To Feng Qi, Little Black remained one of the greatest challenges he had ever faced.
If he couldn't find a way to deal with it, his time spent in the future 1,500 years later would always be cut short.
Even now, he still did not fully understand what Little Black truly was.
From his initial assumption that it was some kind of spiritual-energy nanobot, to his latest discoveries, everything about Little Black's abilities far exceeded his comprehension.
What truly shocked him was Little Black's battle against the Shadow City Lord—it was during that fight that he saw its true, invincible form.
If his own "cheat" abilities were like a game-breaking bug, then Little Black was the anti-cheat program designed specifically to erase him.
The worst part was that he had no idea how strong he needed to become in order to face Little Black's third, yet-unseen form.
On the current timeline, Little Black's prototype had already come into existence.
Even if he somehow lived for several centuries, when the time came for Little Black's awakening, he wouldn't survive.
It was like an unstoppable barrier standing between the real world centuries from now and the future 1,500 years later. No matter what he did, his very existence would mark him as a target for the hunt.
Perhaps the only one who knew the truth was Mo, the one who had created it.
But Mo clearly had no intention of revealing the truth.
Right now, his only hope was Mu Yan—perhaps she knew something about Little Black's origins and how to destroy it.
Mu Yan set down the food in her hands and, after a brief moment of silence, shook her head.
"I've never encountered Little Black before, so I have no idea what it really is. But based on what you've described, I don't think Mo is actually its creator. At most, he was just the one who pieced it together. That's probably why Mo refers to Little Black as a 'Rule Aggregate.'"
"Both Mo and I are aware of the Ruins Island. After our falling out, he must have gone there as well. If my guess is correct, Little Black is actually something he found on the island—a relic left behind by the Pillar Gods, which he then reassembled into a unique lifeform. As for why it's hunting you, I have no idea."
"Another thing that supports my theory—you mentioned that Mo doesn't seem to have full control over Little Black, right? Knowing Mo, he would never make such a basic mistake if he were the true creator. That means he likely stitched it together using relics, rather than creating it from scratch."
Feng Qi felt a wave of frustration at her response, but he pressed forward.
"Mo called Little Black a 'Rule Aggregate'—what exactly does that mean?"
"Rules are easy to understand. Everything you see operates within the framework of rules. For example, why does water boil at its boiling point? Because the rules of the world define it. Different rule systems can create entirely different realities—some Domain Fields have no fire element, while in others, water solidifies at high temperatures instead of evaporating. These are all due to rule variations."
"Think of it this way—you can see rules as the programming of a game. For example, in a game, a player dies when their HP reaches zero—that's just how the game is coded. Reality, too, has its own rules."
"If Little Black is called a 'Rule Aggregate,' it probably means that it has its own unique set of rules that are different from our world's. In simple terms, Little Black is like a walking Domain Field, with its own independent rule system."
Mu Yan's explanation deepened Feng Qi's understanding, and he immediately followed up.
"So, what you're saying is... Little Black is basically a cheat character in a game, with abilities that break the system's rules—like infinite health or teleportation hacks?"
"Exactly. But that's just my guess—the only one who truly knows is Mo. Looks like that fat little bastard has been exploring Ruins Island a lot, too. Just like how I found the Scarlet Rune Crystal, he must have gotten his hands on something good as well. These are relics left behind by past eras, maybe even ancient remnants from an era before the Pillar Gods themselves."
Feng Qi nodded thoughtfully.
"When I get strong enough, I'm definitely going to explore Ruins Island. Maybe I'll find some precious relics... or even uncover Little Black's true origin."
He suddenly paused, then looked at Mu Yan with curiosity.
"Mu Yan, if I wanted to find you at the start of the Sacrifice Line, is there any way I can contact you directly?"
Mu Yan shook her head regretfully.
"That's not possible. The reason I disappeared for so many years was because I was trapped in a deep abyss space within Ruins Island. There's no way for any signals to reach that place. Contacting me is impossible... unless you enter that abyss space yourself when the Sacrifice Line begins. That way, we can meet ahead of schedule."
