"Zhu Jiu, you're here!"
The members of Team Four couldn't hide their joy upon seeing Zhu Jiu's towering figure atop the wolf king.
Even Fatty's usual nonchalant demeanor returned. His playful smirk masked the complex emotions simmering beneath.
Deep in thought, he mused, "That showoff Zhu Jiu, always arriving just in time to steal the spotlight. Some things never change."
His gaze softened briefly, betraying a hint of nostalgia.
"New Yu, Sister Ruan, Old Wang, Sanzi… I won't let your hopes down. Even if it costs me my life, I'll change Zhu Jiu's fate."
"This time, I'll make sure he never crosses paths with that witch. If I can stop that tragedy from happening, the future may yet hold hope."
As these thoughts brewed, Fatty clenched his fists so tightly that his nails dug into his palms, drawing blood. Yet his carefree expression betrayed nothing of the storm raging within.
Meanwhile, Zhu Jiu's sharp gaze swept over Fatty, noting his blood-soaked arm. Though relieved his friend was alive, his eyes turned cold with fury.
"You…"
A single word escaped Zhu Jiu's lips, his tone chillingly calm.
"Seeking death."
Without another word, Zhu Jiu leapt from the wolf king's back, his Xuan Iron Sword gleaming as it sliced through the air toward the bald man.
"Zhu Jiu?!" The scar-faced man, startled, turned to face him. His expression morphed into one of crazed delight.
"Hahaha! We meet again! Fate truly works in mysterious ways."
"Didn't I tell you back then? You'll die by my hand one day!"
With that, his entire body erupted into searing flames, the intensity far surpassing what he'd displayed earlier against Fatty.
"Damn it," Fatty muttered, his expression darkening. "So he's been holding back this whole time?"
If this lunatic had unleashed his full power earlier, none of us would've made it this far, he realized, cold sweat dripping down his back.
"Natural element, fire attribute… and a bald head…" Fatty's eyes flickered with recognition and dread.
"Don't tell me…"
"Huang Long!" Zhu Jiu's voice roared through the warehouse, confirming Fatty's suspicions.
"So, you finally crawled out of that hellhole, you scum." Zhu Jiu's sword lashed out with unrelenting precision.
"You're lucky the apocalypse gave you a chance to escape prison, Huang Long."
Fatty's heart sank further at the name.
Huang Long.
The name meant nothing to most people now, but to Fatty—someone burdened with knowledge of the future—it was a name steeped in terror.
"It's really him…"
Huang Long, a notorious fire Evolver, would one day command an unholy flame with devastating power. Even in a future world teeming with monstrous threats, his name would echo like a death knell.
Known as the Flame Demon, he was a harbinger of destruction—whole settlements turned to ash wherever he went. His cruelty knew no bounds.
Fatty had no doubt: if Huang Long were allowed to grow, his future atrocities would be unimaginable.
But as terrifying as the name was, it was also an opportunity.
"He's still green, his powers unrefined," Fatty thought, a glimmer of hope shining through his fear.
"If Zhu Jiu kills him now, we could eliminate a future calamity and seize his evolution serum. That kind of power in Zhu Jiu's hands would be invaluable."
But Fatty wasn't naive. If Huang Long were easy to kill, he wouldn't become a name synonymous with terror.
Zhu Jiu and Huang Long collided in a fiery clash.
"I told you I'd come back for you," Huang Long sneered, narrowly evading Zhu Jiu's sword strike.
His grinning face twisted with malice.
"You're the reason I rotted in prison. You ruined my life. Now, I'll return the favor."
A sphere of blazing fire appeared in Huang Long's palm, glowing brighter than the sun as it hurtled toward Zhu Jiu.
"You've always been filth," Zhu Jiu spat. "Preying on women and children. Back then, I said I should've ended you myself."
Instead of retreating, Zhu Jiu charged headlong into the inferno.
With his Iron Cloth technique at full strength, his body grew larger, his bronze skin glowing with resilience.
He slashed through the fireball with his left hand like cutting through paper. His right fist followed, rocketing into Huang Long's abdomen like a cannonball.
"Boom!"
The impact sent Huang Long flying into a stack of shelves, which collapsed under the force.
But when the dust settled, Huang Long was unscathed.
"Hahaha, not bad!" Huang Long cackled, brushing off the attack.
"It seems the apocalypse suits you martial arts types just fine."
Zhu Jiu frowned. He had used eighty percent of his strength in that punch, yet Huang Long shrugged it off as if it were nothing.
His opponent's body was unnaturally durable—comparable to Zhu Jiu's own fortified physique.
And then there was that flame.
Even with Iron Cloth at full power, Zhu Jiu's skin had been scorched. Huang Long's fire wasn't ordinary; it carried an unnatural destructive energy that even pierced through defenses.
Zhu Jiu's thoughts were interrupted as he noticed something alarming.
The knocked-over shelves had ignited, flames rapidly spreading throughout the warehouse.
"Welcome to my domain," Huang Long sneered, arms spread wide as if embracing the chaos.
"Let's see how well you fare, Zhu Jiu, when you're nothing but ash."
The fire's intense glow illuminated Huang Long's scarred face, accentuating his demonic grin.
"Fatty," Zhu Jiu barked, not taking his eyes off Huang Long.
"Take everyone and go. I'll handle this."
Without hesitation, Fatty nodded.
"You heard the boss! Move!" he commanded, ushering Team Four toward the exit.
But as they fled, Huang Long raised his pistol, aiming at the retreating group.
"Leaving so soon?" he taunted.
"Your fight is with me!" Zhu Jiu's voice thundered, his body a blur as he lunged forward.
"Whoosh!"
The Xuan Iron Sword flashed in the dim firelight, slicing through the air with devastating speed.
Huang Long instinctively dodged, pulling his arm back just in time.
A sharp metallic clang echoed through the warehouse.
When Huang Long glanced down, he saw his pistol—now in two clean halves—lying at his feet.
"You're not going anywhere."
Zhu Jiu stood tall, his sword gleaming, as flames danced around him.
Huang Long's eyes burned with fury, but there was something else there too: a flicker of greed as he eyed the sword.
"What a weapon," he muttered, a twisted grin forming on his lips.
"Killing you will be worth it just to take that beauty for myself!"
Roaring like a wild beast, Huang Long's right arm ignited into a pillar of flame as he launched himself at Zhu Jiu.