"A blackened version of Xiao would actually make a pretty good skin."
Phenex looked at the familiar yet unfamiliar youth before him and chuckled lightly in his heart. Then his arm suddenly exerted force, knocking the youth who was still in a controlled state back.
In the next moment, it was as if thunder exploded in the sky. A burly man built like a four-armed asura appeared behind Phenex.
Four arms reached out, intending to restrain all of Phenex's movements.
The fiery wings fully extended. The five-meter wingspan forcibly pried open the burly man's arms. Phenex turned and delivered a kick, sending the burly man flying a hundred meters away.
Geo element gathered beside him. A sturdy stone prison trapped Phenex inside.
Dark-red flames rose, deep-blue water droplets converged. Two completely opposing elements attacked Phenex within the stone prison.
"Showing off in front of an expert."
Phenex clenched one fist. Crimson flames surged up from all around his body. The temperature that erupted instantly melted the stone prison into magma.
The flames were swallowed by even stronger flames, and the water flow was evaporated in an instant. The violent elemental power instantly blasted the three hidden figures back.
Phenex stood high in the sky, with the full moon serving as nothing more than a backdrop.
The young god's gaze swept across the five people who had ambushed him one by one, identifying them individually.
These five were precisely the five great Yaksha generals who, in the original history, had fought under the Lord of Geo during the Archon War.
According to the order of their attacks, they were:
Golden-Winged Peng General — Xiao
Soaring Serpent Grand Marshal — Bosacius
Mind Ape General — Menogias
Fire Rat General — Indarias
Spiral Shell General — Bonanus
The guardian Yaksha adepti who, in the brief main storyline of "Perilous Trail," had made countless players shed tears, were now all present without exception, standing on the opposite side of Phenex.
At this time, the Yaksha clan had not yet been liberated by the Lord of Geo and were still the sharpest blades in the hands of the God of Dreams.
Therefore, the guardian Yaksha adepti at this moment were indisputable enemies of Phenex.
"So that's why you made me regain my memories at this exact time?"
Phenex's cautious gaze swept across the five Yakshas. According to the background story he had set, these five would become his subordinates in the future.
Phenex, who did not yet know the future direction and had not yet met the God of Dreams, would not hold back when striking. One careless moment could reduce the number of his future subordinates.
Phenex had reason to believe that in some parallel world line, there must have been a scene where the young god angrily beheaded the corrupted Yakshas.
That situation would undoubtedly conflict with the background story, so the system intervened and made him regain his memories at this moment.
"Does a mighty god only dare to fight by controlling puppets?" Phenex sensed the divine aura nearby and shouted into the silent night.
"If your ability is only this much, then you had best prepare to never show your face again for the rest of your life."
"Because these five puppets of yours aren't even worthy of being my opponent for a single exchange."
As Phenex spoke, his divine aura soared into the sky.
In the next moment, a divine aura only slightly inferior to Phenex's shot straight toward the clouds.
"I was originally curious how a mortal could ignore the authority of my dream realm." A lazy, seductive voice rang out in the deep night. "I didn't expect it to reveal one of Morax's hidden trump cards that he has kept until now."
An elegant and charming noblewoman swayed her voluptuous figure into view in the night. Her pitch-black skirt merged with the darkness. Her magnificent eyes emitted a magical power capable of making everyone sink into dreams.
The God of Dreams had arrived.
"Strength above mine and below Osial's. I just don't know what your authority is, and how much of Morax's martial arts you have learned." The noblewoman lightly wiped her red lips with her index finger.
Phenex gripped his long sword tightly, his vigilance at maximum.
The God of Dreams was mentioned extremely rarely even in the plot documents. The only two records were that she had once enslaved the Yaksha clan as the sharp blade for waging the Archon War, and that after her defeat she had flooded the Guili Assembly with a deluge.
If he had sensed her aura earlier, the current him would probably have already fallen into her authority.
"Little friend, I wonder what benefits Morax promised you that would make you willing to fight for him even at the cost of giving up the right to seize the divine seat, just like Haagentus."
"Why not cooperate with big sister instead? Big sister can give you the most beautiful dream in the entire world as thanks, and can even offer double the reward Morax gave you."
"As long as you are willing to cooperate with me."
The God of Dreams spoke temptingly.
An inexplicable power began to erode Phenex's mind, making him feel the urge to agree with the noblewoman before him.
At this moment, Phenex finally experienced the same feeling Cloud Retainer had felt when facing him back then.
He steadied his mind and sneered coldly: "Leaving aside the fact that what Morax promised me, you cannot afford to give."
"Even if I wanted to defect to another god, I would never defect to a coward like you."
