"Truthfully, King against King, soldier against soldier was not my initial plan."

After Zheng Zha had vanished without a trace, the Clone Chu Xuan turned to face the few individuals before him, adjusting his glasses. "My original intention was to engage the Central Continent Team with the full strength of our squad. When the power gap reaches a certain threshold, any scheme becomes nothing more than a joke. That plan later shifted to King against King, soldier against soldier."

Chu Xuan beckoned to the people behind him, and Zhang Heng and the others didn't hesitate, turning to rush out of the warehouse. Outside was where their battlefield lay. The four members of the Demon Squad had already demonstrated their strength; undoubtedly, they were the main combatants of the Demon Squad... though the count was slightly off from Chu Xuan's estimation. At least Luo Gandao was absent, but Hao Tian was among them...

"Oh? When did your thinking change?" After finishing his gesture, Chu Xuan asked his clone.

"From the moment I acquired the Investiture of the Gods list," the Clone Chu Xuan replied without any concealment.

"The Investiture of the Gods list?"

Chu Xuan nodded. "The most mysterious artifact from Investiture of the Gods? Is this the origin of your partial omniscience and omnipotence? What are its functions? Is it like in the novel, or like a comic book that once existed? Once a name is written on it, that person dies? A causality weapon..."

The Clone Chu Xuan shook his head. "It is indeed a causality weapon, as you and I both know: reversing causality is the most prominent feature of such a weapon. This Investiture of the Gods list was designed as the ultimate causality weapon to reverse the causality of everything and all things, including time, space, energy, and even the universe itself. Just as Adam's Human Instrumentality Project was the ultimate creation of the Eastern Saints and Cultivators, this list is also their ultimate creation. Your mention of instant death upon inscription is merely one of its most trivial functions."

"The Investiture of the Gods list comprises two aspects: the energy source to activate it, and the subject that uses that energy to reverse causality. The energy source is called Causality Points. Any interaction between people, even performing certain actions that change the surroundings or trigger changes in others, can generate Causality Points. As we both know, time heals all things—that's the simple banana peel theory. Even if you could reverse time a hundred years back to eliminate a figure who determined history or change some historical event, you would invariably fail to achieve your goal. You might even die by slipping on a banana peel. The Investiture of the Gods list perfectly reverses this causality. Whatever the event, as long as you create a significant alteration or engage in causal interaction with others—say, punching someone dead, or crippling them so their loved ones care for them for the rest of their lives, or raising an orphaned child with a high-level education—Causality Points are generated. Even dropping a nuclear bomb in a major city can generate massive Causality Points..."

"But regrettably, we cannot acquire Causality Points that way. This relates to the second aspect of the list: the use of the energy. Once Causality Points are obtained, the Investiture of the Gods list can be activated. It can fulfill any request you make—no exceptions, no 'most' requirements—even granting godhood. However, the cost in Causality Points is determined by the universe's entropy. As we know, the universe originated from a singularity explosion, and subsequently, its entropy continuously increases. From cause to effect, and that effect becomes the beginning of countless new causes. The entire universe moves only from order to disorder. The Investiture of the Gods list is a weapon that reverses this process. Your idea of writing a name to cause death, and based on what we know of its power in Investiture of the Gods, the person would die in a manner entirely reasonable, conforming to the natural order of Heaven's Way. This means... the list reverses entropy. The entire universe will reject this weapon and its user. The Main God Space has already demonstrated the result of universal rejection: extreme bad luck, and in extreme cases, death, as seen in the Final Destination horror films, which are manifestations of universal rejection due to causality. Furthermore, in terms of causality, obtaining Causality Points means using the list; thus, obtaining points draws universal rejection. The more one obtains, the greater the rejection. So, until now, we haven't accumulated enough Causality Points to write the names of your Central Continent Team, or even enough to create the causality for a Fourth Tier Intermediate expert."

