[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-the-monsters-are-coming":3,"chapter-the-monsters-are-coming-monsters-are-coming-chapter-200":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Monsters Are Coming",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2250049,4069,"Chapter 200: Weapon Concepts, Peak Rankings","monsters-are-coming-chapter-200",200,"\u003Cp>[Player Count: 568,392]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Online Players: 388,424.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Players in Death Cooldown: 179,968.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Number of Contained Primordial Traits: 48\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sacrificial Power Output per Hour (Real-time Update): 2.2373 million (Month-over-Month Increase)\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Average Level of Players' Highest Soul Soul: 17 (Month-over-Month Decrease).\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Contained Resource Territories: 23\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Contained Rule Territories: Emperor Tomb Village (Flesh Reshaping), Crystal Hall (Gathering), Ten Thousand Swords (Enlightenment).\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Functional Buildings: Testing Tower, Resurrection Point (Teleportation Plaza), Guild Hall, Armed Vehicle Factory, Pet Shop, Rule Divine Pillar, Cultivation Tower.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>……\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the Primordial Altar, statistical feedback from the Guide flashed through Qi Sheng's mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In recent days, two more Primordial monsters had been successfully contained.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The number of Primordials within the Containment Wall had reached 48.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The first was a second-generation Primordial contained by the player \"One Hammer Eighty\" in the Underground Cave World: the Thorn Puppet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Its trait effect was: Consume either Vitality or Mental Energy (choose one) to rapidly generate a plant-type summon to assist in combat; the Thorn Puppet reflects a portion of physical damage when it takes damage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The appearance of the Thorn Puppet Soul Soul sparked considerable discussion on the forum.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was because it was the first true summon-type Soul Soul.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unlike Control Soul Souls that exert control over targets, the Thorn Puppet, being a Soul Soul trait, could be fused with other Soul Soul traits via Star Vein fusion for combined use.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Within a short time, the forum was flooded with numerous interesting Star Vein combination guides.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The emergence of the Thorn Puppet also made many previously niche Soul Souls from the early stages popular.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two Star Vein combinations with the most likes on the forum were as follows.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ranked first was a Star Vein combination proposed by the player Nightfall Approaching, named: Tank Puppet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Star Vein Configuration: Thorn Puppet (Core), Qi Devouring, Taunt, Sluggishness (Domain), Resistance, Roar, Blood Soul Tether, Bind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The combat performance shown in the test video involved summoning the Thorn Puppet and using it as a tank-type player: rushing in to activate Taunt and the Sluggishness Domain to perform area-of-effect binding control, using the Resistance Soul Soul to increase damage tolerance, and employing Roar and Blood Soul Tether for targeted control.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The most interesting feature of the Thorn Puppet Soul Soul was that the puppet's strength was influenced by the player's attributes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If the player was a mage, the puppet could also be a mage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If the player was a warrior, the puppet could also be a warrior.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Its strength was affected by the player's own Vitality intensity and Mental Energy intensity; the higher the player's Vitality intensity, the more HP and defense the Thorn Puppet possessed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The higher the player's Mental Energy intensity, the higher the Thorn Puppet's Mental Energy intensity and mental resistance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was also the first Soul Soul trait perfectly suited for dual cultivation of magic and martial arts, allowing players to mix and match various types of Soul Souls.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, summoning the Thorn Puppet had no cooldown, nor was there any limit on the number summoned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As long as the player had sufficient Vitality or Mental Energy, they could generate them infinitely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Therefore, the characteristic of the Tank Puppet style was to send the puppets into the enemy ranks as cannon fodder during battle; if one died, another would be summoned immediately.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The second Star Vein combination was proposed by the player \"A Journey in One Direction\": the Elemental Bombardment Style.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Star Vein Configuration: Thorn Puppet (Core), Qi Devouring, Ink Flame, Running Thunder, Star Shift, Sluggishness (Domain), Mud Demon (Dissolution).\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The concept behind this Star Vein combination was similar to the one proposed by Nightfall Approaching.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It simply changed the tank-type cannon fodder puppet into an elemental style.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Its feature involved using Star Shift to swap out one's own tank, then activating the Sluggishness Domain to unleash the three elemental traits of Ink Flame, Running Thunder, and Dissolution, bombarding everything within the domain with elements; it could be called the Elemental Self-Destruct Style.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The damage performance in testing was excellent, but the drawback was that puppets summoned by consuming Mental Energy were very squishy and would die instantly if focused fire was directed at them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The advantage was that the Thorn Puppet could be summoned at any time, provided there was enough Mental Energy to replenish the cost.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These two Star Vein combinations significantly boosted the popularity of \"Sluggishness,\" this domain-type Soul Soul.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Prior to this, players held mixed opinions regarding the Sluggishness Soul Soul.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Especially for teams, domain-type Soul Souls were the most feared.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Back in the day, the Archmage Style involved activating an elemental domain to indiscriminately bombard everything within it, often causing collateral damage to one's own teammates.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet, the strength of Sluggishness had always ranked near the top of the Soul Soul leaderboards.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For instance, combining the Sluggishness Soul Soul with the Bind Soul Soul allowed the deployed domain to apply a binding effect to all targets within its range.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, the game lacked a mechanism to exempt teammates from damage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This resulted in domain styles always being played by lone wolves; players with teams generally refused to embed this Soul Soul.