Chapter 173: Xu Tingfei attacks his teammates; Saiwen says

Desperate situation.

A true death crisis has descended.

The hearts of the myriad-world audience instantly rose to their throats. Could it be that the second-generation armor successor will thus end in this extremely ridiculous and humiliating manner?

Just as the magic blade was about to fall, in that 0.01 second!

Boom!!!

"Heaven-Challenging Armor."

Li Haotian softly uttered four words.

"Union."

Red light shot up into the sky amidst the rainstorm!

Like the blazing sun tearing apart the dark clouds!

The red-and-white Heaven-Challenging Armor, with an extremely imposing metallic texture, crashed heavily into the mire.

The blue eye protection lenses on the helmet cut two cold streaks of light in the darkness.

"Courting death!"

The other two Netherworld Demons, seeing this, roared and lunged from left and right.

Li Haotian slightly lowered his stance, assuming Heaven-Challenging's most classic Taiji starting posture.

His movements were not fast, yet they carried a suffocating sense of rhythm.

A Netherworld Demon's claw thrust toward his face.

Li Haotian tilted his head to dodge, his right hand shooting out like lightning to seize the Netherworld Demon's wrist.

Crack!

The sound of breaking bones was clearly audible in the rainy night.

Li Haotian followed up with a precise inch-punch, striking its abdominal energy core squarely.

"Cover-Heaven Palm."

Boom!

That Netherworld Demon flew backward like a kite with its string cut.

Another Netherworld Demon raised its heavy axe and chopped down.

Li Haotian, with a single-handed gesture, summoned the Fire-Punishment Sword into his hand.

The blade was wrapped in crimson, high-temperature plasma.

He backhanded an upward slash.

The sword light traced a perfect semicircle through the rain curtain.

Clang!

The axe's haft was cleanly severed.

Li Haotian didn't pause for a moment; turning his wrist, he brought the blade down fiercely along the opponent's chest.

"Fire-Punishment Quick Gun."

His left hand simultaneously conjured an energy handgun, pressing it to the Netherworld Demon's forehead and firing three shots in succession.

In less than ten seconds.

The three Netherworld Demons that had just been invincible—two seriously wounded, one lightly wounded—stared in horror at the Heaven-Challenging Armor before them, which resembled a god of slaughter.

They felt an absolute suppression in rank, that of Will Energy crushing them.

"Retreat!"

The Netherworld Demon leader clutched his broken wrist, gritted his teeth and uttered a single word, turning into black smoke that vanished into the rainy night.

The crisis was lifted.

Only Xu Tingfei and Wu Gang remained, standing in the icy rain, faces full of shame.

The myriad-world bullet comments, after a brief silence, erupted with praise like a mountain‑shouting, sea‑roaring tide.

Snow World.

Xu Fengnian took a sip of green-ant wine, slapped his thigh and laughed loudly: "What a Li Haotian! Ruthless and sparing with words—this is the true bearing of a captain! Those two young‑master soldiers, compared to him, aren't even worthy to carry his boots."

Spirit Cage World.

Captain Ma Ke gazed at the sky, his eyes full of agreement:

"In the apocalypse, an absolutely calm mind is more important than blind force."

"Li Haotian's Will Energy is strong because his heart is steady. He clearly knows why he fights."

Marvel World.

Captain America Steve Rogers let out a long breath:

"Thank God. At least there's still one clear‑headed person in this team. Otherwise Earth's future would truly be doomed."

However.

Rivers and mountains may change, but nature is hard to alter.

Just as the myriad-world audience thought Xu Tingfei would mend his ways after his miserable defeat in the rain‑soaked night, his arrogance instead drove him deeper into the abyss.

Several days later.

Xu Tingfei, through a private detective and his family's channels, traced the source of the city's recent anomalies to the Ba Wang Group.

