Translator: CinderTL
Staring at Feng Qi's face, half-lit crimson by the campfire, the Lord of the Mist felt a flicker of doubt.
Feng Qi was shirtless, his own clothes draped over the Lord of the Mist's paralyzed body. This allowed the Lord of the Mist to see the rune crystal embedded in Feng Qi's chest.
The crystal confirmed Feng Qi's affiliation with a Domain Force, but the Lord of the Mist was certain he wasn't one of his own clansmen. Yet Feng Qi's act of rescuing him seemed genuinely sincere. After all, in his current paralyzed state, he offered no strategic value whatsoever.
With this in mind, the Lord of the Mist looked at Feng Qi solemnly and said, "Thank you. But I'm afraid I'm not one of your clansmen."
"I didn't think so either," Feng Qi grinned, "but I feel a kinship with you. Let's just pretend you are."
Hearing these words, the Lord of the Mist's wariness toward Feng Qi eased considerably.
Next, the Lord of the Mist inquired about Feng Qi's background.
Feng Qi's explanation was simple. He had lost his memory over a decade ago and had been living among humans ever since. Beyond that, he remembered nothing else. As for rescuing the Lord of the Mist, it was merely an unexpected discovery during a mission. Sensing a familiar aura emanating from him, Feng Qi had gone to the trouble of saving him.
After hearing Feng Qi's detailed explanation, the Lord of the Mist fell into deep thought.
"Did you help me reassemble my life origin?" the Lord of the Mist suddenly asked.
"No," Feng Qi replied firmly, shaking his head.
The Lord of the Mist was puzzled. Before losing consciousness, his life origin had not been fully reconstructed, yet upon awakening, it was complete. This seemed highly peculiar.
Still puzzled, he continued to converse with Feng Qi, gradually gaining a better understanding of his current situation. He learned that Feng Qi had lost most of his memories, now lived among humans, and had no idea what his future held. He had been searching for his clansmen but had yet to find them.
Hearing Feng Qi's story, the Lord of the Mist felt a sense of shared misfortune, as if they were both lost souls adrift in the world. He sought his clansmen, while Feng Qi sought to revive his own. Both were striving toward their goals.
At that moment, the Lord of the Mist felt a flicker of goodwill toward Feng Qi.
Over the next few days, Feng Qi remained by the Lord of the Mist's side.
During this time, the Lord of the Mist's injuries healed rapidly.
Just today, the Lord of the Mist tore off his bandages. As his qi blood circulated through his body, the medicinal ointment applied to his skin washed away.
"Now that you've recovered, I'm leaving," Feng Qi said, slinging his backpack over his shoulder and preparing to depart.
"Where are you going?" the Lord of the Mist asked, his gaze fixed on Feng Qi.
"Didn't I tell you? I'm going to build a powerful faction. If I become strong enough, I'll definitely find my clansmen. And even if I can't find them, I'll find a way back home," Feng Qi replied with a smile, turning to face him.
After days of preparation, Feng Qi still felt a knot of nervousness in his stomach as he spoke these words.
If the Lord of the Mist replied with a simple "farewell," his entire plan would crumble.
"Want to come with me?" the Lord of the Mist asked solemnly.
"Why?"
"Like you, I've lost my clansmen. Now I have nothing left. If we work together, we can support each other."
After a moment of contemplation, Feng Qi nodded.
"Alright, let's work together!"
As they shook hands, smiles spread across both their faces.
They then set off directly for Winterfrost City, braving the biting wind and swirling snow.
The Lord of the Mist's injuries were still healing, and his qi blood energy was depleted, preventing him from flying.
Along the way, they discussed their plans for the future.
After traveling for half a day, the Lord of the Mist transformed into a swirling mist and continued alongside Feng Qi.
"Since you can transform into mist, how about I just call you Mist from now on?"
"Whatever you like. Now, about my earlier idea... We have no allies or external support, so we can't pursue a path of conquest. I think it's better to infiltrate human society and seek opportunities for growth there."
Hearing this, Feng Qi's mind filled with questions.
He turned to the swirling mist beside him and asked, "What exactly do you mean by 'path of conquest'?"
"Expanding our clan territory domain field, of course. That's the path a true powerhouse should choose—constantly expanding our domain field and competing with all races for dominance."
"Then why aren't you pursuing conquest anymore?"
"Don't ask. I once believed I had the strength to follow that path, but reality proved my power was far from sufficient."
As the Lord of the Mist spoke, the image of Mu Qing throwing a punch flashed through his mind.
Feng Qi was astonished by this revelation. He had always believed that both Domain Powerhouses and Weak Domain Races had infiltrated Human Civilization. But according to the Lord of the Mist, only the Weak Domain Races had infiltrated Human Civilization, while the Powerhouses were focused on expanding their Domain Fields and vying for dominance among their own kind.
Perplexed, Feng Qi immediately asked, "Are there no Powerhouses among the forces infiltrating human society?"
"Of course there are. The path of dominance and infiltration of Human Civilization are not mutually exclusive. However, the top-tier Powerhouses pursuing dominance don't prioritize development within human society. They only send small groups of clansmen to infiltrate Human Civilization, where they engage in strategic maneuvering with other Domain Forces."
Feng Qi's heart tightened at these words. "What exactly are they maneuvering for?"
"To shape the future."
"What do you mean? Why would they need to shape the future?"
"Even the Powerhouses might not escape the Great Tide's Descent. They all seek to grow stronger before that day arrives, to have the power to withstand the coming calamity."
"What exactly is the Great Tide's Descent? You know I've lost my memory and don't understand anything anymore."
"I don't know either, since I've never witnessed it myself. But I know it will be an unprecedented catastrophe, one that only a handful of the strongest races will survive."
As he spoke, the Lord of the Mist reformed into his human form, with violet hair and eyes.
"The top-tier Domain Powerhouses all possess the ability to destroy Human Civilization. The main reason they haven't done so is that human society now resembles a chessboard, with each race acting as a player, constantly vying for dominance."
"No one would dare overturn the board, as the first to make such a move would likely become the target of collective aggression."
The Lord of the Mist's explanation aligned with Feng Qi's earlier suspicions.
Feng Qi had long observed the immense power of the Domain Powerhouses. If they united, they could easily annihilate Human Civilization.
Yet the Domain Powerhouses had refrained from doing so.
Clearly, while infiltrating human society, they were also competing against each other.
But one question still lingered in Feng Qi's mind: why were the Domain Forces collecting miracle items from Human Civilization?
How were these miracle items created in the first place?
And what exactly was the "Pillar God" the Lord of the Mist had mentioned before?
He didn't voice these questions directly.
After all, he was currently playing the role of someone who knew nothing. The conversation hadn't yet touched on miracle items, and there would be plenty of opportunities to inquire about the details later.
(End of the Chapter)
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