Xiao Honglu muttered under his breath, ceaselessly running his hands through his hair while casting sidelong glances at Chu Xuan. That man was the very picture of ease, a stark contrast to his own completely immersed state of thought. Chu Xuan showed no bloodshot eyes, no trace of fatigue; he remained leisurely, eating an apple and constantly fiddling with some small props. It was impossible to gauge his mental state from his demeanor or actions. Was this the advantage of having no emotion or feeling? Or perhaps the wisdom bestowed upon one after losing so much? (Was he a favorite of heaven, or a tragedy crafted by the entity known as fate?) Xiao Honglu offered himself a wry smile before refocusing his entire attention on the immediate situation. Analyzing this scenario had already consumed him for two days and two nights, yet he remained without a single clue; on the contrary, the complexity of the situation in his mind had only deepened.

It wasn't that Xiao Honglu's intellect was lacking. By any measure, he was undeniably worthy of being called the zenith of mortal wisdom, as Chu Xuan once labeled him. On that front, he certainly shouldn't lose to Neos. It was simply that within the Central Continent Team, Chu Xuan’s brilliance shone so fiercely that it entirely obscured the scope of Xiao Honglu's own capabilities, leading to the impression that his intelligence was unremarkable. Were he placed in any other Reincarnation Squad, he would undoubtedly be the most crucial figure, second only to the Captain.

In a way, most members of the Central Continent Team were like Xiao Honglu, seemingly less powerful under the shadow cast by Zheng Zha’s strength... With that thought, Xiao Honglu continued his relentless contemplation of the current predicament.

The current situation was, quite simply, that the Central Continent Team had encountered three other Reincarnation Squads along their path.

Each of those squads had relayed the exact same message.

They were to relay all clues and their intended direction to the Celestial God Squad and the Demon Squad. As for whether they could successfully disseminate this information further, that was beyond their control.

Man proposes.

God disposes. Luck, indeed, was often a component of strength.

From the external evidence presented, the task appeared straightforward: the Central Continent Team merely needed to spread the news.

The clear intention was to set some kind of trap within that city. However, when factoring in two Chu Xuans, plus an Adam, and a Xiao Honglu, with the possible lingering presence of Neos, the situation shifted dramatically.

“From the intelligence gathered so far, the Demon Squad possesses an attribute, skill, or item that completely transcends common sense. It hardly matters which it is. The critical point is that this thing grants near omniscience and omnipotence—no, perhaps a form of localized prediction, almost one hundred percent accurate. This is the only way to explain the appearance of the Copy Zheng Zha within the Perfect Storm. Since they possess such formidable power, deploying it must certainly incur a significant cost. What is that cost? Energy? Life force? Reward Points, or perhaps sub-plot points? Regardless, such absolute omniscience cannot be maintained indefinitely.”

Xiao Honglu murmured to himself, aggressively pulling at one of his own hairs. “But if the one possessing this omniscience is Chu Xuan... that would be the absolute worst-case scenario. A person like that... No. A creature like that can no longer be called human; they should be called a ‘God’—a divine being manifesting in human form...”

“Logically, a Chu Xuan in that state should be invincible, yet he disclosed information to our Chu Xuan and proposed the plan to encircle and crush the Celestial God Squad in conjunction with the Central Continent Team. This does not align with Chu Xuan’s personality. Given his nature, if he possessed such invincibility, he would absolutely execute a direct scheme for a swift kill and complete victory. Why all this elaborate posturing? Therefore, that omniscience must have limitations, or something is restraining him from acting so directly... Is it the physical deterrence provided by Copy Zheng Zha? Or the inherent restriction on using that omniscient ability?”

“In summary... Copy Chu Xuan currently occupies the absolute 'momentum' of this confrontation. All conspiracies are nullified; he will, in fact, turn the tables and scheme against them—no, he will certainly counter-scheme against them. Facing this reality, the reactions of the other two teams are... Our team’s Chu Xuan agreed to the alliance with the Demon Squad against the Celestial God Squad, but his true response likely involves calculating both Copy Chu Xuan and Adam into his own strategy. Adam, despite being in the most disadvantageous position—unaware of the omniscience possessed by the Demon Squad’s Chu Xuan, and unaware of the alliance between the Central Continent and Demon Squads against him—this ignorance ironically becomes his personal advantage. He is highly likely to be used as a crucial pawn by both teams to weaken the other. The key is that this pawn is exceptionally strong and might actually turn the tables on the strategists through some means.”

