Xu Kun's entire body had gone stiff!
His mind raced, but he was still utterly confused by the current situation, his heart filled with questions!
He had clearly done nothing, yet he had passed the trial!
Wasn't an S-tier rating supposed to require taking the final boss's attack?
The sword that had just been pressed against his neck had indeed been the final boss's thrust. He truly had not had time to react, yet that strike had not dealt even -1 damage to him!
And now, Xu Kun could sense that the incomparably cold, invisible sword carrying howling winds had been withdrawn, and the feeling of danger had vanished with it!
A 91% completion rate had been achieved that easily?
But what surprised Xu Kun most was not that. It was... the boss had spoken just now!
It had spoken in the Human language—more precisely, Huaxia Language!
Though there had been a trace of stiffness, Xu Kun was certain that he could not have mistaken his mother tongue!
And who was "she"?
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh! Bitter winds swept past Xu Kun, gathering in one place. Gradually, light rose amid the dim surroundings, and the pitch-black scene became brightly illuminated!
Xu Kun narrowed his eyes uneasily. When he opened them again, bright candles flickered all around him, while the focal point of the light was a throne in the distance!
At that moment, a "person" sat upon the throne!
That was right—a "person" with the same Human appearance as Xu Kun. Judging by his features, he looked especially similar to the yellow-skinned Huaxia Race!
That "person" leaned halfway against the throne, his right hand supporting his temple. In his left hand, he held a sword that seemed both tangible and intangible, its blade plunged straight into the ground beside his feet.
The wind gradually calmed. Its final destination was the "person" on the throne—or rather, the invisible sword in his left hand!
Their eyes met, and Xu Kun could clearly see a trace of lifeless silence in those distinct black-and-white pupils...
"Are you... human, or a ghost?"
Xu Kun had already confirmed that the final boss he had encountered this time was, just like the senior who had earned an SS-tier rating 350 years ago, a Humanoid Swordsman boss!
His mind spun at high speed as Xu Kun recalled the experience that senior had left behind in his guide!
According to that senior, the Humanoid Swordsman of Mist Island had one defining trait: fast!
Fast movement, fast attacks, and even faster swords!
So fast that the human eye could not even track them!
Rather than saying that the senior who had achieved the SS-tier rating had endured through sheer strength, it was more accurate to say that he had desperately held on for half an hour beneath the torrential assault of the Humanoid Swordsman boss before reaching 99% completion!
Unfortunately, according to that senior, a novice trial participant could not possibly withstand the final boss's sword. When he had faced the final boss, it had not felt like a battle, but like being toyed with!
"Human... ghost..."
The boss seemed as though he had not spoken for a very long time. Upon hearing Xu Kun's question, a few stiff words emerged from the corner of his mouth.
In the end, he revealed a bleak smile. "What does it matter... if I am human? What does it matter... if I am a ghost?"
Xu Kun's brows sank as he looked toward the book in his hands. The Myriad Races Bestiary was drawing the boss before him at an extremely slow speed. Since his appearance until now, it had only drawn his body, and was currently tracing the sword in his left hand stroke by stroke!
Fortunately, hidden information methods were rare during the novice trial stage. Even if the "person" on the throne before him was the final boss, he could not evade the Myriad Races Bestiary's inspection ability!
"Give it... to me..."
"What?" Xu Kun's heart skipped a beat.
"Her!"
"Who is she?"
Humanoid Swordsman boss: ...
The two stared at each other in silence. Xu Kun awkwardly scratched his head. "How about you organize your words first?"
It had merely been a probing suggestion, yet the boss actually responded. "Alright..."
Another stretch of silence followed. Sweat formed in Xu Kun's tense palms, then evaporated under the flames of the Flame Spirit Sword. More sweat appeared, then evaporated again, over and over...
Finally, the Myriad Races Bestiary completed the final stroke of the sword in the other party's left hand, and a complete bestiary entry appeared before Xu Kun!
Xu Kun was just about to examine it when the other party spoke.
"You... killed that hateful ant!"
His tone was still halting and somewhat hoarse, but it was now understandable.
"You mean the Corrosive Poison Termite Emperor outside?"
The Humanoid Swordsman boss nodded.
"You killed it... her remains..."
Xu Kun's eyes lit up. He hurriedly took out the Mysterious Skeleton dropped earlier by the Corrosive Poison Termite Emperor from his backpack.
