There's really no 'but' about it. If things go wrong today, we all might perish here, leaving nothing behind. If even Roland cannot suppress it, then the rest of us won't even have the option to escape. That would turn this situation into one of utter despair—no way to escape to the heavens, no path to retreat to the earth.

Boom!

Sky Shadow suddenly broke through the surface, rushing upward with the speed of lightning. His Rising Dragon Fist smashed fiercely into the bizarre creature's unguarded jaw... Below the Blank Paper Realm, Sky Shadow's mobility stunned everyone. Before the bizarre creature could stabilize itself, Sky Shadow dashed directly toward its landing point, striking it ruthlessly with his knee as it fell.

Boom! Crash...

The bizarre creature, like a cannonball, was again sent smashing into the ground by Sky Shadow's ensuing strike.

This sudden reversal instantly sparked hope in the heart of the chubby man. "It might be possible—at least Sky Shadow can restrain it."

"I don't think so," Feng Yi interrupted, drawing everyone's gaze toward their once-familiar companion.

Feng Yi explained, "It cannot be measured with existing physical knowledge. Its aura shows no signs of diminishing; continuing to exhaust ourselves would simply be a pointless waste of energy."

"Huh? Then what should we do?"

"Leave here. With the strength you've preserved so far, it shouldn't be too difficult."

"Leaving? That feels like a coward's way out."

"Safety matters more than heroics," Feng Yi replied calmly. "This is the best outcome I can foresee. It isn't something we can deal with now—don't hesitate. Leave now, while you can."

"You want us to leave? Don't tell me you plan to stay behind alone?"

"Yes, I have my own plans."

"What? This... If we're retreating, we all retreat together. As long as we survive, there must be a way forward. How could we possibly leave you behind?"

Feng Yi smiled at Zhang Xiaobo and said, "With hope comes miracles. Trust that you all will succeed—not necessarily now, but hope must not be abandoned lightly."

Roland suddenly chuckled, as if realizing something. "Can I take that as your farewell, a final comfort before parting ways?"

"Farewell? What farewell?"

Zhang Xiaobo asked, while the others stared blankly at Roland, utterly bewildered.

"Haha, I don't know," Roland shrugged, admitting that she didn't fully understand Feng Yi's intentions either. But to her, Feng Yi didn't merely suggest escaping—it felt like he was comforting them, bidding them farewell. Her intuition was sharp, and although Feng Yi's aura now seemed transformed, deep down she was certain he hadn't changed.

True emotion hides in apparent indifference; real intention often resides in seeming detachment. Even though Feng Yi's tone had shifted from before, what did that truly signify? Did it mean he no longer cared for them, or considered them unimportant?

No. If danger arose, Feng Yi would undoubtedly step forward. If the team faced hardship, he would surely motivate them—as he had just done moments ago.

It was simply a difference in approach. The current Feng Yi resembled a mighty roc soaring through the nine heavens, acting with stark clarity and profound purpose. Gone was the subtlety and indirectness of his former self. Often, the difference between youth and adulthood lies in their ability to tackle situations—attitude is but a facet of that distinction.

Blade Warrior remarked, "Though I don't know why you're so convinced our plan will fail, Sky Shadow's current strength rivals your own." In saying this, Blade Warrior intentionally held back his harsher judgment, yet his meaning was clear. "In any case, we will never leave you here by yourself. We're teammates, after all. Honestly, I still have much to discuss with you."

Feng Yi silently nodded, saying nothing more.

Boom!

Just then, an even louder crash reverberated in the ears of everyone present.

Sky Shadow smashed heavily into the ground, landing on the plain just dozens of meters from the group... The fleeting balance of power had indeed proved to be temporary. With time, Sky Shadow's disadvantages were steadily becoming evident.

"Such mediocrity. So, this team's ace really amounts to no more than that?"

The bizarre creature's scornful voice carried the sting of mockery, as Sky Shadow struggled to rise from where he'd fallen. He glanced at the pit gouged into the ground beneath him—a clear testament to the power of the impact. The strike had hurt; even the earth bore a crater from the force of the collision.

