Black Abyss Island, Southern Coast.
The sun dipped low on the horizon, casting a golden glow over the sandy shore.
Waves rolled in rhythmically, their gentle crashes interrupted by the frantic flapping of startled seabirds fleeing the beach.
The Mist Lord, now fully awake, stood with a cold expression, holding Feng Qi in one arm. His sharp gaze locked onto the crowd of several hundred Domain Weak Tribe warriors gathered in front of him.
In his heart, he had already decided their fates.
The sudden awakening of the Mist Lord left the assembled warriors visibly stunned. However, none made a move to retreat.
They still underestimated his true power, not knowing the extent of the threat he posed.
Their greedy eyes fixed on the green bracelet now securely fastened around the Mist Lord's right wrist.
The phrase "a man dies for wealth as a bird dies for food" applied even in the world of Domain forces. For these weak tribes struggling for survival, the lure of a miracle item was irresistible.
For them, this was an opportunity they could not afford to miss.
But before they could act, the Mist Lord, brimming with unrestrained fury, struck first.
From his back, tendrils of gray mist lashed out violently, each one piercing into the bodies of the warriors. Wherever the tendrils touched, the warriors' lifeblood was drained in an instant.
But that was only the beginning.
When the Mist Lord had vowed to make them "wish for death," it was no idle threat.
Shrouded in the gray mist, the drained corpses of the fallen warriors began to transform. Spiritual forms emerged, encapsulated in swirling gray energy.
The Mist Lord's control over the mist prevented their spiritual forms from dissipating. Instead, the energy nurtured and reshaped their consciousness into a new, ghastly existence.
In moments, the slain warriors were reanimated as spectral figures, their bodies translucent and wreathed in dim light.
The gray mist churned, releasing countless wailing phantoms. These vengeful spirits latched onto the newly created specters, dragging them deeper into the fog.
Within the mist, they would endure endless torment on a spiritual level.
The Mist Lord's wrath was absolute, and his power erupted without reservation.
The once-serene southern beach of Black Abyss Island was now veiled in a suffocating gray mist. The remaining Domain Weak Tribe warriors finally realized the horrifying truth—they had no chance against him.
Panic set in, but it was too late to flee.
The gray mist sea engulfed the entire area, a domain wholly under the Mist Lord's control. Here, he was the master of life and death.
The few warriors still struggling against the encroaching mist screamed in despair.
The Mist Lord clenched his fist, and with a sickening sound, the blood within their bodies reversed its flow. Their taut forms collapsed as blood seeped from their pores, and their bloodshot eyes bulged grotesquely.
One by one, the last surviving warriors succumbed to the Mist Lord's suffocating power.
Even their consciousness could not escape.
Their spirits were bound and transformed into eternal prisoners, doomed to be devoured by the spirits of the Mist Lord's fallen kin within the mist.
As the gray mist finally receded, night had fully fallen.
The sky was speckled with sparse stars, the moon casting a faint silver glow.
The Mist Lord reformed from the dissipating mist, his figure tall and imposing.
Turning, he looked at Feng Qi, suspended midair and shrouded in a cocoon of gray mist. His unconscious body was battered and broken, barely alive.
With a wave of his hand, concentrated vitality emanated from the Mist Lord's palm.
This energy had been extracted from the blood of the hundreds of warriors he had slain, refined into pure essence.
The Mist Lord approached Feng Qi and pressed the sphere of essence against his chest.
The liquid energy seeped into Feng Qi's body, coursing through his veins, repairing torn muscles and knitting together shattered bones.
The healing process was meticulous and prolonged. Only when all of Feng Qi's external wounds had healed did the Mist Lord retract his hand.
However, his gaze fell on Feng Qi's left arm—or what was left of it.
The arm was beyond saving, its internal structure completely destroyed during the battle. Even with the purified essence, regeneration was impossible.
Without hesitation, the Mist Lord tore away the lifeless arm.
Using the residual vitality energy, he began constructing a new arm for Feng Qi.
The process was seamless. A glowing crimson arm, forged from pure essence, formed at the point of amputation, fusing perfectly with Feng Qi's body.
Gradually, the red arm solidified into a lifelike limb.
Satisfied with his work, the Mist Lord turned his attention toward the rainforest beyond the beach.
With the miracle item secured, the Mist Lord had no intention of prolonging the battle unnecessarily.
However, abandoning the Third Death Star Combat Brigade was not an option. This unit would be instrumental in his future plans and growth.
Determined, he hoisted the still-unconscious Feng Qi onto his back and strode into the dense rainforest.