"You mean... her?"
"Yes!"
The boss sat upright, and a trace of vitality appeared in his lifeless eyes.
Xu Kun was just about to say something when the boss waved his hand. Invisible wind surged around Xu Kun, wrapped around the skeleton in his hand, and carried it toward the throne where the boss sat.
Ding, you have lost the Mysterious Skeleton!
Hearing the notification, Xu Kun's mouth twitched. This boss was far too tyrannical. He could actually snatch something directly from Xu Kun's hand!
However, Xu Kun understood something in his heart. So this seemingly useless skeleton had some special connection to the final boss!
Wrapped in the wind, the skeleton drifted all the way toward the boss's throne. The boss, who had been sitting upright upon the throne, suddenly spread his arms and slowly rose, his trembling palm reaching out to caress the skeleton.
Then, Xu Kun heard him let out a heart-wrenching cry.
"A Qing!"
Xu Kun felt his scalp prickle. Taking advantage of the boss embracing the skeleton and pouring out his feelings, he hurriedly looked toward the completed bestiary entry.
Heart of Despair Feng Rank: SS-tier boss Race: Human Race Level: First Tier Level 0 Class: Gale Sword Soul (SS-tier Class) Talent: SS-tier Child of the Wind (Agility +640%, Wind Attribute +640%) Level: 10 Physical Attack Power: 2164 Health: 2720 Physical Defense: 544 Magic Defense: 560 Evasion: 1% chance to evade Kun's attacks Attack Speed: Extremely Fast Movement Speed: 365 M/S Wind Attribute Attack: 2280 Wind Resistance: 100 Wind Ignore: 100 Equipment: SS-tier (Cheng Ying Sword) Skills: Wall of Wind: B-tier. Wind becomes a barrier and protects my body! Hand of Wind: A-tier. The wind moves with the sword, and the sword follows the wind! Gale Slash: A-tier. The sword becomes a gale and slashes forward! Windwalk: A-tier. Become a gale and move with the shadow! Wind Bind: A-tier. Summon a wind vortex to control the enemy! Blade Storm: S-tier. The sword raises a tornado, and its blades destroy an army! Forbidden Winds: SSS-tier. Sacrifice to the Wind God and annihilate all things! Introduction: A Human prodigy from 520 years ago. With unstoppable force, he fought his way into Mist Island's final trial location—the Desolate Shrine. He slew the SS-tier Dragon Race boss, the Blazing Dragon, becoming a dragon-slaying youth and earning an SSS-tier rating in the Mist Island trial. However, for unknown reasons, he did not leave the first floor of the Haotian Pagoda. Instead, he became the final boss guarding the Desolate Shrine. Since he began guarding the Desolate Shrine on Mist Island, no one has been able to achieve an SSS-tier trial rating. The invisible sword in his hand is enough to instantly kill any enemy of the same level!
Xu Kun: !!!
He rubbed his eyes hard and confirmed that he had not seen wrong!
This boss was not humanoid. He was a genuine member of the Human Race!
And judging by his name, he should have been a Huaxia person!
An SS-tier Child of the Wind talent, with dual bonuses to Agility and Wind Attribute. Such an SS-tier talent was already comparable to an SSS-tier talent!
Such a powerful Human should not have been an obscure nobody, yet no matter how Xu Kun racked his brain, he could not recall such an expert in Human history!
Until Xu Kun noticed his introduction!
"H-He... he's the one from 520 years ago! The Human who achieved an SSS-tier rating in the Mist Island trial, yet left behind no information at all!"
Xu Kun's shock was beyond words, and his voice trembled. By accident, he had discovered a world-shaking secret!
The Mist Island trial map had existed for eight hundred years, and only one Human had ever received an SSS-tier rating!
Yet what was incomprehensible was that, unlike the SSS-tier ratings of other maps that revealed all the map's information, the trial participant who had received the SSS-tier rating on Mist Island had left nothing behind!
Neither a name nor any map information!
Everything was shrouded in mystery. Xu Kun guessed that certain secrets must be involved, matters beyond the reach of someone like him, who had not even cleared the first floor of the Haotian Pagoda...
Xu Kun let out a heavy breath. The personal information of the boss before him had already shocked him immensely, but he had not forgotten his objective!
Setting Ling Feng's identity aside, the most crucial thing was his terrifying stat panel!