Hearing this, Chu Xuan nodded. "Then long-distance observation, or simple omniscience, causes minimal obstruction. Before this horror movie began, we were not within this specific universe's space. Thus, even if you knew everything about us, there would be no causality to link, and you wouldn't face rejection from the universe you were then inhabiting... So after obtaining the list, you must have scrutinized us closely, obtaining our specific power levels, which led to the King against King, soldier against soldier decision? Why tell me all this now? Merely to inform me of the list's function?"

"The Creation Jade Disc."

The Clone Chu Xuan suddenly spoke, his eyes burning with fervor. "As the ultimate causality weapon, the Investiture of the Gods list was actually created by the Eastern Saints and Cultivators to combat the Box's creator, or perhaps things that transcend the Box itself. Its significance is not merely as a weapon for a Reincarnation Squad. But an unusable weapon is meaningless, so this list is incomplete. Just as in our myths, besides the supremely mysterious Investiture of the Gods list, there was another mysterious object: the Creation Jade Disc. In the myths we know, it was merely known as a Primordial Divine Artifact capable of seeing through this universe to the level of the Great Dao. Of course, that’s from our Eastern mythological system; the concept of the Great Dao—something so profound and obscure—is logically and intuitively impossible to grasp precisely. Suffice it to say, if the Great Dao is the location of the Box, then this Creation Jade Disc should be the key to breaking the Box. And creation, zaohua, is another term for causality. In other words, our Saints and Cultivators long ago embedded the ultimate causality weapon and the key to activating it within our myths. The Investiture of the Gods list requires the Creation Jade Disc to activate perfectly, allowing it to completely ignore universal rejection... I want the Creation Jade Disc you possess!"

"Agreed."

Chu Xuan didn't hesitate. He retrieved the Creation Jade Disc, which he had been unable to analyze, from his spatial pouch and tossed it to his clone. Simultaneously, he said, "This transaction is fair. Grant the Central Continent Team the right to an equitable battle, and you receive the Creation Jade Disc. However, to utilize it, you must completely defeat the Central Continent Team; otherwise, this complete version of the Investiture of the Gods list will become ours."

The Clone Chu Xuan caught the Creation Jade Disc and handed it to Zhang Xiaoxue beside him before stating, "Although I granted the Central Continent Team the right to a fair fight, some matters exceeded my predictions, resulting in the current fifty-fifty situation. In this regard, I have already lost one battle—I lost to variables..."

Chu Xuan understood this deeply: the Central Continent Team was indeed weaker than the Demon Squad. Before the Demon Squad acquired the Investiture of the Gods list, it would have been possible to utilize the Central Continent Team's advantage of having two strategists for a coordinated layout, much like what he was having Xiao Honglü do now, giving them a fifty percent chance of victory against the Demon Squad. As for King against King, soldier against soldier, that was the most advantageous scenario for the Central Continent Team. The dominant Demon Squad would certainly avoid this situation.

Then, the Demon Squad obtained the Investiture of the Gods list... This was a turning point that made the Demon Squad even stronger, but it also dramatically increased the variables.

Learning the truth of Adam's Human Instrumentality Project and the Angel Alliance via the list compelled the Clone Chu Xuan to deal with or minimize the threat of the Celestial Squad. That was the first variable. The second variable was the consequence of using the list. Once one possessed it, even without using it, any interaction would cause the accumulation of Causality Points, triggering universal rejection. By causal logic, since the Demon Squad existed first, its holder became the target of rejection, meaning the entire Demon Squad was subject to this repulsion—that was the second variable: luck. The third variable was the Clone Chu Xuan’s prior knowledge of the Central Continent Team's strength, especially Zheng Zha’s power level. Excluding the Clone Zheng Zha, it could be said that no one in the entire Reincarnation World could match him. Therefore, since the Clone Zheng Zha could securely defeat the primary Zheng Zha, why resort to the risky free-for-all? While a free-for-all would almost guarantee victory over the Central Continent Team, how many members of the Demon Squad would survive a pyrrhic victory? This was what the primary Chu Xuan had hinted at to the Central Continent members earlier. Experience dictates thought. Because of the Demon Squad's absolute trust in the Clone Zheng Zha, and the Central Continent Team's similar trust in the primary Zheng Zha... King against King, soldier against soldier, could be implemented perfectly—that was the third variable, the greatest stake held by both sides: Zheng Zha!