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the emergence of the Puppet Style changed the situation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cannon fodder puppets could casually deploy their domains far away from the team to bombard target areas with elements, or act as tanks at the front to absorb damage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Following Qi Devouring, this was another hybrid Soul Soul suitable for both melee and magic users.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The characteristic of universal-type Soul Souls was that once they appeared, they easily climbed to the top of the Soul Soul popularity charts, enabling the creation of numerous novel gameplay styles.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Besides these two Star Vein combinations, the forum also saw an influx of many other unique combination builds.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The second Primordial was a third-generation Primordial contained by the squad of the novice player \"Pink Fluffy Rabbit\": the Heavy Hammer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Its trait effect was: Consume Vitality to add an effect to the next attack, causing a forced stun to the target (the specific effect is influenced by the Soul Soul level and the target's Mental Energy intensity).\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since it required consuming Vitality to activate, it was destined to be a Soul Soul suited for melee use.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Originally, many players assumed this was just an ordinary control skill, but testing revealed an unexpected discovery.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Guide-party players summoned a level 1 wooden dummy monster during testing, struck it once with Heavy Hammer, and discovered the dummy remained in a state of mental stun, failing to wake up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After attempting to accelerate time within the scene, they were shocked to find the stun duration reached as high as 32 hours.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was one of the characteristics of the Monster World's high degree of freedom: there were no limits on the strength of Soul Souls, nor were there any patches to buff or nerf them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Under conditions of absolute attribute dominance, the control duration of Heavy Hammer was astonishing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Star Vein combination with the most likes on the forum was proposed by the player \"Life Like a Dream\": the Shadow-Binding Archer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Star Vein Configuration: Scattered Arrows (Core), Qi Devouring, Heavy Hammer, Bind, Whirling Wind Whip, Extreme Speed, Mark.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The performance of this combination in the test video was extremely stunning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once the Scattered Arrows trait was activated, it could attack multiple targets simultaneously; coupled with the Extreme Speed trait increasing the output frequency, the performance of multiple controls was incredibly powerful.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The drawback was severe Vitality consumption.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Each activation of the Scattered Arrows trait consumed Vitality, and combined with the Extreme Speed Soul Soul, which was a major consumer of Vitality, a single burst of rapid-fire shooting would drain the entire health bar.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After evaluation by many players, the Star Vein combination \"Shadow-Binding Archer\" had ascended to the number one spot on the forum's list of strongest control builds for the current version.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>……\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After thoroughly understanding the revenue situation of the player legions, Qi Sheng shifted his gaze to different regions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With the perfection of the player legion system, player development had become more refined.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The most popular gameplay style was: Colorful Mist Coast.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the current stage, activities in the Colorful Mist Coast were very abundant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Resource gathering (spiritual plants, spiritual ores), Domain Node Wars, exploration-focused players, fishing enthusiasts, and so on.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Colorful Mist Coast region was also the area with the highest concentration of players.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Besides Sacrificial Power production, players also chose to spend their leisure time on the beaches of the Colorful Mist Coast.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In terms of map expansion scope, it was also the largest area among the four major maps.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Besides mainstream activities, some niche gameplay styles were also taking place in the Colorful Mist Coast region.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For example, control-style players camping in the Shu Yan Domain to catch Shu Yan Warriors, players embedding the Prayer Soul Soul laying out plans for Wish Power production in the minor worlds within the Colorful Mist Coast mines, and arena-style players waiting daily by the coast for ancient god shuttle buses, and so on.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Compared to the single war-focused gameplay of the Emperor Tomb Mountain Range region, the Colorful Mist Coast could be described as a hodgepodge of gameplay styles.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Its development direction was unfolding in an all-around manner.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Some players chose to venture north out to sea, while others chose to explore the forests to the south; without the restrictions of Earth Chant Bullies and the Insect Clan, exploration in the Colorful Mist Coast faced no obstacles.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was the reason exploration-focused players regarded the Colorful Mist Coast as their core development region.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, another reason was the absence of Strange Butterflies.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The second most popular gameplay style was: Novice Village Hegemony.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After the appearance of 300,000 novice players, several top-tier guilds had recruited large numbers of promising players.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Every day, nearly 100,000 players engaged in brawls and contests against Earth Chant Bullies and the Insect Clan within the Emperor Tomb Mountain Range.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, after the lunar phase switched to the Waxing Crescent, the combat power of the Earth Chant Bullies skyrocketed, and every encounter resulted in the players being brutally suppressed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even with increased numbers, they were still no match for the Earth Chant Bullies.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The derived evil spirits within the scene possessed strength that exceeded normal limits; the combat power of ordinary minor monsters was something ordinary player squads could not contend with.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the Waxing Crescent state, the Novice Village had basically devolved into fierce confrontations between top-tier guilds and the two major calamities.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In terms of Sacrificial Power output, the Novice Village Hegemony gameplay ranked first.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>While the Colorful Mist Coast region ranked first in total activity output, its output in terms of a single gameplay style was far inferior to the Hegemony style of the Emperor Tomb Mountain Range region.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The third most popular gameplay style was activities in the Winter Snowfield region.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Compared to the Colorful Mist Coast, the gameplay in the Winter Snowfield was relatively monotonous.