A chorus of exclamations erupted.
The top experts from Jiepeng and Great Xia all turned pale. Jiepeng’s bodyguards had reacted first. They were the closest to their leader and immediately moved to shield him.
However, because of Li Xiaofei’s earlier arrogance, there were no guards stationed near their leader on Great Xia’s side. The elite bodyguards of Great Xia, standing at a distance, were shocked upon witnessing this scene. Even though they charged forward with reckless abandon, they were already too late.
The elderly man, his hair streaked with white, felt the terrifying presence of the monstrous crimson serpent rushing toward him. Even someone of his high status could not suppress a flicker of fear in his heart.
Yet, he remained calm, staying seated without making a single movement. Screams echoed in his ears. Several of Jiepeng’s bodyguards, who had shielded their leader, were instantly pierced through by the crimson mist.
Their bodies were drained of all essence and flesh in an instant, and were reduced to drifting ashes scattered in the air. At this critical moment—
"You finally couldn't resist showing yourself?" A clear voice rang out.
Li Xiaofei slowly rose to his feet. But as he spoke, something unexpected happened. At some unknown point, the apocalyptic, monstrous crimson mist serpent seemed to have been frozen in time. It came to an abrupt halt just ten centimeters away from the Great Xia leader, as if someone had pressed the pause button.
It wasn’t just the mist aimed at the elder that had stopped. All across the Olympic Stadium, both inside and out, the surging, eerie crimson mist that had spread like a tide suddenly froze in place.
Li Xiaofei slowly rose into the air. He looked at Takano Kumagawa as if he were inspecting a defective product.
"Where did you learn to wield this extraterrestrial power?" Li Xiaofei asked.
"Extraterrestrial power?" Takano Kumagawa was surprised by Li Xiaofei’s sudden appearance. He could feel the overwhelming strength radiating from the fat man. However, he remained unfazed.
"No, this is divine power. It is a force that only those who have truly transcended the material world and grasped the power of the gods can wield," said Takano Kumagawa.
"Looks like you’re nothing more than an ignorant fool," replied Li Xiaofei, sounding disappointed.
Takano Kumagawa’s demeanor resembled that of a deluded fanatic. He was completely devoid of even the most basic ability for rational thought. Such a person was nothing more than a tool. Yet, his methods bore a striking resemblance to Eden’s style.
Li Xiaofei pondered for a brief moment before formulating a countermeasure. He moved forward, reaching for Takano Kumagawa.
"You court death!" Takano Kumagawa roared in fury. A surge of crimson mist erupted behind him, transforming into countless writhing tentacles that lunged toward Li Xiaofei.
"Stop!" The Jiepeng leader suddenly stepped forward, his voice loud and resolute. Pushing aside those beside him, he shouted, "Are you trying to start a war between our two nations? If you still consider yourself a citizen of Jiepeng, I order—no, I beg you—cease this at once!"
"Hahaha..." Takano Kumagawa burst into laughter. "Fools! Can’t you see? I am not merely provoking a war between two nations. I want the entire world to be engulfed in endless flames of war! The apocalypse is upon us! The old order must be shattered, and a new heavenly kingdom must rise from the ashes! Only through destruction can rebirth be achieved! Hahaha! Die! This city, this place. Everyone must perish—huh?"
His laughter came to an abrupt halt as Li Xiaofei’s hand closed around his throat. A look of utter disbelief filled Takano Kumagawa’s eyes. Before he could react, Li Xiaofei flicked his left hand.
A few dazzling sparks shot out from his fingertips, scattering into the sky. The sparks fell into the crimson mist and ignited it. An instant later, it was as if sunlight had pierced through storm clouds, as if wildfire had consumed dry grass, as if grease had been effortlessly washed away...
The crimson mist vanished within a single second. As if it had never existed. The night stretched on, deep and vast, as the moon cast its cold, serene light on the arena.
The suffocating oppression that had gripped the air disappeared without a trace, leaving only the overwhelming relief of unrestrained breath. Every pair of eyes turned toward the figure hovering in midair. He held the ‘demon’ in one hand, standing like an unstoppable deity who had descended upon the mortal world.
"Now, tell me. Where is the god you speak of hiding? How exactly did you obtain this power?" Li Xiaofei’s voice thundered like an explosion in Takano Kumagawa’s ears.
