Two hours of cautious travel later, Max finally emerged from the thick black fog, his boots touching solid ground once more. He turned back to look at the suffocating darkness behind him. The swamp remained as silent and deadly as ever. He wondered, just how many geniuses and members of the elite forces had lost their lives in that place?

The secret domain was vast, but time was limited. Only three months. There were more than a dozen unique trial zones to explore, and each one held secrets, treasures, and brutal tests. Max knew he had no time to waste.

Another hour of steady travel brought him to a new location, and the landscape transformed dramatically. In the distance stood a towering mountain, its form fierce and majestic—Azure Wolf Mountain.

According to the map given to him by the elders, this was one of the important sites in the outer ring of the domain. From afar, the mountain resembled a massive wolf howling toward the heavens, which explained its name.

Oddly enough, while the surrounding lands showed no signs of snowfall, Azure Wolf Mountain was entirely coated in snow. Not just any snow—it was crystalline, shimmering faintly with a silver-blue light under the sun, giving the entire mountain a surreal, sacred aura. It almost looked like a frozen wolf god standing vigilant over the land.

As Max reached the foot of the mountain, a biting cold swept over him. The drop in temperature was so extreme it felt like he had stepped into a different world altogether. Without hesitation, he activated his black flames, letting the black flames wrap around him in a protective shell, driving away the frost that tried to invade his bones.

With each step, the mountain welcomed him with harsher wind and deeper snow, yet he pressed on, undeterred. The terrain was barren of any small plants or shrubs, but the land wasn't empty. All across the slopes stood towering trees, each as wide as a round table and stretching hundreds of feet into the sky.

Coated with layers of ice and glistening snow, these frozen sentinels looked like giants molded from winter itself—silent guardians of Azure Wolf Mountain. Max moved carefully. His every sense was alert, and his pace deliberate. The map had a warning: this mountain was home to a terrifying beast—the Snow Bear.

Unlike ordinary creatures, the Snow Bear was known to possess high intelligence, immense strength, and could manipulate the ice element to a terrifying degree.

"Okay, let's go there," Max muttered to himself after studying the map again, his eyes narrowing in determination. He had already conquered the Black Mist Swamp and crossed Azure Wolf Mountain's lower ridges, but time was ticking.

According to the markings, there were hidden treasures somewhere to the west of the mountain range—potentially rare elixirs or herbs that could aid his strength.

Without wasting another second, he made his move. In a flash, Max's figure blurred, then vanished into a streak of blue lightning as he shot westward, leaping effortlessly between frozen rocks and ancient icy trees.

The terrain changed quickly under his feet. The further west he went, the steeper and more unforgiving Azure Wolf Mountain became. The giant trees that dotted the snowy slopes only grew larger, their frosted trunks wide as fortress walls, their snow-laden branches groaning under the weight of decades of winter.

The climb was brutal, but Max's Three Dimensional Body allowed him to scale near-vertical cliffs and leap across deep crevasses with ease.

After a while, he came to a high vantage point and paused to catch his breath, standing tall amidst the biting wind. His gaze swept across the mountain ridges—sharp, silver-white lines cutting through the landscape like the spine of a colossal silver dragon.

The glint of snow under the sun painted the scene in an almost ethereal light. It was beautiful—but still, no trace of the elixir mentioned in the map. Max frowned slightly. The map had been detailed, and yet, the flower or herb it described seemed completely missing.

He scanned again, his eyes sharp, when something caught his attention—a narrow, vertical cliff face to the northwest, where the mountain suddenly dropped like a frozen waterfall, forming a deep canyon below. Dense cold air rolled upward from the rift like smoke, heavier and sharper than the cold air on the surface.

Realizing this might be where the treasure was hidden, Max didn't rush recklessly. He knew that moving too fast in such terrain could disturb the snow layers above, and the last thing he wanted was to trigger an avalanche. He slowed down, his feet silent as shadows, and descended the slanted slope with practiced grace.

The cold bit into his skin, forcing him to activate his black flames and wrap himself in a layer of vital essence. When he finally reached the mouth of the canyon and looked down, an intense chill surged upward, biting through the air like invisible knives. He strengthened his protection and activated his Three Dimensional Body, sending waves of perception across the icy landscape.

Then—he saw it.

A faint glimmer, like a star blinking in daylight, flickered on the edge of the canyon wall far below. Focusing his senses, Max could see it more clearly now. A flower.

But not just any flower—this one looked like a snow lotus carved from jade, with petals layered delicately, each one glistening as if dusted with crushed pearls. It grew defiantly on the sheer cliffside, basking in the freezing wind as if it drew strength from the cold itself.

"Sword Energy Snow Lotus?" Max blinked, stunned for a moment, then grinned wide with joy. This was no ordinary herb—it was a rare flower known for enhancing sword energy comprehension and vitality.

To find it here, growing quietly on the edge of death, was beyond lucky. He hadn't expected this trip west to yield such a powerful reward—but clearly, Azure Wolf Mountain still held its share of wonders.

But it wasn't surprising. Azure Wolf Mountain, a place that had stood unmoving and unchanged for countless years, blanketed in snow and frost, was the perfect birthplace for such a natural treasure.

Upon reflection, it made sense—a place so ancient and undisturbed was bound to birth miracles. The Sword Energy Snow Lotus was beautiful, exquisite even, and radiated a sharp, yet calm aura unique to sword-type spiritual herbs.

As Max held it, a delicate chill surged into his palm, immediately biting through his flesh and crawling into his bones. It wasn't painful, just powerful—pure sword energy mixed with natural cold, a phenomenon unique to this kind of spiritual flower.

But despite its beauty and potency, Max's excitement dulled slightly when he realized it hadn't yet reached the fabled thousand-year mark. A true Millennium Sword Energy Snow Lotus was a rare seventh-rank treasure that could cause sword comprehension to skyrocket, sometimes even pushing to the next level.

This one, while valuable, was likely still a few decades short of that legendary age. Even so, Max was far from disappointed. He knew that with his Dimension of Time and his understanding of sword concept, even this slightly younger lotus could help refine and possibly push his level 2 Severing Sword Concept from intermediate to the advanced stage.

That alone made the trip worth it.

Just as Max was about to store the lotus carefully, a sharp, primal sense of danger erupted through his body like lightning. His Three Dimensional Body instantly went on high alert, and his perception scanned the area in every direction.

That's when he noticed it—the cold air, already dense and bone-chilling, suddenly surged like an incoming tide, no longer passive but violent, as if it were alive. Max's expression darkened. He lightly stepped back, shifting his weight just in time.

Then—

"Swish, swish, swish."

The entire canyon erupted. A violent storm of icy wind roared upward, and the cold air condensed so rapidly that frozen mist turned into solid frost in an instant. Below his feet, the energy he'd been using to keep himself light and mobile solidified, froze, and cracked like thin glass, sending him momentarily plunging before he leapt back.

