A deafening roar echoed through the entire space of Shadow City, drawing the attention of every traveler.
A terrifying figure, wreathed in dark red flames, emerged from the crumbling tower.
Feng Qi felt an infinite surge of power coursing through his body, as if he could tear the sky apart with his bare hands and shatter the earth with a single punch.
At this moment, he slowly opened his mouth, and dark red energy materialized within.
ROAR!
With the enhancement of the Raging Wave talent, his battle cry sent shockwaves through the minds of nearby travelers, instantly leaving them dazed. The entire space trembled violently under its force.
Feng Qi's initial plan had been simple—exchange the wealth of Shadow City's lord for information from the travelers outside.
But after realizing he couldn't break through the tower's seal, he immediately changed his mind.
Now, with both the Dark God's and Night Sky's power coursing through him, looting was clearly a far simpler solution than bartering for information.
In the face of absolute strength, the rules of Shadow City were nothing but a joke.
Besides, with Shadow City's ruler engaged in a one-on-one fight against Little Black, he was unlikely to return. There was no reason to fear anything here.
[Would this be considered "when the tiger leaves the mountain, the monkey becomes king"?]
Feng Qi: …
Sweeping his gaze across the streets he had previously walked, his eyes locked onto a green-skinned figure frantically packing up its stall.
Feng Qi bent his knees slightly, then launched himself forward.
His figure soared through the air in a perfect arc before crashing down in front of the green-skinned creature. The impact sent tremors through the ground, causing nearby buildings to collapse.
Looking down at the small, trembling green figure, Feng Qi recalled what it had said earlier:
"We never planned to sell information to broke nobodies..."
"If this were outside, you'd already be dead!"
The arrogant words were in stark contrast to the terror on its face now.
It didn't even dare to look up at him. Feng Qi could clearly sense its body quivering slightly, as if struggling against its own fear.
"Look at me, you little bastard."
A sinister grin spread across Feng Qi's face.
The divine power of the Dark God and Night Sky radiated from his body, instantly pressing down on the green-skinned creature, forcing it to kneel.
Slowly, the creature lifted its head.
As it gazed upon the towering dark red figure surrounded by compressed energy orbs, an overwhelming sense of oppression surged through its bloodline.
Like a mountain pressing down on it, the creature could barely breathe.
It clearly couldn't comprehend why such a terrifying entity had targeted it.
But it knew one thing—it was going to die. The intense killing intent radiating from this god-like being was undeniable.
"I…"
A pleading expression appeared on its face, but before it could finish speaking, Feng Qi's fist came crashing down.
BOOM!
The ground quaked as his punch created a deep crater, with cracks spreading across the entire street.
The green-skinned figure didn't even have time to react before it was crushed into a bloody pulp beneath Feng Qi's fist, then incinerated into nothingness by the dark red flames.
At that moment, the narrator's voice echoed in his mind:
[Your grudge-holding skills are top-notch… but I like it! Hahaha!]
Scarlet mist seeped into his skin, merging into his body. Feng Qi slowly stood up, ignoring the status panel or any newly acquired talents.
Right now, the priority was to keep hunting.
To acquire as many talents as possible and further enhance his strength.
With this thought, the compressed energy orbs orbiting his body hummed. Feng Qi raised his hand and pointed toward a densely populated area.
The energy orbs shot forward.
BOOM!
Eighteen consecutive explosions erupted, and golden and crimson mist surged out from the dust cloud, rushing into Feng Qi's body at incredible speed.
The golden mist enhanced his mental power.
As multiple waves of golden energy entered his body, Feng Qi noticed his perception of the world sharpening.
[Right now, you're like a max-level boss in a beginner's village, rampaging in berserk mode. I handle the "berserk," you handle the "rampage"!]
Ignoring the narrator, Feng Qi shifted his gaze.
The Mist Lord had once taught him an effective method for determining the strength of enemies—Blood Perception.
Closing his eyes, the lifeforms in Shadow City appeared in his mind as moving crimson dots.
Although his perception wasn't as refined as the Mist Lord's, it was still enough to distinguish the weak from the strong.
Opening his eyes again, he locked onto a group of figures fleeing in the distance.
These domain creatures had clearly realized something major had happened in Shadow City and were attempting to escape back to the human world.
