Feng Qi's eyes narrowed as he observed the blue-skinned assassins materializing nearby.
It was clear these assassins were targeting the Mist Lord, but their numbers seemed unusually large.
The Mist Lord took action without hesitation.
A surge of mist erupted from his body, spreading rapidly and transforming the surroundings into a sea of fog. The vegetation in the area withered under the corrosive power of the mist.
Yet, the gray mist near Feng Qi didn't harm him, clearly indicating the Mist Lord's deliberate protection.
The incoming mental shock waves were relentless, but none managed to breach the gray fog shielding the Mist Lord's body.
With a wave of his hand, the sea of mist surged forward under the Mist Lord's command.
The blue-skinned assassins' expressions shifted to shock, seemingly astonished at the Mist Lord's overwhelming strength.
Despite this, they didn't retreat.
The melee-focused assassins wielding daggers flickered into motion, rushing into the mist.
However, they had underestimated its corrosive might.
Their bodies began to dissolve rapidly, and within moments, they were lifeless.
The other assassins, capable of launching mental shock waves from a distance, fared no better. Their agonized screams echoed briefly before they too were completely dissolved by the mist.
As before, the blue-skinned assassins left no trace behind upon their deaths. Even the small black beads in their bodies, used for miracle tracking, dissolved under the mist's corrosive effect.
After eliminating the thirteen assassins, the Mist Lord reformed his body.
Feng Qi frowned as he stared at the spot where the assassins had stood moments ago.
"What on earth were those things?"
"I'm not entirely sure. They likely originated from our world, but I can't pinpoint which small realm they belong to," the Mist Lord replied calmly.
"Do you know why they're targeting you?" Feng Qi probed further.
"I've never encountered creatures like these before, so I can't imagine why they'd be after me… Unless humans developed them as specialized assassins," the Mist Lord speculated.
"Don't be ridiculous. Humans don't have the capability to create such deadly weapons," Feng Qi retorted with a firm shake of his head.
Yet, as he thought about it, a realization struck him.
The monk Hui Xu had once mentioned that their Prajna Domain Combat Squad was actively collecting miracle items.
If one human faction was pursuing this goal, it was entirely possible others had similar intentions.
Perhaps some covert human organization had developed mysterious technology to create these blue-skinned assassins—remotely controlled energy constructs designed to gather miracle items.
The Mist Lord's hypothesis wasn't entirely implausible.
But Feng Qi didn't dwell too much on the specifics.
The appearance of so many blue-skinned assassins on this island led him to two likely conclusions:
First, there was a stronghold of blue-skinned assassins somewhere on this island.
Second, a miracle item was drawing them to this location.
Regardless of the reason, Feng Qi's curiosity about Black Absolute Island deepened. He resolved to investigate further.
"Let's move," the Mist Lord said, glancing at Feng Qi.
Feng Qi nodded, and the two resumed following the trail left by the united combat squad.
With the Mist Lord's power, annihilating the entire united combat squad wouldn't be a challenge, even though his internal injuries hadn't fully healed.
However, their goal this time wasn't destruction.
They intended to seize control of the Reaper Squad by capturing its leader, Wang Lin. Through Wang Lin's identity, they could gain access to more resources and command a group of elite subordinates.
Thus, they needed to bide their time and wait for the right moment to isolate Wang Lin and take over his body.
The rainforest was stiflingly humid, teeming with brightly colored venomous insects and snakes.
But to the Mist Lord, anything with blood became nourishment.
Feng Qi watched in amazement as the Mist Lord even dragged hidden underground creatures to the surface, draining them of their blood.
Curiosity got the better of him.
"How can you detect creatures hiding underground?" he asked.
The Mist Lord grinned.
"Our kind is special. From the moment we're born, we have a natural ability to sense blood. Any creature within my range appears to me like a beacon in the dark."
"Additionally, I was born with the ability to manipulate blood. I can control the blood of other creatures with ease, forcing it to flow backward or even causing their bodies to explode from within."
Feng Qi nodded, intrigued by the explanation. Then, he couldn't help but ask another question.
"Back then, the person who severely injured you was human, right? She had blood in her veins too. Why couldn't you control her blood, make it reverse, or even make her explode?"
Hearing this, the Mist Lord's expression turned somewhat awkward.