"Do you know what I'm thinking right now?" Chu Xuan asked the two before him, his voice calm. With a flick of his hands, two Gauss pistols materialized in his palms. The man then adopted the starting stance of Gun Fu.

"...It's about the situation of the small squad battles, isn't it? That is my thank-you gift for you giving up the Creation Jade Disc. Although I don't know what instructions you gave the Central Continent small squad, they must eliminate the Celestial Squad while facing all the non-main combat members I dispatched from the Demon Squad. They won't be able to leave that area before our fight concludes. Coupled with the super-virus you released, there's reason to believe those cannon fodder are essentially doomed. The outcome of the final battle... will be decided by us!"

As the Clone Chu Xuan spoke, he too flicked his hands, and two pistols appeared in his palms. The man adopted a Gun Fu starting stance almost identical to the primary Chu Xuan. Aside from their clothing, the two looked like reflections in a mirror.

"...You truly lost. If you only view the non-main combat members as cannon fodder, then my clone, you have truly lost..."

"Experience dictates thought. That is what I am thinking..."

Chu Xuan closed his eyes. When he opened them again, his gaze was boiling with fervor. He then pulled the trigger on the two before him.

Experience dictates thought... two identical selves, shaped by two different environments, yet resulting in two completely different individuals...

The Clone Chu Xuan had indeed kept the news of the Central Continent Team's arrival from the other four. Except for Zhang Xiaoxue, who held the Investiture of the Gods list and knew the detailed proceedings, the other four were kept in the dark. These four comprised the Clone Ming Wei, the Clone Hao Tian, and two other members unseen by the Central Continent members: a man holding an ancient sword, and a maiden dressed in magnificent silks. Their reaction was instantaneous; upon sensing something amiss, they scattered into the surrounding environment. Unfortunately, there were no psychic controllers nearby, so they couldn't ascertain what was happening through a mind link. Only when four more figures burst out of the warehouse did these four cease their internal speculations and seriously observe the four members of the Central Continent Team.

(What exactly is Chu Xuan thinking? He has sent away two groups of people and left only us here to guard... Could it be that he has calculated and abandoned us?)

These four mumbled internally. However, when the four from the Central Continent Team appeared, two pairs of eyes lit up. Aside from the Clone Ming Wei staring intently at Zhang Heng, the man with the ancient sword was fixed on Luo Yinglong.

Individuals at the level of Zhang Heng and Luo Yinglong possessed extreme sensitivity to killing intent. Zhang Heng, being a ranged shooter, had perception as an instinct, and Luo Yinglong was a cultivation expert at the Nascent Soul level or higher, so his heightened senses were inherent. As the two stared fixedly at them, Zhang Heng and Luo Yinglong rapidly darted towards the dense area of tall buildings nearby. The other two, Cheng Xiao and Imhotep, paused briefly; one darted away using the movements of the Southern Dipper Waterfowl Fist, while the other vanished directly into a cloud of sand and wind.

(Zhang Heng...)

Ming Wei’s eyes were bloodshot, looking as if they might bleed at any moment. She murmured a few words while staring in the direction Zhang Heng fled, then picked up the bright white great bow resting beside her and shot an energy arrow towards the sky. With a sharp crack, the energy arrow struck about a hundred meters up, exploding into a bright white energy flower that dissipated in mid-air. Only then did Ming Wei, bow in hand, follow closely behind Zhang Heng, disappearing into the boundless urban sprawl.