"Bang!"

From beneath the canyon, a louder, more vicious blast resounded. The frozen cold exploded outward like shrapnel, and in the next instant, dozens of sharp, gleaming, diamond-shaped ice cones burst from the ground below—each one a spear of death, seeking to pierce through Max like he was prey caught in a trap. They were fast and vicious, spiraling upward in a deadly wave.

Max's pupils shrank. His figure blurred. In the same breath, he raised his Blue Dragon Sword and poured both black flames and the power of his Severing Sword Concept into it. The blade howled as black flames wreathed its edge, slicing down with crushing heat and aggression.

The contrast between fire and frost created a violent clash—ice cones hissed and cracked under the intense heat, steam exploding from the impact as they shattered midair into glistening shards.

The force of his strike pushed the cold back for a brief moment, breaking the ambush and giving him just enough space to breathe. His face, though composed, showed a flicker of fury.

"What is it? Hiding in the dark, trying to take what's mine?" Max's voice was low, dangerous, as his sharp gaze cut into the foggy canyon. "If you want this, then come take it from me."

"Roar!" A deafening cry split through the air as a silver-white blur erupted from the canyon floor like a lightning bolt of frost. It coiled in mid-air, its massive body nearly ten feet long and as thick as a bucket, glistening under the pale mountain light. Its scales shimmered like polished silver, flashing as it moved, reflecting both cold and fury.

The creature's body rippled with barely-contained strength as it hovered in the air, its long serpentine form undulating with tension. A thin, forked silver tongue lashed out again and again, tasting the frigid wind, while its eyes—dark, predatory, and full of venomous rage—locked onto Max.

That thing was no ordinary beast. It radiated the pressure of a 3rd level Legend Rank, and its killing intent was as sharp as ice spikes.

"Ice snake?" Max muttered, his gaze narrowing as recognition dawned. His voice remained calm, but inwardly, he was already analyzing the situation. Ice snakes were rare, cold-type beasts that nested only in eternally frozen places, and this one had clearly made Azure Wolf Mountain its home.

But this wasn't just any territorial guardian. With his insight, Max quickly pieced it together—the Sword Energy Snow Lotus he had picked must have been under the snake's watch. It was likely acting as the guardian beast, waiting for the lotus to mature into a full thousand-year-old treasure, which it would then consume to trigger its own breakthrough into a higher realm.

But Max had harvested it early, cutting off that path. No wonder the snake was livid. Its eyes practically screamed vengeance.

Max narrowed his gaze, held up the lotus, and addressed the creature coldly. "Little snake, I wanted the lotus, and now it's mine. I'll say this once—leave, and I'll let you go. Stay, and I won't show mercy."

His tone was cold and firm, filled with calm confidence, but the Ice Snake was beyond reason. Its entire body quivered with killing intent.

With a chilling hiss, it opened its wide maw and unleashed a barrage of deadly ice cones, each one sharp enough to puncture steel and infused with terrifying freezing energy. The icy barrage flew toward Max like a rainstorm of spears.

"Heh," Max sneered. His body moved before the attack even landed. With a single fluid motion, he raised the Blue Dragon Sword, already glowing with the power of the level 2 Severing Sword Concept. Black flames erupted from the blade like a wild dragon, burning fiercely even amidst the overwhelming cold.

In the next instant, Max slashed down without hesitation. His sword tore through the oncoming ice barrage, evaporating it midair in a burst of fire and steam, before continuing forward in a single straight arc.

The black flame-cloaked sword cleaved through the air—and through the Ice Snake itself. Its scaled body split in two cleanly from head to tail, collapsing onto the icy canyon floor with a muffled thud as black flames devoured what remained of its life force.

Max's expression remained cold, his sword still humming softly in his hand. "I warned you."

Meanwhile, from the eastern ridge of Azure Wolf Mountain, a new figure emerged—a young man clad in green robes, moving cautiously up the slope. He was protected by a shimmering shell of vital essence and stepped lightly, clearly aware of the dangers of this ancient snowy region.

His eyes scanned his surroundings with keen interest, clearly searching for something specific. As he reached a halfway point up the slope, his gaze swept across the cliff wall—and then it stopped. A glimmer of awe lit up in his expression.

Just above him, nestled against the cliff face and bathed in soft snowlight, was a spiritual flower that seemed to glow with its own ethereal brilliance. Its petals were like frost-forged crystal, exuding a fine mist of pure spiritual energy.

"Ice Spirit Flower?"

The young man in green shirt was overjoyed, his face was flushed. He had not thought that he had such good luck that he could find such a magical medicine as the Ice Spirit Flower.

He was so excited that he let go of the protective shield and picked the ice spirit flowers with one hand.

But at this moment, a snow-white insect as thick as a little finger and about an inch long crawled out from the pistil of the Ice Spirit Flower and bit the back of his hand. Blood splattered everywhere and the young man in green screamed in pain.

Immediately, his palms froze at a speed visible to the naked eye and he could not move at all.

"Frost Snow Silkworm?" He whispered, voice trembling. The tiny, pale-blue insect sat perched atop the pistil of a glowing Ice Spirit Flower, its body semi-transparent like frozen silk, but its eyes shimmered with a murderous gleam.

Before he could react, the silkworm lunged, its tiny jaws gleaming with frost. Panic surged through him. His face turned pale as a sickening numbness spread through his body. He staggered back, clutching his bitten wrist where purplish-black veins were already starting to form, his lips trembling and turning the same hue.

The realization hit him—Frost Snow Silkworm venom was no trivial matter. With its bite, his veins had been damaged, his strength already waning.

Then came the sound—a loud, ominous buzzing from behind, like the thunderous beat of a thousand wings. He turned, and his heart dropped.

A dense swarm of black, winged insects descended from the mist, their bodies small but twitching with bloodthirsty madness. "Bloodthirsty black bugs?" he gasped, eyes wide with dread.

The fear in his expression deepened when a calm voice echoed from the mist.

"Haha, you actually recognized them. Good… That just means I can't let you live." A tall figure stepped out of the white haze. Dressed in flowing black robes, his long dark hair fluttering gently in the wind, he looked like a phantom. His skin was unnaturally pale, almost like polished ivory, and his presence was cold and oppressive. The young man in green immediately froze in terror as recognition struck him like lightning.

"You... you're from the Void Soul Tower?" His voice cracked, nearly swallowed by fear. It wasn't just any member—this was Kevin Voss, one of the most terrifying 3-star geniuses from that cursed faction. Whispers about Kevin's brutality had long circulated across the Middle Domain.

Rumors said he had killed a full-fledged Legend Rank warrior while still in the Champion Rank. Now at the 6th level of Legend Rank himself, he had become a ghostly executioner, stalking these secret domains like a reaper in the fog.