Xu Kun knew that the maximum level on the first floor of the Haotian Pagoda was Level 10. Heart of Despair Feng, who stood before him, was listed as First Tier Level 0, and had even changed class into the SS-tier Gale Sword Soul!
First Tier Level 0 and Level 10 were equivalent in terms of experience. Both were Level 10 with 0% experience!
The difference was that only after successfully changing class would one gain a tier. First Tier was equivalent to Level 0 on the second floor of the Haotian Pagoda!
After successfully changing class, the original five basic attributes became free attribute points, which could be allocated according to one's own build!
That was why Ling Feng's Magic Attack Power was 0!
The greatest difference between a First Tier Level 0 class user and a Level 10 novice trial participant was attribute bonuses!
Novice trial participants were treated equally. The conversion of the five basic attributes into Physical Attack Power, Magic Attack Power, Health, Physical Defense, Magic Defense, and Movement Speed was uniform. But after changing class, this would undergo earth-shaking changes!
Depending on the class rank, the five attributes each had their own star ratings!
The lowest was one star, while the highest was five stars!
Xu Kun did not know the star ratings of the five basic attributes for Ling Feng's SS-tier Gale Sword Soul class, but he could roughly judge that the conversion of Agility into Movement Speed and Attack Speed was definitely a five-star conversion bonus!
In addition, the star ratings for Strength converting into Physical Attack Power and Stamina converting into Health were probably not low either. They were very likely four-star!
Ling Feng's 2164 Physical Attack Power made Xu Kun's teeth ache. With such Physical Attack Power, even if Ling Feng used no skills at all, he could kill Xu Kun with a single sword strike!
Besides the high conversion rating of his class for Strength into Physical Attack Power, the biggest source of his immense Physical Attack Power was likely the invisible SS-tier weapon in his left hand—the Cheng Ying Sword!
It was also Ling Feng's only piece of equipment. Yet compared to an SS-tier weapon, even Xu Kun's entire Zenith Flame Spirit Set was trash!
In comparison, 2720 Health was not particularly outrageous. It was only 720 higher than the Level 5 F-tier boss, the Minotaur Chieftain, and far inferior even to the E-tier Corrosive Poison Termite Emperor, let alone the two stone statues Xu Kun had just dealt with!
The Human body was inherently frail, and Health was indeed a weakness. Even those SSS-tier Lords of the Era might not have particularly high Health. After all, Humans used their brains. Their greatest difference from Beast Race creatures, which only knew how to fight with physical strength, was that Humans were skilled at using tools!
Humans also had the widest variety of weapons they could equip. Other races, even if they possessed equipment, needed race-exclusive gear!
If 2720 Health was the most normal stat in Xu Kun's eyes, and 2164 Physical Attack Power made his scalp tingle, then Ling Feng's next few attributes were what truly made Xu Kun feel absolute terror!
A 1% chance to evade his attacks was understandable. With an SS-tier talent granting +640% Agility, Ling Feng's Evasion was definitely far above Xu Kun's. Fortunately, Heavenly Blessing: Child of Fortune's effects supported him. Otherwise, Xu Kun estimated that even if Ling Feng stood before him and let him slash, he could swing ten thousand times without dealing a single point of damage!
A race creature with excessively high Evasion would leave nothing but a string of Misses above its head!
Attack Speed... extremely fast. Xu Kun could not understand what "extremely fast" truly meant, but according to the senior who had once earned an SS-tier rating in the Mist Island trial, Ling Feng's sword was fast—so fast that it drove people to despair!
With a Movement Speed of 365 M/S, Xu Kun could hardly imagine such speed. Compared to the speed of sound at 340 M/S, Ling Feng's movement speed had already surpassed the speed of sound!
And this was only his Movement Speed at First Tier Level 0...
Compared to Xu Kun's own 6.5 M/S Movement Speed, which he had once been so pleased with, it was now not even a fraction of Ling Feng's speed!
At such Movement Speed, accuracy and Evasion values were practically meaningless. Most of Xu Kun's skills could not even lock onto Ling Feng. Touching the corner of his clothes was something Xu Kun could not achieve even in his dreams!
"Ling Feng must have been the one truly toying with the previous two stone statues!"
The Eternal Stone Statues, with their 0.5 M/S Movement Speed, had been two giant turtles in Xu Kun's eyes. Before Ling Feng, they could not even be called turtles. Even before changing class, with Child of the Wind's +640% Agility, he could stand before the Eternal Stone Statues and let them hammer away without ever being hit!
