Ling Cage, pick up Lu Mingfei at the start.

Perhaps because the entire village is nestled within a modified mountain cave system, Dragonbone Village maintains a comfortable, constant temperature, and even though it's the end of June, it doesn't feel hot at all.

Lu Mingfei walked along the side of the street. He was excited after getting the weapon, but when he looked down at his black trench coat, he felt that he should be a bit aloof to appear stylish. Boss Bai had said he looked good, and Uncle Belikov had also praised his style. So, he deliberately kept his face tense and even his eyes, which were usually filled with joy, were kept calm. He looked into the empty space in front of him and walked with steady and even steps, trying to create a handsome and dashing image of "leaving without a trace after accomplishing his task, keeping his name and identity hidden."

But if someone pays close attention, they will see that Lu Mingfei's right hand is tightly gripping a short black metal rod, and his thumb is occasionally gently stroking the delicate spiral patterns on it. Each stroke reveals his surprise, which contrasts with his deliberately aloof demeanor.

"Lu Mingfei!"

A clear and familiar female voice pierced through the not-too-noisy background noise of the street and came from behind her.

Lu Mingfei paused, trying to maintain his aloof demeanor, and slowly turned around. In the corner of his eye, he first saw a magnificent little falcon flapping its wings and flying along the eaves. Then, a lively and cute girl with short hair came into view—Ulan Maiduo.

She stood not far away, her neat short hair, perhaps imitating Bai Yuekui's hairstyle, gleaming in the sunlight from the cave ceiling. Her face wore a familiar, warm, and bright smile, like a sunflower, as she waved vigorously at him.

Today she was wearing a light-colored training outfit that allowed for easy movement, and a small bag containing her travel gear was slung over her shoulder.

Lu Mingfei's lips curled up unconsciously, and he wanted to wave and greet him, but when he remembered that he was supposed to be aloof today, he lowered his hand and tried to suppress the smile.

Maido trotted over, and Chagai circled halfway above her head before landing back on her outstretched arm guard. She curiously looked at Lu Mingfei, her gaze first drawn to his unusually handsome attire, her eyes widening slightly, before settling on his tightly clenched right hand—the black metal short rod was all too familiar to her.

"Wow, Lu Mingfei, you look so handsome today! I almost didn't recognize you!" Mai Duo said with a grin, then her gaze locked onto the short stick, her tone congratulatory, "You... just came from Uncle Belikov's? Got the new weapon I customized for you?"

"But why are you so serious?" Maido asked, looking at him with a puzzled expression.

Cold and aloof? Holding back? In front of a familiar person like Mai Duo, who seemed to have a built-in sunshine effect, Lu Mingfei's hard-earned "prestige" melted away like thin ice in the warm sun. The calm expression he had deliberately maintained on his face instantly crumbled, and the corners of his mouth involuntarily turned up, and his eyes lit up as well.

"Oh, this... I got the weapon!" Lu Mingfei was too embarrassed to explain to her why he had kept a straight face, so he quickly returned to the previous question. His excitement could no longer be concealed, and the last bit of his aloofness was thrown to the winds.

He proudly displayed the short stick in his right hand, showing it to Maido with a dazzling smile. "Look, the same Six Harmony Spear as yours! But Uncle Belikov said it was specially adjusted based on my measurements!"

Maido took the short stick. Its weight made her raise an eyebrow slightly. She expertly checked the joints and locking mechanism, then ran her fingers over the fine, dark grooves, her eyes revealing professional appreciation: "Not bad, it feels very solid. The balance point should be adjusted, making it more suitable for applying force. The high-voltage electric pulse system should also be installed, right?"

"Of course I'm including it! How could I forget this!" Lu Mingfei nodded repeatedly, wishing he could demonstrate it on the spot, but remembering that the Golden Eyes might uncontrollably pop out, he held back and just watched Mai Duo operate it with bright eyes.

Maido handed the short stick back to him, then suddenly blinked, an idea popping into her head. She looked Lu Mingfei up and down, especially at his shoulders, which were noticeably broader than a few months ago, and a challenging smile appeared on her face: "New gun in hand, just holding it and looking at it isn't enough. How about it, interested... in coming with me to Dingmao Peak for a sparring match? So you and your new partner can get to know each other better."

A friendly competition? And Maido?

