Future City.
Institute of Technological Research Base.
Jiang Nanqiu's expression grew solemn as he faced Mu Qing's overwhelming physical defense.
With a low shout, the golden gemstone on his chest lit up.
In an instant, the originally depleted energy within him surged to its peak.
The seven previously fading clones regained their strength at the same time, continuing to channel their energy into the blood-colored illusory furnace alongside the main body, attempting to refine Mu Qing alive.
However, Mu Qing's response completely exceeded Jiang Nanqiu's expectations.
As the vague beastly shadow above Mu Qing's head gradually became clearer, Jiang Nanqiu felt an unprecedented sense of oppression.
A domineering aura that could overlook all existence swept toward him, momentarily making him doubt reality.
He saw a mountain formed from the corpses of countless beings, stretching endlessly for miles. Blood streamed down the corpse mountain, forming a crimson ocean at its base.
Among the remnants, he saw towering giants as large as mountains, awe-inspiring divine beasts resembling dragons, and demons wreathed in infernal flames. Though these creatures were long dead, their corpses still exuded terrifying energy fluctuations, hinting at the immense power they once wielded in life.
Yet despite their formidable strength, they were nothing more than pieces of the mountain of corpses.
At the peak of this mountain stood a throne constructed entirely from bones, and upon it sat a hazy figure. Only a pair of glowing, scarlet eyes could be seen.
That gaze looked down upon the world with a calm and indifferent expression.
At that moment, the figure on the throne slowly turned its head, locking eyes with Jiang Nanqiu.
Its gaze seemed to pierce through the veil of illusion and reality, transcending the barriers of time and space.
Boom!
The instant their eyes met, Jiang Nanqiu's mind exploded with a deafening hum.
Countless twisted, enigmatic symbols flooded into his consciousness. Just from locking eyes, he felt his spiritual power surging uncontrollably, growing at an alarming rate—so fast that he neared the brink of collapse.
If this continued, he was certain his sea of consciousness would be overwhelmed and shattered by the influx of mysterious knowledge.
Forcing himself to act, Jiang Nanqiu bit his tongue, using the pain to snap himself out of the illusory mental realm.
Fear took root in his heart.
Just from making eye contact with this hallucinated entity, his spiritual power had seen a significant increase—this was beyond comprehension.
At that moment, he recalled something an old rival had once said:
"You ask me what it's like to stand at the peak of power? Sorry, I've never seen a true supreme being, but I know that their strength surpasses our understanding. Perhaps just sensing their existence is enough to change you… They are like the sun, radiating power at all times. If they don't consciously suppress it, even space around them might twist and collapse under the pressure…"
Jiang Nanqiu had once dismissed these words as exaggeration.
But now, he was experiencing it firsthand.
Just a single glance had caused his mind to be flooded with countless mystical symbols. His spiritual power had surged as a result.
But this kind of growth came with immense risk.
The strange symbols seemed to be burned into his consciousness. The moment he tried to comprehend their meaning, sharp pain would stab through his head, and his emotions would fluctuate wildly, as if he were on the verge of losing control.
It was like an ant attempting to understand the knowledge contained within an entire library—far beyond its capacity.
Jiang Nanqiu's spiritual state wavered violently, and he found himself unable to escape the illusory mental realm.
His physical body had yet to collapse, but his mind was already withering.
Yet Jiang Nanqiu refused to give in.
Clenching his teeth, he endured the pain while all five gemstones on his chest lit up at once.
As he struggled against the invasive spiritual force, past memories flickered through his mind like a slideshow.
His consciousness drifted back to the beginning.
That year, the northern frontier had seen months of continuous heavy snowfall. The entire world was blanketed in white, and the roads outside Winterhold City were buried under layers of snow.
He had graduated from Victory Academy as the top student in his class and officially joined one of the ten great Domain Battle Squads—the Five Star Domain Battle Squad, becoming a member of the third battalion.
But the reality of the battlefield proved far crueler than he had imagined.
During his academy years, even field training at the frontlines had included professional teams assigned to protect students. The difference between that and actual warfare was stark.
That period became the fastest-growing phase of his life.
