Holy Fist!

If you look closely, you can see, is that some kind of feather?

His steps did not pause at all, continuing forward.

The paintings on the walls, the eras continuously advancing, narrating the development of humanity. The background changes persistently, from slash-and-burn farming, to huts and fields, and then to ancient cities. The clothing and weapons also continuously evolve. But the only constant is that all-encompassing dark shadow!

It is like a nightmare, accompanying human life, accompanying human development. Regardless of how the scenes change, how civilizations advance, it always exists. Bai Xiao's steady footsteps suddenly stopped. He stood before the last mural, raised his head, eyes slightly contracted.

The full form of that dark shadow was depicted.

Unexpectedly, it was a Demon Bird that obscures the sky and the sun, wings extended, easily covering the whole world. Dense feathers wrapped with the terrifying ripple of a million years of time. Scarlet pupils overlook from above.

"The Demon Bird, Intaro…"

Bai Xiao murmured to himself, the dark shadow that always accompanies humanity, is precisely fear. As long as the unknown exists, fear will inevitably arise!

He took a deep breath, looked downward.

Below the Demon Bird illustration, there is a narration of events that befell this world. The Demon Bird descends, with three Fear Knights under its seat, spreading fear across the world, dark qi engulfing the empire. The murals tell of the empire's resistance against the Demon Bird, how it preserved the last spark.

Bai Xiao noticed.

At a certain moment during the empire's resistance, it seemed to utilize the mysterious power of the Beidou Holy Temple to send out a SOS to something. That thing is replaced by a mass of twinkling stars, perhaps a constellation?

But subsequently, it abruptly ends.

It's unknown whether the SOS was successful in the end.

His gaze descended again, the last painting of all the murals.

Above it was a prophecy.

Among all things in the world, there is a pillar of fear. Under that pillar, there are five seats, indicating that five Fear Knights will be born. When fear invaded the empire, there were only three knights.

Yet Bai Xiao saw the faintly apparent fourth knight here at the prophecy.

It seems as if these murals have an elusive mystical power, still holding the power of prophecy. His gaze focused, sweeping over the features of the first three Fear Knights, nothing discernible. However, when Bai Xiao saw the fourth Fear Knight, his breath sharply quickened.

"Master brother!?"

Unsure if it was Bai Xiao's misconception, though the fourth Fear Knight wasn't fully formed, he sensed a familiar feature and aura. It indeed had similarities with Wu Binghe, the master brother of the Fierce Bird Sect long ago.

"The battle of the Fierce Bird Sect dragged the master brother away by fear…"

"Was he… chosen by the Demon Bird!?"

"Destined to be the fourth Fear Knight?"

Bai Xiao's eyes glimmered, breath unable to calm for a long time.

But he suddenly seemed to realize something, abruptly turning to look at the right side of the fourth Fear Knight, at the place of the fifth Fear Knight.

A simple outline, subtly flickering, suspended above.

In Bai Xiao's vision, that portrait painting was filling up with unimaginable speed, various colors and details covering.

Until the image reached above the neck, revealing that face.

"Is it me?"

Bai Xiao's pupils suddenly shrank to the size of a needle's tip, qi exploded all over his body.

Almost instinctively poised to throw a punch.

Yet, in a flash, all the images disappeared, as if it had just been an illusion. The portrait on the wallpaper remained just a blank outline.

"Demon Bird Secret Book…"

"Demon Bird…"

He slowly turned away, murmuring to himself, a certain determination growing firmer. Bai Xiao inhaled deeply, immediately, the Skull Mark on the back of his hand flickered.

An indistinct feeling of soon escaping the Fear Nightmare swept over him.

He lowered his right hand, finally gazed out of the window from the ninth level of the Beidou Holy Temple's top. Outside the area enveloped by holy light, a grand fog indeed enveloped, gathering a massive congregation of fearsome creatures.

The power of fear, obscuring the sky and sun, devouring the world.

Bai Xiao's gaze lingered as he intently looked over a certain spot.