Kevin said nothing more. With a casual wave of his hand, the bloodthirsty black bugs surged forward like a black tide. The young man in green didn't even get the chance to scream properly. He vanished under the writhing swarm, only a muffled, agonized shriek escaping before the sound of tearing flesh and gushing blood echoed off the canyon walls.

In less than a minute, the swarm receded, revealing a gruesome sight—a blood-drenched skeleton lying atop red-stained snow.

Kevin walked over with quiet steps, his expression unreadable. He crouched and picked up a single object from the blood-soaked ground—a storage ring. Sliding it onto his finger, he closed his eyes briefly and scanned it with soul force.

His lips curled into a satisfied smile. "Over fifty thousand Legend Rank cores… not bad," he muttered. "But I still need another one from someone at the third level. Then the bugs will have enough to evolve."

As he spoke, the black insects that had just devoured the man returned obediently, disappearing into a dark spirit beast pouch tied to his waist.

With a faint shimmer, the Frost Snow Silkworm fluttered down from the Ice Spirit Flower and nestled itself back within the delicate pistil, as if nothing had happened.

Kevin rose and dusted himself off, his face calm, devoid of guilt or hesitation. He turned, his black robe trailing in the snow, and silently vanished beneath the cliffs once more—resuming his silent, merciless hunt for treasures and victims, blending into the ancient, deadly stillness of Azure Wolf Mountain like a phantom of death.

…

At the base of the towering snow-capped Azure Wolf Mountain, beneath a sky streaked with the pale shimmer of frost and drifting flakes of snow, Max stood tall, his Blue Dragon Sword held firmly in his grasp.

With a flick of his wrist, the blade arced in a furious dance, slashing both horizontally and vertically, unleashing a storm of sword energy that howled through the cold air like a wrathful spirit.

Twin silver streaks darted before him—two massive snow-white serpents writhing with ferocity. It turned out, there were more than one snake monster guarding the snow lotus.

The two had traced Max's aura down the mountain, their instincts drawn toward the missing Sword Energy Snow Lotus. The moment they located him, they attacked without hesitation, their mouths wide and fangs gleaming with a freezing venom.

But Max showed no mercy. His Level 2 Severing Sword Concept flared to life, laced with black flames that crackled and twisted like living shadows around the blade's edge with level 2 Flame Concept. The resulting sword aura engulfed the entire slope in a crisscross of violent cuts and flames, each strike splitting the air and crushing the frost beneath his feet.

A chorus of booms echoed through the valley as the serpents were struck, their bodies writhing in pain, their scales no match for the twin destructive concept embedded within Max's blade.

In mere moments, both ice snakes collapsed with thunderous thuds, their enormous forms twitching before finally lying still. The pristine snow was painted crimson, steaming as the heat of Max's flames clashed with the icy blood soaking into the mountainside.

Max narrowed his eyes and looked at the two corpses. Though they had put up a fight, they were only at the peak of Champion Rank—not even worth harvesting cores from, as such cores would hardly help in advancing his strength at this stage.

Just as he was about to move on, a sudden gust of wind swept down from the hill above. "Swish!" Two young men leapt into view, descending gracefully with white robes fluttering behind them. Their clothing was immaculate, snow-white with jade belts around their waists, and their boots—marked by lightning symbols—crackled faintly with residual energy.

They looked like noble warriors descending from the clouds.

Max's gaze sharpened the instant he caught sight of the emblem on their chests—a cloud surrounded by swirling bolts of lightning. His expression hardened. "Thunder Monarch Hall," he muttered under his breath, the weight of the name hanging heavily in the air. Both of them were at the 2nd level of Legend Rank.

The two men landed, poised and alert, their gazes sweeping across the snow until they locked eyes with Max. Their faces shifted from surprise to recognition, then to thinly veiled hostility. "Max?" one of them muttered, a spark of killing intent flashing through his pupils.

But then their eyes flicked toward the two bloodied corpses of the giant ice snakes lying at Max's feet. Realization dawned in their eyes, quickly followed by unease. One of them gave a subtle nod, and the other hissed, "Retreat!"

They turned without hesitation, clearly deciding that confronting Max here would be unwise after what he had just done to the serpents.

"Hmph. Think you can run?" Max sneered coldly, his figure blurring as he shot forward like a black bolt of lightning. He had seen the intent in their eyes—murderous and cold.

They knew him, they had plans to kill him, but had changed their minds only because of his show of strength. But Max knew that if they escaped now, his location would be exposed. Others from the Thunder Monarch Hall—perhaps stronger, more cunning enemies—would descend upon him, making the situation far more complicated.

He couldn't allow that.

There was only one solution—eliminate them before they could speak.

Max's sword gleamed with terrifying brilliance as the combined might of his Level 2 Severing Sword Concept and Level 2 Flame Concept burst forth like a tidal wave of destruction. His aura raged like a storm, his black flames crackling violently as he raised the Blue Dragon Sword above his head and murmured with cold intensity, "Crimson Burial Sword Art."

As the sword fell, a sweeping arc of crimson-black energy howled through the air, setting the snow and wind ablaze in an instant.

One of the Thunder Monarch Hall men didn't even have time to scream—his body was cleaved in two from shoulder to hip, sliced cleanly by the devastating sword light. Blood erupted in the air, splashing across the snow like a storm of red petals, dyeing the white mountainside in gore.

The second man watched in horror, his face turning as pale as the snow beneath his feet. His entire body trembled, knees weakening as he took a faltering step back and stammered, "Don't kill me… please, I beg you."

Max didn't flinch. His eyes were calm, even cold, as he took a step forward, his sword resting lazily against his shoulder. "If I don't kill you now," he said in a low, emotionless voice, "you'll return with others to try and kill me later. Isn't that right?"

"No, no! I wouldn't! Please, I swear—" the man pleaded, voice cracking, eyes wide with desperation.

Max smiled faintly. "I believe you…" he said, then leaned in slightly, his voice dropping into a whisper. "But I believe in the dead more."

Panic overtook the man's features and, with a final roar, he summoned all of his strength and lunged toward Max, sword in hand, spirit essence surging around him in a frantic bid for survival. But it was too late. Max's blade flickered with heat and destruction. In a blur of movement, the sword lashed out once more.

"Puff!"

The man's charge was cut short—his body split apart mid-stride, viscera and shredded flesh raining across the icy ground. Max waved his hand, and a gust of black flames surged from his body, devouring the corpses and turning the blood and flesh into ash. Yet no surge of power followed. No breakthrough. He sighed faintly, disappointment flickering in his eyes.

"Last time, when I devoured June's corpse, she was at the fifth level of Legend Rank… That's probably the threshold," Max muttered, staring at the smoldering ash. "Looks like I'll need someone stronger than that if I want to level up again."