“The remaining variables are Neos and myself. Our stances and potential maneuvers will further increase the unpredictability of this entire plan...” Xiao Honglu looked at Chu Xuan with complex emotions. These thoughts remained entirely confined to his mind; he wouldn't be foolish enough to discuss plans with Chu Xuan. The Demon Squad’s omniscience hung over him like a sharp sword, forcing him to rely solely on his own intellect and understanding of Chu Xuan to support the latter’s deployments. And all these calculations were built upon the assumption that Chu Xuan intended to scheme against both the Demon Squad and the Celestial God Squad simultaneously.

“In other words... the real candidate tasked with defeating the Celestial God Squad... is me?” Xiao Honglu let out a breath and sank into thought. After a long pause, he finally ceased contemplating. Two days had already been wasted; he could not afford to think further. Regardless of whether his speculation was correct, action was now imperative—such as completely eliminating the Celestial Gods and drawing the Demon Squad into this conflict as well...

“Demon Squad, Celestial God Squad... truly like two colossal mountains. What are their powerhouses doing right now?” The operational models of the other two teams differed from the Central Continent Team’s; precisely, the team dynamic of the Central Continent was unique among all Reincarnation Squads. Every team possessed its own distinct structure, the most common being rule by the strongest, or like the Southern Flames Continent where the Captain acted as the intellectual anchor, leading the team. Naturally, strong individuals inherently dislike being constrained, and in this final battle, all the powerhouses, or those who had reached a certain level of strength, would follow their own courses of action, unhindered by external controls... For instance, Luo Yinglong of the Celestial God Squad. Luo Yinglong of the Celestial God Squad had been in this horror movie world for three days, and during this time, he had been exceedingly silent. Qingshi refused to utter a single word, even when his blonde girlfriend tried to tease him. His teammates barely reacted to his conduct; the veterans had long since grown accustomed to it since earlier movies, and the newcomers didn't know his background well enough to comment. However, two of the Caucasian members showed significant interest in Luo Yinglong's blonde girlfriend, occasionally provoking Luo Yinglong. Of course, these two dared not push things too far, as Song Tian and Luo Yinglong were both Chinese. Who knew if this blade-wielding powerhouse might intervene on Luo Yinglong’s behalf? Because... they were unaware of Luo Yinglong's true strength.

“Is that so? That is what the Central Continent Team told you?” Adam listened as the leader of another squad relayed the message they received from the Central Continent Team, recounting precisely what Zheng Zha had said. Adam fell into deep contemplation, and only after a long while did he utter this ambiguous question.

“Absolutely. I remember clearly; the Central Continent Team Captain, Zheng Zha, told us exactly that, not missing a single word... That person was so powerful. Standing before him felt like facing a towering mountain or the vast ocean, utterly oppressed to the point where the courage to resist vanished. Thankfully, he didn't attack us, merely stated those words. That’s why I remember it so vividly!”

“Is that so... The Central Continent Team told you that...” Adam didn't reply to the messenger, merely muttering to himself distractedly. The surrounding figures fell silent as well. They all focused on Adam, watching how this supremely intelligent man would handle the provocation from the Central Continent Team.

“The Central Continent Team... Why would they do this?” Adam suddenly asked someone beside him. Everyone present was startled, as they had never seen Adam ask anyone a question, let alone with such a vacant expression. In the past, no puzzle or difficulty had ever made him anything but smilingly composed while finding a solution. This state of his was... unsettling.

“Enough...” Luo Yinglong suddenly stood up, gazing into the distance. “Our camaraderie as teammates ends here. I will be joining the Central Continent Team next... Our paths diverge; the next time we meet, we will be enemies. Return my Spirit Gathering Bottle; I don’t wish to fight you for it... Also, Linanya, if you wish to stay with me, leave with me. I do not want to treat you as an adversary when confronting the Celestial God Squad.”

The blonde Caucasian girl froze, a look of extreme distress on her face, unable to articulate a response for a moment. Meanwhile, the others slowly gathered around. The Celestial God Squad was small, comprising only eight members: besides Luo Yinglong, Song Tian, and Adam, there were four newcomers. Though called newcomers, they were still Captains from other squads, meaning their strength was by no means weak.

“Luo Yinglong, I will not explain anything regarding my actions, but you must understand one thing: I am the Captain of the Celestial God Squad. I regret that I cannot allow you to join the Central Continent Team, at least not until Chu Xuan is dead... Song Tian, I’ll have to trouble you to make a move.” Adam spoke without looking at Luo Yinglong, his gaze fixed downward in thought.