Feng Qi raised his right hand and aimed at the fleeing crowd.
The dark red compressed energy orbs orbiting him began to rotate at high speed. With a single thought, they shot toward the escaping group.
What surprised Feng Qi was—
The fleeing figures, realizing they were about to be attacked, suddenly turned around and worked together to create an energy barrier.
A semi-transparent black shield rapidly expanded, solidifying mid-air.
At its center was the face of a fanged, blue-skinned ghost.
The moment the ghost's eyes opened, the compressed energy orbs struck.
Instantly, the two forces clashed. The eighteen energy orbs formed a diamond-shaped formation, glowing brilliantly.
The ghost-faced shield only lasted a few seconds before shattering.
BOOM!
The moment the compressed energy orbs hit the ground, over a dozen fleeing figures were instantly engulfed.
A terrifying shockwave erupted, sending out concentric rings of destructive force.
From a distance, Feng Qi grinned viciously as the howling winds swept toward him. Golden and crimson mist streamed into his body.
As his body absorbed the influx of energy, he could clearly feel his strength rising once again.
Scanning the surroundings, he saw that the many tourists who had been fleeing had now become nothing more than easy prey—opportunities for him to collect even more talents.
Right now, he was truly unstoppable!
[Oh no, the debt collector's here!]
As soon as the narrator's voice fell, Feng Qi sensed a familiar presence rapidly approaching.
He looked up at the sky.
A massive pitch-black rift had torn open in the air above. A colossal arm, wreathed in dark green flames, reached out from the spatial tear.
ROAR!
A deafening roar shook the heavens as the giant hand forcefully ripped the space apart, widening the rift further. A massive figure emerged, descending from the crack.
This creature stood over a hundred meters tall, its entire body engulfed in dark green flames. Though humanoid in shape, its limbs were unnaturally thick, and its face was hidden behind a white bone mask. A pair of blazing demonic horns burned atop its forehead, and behind it, magma-like wings shifted and pulsed.
A suffocating aura of malice swept across Shadow City.
Above the monster's head, a shadowy projection of the Dark God hovered, with six hollow sockets embedded in it.
Five of these sockets were already filled with different-colored energy sources, leaving only the central slot empty.
The moment the Dark God appeared, Feng Qi wasn't surprised—just slightly taken aback by how quickly it had arrived.
As the narrator had said, the Dark God was here to collect its debt.
It wanted to restore its missing body, but one of its six essential origin forces had already been taken by Feng Qi, meaning it would never achieve full restoration.
After all, any power taken by Feng Qi was permanently erased from other timelines.
Across all realities, the Dark God would always remain incomplete.
Now, after devouring countless resources and absorbing energy to activate the Dark God's body, Feng Qi had clearly triggered its awareness.
Just like in the previous timeline, the Dark God had come hunting again.
Crushing a fleeing traveler underfoot, Feng Qi raised his gaze toward the towering entity and asked in his mind, "Narrator, how does this guy compare to the Pillar God?"
[No comparison at all. This thing isn't even a demigod, not even a pseudo-god. It's just a divinity-born entity that grew through faith power… But with the immense belief energy stored in its body, its growth potential is enormous. It might even have a shot at glimpsing true divinity in the future!]
"What about compared to me right now?"
[It could drag your face through the dirt and use it as a mop. It has five origin forces, while you only have one. Even if you add Night Sky's divine power, you're still no match.]
"Then screw this. I'm out."
He had originally thought about killing the Dark God and taking the other five origin forces for himself.
But after hearing the narrator's analysis, he instantly abandoned that idea.
There was no chance of winning this fight, and it would just be a waste of time.
Better to spend this time hunting down more travelers in Shadow City and looting their abilities.
With that thought, he turned decisively and sprinted toward the fleeing travelers.
At the same moment, the Dark God moved.
Its figure blurred, appearing right behind Feng Qi in an instant, its massive palm swinging down with terrifying force.
Feng Qi, however, was already mid-punch, his fist aimed at another terrified traveler.
BOOM!
The impact sent Feng Qi down on one knee, but his fist still connected, reducing the traveler to pulp.
Even so, he had no intention of fighting the Dark God.
He stood up immediately and took off toward his next target.
The Dark God closed in once more, slapping the back of his head and sending him flying sideways.
