Die, Replay, Repeat

In an instant, Yan Changshou's back became a mass of writhing scarlet tentacles, spreading out like the petals of a monstrous flower.

These tendrils lashed out, capturing nearby Snakeworms and pulling them into his body.

With each one absorbed, more tentacles regenerated, as if he was using this grotesque process to rejuvenate himself.

He sneered, his body surrounded by flickering black flames. "Fang Xiu, you think you can drain my life force? Hah! Keep dreaming! Let's see whose energy runs out first—my life or your Spiritual Energy!"

His wild laugh echoed, eyes gleaming with malice, clearly hoping to provoke a reaction.

But Fang Xiu didn't flinch. His face stayed calm and collected. "Is that so?" he replied coolly.

Then, he stretched out his left hand.

A fierce, gaping maw appeared at the center of his palm. It was the Taotie's Mouth. The moment it opened, a powerful devouring force surged out, pulling every nearby Snakeworm into its vortex.

CRUNCH, CRUNCH.

The sound of chewing echoed through the battlefield, and Fang Xiu's Spiritual Energy, which had been nearly drained, suddenly started to surge back.

Yan Changshou's laughter died in his throat.

"You... you can devour Specters, too?"

Fang Xiu smirked, unfazed. "Why not?"

Yan Changshou's face twisted with fury. "Damn you! Even if you can devour Specters, it doesn't matter! You can't restore domain energy! Once your ring is empty, you're finished!"

His strategy shifted—no more reckless attacks. Now, he focused on avoiding Fang Xiu, hoping to drag the battle out until Fang Xiu's energy reserves were depleted.

After all, Fang Xiu's Summoner's Rift and Infinite Conflict domains were beginning to fade, their power nearly spent.

Fang Xiu's expression turned thoughtful.

The battle seemed to be swinging in Yan Changshou's favor. Even if he unleashed his final domain, Frozen Zone, it would only buy a little time.

His Double Dragon Ring could store domains, but it had limits. The domains released through it were never as potent or long-lasting as those of a genuine fourth-tier.

In truth, defeating Yan Changshou would be possible under different circumstances. If Fang Moli were here, or if two captains from the headquarters joined the fight, they could wear him down through sheer endurance.

But the captains were all caught up in other battles, leaving Fang Xiu on his own.

There was only one path left: he needed to break through to the third tier.

Reaching that next level would unlock more power from his Genesis Mask, giving him the strength to stand against even fourth-tier enemies. And more than that, a third-tier breakthrough would awaken new abilities.

Fang Xiu kept devouring Snakeworms, hoping they might help push him past this barrier. But no matter how many he absorbed, it wasn't enough.

Moving from the second tier to the third wasn't just about accumulating power—it required a fundamental transformation.

And Snakeworms, as weak creatures from the Other Side, just weren't enough.

'Do I really have to start from scratch?' _Just as this thought crossed his mind, a sudden scream pierced through the chaos.

"Ah! Xiu, help me!"

Amid the tangled web of tentacles, Xiao Chuxia had appeared.

Thick scarlet tentacles coiled around her arms and legs. One even slid eerily across her face, inching toward her mouth.

Her expression was pale with fear as she fought to free herself, but her Spiritual Energy had been completely suppressed—she couldn't muster the strength to resist.

At that moment, a ball of black fire shot down from above, crashing into the tentacles binding her.

The flames exploded outward, burning away the tendrils and clearing a path for her escape.

Xiao Chuxia rushed behind Fang Xiu, her face pale with fear, but her vanity still kicked in.

She kept wiping the slime off her face with tiny, frantic motions, trying to regain some sense of dignity.

She had thought being near Fang Xiu would be her safe haven, but the moment she got close, her Spiritual Energy was completely suppressed.

Tentacles immediately closed in from all sides, and the fierce battle between Fang Xiu and Yan Changshou swallowed everything in its path.

The entire area was a warzone—tentacles writhing everywhere, countless swords embedded in the earth, and a chaotic clash of soldiers battling under a sky scorched by black flames. Bodies and limbs lay scattered in a gruesome mess.

"That was terrifying! I thought I'd die in the most disgusting way possible!" Xiao Chuxia muttered, still shaken. "I hid so well, and then boom, everything just stopped working when I got here."

Fang Xiu, without a word, lifted the All Equal effect from her, instantly restoring her energy.

She blinked, surprised. "Oh, my Spiritual Energy's back!"

Fang Xiu's voice cut through the chaos. "Why are you here?"

"Well, I was worried about you, of course," she said, trying to sound sincere.

"Stop lying," Fang Xiu replied flatly, clearly not buying it.

She gave a sheepish smile. "Okay, fine. The headquarters is a disaster right now. I figured sticking by your side would be the safest option."

Fang Xiu barely glanced at her. "Then you can wait here and die."

Xiao Chuxia blinked, her smile fading into confusion. "Wait, what? Die? You're not serious, right? You're not just going to leave me here! I still have three more years of work to do for you!" she added quickly, trying to make herself seem valuable.

Fang Xiu shook his head, his tone deadpan. "No need to worry. I'll die, too."

Xiao Chuxia's face went blank, her mind processing his words. "...Wow. Thanks for the pep talk. That really helps," she said, her voice dripping with disbelief. She was sure that he was joking.

Except Fang Xiu never joked.

As if to confirm the grim reality, the five avatars Fang Xiu had summoned to battle Yan Changshou suddenly vanished.

The Summoner's Rift had expired. Without its power, the thousands of soldiers Fang Xiu had summoned also began to fade.

Yan Changshou's victorious laughter rang out. "Fang Xiu! Two of your four domains are gone! Your death is near!"

Yan Changshou's body began to swell grotesquely, bulging with tumors that exploded into flesh and tentacles. He absorbed Snakeworms with a terrifying hunger. His form grew larger, turning into a towering abomination of writhing flesh.

Xiao Chuxia's face drained of color. "Fang Xiu! Do something! Finish him off! He's coming for us!"

"Next time," Fang Xiu said calmly. "After I break through to the third tier."

"Next time?! We're about to die! What do you mean next time?" Panic was rising in her voice. She couldn't handle the thought of dying in such a horrific way, and Fang Xiu's cool demeanor was only making it worse.

Yan Changshou was getting closer, tearing through Sword Infinity and All Equal with sheer brute force.

The closer he got, the more Xiao Chuxia's panic spiked. She couldn't die here, and certainly not in the twisted hands of this monster.

Suddenly, something clicked in her mind. "Wait, Xiu! What did you just say? Third tier?"

"Yes," Fang Xiu responded, still unbothered by the chaos around them. "The gap between second and fourth-tier is too wide. But I might be able to close it once I reach the third tier."

Xiao Chuxia's eyes widened with sudden hope. "I can help you break through to the third tier!"

Fang Xiu's expression changed instantly. He grabbed her hand and pulled her close, his calm gaze turning sharp as he studied her face.

"Didn't you say earlier that you couldn't?"

Her eyes darted away, avoiding his piercing stare. "I-I was lying..."

Fang Xiu's right eye glowed a dangerous red, the black flames around him flaring up. "What the hell? Why? Why would you do that?"