"I can manipulate blood, but it depends on the circumstances," he explained. "It's like lifting weights. I can easily lift something within my strength range, but I can't lift something beyond my limits."
"Blood is the same. That opponent's blood was dense and overwhelming, like an ocean. I couldn't force it to follow my will."
The Mist Lord's tone shifted slightly, his eyes narrowing. "But if I meet her again, she won't walk away. She'll die, and her blood will become part of my strength."
Feng Qi chuckled inwardly at the bold claim but nodded sincerely. "I believe in you. With your potential, revenge is only a matter of time!"
Not really.
Feng Qi added the thought silently.
The Mist Lord's potential was indeed impressive, but compared to Mu Qing, it was still far behind.
If the Mist Lord's efficiency in utilizing resources was leaps and bounds ahead of humanity's, then Mu Qing's efficiency was an entire dimension above his.
The Mist Lord required blood to grow stronger, but Mu Qing could grow from consuming practically anything.
For example, those black-haired domain creatures dissected by the creek earlier. The Mist Lord called it a waste before draining their blood dry.
From Mu Qing's perspective, she would likely call the Mist Lord's actions wasteful and proceed to consume the entire creatures—bones included.
Her efficiency in converting resources into strength was simply unparalleled.
Moreover, the rune crystal embedded in her body endowed her with an exceptional physique and combat awareness, further widening the gap between her and the Mist Lord.
The distance between them would only grow larger over time, making it nearly impossible for the Mist Lord to catch up.
Still, Feng Qi didn't voice these thoughts.
They followed the trail left by the united combat squad for another half hour.
As they progressed, the surrounding environment began to change subtly.
The area was now filled with pure white trees. Their fallen leaves covered the ground in a thick, pale layer.
As they moved further, they started noticing the corpses of domain creatures resembling ants. The creatures were entirely white and had a body length of over a meter.
This species was listed in the mission briefing as "Carnivorous Ants." They were highly aggressive and had powerful mandibles capable of tearing apart prey or even breaking through armor unless it was crafted from high-quality spiritual minerals.
However, these creatures were also extremely valuable.
As Feng Qi and the Mist Lord advanced, they saw that the mandibles and antennae of the dead carnivorous ants had already been harvested.
After traveling a little further, the Mist Lord suddenly stopped.
"We're getting close. Let's hold for a moment."
Hearing this, Feng Qi released his spiritual energy, extending his perception forward.
Soon, he sensed the united combat squad moving in the distance.
The squad's formation was meticulous. The members carrying supplies were at the center, surrounded by specialists scanning the area for resources. At the front were the squad's core combatants, clearing the path.
Through his perception, Feng Qi observed the specialists using advanced instruments to map the terrain in real time.
The display screens on their devices already showed a detailed route map, complete with annotations of the flora and fauna encountered.
Just as Feng Qi was analyzing this, a shadow suddenly appeared in his perception, and the connection was abruptly severed.
"Your spiritual perception was detected. Someone in their squad clearly has similar abilities," the Mist Lord remarked with a smirk.
Undeterred, the two continued following the squad's trail, using the physical marks left behind.
As they moved forward, the vegetation grew denser. The towering trees above blocked out almost all sunlight, allowing only faint beams to filter through the gaps in the canopy.
Fortunately, Feng Qi had night vision, a gift from his demonic dragon bloodline, allowing him to see clearly in the dark without any additional equipment.
The Mist Lord, however, had an even greater advantage.
His sensory abilities extended over a kilometer in all directions, scanning the environment far more comprehensively than any visual tool.
It was akin to a full 3D map forming in his mind, capturing every detail of the surroundings.
His blood-sensing ability acted like radar, instantly highlighting any life forms within range.
With these abilities, they progressed smoothly, unaffected by the oppressive environment.
But their respite didn't last long.
They were once again ambushed by a group of blue-skinned assassins.
This time, six blue-skinned assassins appeared.
Feng Qi was now even more convinced of his hypothesis.
The frequent emergence of blue-skinned assassins indicated either that there was a miracle item on the island attracting them or that this area was a gathering spot for these creatures.
Before engaging this time, Feng Qi had already instructed the Mist Lord to leave one of them alive for interrogation—or so he claimed.
In truth, while interrogating it brutally, he also extracted the black orb from its body.
