A torrential downpour covered the sea, creating ripples upon ripples as the rain cascaded into the ocean.
Twenty-three warships, unyielding to the battering waves, surged forward.
Feng Qi and the Mist Lord's gazes occasionally shifted to the commanding figure standing on the lead ship's deck—Wang Lin, the overall commander of this joint mission.
For them, the significance of this united exploration was trivial.
After all, the "Steel Mill No. 8" combat squad they had painstakingly built was nothing more than a stepping stone. It would be discarded sooner or later, regardless of how many honor points it accumulated.
Instead of climbing the squad rankings through effort, having the Mist Lord seize control of an established force was undoubtedly a more efficient option.
Their participation in this joint action had a singular purpose—Wang Lin and the combat squad he led, the Reaper Domain Combat Squad.
Before the mission, they had thoroughly investigated Wang Lin.
Twelve years ago, he graduated from Victory Academy and registered as a domain combatant in the Old Day Supply Zone alongside three classmates. Together, they joined the Reaper Domain Combat Squad.
Over the years, members of the squad came and went.
The classmates who joined with him sacrificed their lives in successive battles, but Wang Lin persevered, rising steadily in rank.
Now, he was the captain of the Reaper Domain Combat Squad, which had risen from an F-rank squad to a B-rank squad under his leadership.
The Mist Lord's interest in Wang Lin wasn't only because he had initiated this joint action and essentially volunteered himself as a target.
Another crucial factor was the Reaper Domain Combat Squad's core team of hundreds of elite warriors, known for their exceptional strength.
Additionally, the squad was on the cusp of challenging the A-rank threshold this year.
The Mist Lord couldn't resist the allure of such a promising force. After evaluating the situation, he proposed to Feng Qi that they should make their move.
Feng Qi, unsurprisingly, agreed.
They decided to wait until the fleet entered the domain field to find an opportunity to carry out their plan.
Feng Qi shifted his gaze to the horizon where a black curtain loomed.
This domain field was known as the "Black Abyss Domain Field."
Its exploration progress had reached approximately 39%, and its environmental rules were largely similar to those of the human world. Recorded resources included 3,295 types of spiritual plants and minerals, as well as 183 identified domain creatures. Its difficulty level was provisionally classified as Liao Level (Tier Three).
Thirty-eight domain-transcending creatures had been discovered within, roaming the seas and frequently attacking human vessels. These creatures were known for their bloodthirsty behavior, indiscriminately preying upon the sea's lifeforms.
All this information was detailed in the mission briefing they received before departure.
The ships continued to cut through the waves as storm clouds gathered on the horizon, and the rain intensified.
Three hours later, they arrived at the outskirts of the Black Abyss Domain Field.
Without pausing, the fleet sailed directly through the black barrier into the domain field.
Inside, the atmosphere was oppressive, with dark clouds pressing low and relentless rain obscuring visibility.
In the distance, an island covered in dense greenery stood prominently.
This island hadn't existed before the Black Abyss Domain Field descended. It was a new landmass that had emerged alongside the domain field.
Following the domain field's arrival, the surrounding sea underwent drastic changes.
The waters became infested with bloodthirsty sea beasts, some larger than blue whales, posing a significant threat to navigation.
Beneath the waves, valuable underwater mineral deposits and spiritual plants also began to appear.
However, the most resource-rich area was their destination—"Black Abyss Island."
This island was home to the intelligent species within the Black Abyss Domain Field.
Spanning 6,872 square kilometers, it was densely forested and teeming with powerful domain creatures, making it a formidable challenge for exploration teams.
Despite multiple joint missions attempting to breach its depths, the island's core—the location of the spatial crystal—remained out of reach.
As the fleet entered the domain field, Wang Lin's voice echoed across all 23 ships via the communicator:
"All combat teams, prepare for battle."
Following his command, the warriors stationed on the decks moved to the ship's edges, their gazes fixed on the sea.
The disturbance caused by the propellers drew the attention of nearby sea beasts.
From time to time, creatures would leap out of the water, following the ships as they advanced.
The smaller sea beasts were ignored. After all, the ships were constructed from special domain metals, designed to withstand collisions.
But the larger sea beasts couldn't be dismissed so lightly.
Their massive size and strength posed a genuine risk of capsizing an entire vessel.
"Large sea beast spotted near Ship No. 3! Requesting assistance!"
The voice of Ship No. 3's commander came through the communicator, drawing everyone's attention to the vessel's location.
A massive, lizard-like sea beast with a long tail swam alongside Ship No. 3, its scaled back occasionally breaking the surface. The sunlight reflected off its scales, creating a dazzling display.
