Translator: CinderTL
Feng Qi wasn't entirely sure how powerful little black truly was.
But from their previous encounters, he knew he would be instantly killed without any chance of resistance.
Upon realizing little black was rapidly approaching from the Burial Ground, he immediately chose to flee.
He had confronted little black head-on before because death carried no consequences in the Dream Realm. But now that his life had value, he needed to play it safe.
Weaving through the city ruins, he vigilantly scanned his surroundings.
During his last visit to the ruins, he had encountered a powerful domain creature resembling a Scarlet Eye, nearly losing his life.
Although the future had already shifted slightly due to his actions, he couldn't be certain whether this domain creature had disappeared.
It was best to remain cautious.
He continued east along streets littered with rubble and architectural debris, constantly detouring around collapsed buildings blocking his path. He lost track of how long he'd been walking.
As for the distance between him and little black, he had no idea.
He stopped to pinpoint little black's exact location.
His gaze swept across the surroundings, finally locking onto a leaning skyscraper.
After a strenuous climb to the rooftop, he peered westward.
Due to the great distance, he could only make out a rapidly moving black dot.
Just as he'd suspected, little black was relentlessly pursuing him, now on the verge of entering the city's ruins.
"This is never-ending," Feng Qi muttered, frustration simmering. "I don't even know why it's hunting me."
If you absolutely need a reason, it's probably because you're too ugly. It's unbearable to look at you. Even you despise your own appearance—imagine how little black feels! If I could escape this realm, I'd be hunting you down myself.
Feng Qi: ...
He glanced down at his reflection. Though his body now sported some muscle definition, no longer just a skeleton, he had to admit he looked monstrously hideous.
"I'm gradually transforming back into a normal human, you know," he said, slightly embarrassed.
Maybe you're turning into a muscle-bound monster. Who knows with these things?
"Shut up!"
Alright, future muscle-bound monster!
Feng Qi: ...
Feng Qi glanced up to confirm little black's location, then nimbly climbed down the high-rise and sprinted along the street.
He had no idea where he was going.
All that mattered was avoiding capture by little black. Losing this game of hide-and-seek would cost him a million credits—a price he couldn't afford.
Even if death was inevitable, he had to use up his remaining cultivation technique access attempts. Otherwise, he'd die with regrets.
After running for over ten minutes, Feng Qi suddenly stopped.
His gaze swept forward, revealing a massive, rhinoceros-like creature with a single horn lying across the corner.
Its eyes were half-closed, and a rune crystal embedded in its horn glowed faintly beneath the Blood Moon.
He retreated several steps, preparing to turn and leave quietly.
But then the sleeping domain creature's nose twitched, and it abruptly opened its fist-sized Scarlet Eyes, locking its gaze on him.
The consequence of not showering: you stink.
"Shut up!"
With a furious roar, Feng Qi spun around and fled.
The rhinoceros-like domain creature shook itself awake, rose to its feet with a deafening bellow, and charged after him.
The ground trembled violently.
The Single-Horned Domain Creature possessed immense strength. Feng Qi had planned to use the terrain to evade it, but the creature unexpectedly rammed into the building behind him, causing it to collapse. The falling debris nearly buried him alive.
Unable to fight it and too slow to outrun it, Feng Qi felt death closing in.
Suddenly, he remembered his previous encounter with the Scarlet Eye.
Back then, little black's timely appearance had saved him, allowing him to retreat safely to the Star City Shelter.
With this thought in mind, Feng Qi narrowly dodged another charge from the Single-Horned Domain Creature and abruptly changed direction, sprinting toward little black's location.
Life and death are predetermined; wealth and fortune are decreed by fate.
If I'm going to die anyway, I might as well go down fighting.
"Little black, I'm coming!"
During his desperate sprint, Feng Qi narrowly escaped death several times. The most harrowing moment came when the Single-Horned Domain Creature's gaping maw loomed less than half a meter from his head.
Fortunately, the creature's massive size made its turns sluggish, giving Feng Qi brief opportunities to maneuver.
But this was no long-term strategy. One direct hit would mean certain death.
After sprinting continuously, Feng Qi felt his muscles aching all over.
Just as he was about to collapse from exhaustion, a figure shrouded in black mist materialized nearby.