But Sky Shadow's icy gaze leveled at the bizarre creature, and in that moment, he suddenly laughed.

Compared to the creature's disdain, Sky Shadow's laughter was far more sinister, far more enigmatic...

The bizarre creature sensed something unnatural in that laugh; its expression shifted to one of skepticism, suspicion replacing its disdain. "What's so funny? Have you realized the gap in our strength and decided to surrender?"

Sky Shadow continued laughing, refusing to say a word.

"Hey, hey... Have I hit you so hard you've gone dumb? Considering the fragile human body, getting struck senseless is indeed possible."

"Don't be so smug," Sky Shadow suddenly responded, addressing the bizarre creature. "I see now—you're nothing exceptional."

The bizarre creature froze at his words. "A defeated underling has no right to speak to me that way."

"Oh? Well then, I'll show you a power strong enough to defeat you."

"A power capable of defeating me? What kind of joke is that? Isn't this already your full strength?"

"Whether it's my full strength, you'll find out soon enough." With those words, Sky Shadow erupted with force. In an instant, rocks scattered across the ground shattered into fragments, flying in all directions. The surge of energy far exceeded the power he wielded at a million combat strength. The atmosphere itself seemed riven by his escalating aura; even the clouds above disintegrated under the pressure of his soaring might...

Everyone turned to look at Sky Shadow. His hair had risen into sharp spikes during the outbreak, flaring wildly; pulsating veins bulged across his skin, fully exposed. What kind of terrifying presence was this?

Zhang Xiaobo was stunned—he hadn't expected Sky Shadow still to be holding back his true strength, concealing such a massive trump card. The implications were terrifying! After all, Zhang Xiaobo hadn't personally witnessed Sky Shadow's pinnacle battle with the Cantelu ruler in the alternate dimension. All he could do was deduce from the scale of destruction visible from afar.

In Zhang Xiaobo's perception, there wasn't much difference between a combat power of one million and what he was seeing now—without direct comparison, the disparity wasn't immediately obvious. But as he watched the current Sky Shadow, the contrast was striking; the earlier display seemed insignificant, a mere trick compared to this.

Under the accumulation of energy, Sky Shadow's entire body appeared transformed into a figure of solid gold. Even the sunlight seemed incapable of overshadowing the radiant aura emanating from him—what a horrifying surge of power!

Stunned, Zhang Xiaobo's mouth fell open once again. This time, his jaw dropped wider than ever before. If earlier he could fit two eggs into his gaping expression, now, three eggs might barely squeeze in—though, to be fair, smaller eggs might be necessary. Regardless, the exaggerated imagery underscored Zhang Xiaobo's utter shock at the moment.

He trembled as he pulled out the Combat Power Tester, carefully monitoring Sky Shadow's terrifying statistics...

Two million! Correct, it was indeed two million. As soon as Zhang Xiaobo positioned the Combat Power Tester on his head, he realized Sky Shadow's combat strength had reached the staggering figure of two million—and still, the number surged upward with unstoppable momentum.

In just a few breaths, the count had risen to two million, then two and a half million...

"Good heavens, Sky Shadow's numbers are skyrocketing! It's already reached two million seven hundred thirty thousand. How did I not know this before?!" Zhang Xiaobo's shocked exclamation caused the expressions of everyone nearby to shift dramatically.

No one could deny it—excluding Blade Warrior, the others weren't adept users of the Combat Power Tester, preferring to gauge energies subjectively. Yet Zhang Xiaobo's reliance on technology was undeniable, and it had its merits. The Tester's data was undoubtedly precise—far more accurate than mere intuition.

Crack...

The instant Sky Shadow's combat index surpassed three million, a nearby solid rock suddenly splintered into fragments! By then, the rest of the group had already retreated to safer distances. Fortunately, Roland quickly intervened, summoning a rippling barrier of water energy to insulate them from the overwhelming pressure. Thanks to her timely effort, the team was spared from devastating damage.

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