Without waiting for Wang Lin's orders, the warriors launched their attacks.
Streams of energy converged as spiritual energy in the air coalesced into powerful spells.
Moments later, a barrage of spells rained down on the creature.
The lizard-like domain beast couldn't withstand the onslaught. Its back was torn open, spilling blue blood into the sea.
The scent of blood drove the smaller sea beasts into a frenzy.
Within moments, the massive creature was reduced to bones, its remains entirely devoured.
"If we fell into the water, we wouldn't even leave behind our bones," commented a young man nearby, responsible for overseeing supplies. His tone carried a mix of awe and fear, indicating this was likely his first venture into a domain field.
"If I fell in, I'd be the one eating them," the Mist Lord remarked casually, giving the young man a sidelong glance.
"If you were that capable, you wouldn't be stuck here watching over supplies with the rest of us. You'd be in a combat unit already," the young man shot back, rolling his eyes.
The Mist Lord's expression soured at the comment, and he immediately retorted.
What began as a casual exchange quickly escalated into an argument, with both sides trading increasingly colorful insults.
Listening to the Mist Lord bickering with the young man, Feng Qi couldn't help but shake his head.
The Mist Lord, now fully adapted to human life, had truly become a "debate king."
Back during his time as a worker, he was the same—constantly arguing with others over trivial matters. If not for his background as a major villain, he would simply be labeled as a champion arguer.
He hadn't learned much about human humility or politeness, but when it came to finding faults, his skills were unmatched.
The Mist Lord once explained this behavior to Feng Qi.
He said that in his species, there was no concept of humility or courtesy—only the strong could rise.
"If you need to flaunt your strength, then you flaunt it. Only those who are bold and powerful will earn the respect of others. But if you have strength and choose to stay low-profile, well, humans have a word for that—idiot!"
Hearing this logic back then, Feng Qi was speechless.
He began to understand, though.
After all, each species had its own unique culture.
What seemed bizarre to outsiders might be perfectly normal within another race.
For example, the Mist Lord once mentioned that in his race, eating offerings left for the dead was considered a sign of respect and remembrance.
When Feng Qi heard this, he couldn't help but feel awkward.
A vivid image of Wei Wei leaving a video message came to mind. She had once complained, with a troubled expression, that offerings to the dead kept being stolen, and no matter what she did, she couldn't catch the thief.
At that moment, the Mist Lord leaned closer to Feng Qi and whispered, "That guy insulted my parents. Let's kill him later."
"We're people with bigger goals. Don't let petty grudges distract us from the mission," Feng Qi replied, shaking his head.
"What do big goals have to do with holding grudges?"
"Suit yourself." Feng Qi rolled his eyes, unwilling to continue the conversation.
The ships continued their approach toward the island. Along the way, the spinning propellers stirred up more and more sea beasts.
Looking around, clusters of sea beasts could be seen leaping out of the water, chasing after the ships.
Some even deliberately rammed into the vessels.
The smaller sea beasts were ignored by the temporary commanders of each ship, who didn't consider them worth their attention.
But when larger sea beasts appeared, the temporary commanders immediately used their communicators to call for assistance, ensuring that any large sea beasts were swiftly taken down with focused attacks.
The death of one large sea beast attracted even more predators.
Soon, the sea turned into a chaotic feeding frenzy. Sea beasts of various shapes and sizes began devouring each other, creating a spectacle that was both magnificent and terrifying.
After several hours of travel, the ships gradually neared Black Abyss Island.
"Prepare to disembark!"
The voice of Wang Lin, the overall commander, echoed through the communicators.
The various combat squads quickly sprang into action.
Ahead lay a series of jagged reefs, making it impossible for the ships to get any closer. The teams had no choice but to disembark early and wade through the water.
The warriors carrying the ship's mooring ropes jumped into the water, making their way to shore with tools in hand. They hammered thick stakes into the ground and poured stabilizing agents to solidify the sandy beach.
They then looped the ropes around the metal stakes and tied them securely.
Once all 23 ships were firmly anchored, small boats were lowered from the ships. Feng Qi and the other supply handlers began loading them with essential supplies.
In addition to food, various exploration tools also needed to be brought ashore.
After loading the items onto the small boats, Wang Lin's voice came through the communicator again:
"Leave eight people on each ship to guard the vessels and supplies. Everyone else, follow me ashore!"
The temporary commander of Feng Qi's ship was a young woman.
She scanned Feng Qi and the other supply handlers before pointing out individuals:
"You, you, and you… stay behind to guard the ship and the remaining supplies. The rest will carry the supplies onto the island."
Both Feng Qi and the Mist Lord were among those chosen to stay behind.