He turned and looked toward the vast mountain range ahead. Azure Wolf Mountain stretched across the landscape like a sleeping beast, enormous and majestic, its silver ridges winding from east to west for thousands of feet. It was shaped like a great snow wolf, lying with its head lifted toward the heavens, mouth open in a silent, eternal howl.

Half a day passed as Max navigated the ancient terrain, using the map's markings and his Three Dimensional Body to scan hidden corners and treacherous valleys.

Eventually, he reached a massive canyon deep within the heart of the mountain, its mouth yawning open like the jaws of a beast. Snow gathered thick along the cliffs, and fierce winds howled between the rock walls.

Just before entering, a thunderous roar shook the ground.

"Ahhhh—!"

It wasn't just the wind—there was something else. The deep, resonating growl of a powerful beast echoed through the valley.

Max narrowed his eyes and stepped forward, peering into the white mist. From where he stood, he could see brief flashes of multicolored light reflecting off the snow—rainbow-like spiritual energy. Warriors were already inside, engaged in a battle.

"The snow bear…" Max whispered to himself, his hand tightening on his sword hilt. "Looks like I'm not the only one searching for treasure."

Max silently restrained his aura using his green soul and stepped into the icy valley where the screams were heard and the rainbow light was shown.

Though called a valley, it resembled more of a frozen battlefield—an expansive glacier surrounded by jagged walls of ice, with sharp cones jutting out like spears and the ground slick like polished crystal.

The cold bit at his skin, but it wasn't the frost that made him pause—it was the heavy, violent pressure in the air. As he scanned the area, the scene before him was bathed in carnage.

Five or six massive snow bears, each at least the size of small trucks, lay dead across the ground, their white fur soaked red and their bodies mangled. Trails of blood led deeper into the valley, where more snow bear corpses could be seen scattered like discarded rags.

Following the trail, Max's gaze locked onto the chaos unfolding near the mouth of a large snow cave. More than twenty snow bears remained, charging furiously at a single figure standing defiantly between them and the cave's interior.

The figure was a tall, bronze-skinned young man clad in a yellow battle robe, gripping a massive iron rod that shimmered with condensed energy. With brutal precision, he crushed skulls, shattered ribs, and sent snow bears flying.

Each swing of his iron staff created sonic booms and shattered ice beneath his feet. Blood stained his robe, but his expression was wild—ecstatic, fearless, almost enjoying the slaughter.

Max's eyes narrowed. That strength, that rod technique, and that attire—it could only mean one thing. He was from the Mountain Gods Valley, a faction known for producing warriors who cultivated strength through sheer brute force and body refinement.

Max had heard rumors of their brutality and unwavering courage, but seeing it firsthand was different. This warrior—Mack, he soon learned—was impressively at the 6th level of Legend Rank, but he held his own against a tide of equally ranked snow bears, and with frightening ease.

Suddenly, a voice echoed from the snow cave behind Mack, urgent and strained: "Brother Mack, there is indeed a Snow Spirit Flower here, but the Snow Bear King is inside. I am no match for him. Come and help me."

The moment "Snow Spirit Flower" was mentioned, both Max and Mack reacted instinctively. Mack's eyes gleamed like a beast who had smelled prey.

With a powerful swing that knocked back several charging snow bears, he roared and dove straight into the cave, his iron rod spinning like a whirlwind. The surviving snow bears roared in unison and gave chase, charging after him into the depths of the snow cave with thunderous momentum.

Max's expression sharpened. The Snow Spirit Flower—one of the rarest treasures in Azure Wolf Mountain—was now confirmed to be real. But with the Snow Bear King still inside and Mack already engaged, Max knew things were about to get even more chaotic.

Max silently slipped into the cave, each step calculated and quiet, his aura still restrained by the green soul, blending seamlessly with the cold mist and shadows. His eyes shimmered with a mix of curiosity and greed.

The Snow Spirit Flower—he had only read about it in ancient records—was a mythical spiritual herb known for its ability to enhance the soul. Soul stat was very mysterious and not many treasures could improve one's soul and this flower could be greatly boosted by consuming just one.

For someone like Max, who already had a green soul, this flower could help him achieve a breakthrough to blue soul. He hadn't expected to find one here—let alone multiple.

The snow cave was wider than he anticipated, with a ceiling lost in shadows and rows of sharp stalagmites lining both sides of the path like natural spears.

Surprisingly, many of them glowed with faint blue and white light, illuminating the cave in a soft, ethereal hue that made the battle inside clearly visible.

In the heart of the cavern, Max saw the fierce scene unfolding. Senior Brother Mack and another Mountain Gods Valley cultivator were locked in a brutal fight against a horde of snow bears. At the center of it all was the Snow Bear King—a monstrous beast nearly three meters tall, covered in thick white fur that shimmered like frost-coated armor.

Its roars echoed like thunder, and each swipe of its massive claws created howling gales. Its strength was overwhelming, easily on par with a newly advanced 7th level Legend Rank, yet it held its ground like a creature born to rule ice and snow.

The two Mountain Gods Valley experts, though seasoned and ferocious, were being pushed back. Their iron rods clashed with the beast's claws and blocked its charge, but they couldn't pierce its thick hide. Their expressions were grim, sweat freezing on their brows.

While they fought desperately, Max's eyes were drawn past the beast to the source of a beautiful, dazzling light. There, nestled in a frost-covered groove behind the Snow Bear King, were five Snow Spirit Flowers. Each one was about the size of a bowl, with translucent, snowflake-like petals that glowed faintly with swirling starlight.

The patterns on the petals shimmered like constellations in the night sky, giving the illusion that they had been plucked from the heavens themselves. Their brilliance lit up that part of the cave, untouched by the violence ahead. Max's heart skipped a beat—five of them.

That alone could completely transform his soul foundation. He could absorb one now, store the others, or even synthesize them with his abilities later.

But his joy was short-lived as the reality of the situation set in. The Snow Bear King was no ordinary beast, and the two men from Mountain Gods Valley were powerful enemies on their own.

If Max tried to interfere directly, he'd draw all their attention. Not to mention, with dozens of snow bears still lingering in the cave, the moment he acted recklessly, he'd likely be surrounded.

Still, Max didn't panic. He stood hidden in the shadows near the mouth of the cave, lips curling slightly into a thoughtful smirk. The battle was fierce, and even though the Snow Bear King was newly advanced to the 7th level, his natural defense was terrifying.

The Mountain Gods Valley duo clearly couldn't break through any time soon, and the longer the fight dragged on, the more exhausted they'd become.

Max's mind began to move swiftly, calculating risk and timing. 'Maybe... I can reap the benefits without lifting a finger.' His instincts told him that with patience, the opportunity would present itself. For now, he would wait—silent as the snow, sharp as a blade, ready to strike the moment the balance tipped.

Just then the Snow Bear King roar!

"AAAOOO!"