The skyscraper standing in the city centre, outwardly a legitimate enterprise, actually houses beneath it the Demon‑Suppressing Tower that buried the wreck of the Afas Ship a thousand years ago.

Xu Tingfei did not inform Li Haotian, nor did he inform Wu Gang.

That damned arrogance welled up in his heart again.

"I will settle this alone! I'll prove to them that I, Xu Tingfei, am the strongest Summoner!"

Xu Tingfei went alone and broke into the underground core area of the Ba Wang Group.

He passed through layer after layer of dark passages.

Xu Tingfei arrived inside the secret chamber.

But at the moment Xu Tingfei approached,

The ancient-style clothing suddenly floated up.

A hoarse voice with dual tones echoed within the great hall.

"What a brave young man."

Lu Fa looked down at the self-important youth, the corner of his mouth curling into a mocking cold smile.

Lu Fa, seated above.

Facing this fierce attack,

Lu Fa didn't even bother to stand up.

He merely lifted a single finger slightly.

A single finger!

An extremely rich purplish-black netherworld mental energy gathered at his fingertip.

"An ignorant ant."

Lu Fa flicked his finger.

Boom!!!

A terrifying energy wave instantly shattered Xu Tingfei's blade light.

Xu Tingfei, as if struck by lightning, immediately rolled his eyes and fell into a faint.

Lu Fa slowly rose to his feet and walked up to Xu Tingfei.

"A thousand years ago, soldiers of your strength weren't even fit to guard the gate in my legion."

Lu Fa looked down at him, his eyes full of cruelty.

He raised his hand, spread his five fingers, and pressed them against Xu Tingfei's forehead.

"Since you came to me of your own accord, I'll give you a gift."

Five energy balls flashing with eerie black light, following Lu Fa's palm, were forcibly driven into Xu Tingfei's brain nerves.

"Ah—!!!"

Xu Tingfei let out a pig-slaughtering shrill scream, rolling wildly on the ground, veins bulging on his forehead, feeling as if millions of ants were gnawing at his brain.

What Lu Fa planted was the "Brain Obstacle."

An extremely vicious mental energy seal.

As long as Lu Fa thinks, Xu Tingfei will fall into a pain worse than death and be completely controlled by Lu Fa's actions.

……

The heavens continued.

The cold wind in the underground garage swept up a few fallen leaves.

Xu Tingfei suddenly sat up from the ground, gasping heavily.

The back of his custom suit was soaked through with cold sweat, sticking clammily to his skin.

He rubbed his splitting, throbbing temples and cleared his vision of the surroundings.

This was the underground garage of the apartment he usually lived in.

His memory showed a gap.

He only remembered sneaking into the Ba Wang Group's underground, then seeing a floating ancient garment, after which his mind exploded.

"How did I get back?"

Xu Tingfei pushed himself up using the hood, his legs weak.

He felt his pocket; the summoner was still there.

"It must be that this young master's life is huge; that sneaky bastard couldn't possibly hold me."

He suppressed his panic, straightened his tie, and threw the recent embarrassment behind him.

He did not contact Li Haotian, nor did he tell Wu Gang.

As for the embarrassing matter, Xu Tingfei would not mention it at all.

The heavens broadcast his self-deceiving appearance to all the heavens and myriad worlds.

Naruto world.

Uchiha Madara gave a cold snort:

"Not realizing you're caught in an illusion or cursed seal—this lack of vigilance isn't enough even if you died ten thousand times on the battlefield."

Marvel world.

Tony Stark tapped the virtual screen:

"I bet his cerebral cortex now contains some bioelectric signals that don't belong to him."

"What's truly frightening isn't being ill, but refusing to seek treatment."

A few days later,

A luxury cruise liner named the Victoria set sail from the harbor, only to encounter an attack by netherworld demons.

Huan Huan Teppanyaki got the news immediately.

Xu Tingfei and Li Haotian came together to resolve it.

"These monsters again."

