Survival in the Mist: From a Dilapidated Wooden Hut to a Heavenly Palace in the Clouds

Chapter 267 Battle with Xu Hai, First Glimpse of Talent

Mo Ming's eyes darkened slightly, but he casually replied, "It's just a strange stone. It looks ordinary and isn't anything special."

"Stone?"

The man raised an eyebrow, clearly not believing his answer. His eyes subtly swept over the area in Mo Ming's arms, his gaze inadvertently revealing greed.

He didn't seize the flaw in Mo Ming's words, but instead chose to change his approach. He deliberately smiled and put on a seemingly friendly expression: "Don't be so wary. Don't worry, I mean no harm."

Let me introduce myself first. My name is Xu Hai. What's yours? It's not easy for you to explore this secret realm alone. How about we team up? We can look after each other and survive a little longer that way.

After saying that, Xu Hai deliberately put on an innocent-looking smile.

However, Mo Ming inwardly scoffed at the suggestion of forming a team. In this secret realm, the survival of the fittest was the norm, and rashly teaming up with a stranger was tantamount to asking a tiger for its skin.

He didn't even bother with formalities, decisively shaking his head and coldly replying, "Mo Ming, no need, I'm used to being alone."

Mo Ming turned to leave, unwilling to waste any more time. The secret realm was only open for seven days, and it wasn't worth getting entangled with him.

However, Xu Hai's face darkened instantly. His tone also turned cold: "It's fine if you don't want to team up, then hand over what you just picked up. I saw you take some good stuff with my own eyes; it's reasonable for the finder to share, isn't it?"

Upon hearing this, Mo Ming completely saw through the other person's thoughts. He stopped in his tracks, his expression calm and even slightly mocking, and casually said, "Idiot."

His words revealed disdain, showing no respect whatsoever to the other party.

Xu Hai's lips tightened instantly, and his eyes turned completely cold. The anger from being rejected and scolded, coupled with his desire for the green-glowing object, completely made him lose his patience.

"You won't listen to reason, so you'll have to suffer the consequences? Fine, if you won't hand it over, I'll take it myself!" Before he finished speaking, he suddenly took a step forward, and a ball of purple energy suddenly appeared in his palm. His aura was imposing, and he clearly intended to take it by force.

"A bit of a lucky break!" Despite the sudden pressure, Mo Ming remained completely calm. He slowly moved his hands, looked at Xu Hai with icy eyes, and said in a low voice, "Perfect, let's test the skills of my new equipment."

Xu Hai's figure shot up instantly, his speed was extremely fast, and he closed in on Mo Ming in an instant. His right hand formed a fist, and his spiritual power condensed into a small vortex that seemed to be a solid object, which he aimed directly at Mo Ming's chest.

Mo Ming's face remained calm. He swayed slightly, taking a light half-step back. A dark light flashed in his hand; the power of the Black Gold Burst Armor was already poised to be unleashed. He coldly shouted, "Abyss!"

Suddenly, Mo Ming unleashed an invisible, gray-black aura centered on himself. This aura swallowed Xu Hai's figure like an abyss, and a strange low rumble echoed in the air. Xu Hai, enveloped in the abyss, felt a strong pulling force, and his movements began to slow down, as if he were sinking into a death swamp.

"This is--!"

Xu Hai's expression changed slightly, clearly not expecting Mo Ming to be so strong. He fought back desperately, but his body was still being pulled towards Mo Ming by the abyss's pull. Seeing that there was no way to escape, he tried to retreat and break free, but his speed was far slower than usual.

As his opponent was dragged closer, Mo Ming's lips curled into a smirk, and his palm clenched tightly, the black-gold Titan left arm armor releasing a chilling poisonous light. He raised his iron fist and slammed it to the ground, shouting, "Ten Thousand Poison Swamp!"

boom!

The moment his fist struck the ground, the surrounding earth instantly transformed into a dark, viscous swamp of poison, countless green fumes rising from it. The swamp contained potent corrosive and paralyzing effects, rapidly spreading to Xu Hai's feet. His body froze abruptly, his movements becoming even slower, and faint bluish-black marks of poison appeared on his face.

"you!"

Xu Hai coughed violently, his strength beginning to circulate and resist the toxin, but the effect was clearly limited. His attack speed decreased significantly; his crimson-purple level power was now forcibly suppressed to ordinary combat strength.

Mo Ming stared coldly at him, the equipment in his hand gleaming with black light, like the Grim Reaper staring at his dying prey: "In your next life, if you want to rob someone again, open your eyes wider?"

Xu Hai gritted his teeth, clearly knowing he had underestimated Mo Ming's strength, his expression complex and furious.

Mo Ming strode forward and unleashed a sword strike—Severing the Mountain!

Just as the sword energy was about to strike Xu Hai, a cold smile appeared on his lips, his eyes filled with malice. "You just wait! I'll be back!"

boom!

As the sword energy of the Broken Mountain entered his body, Xu Hai's body shattered with a crash, turning into a grass doll that fell to the ground.

"Huh? A scapegoat?" Mo Ming's expression was surprised, which was beyond his expectations.

"You're lucky to have such a rare item! Don't let me run into you again!" With that, he left without looking back.

......

On the other side, after the substitute doll was triggered, Xu Hai was instantly teleported to an area 500 meters away.

His body felt weak from the forced escape of the scapegoat doll; his chest heaved violently, and cold sweat slid down his forehead.

He knelt on the ground, his hands supporting him, panting heavily. His eyes no longer held any fear, but were instead filled with a chilling rage.

"Mo Ming..."

Xu Hai gritted his teeth and muttered the name under his breath, a fierce glint in his eyes. His fingers gripped the soil tightly, his nails almost digging into his palms, as if he wanted to carve this humiliation deep into his bones.

Having struggled in the misty world for so long, he might not be considered a chosen one, but he had certainly had many extraordinary encounters. He never imagined he would be forced into such a wretched state.

Although the surrogate doll saved his life, it was also completely used up, and he lost this important means of survival.

"I will make you pay this debt tenfold, a hundredfold!"

Xu Hai made a silent vow in his heart. His mind raced, rapidly calculating various methods of revenge, his eyes gradually turning gloomy and cold.

Sometimes people are like this: they are the ones who first coveted the money and wanted to do something wrong, but after being inexplicably injured, they resent the other party as if they were the victim.

Just as he was pondering how to take revenge, his gaze was suddenly drawn to two figures in the distance.

The two men seemed to be walking towards him. Although they were quite far away, their movements and postures suggested that they were unaware of Xu Hai's presence.

Xu Hai's eyes sharpened instantly, and a treacherous plan quickly took shape in his mind.

"Ha ha……"

Xu Hai chuckled softly, a sinister smile slowly curving his lips.

He slowly stood up, dusted himself off, and a dangerous glint flashed in his eyes.

Xu Hai moved silently, approaching the two figures. His movements were cautious, like a lurking venomous snake.

"Hmph, Mo Ming, we'll see!"

His face still wore that sinister smile, as if he could already see Mo Ming being driven step by step into a desperate situation in his plan.

"This game has just begun."