Eldritch Horror Theatre

Now that was the basic professionalism of a seasoned veteran!

Fu Qian could guarantee that the Old Man had known the title Dayun Mingwang for ten hours at most, yet the man could still express his long-standing admiration without batting an eye.

Even in the face of the unceremonious punch swung his way, Fu Qian found himself highly appreciative of the act.

Besides, the Old Man was a Tier 4 Transcendent, possessing the highest Rank among the group.

Such a resolute strike proved these big shots had reached a solid consensus regarding their operation: they would crush this troublemaking psychopath with maximum efficiency, ensuring Jiang En’s ritual remained undisturbed.

And that seemingly ordinary fist turned golden and heavy in the blink of an eye, looking as though it had been cast from bronze.

Coupled with his immortal-like demeanor—and aimed at a target like Fu Qian, who currently reeked of cured ham—the entire scene looked exactly like a classic depiction of a master seeking to subdue demons and eradicate evil.

In fact, the fist did seem to carry some sort of mental influence. A single glance made one involuntarily want to give up resisting.

Someone with weaker willpower would have likely surrendered already and accepted their punishment.

Unfortunately, that was just the effect Fu Qian had deduced based on his senses. That kind of emotion could never manifest in him.The next moment, the Old Man’s dead-certain punch struck empty air.

His target had appeared behind his original position in some incomprehensible manner, completely dodging the blow.

”A well-deserved reputation! The Wisdom King truly has countless tricks up his sleeve!”

The Old Man showed no sign of disappointment. Instead, he let out a long sigh.

”What a pity. If you were willing to accept our invitation, your future achievements would be limitless with our help.”

”I accept.”

Before the Old Man could even finish speaking, Fu Qian cut in.

”...You accept?”

This entirely unexpected stance nearly broke the Old Man’s transcendent composure.

”I do.”

Fu Qian’s tone sounded exceptionally sincere.

”You and Danetta are in the same group, right? I went back yesterday and thought about it carefully. Even though he was interrupted halfway through, he made a lot of sense, so I’m ready to accept the invitation.”

”The Wisdom King is joking. How could a person as exceptionally talented and proud as you ever care for our meager inspiration?”

Just as the Old Man was left completely speechless, a much more familiar voice rang out.

Fu Qian looked up and saw none other than Danetta, who had previously faked his death to escape.

The man was standing on the roof of a nearby building, already taking aim at him with a Hand Crossbow that radiated a dawn-like glow.

And he wasn’t the only one.

Near Danetta, and surrounding Fu Qian in every direction, nearly twenty Mid-Tier Transcendents sat or stood, completely boxing off the area.

Not only that, but everyone shared the same indescribable aura of holiness and purity as the Old Man, forming a stark contrast to Fu Qian.

They were all here!

A single sweep of his gaze told Fu Qian that every single participant from yesterday’s Underground gathering had shown up.

Sure enough, Brother Danetta was merely one of them.

But he was the only one who hadn’t appeared at the trade fair...

Worried about being recognized?

”Are you a little surprised to see me again?”

As Fu Qian pondered this, Danetta let out a smug smile.

”Just a bit.”

Trading words with Fu Qian was tantamount to seeking death. The very next moment, Fu Qian let out a cold snort.

”A defeated loser who couldn’t even win with a sneak attack actually has the nerve to show his face before me again. The thickness of your skin—now that is what I find a bit surprising.”

”Stop wasting words on him. The Night Watchers could discover us at any moment.”

Under Fu Qian’s scathing review, Danetta’s expression faltered. Someone in the crowd was already urging him on.

”I know.”

Gritting his teeth slightly, Danetta stared at Fu Qian—who was looking toward the source of the voice—and sneered.

”After hearing that, is the Wisdom King planning to stall for time? Believe me, it’s completely pointless.”

He pointed to their surroundings.

”Do you smell that strange scent? Don’t worry, it’s just your body slowly rotting away.”

”This is the Flaying Realm, fortified by our collective will. Everyone who enters it can stare straight into their own filth. Escaping won’t be easy.”

Flaying Realm?

So everyone else was a stinking bag of flesh, while this group paraded around looking like Saints?

Calling it the targeted Skin Tempering Realm would be much more fitting.

Internal quips aside, Danetta hadn’t lied. The intensity of this bizarre domain was genuinely impressive, even carrying a trace of divinity.

As for the rotting, while he could definitely feel a negative concept eroding his state, at this speed, Fu Qian figured he could keep rotting for a good six months to a year without issue.

”Of course, your little trick just now was quite interesting. Unfortunately, what comes next won’t be a fair, one-on-one duel.”

Fu Qian didn’t say a word, which only made Danetta act even more full of himself.

”My apologies. Even though we think highly of the Wisdom King, now is simply not the appropriate time. We can only express our deep regrets.”

The Old Man, who had been the first to strike, chimed in with an entirely flat tone.

Not the appropriate time? That wording was a bit bizarre.

Fu Qian gave a slight nod, looking at the crowd surrounding him.

”Come at me together. Why would I fear the likes of you?”

He really was courting death...

His rampant arrogance undoubtedly provoked the crowd of big shots. Instantly, a streak of black light shot forward.

With Danetta taking the lead, the group unleashed their ultimate techniques, seeking to subdue demons and eradicate evil.

Unfortunately, every single attack—including another punch from the Old Man—struck empty air once again.

In the face of the Blood Crusade, unless they had a lock-on at Chaumont’s level, hitting Fu Qian was simply far too difficult.

As his figure vanished once more, Fu Qian reappeared entirely without warning right beside Danetta, clamping his hand firmly onto the man’s head.

Unexpectedly, however, Danetta—a man who was about to die—showed no fear on his face whatsoever. He even pulled the trigger of his Hand Crossbow again.

An incompletely formed Black Arrow exploded between him and Fu Qian. At the same time, numerous other attacks blanketed the area; the rest of the group hadn’t considered Danetta’s survival in the slightest.

Naturally, Fu Qian wasn’t going to hold back. As his five fingers clamped shut like iron pincers, his figure vanished once more amid the sweet crunch of a shattering skull.

Of course, he had still been grazed by some of the attacks. By the time he reappeared, his Custom Trench Coat was already riddled with holes.

”I knew you’d come.”

Opposite him stood Danetta—his face was covered in bloody marks, yet his head was perfectly intact.

”You know nothing about true power.”

Finally, things were getting a bit interesting.

Fu Qian watched the scene unfold with immense satisfaction.

If all they had was the Skin Tempering Realm and a righteous gang-beating, it would be a severe letdown after all his previous preparations and acting.

He had undoubtedly crushed Danetta’s skull just a moment ago, yet the man had returned to normal in the blink of an eye. Truly miraculous!

As for how he did it?

Fu Qian shifted his gaze in another direction, locking onto an older woman.

If he wasn’t mistaken, that had to be the woman who sold the Toothed Throat to Jiang En.

Right now, Laywoman Tooth-Throat’s face was similarly covered in a dense web of bloody marks, looking exactly as if her head had been shattered and glued back together.

Looking further out, she wasn’t even the only one. Hers was simply the worst case.

Damage Transfer? Soul Chains?

The connections within this group were far closer than ordinary.