-Chapter 2

The desolate wilderness was a scene of devastation, scarred by the brutal fight. M Nation Captain was locked in a fierce battle with his archenemy.

With a vicious left hook, the Captain shouted, "I'm ending it all today, John, you scoundrel! I'll smash that ugly red mask of yours, along with your rotten face. That thing was a gift from your boss, Adolf, wasn't it? I'll send you to hell to meet him right now!"

Red Skull retaliated fiercely, gritting his teeth. "Shut up, you damn Rogers!" Red Skull hated his enemy to the bone. "I'm going to tear your wings off, your head too!"

Gathering all his strength, he landed a heavy punch on M Nation Captain's chest. The Captain flipped his wrist, blocking with his Sound Absorbing Steel Shield. Clang! Red Skull was repelled, his hand bones feeling like they would shatter.

"Ah!" Red Skull screamed and retreated. "Good opportunity! Die!" M Nation Captain roared, charging with his shield. He moved like a rampaging bull, charging ferociously and using his shield to send Red Skull flying.

Pfft! Ugh! Spitting blood, Red Skull spun several times in mid-air before crashing to the ground.

Huff, huff, huff. Though he had defeated his enemy, the Captain was utterly exhausted, slumping to his knees.

Red Skull lay sprawled beside a large rock, his fate unknown. But his enemy couldn't afford to relax.

The Captain gasped for air, supporting himself with his hands. "I have to eliminate the threat permanently. Sneaking out to duel him alone, without my comrades, was to end this fated entanglement once and for all. I'm going to finish you."

Staggering, he walked to Red Skull's side and raised his shield overhead. "Farewell, my old rival. May your death also cause Hydra to turn to dust." With a swift strike, the shield severed the red skull, which flew off, splattering blood.

With his head severed, he shouldn't be alive. But was Red Skull someone who could be judged by normal standards?

The Captain's legs felt weak, and he collapsed to the ground. "I have no strength left. Should I notify my comrades to come pick me up?" He had defeated a powerful enemy, but his grip on the shield had loosened. A strong wind blew from afar, kicking up sand, creating a scene of desolate loneliness.

In the sky, to the northwest, a strange blue light flashed. A mysterious aircraft appeared silently above the Captain.

A large shadow suddenly blocked the light. The Captain looked up sharply. "What is this?"

A voice emanated from the aircraft. "Scanning for target to be apprehended. Name: Steve Rogers. Designation: Strongest Super Soldier. Weapon: Vibranium Shield. Initiating apprehension protocol."

As the voice faded, the aircraft swooped down from the sky. Seven or eight thick mechanical arms shot out from the fuselage, lunging at the Captain like serpents. M Nation Captain was not one to be captured easily. He rolled away instantly, swinging his arm back. Bang! One mechanical arm was knocked away by his shield.

The Captain agilely sprang to his feet, panting. "What is this monster machine? Why is it attacking me?" He held his shield with one arm, standing ready.

But at the same time, the remaining arms attacked from all directions—front, back, left, right, above, and below. The exhausted Rogers desperately fought back. After several minutes of struggle, the Captain suddenly leaped, throwing his shield at the joint of a mechanical arm. Crack! The shield jammed the arm, rendering it immobile. Simultaneously, the Captain lunged, grabbing another mechanical arm and wrestling with it on the ground.

These actions showcased M Nation Captain's rich combat experience and skill. Unfortunately, the other mechanical arms were not idle. They suddenly wrapped around the Captain's waist and legs. Crackling! Powerful electric currents surged through him.

The Captain let out a piercing scream. "Ahhhh!" His head lolled, and he finally lost consciousness, forcibly pulled into the aircraft by the mechanical arms before flying off into the distant sky.

The mysterious aircraft had waited until the Captain was weakened after his battle with Red Skull to seize the opportunity and capture him. The timing was perfect. Was it a coincidence or a meticulously planned event? What were the intentions of the aircraft and its mastermind?

Half an hour later, a private jet landed in the wilderness. Three figures disembarked: Iron Man, Thor, and Hulk. Iron Man rushed to the scene of the battle first.

Tony gritted his teeth in anger. "Damn it! We're too late."