Lu Mingfei's heart skipped a beat. Of course he wanted to try out this new gun! What's more, his opponent was Mai Duo, the one who taught him the basics of marksmanship and the most familiar expert using similar weapons. What could be better than a real-world sparring match to test a new weapon and understand his current strength?

Dingmao Peak, located on the upper level of the cave system, is connected by an old-fashioned but smoothly operating large freight elevator. At a high altitude, it is connected to the outside world, and the temperature is much lower than inside the village. It is also covered with snow that never melts all year round. The air is crisp and cold, and the view is wide open, making it an ideal place for high-intensity training or training that requires a spacious area.

As the elevator steadily ascended with a hum, Lu Mingfei focused most of his attention on his new weapon and the upcoming battle. He repeatedly twirled the short stick in his hand, feeling the center of gravity and simulating exertion. Occasionally, he would look up at the gradually shrinking village scenery outside the elevator, taking deep breaths of the increasingly cold air, trying to calm his somewhat rapid heartbeat.

"bite--"

As the elevator doors slid open, a gust of icy wind immediately rushed in, invigorating Lu Mingfei. There was the familiar white snow and the long stone road stretching into the distance. The distant snow-capped mountains shimmered with dazzling white light under the sun, and the sky was an extremely high and clear blue.

It's so quiet here that only the sound of the wind can be heard.

"Here it is." Maido walked to the center of a wide platform and carefully placed her small bag and the arm guards supporting Chagai in a dry corner. Chagai seemed to know what his owner was going to do, and stood obediently on the bag, his sharp eyes watching the scene.

Maiduo turned to face Lu Mingfei, her smile fading slightly, replaced by the focus and seriousness of a warrior. With a flick of her wrist, the short stick, similar in shape to the one Lu Mingfei held, slid into her palm. With a few crisp "clicks," the mechanism swiftly extended and locked, transforming into a gleaming silver spear. The spearhead pointed diagonally at the ground, and she lowered her body slightly, assuming a standard starting stance.

"Lu Mingfei, don't hold back. Let me see just how much skill you've acquired during this time." Her voice was exceptionally clear on the vast snow-capped peak, like a teacher testing a student.

Lu Mingfei also put aside all distracting thoughts. He imitated Mai Duo, gripped both ends of the short stick with both hands, twisted and swung it forcefully, "Click! Click! Click!" The black metal parts slid smoothly, unfolded and locked, and a six-section spear with a matte dark gray body and a bluish-black tip was in his hand. It was heavier and longer than Mai Duo's silver spear, and its lines were sharper and more fierce.

He recalled all the key points that Maido had taught him: feet neither too far apart, center of gravity lowered, back straight, arms naturally raised, spear tip slightly forward, eyes locked on the opponent, the cold shaft of the spear pressed against his palm, the fine spiral pattern providing an excellent grip, as if it were an extension of his arm.

"Please advise me, Maido," Lu Mingfei said in a deep voice, taking a deep breath of the cold air.

Without any unnecessary formalities, Mai Duo's eyes narrowed, and with a slight thud on the stone ground beneath her feet, she charged forward like an arrow released from a bow! The silver spear tip sliced ​​through the cold air with a sharp screech, aiming straight for Lu Mingfei's center. Fast, accurate, and steady, without any fancy moves, it was the most basic thrust, yet her speed and power revealed a foundation honed through countless trials.

Lu Mingfei dared not be negligent. He twisted his waist and turned his hips, and the black spear in his hand swept out diagonally from bottom to top like a black dragon swinging its tail, accurately striking the silver spear three inches below the spearhead.

"clang--!"

A crisp, resounding metallic clang exploded instantly, shattering the silence of the snow-capped peak and echoing far and wide. A considerable force came from the gun barrel, causing Lu Mingfei's arm to go slightly numb, but he firmly planted his feet and stood still, even having the strength to pull the black gun back with a backhand sweep, aiming straight for Mai Duo's waist.

Mai Duo let out a soft "Eh," seemingly somewhat surprised by the force and reaction speed of Lu Mingfei's shot.

She didn't take the blow head-on. Her steps were as nimble as a butterfly flitting among flowers. With a light, gliding step, she simultaneously thrust out her silver spear like a serpent, striking and deflecting several times in quick succession. She skillfully neutralized Lu Mingfei's powerful sweeping attack. The spear tip then shot out from several angles like a venomous snake flicking its tongue, but all of them aimed at Lu Mingfei's wrist holding the spear.

The two exchanged gunshots and quickly became locked in combat.