As he tumbled through the air, Feng Qi casually swiped his palm downward, slapping another traveler to death mid-flight.
[If I were you, I'd turn around and fight it head-on for at least 300 rounds. Gotta keep the morale up!]
"No point wasting time. Boosting my strength is the priority."
Feng Qi rolled his eyes. Before he could finish his thought, the Dark God closed in again, smashing a massive fist into his skull.
The impact sent stars dancing in Feng Qi's vision. Frustrated, he backhanded a domain creature hiding behind a building, turning it into mist.
Then, the Dark God pinned him to the ground, hammering down on him with repeated heavy blows.
Pain surged through his body, fueling the fire of his rage.
With a flick of his fingers, the compressed energy orbs around him shot forward, instantly melting two nearby travelers.
[Tsk tsk, you're really just taking this? After all those punches, you're still not fighting back?!]
Ignoring the narrator's taunts, Feng Qi waved his hand, recalling the energy orbs and using them to blast the Dark God away.
He seized the moment to scramble to his feet and sprint away.
Since he had confirmed he wasn't a match for the Dark God, there was no point in dragging this fight out.
It would only be a waste of time.
It was far more beneficial to collect as many talent abilities as possible. Even those he couldn't use directly could be broken down into evolution points to enhance other abilities.
This would benefit him in future sacrifice timelines.
With that in mind, Feng Qi lunged toward another group of fleeing travelers.
But just as he was about to strike, a massive formation appeared in front of him, blocking his path.
Dark tendrils extended from within, reaching out to entangle him.
Without hesitation, he turned to retreat—only to see another massive black formation behind him.
In an instant, he was completely trapped.
Numerous tendrils shot out, coiling tightly around his body.
With no other options, Feng Qi triggered his compressed energy orbs.
The moment they collided with the formation, a surge of energy exploded outward, sending waves rippling through the air. The sheer force shattered nearby buildings into dust.
The black tendrils binding him were shredded to pieces by the swirling energy.
The moment he broke free, Feng Qi clenched his fist and drove it straight into the formation.
A terrifying force erupted forward.
CRACK!
Spatial cracks splintered across the air.
His fist continued pushing forward, distorting the formation until it finally shattered completely.
Before he could escape, his eyes locked onto a chilling sight beyond the formation—
The Dark God, staring directly at him.
Without hesitation, Feng Qi swung his left arm forward, his fist slamming into the Dark God's face.
At the same time, the Dark God's massive hand crashed against his chest.
Dark red flames and dark green fire clashed violently.
Feng Qi's chest caved inward from the impact, his body sent flying backward.
The Dark God was also forced back over a hundred meters, plowing through buildings and leaving two massive trenches in the ground.
ROAR!
After steadying itself, the Dark God spread its arms wide and let out a deafening roar toward the sky.
Not to be outdone, Feng Qi activated his Raging Wave talent and unleashed a thunderous bellow of his own.
The two figures lunged at each other in an instant, fists colliding in a brutal exchange of blows.
The force of their battle stirred up violent energy storms, shattering the jade-paved streets. Countless floating jellyfish-like creatures in the sky were instantly torn to shreds by the shockwaves.
The entire Shadow City trembled on the brink of collapse.
Space cracks appeared in the sky, allowing the void's power to seep into the city.
Thunder and lightning clashed violently, making the entire world feel as if it was on the verge of crumbling.
Many travelers had already fled Shadow City, but some were still desperately searching for the coordinate platforms they had used to enter.
Feng Qi and the Dark God's battle had utterly terrified them.
They feared being caught in the crossfire, instantly reduced to dust.
In the midst of the brutal melee, Feng Qi suddenly grabbed the Dark God's massive right arm with one hand and channeled all his strength into a devastating over-the-shoulder throw.
Before the Dark God could hit the ground, Feng Qi's right leg swung out like a cannonball, slamming into its chest with explosive force.
BOOM!
The Dark God was sent flying through the air, its body skidding backward upon impact.
Its clawed hands scraped across the ground, carving deep trenches as it slid for hundreds of meters before finally regaining its balance.
Staring at the fallen Dark God, Feng Qi casually extended his middle finger.
At that moment, the Dark God slammed its hands onto the ground and propelled itself upward.
The five gemstones embedded in the Dark God's forehead projection all lit up simultaneously.