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It mainly involved resisting the Blissful Purple Black Tide and the Blissful Insect Black Tide, with participation largely coming from novice players arriving from the Underground Cave World.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Secondly, there was the theft of various rare ores.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For example, Void Origin Stone; the price of such precious ores had been climbing steadily in the Exchange Hall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Recently, the price had doubled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This left early ore-thieving players full of regret, feeling they had sold their goods too soon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The price increase was mainly due to two reasons.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>First, the Arms Merchant Society urgently needed space-type ores to craft various types of spatial items.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For instance, the spatial storage devices within mining robots could significantly boost their work efficiency and reduce the frequency of transport trips.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Second, the new growth-type pet, the \"Mechanical Guardian,\" had gone online.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Mechanical Guardian's trait allowed it to gain different growth directions by devouring different types of ores.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In simulation tests, the space-type Mechanical Guardian ranked first in strength.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Although the cost was exorbitant, some players refused to proceed step by step; wanting only the strongest, they invested large sums of sacrificial power to buy Void Origin Stones, hoping to raise a space-type Mechanical Guardian.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, since Void Origin Stones could only be obtained by stealing ores, their prices in the Trading Hall continued to soar.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This situation closely resembled the early market trends of \"Iron-Shell Spider Silk Spitting.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After the market suddenly developed a massive demand for such resources, prices skyrocketed within a short time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Every time a new gameplay Cultivation Mode appeared or a new function went online, it caused violent price fluctuations for specific resources in the Trading Hall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The fourth most popular gameplay Cultivation Mode was: Underground World Exploration.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This region was now a great melting pot for novices and a new destination for many player squads.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Novices engaged in fierce battles against robots left behind by the Machine Guard Clan within the scenes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Veteran players skipped the Mechanical Ruins scenes entirely, heading instead to explore different spatial dungeons within the Underground World.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The characteristic of this gameplay was that rewards were completely random.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The explored scenes might have already been mined to exhaustion by forces that descended early, resulting in slow regeneration of derived resources.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alternatively, one might randomly enter a resource-rich spatial scene, easily obtaining various treasures and wealth left behind by the Nether Ferry Clan while cultivating their new generation of warriors, or even capture blank nodes to receive extra mission rewards.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Some player squads struck it rich in the dungeons, while others earned less than they would have from hunting in the Colorful Mist Coast region, having wasted a great deal of time on exploration.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Compared to the other several regions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Underground World offered higher fun factor due to its random scenes, but its rewards were highly unstable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Beyond these four major maps.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The popularity of the Death Space dungeon was continuing to climb.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Every day, topics regarding the Death Space sparked heated discussions on the forum.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Although the time flow in the Death Space differed from that in the Monster World, this difference in flow was essentially based on individual perception rather than objective time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The brain extended the sense of time within the illusionary realm, causing a discrepancy with reality.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was like a dream; during sleep, the brain rapidly processed vast amounts of information, leading to a confusion in the sense of time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sense of time in dreams often did not match reality; a dream lasting a few minutes could feel like experiencing several hours.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The illusionary experience constructed by the Lord of Bliss also built the sense of time through subjective perception.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For the audience in the livestream room, the flow of time during the viewing process was not affected by the outside world.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It could be understood that the audience used the livestreaming player as a proxy target for an immersive experience, undergoing the illusionary realm together.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The audience's perception would advance in sync with the livestreaming player.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Therefore, the external flow of time would not affect the audience's experience, and watching the livestream would not result in fast-forwarded visuals.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Although the Death Space dungeon had recently become extremely popular, Qi Sheng did not pay it much attention.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, at the current stage, the number of dungeon qualifications distributed was limited, making it difficult for returns in this aspect to see significant improvement before the Lord of Bliss officially opened its beta test.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His focus remained on the content of the next version update.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This time, he had Chao Wei and Jiu Yin create the \"Weapon System.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unlike the weapons sold in the Mall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He intended to create unique weapons that could grow alongside the players, allowing their strength to be increased without limit through enhancement and other methods.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Although the Primordials in the Spirit Artifact Valley could be used as weapons, they were essentially Primordial traits and offered no additional bonuses.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The weapon system he wanted to build would allow players to choose their preferred weapon types, not limiting them to specific Primordial weapon appearances.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In terms of settings, players would still be given ample freedom to mix and match.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In other words, weapons of the same appearance could have different growth directions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Specific settings were still under discussion, requiring reference to certain weapon configurations from the memories of the Four Gods, as well as integration with Rule Enlightenment; a clear plan had not yet been finalized.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>During this period, he also considered the players' growth speed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Although updating functions was meant to assist player growth and make up for their various shortcomings, the speed at which players earned sacrificial power was limited.