Thor saw the corpse wearing a familiar black uniform, the insignia of a certain villain. "It's Red Skull. He's dead."

Iron Man walked over to take a look. The build was similar in terms of weight and build, but it wasn't impossible for it to be a fake. After all, he was famous for faking his death.

The short-tempered Hulk swatted away a rock blocking his path with a single palm, roaring, "Rogers, where are you? Answer Hulk! Aaargh!" He then casually uprooted a large tree and threw it away.

Iron Man patted Hulk's shoulder. "Calm down, big guy. Everyone here is worried about Captain, you're not the only one. Just calm yourself down, and when we get back to base, I'll treat you to twenty portions of Boston roasted suckling pig." Seeing Hulk shamelessly hold up a hand, Tony said helplessly, "Alright, alright, fifty portions it is."

Tony turned to Thor and said, "Looking at the fight on the ground, there was a fierce battle here. But it was definitely more than one. Especially after this guy, who is suspected to be Red Skull, died, there are still traces of intense duels. Look at the scorched earth; it indicates the other party used electrical attacks, because Captain wouldn't use that kind of attack. Honestly, I'm very worried about him."

Thor comforted him, "Don't worry. The gods will bless brave and fearless warriors to return home safely."

Iron Man shrugged and sighed helplessly, "I hope so. For some reason, my heart is pounding right now. I have a bad feeling, as if a world-ending catastrophe is about to happen."

Time flew by, and in the blink of an eye, three months had passed. These friends convened a meeting at Tony's home base, the Stark International Enterprise building. The attendees included Iron Man, Hulk, Thor, and Black Panther.

After months of searching, there was still no trace of Captain, and no one knew if he was still alive. Thor flew into a rage, while those Hydra scoundrels were causing trouble all over the world, creating chaos. "Damn it, I'll deal with them sooner or later!" he said, angrily smashing a fist onto the table, which immediately caved in.

Tony, not wearing his armor, had already anticipated this and had moved his coffee cup from the table. As expected, there was a crash, and all the teacups on the table were knocked to the floor.

"Buddy, please calm down. This is my last set of antique medieval teaware," Tony sighed. "I originally wanted to keep it to show off when I was chasing girls."

Thor's old face turned red with embarrassment. "I'm sorry. I'll get a set of silverware from the gods from Odin another day to compensate you."

Tony's heart immediately erupted in a cunning, wild laugh. 'Yes! Godly silverware acquired!' In reality, these things were cheap goods that Pepper had bought from a flea market stall.

He then said to Black Panther, "Old friend, can you give me some more Vibranium from Wakanda? I plan to make a desk that no Superhero can break."

Black Panther chuckled, "Sure. For the Vibranium needed to make a desk, tsk tsk, I'll give you a 20% discount. Just give me 20% of Stark International Enterprise's shares."

Tony's face immediately fell. "Talking about money, damn it, that hurts our feelings! Besides, I can't afford it." This made everyone burst into laughter.

Adopting a serious expression, Tony said solemnly, "Speaking of Vibranium, Captain's shield is indeed gone. Even the miniature nano-tracker I installed in the gap of his shield as a precaution has had no response until now. Also, that corpse dressed in a Red Skull uniform had a problem. It rapidly decomposed into ashes on its way to the lab for analysis. My experts couldn't confirm if it was Red Skull himself."

Black Panther flipped through a stack of data on the table. "Furthermore, the letter we found on Captain's desk earlier was confirmed by handwriting analysis to be written by Red Skull himself. Captain naturally knew this, which is why he went alone to settle the score."

Everyone looked at each other. They all knew how much Rogers hated Red Skull. The hatred of a nation, the hatred of countless fallen comrades at the hands of the enemy. Given the chance for revenge, Captain would never let it go easily. Clearly, the other party understood him deeply, willing to use himself as bait to lure him into a private meeting. And then? The straightforward and guileless Captain fell right into the trap the other party had dug.

Tony tapped the table with his index finger and suddenly said, "Everyone, I suspect this is a conspiracy. A conspiracy specifically targeting Captain."

