The King of Black Fog

Li Changzhou opened his eyes and saw the heavy snowfall, the world a vast expanse of whiteness.

Abyss Star.

The game wasn't over yet, but he found himself here. The reason was obvious: he wavered at the last moment and failed the challenge.

Li Changzhou couldn't believe it.

He felt no fear at all. Was it the final death that stirred in him a longing for Li Qianxia, Yang Qinglan... and even for the Turquoise Pool?

Because of the longing, was there an unnoticed fear in his heart?

Because of fear, did a crack appear in his will?

He waved away the annoying snowflakes drifting toward him like willow catkins, standing quietly alone in the snow.

Suddenly, he snapped out of the gloom of his failure and looked around.

In heaven and earth, only his silhouette remained.

——Had the other three passed?

"Bond Summon," "Life and Death," "King of Black Fog."

No response.

".... Whew!" Li Changzhou took a deep breath, his legs leaving the ground as he sat cross-legged in the air.

He closed his eyes, dispelled the thought of falling into the Abyss, gathered his emotions, focused his mind, and began to organize each level of the activity participated by all players.

The purpose of the Value Game was to select a 'Winner' and would not do anything aimless. Every level set was the qualities a 'Winner' needed.

Strength, recognition, attitude towards various crises...

The Value Game was not a real game; players could die. Through these eighteen levels, the players Li Changzhou killed with his own hands were too numerous to count.

What if, Li Qianxia and the others...

Li Changzhou opened his eyes again, calming his chaotic breathing.

He looked at the heavy snow, feeling extremely small in the world, alone once more at this moment.

Perhaps the three of them passed the eighteenth level and were stronger in facing the test of fate than he was... This was also a possibility...

Li Changzhou's heart, honed by planetary refinement, constricted into a ball.

No, he must still be in the test!

How could the Fate Level merely be about charging through formations, killing enemies, or being killed?

What else could clearly make him feel fate than losing them?

Li Changzhou stood up suddenly, spirits lifted.

[Bodhisattva?]

In his mind, Guanyin hesitated to speak.

"This is exactly the immersion I want!" Li Changzhou laughed heartily and teleported back to Earth.

"Sir!" Yafeiluna approached with overwhelming excitement, as if wanting to embrace him.

Examining her expression closely, Li Changzhou smiled and said, "What's the situation?"

"Very bad." Yafeiluna was still very excited, almost tearing up, "So far, only half of the players have returned. The official game was targeting you, I thought you also..."

Her emotions were directed solely at Li Changzhou; she didn't care how many Earth players had sacrificed.

On the interface of the "King of Black Fog," the prosperity of the Six Great Stars had greatly diminished.

"Got it." Li Changzhou was indifferent.

"Sir—" Yafeiluna hesitated to speak.

"What is it?"

"...Li Qianxia and the others?"

"They're fine."

Yafeiluna heaved a complete sigh of relief, her expression turning from cloudy to clear, "Then have a good rest. I'll go handle things."

Li Changzhou nodded, "Go ahead."

He closed his eyes to cultivate in the Earth headquarters' building, and the next day, Yafeiluna reported that only two Immortals returned, Bi and Phoenix.

The other Immortals, including the little Martial Saint, were gone. Of course, they only said "haven't returned" for now.

Everyone knew which expression to use correctly.

Those who hadn't returned by now were not coming back.

Li Changzhou didn't believe it, insisting that this was still the nineteenth level of the game.

He hadn't given up on this idea, nor abandoned the life of the "present." He would fight against fate to the end.

He began to participate in the game alone.

Each brutal battle made him increasingly strong, with such rapid advancement that it was hard to believe. But to call it an illusion, the substantial feeling of the power foundation was heavily weighing on his heart.

Three years later, he reached the edge of the Heavenly Immortal realm.

The Queen Mother came, bringing a child with her.

Absurd!

Li Changzhou laughed and acknowledged the child, spending time with him with the mentality of 'accumulating experience in raising children.'

The next day, another full-player activity.

Before the event started, the officials announced that during the last full-player activity, not a single player passed the Fate Level, considering it a total failure.

The second full-player activity still involved breaking through levels. Li Changzhou passed level by level, each absurd yet real world leaving him silent.

This time, he passed the Fate Level.

Was it because facing death didn't cause him any longing? Or was it because this is further inducement from the Fate Level?

After thirty years, he became a Saint. In the game, there was no instance that posed a threat to him; in reality, he traveled the present world, peerless among Saints of the same rank.

Looking upward, there was no Creation Realm.

He was the person closest to being a 'Winner,' the most likely to become a 'Winner,' even beginning to prematurely enjoy the powers of a 'Winner.'

No need for the "King of Black Fog," with just a decree, no civilization dared to disobey.

But... what joy is there in life?

The internal strength was unprecedentedly powerful, he was familiar with every iota of this strength, completely confident that even if he lost this strength now, he could regain it within three short months.

So, could this be the Fate Level?

[Changzhou, you should wake up. This is reality.] Guanyin said.

Li Changzhou remained silent, watching his ten-year-old self and sister, observing the bus on the summer road nearly burning up, listening to himself, Li Qianxia, Yang Qinglan, and Turquoise Pool's discussions under the starlit sky.

If not for 'Winner's' obstruction, and the restricted access during the Value Game from start to end, he would have already stepped into history.