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Especially for novice players, they simply did not have enough sacrificial power to spend on enhancing various functions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the future, Qi Sheng was more inclined to introduce a series of functions, allowing players to selectively improve other aspects based on the three core foundations of Soul Cultivation, Star Vein Opening, and Body Tempering advancement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For example, some players might choose not to cultivate the growth-type pet function, investing their remaining sacrificial power into the weapon system.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Or they might choose not to consider the armed vehicle function, opting to use multi-person vehicles with teammates instead, directing their excess sacrificial power into the cultivation system.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Various functions would continue to be released; if players lacked the sacrificial power to enhance them, they could simply select the functions they needed to use, selectively compensating for their own weaknesses.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After reviewing the development information of the Player Legion for a long time, Qi Sheng's gaze shifted to the Counter-Black Tide Legion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Recently, another five batches of players, totaling 50 individuals, had been sent to the Counter-Black Tide Training Camp to participate in warrior training.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These five batches of players were selected mainly because the Grind Emperor Group's excellent performance in the early stages had caused the Counter-Black Tide Legion to begin paying attention to the Player Clan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Compared to other types of gameplay, the Counter-Black Tide Training Camp was the region with the most abundant resources.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Selected trainees did not even need to spend a single point of sacrificial power to receive massive resource returns.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In just the first phase of the training camp, the targeted cultivation resources for each trainee reached over 500,000 points of sacrificial power.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only the wealthy and powerful Counter-Black Tide Legion had the strength to operate this way.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In fact, the vast majority of Counter-Black Tide warriors, upon graduation and entering the battlefield, would become cannon fodder, yet the Counter-Black Tide Legion's investment in each warrior would not decrease in the slightest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Those who could become Counter-Black Tide warriors were all the most outstanding new-generation members within their respective clans.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was a massive logistical clan providing various services for the entire war legion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Among these, the areas receiving the greatest resource investment were, aside from the front lines, the training camps.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The 50 players who had recently joined the Counter-Black Tide Training Camp were all top-tier technical players who had ranked high in combat power in other games before coming to the Monster World.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Viewed from the perspective of individual development, the Counter-Black Tide was undoubtedly the strongest growth path at the current stage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unlimited supply of spiritual food, tailored combat training, willpower tempering, battle formation drills, Rule Divine Seals... even the returns from the recently popular Death Space paled in comparison to the Counter-Black Tide Legion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just a single War Divine Seal was a dream unattainable for ordinary players.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Compared to other gameplay modes, everyone had a chance here.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Including the Death Space; although the lottery probability was low, players always had a chance to obtain qualification.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The number of qualifications distributed would also increase in the future.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the selection process for the Counter-Black Tide Legion was different; it was extremely rigorous. Aside from Duan Xing guaranteeing spots for the Grind Emperor Group using his own clan's quota, all other players had undergone a series of on-site tests.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The 50 players from these five batches who entered the Counter-Black Tide Training Camp generally failed their assessments.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, seeing that the Grind Emperor Group's early performance was equally terrible but their later performance was astonishing, Elder You still granted new quotas.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Being able to distribute 50 quotas successively was already extremely generous.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Normally, ordinary logistical clans within the Counter-Black Tide Legion only received dozens of quotas per year.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Therefore, every player who entered the Counter-Black Tide Legion was actually under immense pressure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They had to perform excellently, or else they would cut off the path for those who came after to enter the Counter-Black Tide Legion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The reputation of the Player Clan's Cafeteria Battle had already spread through the Snow Valley Training Camp; every batch consisted of little experts at enduring hunger.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Although their ability and quality had a significant gap compared to the elites of various clans, the players' capacity to endure hunger was something no new talent from other clans could match.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When encountering bullying, they retaliated with starvation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Grind Emperor Group had blazed a victorious trail for those who followed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Staying up late and hunger; even trainees with the most firm willpower would become listless under the assault of these two cyclic tactics.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Phase Three Training Camp, Poison Thorn Camp.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thick fog surged like silver waves between the bottomless canyons.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Two steep peaks stood facing each other, resembling two poison thorns piercing into the cloud layer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Connecting the two peaks was a suspension bridge crafted from energy crystals; the bridge body emitted a faint blue glow, looking like a luminous ribbon in the twilight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The main structures of the Poison Thorn Training Camp were embedded in the right-hand peak, with seven towering pagodas arranged in the form of formation nodes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the top of each pagoda was inlaid a huge star stone, emitting light of different colors: crimson as blood, dark blue like the sea, emerald green like jade... These lights interwove within the thick fog, casting brilliant halos.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shifting his gaze to the left-hand peak, its summit was an open training ground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The ground was paved with stone slabs made primarily of star stones, which automatically absorbed energy particles from the air and converted them into spiritual mist to exhale.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was also the reason why the two peaks were perpetually shrouded in thick fog.