The blonde girl grew agitated. “Don’t start an internal conflict! Our enemies are the Demon Squad and the Central Continent Team... Luo Yinglong, you’ve been like this ever since we found the ruins. What’s going on? Tell us! If you explain, what problem can’t we solve together?”

“It’s not that I don’t want to tell you, it’s that I can’t...” Luo Yinglong glared furiously at Adam, managing to force out those words after a long silence. Simultaneously, he drew a small, transparent sword from his robes. The blade was only palm-sized, but the moment he produced it, Song Tian, standing not far away, abruptly drew his ancient, rough-hewn saber, positioning himself opposite Luo Yinglong. The blonde girl’s eyes were now welling up with tears. She rushed forward, “Why can’t you tell us? Fine, fine, can you just tell me in private? Tell no one else, just me—how about that?”

“...It’s not that I don’t want to say it, but I cannot!” As Luo Yinglong spoke, he suddenly struck backward with an open palm. A visible spatial ripple appeared around his hand, and just outside that ripple, a tiny throwing knife fiercely attempted to bore into the fluctuation, drilling halfway into the distortion before finally halting. The face of the person who launched the knife registered a sneer, and they promptly shot another one toward Luo Yinglong.

“Idiot... Concealed weapons are meant to strike when unprepared. Doing it like this is worse than just using a laser gun. What a waste of the innate skill he gained from the plot.” Song Tian cursed inwardly. Just as Luo Yinglong blocked the second knife and prepared to counter, Song Tian brought his saber down through the air, without any flourish, aimed directly at Luo Yinglong’s front.

“First Strike: Thunderclap Eruption!” Luo Yinglong ignored the knife-thrower. He flicked the small sword in his hand, which instantly transformed into an ancient, transparent longsword. Countless inscriptions covered the blade. He raised the sword to meet the descending saber. The saber and sword clashed instantly with a deafening crack, sending sparks of lightning flying from the ancient blade. The sheer voltage power blasted several surrounding figures far away, leaving only Luo Yinglong and Song Tian standing their ground.

“Why stop me?” Luo Yinglong roared, his face flushed with anger. “I don’t believe you haven’t noticed this! Damn it, are you even still human?”

Song Tian’s expression was calm. “I am different from you... Only by letting go of everything can one grasp the Heart Blade. The Martial Way is everything to me; death is inconsequential. What worldly matters or possessions can hinder me? You are too attached. I heard your cultivation path requires you to forsake everything, right? Your future achievements might be limited...”

“Go to hell, Song Tian! I’ve long been sick of you. Always talking about letting go of everything to achieve the Martial Way—then why the hell don’t you let go of the Martial Way? Today, even if I have to leave by force, I’ll kill you first!” Luo Yinglong’s anger intensified. He roared, tossing the ancient sword in his hand into the air. The sword instantly split into dozens, flying in all directions, enveloping his body. Simultaneously, his hands carved intricate patterns in the empty air; runes and diagrams materialized in the space his fingers traced. Soon, his body was surrounded by runes and symbols of various shapes, appearing like a living painting.

“Heaven and Earth Borrowed Strength! Eight Trigrams Form!” “Gen! Collapse!” Luo Yinglong beckoned with both hands. The True Essence energy inside him surged outward like madness. Concurrently, countless symbols and diagrams manifested nearly a hundred meters above, forming a constantly spinning diagram of the Eight Trigrams. As Luo Yinglong’s shout ended, Adam and Linanya hastily retreated outward. Only Song Tian, looking solemn, and the four surrounding men remained standing foolishly in the center. The Eight Trigrams array in the sky spun faster and faster, until finally, a dark shadow appeared within it.

“Mountain Displacement!” Heaven! A colossal rock, several hundred cubic meters in size, descended from the sky, plummeting toward Song Tian on the ground. The other four men finally reacted and began scrambling away desperately, only now realizing how powerful Luo Yinglong truly was... Or, rather, they understood why Adam had warned them not to provoke him.

Luo Yinglong stamped hard on the ground, leaping several meters into the air. An ancient long saber materialized beneath his feet. This man soared upward using his sword, reaching an altitude of tens of meters, while his hands continued to trace patterns in the void. The runes and diagrams reappeared around him.