At the roar of the Snow Bear King, the atmosphere inside the cave shifted violently. The thunderous growl echoed across the icy walls like a command from a warlord, and the effect was immediate—dozens of snow bears responded in unison, charging down from the deeper parts of the cave like an avalanche of muscle and frost.

Their heavy paws pounded the ground, shaking it with each step, and within moments they had flanked the two Mountain Gods Valley members. Trapped between the incoming horde and the towering Snow Bear King, the two cultivators were suddenly overwhelmed.

Their movements became frantic, coordination began to break down, and their rhythm faltered under the suffocating pressure.

Max, watching from the shadows with his aura fully suppressed, narrowed his eyes, believing that this was the moment the two would fall. But then, unexpectedly, Senior Brother Mack made a bold move.

With a shout, he pulled out a palm-sized bead that glowed with a furious red light. Even from a distance, Max could feel the scorching heat radiating from it, completely at odds with the frigid cave. His eyes widened slightly in recognition. "A Fire Bead?" he murmured to himself, surprised.

The Fire Bead was a special kind of treasure—its creation required the essence of condensed flame to be stabilized and sealed through ancient techniques, something only cultivators at the Mythic Rank or above could accomplish.

That meant either Mack had strong backing or he had access to extremely rare resources. Either way, this wasn't something an ordinary Legend Rank cultivator should possess.

The moment the Fire Bead was revealed, the reaction from the snow bears was immediate. The Snow Bear King's crimson eyes flared with alarm, and it let out a loud, warning growl. The bears began to slow, hesitation creeping into their steps, but it was too late.

With a flick of his arm, Mack hurled the Fire Bead into the midst of the snow bears. What followed was a thunderous boom that lit up the cave like a second sun.

A towering column of fire burst into the air, and tendrils of flame—jagged, serpentine arcs like fiery lightning—raced outward in all directions.

The explosion was so violent that it cracked nearby stalagmites, sending chunks of ice falling. The fire tore into the tightly packed group of snow bears, igniting their fur and blasting them apart. Bodies were hurled into the air, limbs scorched, roars replaced by agonized wails.

Some died instantly, while others lay on the ground, badly burned and unable to move.

Even the Snow Bear King, despite its powerful instincts and dense hide, couldn't escape unscathed. One of the fire tendrils caught its back mid-turn, and the impact tore through flesh and scorched bone. A trail of blood poured down its thick fur, staining the snow beneath its feet.

The beast bellowed in pain, the roar shaking the walls and sending shudders through the air. Its round eyes turned bloodshot, brimming with fury and savage intent. It pounded its chest like a war drum, every thud resonating with sheer violence, and then—like a glacier set loose—it charged forward.

The ground trembled beneath its weight, and the force of frost and killing intent in its wake surged like a tidal wave, freezing the air around it.

Max, still hidden at the edge of the battlefield, watched the scene with a frown. The Fire Bead had done serious damage, but it hadn't ended the battle. If anything, it had only enraged the Snow Bear King further. And now, wounded and cornered, the beast was even more dangerous.

"This... might be my chance," Max muttered to himself, eyes gleaming with intent as he continued to watch, waiting for the moment the tide would shift.

Seeing the Snow Bear King wounded and staggering, the blood still gushing from its severed limb, Senior Brother Mack's eyes turned cold and cruel. "Kill this beast first," he growled, his voice like iron scraping against stone.

The other Mountain Gods Valley disciple gave a firm nod, and without hesitation, the two surged forward like twin hurricanes, flanking the beast on either side. Their bodies pulsed with raw physical strength, the unique inheritance of their force empowering every strike with brutal, mountain-breaking force.

Mountain Gods Valley was famed for its body-strengthening techniques, and here in the depths of this icy cave, that power exploded to its fullest.

The Snow Bear King roared in fury, but the pressure was overwhelming. It lashed out wildly, its huge paws sweeping arcs of snow and force, but the coordinated attacks of the two cultivators left it reeling, its steps faltering more and more with every clash.

Then came the moment of execution. With a roar that echoed through the cavern like the cry of an ancient war god, Senior Brother Mack unleashed the full power of his cultivation. A brilliant copper light surged out from his body, engulfing him entirely.

In the next breath, he transformed. His muscles expanded, his skin took on a metallic sheen, and his entire figure became like that of a towering bronze giant—an ancient warrior reborn. He grasped a massive halberd conjured from his essence, lifted it high above his head, and brought it down with thunderous force.

The Snow Bear King tried to dodge, its instincts screaming danger—but it was too slow. The other Mountain Gods Valley disciple held the beast in place, and the halberd came down like the axe of heaven.

With a sickening puff, the blade cleaved through the beast's shoulder. One of its massive arms fell away in a spray of blood, and the Snow Bear King let out an earth-shaking roar of pain as it stumbled backward. That was all the opening the two needed.

The Blood Ghost King let out a thunderous roar, its voice reverberating through the murky swamp like a war drum announcing death. Its rage intensified, and in a blur of crimson motion, it lunged at Max with feral brutality.

Max narrowed his eyes. There was no point holding back now. With a sharp breath, he launched into the Heaven-Piercing Thunderclap Sword, a technique composed of nine devastating moves.

As each form flowed into the next, the air exploded with howling wind and bursting pressure. Blood and sword light collided in all directions, tearing through the darkness.

The very void around them trembled. Columns of black swamp water shot into the sky like geysers as the ground shook under the weight of their clash. Poisonous leeches, grotesque centipedes, and lurking toads hidden in the swamp exploded into gore from the shockwaves, their twisted bodies unable to withstand the might of two terrifying forces locked in combat.

Max felt the weight of this enemy. Stronger than Julio. He could feel it in every exchange. The Blood Ghost King was brutal, but also strangely intelligent, adapting and pressing forward with relentless pressure.

As it roared again, the blood mist around it surged wildly, condensing into dozens of ghastly, twisted faces—deformed and eyeless, their mouths wide with serrated fangs. These bloody visages screamed silently as they charged at Max from every direction like a wave of cursed souls.

The air around them rippled as their cries buzzed straight into Max's ears, making his hair stand on end and cold sweat drip down his spine. The pressure was real. It was suffocating.

Clang!

Their weapons met again. Max's sword and the monster's claws collided with a force so great, it sent violent shockwaves cascading outward, ripping through the swamp and forming craters in the water-logged land. The stench of rot and blood mixed in the air.

Max's brows furrowed. 'This battle is dragging on.'

He knew if he let this continue, he would eventually be overwhelmed. He needed to end it—and fast. Gritting his teeth, he activated his Dragon Scales Transformation. A torrent of energy erupted from his body as black, gleaming dragon scales crawled across his skin, wrapping him in the protective embrace of ancient draconic might. His aura surged.

Then came the real boost—six hundred Draconic Essences. Like volcanic fire coursing through his veins, pure strength flooded every inch of his body. His muscles bulged, his senses sharpened, and the very ground beneath his feet cracked under the sudden increase in power.