Hulk grabbed an apple and a banana from the fruit bowl on the table, stuffing them into his mouth. He then threw an entire ham into his mouth, let out a long burp, and roared, spraying food debris, "I'll tear the bastard who hurt Steve to shreds!"

Black Panther took out a handkerchief and wiped the juice splashed on his face. "Partners, there's a bigger problem than Hydra that we need to deal with now. According to Wakanda's global scanning satellite reports, unknown ferocious creatures have appeared simultaneously all over the world. They are bloodthirsty and attack ordinary citizens everywhere. They are impervious to blades and guns. Although their movements are somewhat slow, they are incredibly strong. Modern weapons from national institutions like the military and police have minimal effect on them, and even..."

At this point, Black Panther paused, his face filled with sorrow. "Even some second-tier heroes' abilities can no longer suppress them, and casualties have occurred. According to the information provided by Superheroes, these monsters' bodies are exceptionally tough and resilient. Elemental attacks like fire, electricity, ice, and lasers are ineffective. Even if they are torn apart with great force, their reproductive ability is rapid. They can transform into new monsters simply by biting ordinary humans. They are endless and impossible to kill."

Beep beep beep. The communicator on the table rang with a rapid red flash.

Tony answered, "Hello? This is... Hmm, teleport here immediately. Quickly!"

A moment later, a large screen on the supercomputer next to everyone displayed dense images and data.

Tony glanced at the documents twice and said, "Everyone, this is the information Fury from S.H.I.E.L.D. just transmitted. They sacrificed many agents and finally captured a monster for dissection. However, they discovered Captain's DNA inside its body. It's obvious someone extracted his blood sample and created these monsters. This is highly likely related to the Captain's disappearance."

Upon hearing this, the Avengers' faces changed drastically. None of them wanted to see their comrade used by villains and suffer in agony. But this was the only clue they had obtained about the Captain in three months. He might still be alive, but there was no way to rescue him. Everyone's emotions were complex, and they exchanged glances.

Tony commanded via voice, "Computer, activate autonomous analysis program. Check if the database has any matching subjects for these monsters."

More than ten minutes later, the computer buzzed and reported the results: "The unknown creature has been compared against all known mutants, extraterrestrial beings, and native monsters. The species shows over 96% similarity to the ancient Chinese monster, Jiangshi. Warning: All known serums, antidotes, and healing superpowers worldwide are ineffective against the corpse poison brought by this super Jiangshi bite. According to ancient texts, only ancient Chinese Taoists could effectively cure the poison brought by Jiangshi, and Taoists are the most professional experts at eliminating Jiangshi."

Tony tapped his fingers on the table, lost in thought. He mused inwardly, Since Fury sent the data, they clearly know the results too. It seems S.H.I.E.L.D. has no solution. Is it up to us?

Lost in thought, Tony rested his chin on his hand, pondering. The other Avengers looked at each other, shrugging and shaking their heads, completely at a loss. The only sound in the hall was the crunching of food from Hulk, making a rattling noise.

Finally, Mr. Stark slammed his hand on the table, startling everyone. Tony seemed to have made a major decision. He looked up and said to everyone, "Everyone, please follow me."

The lowest level of the building was a forbidden zone for the Stark family. Even Tony had only been there twice. It seemed to hold painful memories for Tony, memories he couldn't bear to recall. As they walked to an old room, Tony opened the door. What met their eyes was a silver-gray shuttle, streamlined in design and ordinary in appearance.

Sighing, Tony shook his head as if trying to dispel the last trace of regret. Then he said, "More than ten years ago, I used my father's research to develop this time-travel device alone. My original intention was to travel to the past and prevent the tragedy that befell my parents. But I didn't know what impact changing the past would have on the future. Perhaps the people and things I cherish here would cease to exist. So, the journey through time never happened."

Finally, Tony made up his mind and said, "My companions, the world is in grave danger. People are suffering from the monsters' devastation. I hate my own powerlessness, so I've decided to go to the past to find a savior – the exorcist hero who has disappeared from the modern world, a Chinese Taoist. Does anyone here wish to accompany me? I must state beforehand that this journey is dangerous, and signing up is purely voluntary."

At this moment, Hulk had transformed back into Banner. He threw away the torn pants and put on new clothes. "I'll go with you. The time shuttle needs a co-pilot."

