Feng Qi's attempt to stall for time was met with no mercy. The Mist Lord's fist slammed into his face with brutal force.
Before he could even catch his breath, the Mist Lord stepped forward and unleashed a relentless barrage of attacks, delivering a series of rapid punches to his body.
However, despite the sheer ferocity of the attack, Feng Qi noticed something unusual.
The Mist Lord was clearly holding back.
If he had gone all out, there was no way Feng Qi could have endured even a single punch.
As he was beaten down, Feng Qi felt an unexpected warmth spreading through his body.
Though every punch hurt like hell, a gentle energy seeped into his wounds through the Mist Lord's fists, slowly healing his battered body.
After a ruthless beating, Feng Qi lay sprawled on the ground, barely holding onto consciousness.
The Mist Lord, expressionless, retracted his fists and stood still.
Looking down at Feng Qi, who was grimacing in pain, he spoke in a cold voice.
"Quit pretending. Get up."
Feng Qi forced a sheepish grin and pushed himself off the ground, awkwardly standing up.
For a moment, he didn't know how to face his old friend.
Seeing the Mist Lord's restrained attacks, he knew his plan had worked.
In the normal timeline, the Mist Lord became a future Overlord through a series of blood sacrifices and careful planning.
But in this altered timeline, Feng Qi had changed the trajectory of his rise entirely.
This version of the Mist Lord started on a much higher level than before.
First, he had the backing of the Psionic Clan, eliminating the need for years of hardship and grueling struggles just to establish a foothold.
He didn't have to go through the exhausting process of manipulating and seizing control of Tiger Soul Research Institute step by step.
With the resources and training provided by the Psionic Clan, his growth rate had skyrocketed, far surpassing that of the original timeline.
And before Feng Qi's sacrifice, he had also left the Mist Lord two priceless gifts—
A fragment of the Miracle Bloodstone.
The severed arm of a Super Lifeform.
Both were critical aids to his rapid advancement.
The Bloodstone would enhance his bloodline potential over time, while the Super Lifeform's arm contained high-quality blood essence, accelerating his evolution.
With these advantages stacking together, Feng Qi had high hopes for the Mist Lord's future in this altered timeline.
"Old Mist, you look absolutely badass right now."
"Doesn't matter. You're still getting another beating soon."
"But before that, I need some answers."
"I suggest you tell me the truth."
"Go ahead and ask." Feng Qi grinned.
From the Mist Lord's tone, Feng Qi could tell that he had softened—at least a little.
Perhaps, when he had first learned the truth, there was anger, resentment, and other negative emotions.
But 1,500 years had passed.
To Feng Qi, it was just the blink of an eye.
To the Mist Lord, it was an era of hardships, filled with countless struggles and unimaginable experiences.
Time had washed away some of his anger, leaving behind only the deepest emotions.
"Time heals all wounds."
"When you left me the Bloodstone fragment and that severed arm… you already knew I'd wait for you for 1,500 years?"
"Of course." Feng Qi nodded without hesitation.
"We've been through thick and thin across multiple timelines. If I didn't trust you, who else would I trust?"
The Mist Lord's expression remained cold.
"Stop trying to act close. I have no such brother."
"You've been manipulating my emotions from the very beginning."
"Hey, now you're being unfair."
"I chose to be honest with you in the end. I shared all my memories."
"You saw them, didn't you?"
"You should know by now that I've always considered you my brother."
The Mist Lord narrowed his eyes at Feng Qi, a brief moment of hesitation flashing across his gaze.
A familiar feeling crept up on him.
Memories came flooding back—
He saw the moment Feng Qi died in battle, sacrificing his divine body to protect him.
He heard Feng Qi's final words before perishing:
"Old Mist, was I cool just now?"
He saw the Feng Qi who carried him through blizzards, pushing forward with frozen limbs, refusing to abandon him.
He saw the Feng Qi on the Black Abyss Island, who, despite losing an arm, stood guard by his side until he lost consciousness.
He saw the Feng Qi who sat before his gravestone, alone, eating offerings in silence—
Talking to the tombstone as if his friend could still hear him.
And then…
He saw the single tear that had fallen at the gravestone.
A moment that had shaken him to his core.
A forgotten album of memories had been opened, and waves of emotions crashed over him.
There had been hatred, but there had been even more warmth.
"Do you really trust me?"
The Mist Lord finally looked at Feng Qi and asked.
"We're brothers."
"We always will be. In every timeline."
Feng Qi responded without hesitation.
"And you're not afraid that I'm just pretending to cooperate—"
"That I'll use the memories you gave me to plot against you in future timelines?"
"That I might manipulate everything and ensure your complete defeat?"
"I've thought about it."
"But I know you."
"You might be ruthless and cunning, but you'd never betray the people you truly care about."
"And let's be honest—"
"If we work together, the Mist Clan's future will be even brighter."
"This is called unity. Brothers standing together. The future is limitless."