Not wasting even a moment, Max narrowed his eyes and unleashed the second-level concept of Space—Spatial Anchoring.

The space around the Blood Ghost King twisted, condensed, and locked down like invisible chains binding it in place. The creature's movements halted, frozen mid-lunge, its eyes filled with sudden alarm.

Max didn't hesitate.

The Blue Dragon Sword burst into black flames, and shone with the cutting light of the second-level severing sword concept. He stepped forward and swung down with all his might, executing his most devastating move of the Severing Flow Sword Art.

The sword howled through the air like a banshee's wail, tearing the black fog apart, the flames dancing wildly in the void.

And then—

The sword struck.

Swish!

Bang!

Max's sword cleaved through the Blood Ghost King, cutting the terrifying creature cleanly in two. The moment his blade sliced through its grotesque body, the spatial anchoring he had used was released, and the severed halves of the blood-soaked monster exploded into a cascade of crimson mist.

A rain of blood poured over the swamp, dyeing the dark, murky water even redder. The air trembled from the final impact, echoing through the Black Mist Swamp like the closing of a deadly chapter.

Black flames surged around the remains of the Blood Ghost King—as Max began devouring the corpse with eerie hunger, reducing it to ashes.

But as the last ember faded and silence returned, Max's expression remained cold. He didn't level up. The power of the Blood Ghost King wasn't enough to push him further. He clicked his tongue in quiet annoyance.

'I should leave this place fast,' he thought grimly, wiping blood from the edge of his sword before sheathing it.

He remembered clearly the warning from the elder's notes: the Black Mist Swamp was considered a strictly forbidden zone, a place even peak Legend Rank warriors avoided.

It was rumored that terrifying creatures, ones beyond the level of the Blood Ghost King, lurked in the deepest shadows. Though Max was confident in his ability to escape from most threats, gambling his life in such a cursed zone for no reason would be pure foolishness.

He had already gained enough from this encounter. There was no point pushing his luck.

Without hesitation, Max activated his full vital essence shell, wrapping his entire body in a shimmering protective layer. He masked his aura entirely using his green soul's concealment ability, blending into the black fog like a wraith.

The visibility was near zero, and to any prying eyes, his presence would feel no different than the surrounding mist. Quietly, he began moving through the dense fog, his footsteps light and silent, his breathing calm and steady.

Minutes passed.

The swamp remained eerily silent, only the occasional soft ripple of water or the creaking of twisted trees breaking the quiet. Max moved with caution, senses heightened to the extreme. But just as he was beginning to believe he had escaped the danger—

"Ahhh!"

Multiple blood-curdling screams pierced the silence from behind, slightly to his left. Max froze and turned his head sharply. Through the thick fog, he saw it—blood spurting wildly into the air like a gruesome fountain.

He didn't need to see the full scene to know what had happened. Bodies were being torn apart, devoured alive. But what truly caught his attention was not the carnage itself—it was the blood shadow flickering amid the chaos.

His eyes narrowed. Another Blood Ghost King.

The aura was nearly identical to the one he had just slain—ruthless, bloodthirsty, and incredibly powerful. Max's face turned grave. 'So, there's more than one roaming here…'

It was just as the elder had warned: this swamp was a graveyard waiting to happen. He had made the right decision leaving.

Without hesitation, he turned away from the battle and quickened his pace, vanishing deeper into the fog-covered wilderness, each step bringing him closer to safety—and further from the monsters that lurked in the dark.

Although the secret domain was vast—seemingly endless with countless dangerous terrains and forbidden zones—many of the participants had been deliberately scattered across the outer regions under the arrangement of the elders who opened the portal. It wasn't random at all, but a calculated decision meant to prevent immediate large-scale conflict between forces.

The seven overlord factions alone had sent at least twenty-five members each, and when combined with the independent geniuses and sect disciples from across the thousands of regions within the Middle Domain, the total number of people in the secret domain exceeded a thousand.

Naturally, with the scale of such deployment, it wasn't surprising that fifty to sixty individuals had ended up scattered across the area known as the Black Mist Swamp. A number far too large for such a cursed land.

Unfortunately for them, they had become prey.

The Blood Ghost King, and perhaps others like it, saw them not as cultivators but as a feast. Most of the people here were geniuses, yes, but even geniuses had limits—especially when thrown into the jaws of such a ferocious monster.

Many of them were merely at the 1st or 2nd level of the Legend Rank, and even the strongest among them didn't exceed the 3rd level.

Against the power and savage instincts of the Blood Ghost King, they stood no chance. One after another, they were slaughtered, their heads twisted off, their bodies left as headless corpses soaking in pools of their own blood. The fog trembled with screams, and the swamp began to resemble a hellish slaughterhouse.

Those who witnessed even a glimpse of the massacre fled in terror, running in every direction without order or coordination, driven only by the primal urge to survive.

Swish!

Max, however, did not stop. He had already seen the worst this place could throw at him and knew full well that no amount of righteous fury or sympathy would protect him in the secret domain. He wasn't here to play hero.

His goal was growth, survival, and supremacy. He turned away from the bloody chaos erupting behind him and walked calmly, his breath even, his expression cold. The screams of the dying echoed through the black fog—pleas for help, cries of desperation, blood gurgling from open throats.

But Max didn't even glance back. He hadn't come here to save strangers.

They meant nothing to him.

But then, suddenly—

"Big brother, save me!" a voice rang out from behind him. It was desperate, trembling, and—unlike the others—directed at him.

A girl came running toward Max, her bare feet splashing through the swamp water, toes gleaming like delicate jade under the faint glow of the mist. She had a petite frame, almost fragile in appearance, and looked so sweet and well-behaved that anyone would instinctively want to protect her.

But Max knew better. He recognized her immediately—Luna, the daughter of the elusive and powerful leader of the Obsidian Order. Her face, though flushed with panic, carried a strange charm, a mixture of innocence and mischief, and as she rushed forward calling out for help, her doe-like eyes pleaded with Max in a way that could melt most hearts.

Max, however, was not most people. He turned his head in surprise upon seeing her but felt more annoyance than concern. He hadn't expected someone like her to end up in this cursed swamp with him, especially not being chased by a Blood Ghost King. Still, despite her appearance, she wasn't ordinary.

Though she was only at the 3rd level of Legend Rank, her speed was incredible. Max knew the bloodthirsty monster wouldn't have spared her if she had faltered even a second. She had to be using something—some special technique or innate ability to survive this long.

That's why, instead of feeling pity, Max inwardly cursed. He was certain she was trying to use him as a distraction, to throw the monster off her trail by dragging him into it.

And knowing her background, Max didn't believe for a second that the young miss of the Obsidian Order would walk into the secret domain without at least a few powerful life-saving methods. His instincts screamed for him to avoid entanglement, so he didn't even stop. He just kept moving forward, cold and resolute.