His figure darted through the greenery, moving swiftly among the tightly packed foliage. Meanwhile, his consciousness extended outward, combing the terrain for traces to locate the encampment of the Humanoid Tribe.
An hour later, the Mist Lord emerged from the rainforest, arriving at the perimeter of the Humanoid Tribe's encampment.
The battle was nearing its end.
Without their leader and the power of the miracle item to support them, the remaining Humanoid Tribe warriors were no match for the United Combat Brigade. The tide of the battle had turned completely.
After a grueling day and night of combat, the tribe's remaining forces were broken in spirit.
Faced with the inevitability of defeat and death, many Humanoid warriors abandoned their posts, fleeing into the rainforest with no desire to stay and defend their homeland.
The Mist Lord's return brought visible relief to the temporary commanders, who had been anxious during his absence.
They had harbored doubts about "Wang Yi"'s decision to take the Humanoid leader away. It was a risky move, after all.
But now that he was back, it meant only one thing—the Humanoid leader was dead.
Victory was finally theirs.
The battlefield was a scene of utter devastation, and the Mist Lord wasted no time in issuing orders to begin tallying the casualties.
Once the count was completed, the Mist Lord led the soldiers into the heart of the Humanoid Tribe's territory to search for resources.
Before long, a soldier came forward to report the discovery of the tribe's resource depot.
Without hesitation, the Mist Lord followed the soldier to a concealed area at the base of a mountain at the rear of the encampment.
There, a cavern entrance stood open, releasing waves of dense spiritual energy mixed with a faint herbal fragrance.
The Mist Lord stepped into the cavern.
The passage leading deeper into the mountain was clearly artificial, its walls and floor showing marks of deliberate excavation. Embedded spirit stones provided illumination at regular intervals, casting a pale glow.
After advancing about 50 meters, the tunnel turned sharply, revealing a resource treasure trove.
Inside, the cavern was brimming with riches. Beyond the abundant spiritual plants and spirit stones, there were numerous body parts of Domain Beasts, ideal materials for crafting weapons and equipment.
The most striking sight was a massive skeletal specimen of a giant beast, displayed prominently in the center of the cavern. Its colossal frame spanned almost the entire resource chamber.
Resources of all kinds were haphazardly scattered throughout, creating a scene of overwhelming abundance.
The Mist Lord's gaze lingered on the spiritual resources, their crystalline surfaces glimmering with energy, radiating waves of spiritual power. A rare smile crossed his face.
This resource cache was undoubtedly the result of the Humanoid Tribe's careful accumulation over countless years.
But now, it all belonged to them.
The Mist Lord issued orders to begin the collection and cataloging of the resources. Soldiers moved in without delay, sorting and hauling the materials while keeping meticulous records.
According to their prior agreement, 10% of the resources would be set aside as compensation for fallen soldiers.
After leaving the cavern, the Mist Lord checked on Feng Qi, still lying unconscious on his back. Confirming that Feng Qi's condition was stable, he turned his gaze toward the waterfall at the rear of the camp.
Behind the cascading water was a path leading to the center of the Black Abyss Domain Field.
There was a strong possibility that the domain's spatial crystal was located there.
However, destroying the Black Abyss Domain Field entirely was not part of the plan. This mission's primary objective was the acquisition of the miracle item.
With that goal achieved, venturing deeper into the domain field's central region could invite unnecessary risks.
Who knew what other intelligent Domain Tribes might be residing in the Black Abyss Domain Field?
The limited exploration of this domain field meant there was no conclusive evidence that the Humanoid Tribe was its only intelligent species.
Taking out a communicator, the Mist Lord began coordinating the transport and inventory of the resources.
Hours passed.
Under the dim light of the night, campfires dotted the Humanoid Tribe's encampment.
Exhausted soldiers continued to sort the spoils of war. Some were tasked with preparing the evening meal.
It took hours of hard work before the resource cache was completely emptied.
The spiritual resources were gathered in the central clearing of the Humanoid camp, forming a towering pile of riches.
The Mist Lord finally gave the order to begin the evening meal.
Hungry and weary, the soldiers eagerly devoured their rations.
After the meal, they used vines from the rainforest to bind the spiritual resources into bundles, securing them to their backs.
Many soldiers carried loads several times their own body weight, but their determination never faltered.
With the resources secured, the Mist Lord led the group back along the path they had taken to arrive.
After half a day's trek, the troop finally emerged from the dense rainforest.
Although the Mist Lord inwardly found the soldiers' movements unbearably slow, he kept these thoughts to himself. On the surface, he even helped the warriors bear some of the burdens, maintaining an air of calm leadership.
By the time they reached the beach, it was already two in the afternoon.