And corresponding to Ling Feng's 365 M/S Movement Speed was still the +640% Wind Attribute from Child of the Wind!
After changing class, his Wind Attribute had reached a terrifying 2280!
Moreover, based on Xu Kun's judgment, Ling Feng's Gale Sword Soul class should be a Wind Attribute melee class. That A-tier Hand of Wind was probably a passive skill like his own Azure Sand Palm!
Good heavens. With 2164 Physical Attack Power plus 2280 Wind Attribute Attack, if that sword strike from when Xu Kun had entered had landed, the Blazing Dragon Blink that had never triggered before would have triggered!
Xu Kun secretly felt fortunate. A First Tier Level 0 class user fighting a Level 10 novice trial participant was truly Dimensional Reduction, not to mention an SS-tier Talented Individual like Ling Feng with dual bonuses!
"No wonder that senior from 320 years ago had also possessed an SS-tier talent yet only received an SS-tier rating. Unless he had successfully changed class too, how could he possibly fight Ling Feng?"
The key was that Ling Feng had been able to change into the SS-tier Gale Sword Soul class while remaining on the first floor. It should have been a reward for killing the final boss. If the Human with the SS-tier talent from 320 years ago wanted to fight Ling Feng on equal footing, he would have needed to recreate Ling Feng's miracle—kill the boss, then change class...
This was an unsolvable loop. To obtain an SSS-tier rating, one had to defeat Ling Feng!
But without killing the boss and successfully changing class, one could not possibly defeat Ling Feng and obtain the SSS-tier rating...
Beyond Ling Feng's panel attributes, what left Xu Kun even more speechless were the seven skills he possessed!
What the hell were these things?
Of the seven skills, aside from Wall of Wind, which was B-tier, the other six consisted of four A-tier skills and one S-tier skill!
Even more terrifying was that he possessed an SSS-tier skill of the same rank as Unyielding Starfire!
Xu Kun looked at his own panel. He had one SSS-tier skill, five A-tier skills, one B-tier skill, and eleven F-tier skills!
"Phew, not bad, not bad. I'm only one S-tier skill behind him, but I have eighteen skills in total, more than him. Hehe!"
Xu Kun made a Lei Jun-style comparison and comforted himself in a rather Ah Q-like manner!
He had completely overlooked the fact that the same skills, when used by an SS-tier Talented Individual at First Tier Level 0 with an explosive stat panel, could not possibly be compared to those used by a Level 10 talent holder with one E-tier and two F-tier talents like himself!
Amid Xu Kun's shock, Ling Feng on the throne had already finished pouring out his longing while holding that skeleton!
When Xu Kun looked up again, he could clearly see faint tear streaks at the corners of Ling Feng's eyes.
"You cried?"
Ling Feng: ...
As a boss, Ling Feng actually turned his head away somewhat embarrassedly and wiped his tears with the corner of his clothes!
Xu Kun scratched his head awkwardly. He was no longer as afraid of this boss as before!
Born from the same roots, why torment each other so cruelly!
He felt that Ling Feng's killing intent was not that strong. Compared to the two bosses he had encountered before, Ling Feng was a living person who could think!
Xu Kun had far too many questions he wanted to ask Ling Feng. He wondered whether, for the sake of that skeleton, Ling Feng would answer them one by one!
"You are very good. I waited for so long... and someone finally brought her back to my side!"
"This is... my reward to you!"
Ling Feng raised his hand, and Xu Kun's eyes lit up. He thought Ling Feng was about to give him something, but before he saw anything, a notification sounded beside his ear.
Ding! Your strength has earned the respect of Heart of Despair Feng. Mist Island trial completion rate +8%. You have received an SS-tier evaluation. You may choose to settle or continue the trial!
Well, damn...
He had done nothing and already achieved the SS-tier rating that only three people in human history had ever attained?
But what use was that to him?
Still... Ling Feng actually had the ability to control the Mist Island trial completion rate?
Then why not simply give him an SSS-tier rating?
While Xu Kun was lost in wild thoughts, Ling Feng spoke again. "Thank you for bringing A Qing back to my side. As a fellow human, this is the only thing I can do for you. Your strength is far too weak. An SS-tier evaluation should be able to increase your strength considerably. Go. Leave Haotian Pagoda!"