"Stop!" Luna's voice rang out again, this time with clear urgency and a hint of anger. She stomped lightly mid-run, her tiny brows furrowed as her lips curled into a cute pout of frustration.

She had never been ignored like this before. Yet at the same time, her eyes sparkled with intrigue. Just how was this guy moving so fast? She could tell he wasn't using any footwork technique, yet he was outpacing her.

And that puzzled her greatly. Someone at the 8th level of Master Rank, running faster than her—Luna, the daughter of the Obsidian Order's ruler, who had practiced one of the best movement techniques in the Middle Domain? That wasn't just odd, it was unnatural.

Sword aura radiated faintly from Max, and she began to wonder if he might be from the Absolute Sword Palace.

She chased after him while muttering to herself, irritation mounting as she glanced back at the incoming Blood Ghost King—its grotesque face snarling with hunger, its claws slicing through the air like death incarnate.

Realizing that the situation was becoming more dangerous, Luna let out a soft snort and lifted her palm, revealing a shimmering silver rune etched with swirling lines—her Wind Spirit Rune.

"I only brought three of these into the secret domain," she huffed with an adorably wrinkled nose, clearly displeased at wasting one. Then she shot Max a glare filled with playful vengeance. "You damn guy, you really ignored me? Fine! I'll make you pay later!"

With that, she slapped the Wind Spirit Rune against herself. In an instant, gales of wind surged around her body, encasing her petite form in swirling currents. Her speed exploded, nearly doubling as the rune worked its magic. She shot forward like a silver arrow through the fog.

Max happened to glance back right at that moment, and his face darkened. "This girl… she actually brought a Wind Spirit Rune? That's not good!" He muttered under his breath.

The Wind Spirit Rune might only be a sixth-grade rune, but it was tailor-made for escape. It was rare, precious, and outrageously effective in situations like this.

Now that she was speeding up to catch him, Max knew he couldn't afford to ignore her anymore. She was about to catch up—and from the look in her eyes, she wasn't about to let this go easily.

Seeing Luna getting closer and closer, Max's face sank like a rock dropped into water. He didn't have time for this. The Blood Ghost King was still behind him, relentless and savage, and now this little headache of a princess was trying to tail him like they were old friends.

Gritting his teeth, Max surged his speed again, darting through the mist with his movement enhanced by vital essence, trying desperately to shake her off. But no matter how hard he tried, she kept up—graceful and swift, the power of the Wind Spirit Rune making her practically glide through the black fog.

Max's heart filled with frustration. 'Hateful… this damn little princess...' He cursed silently. 'If Ieave this fog region, I swear I'll grab that arrogant little butt of hers and give her a spanking she'll never forget.'

But Luna was annoyingly persistent. Within just a few breaths, she was already shoulder to shoulder with him, her petite frame moving effortlessly beside him, as if they were running together in sync.

She turned to look at him, her large, glassy eyes shimmering with moisture, lips quivering as if on the verge of tears. "Big brother, save me," she said in the softest, most pitiful tone he'd ever heard.

Max's heart actually skipped a beat. For a moment, he felt like he was about to slow down unconsciously. Her voice… her expression… the way her eyes glistened in the gloom—something about it pulled at him.

But then he snapped back.

'Wait a second…' He immediately sensed something off. Was she using a charm technique? Max quickly steadied his mind and narrowed his eyes. His green soul radiated a calming energy like a sword as he resisted the effect.

Then his expression turned cold, and his voice came out sharp and merciless: "Little girl, get out of here. Now. Or don't blame me if I catch you and give you a good spanking."

Luna nearly stumbled in the air. "Sp-Spanking?!" she gasped, staring at him like he'd just grown a second head.

Her face turned red with fury, and she pointed at Max as if she were about to explode. "Y-You! Do you know who I am?! I'm Luna of the Obsidian Order! The daughter of the—ahh never mind! I ask you for help and not only do you ignore me, you actually threaten me?! You—you're the worst kind of man! I've never seen someone as vile as you in my life!"

Max, however, had no time for her tantrum. "Roll!" He barked, his tone completely devoid of sympathy. His eyes gleamed coldly in the mist as his speed increased again.

He didn't care how pretty or pitiful she looked. Maybe she was a natural-born beauty. Maybe she'd grow up to cause kingdoms to fall just by smiling. But none of that mattered to him now. He had no interest in playing savior to a pampered, arrogant little princess who thought the world revolved around her.

All he wanted to do was get out of this cursed swamp alive—preferably without dragging along a royal headache.

"You, you bastard!" Luna's voice trembled with anger, her big eyes already shimmering with unshed tears as she stared at Max, her delicate face flushed with rage.

Who did this guy think he was? She wasn't just any random girl—she was the daughter of the mysterious and feared leader of the Obsidian Order, the little princess of the entire organization.

From the day she was born, she had lived a life of prestige and pampering. Even her cold and enigmatic father, whose name alone struck fear into half the continent, never once raised his voice at her. Her senior brothers and sisters treated her like a pearl in the palm of their hands.

Not once in her entire life had she ever been shouted at, let alone told to "roll" by anyone. And now, this arrogant bastard not only dared to yell at her but even threatened to spank her like she was some brat?

Her hands clenched into tiny fists, trembling. Her pride was wounded, and her temper ignited. Without thinking, she raised her hand to smack him, tears welling up in her furious eyes.

"Are you sick?" Max recoiled in disbelief, his own expression twisting into outrage. What kind of logic was this?

They were being chased by a Blood Ghost King, and she was picking a fight with him? Was this girl actually insane? He couldn't believe it—rather than running for her life, she chose to vent her frustration on him in the middle of a deadly pursuit. What was wrong with her?

"You're the one who's sick!" Luna snapped, her voice cracking with emotion. Her small hand flew toward him, striking him with real force. Though petite and cute on the outside, she was still a 3rd level Legend Rank expert.

Her blow wasn't weak at all, and though Max managed to deflect most of it, the clash of her strength caused his speed to drop. The tension in the air spiked.

But Luna's speed also began to decline rapidly—the Wind Spirit Rune's effects were wearing off. It was only effective for the time it took to drink a cup of tea, and that time had clearly passed. The moment the last trace of wind aura faded from around her body, the sound of a guttural, monstrous roar echoed through the swamp.

"ROAR!" The Blood Ghost King had caught up.

Its crimson eyes flared with excitement upon seeing the two of them fighting. It was a predator staring at wounded prey, and its bloodlust surged. The chilling fog trembled from the intensity of its killing intent.

"Not good!" Max's expression changed, and even Luna's anger faded into seriousness. She froze for a second, realizing the danger they were in. Max growled, "Girl, stop it now! Do you want to die here?!"

Instead of backing down, Luna glared at him defiantly. "You can ask me to stop," she said between clenched teeth, "or you can join me in killing that monster!"

