.