The gentle smile on the noblewoman's face froze. Her tone unconsciously carried a trace of chill as she said: "I'll give you one more chance to reconsider."
Phenex gave a contemptuous laugh. His eyes were filled with disdain for the God of Dreams as he spoke word by word: "Cow·ard."
"You don't know what's good for you!" The God of Dreams' eyes burned with rage.
The five controlled Yakshas reactivated and once again charged toward Phenex to kill him. Every move and every strike aimed straight for vital points.
With a sword in hand, Phenex used the high mobility granted by his fiery wings together with exquisite swordsmanship to simultaneously parry five long spears. At the same time, he continued his verbal assault on the God of Dreams:
"Aren't you a coward? If you weren't a coward, then the fact that you appeared in the Guili Assembly now and have been constantly releasing magical beasts to attack the Guili Assembly recently wouldn't it be because you wanted to cut off his rear while Morax had not yet returned?"
"The matter of Morax lacking basic-level combat forces Morax knows it, Haagentus knows it, I know it, Orobashi knows it... every god knows it!"
"But whether it's Chi, Osial, or Orobashi, none of them chose to attack the Guili Assembly. Because they all have the confidence to defeat Morax head-on."
"Only you... God of Dreams, only you lost the courage to fight him even before facing Morax. That is why you came to the Guili Assembly. That is why you thought of cutting off Morax's rear!"
"Admit it, God of Dreams you are a coward who became timid before the battle even began!"
Phenex roared amid the chaotic battle. The God of Dreams could no longer maintain a kind expression.
The noblewoman shouted with a twisted face: "Shut up! Shut up! Shut up! The victor becomes king and the loser becomes a bandit! As long as I ultimately ascend to the divine seat, no one will question my actions!"
"Then I say you can't do it!" Phenex mercilessly shattered her delusion. He broke out of the chaotic battle, sword in hand, and charged straight toward the God of Dreams.
"All of you, attack!"
The God of Dreams gave the order in a loud voice.
All the creatures controlled by the authority of dreams moved in unison at this moment, rushing toward the single target: Phenex.
...
The morning sunlight fell on little Ganyu's cute little face. Little Ganyu rubbed her large eyes and woke up, habitually going to greet Phenex.
"Senior, good morning."
However, today little Ganyu did not receive any response from Phenex.
Outside the Guili Assembly.
A somewhat weary-looking Morax gazed at the gradually emerging outline of the Guili Assembly and could not help but smile.
"It's been a long time, Guili Assembly." Guizhong sighed. "I really miss the little one right now. Morax, shall we go visit him together later?"
"Not bad." Morax nodded.
"Here we go again. You two keep mentioning this 'little one' every day. Who exactly is he?"
"He's a little fellow that even you, Azhdaha, would like." Guizhong smiled.
"In that case, I really must look forward to it." Azhdaha laughed heartily.
He was quite curious about this "little one" whom Morax and Haagentus had been constantly thinking about throughout the Archon War.
At this moment, however, Cloud Retainer suddenly spoke: "Lord of Geo, wait. Something feels off around here."
"The ley lines are abnormally turbulent, and there's the aura of a god..." Morax's expression turned serious. "Hurry! Something may have happened!"
As he spoke, Morax transformed into a streak of rainbow light and shot straight toward the Guili Assembly. Guizhong and Azhdaha followed closely behind.
Upon hearing this, the adepti also activated their adeptal energy and rushed after them.
Along the way, the corpses of magical creatures and the remains of magical beasts covered the entire ground. The soil was dyed red with blood spilled across the wilderness. Everywhere were the scars left after a great battle.
The adepti had seen such scenes more than once since the Archon War began this was a sight that only battles between gods could create.
Had a divine war actually taken place near the Guili Assembly?
Yet Morax and Guizhong simultaneously clenched their fists tightly.
The god in the Guili Assembly...
Please don't let it be him. The two gods began praying to the heavens.
However, the moment Morax and Guizhong saw that figure, they already knew that the worst situation they did not want to see had ultimately occurred.
"Phenex!" ×2
On the empty battlefield, the young god's body looked so frail. Five sharp long spears had pierced through his slender form, and the ones holding the spears lay fallen at his feet.
The God of Dreams had been run through the heart by the three-foot green blade. Crimson flames were burning her form. Her faint breathing symbolized the last signs of life in her final moments.
Suddenly, the young god heard his name. He raised his blood-stained face.
The dawn sunlight shone behind him. A familiar smile appeared on the young god's handsome face:
"You all... finally came back."
"It's fine. Nothing... happened at all."
Before he could finish speaking, a wisp of flame ignited on the youth's body.