"If you think you can do it, then try!"
Jun Bai's eyes blazed. Fire elemental power surged around him. His spread flame wings broke through the cage of the giant palm and slowly shrank back.
Li Tonghui put on his knuckle dusters, flames rising between his fingers. Jun Mo Li drew Cheng Xiao Sword once more, cold air radiating from the blade.
Jun Bai's eyes glowed crimson. His flame wings fluttered slightly as he drew Crimson Shadow from his waist, flames coiling around his body.
The next moment, the three attacked Chi simultaneously from three directions. No one spoke—their rapport was evident in this instant.
Li Tonghui struck first, unleashing a pillar of fire toward Chi.
"A mortal gazed upon by the heavens—your elemental power is lacking."
Chi raised his palm. Pitch-black covered his fingers as he caught the pillar of fire bare-handed, leaving only a slight stain.
Jun Bai flapped his flame wings. Crimson Shadow—wreathed in flames—coiled toward Chi's waist.
"A god returning from the brink of death—your power is far from what it once was."
Chi reached out and grasped Crimson Shadow's blade. A trickle of blood appeared between his fingers. Then he exerted force, yanking Jun Bai toward him and kicking him away.
Crimson Shadow returned to normal. Jun Bai was sent flying by Chi's kick.
Jun Mo Li passed Jun Bai in midair, his gaze not lingering on him for even a moment. He met Chi head-on with Cheng Xiao Sword.
"The truly threatening killing move comes from a mere mortal?"
"Waterfall Sever!"
Sword light flashed. A trail of afterimages appeared. Chi didn't react in time and took a slash across the chest.
Cold air erupted. Even Chi—still not fully recovered—felt his movements slow dramatically. Even the power within his body was suppressed to some extent.
This was an ability that hadn't been displayed in the battle against the remnants of the god.
Chain-like sword blades coiled around Chi's waist. Li Tonghui raised his fist in front of Chi.
"Phoenix Spiral Slash!"
"Rock Shatter Fist—Charge!"
Crimson Shadow's blades began to contract, inflicting slash after slash across Chi's body. The flaming knuckle dusters smashed into Chi's face.
Jun Mo Li drew Cheng Xiao from his sleeve in a reverse grip and assumed another opening stance: "Mountain Severer!"
A thousand-jin force erupted from Cheng Xiao, striking Chi's chest horizontally and knocking him back dozens of steps.
At Chi's landing point, Little Flame opened her flame-filled jaws and bit down hard on his waist.
"A demon beast empowered by god's power—quite the potential."
With that, Chi brought a hand-chop down, knocking Little Flame unconscious.
But after this chain of attacks, Chi looked utterly battered, while the three on the opposing side were at full strength.
At that moment, the three once again attacked Chi simultaneously.
"Hm, I've evaluated everything. Then..."
Chi watched the three brothers charging toward him again, the corners of his mouth rising slightly: "This ends here."
Before his words finished, he snapped his fingers.
Pitch-black aura exploded outward from Chi. Overwhelming power instantly sent the three flying.
Chi smiled lightly. With a single step, he appeared before Li Tonghui and kicked him into the cliff wall.
Another step—he appeared before Jun Mo Li. A pitch-black thin sword coalesced in his hand. One slash opened a deep, bone-revealing wound across this greatest swordmaster's chest.
One more step—he arrived before Jun Bai, who was still flying backward in midair, and stomped down heavily. Jun Bai crashed into the ground, leaving a deep crater.
In the face of such power, resistance seemed utterly meaningless.
Chi's counterattack made the trio's earlier assault look like a bad joke.
The wounds vanished in an instant, as if they had never existed.
How could mortal-level attacks harm a god—even one like Chi, who had only just entered the divine level?
His strength was roughly on par with the Dream God who had attacked the Guili Assembly a hundred years ago—still far beyond mortal reach.
"Dream authority—the attacks earlier didn't actually cause damage?" Jun Bai gritted his teeth as he stood up from the crater.
"No—if they had truly landed, they would have caused exactly that kind of injury. After all, dreams are an extension of reality. I simply made your attacks deviate slightly."
Chi snapped his fingers again. Reality returned to normal. The area around Chi was in ruins—those were the marks left by the attacks that should have struck him earlier.
"Good that it worked." Li Tonghui said, struggling to climb out of the cliff wall.
But the next moment, Chi appeared before him and delivered a barrage of punches to his body.
Chi's power made the mountain tremble. Li Tonghui's body was driven deeper and deeper into the rock.
Only after Li Tonghui's body was fully embedded and his life signs began to fade did Chi stop.
He said lightly: "I dislike being interrupted while speaking."
He returned to Jun Bai: "Your condition doesn't look too bad."
"Then I'll make your body look bad!"
With that, Chi grabbed Jun Bai by the collar. Pitch-black power gathered in his palm. He clenched it and punched Jun Bai in the abdomen.
The black power pierced straight through Jun Bai's body. Under this heavy blow, Jun Bai's eyes rolled back. His flame wings retracted unconsciously. His breathing grew weak.
"Is this your limit?" Chi's tone carried some disappointment. "If this is all you've got, I wouldn't even bother killing you personally."
"If you only have this much strength, back a hundred years ago you would have been dealt with alongside the Dream God."
Jun Bai propped himself up with both hands, trying to stand.
Chi stepped on his back, forcing him back down into intimate contact with the earth.
"I'd actually like to test myself against the you of a hundred years ago, but unfortunately, that chance will never come." Chi pressed down harder on Jun Bai's back as he spoke.
Suddenly, Chi turned backward and raised his arm.
Schlick——
Cheng Xiao Sword sank deep into Chi's flesh. Jun Mo Li glared at Chi with bloodshot eyes.
But Chi's gaze didn't linger on Jun Mo Li. It fell on Cheng Xiao Sword: "It slows a god's movements and suppresses their authority. It can wound me with nothing but its own sharpness."
"Truly a rare creation. In the hands of a mortal like you, it's a complete waste."
"Such a divine object belongs to me!"
Chi reached out with his other hand, snatched Cheng Xiao Sword from Jun Mo Li, then kicked him down.
He admired Cheng Xiao Sword. The next moment, he pointed the blade at Jun Bai: "Become nourishment for my recovery, Phenex!"
The sword slashed down.
Chi's smile faded—because the blade that had easily cut through his flesh moments ago left not even a scratch on Jun Bai.
"Heh." Jun Bai laughed, looking up at Chi from the ground. "My second brother's sword can only be used by my second brother. As for you... don't even dream of it in your next life."
Chi stepped on Jun Bai's head expressionlessly: "Addressing mortals as brothers—you truly bring shame to gods."
Then Chi thought of something and revealed a meaningful smile: "Only that mortal can use it?"
"Phenex—you've fought the Dream God before. Do you remember the most common use of dream authority?"
"Let me help you recall it."
Chi beckoned. The next instant, Jun Mo Li was seized by the throat and struggled painfully.
A flash of purple light passed through Chi's eyes and sank into Jun Mo Li's.
Jun Mo Li froze. Then his eyes turned vacant, reduced to a puppet controlled by Chi.
Chi returned Cheng Xiao Sword to Jun Mo Li and infused it with his own power: "Use this sword. Use this power. Kill Phenex with your own hands. Offer his power to me personally. My first servant upon revival."
Jun Mo Li—eyes vacant—walked before Jun Bai and raised Cheng Xiao Sword.
(Those who've watched Sentai or Wangyang Sentai should be able to guess what happens next.)