Thor stepped forward. "Thor is willing to follow." He then touched the hammer hanging at his waist.

Black Panther was about to speak when Tony waved his hand. "Sorry, buddy, there are only three seats. You stay behind to support the overall situation and observe the monsters' movements at all times." Black Panther nodded, reluctantly abandoning the idea of going.

At a certain time, in a certain era, at a certain place.

Guan Heng, clad in an apricot-yellow robe with Bagua symbols, pointed his peach wood sword at his old rival and laughed heartily. "I say, Jiangshi, this is the fourth hundred and thirty-seventh time I've cornered you, you bastard! Surrender and die!" Although he was only in his early twenties, he was the only exorcist Taoist in this world, having been in the profession for nearly ten years.

The old Jiangshi, Jiangshi, looked panicked. "Master Guan, can't you let me off one more time? After all, I'm the only Jiangshi left on Earth. If you kill me, you'll be completely out of a job!"

Guan Heng slowly lowered the hand holding the peach wood sword. "Sigh, you have a point." But he suddenly raised his face. "But I'm tired of this chase game! I've been bored to death just chasing you for ten whole years!" With a flick of his sleeve, three talismans were sandwiched between his fingers. He flicked them forward casually, and in an instant, they surrounded Jiangshi.

The Taoist sneered, "Thunderous Lightning Fiery Whirlwind Tri-Curse Fusion! Thunderfire Hurricane Ring!" A fire ring the size of a cart encircled Jiangshi's body, and flames instantly surged.

Jiangshi screamed in the fire, "You'll regret it when I'm not here to entertain you!"

Guan Heng spat at his rapidly burning body. "Never regret it!" He then sighed to the sky, "Sigh, I'm really out of a job this time."

Just then, a silver-gray time shuttle suddenly appeared in the sky.

Chapter 0002: Mysterious Ancient Sword and Dragon Heart Blazing Flame

Rubbing his eyes, Guan Heng looked at the time shuttle and wondered, "What is this thing?" In the blink of an eye, the time shuttle landed. Three people emerged: Iron Man in his armor, Thor with a large hammer at his waist, and Banner, who was still a normal human.

Thor pointed at Guan Heng and turned to ask Iron Man, "Tony, is this kid that Taoist guy? He doesn't look like much."

Indeed, Guan Heng had messy black curly hair and was barely 1.8 meters tall. Although his appearance was decent, standing next to Thor, he looked like a mere sprout.

A Fiery Talisman was slapped onto Thor's head. "What kind of idiot is messing with this Daoist master? Fire!" Guan Heng chanted, and Thor's head immediately turned black and charred.

Brushing and patting the flames away, Thor grumbled, "I believe you, I believe you! This guy's definitely a Daoist!" His face smudged with soot, Thor, both angry and exasperated, shouted, "Hurry up and grab him! I'll explain on the way!" Iron Man didn't hesitate. Time was of the essence. He and Thor grabbed Guan Heng's arms and dragged him into the time-space shuttle.

"This is kidnapping! Help! Save me!" Before Guan Heng could struggle much, Thor, his face still blackened, struck first. He punched Guan Heng unconscious.

After a while, Guan Heng woke up, shaking his head. "Who ambushed me? If you have the guts, fight me one-on-one!" Seeing Thor's fist, the size of a vinegar bowl, Guan Heng swallowed the rest of his words. He thought to himself, Revenge is a dish best served cold. I'll deal with you sooner or later.

Tony removed his iron mask and explained the whole story. Guan Heng was so amused he slapped his thigh. "So you're saying my Exorcism Magic and Corpse Extermination Secret Method will be useful again? Haha, I agree! Let's take down those bird-corpses and the supervillains together! Heh heh, I, Guan Heng, am going to be a Superhero too!" Although he was a Daoist, he'd watched plenty of comics and movies and was quite familiar with these Superheroes.

Thor glanced at him coldly. "But your combat power is very weak. You can't even take one punch from me."

Guan Heng's face darkened. He really wanted to pull out a bunch of talismans and blow up Thor's face. But the guy had a point. With his physique, he could handle Daoist magic and catching zombies, but compared to Superheroes, he was like a tender tofu tied with hemp rope – he couldn't even lift it.