Takano Kumagawa struggled desperately. But the so-called divine power within him was completely sealed. He couldn’t move an inch.
"You... you! Let me go!" Takano Kumagawa shouted, his voice filled with panic. "Do you have any idea who I serve? I am a devout follower of the great god Angrus! You dare to disrupt my plan? The god will punish you!"
A flicker of understanding crossed Li Xiaofei’s mind.
Angrus? Isn’t that the very same God General from Eden, the one who had sent divine envoys to his own Earth to seize the Heart of the Primal God?
It seemed that this entity's influence stretched far and wide. Traces of him had surfaced even here, on Earth-1818. He had spent so long investigating in Chongque City, searching for answers in vain. Yet now, a lead had fallen right into his hands on this base planet.
Just when it seemed there were no paths forward, he had stumbled upon an unexpected breakthrough. A surge of Xuanzhen energy burst from Li Xiaofei.
In an instant, he obliterated the heart of the extraterrestrial power within Takano Kumagawa along with its core seed. This was the only way to ensure that Takano Kumagawa wouldn’t be eliminated remotely during interrogation.
"No! What have you done? You—" Takano Kumagawa let out a piercing, despairing wail.
Li Xiaofei swiftly planted over a dozen shackles of power within his body.
Takano Kumagawa was thrown to the ground.
"Lock him up. Interrogate him slowly." Li Xiaofei ordered.
"Yes, Captain!" Zhang Hongjing quickly stepped forward to take custody of the prisoner.
"Wait a moment!" Shaken from his immense shock, Tōan Ritsu swiftly called out.
"Hmm?" Li Xiaofei cast a cold gaze downward.
Tōan Ritsu’s heart pounded wildly.
"Don't misunderstand, I mean no disrespect." He hurriedly explained in a respectful tone, "It’s just that... Takano Kumagawa is, after all, a citizen of Jiepeng. Could you hand him over to us for interrogation?"
"Then... could we at least participate in the interrogation? Perhaps we could offer some useful insights."
Tōan Ritsu pressed, determined to negotiate. He had witnessed the extraordinary power surrounding Takano Kumagawa, and recognized it as something that defied conventional limits. He realized that this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
If they could extract valuable information, it would be an immense advantage for Jiepeng. However, Li Xiaofei rejected him without hesitation.
"No." His tone was calm but resolute. "Remember this. I am already showing you mercy by allowing you to leave Great Xia alive. Don’t push your luck."
Tōan Ritsu opened his mouth, but in the end, he could not bring himself to say another word.
He no longer dared to push further. It didn’t take long for the scene to be cleaned up. The event organizers were busy erasing any traces of the battle, while the leaders had already left. The artists from both nations, still in a state of extreme shock, boarded their buses to return home.
Li Xiaofei left with Li Guorui. He was eagerly anticipating what would happen next. Regardless of whether Takano Kumagawa revealed anything during interrogation, Eden's forces had already been disturbed.
As long as Angrus was still around, he was bound to take further action. That was one of the reasons why Li Xiaofei had acted so boldly. After dropping Li Guorui back at school, Li Xiaofei returned to Miss Fan’s mansion.
"Wow! Master, you were absolutely incredible!" said Miss Fan. Her eyes sparkled as she threw herself into his arms, already overwhelmed with emotion. Her passion was overflowing.
Li Xiaofei lifted her up and a fierce battle ensued for two hours. Afterward, Li Xiaofei lay on the bed while his mind wandered.
"Oh, right! Master, Wang Fei is still waiting downstairs for you," said Miss Fan as she suddenly rolled over, giggling foolishly.
After witnessing Li Xiaofei’s abilities and true identity, the celebrated songstress had completely submitted to him. She had cozied up to Miss Fan on the bus from the moment they left the Olympic Center and then shamelessly followed her all the way to Meilin Mansion.
"Hehe, I think she's already completely mesmerized by you, Master. With just a curl of your finger, you could have her in any position you desire." Miss Fan spoke in an irresistibly seductive tone.
Li Xiaofei replied casually, "Tell her to leave."
"I’m not so desperate that I’ll settle for just any leftover scraps," Li Xiaofei spoke indifferently.
A celebrity? She’s nothing special.
He casually rubbed his waist. Miss Fan, having been nourished by dual cultivation, was growing stronger in battle with each passing night.