The countless theories he had learned at the academy were transformed into practical combat skills in the midst of war.
At the time, the Five Star Domain Battle Squad was engaged in an operation against a Fourth-Level Calamity domain field. The battle was fierce and relentless.
This domain was known as the Purgatory Domain.
The dominant race within it, called the Purgatory Tribe, had humanoid appearances with jet-black bodies. They were natural-born warriors, mastering terrifying physical combat techniques and possessing an insatiable thirst for battle.
Before they had entered the human world, the Purgatory Tribe had been divided into eight different clans.
Each year, these clans would engage in brutal blood battles—not for resources or land, but purely to determine the strongest among them.
They worshiped strength above all else.
This warrior culture made them inherently aggressive and battle-hungry.
During the Five Star Domain Battle Squad's campaign against the Purgatory Domain, they suffered severe casualties under the relentless onslaught of the Purgatory Tribe. The losses were so heavy that the Domain Squad was on the verge of losing its ranking among the top ten Domain Battle Squads.
During this time, Jiang Nanqiu followed the third battalion into the Purgatory Domain several times, each time narrowly escaping death.
But it was also during these battles that his talent truly began to shine.
Among all the young warriors fighting on the frontlines, he earned a reputation as one of the Ten Rising Stars of Winterhold.
His accomplishments caught the attention of the Purgatory Tribe.
Particularly among the younger generation of the Purgatory Tribe, he was seen as an honor prey—a target they all wished to kill with their own hands.
The turning point of his fate came during an investigative mission into the Purgatory Domain.
His squad—Unit Six of the Five Star Domain Battle Squad's third battalion—was ambushed and surrounded by Purgatory warriors.
The battle was devastating. Most of his comrades were slaughtered. Those who survived, including himself, were captured alive.
But the bloodthirsty Purgatory warriors did not kill them.
As they were being detained, the crowd of Purgatory warriors suddenly parted, making way for a figure—a young boy with jet-black skin and a black gemstone embedded in his chest.
The boy declared that he wanted to fight Jiang Nanqiu in a blood duel.
That was the first time Jiang Nanqiu encountered Lianhun.
It was only later that he learned Lianhun was acknowledged as the strongest young warrior of his generation within the Purgatory Tribe. It was also only then that he understood—he had been marked as an honor prey by the rising stars of the Purgatory Tribe.
In that battle, Lianhun had made him an offer he could not refuse.
As long as he won the battle, all the captured squad members would be spared.
To prove the authenticity of his words, Lianhun placed a hand on his forehead and swore an oath to the previous generations of Purgatory Warriors, guaranteeing there was no deception.
Faced with Lianhun's demand, Jiang Nanqiu agreed without hesitation.
However, the battle was far more difficult than he had imagined. Even though Lianhun was only a child, he shattered both of Jiang Nanqiu's arms during the fight. In the end, after a desperate struggle, they both collapsed simultaneously, resulting in a draw.
When Jiang Nanqiu woke up, he found himself in a medical facility at the Winterhold Supply Zone.
It was only through the explanation of the medical staff that he learned all of his squadmates had perished. By the time the reinforcements arrived, they found only him, unconscious but still barely alive.
At that moment, Jiang Nanqiu felt nothing but hatred toward Lianhun.
As for why Lianhun had spared his life, Jiang Nanqiu had already figured it out.
It was a provocation—Lianhun had deliberately left him alive to give him a chance for revenge.
Jiang Nanqiu accepted that challenge.
Once his injuries healed, he returned to the Five Star Domain Battle Squad and rejoined the operation to counter the Purgatory Domain's expansion.
Over the following years, he and Lianhun clashed multiple times within the Purgatory Domain.
However, Lianhun's growth far outpaced his own, and the gap in their strength widened at an alarming rate.
This only fueled Jiang Nanqiu's determination.
All his life, he had been a symbol of excellence.
Even at Victory Academy, where talents were abundant, he was recognized as the most outstanding student of his generation.
Now, on his shoulders was not only his pride but also the blood feud of his fallen comrades.