A glint of excitement flashed in Xu Tingfei's eyes; this was the perfect chance for him to shine.

He threw away his cup and walked against the flow of fleeing people toward the center of the deck.

"Flying Shadow Armor, combine!"

Blue light tore through the night.

The tall figure of the Flying Shadow Armor blocked the Netherworld Demon.

"Die!"

Xu Tingfei didn't summon a weapon; he simply shot up into the air.

"Flying Shadow Leg!"

The consecutive kick, wrapped in a blue aura, precisely struck the chests of two Netherworld Demons.

The monsters kept retreating, their protective aura rippling.

Xu Tingfei landed, sliding to a stop, his movement extremely suave.

Deep within the Ba Wang Group.

Lu Fa sat on the throne, watching the surveillance light curtain before him, a cruel arc curling at the corner of his mouth.

"The performance is over. My puppets."

Lu Fa raised his right hand, index and middle fingers together, dark purple psychic energy transmitting from his fingertips into the void.

On the cruise ship's deck.

Xu Tingfei was about to summon the Swift Shadow Blade to end the fight when a sudden, piercing pain shot deep into his brain.

It felt as if someone had shoved a red-hot iron rod into his cerebrum and then stirred it vigorously.

"Ah—!"

Xu Tingfei clutched his helmet, dropped to one knee, and let out a muffled, anguished cry.

The Flying Shadow Armor's eye visor instantly shifted from its original ice-blue, flickering and jumping, finally turning scarlet!

The Netherworld Demons besieging him seemed to have received some order; they immediately ceased attacking and quietly withdrew.

"Little Fei?"

Li Haotian looked at the mess all over the ground and at the Flying Shadow Armor kneeling there, then stepped forward:

"Where are the Netherworld Demons? Are you hurt?"

Xu Tingfei slowly rose to his feet.

He didn't answer.

Beneath the visor, his eyes had completely lost reason, leaving only frenzied killing intent.

The Swift Shadow Blade sprang out instantly.

Swish!

Without hesitation, a fierce blue blade of light shot straight for Li Haotian's throat.

Li Haotian's eyes narrowed; his body instinctively leaned back, the blade scraping his neck guard and sending up a spray of sparks.

"Are you crazy?!"

Li Haotian bellowed.

Xu Tingfei let out a beast-like roar, gripping the blade with both hands, and strode forward.

His swordplay completely lost its usual grace and flair, turning into wild, sweeping hacks.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

Li Haotian kept stepping back, bare-handedly blocking the chopping strikes.

The deck's railing was severed by the sword's qi and fell into the sea.

All heavens and myriad worlds erupted in an uproar.

One Piece world.

Zoro gripped his Wado Ichimonji:

"This guy's swordplay has gone mad; he's become a beast that only knows how to swing metal."

Bleach world.

Zaraki Kenpachi smirked.

"Such boring slaughter, unable to even control one's own consciousness—what kind of warrior is that?"

In the firmament, the battle intensified.

"Little Fei, it looks like I need to calm you down." Li Haotian completely lost his patience.

The Flame Punishment Sword took shape in his hand.

Li Haotian no longer retreated.

He bent his knees slightly, lowered his center of gravity, and charged straight toward the Swift Shadow Blade's edge.

Clang!

Blade met blade.

Li Haotian flicked his wrist; the spine of the Flame Punishment Sword slid down the Swift Shadow Blade's edge, sparks flashing, directly locking Xu Tingfei's point of force.

Immediately afterward, Li Haotian stepped forward with his left foot, cutting into Xu Tingfei's inside line.

He loosened his grip on the sword hilt, clenched his fist, and blue psychic energy condensed on his knuckles.

Bang!

A solid uppercut smashed into the chin of the Flying Shadow Armor.

Xu Tingfei's head jerked backward, his feet leaving the ground.

Before he could land, Li Haotian turned and delivered a heavy, powerful palm strike that smashed into the Flying Shadow Armor's chest.