Max turned his head to look at her in disbelief. Despite the dire situation, she still had the gall to argue with him. But he was equally shocked at her strength—she was actually fighting him to a draw just now, and he hadn't even gone easy. She might be a brat, but she was no ordinary one.

"I'm not helping," Max said flatly. "That thing is too powerful. Even if we fight together, we'll lose." It was a lie. He could fight the Blood Ghost King. He'd already killed one just minutes ago.

But there was no way he was going to show his cards in front of the Obsidian Order's heiress, especially not someone whose faction specialized in secrets and intelligence. If he revealed his cards in front of her, then it was given the entire Middle Domain would know his abilities later if someone were to inquired about him.

Helping her now could cost him everything later.

"Coward," Luna spat, eyes filled with contempt. She looked like she wanted to slap him again.

"My cowardice has nothing to do with you, little girl," Max said with a sneer, completely unbothered.

Luna's lips trembled with fury, but then she took a deep breath and said, "Fine. Just hold that monster back for a while, and I'll kill it myself."

Max narrowed his eyes. "You have a way?"

"Of course I do," she snapped, puffing out her chest. "Just hold him off for a bit, and don't die!"

Max frowned but then nodded slightly. 'Right... she's not just some spoiled princess—she's from the Obsidian Order. She might actually have something up her sleeve.' "Fine," he said. "I'll stall it. But you'd better move fast."

"I got it!" Luna huffed, already reaching into her spatial ring.

Just then, the Blood Ghost King let out another savage roar and rushed toward them, its fangs gleaming with cold, blood-drenched malice, and its claws swinging down like crimson guillotines. The real battle was about to begin.

Max held his ground, the blade in his hand gleaming with a fierce, cold light. His sword radiated the power of the level 2 concept of the severing sword, and when the Blood Ghost King's claws came crashing down like a crimson avalanche, Max didn't dodge—he met it head-on.

Bang!

The impact rang out like thunder, and for a brief second, both Max and the Blood Ghost King were frozen in a deadlock, neither backing down. But that moment of stillness didn't last.

Bang, bang, bang!

A series of deafening shockwaves erupted between them, as energy burst out in every direction from the force of their clash. Max's feet slid back slightly on the ground, while cracks spread beneath them like spiderwebs. The swamp trembled under the sheer weight of their battle.

From a short distance away, Luna stood with widened eyes, her mouth slightly agape. She had expected Max to slow the monster down, maybe buy her some time—not meet it blow for blow like an equal. "Huh…" she muttered, honestly surprised. "He actually stopped it…"

"Silly girl, hurry up!" Max shouted through gritted teeth as he held back the monster's relentless strength.

"I told you not to call me that!" Luna snapped, grinding her teeth. "Call me that one more time, and I swear I'll leave you here and walk away!"

"Don't do that!" Max shouted back in mock panic, pretending to plead for mercy. "I give up, okay?! You win!"

Luna smirked smugly, her lips curling up in triumph. With a huff, she pulled out a small piece of rune paper from her storage ring and focused her aura. The rune was no larger than her palm, a deep oceanic blue with tiny arcs of lightning crawling across its surface like living snakes.

It crackled ominously in her hand as if alive, and the air around it instantly grew heavy with static. When Max caught sight of it, his brows lifted in genuine surprise. "An 7th rank lightning rune?"

Indeed, lightning runes were rare artifacts forged by harnessing pure natural lightning and infusing it with spiritual power and mana.

Their ranks determined how powerful the resulting attack would be, and anything above the 6th rank was rarely seen outside of high-ranking forces and empires.

An 7th rank rune was already comparable to the full-force strike of a late-stage Legend Rank expert—more than enough to annihilate even something like a Blood Ghost King.

"I didn't expect you, a bastard, to be so knowledgeable," Luna said, tossing him a sidelong glance filled with both mockery and faint approval. Her tone was still sharp, but she was no longer scolding him with the same fury as before.

Then she focused. Her small hands, snow-white and almost translucent under the crackling light, pressed together in a practiced seal formation. Streams of pure spiritual power flowed out from her fingertips, swirling around the rune as she activated it.

The rune began to hum and buzz, blue light rising from it like a beacon. It floated into the air and began to expand, growing until it was the size of a round table. Lightning danced wildly along its surface, arcs of blue and white streaking out, snapping like whips, and illuminating the murky darkness of the swamp.

The entire sky above the Black Mist Swamp seemed to respond, rumbling as faint thunderclouds began to form. With every passing second, the rune gathered more power, and the smell of ozone flooded the air. Max could feel it. The power in that rune was real—and once it was unleashed, the Blood Ghost King would be in for a hell of a shock.

The Blood Ghost King let out a thunderous roar, not of dominance, but of fear. Its eyes, glowing red like burning coals, darted toward the glowing lightning rune above Luna's head. It had sensed the danger. The moment the rune activated, it had become visibly frantic, trying to flee into the dark fog. But it was already too late.

Max, seeing this, immediately shouted, "Hurry up!"

Luna, equally fired up, snapped back, "Asshole, get out of my way!"

She raised her delicate hand and pointed up. The massive rune above her buzzed violently, and then, with a burst of force that split the air, unleashed a lightning bolt as thick as a water bucket. It shot through the air with a blinding flash, crossing the distance between the sky and the Blood Ghost King in the blink of an eye.

The beast shrieked and tried to escape with its unnaturally fast speed, but the rune's lightning was on another level—it moved ten times faster than the monster. In an instant, it struck the Blood Ghost King's blood-red body.

And then… all hell broke loose. Hundreds of arcs of lightning wrapped around the creature like a spider's web, binding it in a cage of pure energy. Blinding light filled the swamp. The crackling of electricity roared across the sky as the swamp lit up in blue and white. A wave of raw, terrifying lightning energy swept outward in a dome.

Max and Luna didn't even hesitate—they both leapt back, forming vital essence shields around themselves as they retreated rapidly from the incoming blast.

Bang!

In the next instant, the Blood Ghost King exploded in a violent burst of flesh, blood, and light. Chunks of red rained down like a gruesome storm. Had they not shielded themselves, they would've been drenched in gore.

Panting slightly, Max glanced at Luna, who looked just as relieved. The monster was finally dead. But before they could even exchange a word, Luna suddenly gasped and pointed to the air.

Floating where the Blood Ghost King had been was a glowing, blood-red crystal—about the size of a fist. It pulsed gently like a living heart, gleaming like polished red agate. "Blood crystal?" she exclaimed, her eyes sparkling as if she had found treasure.

Without hesitation, she reached out eagerly. But just as her fingers were about to touch it, the blood crystal vanished from the air with a small flicker. She froze. Then her expression turned stormy. "Asshole! Give the blood crystal to me!" she shouted, spinning to glare at Max.