The remaining three members of the Demon Squad stood still. Although they couldn't communicate at this moment, as members of the Demon Squad whose existence was based on the law of the jungle, they possessed their own unique methods for combat, coordination, survival, and even communication under any adverse circumstances. Ming Wei's arrow shot earlier signaled that she had found her prey—a declaration of a personal hunt. If any team member tried to interfere... that member would face two enemies: Ming Wei, and the Central Continent member she was pursuing.

(...Besides Zhao Zhuikong, that maniac, is there really someone else who uses a Personal Declaration?)

The other three were astonished. The Personal Declaration not only stated that the conflict would only end in death but also included a challenge to the rest of the team. This was a team operating under the law of the jungle; survival demanded being stronger, crueler, and more terrifying than others. Aside from Chu Xuan's planning, the Demon Squad did not forbid internal combat among members. For example, Zhao Zhuikong had used Personal Declarations to eliminate several newly advanced strong members of the Demon Squad in succession... eliminate, not just kill; those people probably wished for death before they died.

The other three were not new strong members or superficially strong novices. They were the main combat members of the Demon Squad and were well aware of Ming Wei's strength. They certainly wouldn't commit the folly of disrupting their comrade’s efforts during this decisive battle against the Central Continent Team. They had far more important tasks now... three members of the Central Continent Team remained.

The swordsman took a deep breath, then suddenly let out a long cry to the heavens, throwing his long sword into the air. The blade did not emit its inherent sharp azure light but rather a strange, ashen-gray color. The man stepped onto the sword and flew straight ahead.

(Two left...)

The two remaining members of the Demon Squad, Hao Tian and the maiden in silks, murmured inwardly. They knew this swordsman had surely chosen Luo Yinglong, the cultivator who had only recently joined the Central Continent Team. That meant two Central Continent members remained...

(...The rest depends on Chu Xuan...)

Hao Tian and the maiden in silks both glanced silently toward the warehouse, the location of the battle involving the Demon Squad's second-ranked member... Perhaps, having obtained the Investiture of the Gods list, his strength was now sufficient to challenge Zheng Zha...

Of course, no one dared to underestimate Zhao Zhuikong, ranked fourth in the Demon Squad's strength, including the Clone Zheng Zha. The primary reason he was ranked below Luo Gandao, who had obtained the EVA Unit-01, was that since receiving certain information before several horror movie worlds, he had stopped engaging in combat arbitrarily... nor did anyone dare provoke him...

"...The fusion of two individuals..."

Zhao Zhuikong smiled faintly at the girl before him and spoke softly. "Our spiritual forms, or what we call the Light of the Soul, possess a fatal flaw: incompleteness. This should stem from a fundamental error in the method of our cultivation. The Light of the Soul is an entirety, from flesh to spirit; it is the greatest hallmark of life form evolution. A life form created solely for the function of unlocking the Genetic Lock and acquiring immense power from the Light of the Soul is fundamentally a deformed child—that is what we are..."

Zhao Zhuikong looked at the deep crimson dagger in his hand and chuckled self-mockingly. "It seems we both used the same method: the completion of the Light of the Soul. Because we are incomplete, we could prematurely use power far exceeding our current Genetic Lock levels. But similarly, because we are incomplete, our lifespan, spirit, and even the Light of the Soul have enormous hidden dangers. At a certain point, we will..." At this point, Zhao Zhuikong briefly closed his eyes, then reopened them, a gentle smile gracing his face.

"...So, my little apple, do you know why I never killed you? Because we are both deficient in the Light of the Soul. Even by employing the method of completing ourselves with two bodies, we still possess only incomplete forms. Whether in power, the resilience of our spiritual will, or the strength of our physical bodies, we are failures compared to perfectly evolved beings... Heh heh, my dear little apple, I have cherished you since your green youth, and now you are finally mature. My lovely little apple can finally be eaten... the essence of eternal youth and beauty..."

As he finished speaking, Zhao Zhuikong's lower body began to bulge slowly, his member looking rigid and huge. It was truly perverse for the man to do something like this at such a crucial juncture of confrontation...

"Alas, brother, you have ultimately been consumed by your inner demon..."

