Translator: CinderTL
Next, they began discussing their future plans.
The Lord of the Mist's strategy was simple: first, find a way to infiltrate human society, then seek opportunities for advancement.
Their primary target was Winterfrost City.
Although the Lord of the Mist hadn't yet considered infiltrating the Tiger Soul Research Institute, he had conceived the idea of establishing a human faction and, with its support, becoming a "chess player" in the larger game.
Feng Qi agreed with his decision.
Compared to the fierce competition among the Domain Forces vying for dominance, the relatively stable human society offered more promising opportunities for growth.
This path might be fraught with hardship.
But since he had chosen to walk the path of a villain, he resolved to press forward resolutely, abandoning any lingering indecision.
They trudged through the snowstorm for two days.
Their backpack rations were exhausted. After consulting the navigation map, Feng Qi realized they were nearing Winterfrost City.
Just then, they spotted smoke rising in the distance.
After walking further, a village came into view.
Upon seeing the village, the Lord of the Mist's expression shifted slightly.
"My current form is inconvenient. Go scout ahead while I urgently need qi blood to replenish my strength."
Feng Qi's heart sank at these words. He knew the Lord of the Mist intended to target the village.
"Alright!" After a brief hesitation, he nodded decisively.
He immediately began walking toward the village.
About ten minutes later, he arrived at the village entrance.
The village was clearly a scavenger settlement, with scavenger warriors standing guard at the gate.
The soldiers looked surprised to see him.
"I got separated from my battle group and need your help," Feng Qi said.
"Come in," the lead scavenger warrior replied without suspicion, immediately granting him entry.
Guided by the scavenger, Feng Qi was led to a wooden hut built from snow trees.
The scavenger stepped forward and knocked on the wooden door.
After a moment, the door opened, and a white-haired elder emerged.
The scavenger explained Feng Qi's situation to the elder.
After hearing the explanation, the elder turned to Feng Qi.
Their eyes met, and a smile spread across the elder's deeply wrinkled face.
"Come in," the elder said. "I have food here."
Without hesitation, Feng Qi followed the elder into the wooden hut.
The wooden hut was sparsely furnished, with a crackling campfire at its center supporting an iron pot filled with steaming meat broth.
Feng Qi's gaze was drawn to a large sword hanging on the wall.
"Senior, were you once a frontline warrior?"
"Hmm, a long time ago," the old man chuckled, retrieving bowls and chopsticks from a cabinet before ladling a bowl of broth and handing it to Feng Qi.
Feng Qi took a large gulp of the broth.
As the warm liquid slid down his throat, a comforting warmth spread through his body, as if revitalizing his weary limbs.
His eyes drifted back to the sword hanging on the wall.
He felt he had seen it somewhere before, but couldn't quite place where.
During their subsequent conversation, he inquired about the village's situation.
According to the old man, their scavenger village had once thrived, but in recent years, its population had dwindled. Most of the younger generation had gone to fight on the front lines, leaving behind only the elderly, the infirm, and the disabled.
Before parting, the old man pointed out the road to Winterfrost City and even gifted Feng Qi a sack of grain.
After leaving the village, Feng Qi still couldn't bring himself to act.
Ten minutes later, he arrived before the Lord of the Mist, who had been waiting patiently. He shook his head.
"I can't do it. Let's find another place."
The Lord of the Mist showed no suspicion, nodding immediately.
"Alright," Feng Qi replied.
But just as they were about to leave, the blizzard intensified, obscuring their vision. Through the swirling snow, they could make out a gaunt figure standing motionless.
When the storm subsided, the elderly man who had hosted them in the village appeared in the distance, wielding a greatsword.
A flicker of disappointment crossed the old man's eyes as he gazed at Feng Qi.
"I never imagined you'd be a dog of the Domain Force."
The Lord of the Mist coalesced into a human form, his face twisted in a ferocious sneer.
"Looks like I'll have to intervene after all. But this old fool's life force is already as frail as a candle in the wind. He's no threat."
The old man didn't reply. Instead, he abruptly swung his sword forward.
The seemingly simple strike unleashed the power of heaven and earth, a torrent of snow and sword intent surging toward them.
The Lord of the Mist couldn't evade in time and was struck head-on.
A searing wave of sword energy erupted, sending the Lord of the Mist flying backward, coughing up blood.
Feng Qi stared at the sword-wielding elder, suddenly recalling who he was.
Wang Jinsheng had once praised this hero in class.
He had been one of the War Gods revered by the scavengers, a lone warrior who had guarded the northern region for an entire era.
Throughout his life, he had slain countless Domain-Transcending Creatures, never once suffering defeat.
He had also trained numerous exceptional scavenger warriors, with many core members of the Top Ten Battle Groups being his protégés.
His existence remained a legend.
His identity was symbolized by a dragon-patterned greatsword.
Back in the wooden cabin, Feng Qi had felt an inexplicable familiarity with the greatsword, never imagining he was actually meeting the legendary figure himself—the War God "Shouyi."
Now, however, Shouyi appeared visibly aged, likely over two hundred years old.
The realization tightened Feng Qi's heart.
He didn't fear death, but he dreaded dying before his plans could fully unfold.
With renewed resolve, he steeled himself and moved decisively toward the Lord of the Mist.
The old man's gaze was cold as he slowly raised his greatsword.
Sword energy radiated outward from him, forcing the wind and snow to retreat.
Crimson sword energy surged fiercely.
A blizzard erupted, and the scarlet arc of energy, like a roaring dragon, tore through the wind and snow, lunging toward them.
Behind him stood the severely wounded Lord of the Mist. He couldn't retreat.
Gritting his teeth, Feng Qi braced himself and took the full force of the attack with his body.
Blood splattered as searing pain erupted through his body, as if he were about to explode. His clothes shredded, revealing dense sword energy wounds across his chest, cutting deep to the bone.
Gritting his teeth, he forced himself to stand, his eyes burning with unwavering resolve as he glared at the old man.
The Lord of the Mist couldn't die.
He had to keep him alive.
Just as the Lord of the Mist had said, the old man before him was already at the end of his rope, no longer the legendary War God of old. There was still a chance.
With this thought, he activated the rune crystal with his consciousness.
His skin flushed crimson, his blood surging as his eyes gradually glazed over.
The sword wounds on his body rapidly healed, fueled by his powerful regenerative abilities.
With a primal roar, he lunged at the old man.
Crimson sword energy flashed, sending Feng Qi flying backward once more.
Struggling to his feet, he charged again.
Each time he was thrown back, he rose like an unkillable cockroach. Even with broken bones, he stubbornly dragged himself up, continuing his relentless assault.
Behind him, the Lord of the Mist lay sprawled on the ground, his eyes wide with disbelief.
"Because you made me feel close, like you were one of my clansmen."
"Good. In the future, we'll walk together and build the strongest force!"
Over the past few days, his admiration for Feng Qi had steadily grown.
Now, witnessing Feng Qi risking his life for him, the last vestiges of his wariness vanished.
Feng Qi's current state reminded him of the clansmen who had sacrificed themselves to forge a path forward.
They too had selflessly given their lives for the greater good.
The Lord of the Mist clenched his fist.
His journey had been fraught with setbacks and failures, and even now, the pattern persisted.
"I refuse to accept this!"
The power of his conviction ignited an unknown force within him. Empowered by this mysterious energy, his injuries began to heal rapidly, mirroring the restoration that had occurred when his life origin shattered.
(End of the Chapter)
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