Darkness.
For a while, that was all Lin Feng knew.
No sound. No pain. No movement.
Just a deep, endless void that wrapped around his consciousness like a heavy blanket.
Then—
A faint pulse.
Thump.
Another.
Thump… Thump…
Something stirred within his chest.
The Titan Core.
A Slow Return
Lin Feng's fingers twitched slightly.
A faint sensation returned to his body—pain.
A lot of it.
It came rushing back all at once.
His muscles burned.
His bones felt heavy.
Even breathing felt like lifting a mountain.
"…Yeah," he muttered weakly inside his mind.
"That fight… hurt."
System Recovery
A dim golden screen flickered into existence.
FIST GOD SYSTEM — EMERGENCY MODE
Host Status: Critical (Recovering)
• Physical Damage: Moderate–Severe
• Energy Depletion: 92%
• Internal Strain: High
Recovery Mode Activated:
• Passive Healing Engaged
• Titan Core Stabilization: In Progress
Estimated Full Recovery Time: 72 Hours
Lin Feng mentally groaned.
"Seventy-two hours…?"
"That long?"
System Response:
Correction: Without system assistance, recovery would require approximately 3 months.
Lin Feng paused.
"…Alright."
"I'll shut up."
Voices Around Him
Gradually, sound began to return.
"…still breathing?"
"Barely."
"That monster actually survived…"
Lin Feng frowned slightly.
Monster?
He forced his eyes open.
Light flooded in.
The world blurred for a moment before slowly coming into focus.
Above him—
The sky.
Blue.
Peaceful.
Completely opposite from the battlefield he remembered.
The Sect's Reaction
He turned his head slightly.
Bad idea.
Pain shot through his body instantly.
"…Okay, maybe not that."
A familiar voice spoke nearby.
"Don't move."
Lin Feng blinked.
Jian Luo stood beside him, arms folded, expression calm as always.
"You'll tear something important."
Lin Feng smirked faintly.
"Pretty sure everything important is already torn."
Jian Luo didn't deny it.
The Aftermath Revealed
After a few moments, Lin Feng was carefully lifted and placed onto a wooden stretcher.
As they carried him through the sect—
He finally saw it.
The damage.
The training courtyard was gone.
Not damaged.
Gone.
In its place was a massive crater, easily several dozen meters wide.
Nearby buildings had cracks running through their walls.
Trees were uprooted.
The entire area looked like it had been struck by a natural disaster.
Lin Feng blinked slowly.
"…We did that?"
Jian Luo nodded.
"You did."
Lin Feng let out a weak laugh.
"Nice."
Reputation Explosion
As he was carried through the sect—
Disciples lined the path.
But this time, there were no whispers.
No doubt.
Only silence.
And awe.
Some looked at him like they were seeing a legend.
Others… like they were afraid.
One disciple whispered softly,
"That's him…"
"The one who fought Lady Xue Mei and lived…"
Another added,
"And didn't lose…"
Lin Feng closed his eyes.
"…Yeah, let's not make a big deal out of it."
Jian Luo glanced at him.
"You already did."
Inside the Healing Hall
Lin Feng was taken into the Inner Sect Healing Hall.
Several elders were already waiting.
Including Elder Zhao.
For once, the old man looked… relieved.
"You survived."
Lin Feng opened one eye.
"Disappointed?"
Elder Zhao snorted.
"Don't get arrogant."
But there was no real anger in his voice.
Only respect.
Medical Treatment
A healer placed a hand over Lin Feng's chest.
Gentle spiritual energy flowed into his body.
Repairing damaged muscles.
Stabilizing internal injuries.
But even with that—
The Titan Core continued to dominate the recovery process.
SYSTEM UPDATE
Recovery Boost Applied
Titan Core Synchronization: 47%
Passive Regeneration Speed: Increased
Lin Feng felt warmth spread through his body.
"Okay…"
"That's better."
The Truth About the Fight
Elder Zhao stepped forward.
"You need to understand something."
Lin Feng looked at him.
"That fight…"
"It has consequences."
Lin Feng raised an eyebrow.
"What kind of consequences?"
Jian Luo answered instead.
"The entire Southern Realm knows now."
Lin Feng blinked.
"…Already?"
Jian Luo nodded.
"You fought one of Crimson Demonic Valley's top disciples."
"And survived."
Elder Zhao added,
"You are no longer unknown."
A Bigger World Opens
Silence filled the room for a moment.
Then Lin Feng chuckled softly.
"So…"
"I finally made it, huh?"
Jian Luo shook his head.
"No."
"This is just the beginning."
A New System Notification
Suddenly—
The system interface flashed brightly again.
SYSTEM NOTIFICATION
Major Milestone Achieved:
• Survived Core Condensation Opponent
• Titan Overdrive Activated Successfully
Rewards:
• Fist Points +2,500
• New Feature Unlocked
>>> TITAN QUEST SYSTEM <<<
Lin Feng's eyes lit up slightly.
"Oh?"
New System Feature
TITAN QUEST SYSTEM
Description:
Special missions tied to Titan Legacy progression.
Current Quest:
"Establish Dominance"
Objective:
Defeat 3 Core Condensation Cultivators
Progress: 0 / 3
Reward:
Titan Legacy +10%
New Ability Unlock
Lin Feng stared at it.
Then laughed weakly.
"You people don't let me rest, huh?"
Elsewhere…
Far away—
In the Crimson Demonic Valley—
Xue Mei stood at the edge of a cliff.
Her crimson robes fluttered in the wind.
She looked at her slightly bruised hand.
Then smiled.
"That was fun."
A shadowy figure appeared behind her.
"You failed to bring him back."
She didn't turn.
"I wasn't ordered to kill him."
The figure remained silent.
Xue Mei added softly—
"And next time…"
"I might not hold back either."
Cliffhanger
Back in the healing hall—
Lin Feng slowly closed his eyes again.
But this time—
Not from exhaustion.
From anticipation.
A faint smile appeared on his lips.
"Three Core Condensation cultivators…"
He exhaled slowly.
"Guess I've got work to do."