One after another, intricate formation patterns materialized in the air, quickly covering the entire sky.
Feng Qi had seen this before.
He already knew what was coming next.
But he didn't dodge.
With a wave of his hand, eighteen compressed energy orbs hovered above his head, forming a diamond-shaped array.
From the formations in the sky, massive pitch-black energy arms began to extend outward.
More and more of them emerged, raining down like a torrential storm.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
The sky was completely filled with the descending black arms, plunging all of Shadow City into the Dark God's strike zone.
Countless space fractures appeared across the city.
Feng Qi wasn't faring much better—three of his compressed energy orbs shattered instantly.
Then the fourth, the fifth…
One by one, his energy orbs broke apart.
When the last one crumbled, the relentless barrage of black energy arms continued pounding his body, forcing him deeper and deeper into the ground.
"I can do that too!"
With a furious roar, the flames of Fist Momentum ignited violently within his chest.
The overwhelming pressure triggered the rage buried deep in his heart.
He clenched his right fist and smashed it upward.
In an instant, countless dark red fist shadows shot skyward, obliterating the black arms in their path.
"Break for me!"
Feng Qi's punches grew faster and faster, his blood energy pouring out of his body, merging with his intent to form even more fist projections.
The black arms and dark red fists clashed fiercely in the sky.
Each exchange brought Shadow City closer to total destruction.
[If the lord of Shadow City saw this, he'd probably cough up blood. His home is getting wrecked by you two. If he knew this would happen, he would've killed you before leaving.]
Ignoring the narrator's remarks, the dark red flames covering Feng Qi's body burned even more intensely.
His fighting spirit roared to life.
So what if the enemy was stronger?
The word "surrender" didn't exist in Feng Qi's dictionary.
No matter who the enemy was!
Hot blood surged through his veins, his unyielding will refusing to back down.
[Hahaha! This is what I love about you the most! No matter the opponent, you always have the guts to challenge them! Just like with Little Black back then—you knew you couldn't win, but you still went all out!]
The narrator's excitement was palpable.
The storm of black arms intensified, crashing down in waves.
Finally, the sheer number of attacks overwhelmed his counterassault, breaking through the last of his fist projections and hammering his body relentlessly.
Just as Feng Qi braced himself to be buried beneath the assault, just like last time—
The attacks suddenly stopped.
Half-buried in the ground, he lifted his head in confusion.
The Dark God hovered above, staring at the distant sky in pure terror.
Following its gaze, Feng Qi saw that the sky of Shadow City was now completely enveloped in black mist, rapidly eroding the city's outer barrier.
[Your black buddy is here. He told me to pass along a message: "Quit fooling around and get in the bowl already!"]
The black mist devoured the space barrier at an alarming rate.
The Dark God's expression turned to one of sheer panic, as if it had just witnessed something beyond comprehension.
After a brief hesitation, the five gemstones in its forehead projection flared up, summoning a burning space portal in front of it.
Realizing that the Dark God was about to flee, Feng Qi immediately shouted up at the sky with an arrogant grin:
"Come back and fight me for another 300 rounds! Whoever runs is a coward!"
The Dark God locked eyes with him, its gaze seething with killing intent.
It glared at him for a few seconds before turning away and stepping into the burning portal without a second thought.
As the flaming portal slowly dissipated, Feng Qi sighed in disappointment.
"Tch, what a shame. If it hadn't run, I could've killed it."
[I totally agree! But the one you'd kill wouldn't be the Dark God… You'd just get yourself killed by Little Black. Sit back and enjoy the show—I'm rooting for you.]
Feng Qi: …
Pressing both hands to the ground, he pushed himself up.
Landing steadily on his feet, he turned his gaze to the sky.
By now, the black mist had completely engulfed the heavens. The spatial barrier had been utterly consumed, revealing the deathly stillness of the void beyond.
From the black mist, a figure slowly emerged, taking shape in midair.
Little Black.
Their eyes met.
Feng Qi raised his fists and assumed the starting stance of Tiger Fist.
He knew full well that he wasn't a match for Little Black.
But waiting for death had never been his style.
Even if he was doomed to die, he would struggle until the very end.
Little Black dived down from above.
At the same time, Feng Qi swung his fist skyward.
"Tiger Strike to the Heart! Hooah!"