"Heaven-Covering Palm!"

Boom!

The red palm print shattered the rain curtain.

Xu Tingfei was hit like a shell, flying backward over ten meters, smashing through the glass curtain wall on the deck.

Drip!

Drip!

Drip!

The energy indicator light of the Flying Shadow Armor instantly turned red, and electric sparks of disintegration flickered across the armor surface.

With a swish, the armor was forcibly disengaged.

Xu Tingfei's face turned ashen, blood trickled from the corner of his mouth, he tightly shut his eyes and fainted.

On the myriad realms' barrage, cheers rang out.

Martial Moving Heaven and Earth Universe.

Lin Dong smiled:

"Nice hit! This kind of teammate who doesn't know the immensity of heaven and earth and is easily used as a pawn by others should be knocked down first before anything else."

Armor World Part Three.

Duanmu Yan nodded at Li Haotian's conduct: "This summoner of the Xingtian Armor has something, he's ruthless enough, I like him. Against those muddle‑headed, saying even one more word is a waste of saliva."

Armor One World.

ERP Research Institute.

Beimiao nodded in agreement:

"Li Haotian's defeat of Xu Tingfei reminds me of when I defeated Li Chennan head‑on; as a strong one, I should punish those disobedient weaklings."

……

However, the episode on the cruise ship was merely the beginning of a disaster.

The heavenly curtain picture suddenly sped up, adopting a fast‑forward silhouette technique.

The timeline moved backward.

On the overpass in the city center.

The Vajra Armor was locked in a struggle with two Netherworld Demons, as Wu Gang planted an Explosive Thunder Drill in one demon's abdomen, readying to strike.

The assisting Flying Shadow Armor suddenly froze, its eyes flashing red.

The next second, Xu Tingfei kicked the Vajra Armor's side waist.

Wu Gang, utterly unprepared, fell straight from the overpass and slammed hard into an abandoned truck, unable to get up for a while.

The two Netherworld Demons took the chance to flee.

Inside the abandoned chemical plant.

Netherworld Demons attack.

At the critical moment when the battle erupted.

The brain disorder flared up again.

Xu Tingfei, friend or foe indiscriminate, fired an attack at Li Haotian as he was unleashing his fatal technique, interrupting the Xingtian Armor's precast.

Each time, whenever the battle reached a critical moment, Xu Tingfei would become the time bomb that detonated the team.

Wu Gang flew into a rage, grabbing Xu Tingfei's collar and shouting at him in the Huanhuan Teppanyaki restaurant.

Li Haotian also ordered Xu Tingfei to hand over the summoner for a temporary check, but Xu Tingfei bluntly refused, claiming he remembered nothing, and even stormed out.

The team's rift, under Lu Fa's manipulation, turned into an unbridgeable abyss.

……

Light Country Universe.

The Ultraman Brothers gathered beneath the Plasma Spark Tower.

Ultraman Leo clenched his fists: "Too reckless…… Xu Tingfei simply isn't a qualified warrior!"

Ultraman Sevenger crossed his arms, his cape fluttering loudly behind him.

His gaze was deep and stern.

"He simply doesn't understand what true combat is."

Sevenger's voice echoed in the Light Country, also transmitted via the heavenly curtain to the myriad realms.

"Possessing great power does not mean possessing a great heart."

"Xu Tingfei is the one among the three summoners who lacks the most sense of responsibility."

"He treats the armor as a show‑off toy, as a tool to flaunt privilege."

"He lacks Wu Gang's hot‑blooded straight‑hearted protectiveness of friends, and also lacks Li Haotian's calm big‑picture view despite carrying a bloody feud."

Sevenger gave the final verdict:

"Someone who can't even defeat himself, whose mental defenses are utterly crushed by a little cleverness and setback, has no right to be called a warrior. He is merely an infant who got hold of a deadly weapon."

"I think he's no match for Wu Gang!"

……