At first, Lu Mingfei was indeed a bit flustered, after all, his marksmanship was entirely based on Mai Duo's teachings, and the other party knew his habits, possible variations, and even weaknesses in exerting force.

Maido's marksmanship was light, swift, and unpredictable. She often launched her attacks when Lu Mingfei had exhausted his old strength and had not yet generated new strength, forcing him to retreat and block repeatedly, making him look quite disheveled.

However, after a dozen or so rounds, Lu Mingfei gradually adapted to Mai Duo's rhythm and the characteristics of this new gun. He found that although his skills and experience were far inferior to Mai Duo's, he actually had a slight advantage in terms of absolute strength and reaction speed!

Mai Duo's exquisite moves and techniques of using an opponent's force against them often require more effort and more precise timing to be effective, while Lu Mingfei can often simply and brutally intercept or forcefully break through her moves by relying on his faster reaction and greater strength.

"Clang! Clang! Clang!"

The sounds of collision grew more frequent and heavier. Lu Mingfei began to try to fight back. Although his marksmanship lacked the agile beauty of Mai Duo's, it possessed a kind of domineering and forceful momentum that overcame skill with brute force.

The black gun seemed to come alive in his hands. He slashed, swept, smashed, and stabbed, each strike accompanied by a whistling sound, forcing Maido to pay more attention to dodging and deflecting force, and making it impossible for her to control the situation as calmly as she had at the beginning.

Maido's surprise grew. She clearly remembered that a few months ago, when she first taught Lu Mingfei marksmanship at the training ground, he was still a "bean sprout" who couldn't even hold a gun steadily and was even weaker than an average teenager.

But now… this heavy black spear felt as light as a feather in his hands. The recoil from each impact made her wrist ache. What on earth did this guy eat? The speed at which his strength increased was simply unbelievable!

"Good!" Mai Duo's fighting spirit intensified, and she abandoned her instructive mindset. She knew that it would be difficult to suppress Lu Mingfei, who currently had the advantage in strength and amazing learning ability, simply by relying on skills and speed.

She took a deep breath, and her footwork suddenly changed, from agile and nimble to elusive and unpredictable, her figure gliding across the snow, sometimes to the left, sometimes to the right, impossible to grasp.

The silver spear in his hand no longer sought a direct confrontation, but instead transformed into streaks of silver afterimages, attacking Lu Mingfei from all directions, targeting his blind spots, joint joints, and gaps in his power. The sound of the spear tip cutting through the air became fine and rapid, like a sudden storm.

This is Maido's true strength! She perfectly combines agile movement with precise and ruthless gun skills, like a silver reaper dancing on a knife's edge.

The pressure has increased dramatically!

Lu Mingfei immediately began to struggle. His strength advantage was greatly weakened by Mai Duo's fighting style, which gave him no chance to fight head-on. His vision was interfered with by countless silver spear shadows, his judgment was frequently wrong, and his blocks often missed. He could only dodge with difficulty. Meanwhile, Mai Duo's spear tip always appeared at the most tricky moment, forcing him to be flustered and in danger.

"This can't go on..." Lu Mingfei's forehead was covered in sweat, and his breathing became heavy. He narrowly avoided another spear aimed at his ribs, but his arm was hit by the gun barrel, and a burning pain shot through it. It seemed that defeat was only a matter of time.

If only... if only we could briefly activate that state again, like last time at the shielding tower, "something for nothing 5%".

The thought flashed through his tense mind like a drowning man grasping at a straw.

In that moment when my mind was slightly distracted and my thoughts were in disarray.

Maiduo keenly seized upon this fleeting opening! Her eyes flashed with a sharp light, and her long-prepared killing move suddenly erupted! Her feet shifted unpredictably, and her figure seemed to teleport, cutting into Lu Mingfei's left open space. Knowing that Lu Mingfei had "Don't Die," she abandoned all feints with her silver spear, pushing its speed to the limit, transforming it into a silver lightning bolt that tore through the air, aiming straight for Lu Mingfei's right shoulder, Jianjing acupoint, which was exposed due to his blocking the previous attack!

If that shot lands, it would be enough to instantly cripple his arm and end the fight.

Danger! The extreme sense of danger sent chills down Lu Mingfei's spine!

There was no time to think, no time to make any effective defensive moves. Under the pressure of a life-or-death moment, the instinct for survival overwhelmed all reason. The code hidden deep in his consciousness, like the whispered voice of Mingze in the middle of the tower, exploded in his mind—

"Something for nothing 5%...fusion!"

