Oblivious to the string of changes he had initiated in his old universe, Alex was locked in his first fight after descending to this world—via questionable rituals no one had warned him about, a cultivation technique that would brand him a heretic (or worse, demonic) if discovered by any cultivator, and his own personal node that might make even ascended divines jealous enough to hunt him down.
Seeing the spear inching towards his neck, Instead of overreacting, Alex simply raised his wrist to block the spear's central shaft after activating Shadow Body with just 5 mana. When the spear struck his hand, it rang like a bell, making Gao Yong's arm sting as if he'd hit a metal pole.
Alex let the treasure chest fall to the ground and stood, seizing the spear shaft just below its sharp edge. Before his enemy could process what happened, he yanked hard on the spear, pulling Gao Yong forward, then punched with his left fist—producing a satisfying crunch and launching the man several meters back, spear grip lost.
Swinging the now-free spear and gripping it like a javelin, Alex readied a throw to end Gao's pathetic life. Before he could release it, the other guard shouted for him to stop. Alex paused to glance over, but the raw anger in the man's eyes told him there'd be no resolution short of death. To these types, commoners' lives were worth less than cattle—they wouldn't hesitate to kill.
He finished his swing and hurled the spear. Still reeling from the punch's impact in his ears, Gao Yong never saw it coming. The tip pierced his heart, pinning him to the ground and ending him instantly.
"Nooo! You bastard—do you have any idea who we are? You'll be hunted down no matter where you hide once our family hears of this!" A hoarse voice bellowed. Alex turned to see a punch rocketing toward his face.
Uncle Peng had launched himself with speed beyond the mortal realm, forcing Alex to sense real threat. He activated Shadow Body with 20 mana and raised his hand to guard. This was the only skill at a low enough level to avoid major side effects even at Lv.0—thanks to his cultivation. Immortal Body, his highest-level skill, had knocked him out for a full day last time (maybe multiple days, given how much he'd regenerated upon waking in the forest).
A thin layer of shadow-like gray smoke coated his body. Uncle Peng's felt like he punched cotton, but to Alex, it hit like a hammer—his forearm throbbing with pain.
Alex stared in disbelief. Peng's cultivation was only mortal realm, yet the punch's power rivaled Core Formation—two full realms above. Without Shadow Body, his hand might not have stayed intact.
He eyed Peng Hai doubtfully, but saw even greater surprise on the man's face. Does he have a level high enough to rival Golden Core? This could get really dangerous, Alex thought.
He didn't want to use Immortal Body again—not after he had barely recovered from the last time he used it. It was a trump card, but the downtime wasn't viable right now. He'd save it for life-threatening injuries only.
"How... how are you still alright? That punch could easly kill a 9th level Foundation Establishment cultivator!" Peng Hai demanded, voice trembling.
"Haha, old man—you're really underestimating me. Do you think I'll be that easy to deal with?" Alex taunted back.
"Kid, the moment you killed a Yang family guard, you sealed your fate. Gao Yong only died because he was unprepared. He'd have crushed your unusual strength if he'd been on guard. Now, prepare to die." Peng Hai snatched up the spear he carried on his back, readying for combat.
"Come—show me what your puny mortal realm strength can do. I'll pay a visit to this Yang family for an explanation after I kill you."
"Truly the folly of youth. You think you'll walk away alive? Survive this first: Spear Art, 3rd Step—Howl of Death!"
Alex got serious. Despite the taunts, his guard was already up. He drew a Core Formation-level treasure spear from storage and braced to block Peng Hai's strike.
The attack came from above. Alex held his spear overhead with both hands. When Peng Hai's tip landed, Alex's arms went numb, legs bending to absorb the overwhelming force.
"Ugh... heavy."
Peng Hai pressed the assault, each strike growing more powerful until Alex had to dodge or redirect rather than block head-on.
An ominous energy gathered around Peng Hai's body. As the fight dragged on, Alex sensed him weakening—aging rapidly. Whatever technique let him fight two realms above was taking a brutal toll.
But Alex held no advantage. His body was riddled with injuries after 100s of exchange. He couldn't dodge every attack perfectly, and the ones that connected hurt far worse than expected.
Shadow Body's duration had ended, and he lacked mana to recast it—though he held 10 now, he wanted to keep it for Immortal Body in case of emergancy.