Iron Man suddenly chuckled and spoke to himself, "My dad participated in the Rebirth Project back then and kept a tube of the original Super Serum. I don't know what side effects it has. I've always kept it as his memento. Dear Guan..." Tony's face was suddenly covered in shadows, and he revealed a dark smile. "For world peace, and to increase your strength, I'll have to trouble you. Thor, hold him tight. I'm going to administer it."

Guan Heng, held in Thor's bear hug, wailed, "I won't do it! Let me go back! I still have to sweep the floor at White Cloud Temple!"

Guan Heng, struggling desperately, had no intention of being a docile lab rat. Tony gritted his teeth in anger. "Can you stop struggling? We're traveling through time and space! Who's responsible if something goes wrong?"

Before he finished speaking, Guan Heng threw a shoe at his face. Tony dodged, and the shoe hit Banner, who was in the pilot's seat, on the back of the head. The Hulk immediately went berserk, tearing his clothes. "Who hit the Hulk's head?!"

The Hulk threw a punch that landed squarely on Thor's face. Thor immediately let go of Guan Heng. At that moment, Tony's syringe pierced Guan Heng's neck.

Guan Heng's eyes rolled back. Before he lost consciousness, he mumbled, "Tony, one day, I will get my revenge..." His head lolled to the side, and he fainted.

After an unknown amount of time, Guan Heng suddenly felt a fluctuating cold and heat around him. Where is this place? Startled awake, Guan Heng sat up abruptly. "Ah-ah-choo! It's freezing!"

A face suddenly loomed over him. "You're awake?"

Guan Heng flinched backward in shock. "Buddy, who are you? Where is this?"

The person smiled. "This is the Kunlun Secret Realm in the Himalayan Region. My name is Daniel Rand. Another name I go by is Iron Fist. My friend Tony sent you here. He thinks you need some training. Alright, don't think about cursing him for now. Tony already left."

Guan Heng tilted his head, thinking for a long time. He seemed to have heard of this person. He thought, Since I'm here, I might as well make the most of it. So he said, "Mr. Rand, how do you plan to train me?"

Rand said, "It's simple. First, you must learn to survive independently. That will be the first step."

Next, Guan Heng faced extremely brutal training.

According to Daniel, this was the Kunlun Mountain Peak in China's Tibetan region. About once every ten years, a legendary heavenly city called Kunlun City would reappear in the human world. By chance, at that moment, Daniel's father, Wendell Rand, lost control of his plane and crashed into this heavenly city. He trained in martial arts in a temple in the city and earned the title of Iron Fist, able to turn his fists into steel using chi.

Wendell Rand had a son in New York named Daniel Rand. When Daniel was nine, he and his father went climbing again, intending to find the mysterious Kunlun City. During that expedition, Wendell died in an accident, and his mother was eaten alive by wolves on the mountain. Daniel Rand fled desperately and was eventually discovered by warriors from Kunlun City. He was taken in as a disciple, became a monk in the temple, and also learned the formidable Iron Fist technique. Daniel Rand was the 134th scholar to bear the title of Iron Fist. Apart from his father, the other 132 were all Chinese.

Kunlun City had a secret area known as the Chamber of Spirit and Time. Those with strong willpower could stay in this room for an extended period. One year spent inside would only equate to one hour passing in the outside world. One could only enter this chamber once in their lifetime. With time pressing, Daniel and Guan Heng, who had never entered before, went inside to practice their fist techniques.

Perhaps due to the Super Serum, Guan Heng's progress was exceptionally rapid. His body grew stronger and more robust. In less than a year, he had mastered all the fist techniques. In his own words, "Kung fu is the easiest thing for me to master. After all, it's something unique to my country."

Now, Guan Heng's fists could easily pierce through barrels filled with stones and iron sand. He had never lost in sparring matches against Daniel Rand. The year passed quickly.

This day, Daniel and Guan Heng walked out of the Chamber of Spirit and Time. In reality, only twenty-four hours had passed outside.