The Mist Lord rolled his eyes.
"You really are shameless."
Seeing the Mist Lord finally drop his cold demeanor, Feng Qi knew—
He had finally let go.
His gaze swept across the silent figures around them before turning back to the Mist Lord.
"Old Mist… what's your situation now?"
"You died, and that was when I began planning to deal with the Psionic Clan. I'm sure you can already guess how it ended."
Feng Qi wasn't surprised by this revelation.
When he decided to leave a final letter for the Mist Lord, he had already anticipated two possible outcomes for his friend's future.
Signing a contract with the Psionic Clan was akin to making a deal with a predator.
It was a gamble, and Hei Xuan and the other Psionic Clan members were the house—the ones who controlled the game.
If the Mist Lord wanted to win, he had only two choices:
Break free from the Psionic Clan's control
Kill the house and take everything for himself
The moment Feng Qi saw the Dark God standing behind the Mist Lord, he had already figured out part of the answer.
It seemed that Mask had ultimately chosen to cooperate with the Mist Lord.
Even Xuan Feng and Manzi might have joined forces with him in a secret alliance against Hei Xuan.
"So, you've already taken over the Psionic Clan?" Even though he had already guessed the answer, Feng Qi still couldn't help but ask out of curiosity.
"Not entirely. I can't consume the Psionic Clan's main stronghold."
Feng Qi was shocked. "The Psionic Clan's main stronghold is that powerful?"
"It's far stronger than you can imagine. The Psionic Clan in the main stronghold has control over the Sacred Spirit Consciousness Vault, and their growth has been snowballing exponentially. By now, they've reached a level beyond your comprehension."
"Compared to you?"
"I haven't fought them yet, but based on my calculations, I might not be their match. The Psionic Clan in the main stronghold is now the undisputed strongest force in the Sacred Spirit District—one of the Eight Great Districts."
[Holy sh*t, even Old Mist isn't their match?! Does this mean the Psionic Clan's main branch has birthed a new god?!]
Ignoring the narrator's shocked outburst, Feng Qi continued his questioning.
"What do you mean by 'Eight Great Districts'?"
The Mist Lord answered without hesitation.
"This world has now been divided into multiple regions. Each region has numerous powerful clans fighting for resources, though some also choose to cooperate. Among them, eight regions have already produced absolute overlord-level factions—these factions are referred to as Royal Clans. The Psionic Clan is one of them."
"And what about you?"
"Me?" The Mist Lord chuckled. "The Star City you're currently standing in is under my jurisdiction. Right now, I'm competing with external forces for several key resource zones. Once I secure them, this entire region will be mine.
"Oh, right—the Lie Tian Divine Clan that imprisoned you was originally one of my potential recruitment targets."
"So… my arrival ruined your plans?"
"Not exactly. If I weren't currently engaged in battles with several external factions, I would have wiped out the Lie Tian Divine Clan long ago.
"They were already on the verge of elimination. I simply didn't bother dealing with them because they posed no real threat. As long as they paid their tributes on time, I let them be. But once my external conflicts are settled, they were doomed regardless."
Hearing how casually the Mist Lord talked about destroying a faction that had seemed overwhelmingly powerful to him, Feng Qi couldn't help but sigh.
1,500 years of growth… Old Mist really had changed.
He was far more confident than before.
[Well, confidence comes from real strength. Back then, Old Mist had to work part-time with you just to afford his cultivation resources. Now he's basically a top-tier warlord in the future world. If this keeps up, he might even become the final Gu King, standing at the apex of the world when the great calamity descends.]
After a brief silence, Feng Qi continued his questioning.
"Old Mist, in this future timeline, did you ever develop the Flesh Sacrifice Technique?"
The Mist Lord shook his head.
"Flesh Sacrifice has too many uncertainties.
"The biggest problem is that the higher-ups in Star City, including the Tiger Soul Research Institute, had already subtly leaked information about its risks to the public.
"I know this was one of your contingency plans to ensure Star City's stability for the next 1,500 years… but your actions also made the large-scale promotion of Flesh Sacrifice nearly impossible.
"If I were to start spreading it, there's no way to guarantee that the rumors about its dangers wouldn't resurface.
"I had no reason to base my future plans on such an unstable foundation. The risk was simply too high."
Feng Qi immediately understood his reasoning.
It was exactly as Mu Weiwei had written in her final message.
She had mentioned that whether or not Flesh Sacrifice would emerge in this timeline was uncertain.
But to ensure Star City's stability for the next 1,500 years, they had to eliminate any potential risks associated with it.
The best solution was to let the people of Star City know about its dangers in advance.
This way, even if the Mist Lord later tried to develop and spread Flesh Sacrifice, it wouldn't have any real impact on Star City.
And more importantly—
It would prevent the Mist Lord from one day turning Star City's population into fuel for his rituals.
This was precisely what the Mist Lord referred to as an "uncertain risk".