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From the canyon below, strange sounds occasionally emerged, resembling the breathing of some colossal creature.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In reality, these were ripples produced by the resonance between the star stones and natural energy, reflecting back and forth between the rock walls to form a unique rhythm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this moment, a figure hovered in the sky a thousand zhang high, arms crossed over his chest; his black robe fluttered wildly, tearing through the firmament like an ink-black banner.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though nothing supported his feet, it was as if he trod upon an invisible staircase.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Beneath the black robe, his muscles were knotted like coiling dragons and crouching tigers; every muscle had been tempered a thousand times, gleaming with a metallic luster under the moonlight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His shoulders were as broad as mountains, his chest like iron, and the valleys between his abdominal muscles were as if carved by a knife, containing explosive power.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The figure hovering in mid-air was the Chief Instructor of the Phase Three Training Camp: Shi Xiuluo.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He looked down upon the thousand-plus figures on the training ground with cold eyes; the muscles in his neck bulged like steel bars, and as his Adam's apple rolled, it seemed as though thunder was brewing within.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Silence!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Suddenly speaking, his voice exploded like thunder, and a violent gust of wind swept through the training camp below, causing the over thousand trainees who had been whispering to immediately fall silent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Tomorrow is the day for choosing combat modifications; tonight was supposed to be for your rest, but I have gathered you suddenly because we received news from the front lines: a Frontline Legion Commander is about to make a move, offering you a perfect chance to witness a true peak-level confrontation.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Make your preparations.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With that, Shi Xiuluo nodded to several instructors nearby.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The instructors, already prepared, immediately acted; strands of spirit runes were rapidly sketched beneath the trainees' feet, generating a massive formation that enveloped all the trainees within it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this moment, amidst the crowd, Li Zheng nudged Gui Tong beside him with his elbow:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Tongzi, what is this formation beneath our feet?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"A formation that projects frontline imagery; don't you Player Clan folks even have this kind of thing?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"We Player Clan are poor; I'm just waiting for you to give me that necklace so I can sell it for food. When are you returning it?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"When did I ever promise to give it to you? Scram.\" Hearing Li Zheng mention the necklace again, Gui Tong shifted a step away with a look of disgust.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Shameless dog.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Treacherous villain.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just then, the projection formation activated, and instantly countless images assembled before the eyes of Li Zheng and the others.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Presented before them was a figure as massive as a mountain range.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He leaned against a throne constructed from mountain peaks, his shoulder and back muscles rising like mountain summits, stretching the battle armor on his body to the point of near rupture; his knuckles were like stone pillars, his palms covered in calluses, every line carved with ancient runes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Merely the motion of clenching his fist caused fine cracks to appear in the surrounding space.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This towering figure needed no words; simply sitting there made Li Zheng and the others feel unable to breathe.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With every breath, the power hidden within his massive body seemed like a surging volcano, as if it might erupt at any moment and crush everything around him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One could even see that a tangible pressure had formed around this figure, making the air viscous and causing even light to distort around him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When his gaze swept toward the trainees, even though it was merely a projected illusion, every trainee felt as though a great mountain was pressing down on their chests.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One could see that what burst forth from this figure's crimson eyes was not only majesty but also a killing intent tempered through countless life-and-death trials.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It seemed that if he willed it, a single glance would be enough to scatter the souls of living beings.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Zheng and the other Liver Emperor Group players immediately scanned with their Analysis ability.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Instantly, the analysis information appeared in their minds:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Fu Tu (Nicho Legion Commander)]:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hunting Rank: Demigod Level\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Target Introduction: Commander of the 138th Nicho Legion, one of the War Gods under Nicho.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>……\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Looks incredibly strong.\" Seeing the \"Demigod\" evaluation in the hunting rank information, Li Zheng was instantly stunned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was the first time he had seen analysis information that did not specify a numerical hunting rank but was instead positioned as a Demigod.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Nonsense; this is a living War God, a walking killing machine, a legend that inspires awe.\" Gui Tong could not help but glare at Li Zheng.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Just now I heard the Stone Man explain; it seems the Nicho Legion Commanders don't often make moves?\" Li Zheng scratched his head, expressing confusion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Mm, during the conflict with the Soul Return Clan, Legion Commanders basically do not act.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"With such strong combat power, why don't they act?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"To help the new generation of warriors grow quickly; we who possess the War God Seal need war as a whetstone on our path to becoming powerhouses, and the Soul Return Clan is an excellent whetstone, so Legion Commanders will not act unless necessary, unless the opposing side deploys excessively high combat power.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Zheng nodded in sudden understanding, thinking of the mutual farming between the Ancient God Arena and the players.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Nicho Legion and the Soul Return Clan currently shared a similar relationship.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>While hostile, both sides treated the other's legion as nutrients for growth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was evident that the top-tier powerful clans in this world were all mutual farming monsters, accumulating strength to prepare for entering the world-level battlefield.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Hehe, I wonder when I'll also have Demigod-level combat power.