Chapter 1194 Bidding

A layer of crystal armor quickly condensed. With a swish, the Raikiri struck the armor, sending sparks flying but failing to penetrate. The Flame Crystal Cat opened its mouth and unleashed a stream of air mixed with spiritual fire and cold air, hurtling towards the Kumogakure ANBU ninja. Seeing this, the leading jonin quickly dodged to the side, signaling the other two ANBU ninjas to flank them.

Shangguan Mo stood calmly behind the Flame Crystal Cat, his hands forming quick seals. "Wind Style? Breakthrough!" A powerful wind blade swept towards the flanking ninjas. The two ninjas scrambled to defend themselves, but the wind blades staggered them.

The Flame Crystal Cat took advantage of this moment and nimbly lunged at one of the ninjas, its sharp claws gleaming with an icy glint. The ninja's eyes widened in fear, and he frantically tried to block. Just as the battle reached a stalemate, a mysterious wave suddenly erupted from the depths of the shrine, and a shadowy figure slowly emerged. His presence seemed to complicate the battle further...

A mysterious figure, wearing a conical hat, exuded a vague, eerie aura. With a wave of his hands, a black barrier instantly separated the two groups. The Kumogakure ANBU jonin stared at him warily, shouting, "Who are you? Why are you interfering?" The mysterious figure didn't respond, but slowly raised his hand, pointing at the Flame Crystal Hell Cat and Shangguan Mo. At that moment, countless dark shadows suddenly emerged from the barrier, pouncing on the Flame Crystal Hell Cat and Shangguan Mo. The Flame Crystal Hell Cat roared, unleashing another burst of mixed air, temporarily dispelling the shadows. Shangguan Mo then formed another hand seal: "Fire Style: Great Fireball Jutsu!" A massive fireball hurled itself at the shadows, but they dodged the blow with ghostly ease. The mysterious figure's lip curled slightly, and his hands formed a complex hand seal, instantly making the shadows even more ferocious. Seeing this, the Kumogakure ANBU ninjas joined the fray, joining Shangguan Mo and the Flame Crystal Hell Cat in combat. For a moment, the shrine was ablaze with the flashes of swords, the cries of battle, and the sounds of killing. This sudden change made the battle even more complex and confusing. Just as the battle between the group and the shadows raged, the mysterious figure suddenly sped up his hand seals, and the shadows merged, forming a massive dark monster. The monster bared its fangs and claws, sending a Kumogakure ANBU ninja flying with a single claw. The Flame Crystal Cat, its eyes wide open, its crystal armor ablaze with light, charged at the dark monster, only to be flung back. Shangguan Mo gritted his teeth and rapidly formed hand seals. "Earth Release? Rock Prison Jutsu!" Several massive rocks rose from the ground, trapping the dark monster. However, the dark monster struggled, and the prison shattered instantly. The mysterious figure let out a sinister laugh, and just as he was about to launch a more powerful attack, a flash of light suddenly appeared from the shrine's summit, and a white-haired old man descended like a meteor, standing before the group. His eyes were sharp, and powerful chakra emanated from him. The mysterious figure shuddered at the sight of the old man, and a flicker of fear flashed in his eyes beneath his bamboo hat. The old man shouted, "Abandon your plot, or you'll never leave this shrine again!" A new confrontation ensued. Though startled, the mysterious man quickly composed himself, sneering, "Old man, don't think your presence can stop me." With that, he formed hand seals frantically once more, and the dark monster's aura grew even more terrifying. It roared to the heavens, shaking the shrine slightly.

The white-haired old man, his expression solemn, formed seals with his hands and chanted, "Water Escape? Waterfall Technique!" A massive wall of water surged towards the dark monster. The water and the dark force collided violently, stirring up huge splashes and black mist.

As the two sides reached a stalemate, Flame Crystal Dark Cat and Shangguan Mo seized the opportunity to recover. Flame Crystal Dark Cat regrouped its strength and coordinated with Shangguan Mo, one attacking from the front while the other cast a spell from the side. Their attacks briefly opened up the dark monster's vulnerability.

The white-haired elder seized the opportunity and shouted, "Sealing Technique? Eight Trigrams Seal!" Countless runes flew from his hands, entangling the dark monster. Seeing this, the mysterious man knew his situation was hopeless and turned to flee. However, a wind blade suddenly struck, cutting off his retreat. The mysterious man collapsed to the ground in despair, the crisis finally averted.