To defeat Lianhun, he trained relentlessly, tempering his body in the freezing cold, constantly refining his combat skills, and frequently seeking guidance from veteran warriors in the Domain Squad to overcome his weaknesses.
Through sheer effort, he briefly managed to close the gap between them.
Yet as their battles continued, he finally understood why Lianhun had let him go that day.
Lianhun once told him, "I need a whetstone—one that pushes me to become stronger."
It was clear that Jiang Nanqiu was the whetstone Lianhun had deliberately chosen to sharpen himself.
In truth, Lianhun desired his growth even more than he did. Only by growing stronger himself could he continue to push Lianhun forward.
The war to drive back the Purgatory Domain progressed slowly, and his battles with Lianhun lasted for three long years.
Even though he pushed himself to the limit, the gap between them never stopped growing.
He vividly remembered Lianhun's words:
"Jiang Nanqiu, among all the human warriors I have encountered, your talent is undoubtedly the greatest. But the flawed cultivation system of your people has hindered your growth. It's a pity you're not one of us. If you were born as a member of the Purgatory Tribe, you would have been able to grow at an unimaginable speed using our cultivation methods. Such a shame…"
This statement was both an acknowledgment of his abilities and a harsh critique of humanity's imperfect cultivation system.
Compared to the domain races, who had a long history of trial and error that allowed them to refine their paths to power, humanity had started far too late and had too little time to develop.
But Jiang Nanqiu refused to give up.
During that period, he meticulously reviewed everything he had learned throughout his life and analyzed his weaknesses in battle against Lianhun.
Through this, he developed a combat technique specifically designed to counter Lianhun.
This technique was called Purgatory Slayer—to this day, it remains archived in the combat technique database.
At the time, the expansion of the Purgatory Domain was growing out of control, forcing multiple supply zones to send reinforcements to Winterhold Supply Zone.
When a large-scale operation was finally launched to drive out the Purgatory Domain, Jiang Nanqiu once again faced Lianhun.
This time, no one interrupted their battle.
During the fight, Lianhun—who had long stopped expecting anything from Jiang Nanqiu—felt his battle spirit reignite.
But despite giving it his all, Jiang Nanqiu still lost.
Lianhun only grew stronger the more they fought, improving at a terrifying speed. It was in that moment that Jiang Nanqiu truly felt a deep sense of helplessness.
The gap in bloodline talent was very real.
After the battle, he fell unconscious, but the allied forces achieved a decisive victory in the overall operation.
Jiang Nanqiu had assumed that Lianhun had also perished in the battle, believing that their long-standing rivalry had finally come to an end.
Yet, the sense of regret in his heart never truly faded.
But just two years later, he encountered Lianhun once again.
By then, Jiang Nanqiu had already left the Five Star Domain Battle Squad and personally established the Beiming Domain Squad.
Their fateful reunion took place inside a domain field, where Jiang Nanqiu was leading the Beiming Domain Squad to investigate the area.
To his surprise, Lianhun had also entered the domain to plunder its resources.
At that point, Lianhun had already lost his homeland and had become a nomadic domain transcendental being, wandering from battlefield to battlefield.
Jiang Nanqiu still vividly remembered how Lianhun had smiled at him and said, "It's been a while."
They were fated adversaries—bound by destiny—so it was only natural that they clashed once more.
This time, as they fought, Jiang Nanqiu felt an unparalleled thrill.
The regret that had lingered in his heart for so many years vanished entirely. Every strategy, every move, every technique he had designed specifically to counter Lianhun was unleashed without hesitation.
But in the end, he still lost.
Lianhun did not kill him, however. Instead, he laughed and said, "Jiang Nanqiu, you haven't disappointed me. Keep getting stronger—we will meet again!"
From that moment on, Lianhun's presence never left his life.
Wherever Jiang Nanqiu went, Lianhun would always find him.
But their relationship was far from friendly. If Jiang Nanqiu's rate of improvement ever slowed, Lianhun's attitude would drastically change.
There was even one instance when Lianhun coldly declared that Jiang Nanqiu was no longer worthy of being his whetstone—and had intended to end him on the spot.
Years passed, and Jiang Nanqiu lost count of how many battles they had fought.