\" Chi Tu chuckled and spoke up at this moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing these words, members of various races nearby simultaneously raised their middle fingers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They had learned this gesture from the Liver Emperor Group and often used it to mock the Liver Emperor Group's trainees.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You, a Demigod? I guarantee you'll die in seconds on the battlefield,\" a trainee from the Ghost Ox Clan shot a contemptuous look.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Have you been eating too well lately?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"If you have the ability, starve me to death,\" the Ghost Ox Clan trainee retorted without backing down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Stop arguing; he's coming.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just then, Gui Tong suddenly spoke, interrupting the mutual bickering between Chi Tu and the Ghost Ox Clan trainee.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone's gaze turned toward the scene.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They saw the figure seated on the mountain-range throne slowly rise to his feet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Instantly, the mountain ranges trembled, and the cloud layer tore apart.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The battle armor on Fu Tu's body ground together, emitting a metallic roar like the howl of an ancient beast awakening; his rise seemed slow, yet it distorted the entire space, causing black, spiderweb-like cracks to appear in the air.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Boom!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With a single step forward, the earth shook and the mountains swayed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His figure instantly vanished from its original spot, leaving behind ripples of space expanding outward in circles.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The next second, the scene shifted to the skies above the Soul Return Clan's legion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sky suddenly darkened; Soul Return Clan warriors one after another looked up at the sky, where Fu Tu's towering figure stood suspended in mid-air, blotting out the sun and sky.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He looked down, his gaze sharp as lightning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This single glance caused the hearts and minds of all the Soul Return Clan warriors who looked up to tremble.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The gaze from this supreme powerhouse contained endless pressure; like a nightmare, it had been branded deep into the spiritual consciousness seas of these Soul Return Clan warriors.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It even made them generate a thought: before this figure, all living beings were like ants, and heaven and earth were like dust.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this moment, Fu Tu raised his hand, spreading his five fingers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The runes on his palm suddenly lit up, ancient and obscure light circulating; the surrounding air spun wildly, forming a massive vortex, and within the center of the vortex, space shattered inch by inch, revealing a pitch-black void.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He suddenly clenched his fist.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bang!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One punch struck out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There were no flashy techniques, just the simplest straight punch.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet wherever this punch passed, space collapsed and time stagnated; the fist wind solidified, like a roaring giant dragon, carrying the momentum to destroy heaven and earth as it pounced toward the Soul Return Clan's legion camp.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rumble!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Heaven and earth lost their color; the sun and moon were dimmed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wherever the fist wind reached, continuous mountain ranges collapsed; everything along the path was reduced to powder under this single punch, even dust was crushed into nothingness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The energy aftermath spread outward, scattering all clouds within a thousand li, revealing a azure sky.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This punch seemed to drain all energy between heaven and earth; even the sound of wind disappeared.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only Fu Tu's figure still stood suspended in mid-air, towering like a mountain range, majestic like a god.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just then, a giant hand composed of converging energy flew out from within the Soul Return Clan's legion camp, colliding with the fist wind struck out by Fu Tu.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A sound like metal snapping rang out between heaven and earth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The energy giant hand and the fist shadow condensed from the fist wind hung motionless in the air, pressing against each other.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Suddenly, nine dark-blue vertical pupils of spirit beasts opened on the palm of the energy hand; each pupil spewed pitch-black nether fire, within which floated countless wailing faces of resentful spirits.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fu Tu's fist wind also emitted a sky-shaking hum.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Somewhat interesting.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fu Tu's low voice exploded like thunder.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His right foot shattered the void, and spiderweb-like spatial cracks burst open beneath his foot.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The muscles of his left arm suddenly swelled three times their size; all the ancient runes on his battle armor lit up, and dark-golden patterns detached from the armor, transforming into twelve chains entangled with qi-blood lightning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The chains, like mad dragons rushing out of a gate, instantly pierced through the energy giant hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Twelve chains respectively stabbed into the nine scarlet vertical pupils, while the remaining three directly plunged into the palm of the giant hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The vertical pupils pierced by the chains trembled wildly; the spewing nether fire suddenly turned deathly white and actually tried to flow back along the chains to scorch Fu Tu's true body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet Fu Tu's Iron Face revealed a ferocious smile, and his left fist suddenly ignited with qi-blood flames.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He abruptly struck a second punch; on the trajectory of the punch extending forward, nine layers of shattered mirror images distinctly appeared, each layer showing Fu Tu's punching posture from a different angle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Boom!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The second punch landed atop the aftermath of the first.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The energy giant hand exploded with a crash, turning into points of energy light; before they could scatter, they were inhaled into Fu Tu's mouth in one gulp, smelted and absorbed by the roaring qi-blood furnace within his body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just then, a dark-blue figure flew out from the Soul Return Clan's legion camp.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Countless starlights rained down from the sky, converging into a strangely shaped scythe-like weapon, its handle entwined with the sun, moon, and stars.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The scythe slashed down, tearing a rapidly spreading pitch-black crack across the sky.