The Mist Lord glanced at Feng Qi and gave him a sly wink.
Feng Qi nodded in response.
They hadn't come all this way just to guard supplies.
Since they couldn't follow the main group, they'd have to act independently.
When the small boats reached the shallows, Feng Qi and the Mist Lord chose not to disembark immediately.
They decided to wait until the main force had entered the dense jungle before proceeding with their own plans.
As the Mist Lord had put it, "Wang Lin's life is mine for the taking."
Time passed as they waited.
Once the main group was far enough away, the Mist Lord made his move.
Six misty tendrils shot out from his back, wrapping around the other guards who were still scanning the surrounding sea.
In the blink of an eye, the guards were drained of their blood, their lifeless bodies slumping to the deck.
"All set, let's move," Feng Qi nodded calmly. Wrapping himself in spiritual energy, he floated toward the shore.
The Mist Lord transformed into a shroud of mist and followed closely behind.
Upon reaching the shore, Feng Qi landed lightly, and the Mist Lord reformed into his humanoid shape beside him.
The two of them stepped into the dense jungle.
The rain had just stopped, leaving the rainforest steamy and humid.
Towering trees, tens of meters high, lined the path. Their sprawling branches and leaves created a canopy overhead, letting only slivers of light filter through, forming visible beams that scattered across the ground.
The path ahead was marked with signs of the main group's trailblazing efforts.
As they pressed forward, the Mist Lord grew increasingly animated.
He hadn't had a proper meal in a long time, and now he went on a frenzy.
Every creature with blood in its veins was drained dry.
The Mist Lord's injuries rapidly healed, and his power surged once more.
This was the true terror of the Mist Lord.
The Mist Lord had once explained to Feng Qi that the fundamental difference between humans and domain creatures lay in their growth systems.
For example:
Human cultivation studies were still incomplete and riddled with flaws.
This was why human cultivators often struggled to break past the limits of their lifespans or developed lingering ailments from flawed techniques.
But for intelligent domain creatures, such problems didn't exist.
Take the Mist Lord himself—every increase in his strength not only boosted his power but also extended his lifespan, with no adverse effects during growth.
This advantage was even more pronounced in resource utilization.
Using the Mist Lord as an example, his efficiency was far beyond what humans could achieve.
When humans killed a domain creature, all they gained were some rare materials.
But when the Mist Lord killed a creature, he absorbed vast amounts of life energy, which he could refine into pure power.
While there was still some waste, his utilization was on a whole different level compared to humans.
The same applied to spiritual plants.
Additionally, there was the matter of bloodline strength, a domain in which humans fell woefully short.
Powerful domain creatures had undergone countless generations of evolution to develop their current growth potential.
While human cultivators' offspring also showed improved potential, it would take untold generations of reproduction to reach comparable heights.
During his time with the Mist Lord, Feng Qi had gained a clearer understanding of the disparity between humans and domain creatures.
The Mist Lord's perspectives had also inspired him with new ideas for enhancing humanity's overall strength.
While these thoughts wouldn't benefit him personally, they could serve as valuable guidance for his other self, aiding humanity's development.
Following the trail left by the main group, they eventually reached a stream.
Signs of a recent battle were evident. Five creatures, each over two meters tall and covered in black fur, lay lifeless by the stream.
Their bodies had been dismembered, with their rune crystals and valuable parts harvested.
"Tsk, such waste," the Mist Lord muttered as he opened his mouth and inhaled.
The blood from the dead creatures floated into the air and surged toward the Mist Lord, who absorbed it into his body.
"Now that's delicious."
Seeing the satisfied grin on the Mist Lord's face, Feng Qi rolled his eyes.
But before he could respond, the light ahead warped, and over ten figures suddenly appeared.
Waves of mental shock energy rushed toward them.
Sensing the danger, Feng Qi instinctively unleashed his spiritual energy, attempting to neutralize the incoming assault.
However, the Mist Lord stepped forward, shielding him and taking the brunt of the attack.
The misty shield collided with the mental shock waves, dispersing them into ripples of fog. The Mist Lord easily deflected the attacks.
It was then that Feng Qi got a good look at their attackers—they were blue-skinned assassins, infamous for their ambush tactics.
And this time, there were thirteen of them.
Feng Qi frowned slightly at their sudden appearance.
Encountering thirteen blue-skinned assassins at once was far from normal.
He had dealt with these creatures before and knew that they typically operated solo or in small groups spread across different areas.
A coordinated attack by thirteen assassins was unprecedented.
This unusual behavior made him suspect the presence of a gathering point for blue-skinned assassins nearby.