Meanwhile, Lianhun and his tribe wandered through the desolate regions beyond Winterhold Supply Zone, looting resources wherever they went.
Yet, whenever the two crossed paths, a battle was inevitable.
Many attempts were made to capture Lianhun.
But every time, he managed to escape.
Jiang Nanqiu's lifelong wish was to defeat Lianhun in an official duel—just once.
Then, one day, Lianhun disappeared for five years.
Jiang Nanqiu suspected that Lianhun had finally died.
But he never let himself relax, never stopped training—holding onto the hope that one day, Lianhun would return, and he would finally defeat him in a fair fight.
During this time, the Beiming Domain Squad grew into a formidable force under his leadership.
He received countless accolades and honors, but to him, victory over Lianhun was the only thing that mattered.
Then, after more than five years of preparation, Lianhun finally reappeared.
This time, there was a golden gemstone embedded in his chest.
Jiang Nanqiu could clearly feel that Lianhun's power had surged to an entirely new level.
Lianhun fought using only body refinement combat techniques, without employing any other abilities.
Once again, Jiang Nanqiu suffered a crushing defeat.
However, Lianhun seemed satisfied with him, acknowledging that he had already pushed beyond the limits of the human cultivation system. Perhaps, one day, he would have a breakthrough and carve out his own path.
Jiang Nanqiu took those words to heart.
If the existing cultivation system restricted his growth, then he would forge his own.
He began studying a vast number of body refinement manuals, absorbing all the knowledge he could.
During this period, Lianhun disappeared once again, vanishing for several years.
When Lianhun finally returned, his body was covered in horrific scars, and a crimson gemstone had appeared in his chest.
The long-awaited battle arrived as expected.
Jiang Nanqiu unleashed everything he had learned over the years.
But this time, he could clearly sense Lianhun's exhaustion. The battle no longer carried the same intense spirit as before.
When the fight ended, Jiang Nanqiu collapsed to the ground, his face bruised and swollen.
Lianhun sat beside him, just as before, pointing out the flaws in his combat techniques and suggesting ways to improve.
For several more years, Lianhun continued to appear from time to time.
Under Lianhun's constant pressure, Jiang Nanqiu's strength improved rapidly, and the Beiming Domain Squad successfully advanced to an A-Rank Domain Squad, setting their sights on reaching S-Rank.
But with each battle, Jiang Nanqiu noticed something strange—Lianhun's condition seemed to be deteriorating.
Although his strength had visibly increased, his passion for battle had dimmed. The once-burning fighting spirit in his eyes was now gone.
Then, Lianhun vanished again for several more years.
When he reappeared, the gemstone embedded in his chest had multiplied to four.
In terms of sheer physical strength, Jiang Nanqiu was now completely outmatched. Against Lianhun, he could barely even fight back, suffering a one-sided defeat.
At the end of the battle, Lianhun didn't kill him. Instead, he left behind a final message:
"You are no longer useful as a whetstone. I will not return again."
With that, Lianhun vanished from his life.
For over a decade, Lianhun never reappeared.
But Jiang Nanqiu never stopped honing his combat skills. He longed for one last battle against Lianhun, a final duel to fulfill his lifelong wish.
Yet, Lianhun never returned.
Over the years, the Beiming Domain Squad was promoted to the ranks of S-Rank Domain Squads, and Jiang Nanqiu's name was written into history books.
It was time for him to retire, yet he refused to leave the front lines.
He continued to wait.
Waiting for his fated rival to return.
When he turned eighty, he received the Lifetime Honor Award from the United Research Institute. That same day, he found a letter in his room.
Despite the heavily guarded Domain Battle Squad headquarters, no one had noticed how it got there.
Inside, there were no words—only a symbol that burned like flames and a map.
A single red mark was placed on the map.
The moment Jiang Nanqiu picked up the letter, his eyes burned with fighting spirit.
Lianhun had returned.
He had waited for this moment for over a decade, and now, it had finally arrived.
That same day, he wrote his will and placed it inside a drawer. Then, braving the wind and snow, he left the Winterhold Supply Zone alone, heading toward the marked location—Snowstorm Cliff.
