Failure

Deep beneath Mist Island.

Inside the Meteorite Star Ship disguised as solid rock.

The intelligent lifeform demon Babata watched the simulated three-dimensional image of Mist Island in the hall. Its blood-red eyes were fixed on a figure within the image, its face flickering with excitement.

"Fifty thousand years. Finally, finally, I've found a Mental Power Master on Earth suitable to inherit my master's legacy!! He's only four years old, yet his brain domain breadth is already 35. Even in the vast universe, he could barely be considered a Mental Power Master genius."

"I must make him my master's disciple."

"Whether the Yunmo Star lineage can reappear in the universe depends on him."

Filled with excitement, Babata released one Wood Essence Crystal after another through the Meteorite Star Ship. The crystals slowly floated upward through the underground river.

Some aquatic monsters in the underground river went mad the instant they caught the scent of rice.

One monster after another immediately began slaughtering each other for the Wood Essence Crystals.

Even the monster that had evolved into a Beast Emperor dove down from the lake into the underground depths, but its body was too large, and other High-level Lord Monsters got there first.

Boom! Boom!

In order to attract a genius like Zhou Hao, Babata spared no expense in continuously releasing Wood Essence Crystals, driving the countless aquatic monsters on Mist Island mad.

The many factions that had been scanning Mist Island with instruments quickly discovered that the life signatures of several aquatic monsters were rapidly growing stronger.

"Report this immediately. Three more King-level Monsters have appeared beneath Mist Island!"

"The number of King-level Monsters is increasing. One of them is faintly on the verge of evolving into a Beast Emperor!"

"My god, the monster that had already evolved into a Beast Emperor is fighting the other monsters!"

"There must be treasure beneath Mist Island. These monsters seem to be fiercely fighting over it!"

The Limit Martial Hall, Thunderclap Martial Hall, HR Alliance, and other factions all noticed the changes on Mist Island at once, and reports were immediately sent upward.

Hong had just signed a contract with the Cloud-Soaring Vine and was preparing to spend a few days getting used to it. He could no longer sit still and returned to Mist Island with Thor.

The lake churned without end, waves surging into the sky.

One powerful Councilor after another hovered above Mist Island, their greedy eyes fixed on the lake.

In just half a day, three or four King-level Monsters had appeared. Everyone guessed that Mist Island had to contain some unknown and precious treasure.

It was very likely an undiscovered Ancient Civilization Relic.

Why were Hong and Thor so strong?

It was because they had discovered quite a few Ancient Civilization Relics during the Great Nirvana era. Hong in particular had obtained a cosmic starship and could even manufacture Smart Fighter Jets. The martial hall he founded had leapt to become the number one force in the world.

That was why every Councilor coveted Ancient Civilization Relics.

Hong naturally noticed the Councilors' restlessness. Looking at Mist Island, he slowly said, "Wait one more day. I'll personally kill the Beast Emperor."

Two days were enough for him and the Cloud-Soaring Vine to familiarize themselves with each other.

The many Councilors, including the third Councilor, Ice Snow Emperor Hammerson, had flickering gazes. They knew Hong was warning them not to act rashly.

In truth.

If neither Hong nor Thor made a move, none of them would dare enter the lake to fight the Beast Emperor. After all, Hong was the only person in the world capable of suppressing a Beast Emperor.

Standing at the edge of the lake, Zhou Hao looked at the hovering Councilors above Mist Island and could not help but smile to himself. Babata was so eager to lure him into discovering the Meteorite Star Ship, but he too wanted to sign in within it.

The night quickly passed.

As dawn arrived.

Nearly thirty powerful Councilors rushed out from the camps surrounding the lake.

Thor and Hong were among them.

"Big Brother, are you confident?" Thor looked worried. A Beast Emperor was not a King-level Monster, and it also held the advantage of the local environment, making it extremely difficult to kill. The two Beast Emperors in the ocean, for example, hid in the sea and refused to come out. Neither he nor Hong could do anything to them.

Hong gently shook his head. "No. I obtained the Cloud-Soaring Vine, but there hasn't been enough time to familiarize myself with some of its attack methods. Not only will it fail to increase my Combat Power, it may even affect me somewhat."

Hearing this, Thor hurriedly said, "Then let's wait a little longer. We're not in a hurry. The ones in a hurry are the five great powers and the HR Alliance."

"I have to give it a try. I'm worried that if we drag this out too long, the number of King-level Monsters beneath the lake will increase again, or even a second Beast Emperor will be born. By then, it will be very difficult for us to enter the underground depths and search for treasure." Hong stroked the vine wrapped around his arm, a trace of helplessness flashing through his eyes.

"Lei Zi, I'll need your help if necessary."

Thor nodded heavily. "I understand."

With one Beast Emperor and several King-level Monsters underground, there were too many variables. Even Hong, the strongest man in the world, had no confidence at all.

"Everyone, fall back." Thor said coldly.

Quite a few Councilor-level powerhouses swiftly retreated. They knew that a battle between Hong and a Beast Emperor would cause an enormous disturbance.

The War God-level martial artists stationed in the camps around the lake also hurriedly withdrew far away.

Several dozen seconds later.

Only Thor and Hong remained in the skies above Mist Island.

Boom!

As the sky gradually brightened, Hong turned into a black shadow and instantly charged into the lake.

A ripple gently spread across the surface of the lake. Hong, completely covered by the Black God Suit, had already dived more than three hundred meters down and continued descending rapidly.

Half a minute later.

Hong began fighting a Beast Emperor resembling a shrimp.

The countless tentacles on the Beast Emperor's head whipped about madly at astonishing speed. It remained in an underground river two thousand meters below, yet the movements of its tentacles made the lake churn endlessly.

Hong was also incredibly fast. At times, he clung to the surface of the tentacles; at others, he landed on rocks at the edge of the underground river. Yet his target was the Beast Emperor's hard skull.

All the powerful Councilors stared at their watch screens. The two dots representing Hong and the Beast Emperor moved at incredible speed.

Rumble~

The ground around the lake shook and trembled.

Zhou Hao hovered in the air, quietly waiting.

A moment later.

Hong burst from the surface of the lake in a bedraggled state, with white tentacles following close behind him.

Seeing this, Thor, who was hovering high in the air, shot forward in a flash. The battle saber in his hand turned into layer after layer of afterimages, severing several tentacles chasing Hong before he left the lake with Hong.

"Failed."

"That Beast Emperor's life signature has weakened considerably, but Hong was injured too."

"What a pity. The underground depths restrict Hong's performance too much."

The Councilor powerhouses shook their heads in disappointment.

If the Beast Emperor did not die, they could not enter the underground depths to search for treasure.

But Hong was the only one who could kill the Beast Emperor.

Zhou Hao frowned as well, but soon relaxed. It was only 2042 now, and Hong's domain was merely at the first level. It was perfectly normal for him to fail to kill the Beast Emperor without fully adapting to the Cloud-Soaring Vine.

Thor looked at the bedraggled Hong and hurriedly asked, "Big Brother, how is it? Are your injuries serious?"

Hong waved a hand. "They're not serious. I'll recover in a few days. This fight with the Beast Emperor let me gauge its strength. I'll come back after some time."

"That's all we can do for now. Heal up first. If it comes to it, I'll join forces with you." Thor sighed.

"Alright." Hong nodded.

Inside the Meteorite Star Ship.

Babata was furious. "This is far too useless! He can't even deal with a single monster!"

At the same time as it fumed, it regretted stimulating this Beast Emperor too early.