Meeting of two old friends?

Several miles east of the Green Fog Swamp Sect, a green blur darted through the swamp at an abnormal speed, almost as if fleeing from something. Its movements were so rapid that only a streak of green could be seen. The blur, which had been traveling in a straight line, suddenly veered sharply to the left. Moments later, a loud thud echoed through the swamp, followed by a brief animal grunt that was abruptly silenced, as though muzzled shut.

The green blur revealed itself to be a slender snake, its scales glistening like polished green rubies. The snake was ravenously devouring a willow-horned deer, its head cleanly severed and blood rapidly being drained. Despite the deer's massive size—comparable to a fully grown ox with well-defined muscles—its frame visibly shrank with each passing moment. In mere seconds, the once-mighty creature was reduced to skin and bones, and soon even that was gone, consumed entirely by the snake.

As soon as the snake finished its feast, it closed its eyes in meditation, grimacing in pain as beads of sweat trickled down its face. A deep wound marred one of its eyes, the gash was horizontal, extending from the socket across its head, traveling horizontally along its body, spanning a distance of three meters, covering almost half of the green snake's length.

A frosty chill emanated from the injury, with the greatest concentration of cold radiating from its eye.

Most of the snake's scales had turned a darker shade of green, leaving only its head retaining its lustrous sheen. It was evident that energy was being drawn from the rest of its body and concentrated on its heavily injured head. Steam continuously rose from the wound, as though the frosty chill was being boiled away by intense heat.

The snake's frown deepened, and a faint grunt of pain escaped its mouth. It was locked in a fierce struggle with the icy mist clinging stubbornly to its body. Each time it attempted to purge the frost, the mist seemed to resurge with renewed vigor, its potency undiminished.

This back-and-forth battle persisted for nearly an hour before the snake finally opened its uninjured eye. The despair, worry, and fear reflected in its gaze spoke volumes about its condition.

No matter how hard it tried, the wound hadn't closed even by a fraction.

"Figures," it muttered to itself. "Even a beast at the first stage of the Core Formation realm isn't enough to provide me with the energy I need to heal this wound. Not even the tiniest trace of the mist has let up. What a fearsome ability."

It sighed deeply, frustration clear in its voice. "At this rate, it'll take me years to recover, and that is with me wholeheartedly devoting myself to recuperation and nothing else. I will still need copious amounts of energy to sustain me.." It paused briefly as its gaze lingered over where the corpse of the deer had been.

"Hopefully, the herbs and cores I've stored will suffice. If they're not..."

The snake shook its head in dejection, then turned to glance in the direction it had fled from. Guilt and worry flickered across its face as it stared into the distance.

"Bolin, I'm sorry, old friend. I thought it was an opportunity for us. Who knew we were delivering ourselves on a platter to that human? I even sensed the insatiable greed radiating from him. Heh, some false king I am," the green snake thought, a self-deprecating laugh escaping its mind. The motion caused it to flinch as the laugh exacerbated its wounds.

This green snake was the Green Flash Viper, one of the spirit beasts that had once surrounded Feng Xin. He was also one of the three false kings of the Eighth Zone and the sole survivor of the failed ambush. Though he had managed to keep his life, he had not emerged unscathed. Despite his quick reactions, one of Feng Xin's attacks had struck him, leaving grievous wounds in its wake. For the first time in his life, he had experienced true fear.

Feng Xin's qi was like a relentless beast, gnawing away at his body without rest, creating destruction wherever it seeped. It tore through his internal organs, wreaking havoc and leaving chaos in its wake. Some of his meridians were already destroyed, and the qi was slowly encroaching on other parts of his body. If left unchecked, it wouldn't be long before his core became its next victim. The icy grip of death tightened around him, chilling him to the bone.

Countless thoughts swirled in his mind, dragging him further into the depths of despair. The wounds were already difficult enough to handle, and he wasn't certain that the means he had on hand would be enough to expel the frosty qi eating away at his body. On top of this, he had to remain vigilant about other threats—specifically, the other spirit beasts under his command.