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Eighteen layers of blood-colored barriers appeared above the Soul Return Clan's legion; within each barrier, defensive formation diagrams composed of billions of wronged souls faintly appeared, attempting to use this to withstand the impact of the aftermath caused by their own top-tier combat power acting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Facing the scythe's offensive, Fu Tu stepped on the void.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Beneath his feet, a ferocious beast formation diagram covering a thousand li appeared.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His right fist suddenly clenched tight, and nine bronze pillars entwined with blood-colored killing qi rose from within the formation diagram.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Various ferocious beast reliefs appeared on the pillar bodies; at this moment, they all opened their eyes, opened their mouths, and spewed blood-colored qi currents toward Fu Tu.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Different ferocious beast-shaped tattoos instantly appeared on Fu Tu's towering body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What is this?\" Glancing at the soaring audience in the livestream room, Li Zheng once again nudged Gui Tong beside him with his elbow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Feral Beast Pillars, a special cultivation method forged with feral beasts as the foundation; when activated, they draw feral beast power into the body... These nine Feral Beast Pillars were cast using countless feral beasts slain by the War God as catalysts; their strength likely approaches that of rules themselves.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"In short, they're incredibly awesome.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"They must be awesome,\" Ghost Eye nodded, his gaze fixed fervently on Futu engaged in battle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The nine pillars struck the ground, causing the earth veins to surge.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Futu hovered in midair, behind him manifesting a Dharma Aspect stretching ten thousand zhang; countless feral beasts appeared behind him, baring fangs and claws, each exuding terrifying pressure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Boom!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Futu neither dodged nor evaded, meeting with his bare flesh a soul slash capable of tearing space apart.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just as Futu prepared to throw another punch, the Soul Return Clan expert raised his scythe and slashed, instantly shifting the entire space sideways.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When space stabilized, two figures simultaneously appeared in a brand-new scene.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clearly, the Soul Return Clan expert had shifted space and changed the battlefield to avoid affecting his own legion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, Futu condensed endless power and suddenly swung his right fist downward at the Soul Return Clan expert.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Boom!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The earth was pressed three thousand zhang into the ground; when the dust settled, only a bottomless abyss spanned the land, its rocky walls smooth as mirrors, residual energy arcing like lightning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Futu halted his stance, sweeping his gaze across the deep pit, bloodthirsty eyes igniting with a spark of fighting intent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The figure punched into the underground also reappeared at this moment, behind him hovering an energy scythe dozens of times larger than himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Soul Return Clan expert stepped out of the subterranean abyss, walking upon the sky; each step left behind a burning dark-blue footprint in the air.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Behind him, an energy storm roared and howled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two figures in the sky vanished from their spots instantly, colliding at the center.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Compared to Futu's mountain-like colossal form, the Soul Return Clan expert appeared infinitesimally small, yet he blocked with his scythe a punch from Futu that could easily shatter the void.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two figures locked in a stalemate midair, a ferocious smile appearing on Futu's lips.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>During this period, their power climbed step by step.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Boom!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Feral Beast Dharma Aspect behind Futu let out a sky-shaking roar, the beast's cry shattering cloud layers for a hundred li.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Nine Netherhood tore open the void, transforming into dragon-snakes spewing flames; Soul-Devouring Giant Maws swallowed starlight... These terrifying phantoms of feral beasts surged forward voluntarily, frantically tearing at the energy storm behind the Soul Return Clan expert, chewing the dark-blue soul fire into countless fragments of light.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clang!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sound of metal clashing transformed into a tangible shockwave.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nearby mountain ranges collapsed simultaneously; swirling gravel was crushed into dust before it could even rise into the sky.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The land beneath the two figures sank frantically, not falling toward the earth's core but sinking into a blood-colored starry sky; this was an alternate dimension torn open by the collision of powers, floating with countless shattered stellar remnants.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The scythe in the Soul Return Clan expert's hand suddenly disintegrated, transforming into countless chains that stabbed toward Futu's entire body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the end of each chain appeared a twisted ghost Iron Face, attempting to seal Futu.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the Soul Return Clan expert launched his attack, he also lifted his head, his eyes burning with dark-blue flames staring directly into Futu's, while behind him suddenly rose a three-thousand-zhang phantom of the Yellow Springs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Within the phantom were the figures of countless experts devoured by soul beasts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Nether River boiled; countless submerged corpses turned over, using their bare white bones to form a sky-covering giant spear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The terrifying Dharma Aspects behind the two figures rose like two tidal waves, pressing against each other at their convergence point, colliding and once again falling into a stalemate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Boom!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Futu struck first, breaking the balance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All the Feral Beast Dharma Aspects behind him merged into his right fist.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Soul Return Clan expert also gripped with both hands the re-condensed Soul-Burying Scythe; on the scythe blade opened nine hundred and ninety-nine soul beast eyes, each spewing beams of annihilation that destroyed divine souls.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Boom!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A peak-level collision unfolded once again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this time, Qi Sheng, situated behind the scenes, was also observing the clash between Futu and the Soul Return Clan expert.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The great battle between the two sides had surpassed the height that player legions could reach.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Placed before these two Half-God Realm experts, the combat power of the player legions, no matter how numerous, was utterly meaningless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this moment, he looked at the Guidance floating beside him:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Guidance, where would Futu's combat power rank if placed in the peak battles of the past?