A translucent wind blade shot forth.
"Boss said not to kill you—I never agreed!"
The modified human, who had just stood up and was preparing to leave, froze as half his skull slid cleanly off.
His eyes widened in disbelief.
"Heh heh!"
Little Black grinned slyly as Chu Tian turned to glare at him.
"That’s what you meant, right, Boss?"
Chu Tian rolled his eyes and sighed, glancing at the headless corpse still standing upright.
Guess you drew the short straw, pal. Can’t help it if my underling’s an idiot.
Truthfully, Chu Tian had intended to let the man go.
But Little Black had somehow interpreted his mercy as... this.
"Let’s move. We’ve got flies swarming behind us—no time to waste."
Following the pull of the summoning, Chu Tian pressed forward.
Since entering the wasteland, the call had grown urgent, gnawing at him. If not for harvesting spirit crystals earlier, he’d have raced ahead immediately.
After sprinting for a while, Little Black suddenly spoke up.
"Boss, running’s too slow. Let’s fly."
Chu Tian glanced skyward. "The aerial restriction—remember?"
"I know. But I sensed the barrier only activates past a certain altitude."
"You sensed it?"
"Yeah. After refining those spirit crystals, my other three elements are nearing equilibrium with lightning. My perception’s sharper now."
Little Black’s muzzle split into a grin.
"I tested it while you were sleeping. Below 1,000 meters—no problem."
Chu Tian recalled their earlier flight—how the binding force had struck only when they surpassed the giant mosquito’s height.
With a leap, he mounted Little Black’s back as the beast shifted forms, compact but crackling with blue lightning.
Whoosh—!
Electric arcs surged as Little Black propelled himself with pure lightning, accelerating to blinding speeds.
Chu Tian grinned. This beats running like a damn horse chasing the horizon.
Now, he only needed to navigate.
Five minutes later, a yawning chasm split the land ahead.
"Boss?!" Little Black slowed, wary.
Chu Tian’s eyes hardened. This is where Yun Hu turned back 300 years ago... where Spirit Cat nearly died shielding him.
"Try blitzing across."
The abyss spanned barely a kilometer, yet its depth radiated a primordial hunger.
Little Black gathered speed—
BOOM.
From the abyss, a colossal stone hand erupted, moving with terrifying agility for its size.
It swatted at them like a fly.
"Wind Barrier!"
Little Black’s shield flared—
—and shattered on contact.
But the split-second delay let him bank hard, narrowly avoiding the crushing palm.
"Holy shit! What is that?!"
The hand moved again, intercepting every evasion.
Chu Tian’s grip tightened on Moon God’s Wrath.
Yun Hu’s warning was real.
Dual Form: Panther’s Agility + Bear’s Might.
Ten skill compressions surged into the trembling spear.
"Dragon Pierces the Sea!"
The lance spiraled like a drill, air screaming in its wake—
CRASH!
A direct hit to the palm.
Stone flakes sprayed, but the hand barely recoiled.
What the hell?!
Moon God’s Wrath could pierce anything—yet here? Barely a scratch.
Seizing the distraction, Little Black dove for the far ledge—
BOOM.
A second hand erupted, blocking their path.
Now trapped between two titanic limbs, Little Black panted.
"Boss—we can’t even retreat now!"
The hands moved with eerie coordination, herding them like prey.
Chu Tian’s mind raced.
Bigger targets mean slower speed... but those palms radiate something primal. Getting hit isn’t an option.
"Buy me time."
As Little Black weaved desperately, Chu Tian’s gaze dropped into the abyss.
What lurks below... and why does it guard this pass?