"Then tell me—how did you escape that abyss space? If I can replicate your escape method, I could go in and bring you out, saving a lot of time."
Mu Yan sighed.
"To be honest, I had no sense of direction in that abyss space. I couldn't even perceive time or space. It felt like being lost in an eternal void. I only recently regained awareness. If you want to pull me out ahead of time, you'd need to resist that state of absolute sensory deprivation."
Feng Qi: "..."
At his current level, even reaching Ruins Island was an impossible challenge.
The moment he set foot there, he would be bombarded by overwhelming knowledge until his mind collapsed. The idea of exploring was pure fantasy.
And now, the difficulty had just skyrocketed—he had to rescue Mu Yan from a deeper abyss within the ruins.
He couldn't help but ask,
"Mo's power isn't that strong. How did he resist the information floods of Ruins Island?"
Mu Yan froze for a moment, then rolled her eyes.
"He's a split consciousness of Mo Yue. Even though his combat strength is weak, his mental sea is as vast as a galaxy compared to normal beings. Of course, he can resist the flood of information."
"So that's how it is..." Feng Qi muttered.
"Then at least give me the coordinates of Ruins Island and the Abyss Space. When I become strong enough, I can use void travel to locate it quickly."
"The Void World is filled with dark elements. You can't navigate it using maps or landmarks—you can only rely on spiritual perception to locate yourself."
"Is there a way to do that?"
Mu Yan nodded, then raised her left hand and lightly tapped the center of Feng Qi's forehead.
In an instant, the world in Feng Qi's vision collapsed rapidly, swallowed by an abyss of darkness. The next moment, he found himself inside the spiritual illusion realm once again.
"Activate your perception—I'll help you amplify it," Mu Yan's voice echoed in his mind. Feng Qi immediately closed his eyes, allowing his spiritual awareness to extend outward.
A warm and harmonious energy wrapped around his consciousness, and his perception strength skyrocketed.
What had previously been a pitch-black void transformed before his eyes. He could now see the rule trajectories visible only in his divine body state, including elemental pathways.
The Void World, under his heightened perception, had become a massive, grid-like multicolored web.
"If one day your spiritual awareness grows strong enough to match what I've temporarily granted you, then you'll be able to navigate the Void World on your own."
As Mu Yan finished speaking, a pulsating light dot appeared in the upper left corner of the grid-like plane.
"Memorize this position."
Feng Qi focused on the flickering light.
Its exact position was located at grid 8762 horizontally and grid 7652 vertically.
After firmly committing the coordinates to memory, Feng Qi responded, "Got it."
The moment he spoke, the illusionary realm rapidly disintegrated, vanishing like a collapsing dream.
When his vision cleared, he found himself back in reality.
Looking at Mu Yan, he couldn't suppress his curiosity.
"Did you scan the entire Void World?"
"The Void World is actually quite small—it's just a satellite world attached to both the Domain World and the Human World. Back then, Mo and I fully explored it while investigating the truth of the world."
Feng Qi nodded and shifted his gaze to the dining table.
Most of the food had already been eaten, yet Mu Yan showed no signs of stopping—she continued devouring the meal as if she hadn't had enough.
He turned to Gu Sha, who was standing behind him, and instructed in a soft voice, "Xiao Sha, tell the kitchen to bring another table full of food."
Gu Sha nodded and immediately left.
"Hehe, thanks a lot," Mu Yan said with a mischievous grin.
"Being able to eat is a blessing. I used to enjoy eating—a lot. But now, my body is deteriorating. Most of the time, I rely on nutrient solutions just to get by. It's been a long time since I had real food."
"Why not indulge just once before you die?" Mu Yan said, blinking playfully.
Feng Qi rolled his eyes.
"I can hold on for at least another year or two… besides, I still have a lot of questions to ask you."
"Then keep asking."
"Do you know anything about the Blue-Skinned Clan? They've been actively collecting Miracle Artifacts, and I feel like they have a mysterious origin."