In contrast to Zhao Zhuikong's calm demeanor on the open street, Zhao Yingkong remained hidden among the collapsed ruins nearby. Her voice drifted continuously from shifting locations, making it impossible to pinpoint her whereabouts.

"Inner demon? No, perhaps this is the real me. My lovely little apple... Only one of us can survive. Will you devour me, or will I devour you? Then we will become a truly complete entity. All that talk of Zheng Zha, Chu Xuan, cultivation, EVA—they will all be weaklings incapable of meeting our gaze. Are you excited? Are you wet, my lovely little apple?" As the voice faded, Zhao Zhuikong's entire body seemed to dissolve into an illusion. Moving at a speed barely visible to the naked eye, he had already lunged toward the location where Zhao Yingkong's voice had just originated. A blood-red blade light swept out; the short, crimson dagger actually unleashed a blood-red blade energy several meters long. With a resounding crash, the buildings within a hundred meters of this blade energy simultaneously crumbled and collapsed. Every piece of reinforced concrete turned to sand. This was no longer just the effect of the dagger slicing through; it was a form of energy akin to the Light of the Soul... or perhaps, this was Zhao Zhuikong's Light of the Soul.

My little apple, compared to your near-miraculous Light of the Mind that absorbs all energy, my own is rather unremarkable—a mere external manifestation of psychokinesis. That’s why I feel so utterly inadequate when facing you, Little Apple…”

With a smile, Zhao Zhuikong sent another blood-red blade of light slicing through the air. A building a hundred meters in another direction simultaneously collapsed into dust, the concrete crumbling as if it had been pulverized into sand. The man stood leisurely in place, seemingly riddled with openings, yet Zhao Yingkong, hidden within the rubble, dared not attack.

(Too powerful… The strength of a skill depends on its user and application. Even if this is just the most rudimentary expression of the Light of the Mind, Brother’s strength is terrifyingly absolute…) Zhao Zhuikong's speed was monstrous—a velocity that Zhao Yingkong could not currently even conceive of. Thus, she, who always favored close-quarters fighting, concealed herself, successfully drawing in Zhao Zhuikong, who preferred ambush and assassination… Of course. If it were merely speed, having endured Zheng Zha’s baptism by "Annihilation" status, she might still stand a chance to counterattack. But Zhao Zhuikong possessed more than just speed. His manifestation of the Light of the Mind was psychokinesis, which he employed in an inscrutable manner, causing the psychic energy to vibrate at an extremely high frequency—yes, vibration. When this psychokinesis existed around his body as vibrational waves, the resulting power was akin to being surrounded by countless laser walls. Perhaps only the extreme speed and force of Zheng Zha’s "Annihilation" could breach this shield; everyone else would be utterly helpless against it.

Zhao Zhuikong's speed was abnormal. It was a velocity that Zhao Yingkong could not imagine at this moment. Therefore, she, habitually fond of close-range combat, opted for concealment, luring Zhao Zhuikong, who enjoyed assassination and ambush, into pursuit… Naturally, if it were only speed, having been tested by Zheng Zha’s "Annihilation" state, she might still possess the power to retaliate. However, Zhao Zhuikong was not defined solely by speed. His expression of the Light of the Mind was psychokinesis, which, through some mysterious method of use, vibrated at an intensely high frequency. Indeed, vibration. When the psychokinesis existed around his body in the form of shockwaves, the destructive power was as if countless laser walls surrounded him. Perhaps only the extreme velocity and might of Zheng Zha’s "Annihilation" state could penetrate this defensive barrier; others would find themselves utterly at a loss.

At their level—the Fourth Tier powerhouses, simply put—true strength encompassed not only absolute physical might but also the control and method of wielding that power. In both these aspects, Zhao Zhuikong was an unparalleled master.