A whole city of people already knew that Flesh Sacrifice was a trap.
If he still tried to promote it, there was a huge chance that everything would collapse in the end.
A meticulously crafted long-term plan could easily turn into nothing but wasted effort.
Thus, he had simply abandoned the idea altogether.
Feng Qi let out a deep breath.
He had changed the future in a significant way.
Looking at the Mist Lord standing before him, he suddenly had a feeling—
This version of him might truly surpass all expectations.
With the Psionic Clan backing the Mist Lord, there was no longer any need for him to invest in Flesh Sacrifice.
Looking at it now, the Mist Lord's decision was undoubtedly the right one.
Without relying on Flesh Sacrifice, he had carved out a completely different path, rising once more to become one of the most formidable figures in the world after 1,500 years.
Feng Qi couldn't help but feel admiration from the bottom of his heart.
No matter how harsh the environment, Old Mist always found a way to defy the odds and create a new future.
If humanity could have an ally like him, the future was filled with endless possibilities.
Just then, the narrator's voice rang in his mind:
[Putting aside your personal bond with him, cooperating with the Mist Lord is still a huge risk. As he himself said, he might secretly leave hidden traps in other timelines, manipulating things behind the scenes to ensure your eventual downfall.]
[Of course, based on what we've seen in multiple timelines, Old Mist probably won't do that. After all, he was willing to die for you once. Plus, working with you does bring actual benefits to the Mist Clan... To sum it up, without you, the Mist Clan's chances of reaching the top are pretty slim. There are simply too many powerful factions out there. Those Eight Royal Clans he mentioned are forces he still can't contend with right now. But if he partners with you, he gains far more opportunities.]
The narrator's analysis was exactly what Feng Qi had been thinking.
He had discussed this very issue with the higher-ups of the Crimson Research Institute before.
The final conclusion was clear—
The Mist Lord was someone they had to be cautious of.
But there was no doubt that allying with him would bring massive benefits to humanity.
This was why Old Mist hadn't received all of his memories.
The memories he obtained were edited by Mu Weiwei, specifically removing key information related to the Crimson Research Institute.
This was a necessary precaution against potential risks.
As Mu Weiwei had put it, "In a cruel world of competition, blindly trusting someone without considering self-preservation is naïve. No matter what, we must always have a backup plan."
True trust between two races had to be built over time.
Revealing the truth to the Mist Lord was a test—an opportunity for both him and humanity.
Feng Qi believed that Old Mist fully understood this.
And the bond between him and the Mist Lord would serve as the foundation of trust between their two races.
Now that he had thought everything through, Feng Qi decided to probe deeper into the Mist Lord's knowledge.
At that moment, a deep voice suddenly interrupted from nearby.
"Mist Lord, he has a part of my missing power. If I can retrieve it, I may be able to ascend to the demigod level."
Feng Qi turned toward the speaker—Dark God, looking at him with a piercing gaze.
Curious, he asked the Mist Lord, "Old Mist, what's this guy's deal?"
The Mist Lord replied calmly, "He was once the god of the Dark God Clan. During their wars of expansion, he was slain. However, through the clan's faith-based rituals, he was resurrected. Now, he serves under me alongside the Dark God Clan. He played a major role in my fight against the Psionic Clan."
[You should tell Old Mist to kill him so you can absorb his full power… But then again, you have the Evolution Token, meaning you might be able to develop a bloodline even stronger than the Dark God's.]
"Mist Lord, he has my missing power." Dark God spoke again, his voice steady.
The Mist Lord obviously knew about Feng Qi's Devouring Ability.
But instead of responding to Dark God, he turned to Feng Qi and said, "You're probably thinking about asking me to kill Dark God so you can take his power, right? But he's served me for years and contributed to the rise of the Mist Clan. I'm not going to do that."
Feng Qi wasn't surprised. He simply smiled and nodded.
"That's the Old Mist I know. If you were willing to casually kill a loyal subordinate, then I'd have serious doubts about whether I could still trust you to work with humanity in the future."
Hearing this, the Mist Lord smirked.
Feng Qi then changed the subject.
"Old Mist, do you know anything about Little Black?"
Upon hearing the name, the Mist Lord shook his head.
"I only know that the Little Black you speak of seems to be some sort of rule-based entity. It wanders the world, and it has already annihilated multiple powerful clans. Its true strength is unknown."
"Do you think you could take it on?"
At this, the Mist Lord rolled his eyes.
"I haven't fought it before, but don't even think about asking me to hold it off for you. I've barely managed to revive a portion of my people, and I'm leading them to reach the peak. You really think I'm gonna throw that all away just so you can live a few extra days? No way. I'm not dying for you."
"But… we're brothers!"
Before Feng Qi could finish, he saw a vein bulging on the Mist Lord's forehead.
A fist formed of dense mist suddenly expanded in his vision—
And slammed directly into his face.