"The Blue-Skinned Clan must have risen during my absence. They weren't a well-known powerhouse race in the Domain World before, so I've never encountered or heard of them."
"Actually, the rise and fall of Domain World clans and dynasties is quite normal. Many once-mighty races have disappeared in the blink of an eye. I remember one race that ruled nearly one-tenth of the Domain World, controlled dozens of sub-worlds, and dominated nearly a thousand layered worlds. Yet, in the end, they fragmented and collapsed, devoured by newly emerging powers. Perhaps the Blue-Skinned Clan is one such force, having rapidly risen thanks to some Miracle Artifacts they acquired while I was trapped."
Hearing Mu Yan's explanation, Feng Qi felt a surge of emotion.
It seemed like Mu Yan could no longer keep up with the new era.
To put it into perspective, being trapped on Ruins Island was like being locked away in prison for centuries. She had just been released, only to find that the world had changed completely—as if she had missed the invention of smartphones, digital payments, and modern technology.
The Blue-Skinned Clan, a newly emerging force, was clearly beyond her knowledge.
Setting that question aside, Feng Qi raised his right hand.
On his palm was a dark, cloud-like imprint.
Compared to before, this black mark had expanded to cover his entire palm, and thin black tendrils were now creeping up toward his wrist and arm, seemingly on the verge of consuming his entire limb.
"Mu Yan… do you know what this mark means?"
Mu Yan stood up curiously and walked over, taking Feng Qi's right hand into her own. She lifted it close to her face, examining it carefully.
At that moment, Feng Qi felt a gentle energy seep from her hand into his body.
The energy traveled through his meridians, eventually gathering at his forehead before slowly merging into his spiritual sea.
After a while, Mu Yan finally spoke.
"Your spiritual sea is filled with massive amounts of negative energy. It has accumulated to a nearly solid state, continuously affecting your body. The black mark on your palm is a physical manifestation of this negative energy buildup. If this continues, your body will eventually be devoured by the negativity, and at that point, things will get very bad."
Feng Qi nodded.
He had already suspected that the black imprint was related to negative emotions, and Mu Yan's analysis confirmed it.
But as for how to deal with it, he only knew of one potential solution—Infinite Memory.
However, he had no idea where to find it.
Thinking of this, he looked at Mu Yan again and asked, "Do you have any way to help me remove this negative energy buildup?"
Faced with the question, Mu Yan shook her head.
"This is more Mo's expertise—he might have a solution. My abilities are more combat-oriented, and I haven't done much research in the spiritual field. As for where to find the Infinite Memory ability… I have no clue. But perhaps Ruins Island holds what you need—on that island, anything is possible."
Mu Yan's answer left Feng Qi somewhat disappointed, but he quickly composed himself and nodded.
"Thank you for the insight."
Just as he was about to ask another question, a wave of dizziness suddenly overwhelmed him.
The adrenaline rush was rapidly wearing off, and his body could no longer endure the burden. This time, the dizziness was far worse than before.
A strong sense of heart palpitations gripped him, making him feel as if he might collapse on the spot.
Mu Yan seemed to have noticed the worsening state of his body. Without hesitation, she placed her hand on his shoulder, and a warm, life-filled energy surged into his body.
Then, her voice echoed in his mind.
"Try to absorb this energy."
Feng Qi immediately closed his eyes and attempted to guide the energy through his body.
But his body was too weak, and his consciousness struggled to move the energy properly.
He realized that if he didn't absorb it soon, he might actually die right here. Gritting his teeth, he forced himself to act.
His survival instinct kicked in.
Within his chest, the Fist Momentum and Blade Momentum ignited like flames.
A long-forgotten sense of strength awakened in his body.
With these two forces aiding him, his body absorbed Mu Yan's energy like a parched land drinking in rain, gradually rejuvenating itself.
This was merely a temporary fix, but Feng Qi knew it was the only way to keep himself alive.
Without Mu Yan's help, he probably wouldn't have survived the crash from his adrenaline high.