It felt as if some invisible switch had been violently flipped!

"boom--!"

Deep within Lu Mingfei's pupils, which had slightly contracted in shock, a blazing gold erupted like ignited volcanic lava! Instantly replacing all the black, it transformed his entire eye sockets into two small, burning suns flowing with molten gold! An indescribable, ancient, and majestic aura suddenly spread out from him, even causing the surrounding wind and snow to pause.

Time seemed to stretch out at that moment.

In Mai Duo's view, Lu Mingfei's movements underwent an inexplicable change. His body, which was originally stiff due to panic, seemed to be injected with invisible fuel and precise control programs the moment his golden pupils ignited.

Faced with her determined shot, Lu Mingfei didn't even make a large dodging movement. Instead, his right arm holding the gun was pulled inward and twisted slightly with a speed and precision that was almost impossible to detect with the naked eye!

"clang--!!!"

The explosion was ten times louder and more ear-piercing than ever before!

The shaft of the black spear struck the side of the silver spear tip at an exquisitely precise angle and timing—not a parry, but more like an interception!

Maido felt an unimaginable, overwhelming force coming from the tip of the spear! It was not the kind of power that human muscles should have. It was like a speeding truck crashing head-on into the tip of her spear. Her hand instantly split open, blood gushed out, and her entire right arm and half of her body went numb. The silver spear almost flew out of her hand!

And this is just the beginning.

Lu Mingfei's movements did not pause at all. In the same instant he deflected the silver spear, he took a step forward with his left foot, his waist tensed and twisted like a bow, and all the power in his body, the terrifying power enhanced by the Golden Eye state and some kind of mysterious rule, flowed down his spine, shoulders, and arms and poured into the black spear in his hand without reservation!

The black spear transformed into a blurry black afterimage, thrusting straight down in the simplest, most direct, and most violent way! But its speed was more than twice as fast, and its power was several times greater!

The air in front of the spear tip was even compressed into faint, visible cone-shaped ripples, emitting a shrill, ghostly wail!

This shot exceeded all of Maido's contingency plans; it was so fast that it surpassed the limits of her reflexes!

She only had time to rely on her honed fighting instincts to desperately hold the silver spear, which she could barely grip, across her chest.

"Bang--!!!!!"

It wasn't the sound of metal clashing; it sounded more like the dull thud of a heavy hammer hitting leather!

The shaft of the silver spear bent into a breathtaking arc, and then, as if struck head-on by a battering ram, Maido was sent flying backward through the air, her feet leaving the ground! The immense impact made her feel as if her internal organs had shifted, and her chest felt suffocating and about to explode.

In the critical moment, Maido displayed amazing body control and combat skills. She twisted her waist in mid-air, using the rotation to dissipate some of the force, while adjusting her center of gravity. Her eyes quickly locked onto the ground. After flying seven or eight meters, she seized the opportunity, planted her gun in the ground, and then quickly tapped and slid her feet on the stone slabs covered with a thin layer of snow. She staggered back several steps before finally managing to stand up without falling down in a sorry state.

However, each step she took backward left wet marks and tiny cracks in the hard stone slabs from the melting snow beneath her feet. When she stopped, her face was pale, her breathing was rapid and disordered, and her right wrist, which was holding the gun, hung at an unnatural angle. A sharp pain shot through her, indicating that she had suffered a severe impact during that block that exceeded her limits, and it was very likely that her wrist was fractured.

Everything happened too fast. From the flash of golden light in Lu Mingfei's eyes to Mai Duo being knocked away and staggering to her feet, it only took two or three seconds.

Chagai, perched on the edge of the platform, let out a sharp, anxious cry and flapped its wings, trying to fly over, but was barely stopped by Maido's gaze.

The gold in Lu Mingfei's eyes faded rapidly like a tide, returning to its original pitch black. He stared blankly at Mai Duo, who was pale and clutching her wrist in the distance, then looked down at the black gun in his hand, as if he couldn't believe that he had unleashed that earth-shattering attack.

Immediately, he was overwhelmed by boundless panic and lingering fear.

"Maido!!" he cried out, dropping his black gun and rushing towards Maido without regard for his own safety. The color drained from his face even faster than Maido's. "How are you?! I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to! I don't know what happened, suddenly... your hand! What happened to your hand?!"

