The underground cavern trembled like a living beast. Dust, rock, and energy debris hovered in the air. The Guardian's palm glowed with black-gold energy, a sphere larger than Lin Feng himself, pulsating with overwhelming power.
SYSTEM ALERT – CATACLYSM PULSE IMMINENT
Estimated Destruction Radius: Entire Cavern
Survival Probability: 31%
Recommended Action: Activate Maximum Output
Lin Feng gritted his teeth, Titan Core fragment thrumming violently in his hand. Chaos Instinct adjusted instinctively to the overwhelming suppression field.
"Survival probability 31%?" he muttered. "I like those odds… better than 5%, anyway."
The Approach
The Guardian raised its palm, and the sphere expanded rapidly, sucking the air around it into a vortex of destruction. Even stalactites and stalagmites were drawn toward the sphere, colliding violently, sending shards flying.
Lin Feng's body glowed gold-white. He focused every ounce of Fist God Realm energy into his muscles, veins, and reflexes.
FIST GOD REALM AWAKENING MODE – FULL OUTPUT
Golden symbols whirled around him in perfect synchrony with Titan Core energy. Pressure Conversion absorbed the crushing weight of the pulse, converting it into raw strength.
Lin Feng grinned through sweat and blood.
"This is… gonna be fun."
The Collision
He dashed forward at impossible speed, golden aura flaring like a comet streaking through darkness. Chaos Instinct micro-adjusted his trajectory. Momentum Surge Lv2 gave him perfect mid-air control.
The Cataclysm Pulse slammed downward. The air itself tore.
Lin Feng collided with it mid-path.
The impact was apocalyptic. Shockwaves radiated through the cavern, dislodging stone columns, vaporizing underground pools, and shaking Iron Spine Peak above.
The golden glow of Lin Feng's fist clashed against the black-gold sphere, sparks and arcs of energy twisting around him like lightning caught in molten gold.
Survival and Adaptation
The pulse tried to crush him. Pressure Conversion kicked in fully. Pain surged, but energy flowed back into his body. His Titan Core resonated with the chaos of the attack, amplifying his Strength, Speed, and Seismic Impact power exponentially.
Lin Feng twisted mid-air, fists striking in perfect rhythm:
Rising Fist of Momentum – destabilized the pulse's outer layer
Spinning Elbow of Seismic Force – fractured the inner energy shell
Twin Palm Surge – redirected the pulse's kinetic energy into the cavern floor
The Guardian staggered, visibly surprised. Its Cataclysm Pulse flickered and destabilized under Lin Feng's assault.
Mid-Battle Humor
Lin Feng landed on a fragment of the shattered cavern floor, panting heavily, blood dripping, hair matted. He raised a fist toward the Guardian.
"You know," he said, voice dripping with sarcastic amusement, "I've been punched by a mountain, a colossus, and apparently now existential despair itself. But this… this is my favorite so far."
System pinged: Comedic input detected. Efficiency loss: 1%
XP gain from morale boost: +75
The Guardian's eyes flickered. For the first time, a subtle reaction: irritation.
"Silence," it rumbled, voice resonating like the core of the world itself.
Lin Feng shrugged. "Nope. Too late. I'm funny under pressure."
Targeting the Core
Lin Feng noticed the faint crack in the Guardian's chest core, pulsing in sync with the Cataclysm Pulse.
SYSTEM ALERT – CORE FRACTURE DETECTED
Weak Point Accessible: Short Window
Recommended Action: High-Impact Strike
He launched himself at the Guardian, gravity-defying speed propelling him like a golden meteor. Titan Core energy flared violently, Chaos Instinct predicting every movement and counter of the Guardian in real-time.
FIST GOD ART – Heaven Splitting Descent (Maximum Output)
His fist struck the core crack. The impact released a blinding golden explosion. Energy arcs collided with the black-gold sphere, scattering shockwaves throughout the cavern.
The Guardian roared, staggering backward. The Cataclysm Pulse dissipated violently, fragments of dark-gold energy scattering harmlessly.
Forced Synchronization Complete
Lin Feng fell to one knee, breathing heavily. Every muscle screamed. Titan Core energy pulsed wildly through his body. Forced Synchronization at 70% had been fully utilized, and his meridians, though strained, stabilized.
SYSTEM UPDATE
Fist God Realm Awakening Progress: 60%
Stage 9 Output Stabilized
Pressure Conversion Mastery: Activated
Rewards: Strength +40, Endurance +25, Elemental Resistance (All) +35%
Lin Feng grinned faintly.
"Sixty percent… not bad for a night's work."
The Guardian's Response
The Ancient Guardian staggered back, resting on the shattered throne fragments. It tilted its head, observing Lin Feng with the faintest hint of respect.
"You… force evolution. But balance… is not yet broken."
Lin Feng wiped blood from his lips.
"Yeah, balance is overrated anyway."
System pinged: Comedic input detected. Opponent intimidation +15%
The Guardian slowly sat back down on the ruined throne. It did not attack further—for now.
But the energy in the cavern shifted.
From deep beneath the mountain, something else stirred. Older. Darker. Far more intelligent.
And it had felt Lin Feng's fight.
It had recognized the Fist God's rising power.
Cliffhanger
The Titan Core fragment pulsed violently. Lin Feng felt the ground beneath Iron Spine Peak shift subtly, indicating a presence far larger than the Guardian, one that had been sealed beneath the continent for millennia, now beginning to awaken.
Lin Feng grinned through blood and exhaustion.
"Good. I was hoping someone bigger would show up."