There, he saw Lianhun once more.
Lianhun still looked young, his body radiating boundless vitality.
Their gazes met, and Lianhun smiled.
"Jiang Nanqiu, you've grown old. As I thought, lifespan is the greatest limitation of human growth... Can you still fight?"
Without hesitation, Jiang Nanqiu answered:
"Yes!"
Seeing his lifelong rival appear once more, Jiang Nanqiu was fully prepared to die in battle. He wanted to give it everything he had, just one last time.
Amidst the howling blizzard, the two figures clashed again.
Despite his aging body, Jiang Nanqiu unleashed strength that exceeded his limits. His unwavering battle spirit stunned Lianhun.
He had thought for sure that he would lose.
After all, Lianhun's growth had been far too rapid—he had long since surpassed him.
Even though Lianhun restrained himself, using only martial techniques in the fight, Jiang Nanqiu still struggled to keep up.
But what he hadn't expected was that, as the battle continued, Lianhun's body began to age rapidly. His once-black hair turned white, wrinkles surfaced on his face, and the vitality in his eyes faded away.
In the end, Jiang Nanqiu stopped.
Panting heavily, he looked at Lianhun, who could no longer fight, and asked what was happening.
Lianhun did not answer. Instead, he smiled and asked:
"Jiang Nanqiu, have you ever considered truly breaking free from the limits of your race and stepping onto the path of a true powerhouse?"
Jiang Nanqiu was stunned and asked what he meant by a true powerhouse.
Lianhun's response sounded almost surreal.
He spoke of transcending natural laws, standing above all creation, wielding the power to shatter the heavens with a single thought. A being whose very will could dictate reality.
At the time, Jiang Nanqiu couldn't comprehend what he meant.
Then, Lianhun did something that left him speechless.
He reached into his chest and pulled out one of the blood-red gemstones. Then, he pulled out a second...
As his vitality rapidly drained, Lianhun smiled and said:
"Jiang Nanqiu, I am satisfied with the battle spirit you showed just now. This time, I have lost—not in strength, but in spirit… My life force is nearly exhausted, and my people are all dead. I leave this legacy to you."
Jiang Nanqiu was filled with confusion.
He asked what had truly happened.
Lianhun gave him a faint smile and answered:
"I made a bet on the future… but in the end, I lost everything. However, they will never take anything from me. This miracle item belongs to you now. Continue forward with an unyielding spirit."
As Lianhun pulled the fifth gemstone from his chest, he spoke in a dazed voice:
"That's right... Your greatest enemy right now isn't an external threat, but an internal one. The force that led me to this fate is rooted within your own people... You should consider retreating. Unless absolutely necessary, never reveal this power... This is the key to becoming a true powerhouse, but it will also bring you endless disaster."
Jiang Nanqiu pressed for more answers, but Lianhun simply shook his head and remained silent.
Before his life force completely faded, Lianhun placed the five blood-stained gemstones into Jiang Nanqiu's hand one by one.
"Jiang Nanqiu, you have won our final battle... Promise me, from now on, you will never lose again. Carry my fighting spirit forward—only I am worthy of defeating you!"
Lianhun nearly shouted those last words.
The wind and snow lashed against his face, and for a moment, he seemed to see that same young boy from long ago.
"Jiang Nanqiu, from today onward, you are my whetstone!"
"Jiang Nanqiu, get up! Ignite your fighting spirit and continue battling with me!"
"Jiang Nanqiu, you useless fool! Why did I even choose you as my whetstone back then? If you can't satisfy me next time, you might as well die!"
"Hahaha! Jiang Nanqiu, keep improving and keep up with my pace!"
Time flew by like an arrow. Decades passed in the blink of an eye.
Looking back now, it all felt like a dream.
Jiang Nanqiu inherited Lianhun's legacy and embedded the five gemstones into his body.
He also remembered Lianhun's warning—not to reveal this power unless absolutely necessary, as it would only bring disaster. With his strength, he would be unable to protect such a legacy.