"Is that…"

"Buzz!!!"

The world spun, time and space reversing.

Bai Xiao felt as if he traversed the barriers of worlds, reappearing in the real world once more. He suddenly awoke from a bed, turned over.

At the brink of escaping the Fear Nightmare.

He saw a mysterious figure riding a black warhorse, clad in knight armor. The figure was entirely shrouded in black qi, the surroundings like a scene from hell with twisted Evil Ghosts, each reaching its arm towards the sky.

Unsure if it was Bai Xiao's illusion, he felt as if it was…

"Master brother, Wu Binghe."

Took a deep breath, paused to ponder silently for ten minutes on the spot.

Bai Xiao finally snapped out of that state, then took out the Secret Manual he acquired this time from his embrace, totaling over a hundred Qi Hole Maps. By refining them into one book, the endurance of the Dragon Elephant Scripture will surely be greatly enhanced. Bai Xiao stepped out of the room, heading directly towards the Martial Arts Arena.

At the entrance, a figure in black clothes had been waiting early.

"What's the matter?"

Bai Xiao stopped his steps.

"Hall Master, Chairman Shen asked me to inform you that the time for the Martial Arts Competition has been set. It will be held five days from now, with the opening ceremony at eight in the morning."

Ghost Mask spoke.

"Five days later?"

Bai Xiao murmured to himself, then asked.

"Has there been any recent situation in the Eastern Secret Martial World?"

Ghost Mask pondered for a moment, promptly replied.

"Po Suo's Hidden Blade Pavilion's Sword Demon has emerged from seclusion. Moreover, that individual has begun inviting peak masters of the Eastern Secret Martial World, planning to hold an Eastern gathering before the Martial Arts Competition begins. Possibly other peak masters, also due to the Martial Arts Competition, emerging from seclusion, returning from far away, a rare opportunity to gather. Hall Master, if my prediction is correct, that Sword Demon is very likely to invite you too. After all, your combat achievements are worthy of being listed in the ranks of peak masters…"

Five minutes later, Martial Arts Arena.

…

Bai Xiao felt as if he traversed the barriers of worlds, reappearing in the real world once more. He suddenly awoke from a bed, turned over.

At the brink of escaping the Fear Nightmare.

He saw a mysterious figure riding a black warhorse, clad in knight armor. The figure was entirely shrouded in black qi, the surroundings like a scene from hell with twisted Evil Ghosts, each reaching its arm towards the sky.

Unsure if it was Bai Xiao's illusion, he felt as if it was…

"Master brother, Wu Binghe."

Took a deep breath, paused to ponder silently for ten minutes on the spot.

Bai Xiao finally snapped out of that state, then took out the Secret Manual he acquired this time from his embrace, totaling over a hundred Qi Hole Maps. By refining them into one book, the endurance of the Dragon Elephant Scripture will surely be greatly enhanced. Bai Xiao stepped out of the room, heading directly towards the Martial Arts Arena.

At the entrance, a figure in black clothes had been waiting early.

"What's the matter?"

Bai Xiao stopped his steps.

"Hall Master, Chairman Shen asked me to inform you that the time for the Martial Arts Competition has been set. It will be held five days from now, with the opening ceremony at eight in the morning."

Ghost Mask spoke.

"Five days later?"

Bai Xiao murmured to himself, then asked.

"Has there been any recent situation in the Eastern Secret Martial World?"

Ghost Mask pondered for a moment, promptly replied.

"Po Suo's Hidden Blade Pavilion's Sword Demon has emerged from seclusion. Moreover, that individual has begun inviting peak masters of the Eastern Secret Martial World, planning to hold an Eastern gathering before the Martial Arts Competition begins. Possibly other peak masters, also due to the Martial Arts Competition, emerging from seclusion, returning from far away, a rare opportunity to gather. Hall Master, if my prediction is correct, that Sword Demon is very likely to invite you too. After all, your combat achievements are worthy of being listed in the ranks of peak masters…"

Five minutes later, Martial Arts Arena.