Mingyin's heart sank deeper and deeper. The sound of collapsing stone and endless cracking echoed throughout the area, filling the air with dread. Hopelessness slowly returned to him once more, but this time it was different from the cold emptiness he had once felt.
He had already forgiven himself.
He was, and always would be, the Smart Fox.
If my calculations are correct, they're fighting that skeleton woman… she should be a Dragon Warrior. I think the man with dragon features is already dead, while the dragon made of smoke is still standing there…
It seems I can do nothing but wait for a chance…
Suddenly, Mingyin's ears twitched.
He instantly pressed his back against a pillar.
BOOM!
Shining Sask was hurled through the air by a massive sphere of flames. His body spun violently before crashing nearly seven feet away. The ground shattered beneath him as he slid across it at frightening speed, leaving deep cracks in the floor.
His left sleeve had been completely torn apart, blood dripping from his arm.
"AAARGH!"
Blood sprayed through the air as he screamed in pain, clutching his injured hand. His body slammed against the wall hard enough to crack its surface.
He collapsed to one knee, coughing violently as blood poured from his mouth like a crimson river. His eyes turned red from pain while he gripped his throat desperately.
"Bullshit… what kind of strength is this? Ahahaha!"
He slowly raised his head, madness flashing in his eyes.
"You forced this sincere kid to do the unthinkable! Your death will taste sweet to me!"
Smoke rose from the shattered ground.
Then, from within the darkness, a tall skeleton woman slowly emerged.
Strands of old gray hair hung from her skull, while her left shoulder was covered in massive wing-shaped bones.
Without warning, she vanished.
BOOM!
She appeared before Teinsei Jin and threw a devastating punch into the air.
The collision exploded like thunder.
Teinsei Jin blocked her strike head-on, the impact sending the skeleton woman several feet backward. He landed smoothly and smiled calmly as if nothing had happened.
Then his arm moved like lightning.
Golden words appeared in the air.
[You have pushed me far enough to sweat. You even forced me to consider using my artifact six times.]
The glowing words continued forming.
[Your potential is extraordinary. Even among quasi-peak artists, you stand above many… but in the end, you are still merely a lower quasi.]
Shining Sask slowly rose from the ground.
Crack.
He twisted his neck and rolled his shoulders before staring forward with eyes sharp enough to cut steel. Killing intent flooded the battlefield.
Then he laughed.
Wildly.
Like a complete maniac.
"Ahahahaha!"
His laughter echoed across the ruined hall.
"After two whole years… I can finally sweat again! You truly are at the level of a quasi-peak artist!"
He pointed at the skeleton woman.
"But compared to legends like us… you are still the weakest among them!"
His grin widened.
"There are levels even among Sage Artists. Stage One, Two, Three, Four, Five…"
"And even among quasi-peak artists, there's a massive difference between the weak… and true legends."
He placed a hand on his chest proudly.
"And me and Teinsei Jin stand among the strongest legends of the quasi realm."
His eyes narrowed.
"You are strong… I'll admit that."
Teinsei Jin smiled faintly and continued writing glowing words into the air.
[You are by far the strongest among the weaker quasi-level fighters.]
[Be proud of yourself.]
[Now… let me show you my true power.]
Shining Sask smirked.
"Teinsei Jin is only at Stage Four Sage Artist… yet he surpasses even peak Stage Five quasi legends."
He glanced toward Rou Wei.
"And among all of us… Rou Wei alone holds the title of strongest."
The skeleton woman remained silent.
Instead, a strange groan escaped her mouth, sounding almost like laughter.
Shining Sask stepped forward.
"I'll show you my—"
"Don't."
The single word instantly froze him.
Shining Sask's eyes widened as Rou Wei finally stood up.
"You two did well," Rou Wei said calmly. "Especially you, skeleton woman."
He sighed softly.
"But as your captain… I was observing how the two of you cooperated."
His gaze shifted toward Teinsei Jin.
"Yet neither of you truly fought as partners."
A faint smile appeared on Rou Wei's face.
"You passed the test, Teinsei Jin."
Mingyin's eyes widened instantly.
Teinsei Jin?!
He knew that name.
Rou Wei adjusted the wolf fur hanging around his shoulder before speaking coldly.
"Shibai Yun."
"You better explain what's happening here."
The dragon skeleton woman suddenly lunged forward, red flames burning violently within her empty eye sockets.
Rou Wei simply smiled.
The smoke dragon beside them let out a deep sigh before speaking hesitantly.
"This was our final experiment…"
Its voice grew heavier.
"We attempted to create a Dragon Warrior."
It looked toward the skeleton woman.
"She died… yet somehow survived."
"But she lost her sanity in the process."
The smoke dragon paused before continuing.
"And the other one… I still cannot understand her existence."
"She should have failed."
Its smoky body trembled slightly.
"Yet something about her is terrifying."
Rou Wei smiled faintly.
"I figured as much."
BOOM!
The battlefield exploded once more as fists collided.
The skeleton woman was launched nearly seven feet into the air, roaring in pure rage.