Thus, he chose to resign from his position as Commander of the Beiming Domain Squad, citing an old injury relapse. He withdrew from the front lines and returned to Victory City.
He recalled Lianhun's words—the greatest threat to humanity wasn't external, but internal.
He suspected that a hidden force lurked within human society. Under the guise of giving public speeches, he traveled between major cities, searching for clues.
During this time, he discovered that the five gemstones still held remnants of Lianhun's consciousness.
It was like a blazing fire imprinted in his soul, constantly pushing him forward, urging him never to let his fighting spirit fade.
Jiang Nanqiu snapped out of his thoughts.
He looked up.
A monstrous, jet-black figure hovering above him opened its eyes.
Their gazes met, and he recalled Lianhun's dying words.
"Jiang Nanqiu, you have won our final battle... Promise me, from now on, you will never lose again. Carry my fighting spirit forward—only I am worthy of defeating you!"
His battle intent surged, shattering the illusory spiritual realm.
His body was once again engulfed in a black aura, and a boundless life force roared within him.
At that moment, Mu Qing broke free from the blood-colored illusory furnace and launched a fierce punch at him.
Jiang Nanqiu threw a punch in return.
Boom!
A terrifying shockwave erupted from their clash, sweeping in all directions. Jiang Nanqiu's body exploded into fragments but instantly reformed. He struck again.
Blow after blow, his momentum kept rising.
The war between Star City and Future City raged on. Every second, human warriors perished under the schemes of the hidden forces manipulating these domain infiltrators.
Jiang Nanqiu had no time to waste.
This was why he had ignored Feng Qi's explanations.
He had long known that a hidden force lurked within humanity.
As his battle intent surged, the five gemstones on his body began to glow.
Boom!
Another powerful collision. His shattered flesh and blood rapidly pulled back together, restoring him in an instant.
As long as my fighting spirit burns, I shall never die!
Fist after fist, even though he was being pushed back with every exchange, Jiang Nanqiu continued to punch with all his strength, never losing momentum.
The monstrous black figure above him grew more ferocious as his battle spirit soared.
From the sidelines, Feng Qi was completely stunned.
He never imagined Jiang Nanqiu possessed such terrifying strength.
"He's dying."
A shadowy figure floating beside him suddenly spoke.
"Why?"
"Though he possesses a miraculous artifact, his lifespan has not increased. No matter how many times he reconstructs himself, once his lifespan reaches its limit, there will be no saving him."
Feng Qi immediately understood.
The five gemstones had given Jiang Nanqiu immense power, but they had not extended his lifespan.
What was the point of overwhelming strength if death was inevitable?
Unlike cultivation techniques, miracle artifacts did not provide comprehensive growth.
"Lifespan has always been humanity's greatest weakness. This race lacks the long bloodline accumulations of others. Even with their remarkable creativity, their exposure to cultivation has been far too short."
Feng Qi said nothing.
His gaze returned to Jiang Nanqiu.
Just as the shadow had said, beneath his blazing fighting spirit, Jiang Nanqiu's body was visibly deteriorating.
Wrinkles deepened on his face. His once-thick white hair gradually fell away…
All signs that his body had reached its twilight.
Boom!
Another direct clash. Jiang Nanqiu's body exploded once more.
As his body reformed, he raised his fist again—but this time, it did not strike.
"I'm sorry… I lost after all."
He whispered to himself, his eyes turning gray.
The monstrous black figure hovering above slowly merged with his body.
A gentle breeze swept past, carrying away the last strands of his white hair.
His life force was completely depleted, and the five gemstones in his chest lost their glow.
Sensing that his killing intent had disappeared, Mu Qing halted her punch.
The blood-red light in her eyes gradually faded.
She looked at Jiang Nanqiu, still standing in his battle stance, his fist raised but never thrown.
Her expression turned complex.
She could sense that his fighting spirit had stemmed from his love for humanity.
But this battlefield could not afford any delays.
"Perhaps next time, we will fight side by side."
She reached out and gently closed Jiang Nanqiu's lifeless eyes.
Taking a deep breath, she turned back toward the domain warriors charging from all directions.
A jade-colored radiance once again enveloped her body.