(It’s still too much of a strain. Temporarily forming my current complete consciousness through fusion is ultimately inferior to his fully realized personality and body, achieved through consumption. Moreover, I have been out of combat for too long. My prolonged slumber has reduced my strength by nearly thirty percent from its peak, while his power—my brother’s power—has never ceased to grow…)

The two had been locked in this standoff for a considerable time, yet strangely, neither had initiated full combat. There were words exchanged, and occasional, tentative strikes, but both displayed a peculiar restraint. This was something Zhao Yingkong could not fully comprehend, yet her intuition warned her that the victor must not be decided too soon…

Just then, a brilliant flash erupted suddenly from an unimaginable distance, instantly manifesting as a dazzling sun on the horizon. This was not the light born of a violent explosion, but a cold radiance devoid of heat. However, concurrent with this sudden burst of light, violent geological tremors propagated from the extreme distance, akin to a minor earthquake, though not intensely severe. As the light gradually faded, the tremors slowly subsided into calm.

Scarcely had the light begun to dim when, in a completely different direction, ten thousand feet of black flame suddenly soared into the sky, seeming to engulf a quarter of the heavens. Then, a colossal force directly cleaved through these black flames, and from that direction surged an even more intense pressure. For reasons she could not name, Zhao Yingkong felt this aura descend like a mountain upon her. Even tens of kilometers or more away, this oppressive weight remained insurmountable.

“Has it finally begun?” Zhao Zhuikong ceased his manic display. His eyes held a brief vacancy as he gazed toward the disturbance, until the pressure slightly weakened. Then, he burst into maniacal laughter. Around him, ripples of energy, visible to the naked eye, pulsed within a ten-meter radius; he was now unleashing his Light of the Mind at full capacity.

(Has it finally begun?)

A strange realization dawned on Zhao Yingkong as she silently emerged from the ruins, holding the Sword of Victory and Oath loosely in her hands, her gaze locked intently on Zhao Zhuikong.

“Let us begin, Brother, this final battle… our final battle. Let it begin!”

The scene rewound to a period before the black flames erupted. Zheng Zha, having obtained the map coordinates from the cloned Chu Xuan, immediately activated the Green Goblin Glider and sped toward Laboratory Seven. The mouth of the valley there, the place guarded by his double, was to be the theater for their ultimate confrontation—the crucial battle that would decide the victor of the final war…

(The pain, the humiliation inflicted upon me after that second Resident Evil scenario… and the grim awakening… Now, finally, I can return it all to you! I will defeat you, and your already pathological, agonizing persistence! And most importantly: I will ensure the Central Continent Team becomes the strongest in this entire cycle world!)

Zheng Zha’s emotions surged like a torrent; he felt as if flames were spewing from his chest. All the past moments flashed before his eyes: the entry into the first Resident Evil scenario, every desperate fight alongside his comrades, the sacrifices and deaths of his partners—Zhang Jie’s cigarettes and Zhan Lan’s Rebirth Cross. Then came the helplessness of the second Resident Evil scenario, watching his comrades fall while being utterly powerless to stop his own defeat—that despair and impotence carved into his very bones… Finally, he was about to face the strongest man in the entire cycle world, the other self who stood at the apex, a man forged from hatred and tragedy… He was finally going to face him head-on!

As the valley drew nearer and Zheng Zha gradually left the city limits, three figures suddenly flew in from the left and right—two men and one woman. The woman was using psychic scanning to lock onto him, while the other two men piloted personal flight devices, charging toward him from either side. The auras of these two men were formidable; while he could not definitively judge their exact strength, they likely stood at the peak of the Third Tier Gene Lock, perhaps even possessing Fourth Tier Gene Lock capabilities… They were top-tier experts, the absolute frontline power of a Reincarnation Team!

“Members of the Demon Team? No wonder Clone Chu Xuan was so easy to capture. No wonder there were no mental controllers among the six in the city. They were all sent here by Chu Xuan to intercept me?”