He rushed to Maiduo and looked at her right wrist, which was obviously hanging down abnormally and trembling slightly. His eyes turned red with anxiety, and he was at a loss for what to do.

Despite the excruciating pain, Maido looked at Lu Mingfei, who was panicking like a child who had done something wrong. She recalled those eyes burning with golden flames and filled with inhuman majesty, as well as that attack that was completely beyond reason. Her feelings were extremely complicated, including shock, doubt, and a trace of lingering fear. But she did not blame him. It was not uncommon for warriors to get injured in sparring, especially since it was a sparring match that she had proposed herself.

"N-nothing...it's nothing..." Mai Duo gasped for breath, trying to move her right hand fingers. The excruciating pain made cold sweat bead on her forehead, but she still managed a reassuring smile. "It's probably a fracture in my wrist, nothing serious...hiss...but you, Lu Mingfei, what was that just now...?"

"I...I don't know either!" Lu Mingfei stammered, then suddenly remembered something, as if grasping at a straw, "That's it! I can cure it! Maiduo, don't move!"

He reached out and carefully, gently cradled Maido's injured right wrist. His hands were icy cold, and swelling was already visible. He tried to concentrate, suppressing all his panic and distracting thoughts, focusing entirely on his hands, and whispered a prayer:

"Don't die."

A warm and gentle domain, carrying the scent of spring sunshine, enveloped Mai Duo once again after a month. Lu Mingfei channeled power dozens of times stronger than when he treated Bai Yuekui's "cold," like a living warm current, slowly enveloping Mai Duo's injured wrist.

Maido felt an indescribable warmth and tingling sensation emanating from her wound. The intense pain subsided rapidly, like ice melting in the sunlight, and the swelling subsided within a few breaths. She stared in astonishment at the golden light flowing across her wrist, then looked at Lu Mingfei's fearful and tense face.

About ten seconds later, the golden light dissipated.

Lu Mingfei released her hand and looked at her anxiously: "How are you? Does it still hurt? Try moving it?"

Maido hesitated and slowly moved her wrist. It was as flexible as ever, without any stiffness or pain. She even clenched her fist tightly, feeling full of strength, as if the excruciating pain of the fracture was just an illusion.

"This...is amazing..." Maido murmured. She had experienced it once before, but she was unconscious and knew nothing about it. Now, experiencing it again, she understood the incredible power contained in the words "Don't die".

With the pain in her wrist gone, Maido's attention immediately returned to Lu Mingfei's unusual state. She walked to the side, picked up her own silver spear with a slightly bent shaft, and looked at Lu Mingfei's intact black spear on the ground, still feeling lingering fear.

"Lu Mingfei, tell me honestly," Mai Duo's expression turned serious as she walked up to him, "your eyes turned gold just now, and then your strength and speed suddenly increased. What happened? Was it the same as last time at the shielding tower? Can you control it?"

Lu Mingfei picked up his black gun, looking somewhat dejected and confused: "I... I don't know if I can control it. Your shot was too fast, I couldn't dodge it at all. In my panic, it... it was like a switch popped open on its own, a bit like the feeling in the tower last time. I also felt a lot of energy drained." He carefully considered it, and the burst of energy in those two or three seconds, combined with the energy drained from healing Maido, did indeed make him feel a slight sense of fatigue.

Maido frowned. In her mind, such a sudden and explosive improvement was undoubtedly a powerful boost, but uncontrollable abilities that consume a lot of energy often come with unknown risks.

"No, we can't be careless about this," Mai Duo said decisively, grabbing Lu Mingfei's arm that wasn't holding the gun. "Come on, let's go find Boss Bai! We have to let her see what's going on with you! What if there's some hidden danger?"

Lu Mingfei was in a state of utter confusion. Upon hearing that he was to go find Bai Yuekui, he not only didn't resist, but instead felt a sense of security and quickly nodded, "Okay, okay! Let's go find Boss Bai!"

The two didn't bother to pack up. Mai Duo folded up the bent silver spear and put it away, while Lu Mingfei put away the black spear. They hurriedly took the elevator down the mountain and headed straight for Bai Yuekui's residence.

This time, Lu Mingfei stopped pretending to be aloof and instead pushed open the door directly. However, both he and Mai Duo were stunned for a moment when the door opened.

Bai Yuekui was sitting in front of a small screen, holding a controller and eating a cookie. He looked back blankly at the two people who had rushed over.