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Facing the inquiry, the Guidance Water Sphere sighed:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Black Black Tide Monarch-level combat power, I suppose; still not enough to touch the edge of the Demon God level.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Peak battles are truly thrilling.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Of course they're thrilling; back in the day, I had two great cleavers, hand rising and blade falling...]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Stop. What I'm more curious about is what role ordinary combat power actually plays in wars of this magnitude; surely they don't even count as cannon fodder?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Facing the inquiry, Guidance shook its head:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Wrong. Peak-level powers all have methods to combine combat power; ordinary combat power can also constitute a force participating in peak-level battles.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Take the Nether Black Tide Legion as an example; on the battlefield, they deploy a Battle Formation where every warrior becomes a strand of power within that formation, like a node constituting an array. Through the Battle Formation, the power of numerous warriors is condensed into a single rope, allowing combat power to stack infinitely, enabling them to participate in peak-level contests and even slay Half-God Realm experts.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Take the Black Black Tide as another example; you have seen the plasticity of Black Black Tide energy. Every particle of Black Black Tide energy can serve as the cornerstone for constructing super-soldiers. One can choose to fight in endless modes or condense to generate super-soldiers, changing at any time according to the flow of war.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[In the future, the Player Legion must also introduce this kind of Battle Formation Cultivation Mode to condense our own power, allowing players to unite as warbands on the battlefield, forming a single force capable of easily fighting above their level.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Guidance's explanation was very detailed; Qi Sheng instantly understood the specific principles.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His gaze returned to the clash between Futu and the Soul Return Clan expert.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This battle lasted for two hours.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The final result, however, was to stop after making a point; neither side seemed to have the intention to continue fighting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This display of force was more like a warning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before leaving, Futu left behind these words:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Next time, I will not hold back.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Soul Return Clan expert said nothing, watching Futu depart.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From this, one conclusion could be drawn: the mutual farming between the Soul Return Clan and the Nether Black Tide Legion was an unspoken understanding on both sides.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This time, clearly, the Soul Return Clan had broken the rules first, so Futu acted to apply pressure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The feeling Qi Sheng got was that both sides were preparing for a future world-class war, farming each other's combat power with an unspoken understanding.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Regarding this, Qi Sheng could understand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the current Monster World, the power structure was not yet clear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Major powers lay dormant in different regions, all developing and growing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once the situation in various regions becomes clear, the Monster World will move toward collisions between peak-level powerful clans.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This process is like big fish eating small fish; when only big fish remain in the pond, the curtain rises on world-class war.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the current stage, the Nether Black Tide Legion is the strongest power in the Pale Continent region, but whether they can step onto the future ultimate battlefield, perhaps even the Nether Black Tide God himself has no certainty.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All they can do is raise their own combat power as much as possible before the world battlefield opens.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At present, the peak powers clearly identified in Qi Sheng's eyes numbered only two.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The first was the Terrifying Black Black Tide.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Undisputedly the strongest power.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The reason they do not currently rule the Monster World is not only because early peak battles caused the Black Black Tide to lose too many Demon God-level combat forces, but also because the Terrifying Black Black Tide fights across multiple worlds.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A large amount of their combat power is still engaged in conquering other worlds and has not been summoned here.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Monster World is merely one of the main battlefields of the Terrifying Black Black Tide; before securing the other main battlefields, the Black Black Tide's support descends gradually.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, the Black Black Tide Calamity could descend with a large batch of main forces at any moment, transforming once again into a giant wave sweeping across the Monster World.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The second clearly identified peak-level power is the Combat Insect Race.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This is likewise a calamity-level power fighting across multiple worlds.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Like the Black Black Tide, they possess infinite growth potential; they are emotionless, extremely evil killing machines.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for the Nether Black Tide Legion, their true combat power remains unclear for now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Including just how strong the current Nether Black Tide God is, it remains an unknown variable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thus, they are not yet listed among the apex powers, but ranked in the second tier of peak powers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Another power with unclear combat strength is the peak force of the Ancient God Race, but judging by the strength of the Ancient God Champion, Qi Sheng also ranks them in the second tier of peak powers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for the Ascended Race, Shu Yan, and the Lord of Bliss, they are currently in a stage of rapid growth; there is a significant gap in strength compared to the previous few powers, so they temporarily cannot enter the ranks of peak powers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Among other unknown powers, he knows of one: the Blue Lamp Race.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Being noticed by the Lord of Bliss clearly indicates they are also a new power with boundless potential.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, the Blue Lamp Race has not yet had contact with players, so their specific situation is unknown.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this moment, with the peak collision ended, Qi Sheng's gaze shifted once again to the Poison Thorn Training Camp.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",7505,"2026-06-19T09:20:35.554Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","47e034a9ba306de253275ff85007db865425be04e55d5f0c7a2abf801976c7b2","monsters-are-coming-chapter-201","monsters-are-coming-chapter-199",393,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fmonsters-are-coming-cover.jpg"]