If this region held a miracle item, Feng Qi wasn't going to let the opportunity slip away.
He suspected that the black orb had the ability to locate miracle items within a certain range.
The Mist Lord noticed Feng Qi pocketing the orb but didn't think much of it. He assumed it was an accidental discovery during the interrogation and didn't question the purpose of keeping it.
As they continued discussing the blue-skinned assassins, they proceeded along the trail.
The scenery ahead opened up abruptly.
Fallen trees were scattered everywhere, and the ground was littered with the corpses of domain creatures.
It was evident that a fierce battle had taken place here.
"Two humans died here. Their blood is still lingering, though their bodies have been taken away," the Mist Lord commented.
"How can you be so sure they're dead? Maybe they were just injured and bled," Feng Qi asked curiously.
"I didn't confirm it by sensing their blood or anything," the Mist Lord replied with a grin.
Feng Qi: …
He shot the Mist Lord a middle finger, earning a chuckle.
After the brief exchange, they resumed their journey.
Not long after, the Mist Lord's expression shifted.
"There's an external force up ahead—a large number of them. This might be our chance to act," he said.
Hearing this, Feng Qi expanded his spiritual perception outward, scanning the area quickly.
Soon, he detected a battle between two forces.
One side was the united combat squad they had accompanied. The team had formed a defensive circle to fend off an assault by an external force.
The attackers were humanoid domain creatures numbering over three hundred.
Their dark brown skin was unarmored, and their bodies were smeared with dark blue paint, which also formed distorted symbols on their faces.
They rode short-limbed, lizard-like creatures that moved swiftly in response to their riders' commands.
Humanoid domain creatures were always a major enemy of domain combat squads.
They often acted as the dominant force within any domain field. To purge a domain field, combat squads usually had to eliminate these intelligent creatures first.
Now that the two sides had encountered each other in the field, conflict was inevitable.
These domain creatures were clearly not strangers to battling humans. They even manipulated spiritual energy to disrupt the trajectory of spells, breaking the rhythm of human attacks.
However, the united combat squad had the advantage in numbers and experience. The battle-hardened warriors swiftly adjusted their positions, launching counterattacks that inflicted significant casualties on the humanoid creatures.
What puzzled Feng Qi was why the humanoid forces, clearly at a disadvantage, chose to persist in surrounding the united combat squad. It seemed like a pointless sacrifice.
He continued extending his perception further, trying to understand their strategy.
Soon, his awareness picked up reinforcements—a large number of humanoid creatures riding lizard-like beasts were rapidly approaching through the dense jungle.
It became clear.
The humanoid creatures were stalling for time, sacrificing some of their own to delay the humans until reinforcements arrived.
The Mist Lord's voice interrupted his thoughts.
"Let's move. We need to seize the opportunity for possession!"
Snapping back to focus, Feng Qi nodded.
The two quickened their pace, weaving through layers of fallen leaves toward the conflict.
After about ten minutes, they approached the battle site and halted.
Peering through gaps in the foliage, they observed the unfolding chaos.
The battle was intense. Explosions from spells echoed in the air, accompanied by flashes of light.
The surrounding trees had been uprooted or scorched, clearing a broad area where sunlight now poured down freely.
Feng Qi and the Mist Lord directed their attention toward Wang Lin, who hovered in midair, commanding the squad with precision.
"We'll act when the time is right," the Mist Lord said.
Feng Qi nodded in agreement.
Just then, waves of humanoid creatures surged through the dense jungle, pouring into the clearing.
The reinforcements quickly surrounded the entire area, forcing Feng Qi and the Mist Lord to retreat slightly to avoid being caught in the crossfire.
The humanoid creatures parted to create a path.
A towering figure emerged from the underbrush, standing over three meters tall like a living mountain.
His body was painted in a shimmering green, and he wore a crown woven from unknown spiritual plant leaves.
Beneath him was a massive tiger-like beast, exhaling mist with every breath.
But Feng Qi's attention was drawn to the figure's right hand.
A green glow encircled its wrist, swirling like a misty liquid. It wasn't an ordinary bracelet.
Ordinarily, this wouldn't have caught his interest.
However, the black orb taken from the blue-skinned assassin began to emit energy fluctuations at that exact moment.