Shining Sask let out a long sigh.
"Man… I wasn't even using thirty percent of my strength, yet I still struggled against her."
His expression darkened.
"But Rou Wei is completely dominating her…"
BAM!
The impact shattered nearby pillars into pieces.
The old man in purple robes smiled while the surrounding immortals shouted excitedly despite the overwhelming pressure crushing them.
"You got this, Captain!"
"Believe in yourself!"
Even Teinsei Jin smiled faintly.
The skeleton woman was stunned.
She couldn't land a single clean hit.
Yet suddenly—
An overwhelming force exploded from deep within her heart.
The smoke dragon roared loudly.
"Be careful!"
"A Dragon Warrior possesses the strength of ten elephants, and her bones can regenerate within seconds!"
Suddenly, Rou Wei received a brutal punch directly to the face.
BOOM!
He was sent flying backward.
Yet he landed firmly on the ground, blood dripping from his nose.
Shining Sask's expression changed instantly.
Shock filled his face.
But Rou Wei merely sighed.
"You forced me to use this artifact…"
A small pagoda suddenly appeared in his palm.
He poured soul-force energy into it.
Instantly, his vision blurred.
Darkness swallowed his sight completely.
[Artifact of Future Sight]
[Peak Artist Stage One]
Suddenly, Rou Wei moved.
He effortlessly dodged three incoming strikes before they even arrived. Sliding beneath the skeleton woman's legs, he spun upward and kicked her violently into the air.
The skeleton woman flew backward.
Yet Rou Wei's eyes remained closed.
Then—
He thrust his palm forward.
BOOM!
A terrifying shockwave exploded outward, blasting the skeleton woman across the battlefield.
She crashed against the ground and slid across the shattered floor.
Slowly, she stood up again, breathing heavily.
Her hollow gaze locked onto Teinsei Jin and Shining Sask as they approached confidently.
Then—
Her vision darkened.
With a violent flap of her bone wings, she escaped through the massive hole in the wall and vanished from everyone's sight.
"Hey! What's wrong with you?!"
One immortal shouted angrily.
"Come back, coward!"
"Fool of the century!"
"She got scared of our handsome captain!"
Rou Wei's expression instantly darkened.
"What are you idiots doing?!"
His voice thundered through the hall.
"Go after her!"
The immortals froze immediately.
"You were all useless! Only Shining Sask and Teinsei Jin were capable of defending against that demon!"
His killing intent exploded outward.
"If you don't chase her now, your punishment will be unbearable."
The immortals immediately bowed in embarrassment before flying upward in pursuit.
Only the old man remained behind.
Rou Wei glared at him coldly.
"Can you do something, old man, or have you finall—"
"Shut up, fool!"
The old man interrupted furiously.
"Let me think about capturing that soul!"
Then he flew upward with a crazed expression.
Rou Wei suddenly began sweating.
A memory resurfaced within his mind.
—
A vast mountain region stretched endlessly beneath thick mist.
Rou Wei stood atop a lonely peak.
Skeletons hung from nearby cliffs like decorations.
Then suddenly—
Red light ignited inside their empty eye sockets.
Dark clouds swallowed the sky as thunder roared endlessly above.
Rou Wei walked deeper into the mist, noticing massive spider webs spread across the mountains and valleys.
Then he saw it.
A giant tunnel hidden beneath the fog.
The tunnel was built from enormous boulders and ancient clay. At its entrance stood a gigantic wooden door.
Rou Wei slowly pushed it open.
The door creaked loudly.
Inside, a staircase made entirely of bones descended deep underground.
As he walked downward, he noticed torches hanging from the walls. The moment he grabbed one, it burst into flame.
The deeper he went, the colder the air became.
Then he saw it.
A massive underground hall.
Seven black thrones stood silently in the darkness, each forged from ink-black spikes.
Rou Wei did not dare step closer.
Then—
A voice echoed through the darkness.
"My little grandson…"
"How are you?"
Rou Wei froze instantly.
Behind the thrones stood a figure.
Just being near it felt deeply disturbing.
Slow footsteps echoed through the darkness.
BAM.
BAM.
BAM.
Each step sounded like thunder itself.
Rou Wei's pupils shrank to needlepoints as sweat poured down his face.
His knees trembled violently.
"Ahh… ahhhh…"
Before him stood a creature capable of terrifying anyone to their core.
The figure was nearly eight feet tall.
Golden threads wrapped around its body like stitched flesh. It looked human… yet its face was hidden beneath layers of golden ash.
Blood soaked its hair.
The left side of its scalp was bald, exposing raw red flesh underneath.
Its cheeks were torn apart, white liquid dripping slowly from the wounds.
Its teeth were long, sharp, and venomous.
But the most horrifying part—
Its lower body resembled a monstrous spider with six massive legs and an enormous abdomen behind it.
Then the creature smiled.
"Oh… hello, grandson."
Its voice echoed softly through the darkness.
"I hope you're still helping that stupid old man…"
"Ghost Yun.