Arriving at the mouth of a huge stone cave, Daniel looked at the young man before him, whose muscles were well-proportioned, his physique strong and robust, and who appeared exceptionally fierce. Daniel said, "Guan Heng, your training this past year has been arduous, and the results are quite significant. Now you will face the ultimate challenge in Kunlun City. Once you pass, you will receive a supreme honorary title."

Pointing to the giant stone cave before them, Daniel said, "Walk to the end of this cave, and you will see the most powerful opponent of your life. Defeat him and obtain your inheritance; that is this trial."

Guan Heng touched his chin, his eyes darting around as he spoke, "Daniel, can you reveal what kind of opponent it is?"

Daniel shook his head. "The opponent everyone encounters is different. The characteristic of this stone cave is that it can manifest and empower a projection of the strongest enemy within your heart. If you don't want to be consumed by the darkness within, defeat it. That's all I have to say."

Seeing his mysterious demeanor, Guan Heng curled his lip. "If you don't want to say it, fine. You're just exaggerating to scare me." With that, he walked into the cave and headed straight for the end.

Daniel shrugged and whispered, "Good luck, Guan Heng."

At the end, a giant black shadow, exuding a foul stench, looked down at him with eyes that disdained all lesser beings. Guan Heng exclaimed, "What in the world is this?!"

It was actually a Dark Dragon! Its massive body seemed utterly decayed, crawling with maggots, and some parts exposed bare white bones. The smell was one Guan Heng was all too familiar with.

It was the smell of a zombie! It was a Zombie Dragon!

Before Guan Heng could think further, the dragon swung a claw at him with the force of wind and thunder. Guan Heng executed an aerial backflip, landing nimbly on the stone wall. He reached into his chest, inwardly lamenting, Ever since that bird Iron Man brought me to this world, I haven't replenished my talismans. I only have a few left. I don't know if they'll be enough.

Gritting his teeth, he produced two talismans, flicked his wrist, and flung them at the Zombie Dragon. "Fire, hasten as the law commands!" The two talismans landed precisely on the dragon's eyes. Two wisps of black smoke rose, and the dragon let out a furious roar of extreme pain. Its eyes had been burned blind. As it prepared to charge forward in its rage, it suddenly heard a clanging sound. A thick iron chain around its neck hindered its movement. The other end of the chain was, of course, firmly fixed to the stone wall.

Guan Heng rejoiced, "So it's immobilized!" He thought to himself, Since it can't move, I'll find a way to finish it. Looking at its size, I probably can't kill it bare-handed. Where are the weapons? What bad luck. If only I had prepared beforehand.

Suddenly, he noticed a flash of light above him. He looked up intently and saw a sword hilt deeply embedded in the stone wall of the cave ceiling, directly above the dragon's head.

Guan Heng gritted his teeth. "I'll take this gamble!" He gathered all his strength, his legs suddenly exerting force as he desperately leaped towards the ceiling. His hands finally gripped the sword hilt tightly. The dragon seemed to sense an aura of death enveloping it, roaring desperately, its cries echoing through the four walls. Guan Heng almost fell.

Just then, the sword embedded in the stone wall loosened, and stone fragments began to fall. The three-foot blade, gleaming with cold light, was pulled free. Guan Heng, sword in hand, plunged straight down, driving the sword deep into the dragon's forehead. The blade continued downward, cleaving the dragon's body in two.

However, not a drop of blood splattered out. With a clang, a brazier containing the Dragon Heart Flame landed before Guan Heng. Recalling the secret legends of Kunlun City and the ultimate inheritance of Iron Fist, Guan Heng's mind suddenly cleared. He plunged his fists into the brazier, letting the flames engulf them.

A powerful force surged through his body. A black dragon tattoo instantly appeared on Guan Heng's chest. This was the proof of being the Son of the Divine Dragon, the successor of Iron Fist.

He turned to look. The treasured sword was still vibrating slightly, stuck in the ground. Guan Heng smiled. "You helped me slay the dragon; let's see if you can experience this fiery baptism too." He then pulled out the sword and dipped its blade into the brazier.

This action was initially spontaneous, but unexpectedly, as the sword's body touched the flames, it let out a sword cry, sounding incredibly joyful. In an instant, it absorbed all the Dragon Heart Flame.