Iron Eagle could scarcely believe his eyes, yet the reality was undeniable, and for him, it was certainly a moment of great fortune and relief. Death had retreated far from him, and with a slight, almost ashamed murmur, he breathed, "Third Brother!"

Silver Fox carried himself with an utterly dashing air. He leisurely recalled his silver greatsword, his gaze betraying shades of mockery mixed with displeasure.

"You... weren't you supposed to still be in the Fifth Sky City?" Iron Eagle stammered, embarrassed. Headquarters had explicitly ordered a joint operation between Silver Fox and Iron Eagle this time! It was Iron Eagle’s greed for merit that had caused him to rush ahead and attack first, nearly costing him his life in the process.

"If I hadn't arrived, you would have surely lost your little life right here," Silver Fox said, sounding somewhat displeased. "You are too eager for quick success. Haven't Nico's painful lesson been enough?"

"......" Iron Eagle was rendered speechless with shame. He also knew that Silver Fox must have rushed over because he had acted without authorization.

On the other side, Lan Qi and Niyah felt a chill run down their spines. Silver Fox's sudden appearance had almost completely upended their plans, significantly diminishing even their will to fight.

Though they were all Phoenix Sky Knights, Silver Fox’s strength was far more terrifying than Iron Eagle’s. However, in the past, Silver Fox and his Fifth Legion had always been responsible for the eastern front against the Duoluo Tribe, rarely joining forces with other Phoenix Sky Knights. Furthermore, Silver Fox had never before appeared on the battlefield opposing the Nile Tribe, so his presence brought Niyah and Lan Qi a shock that eclipsed mere surprise.

Sly as a fox, ferocious as a wolf—this was how all the soldiers of the Shadow Moon Tribe viewed Silver Fox. Among the Seven Great Phoenix Sky Knights, his combat power ranked just behind the strongest, Golden Dragon.

The only combination within the Shadow Moon Tribe capable of countering him consisted of the four strongest Golden Warriors from the Duoluo Tribe: Duoluo Sha, Duoluo Meng, Duoluo Yu, and Duoluo Xiu.

The existence of these four had always kept Silver Fox and his Fifth Legion pinned down, thus maintaining a strange equilibrium on the eastern front! Both the Shadow Moon and Nile Tribes had grown accustomed to this peculiar stalemate, so the unexpected appearance of Silver Fox, who rarely left the Fifth Sky City, was truly surprising.

For Niyah and Lan Qi, this was by no means a good omen, and they appeared visibly tense. Although they had succeeded in wounding Iron Eagle, they dared not press the attack easily!

Silver Fox slowly raised his greatsword, and the killing intent congealing in the void grew steadily denser. In contrast, the feeling was akin to standing on the edge of a great abyss, a persistent, unsettling tremor in the soul that could not be shaken off.

Long Hao felt sweat prickling the palms of his hands as he gripped his sword. That invisible pressure seemed to buffet his skin like gusts of cold wind; it was not an external sensation but a deep, innate disquiet. At this moment, he didn't even have the leisure to mourn Long Xun’s death.

He might soon follow in his comrade’s footsteps.

The string of blows delivered today had already shattered the dignity and glory he once held as a Golden Warrior. What was even harder for him to accept was that his own existence, and Long Xun’s, had become an obstacle to Niyah and Lan Qi. If it hadn't been for their incompetence, if Lan Qi and Niyah hadn't had to consider them, there wouldn't have been a lapse in coordination, and Iron Eagle might well be dead by now instead of merely wounded! Sometimes, incompetence was a sin, a realization more humiliating to Long Hao than facing death itself! Yet, even so, Long Hao could muster no will to fight.

Death itself was not frightening, but the oppressive, surging aura emanating from Silver Fox carried a meaning more terrifying than death—formless and intangible, yet capable of mercilessly tearing the soul apart.

Lan Qi had no choice but to draw her sword to meet the threat. She could not resist Silver Fox's pervasive energy field with mere willpower alone, but she could not stop the cold sweat from dampening her palms. Fear and dread gripped her heart, the sensation of a tiny ant awaiting a rising flood, a feeling beyond words.

Niyah slowly stepped forward, standing shoulder to shoulder with Lan Qi. This allowed their auras to fuse perfectly, the only way they could contend against Silver Fox's formidable presence!

Niyah managed a wry smile. "I just don't understand. If you are here, what about the Fifth Sky City, and your Fifth Legion? Aren't you worried the Duoluo Tribe will overrun your base?"

"Even if the Fifth Sky City falls and the Fifth Legion is annihilated, as long as we can hold off those four, buying us enough time, it will all be worthwhile," Silver Fox replied, his voice remarkably elegant and composed, as if narrating an unrelated matter.

"I never expected my humble Nile Tribe would merit a visit from two Phoenix Sky Knights," Niyah said, his expression deeply complicated. "And for this, you are willing to sacrifice your subordinates and your stronghold."

"As long as we can destroy the Nile Tribe, this price is nothing," Silver Fox stated.

"You certainly think highly of us," Niyah remarked.

"Of course," Silver Fox affirmed seriously. "You need not belittle yourselves; the Nile Tribe warrants this cost. If we don't destroy you now and give you more time, my Soaring Sky Tribe will truly have no recourse." As he spoke, Silver Fox positioned himself protectively around Iron Eagle, yet he showed no inclination to attack, seeming as if he had traveled a thousand miles merely to chat with Niyah and Lan Qi!