Apart from Bolin, whom he had known since they were nameless, he trusted none of his lackeys. If they discovered his weakened state, they would be the first to attack and devour him, hoping to claim his power for themselves. He would have done the same in their position and, in fact, had done so to reach his current status.

After moments of deliberation, he made his decision: to flee to a secluded refuge in the lower zones. It was a location only he knew, hidden beneath a treasure he had taken from a human he had killed. The treasure had the power to obscure areas, masking them with an aura of insignificance and even diminishing the quality of qi within its range. There was no better place to retreat and recover.

But as he calculated his next steps, his body suddenly tensed, as though struck by a bolt of lightning. A vigilant expression swept over him, his pupils contracting sharply as he turned his gaze toward the northwest.

The area to the northwest had been normal just moments ago. Large trees with lush leaves and hanging vines had filled the landscape, their presence shrouded in the ever-present green fog. Though sunlight was largely obscured, faint beams had pierced through, bathing the swamp in a dim, ambient glow. But now, a dark circular spot less than two miles away tainted the once tranquil scenery.

At first, it was no larger than a fist. Within minutes, it grew to the size of a window, then a door. The darkness consumed everything it touched, devouring the landscape and expanding steadily as it crept closer to the Green Flash Viper.

"Zekekeke! My old friend Li Lun, you look like you've seen better days. Has the cold of this place finally gotten to you? You really should take better care of yourself—maybe soak in some sunshine if you can," rasped a cold, mocking voice from within the spreading darkness.

"I can't help but wonder who could possibly be strong enough to strike and injure the fastest false king of the Eighth Zone—the renowned Green Flash Viper."

Li Lun's eyes darted rapidly, scanning his surroundings for an escape route. Among all the spirit beasts he hoped to avoid in his current state, the creature lurking within the encroaching darkness ranked highest. To make matters worse, he could sense numerous other presences closing in, forming a perfect net around him and eliminating any chance of an easy—or successful—escape.

He gritted his fangs in frustration. Though one potential escape route remained, he knew deep down it was futile. The creature before him was one he had always loathed and, even at his peak, had avoided confronting.

How could he not? The being hidden within the darkness was a false king, just like him.

"Zekekeke! Li Lun, were you planning to leave? That's rather cold-hearted of you, especially since I came all this way just to see you," the raspy voice teased. "Let's sit down and have a nice chat about who inflicted such a nasty wound on you. Perhaps, on account of our long friendship, I might even help you get some vengeance—and maybe rid you of that frost. I'm no expert in healing, like that obstinate babirusa, but I'm rather proficient at swallowing things. I could swallow that nasty qi for you."

The speaker's frame remained shrouded in the darkness, which continued its slow, relentless advance.

"Stop with the nonsense, Liao Ying. What do you want?" Li Lun growled, his narrowed eyes glinting coldly.

"Nothing much. I just wanted to catch up with a fellow false king I haven't seen in a while... zekekeke," the creature said, its tone dripping with mockery and a trace of distaste.

As it spoke, it finally stepped into view—a colossal caiman stretching over 100 meters in length. Its scales were darker than the blackest obsidian, as if forged from the void of a starless night. Faint clusters of tiny, sparkling white dots adorned some of its scales, reminiscent of stars scattered across the heavens. A massive scar ran along its left side, extending from its jaw to its stomach—a grim reminder of a past battle, its jagged edges suggesting it was inflicted by a sword.

With every deliberate step the caiman took, the world around it seemed to wither and fade. Light dimmed, and the living components of the swamp—grass, shrubs, trees, and vines—were consumed by the darkness radiating from its body. The oppressive void trailed behind it, swallowing all in its wake.

The caiman halted when it was 200 meters away from the Green Flash Viper.

This was Liao Ying, the Black Cosmos Caiman—another false king.

Two false kings now stood face to face, their words laced with the casualness of old acquaintances. Yet the atmosphere told a different story. The immense pressure emanating from both clashed violently in the space between them, a silent battle of wills that weighed heavily on the swamp.