"Zhu Jiu! Feel the agony of being reduced to ashes!"
Huang Long's voice was venomous as he lunged at Zhu Jiu, his right arm blazing with intense flames.
Zhu Jiu's expression remained unreadable. With a subtle sidestep, he dodged Huang Long's attack and countered with a sharp thrust of his Xuan Iron Sword, its tip whistling through the air toward Huang Long's throat.
"Swish!"
Huang Long's wicked grin twisted further. Instead of retreating, he extended his left hand to grab the sword while simultaneously lunging at Zhu Jiu, his entire body ablaze.
Close combat was his forte.
Huang Long knew his fiery ability made him unstoppable in such encounters. His flames weren't just destructive; they concealed another deadly trick.
"You're courting death!"
Zhu Jiu's eyes narrowed as he twisted his sword mid-thrust, aiming directly at Huang Long's throat.
Huang Long's left hand clamped down on the blade. Blood gushed as the sword pierced his shoulder, yet he gritted his teeth and pressed on, slamming his burning right palm into Zhu Jiu's chest.
Both men were blasted apart.
Huang Long staggered, a manic grin plastered on his face despite the gaping wound on his shoulder and the mangled flesh of his hand.
"Zhu Jiu..." Huang Long's laughter was a mix of derangement and satisfaction. "You're tough, but not tough enough."
Zhu Jiu wiped the trickle of blood from the corner of his mouth, his gaze cold and calculating.
Huang Long's physical resilience was monstrous. Most would've lost their hand attempting to catch the Xuan Iron Sword barehanded, but Huang Long had merely suffered superficial wounds. Worse, his injuries were already healing.
"Self-healing?" Zhu Jiu murmured.
This ability was rare. Apart from mutated beasts, Zhu Jiu had never encountered a human who could regenerate so rapidly.
But there was something else—something peculiar about Huang Long's flames.
When that blazing palm struck Zhu Jiu earlier, his body had instinctively absorbed part of the flame's energy. Thanks to his newly acquired Shaoyang Technique, Zhu Jiu felt his inner power subtly grow.
"Could it be…" Zhu Jiu's eyes lit up with realization.
Could the Shaoyang Technique absorb Huang Long's flame energy?
The thought ignited a spark of excitement within him. Huang Long's flames were extraordinarily potent—far beyond natural fire. If Zhu Jiu could harness them, the benefits to his strength would be immeasurable.
Without hesitation, Zhu Jiu sheathed his sword and dashed toward Huang Long with bare fists.
Huang Long's grin faltered. The maniacal confidence in his eyes flickered with uncertainty.
How is he still standing after taking my flames head-on?
"Is he even human?"
Huang Long's thoughts were cut short as Zhu Jiu launched a powerful kick.
"Boom!"
Zhu Jiu's iron-hard leg collided with Huang Long's flame-coated arm, sending shockwaves through the room.
At the moment of impact, Zhu Jiu felt it again—the absorption. His Shaoyang energy surged.
"It works!"
Zhu Jiu's attacks became relentless. Each strike was precise and devastating, like a torrential storm battering a frail wall.
Huang Long could barely keep up. His physical endurance and flames had carried him through countless battles, but Zhu Jiu's mastery of close combat overwhelmed him.
After a fierce exchange, Zhu Jiu found his opening.
"Bang!"
His fist connected with Huang Long's chest, sending him flying into the warehouse wall with a resounding crash.
"Ahhh..." Huang Long groaned, struggling to his feet.
But Zhu Jiu wasn't done. His body brimmed with newfound strength, his Shaoyang Technique unexpectedly breaking through to the second level during the battle.
"Two levels already, and I didn't even spend a single point."
Zhu Jiu smirked. This fight was proving to be more than just a grueling test—it was a massive payoff.
"You... you're absorbing my flames!" Huang Long finally realized.
The fire in his veins seemed to drain faster with every clash. It wasn't dissipating into the air; it was being stolen.
"Bingo," Zhu Jiu replied, his voice low and steady.
Realizing his situation, Huang Long made a desperate gamble. Flames erupted from every pore of his body as he roared, "You've underestimated me!"
He lunged at Zhu Jiu, his entire body engulfed in an inferno.
"Futile."
Zhu Jiu's eyes hardened. With a calm step forward, he reared back his right fist, now glowing with the heat of absorbed flames.
"Crack!"
His punch slammed into Huang Long's chest, shattering his ribs and tearing through his heart.
Huang Long staggered, his burning figure flickering like a dying ember.
"You…"
He reached out one last time, his bloodied hand trembling, before collapsing to the ground with a dull thud.
Zhu Jiu stood over Huang Long's lifeless body, his chest heaving from exertion.
"System," he muttered.
A mechanical voice answered:
[Host has defeated a Tier-1 Evolver.]
[Host has obtained Tier-1 Beast-Type 'Phoenix' Evolution Serum.]
"Phoenix?" Zhu Jiu raised an eyebrow.
He had expected Huang Long's ability to yield a flame-based serum, but this was a pleasant surprise.
"No wonder his flames were so powerful," Zhu Jiu mused. "It's no ordinary fire—it's phoenix fire."
He glanced at Huang Long's body one last time, then turned to leave.
"Time to go home."
Outside the collapsing warehouse, Fatty and the others were waiting. Cheers erupted when they saw Zhu Jiu emerge unscathed.
"It's done," Zhu Jiu announced, mounting his silver-furred wolf.
Behind him, the crumbling warehouse erupted in flames, sending ash spiraling into the night sky.
Riding ahead of the group, Zhu Jiu smirked to himself.
Tonight, he had gained more than just victory.
He had won power, resources, and the unwavering loyalty of those who followed him.
The apocalypse wasn't just about survival anymore.
It was about thriving.