Despite the efforts to load all the spiritual resources onto the warships and battleships, Feng Qi remained unconscious throughout.
As nightfall approached, the fleet finally set sail.
Several hours later, the fleet crossed the barrier of the Black Abyss Domain Field, leaving its confines behind.
Outside, the night was pitch-black.
Exhausted soldiers, unable to resist the weight of their fatigue, sprawled haphazardly across the decks of the warships and battleships, falling into a deep slumber.
Before long, the sound of snores filled the night air.
The navigation of the fleet, however, was managed by personnel who had not participated in the mission and remained on standby earlier.
Cutting through the waves, the warships traveled steadily until they reached the war harbor by dawn the following morning.
During the journey, the Mist Lord had already contacted the brigade headquarters to provide a briefing on the mission's outcome.
As the fleet approached the port, horns blared continuously.
Other warships and battleships docked at the harbor joined in, their horns ringing out as a salute to the fleet's triumphant return.
The blaring horns awakened the slumbering soldiers, who groggily opened their eyes to realize they had finally arrived home.
At Dock One, brigade headquarters staff had been awaiting their arrival in advance.
As the Mist Lord descended the gangway, a staff member stepped forward.
"Commander Wang Yi, congratulations on your victorious return…"
The staff member's enthusiastic words of congratulations were cut short as the Mist Lord frowned slightly.
"If there's anything you need to discuss, take it up with my assistant. I have other matters to attend to."
Hearing this, the staff member's face turned awkward, but he wisely retreated to the side.
The Mist Lord turned his gaze toward the now-docked fleet. Taking out his communicator, he began issuing instructions for unloading the cargo.
As batch after batch of spiritual resources was unloaded, the staff from brigade headquarters could only watch with mouths agape, refraining from stepping forward again.
Under normal circumstances, domain combat brigades processed their spoils of war at the docks.
Much like fishing boats returning to harbor, where seafood merchants gathered to negotiate purchase prices, the domain combat brigades coordinated with city supply officials to handle their resources.
Representatives from various cities negotiated prices or corresponding benefits, supervised by professional staff from the brigade headquarters, who facilitated these exchanges without charging any fees.
Typically, domain combat brigades left behind a portion of their resources while selling the majority.
After all, money remained the most versatile currency. It could be used to purchase resources, weapons, and equipment from research institutes at a later time.
However, this time, the Mist Lord had no intention of selling any of the resources.
Although converting them to funds could secure high-end equipment from research institutes, he valued the spiritual resources themselves far more.
Once the unloading was complete, the staff cautiously approached to inquire, but the Mist Lord decisively rejected their overtures.
After dividing the resources among the various brigades, he instructed the warriors of the Third Death Star Combat Brigade to take their share of the spiritual resources.
As for what the other brigades chose to do with their resources—whether to sell them or keep them—it was no longer his concern.
After a long journey, the Mist Lord and his men finally returned to the Third Death Star Combat Brigade's manor.
Once there, he ordered the spiritual resources to be stored in the estate's resource depot. He then carried the still-unconscious Feng Qi back to his residence.
Gently laying Feng Qi on the sofa, the Mist Lord placed a hand on his forehead.
Scarlet energy flowed from the Mist Lord's palm into Feng Qi's body, thoroughly examining his condition.
Moments later, the Mist Lord withdrew his hand, a trace of relief on his face.
Feng Qi's body had mostly recovered, and there were no longer any major issues.
Reassured, the Mist Lord left the residence, letting Feng Qi rest.
Two days later, Feng Qi slowly opened his eyes.
The first thing he saw was a familiar ceiling.
After a moment of confusion, he sat up, only to notice the Mist Lord seated nearby, legs crossed and watching him with a smirk.
Feng Qi's gaze drifted to the green bracelet on the Mist Lord's wrist, and he immediately realized that the mission had been a success.
Curiosity sparked within him as he wondered about the miracle item's true abilities.
"You're awake?" The Mist Lord broke the silence with a grin.
"Yeah… How long was I out?"
"Three and a half days."
Feng Qi nodded in acknowledgment. Just as he was about to respond, he instinctively raised his left arm—and froze.
The sight of his entirely blood-red left arm left him momentarily speechless.
"My left hand… What happened to it?"
"It was destroyed. I made you a new one. How does it feel?" The Mist Lord's grin widened mischievously.
Feng Qi's expression turned to stunned disbelief. Memories of the brutal battle on the beach flashed through his mind, including the moment his left arm had been completely shattered.
He moved his new left arm experimentally before fixing his gaze on the Mist Lord.
"This looks awful! Can't you make me a better one?"
The Mist Lord: …