This baffled Long Hao.

Niyah and Lan Qi slowly retreated. "That's true," Niyah conceded gravely. "In that case, why not kill us now? The opportunity is rare, and with your ability, dealing with us should be easy enough."

"Though I am confident," Silver Fox replied gravely, "I am not without self-awareness." As he spoke, Silver Fox glanced behind Niyah and Lan Qi. "Dealing with you two, I would naturally have a sure victory, but with those two experts deep within the passage joining in, the outcome would be hard to call." A cunning smile touched Silver Fox's lips as he finished. "Am I correct, Major Niyah, and Excellency Star!"

The blood drained from Niyah and Lan Qi’s faces. They stared at Silver Fox in disbelief, as if examining a monster.

At that very moment, a sigh of resignation echoed from the depths of the passage!

Then came a measured set of footsteps, and two figures gradually emerged from the shadow. The one on the left was tall and slender, yet clad in golden battle armor, he appeared imposing and radiated a commanding presence—this was Nile, the leader of the Nile Tribe. The one on the right, with black hair, black eyes, wearing cyan armor—the Thunderstorm Set—and wielding a crimson longsword, was the long-absent Star, but his face now registered utter astonishment. "How is this possible? You can sense my presence."

"Luring the enemy deep in, setting an ambush for annihilation—it seems this is the only move left for you when trying to kill a Phoenix Sky Knight," Silver Fox retorted. "Nico’s lesson was severe enough; if I couldn't figure out your scheme now, I would be too dense."

"But how did you instantly know I was here?" Star was genuinely frustrated! He had originally intended for Lan Qi and Niyah to lure the enemy in so he could launch a surprise attack and make a dramatically stunning entrance! Instead, he had been seen through at a glance by the opponent! What made Star even more incredulous was that this man named Silver Fox, whom he had never met, could call out his name immediately! This made Star feel like a foolish clown hiding behind a pillar in the depths of the passage!

Nile looked equally awkward. "Well, well, that was a miscalculation, a miscalculation. Who would have thought Iron Eagle's reinforcement would be this cunning old fox."

"It wasn't hard to guess," Silver Fox said with a touch of pride. "Nile’s only chance for an unexpected victory lay in this surprise soldier. In fact, didn't Nico die because he underestimated you and was killed by your combined efforts with Niyah?"

"An old fox indeed," Nile exclaimed in admiration. "If it had been anyone else this time, they surely would have fallen for it."

"Sorry, but I'm the one who showed up this time," Silver Fox smiled coolly.

"What good is boasting now that the ambush failed?" Star said awkwardly. "Shouldn't we settle this with a straightforward fight?"

"That is the only way," Nile agreed.

"Now that's more like it. A fair, straightforward fight—that would be exhilarating," Silver Fox's tone suddenly turned cold, and his killing intent surged! He was a complete contrast to his previous elegant composure.

Silver Fox was about to strike. An intuition settled in the minds of Niyah, Lan Qi, and the others: his opponent would only be Star! But Lan Qi and Niyah would never allow Star to enter danger, so they simultaneously raised their swords and stood shoulder to shoulder, though they dared not advance, nor did they see a path to attack. They were certainly aware of the consequences of rashly charging forward.

Silver Fox was utterly flawless, without a single opening. He took a slow, deliberate step, and the surging energy in the void intensified once more. The air seemed thick, making it difficult to breathe. The wind itself stilled, as if gathering itself for something—perhaps a storm, or the cataclysmic end of heaven and earth. Everything held its breath in the silence.

Though they had never met, never fought, the moment Silver Fox laid eyes on Star, he instinctively felt an unprecedented tremor and shock! This was when he had first watched the battle between Star and Aries/Taurus via surveillance footage on a computer screen. From that moment on, Silver Fox held a strong premonition: this person would one day become the Soaring Sky Tribe's most terrifying adversary! After nearly dying and then being unexpectedly rescued by the Nile Tribe, this feeling intensified! The subsequent ambush and death of Nico, and the theft of the Thunderstorm Set, only confirmed Silver Fox’s suspicions. Although he hadn't witnessed the scene firsthand, Silver Fox was certain that Nico's death was inextricably linked to Star’s escape! Subsequently, when he learned headquarters decided to assault the Nile Tribe to retrieve the Thunderstorm Set, he eagerly volunteered precisely to eliminate this terrible latent threat while it was still in its nascent stage.

But looking now, it seemed he was a step too late! Niyah, Lan Qi, and Star had all managed to equip the Thunderstorm Set. Although these sets appeared to be incomplete, possessing various flaws, Silver Fox could sense no trace of disarray in Star; everything felt completely natural! Every movement, every breath, was perfectly integrated with the Thunderstorm Set he wore. This situation pointed to only one conclusion: Star could fully command the entire power of this unfinished Thunderstorm Set!

This was not good news! If he couldn't be eliminated now, and was given more time to grow, the consequences were unimaginable! Thus, Silver Fox was resolved to kill Star right here and now!

Silver Fox’s strides were not large, but they were exceptionally slow and steady. The surging sword energy fused strangely with his measured advance, stable as a moving mountain, showing no flaw. The aura surrounding him had already surged to a level Niyah and Lan Qi could not endure—no, it wasn't merely an aura, but an immense pressure on a mental and psychological level! A pressure on the verge of causing collapse, forcing Niyah and Lan Qi to draw their swords.