A thought flashed through Zheng Zha’s mind, and he instantly understood their affiliation. If it weren't the Celestial Gods Team possessing such strength, then for them to coincidentally be positioned here to block him, coupled with this level of power, it could only be the Demon Team. Clone Chu Xuan’s objective then became perfectly clear: he intended to use these three pawns to erode Zheng Zha’s strength… Was this Clone Chu Xuan’s laid-out strategy of king against king, and soldier against soldier?

“Idiot, poor judgment of character… or perhaps another layer of strategy?”

Zheng Zha cursed inwardly, but he could not afford to dwell on stratagems or conspiracies now. At this critical moment before the decisive battle, his entire being was focused solely on combat. Similarly, even three interceptors could not stop him from reaching his destination…

“Get lost!”

Zheng Zha drew the Hu Po Blade and roared. Simultaneously, his eyes cleared to an indescribable state—neither the blankness of activating a Gene Lock nor the intense focus of battle readiness, but a vision of perfect clarity, as if the entire world lay exposed before his eyes. An unimaginable pressure erupted from him. As the two men closed in to surround him, he shot straight through the gap between them, disregarding their maneuvers, piloting the Green Goblin Glider steadily away. The two men who had tried to box him in froze mid-air, motionless, until Zheng Zha was thousands of meters distant. Only then did the girl cry out urgently, “Are you both idiots? Chase him down and attack! Chu Xuan’s mission was to deplete his strength as much as possible, you’ll be…!”

“So terrifying…”

The two men did not pursue Zheng Zha. Instead, they shuddered violently as if chilled. One of them muttered, “So scary. It felt like I was already dead. If we had attacked… we would have been killed in an instant. Who cares if they claimed our strength was on Zhao Zhuikong’s level? That power… that was clearly on the Captain’s level…”

Zheng Zha could not hear their whispers behind him. The ease with which he bypassed the trio did not truly surprise him; the reason was simple: these three were not members of the Central Continent Team. Or rather, Clone Chu Xuan had misjudged their loyalty. He had merely calculated mechanically that deploying these three would deplete Zheng Zha’s power. While they were strong fighters, a direct confrontation would indeed chip away at his strength. Unfortunately, their team unity ultimately mirrored that of the second Resident Evil scenario; the Demon Team was merely a pack bound by brute force, operating under jungle law…

But was it really that simple? That man was Chu Xuan, after all. Even if Clone Chu Xuan might not prioritize emotion and feeling like his original counterpart, could the strongest intellect of the cycle world’s strategies truly end there? There must be a final, true strike…

Zheng Zha harbored this doubt as he approached the epicenter of the valley’s surging aura. At the very moment his own pressure had erupted, a similarly overwhelming presence—so solitary, violent, and mighty—had burst forth from that direction.

Concurrently, from a small hill at the entrance to the valley, a pillar of black flame shot straight into the heavens, seemingly boundless, reaching thousands of meters high, as if intending to swallow the entire sky. The small hill was completely enveloped in this vast, infinite flame. If Zheng Zha continued on his Glider, he would slam directly into this barrier of black fire.

“My nemesis… I am here!”

Zheng Zha roared. His internal energy and vampiric power surged simultaneously, while his Gene Lock continued to unlock upward. In mere moments, he entered the Submerged Dragon Transformation state, activating his "Annihilation"-level power throughout his body. Injecting True Essence into the Hu Po Blade, he raised it and brought it down in a mighty slash. The immense force, coupled with the tearing power of the True Essence, actually split the black flame vertically down the middle. He plunged heedlessly into the barrier of black fire.

The small hill had been scorched into obsidian glass and glaze. This black flame was peculiar: it could incinerate objects without harming its master. When the flames receded, they even carried away the residual heat from the hill’s soil. Zheng Zha’s feet touched the ground, and he felt an intense chill. The boundless flames filling the sky had vanished without a trace, as if the previous conflagration had been a mere hallucination.

On the summit of the small hill, Clone Zheng Zha stood holding the Greatsword of Black Fire. He retained the same appearance: the stubble on his face, his eyes filled with murderous intent, and the cycle 1/2|jump to