The domain creature pursuing Feng Qi immediately noticed little black's arrival. It abruptly halted its chase, but its massive momentum carried it forward several meters, leaving deep gouges in the ground.
"Roar!"
The Single-Horned Domain Creature seemed deeply wary of little black, unleashing a menacing roar and shifting its full attention to the newcomer.
In response to the creature's challenge, little black maintained its cold, impassive demeanor, approaching Feng Qi at a steady pace.
The Single-Horned Domain Creature roared again, as if provoked, pawing the ground and lowering its head before charging forward.
Sensing the danger, Feng Qi dove to the right without hesitation.
Fortunately, the creature's target was never him, allowing him to narrowly evade the violent collision.
After tumbling to the ground and regaining his footing, he turned to see the Single-Horned Domain Creature already bearing down on little black. The rune crystal-embedded horn slammed into little black's body with tremendous force.
Boom!
With a deafening crash, little black was sent flying backward.
Just when Feng Qi thought little black was about to be sent flying, something miraculous happened.
The black mist enveloping little black's body suddenly expanded and spread out, transforming into a dark cloud. Then, in an instant, it coalesced back into its original form at the exact spot where it had stood, completely neutralizing the impact of the violent collision.
"Damn, that move was awesome!"
Realizing that physical attacks were useless against little black, Feng Qi's eyes widened before he decisively turned and fled.
Now was the perfect moment to escape. If he waited until little black annihilated the Single-Horned Domain Creature, he'd be next.
As he sprinted down the street, intending to head straight for the Star City Shelter, he discovered the entire road ahead was covered in a dense web of writhing, purple vines. These vines seemed alive, with a viscous fluid visibly flowing through their interiors.
Feng Qi's arrival shattered the eerie stillness. The vines twisted and writhed, slowly advancing toward his position.
Cursing under his breath at the relentless domain creature encounters, he had no choice but to turn and sprint eastward again.
Along the way, he noticed that the further east he went, the more frequently domain creatures appeared.
Barely escaping the vine's pursuit and without a moment's rest, he was immediately attacked by a three-meter-tall hellhound.
Fleeing his pursuers, he dove straight into a dilapidated residential complex.
The complex was overgrown with moss and thorny weeds, more resembling a primeval jungle than a residential area.
He jogged to the third floor and kicked open a door on the left side of the corridor, ducking inside.
To be safe, he decided to hide in the complex for the time being, waiting for the outside to quiet down before venturing out to scout the situation.
Looking around, he found the room thick with dust and cobwebs, utterly chaotic. Dark red stains marked the cracked floor, the metal appliances were rusted, and the food in the refrigerator had rotted into ash at the slightest touch.
After searching the room, he discovered that the only usable item was a fountain pen made of an unknown material.
With nothing else to do, Feng Qi sat down on the floor by the window.
This was the longest he had ever survived in the Dream Realm. He couldn't help but feel anxious about how much longer he could last.
As time passed, a torrential downpour suddenly began. Dark clouds obscured the Blood Moon, plunging the world into darkness.
Thunder roared and lightning flashed outside.
Unsure whether the hellhound had left, he huddled in a corner of the room, listening intently for any movement outside.
A bolt of purple lightning streaked across the sky, followed by a deafening thunderclap. The sky lit up momentarily, illuminating the room with a blinding flash.
In that brief moment of light, Feng Qi suddenly noticed a small, humanoid figure sitting to his left. But before he could get a good look, darkness enveloped him again.
"What the hell is that?!"
Maybe it's just a big rat!
Feng Qi: ???
In the darkness, he sensed the slender figure to his left slowly approaching him. Then, it suddenly wrapped its arms around his left arm, sending a wave of icy coldness through him that made him shiver uncontrollably.
"I... I'm scared!" the figure whispered in a childish voice.
Hearing the familiar language, Feng Qi's composure shattered. He turned to his right, his voice trembling, and said, "Kid, I'm even more scared than you are! I'm pretty sure I was the only one in this room."
Ooh, could this be a ghost? Do domain creatures even have ghosts? That's terrifying!
Feng Qi: ...
The Narrator's sarcastic commentary only heightened his anxiety. He couldn't help but shout angrily, "Shut up! I'm not scared!"
(End of the Chapter)
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