“Li! Blazing Fire!” “Blazing Flame Inferno!” Luo Yinglong roared, again sweeping his arms forcefully. The consumption rate of his True Essence energy grew even more frantic, and the Eight Trigrams array in the sky spun even more wildly, its color shifting from deep crimson to scorching white. A vast sheet of white-hot flame rained down from above, engulfing the mountain of rock. The stone could not withstand the intense heat; it began to burn and vaporize continuously. Just then, purple lightning erupted from beneath the rock mountain, striking upward and cleaving both the mountain and the flames in two. Song Tian remained standing below, still gripping his saber.

“Third Strike: Sunken Thunder Hell!” Luo Yinglong showed no panic upon seeing this. He declared loudly, “Good! Worthy of someone who single-mindedly pursues the Martial Way, you have indeed mastered that saber technique completely. Perhaps even Xiang Yu himself wasn't stronger than you! Well done, Purple Thunder Seven Strikes! Well done, Song Tian! Let’s continue!”

Luo Yinglong ceased using the Heaven and Earth Borrowed Strength technique. He suddenly slashed his own wrist with his sword, then, hair disheveled, stomped his feet furiously. Twelve large banners shot out from behind him. These banners seemed constructed of an unknown material; they grew instantly as they met the wind, expanding into colossal gate-like structures tens of meters high in the twelve cardinal directions. Each gate displayed hideous, ancient monstrous figures that seemed to roar like living creatures. The ground where Song Tian stood suddenly surged upward, the earth within a hundred-meter radius centering on him continuously rising, forming a platform that jutted high into the sky, now dozens of meters tall.

“Twelve Du Tian Shen Sha Array!” “Come on, Song Tian, Adam! I’m going all out today; neither of you will escape!” Luo Yinglong roared like a madman, blood ceaselessly dripping from his wrist. Thick black smoke billowed from the twelve towering banner gates, and the demonic figures within clawed and snapped, clearly straining to break free. Even before any direct attack, the sheer terror of the formation frightened the four newcomers into near paralysis. They shuffled backward continuously but dared not flee in earnest, finally realizing the gulf in power separating them from Luo Yinglong—a gap that could not be bridged by mere numbers.

“Clap, clap, clap.”

Suddenly, a clear clapping sound echoed. Though quiet, it managed to drown out the roaring commotion of the demonic monsters. Everyone instinctively looked toward the source. There stood a young man of East Asian descent, suspended in the air not far away, watching everything with a cold sneer; he was the one clapping.

“What a magnificent play; I truly wanted to see you reach the finale... However, I must apologize, I am under orders not to allow you to exhaust yourselves here... Adam, I am a messenger from the Demon Squad, bringing words from Chu Xuan. Would you like to hear them now?” The arriving youth was Luo Gandao of the Demon Squad. He ignored the airborne Luo Yinglong and the besieged Song Tian, addressing Adam with a cold smile.

Adam blinked, then after a few seconds, a look of sudden realization crossed his face. He smiled and said, “You’ve finally arrived? I’ve been waiting for you for quite some time... Tell me, convey every word Chu Xuan said.”

Luo Gandao’s lips moved continuously; the others couldn't decipher what he was saying. Only after several tense seconds did he speak. “Very well, the message has been delivered. Your decision comes next.” With that, he ignored the others, shot them a final cold smile, and turned to fly away. He used no discernible technique or artifact; he simply lifted into the void for no apparent reason.

Adam watched Luo Gandao recede into the distance, then sighed and addressed Luo Yinglong: “...Go. You know the rules; if you cannot speak, you cannot speak. Although Chu Xuan might understand what you are trying to convey, it will take time... Here is your Spirit Gathering Bottle.” He produced a jade vial from his robes, and without any theatrical gesture, the vial floated slowly into the air, settling directly into Luo Yinglong’s palm.

Luo Yinglong’s expression cycled rapidly. He glanced at the blonde girl Linanya, who was weeping softly on the platform below. Finally, he sighed, “Enough, enough... Adam, may you meet a miserable end!” With that, he waved his hands forcefully, and the gigantic banners swiftly flew back into his grasp, reverting to their small, palm-sized forms. The rapidly darkening sky gradually cleared, and aside from the abruptly raised massive stone platform, there were virtually no remnants of the destructive power wielded by the Twelve Du Tian Shen Sha Array.

“Linanya... Farewell.” Luo Yinglong spoke, then turned and sped away, his flying sword carrying him farther and farther until he vanished into the distant horizon... Leaping to...