The moment Feng Ye appeared and struck, Meteor—hidden in the shadows—detected his presence.

“When did this guy get here?!” Meteor observed the battle below from the air. He’d been certain his test subjects would easily capture Lin Tang. But at the critical moment, Feng Ye suddenly showed up.

“Hmph. No matter,” Meteor coldly thought after a pause. “I’d force him out anyway. Since he came himself, it saves me trouble.” Yet Feng Ye’s hammer swept stones like bullets, blasting the test subjects away. Meteor’s eyes widened in shock. Those subjects could withstand armor-piercing rounds, yet now their bodies splattered with blood under the barrage.

Feng Ye’s strike wasn’t brute force alone. He infused Spirit Energy into the stones, making them deadlier than armor-piercing bullets.

“Another one-hit KO…” Meteor felt he was seeing things. Even he’d struggle to break free from those subjects and eliminate them all.

“This guy must be a pure offensive-type Awakened,” Meteor judged. “His defense is likely weak. An ambush could take him out.”

Meteor didn’t retreat. He had his test subject army—and a special crystal from the doctor. An incomplete “False Transcendent Core,” for emergencies. It could temporarily boost him beyond S-Class to Transcendent-level power.

Under Meteor’s command, fallen monsters surged toward Feng Ye again. New ones emerged from outside, launching attacks.

“Tangtang, take your brother and leave,” Feng Ye said, standing before the huge gap. Facing the charging horde, he radiated an aura of holding the pass alone against ten thousand.

Lin Tang didn’t hesitate. She ran to Lin Chuan’s stretcher, activated a teleportation Spirit Talisman, and stuck it on him. She didn’t forget the heavily injured berserker warrior, sending him out too.

Only then did she clutch her own talisman. “Brother Feng Ye, I’ll get them to safety first. The rest is up to you.”

She channeled Spirit Energy into the talisman and vanished.

The next second, a terrifying tremor shook the building. A shockwave rippled outward, kicking up dust and debris.

From the dust, countless monsters flew out.

Feng Ye’s stone hammer never touched them. He slammed it into empty air, unleashing spatial vibrations that created the blast.

“These minions are useless,” Meteor muttered, his face darkening. He summoned his War Spirit midair. Spirit Energy flooded the longbow, making it thrum with power. A black arrow—radiating chilling darkness—nocked itself.

Meteor fired. The arrow shot forth like abyssal lightning, tearing through air with silent, crackling dark arcs.

This was the Magic-Breaking Arrow, exclusive to Radiant Land’s Demon-Breaking Legion. Each required rare materials and intricate magic rune tempering.

But witnessing Feng Ye’s power, Meteor held nothing back. He used this precious arrow for a one-hit kill.

Whoosh!

The arrow nearly tore space, piercing Feng Ye’s afterimage before exploding on impact. The building shuddered violently, collapsing inward.

“What!?”

“He dodged?!”

Meteor’s golden triangular pupils caught the truth. Feng Ye had vanished the instant the arrow flew.

Cold sweat broke out on Meteor’s skin. He spun, raising his bow to block—just as Feng Ye’s hammer slammed down. It felt like a tyrannosaur’s charge. Mountainous force crashed through the bow, shattering his protective Spirit Energy. He spat blood.

Bang!

Feng Ye raised an eyebrow as Meteor crashed to the ground. He’d actually taken the hit.

Dust cleared. Meteor was gone from the crater. From afar, another dark arrow slashed toward Feng Ye like a beam.

This time, Feng Ye didn’t dodge. He vibrated space with his hammer. The arrow slowed inches away, stuck like in mud. His second strike shattered its Spirit Energy, breaking it apart.

“What kind of monster is this guy?!” Meteor, hidden in space, watched with bulging eyes. His handsome face twisted, losing all composure.

Whoosh! Whoosh!

He fired multiple arrows—nine stars in a row—intercepting Feng Ye. Then his Spirit Energy surged again, flooding his War Spirit. Dazzling light blazed like a daytime star.

“Starfall!”

Meteor released the string. The arrow streaked like a true meteor, piercing space to engulf Feng Ye.

Feng Ye’s eyes held a hint of seriousness. His stone hammer had silently become an ancient spear.

He hurled it. Lightning-fast, it collided with the meteor. A terrifying explosion erupted midair.

Shockwaves swept downward, rippling outward in waves.

“It’s over.”

As light faded, Feng Ye reappeared before Meteor. In the latter’s disbelieving gaze, Feng Ye’s hammer slammed down with spatial force, driving him into the ground again.

But at the impact site, a colossal Spirit Energy burst erupted. The surge instantly shattered S-Class limits, breaching the Transcendent realm!

“Holy crap!” Feng Ye stared at the explosion below. “He’s pulling a last-minute breakthrough too? Jumping straight to this realm? Is he cheating?”

Meteor’s body floated up, wrapped in light. A multicolored crystal glowed on his chest—unlike the monsters’ crimson ones—enveloping him like a magical girl’s transformation.

“Is this Transcendent power?” Meteor’s face showed intoxication. Explosive strength filled him. Feng Ye’s earlier injuries healed completely after activating the False Transcendent Core.

“With this power, I’m worlds apart from before,” Meteor realized. He now stood at a terrifying pinnacle.

He smirked at Feng Ye. Though powerless moments ago—even his “Starfall” skill broken—he brimmed with confidence now.

He stood in the Transcendent realm.

Below Transcendent, all were ants.

Even without his advanced War Spirit, Meteor knew his body alone could crush Feng Ye. His expression turned disdainful. “Feel honored for fighting me, insect. You’ll die by a Transcendent’s hand.”

He sneered, eyeing Feng Ye like a mouse. Arrogance swelled within him.

“You know villains die from talking too much?” Feng Ye said earnestly. “If you don’t act soon, that power will fade completely.”

“What!?”

Meteor stared in shock. How could he see my Transcendent power is temporary?

His face darkened. “Hmph. Killing you takes five seconds.”

He vanished. Reappeared before Feng Ye, hand lunging for his head. Meteor thought Feng Ye couldn’t react.

But the next second, pain ripped through his body. He was sent flying in a dizzying spin.