As soon as Ling Feng finished speaking, another notification sounded beside Xu Kun's ear.
Ding! End the trial?
Xu Kun hurriedly selected "No"!
This choice stunned Ling Feng on the throne.
He said unpleasantly, "Do not be greedy!"
Ignoring his attitude, Xu Kun asked seriously, "Can you tell me why, after achieving an SSS-tier completion rate on Mist Island, you did not leave Haotian Pagoda but instead became Mist Island's final boss?"
Ling Feng glanced at him and said indifferently, "You want to know?"
Xu Kun nodded like a pecking chicken.
Under his expectant gaze, Ling Feng snorted coldly. "You are not worthy!"
Xu Kun's expression changed. "Senior..."
"I am not your senior!" Ling Feng rudely interrupted him. Then, seeming somewhat lost, he said, "The current me is human, yet not human. I am merely a lingering soul imprisoned by Haotian Pagoda!"
"For the sake of the fact that we were once both human, I will not make things too difficult for you—or for those who reached this point before you. Otherwise, no one would leave this place alive!"
Hearing Ling Feng's arrogant words, Xu Kun fell silent.
Yet he had to admit that after seeing Ling Feng's terrifying attribute panel, such arrogant words seemed only natural!
It was truly difficult to imagine who, aside from an unclassed SSS-tier Talented Individual, could defeat him!
But Ling Feng's contempt also stirred Xu Kun's unyielding pride.
"So, Senior means that you are bestowing charity upon me? You used your greatest authority to let me obtain an SS-tier rating, and I should thank you?"
"It cannot be called charity. This is my repayment for bringing A Qing back to my side, nothing more. If you wish to use your identity as a human to gain further benefits from me, then you are simply dreaming!" Ling Feng said flatly.
"Heh heh!"
Xu Kun laughed. "Then in the end, it is still charity. Senior thinks I am weak?"
Ling Feng frowned, and the wind around him immediately began to rage. Xu Kun braced himself as if facing a great enemy.
Suddenly, Ling Feng burst into loud laughter.
"Unyielding brat, what gives you such confidence?"
Xu Kun did not answer.
Ling Feng continued muttering to himself, "Do you know? Everything that happens on Mist Island is perfectly clear to me!"
The implication was that Ling Feng knew Xu Kun's strength very well!
"The only thing you rely on is the set of equipment formed from the Flame Dragon on your body!"
"But remember this: the original body of that equipment died beneath my blade!"
"It was a prodigy of the Dragon Race, a Flame Dragon possessing an SS-tier Talent!"
"Even so, in my eyes, Ling Feng's eyes, it was still no more than weeds!"
"Do you think that by wearing the equipment it became, you can fight me?"
"What a joke!"
Ling Feng's words were colder and sharper than the most frigid ice blades.
So that was it!
Xu Kun solved another mystery in his heart. No wonder the three human recipients of SS-tier ratings in the Mist Island trial had encountered Fire Dragons twice and a Humanoid Swordsman once!
He had previously wondered whether the SSS-tier evaluator, who had left behind no information whatsoever, had encountered the Fire Dragon or the swordsman!
Now it was all clear. Ling Feng had killed that Fire Dragon, then become Mist Island's final boss himself!
As Ling Feng's words fell, Xu Kun felt his arms, chest, and soles of his feet surge with agitation!
It was as if dragon roars echoed one after another!
This was...
Xu Kun placed one hand on the Flame Spirit Sword. "You were unwilling to accept your defeat beneath Ling Feng's sword?"
There was no response, but Xu Kun could already sense the Flame Dragon's lingering will from the equipment on his body!
As the most noble Dragon Race, it had actually been defeated and slain by a mere human. Of course it had been unwilling to accept that!
Faced with Ling Feng's cold mockery, Xu Kun did not care. He raised his head, his clear gaze landing on Ling Feng. He still had one greatest question: why had Ling Feng become Mist Island's final boss?
Was it out of helplessness? Or had he done so willingly?
This... was very important!
It would determine whether Xu Kun chose to kill Ling Feng, this former human prodigy!
"Senior... indeed has the right to be arrogant!"
"But as humans, we should possess an unyielding will. How can we accept food thrown to us in contempt!"
"I have no need for an SS-tier evaluation handed to me. If Senior truly believes himself invincible in this world, then..."
"Draw your sword!"
Before you continue