—
Winterfell City, Northern District.
The Forbidden Steel Grounds.
A white-haired swordsman sat with his eyes closed, seemingly resting. Suspended in front of him was the Burning Heaven Sword, surrounded by flickering flames.
Suddenly, his eyes snapped open.
A blinding sword light flashed from his gaze, piercing through the ground and leaving two deep holes that seemed endless.
"Demon Blade?!"
He had fought against the Demon Blade for over a thousand years. He knew its blade aura better than anyone.
Just now, he sensed a faint trace of that aura emerging.
Even he, who had always remained composed—even when facing Mu Yan—felt his body tremble slightly. His emotions surged with excitement.
The Demon Blade was like an unshakable shadow in his heart.
He knew that to truly ascend beyond his limits, he had to use the Demon Blade as a sacrifice—only then could he achieve a perfect breakthrough and reach transcendence.
His fated rival had appeared in Winterfell City. His battle intent burned fiercely.
His gaze fell upon the Burning Heaven Sword before him.
As he reached out and gently stroked its blade, the sword trembled and hummed in response.
"Once you devour the Demon Blade, you too shall evolve beyond your limits."
The sword seemed to understand his thoughts, releasing a sharp cry as blazing sword energy burst forth. Everything in its path was shredded apart, and in moments, the entire steel factory collapsed in ruins.
Then, a flaming figure shot into the sky.
On the other side, Feng Qi slowly opened his eyes.
With Mu Yan's energy nourishing his body, his condition had improved somewhat—at least he wouldn't die immediately.
"Cough, cough."
As he coughed, he lifted his head to thank Mu Yan. But before he could speak, he saw her gazing northward, her hand extending to grab a silver spear that materialized in her grip.
"You should leave. That guy is coming."
"You mean… the swordsman?"
"Yeah, that's him. I'm still injured—I can't fight him head-on right now. I'll hold him off for a bit—you need to go."
Mu Yan didn't waste time explaining further. In the next instant, she soared into the sky, flying toward the north.
A silver streak of light clashed against the incoming firestorm from the north.
The collision was explosive—a hurricane-like shockwave ripped through the air, forcing Feng Qi to stumble back several steps, nearly falling over.
From his talks with Mu Yan, he knew that in her current weakened state, she was no match for the mysterious swordsman.
If he didn't find a way to help her, she would soon be at a disadvantage.
But he didn't know how to assist her.
At that moment, Gu Sha appeared, rushing toward him.
Seeing him, an idea immediately formed in Feng Qi's mind.
"Xiao Sha, give me the communicator!"
Without hesitation, Gu Sha handed over his portable communicator.
Feng Qi quickly entered a long string of codes.
At this moment, he could think of only one person strong enough to help Mu Yan defeat the mysterious swordsman—Mu Qing.
As he anxiously waited, the call suddenly connected.
A familiar voice came through.
"Ah Qi, good evening."
The icy winds howled, ripping through the land like wailing ghosts.
In the frozen supply zone north of Winterfell, the Dawn Domain Battle Squad marched forward, clearing the way for a new warfront.
At the front of the formation, Mu Qing, who had been wearing a slight smile, suddenly froze as she listened to the call.
The moment she hung up, a blood-red light flickered in her eyes.
She turned abruptly, urgency in her voice.
"Ye Zi, I'm leaving—Qin Shikong will lead the group in my absence!"
"Leader, what's wrong? Can't it wait until after this mission?" The woman beside her asked in confusion.
Mu Qing didn't respond.
Her eyes blazed with cold fury.
In the next instant, she leaped into the air.
A thunderous boom erupted—jade-colored lightning arced around her, propelling her forward at unbelievable speed.
Within moments, a streak of jade light ripped through the sky, heading straight for Winterfell City.
Seeing Mu Qing leave so abruptly, Ye Zi stood dumbfounded.
She had seen many emotions flash in Mu Qing's eyes just now—anger, anxiety, concern…
She didn't understand what had happened.
But whatever it was, it had shaken their leader to the core.