Qingyuan let out a silent roar, as if trying to bolster his own courage.
He charged at Jun Mo Li once more, scale-covered hands swinging fists at the mortal.
Jun Mo Li evaded the completely disorganized attacks, occasionally countering with sword strikes. Even under assault from a god, he appeared exceptionally relaxed and at ease.
The scene was just like back then, when Chi had wantonly toyed with the three brothers.
Only now, Qingyuan was the challenger.
Jun Mo Li raised Soaring Firmament and thrust straight forward, repelling Qingyuan. By this point, Qingyuan had already sustained massive damage.
Qingyuan crashed to the ground. Jun Bai stepped on his spine.
"Truly pathetic, Chi."
Fingers digging into the ground, Qingyuan—his pride shattered—roared and gathered all his remaining strength to stand.
But Jun Bai stomped down hard, forcing Qingyuan back flat on the ground.
[For a moment I don't know who's the villain.]
[This really is deep-seated hatred…]
"Ah—"
Power erupted. Black mist burst from his body. Qingyuan shook off the foot on him. By now he no longer had a human appearance.
Qingyuan was surrounded by a dangerous aura, but this did not mean he had any chance of winning.
Quite the opposite—this was merely his final flash before death.
Having used up his last bit of power, Qingyuan launched a tidal wave of attacks toward Jun Bai in front of him. His style was extremely frenzied, clearly trading life for injury.
Yet against such continuous onslaught, Jun Bai handled it with just one-handed swordplay.
All attacks were completely blocked by Scarlet Sky. Qingyuan's all-out effort seemed utterly meaningless.
Gradually, Jun Bai adapted to the frenzied style and even found openings in it.
Jun Bai's eyes sharpened. Spotting Qingyuan's flaw, he swung once—directly slicing into Qingyuan's flesh.
Suddenly, Qingyuan gave a sinister smile.
He stopped attacking, grabbed Scarlet Sky's blade bare-handed, then struck hard at Jun Bai's sword-wielding wrist.
Scarlet Sky flew from his grasp, flung away by Qingyuan. Before Jun Bai could pull free, Qingyuan seized his shoulder with his left hand.
Qingyuan grinned savagely. His right hand formed a claw and pierced straight through Jun Bai's chest. He laughed wildly: "Phenex! This time I win!"
[! What is the writer trying to do!]
[This legend quest is really well done—writer, don't pull a stunt at this moment!]
[Booking a ticket, booking a ticket—I'm heading straight to miHoYo headquarters right now!]
Qingyuan laughed maniacally. Jun Bai's blood flowed down his arm, dripping to the ground.
The blood of the Nirvana God fell to the earth. Its abundant life force caused withered grass to revive.
Qingyuan laughed wildly, about to withdraw his hand to deal with Jun Mo Li.
But a slender, fair hand gripped Qingyuan's palm like an iron clamp, locking him in place.
Qingyuan's expression froze. The smile melted from his face. He looked up at Jun Bai.
A faint curve appeared at the corner of Jun Bai's mouth. Still gripping Qingyuan's hand tightly, he smiled: "That's why I said you're arrogant, Chi. Have you completely forgotten the scene three thousand years ago when I defeated you?"
"Three thousand years ago…" Qingyuan recalled that scene, and his expression changed in shock.
Could it be...
Qingyuan pounded Jun Bai's body with one fist after another, trying to force him to let go.
But Jun Bai kept that smile on his face, holding Qingyuan's arm firmly without budging. He spoke clearly, word by word: "Second Brother—do it."
The Scarlet Sky flung away by Qingyuan was caught steadily by Jun Mo Li.
Left hand Scarlet Sky, right hand Soaring Firmament—Jun Mo Li charged toward Qingyuan with twin swords.
"Breaking Cascade, Twin Moons!"
The ultimate speed of the sword left crescent-shaped trails in its wake, slashing straight toward Qingyuan's waist.
Two slashes capable of severing waterfalls struck the god's waist in succession. Scales shattered completely. Flesh became a bloody mess under the famous swords' assault.
Then Jun Mo Li spun around, twin swords raised.
"Mountain Severer, Soul Chain!"
The power to crush mountains gathered on the twin blades, then came crashing down.
The ground sank. Continuous cracking sounds rang from Qingyuan's body. All scales across him fell away.
Jun Bai released his grip. Qingyuan knelt on the ground, then collapsed heavily.
[Second Brother is so cool!]
[Second Brother is invincible!]
[Second Brother, don't go—come sit at my house! (drooling.jpg)]
"Are you okay?" Jun Mo Li asked, looking at the puncture wound in Jun Bai's chest.
"Just a minor injury. It's fine." Jun Bai said, showing Jun Mo Li the nearly healed wound to prove he wasn't lying.
"Do you think it will end just like this?" Jun Mo Li asked, pointing at the fallen Qingyuan.
"No. That guy still hasn't lost vital signs, and no god remnants have appeared. So this isn't over yet." Jun Bai said, turning to face Qingyuan.
Just as Jun Bai finished speaking, black mist constantly rose from Qingyuan's body.
The next moment, the pitch-black dragon-shaped monster soared into the sky.
"Even if I fall, I will destroy everything you cherish!"
Chi roared. Even covered in wounds, he flew toward Qingce Village.
"Second Brother." Jun Bai took back Scarlet Sky, picked up Phoenix Perches on Demon Subjugation, and called to Jun Mo Li.
"I understand. Let me experience what it's like to ride a god in flight." Jun Mo Li raised Soaring Firmament in response.
No words were needed—the tacit understanding between brothers said everything.
Jun Bai spread his flame wings. Crimson flames ignited around him. In the flames, he transformed into a hundred-meter-long true phoenix.
His wings swept. The next moment, Jun Mo Li appeared atop his head.
[We are one in spirit!]
[That's my exclusive seat! But if it's Second Brother, I'm willing!]
The wings burning with Nirvana Flame flapped gently, heading toward Qingce Village—and arriving first, guarding the village ahead of Chi.
"Roar—"
"Chirp—"
Both let out roars simultaneously, then rapidly closed in on each other.
Jun Mo Li stood steady on the phoenix's head, closed his eyes, held the sword horizontally across his chest, and assumed his opening stance.
All focus and spirit concentrated on the sword. The flames on the true phoenix converged uncontrollably onto Soaring Firmament.
The distance between them shrank rapidly. Jun Mo Li quietly opened his eyes.
"God-Severing, True Phoenix—"
Jun Mo Li leaped up. Soaring Firmament unsheathed. A faint sword light—utterly incomparable to Chi's size—slashed out.
"—Dragon Abyss"
Small and massive, Jun Mo Li and Chi passed each other.
Movement slowed. Strength briefly blanked. Elemental power became unusable. Even the god's authority was momentarily suppressed by this single slash.
Sword wounds spread across his body. The heavily injured Chi bled from this strike. The true phoenix struck him head-on, then pushed him into the distance.
Falling Phoenix Abyss.
The magma-filled fiery abyss lay right ahead. The true phoenix aimed at the entrance and shoved Chi down, then transformed back into Jun Bai.
Jun Bai held Phoenix Perches in his left hand, Scarlet Sky in his right, and flapped his flame wings toward the barely-breathing Chi.
"Phoenix Cry Dance of Heaven."
A circular arc appeared in the fiery abyss. Dual-wielding, Jun Bai traced the arc and slashed across Chi's body.
Flames exploded. The lifeless Chi fell into Falling Phoenix Abyss.
(Someone suggested using the spiral clear of the Toki no Ouja episode for this move, but since I haven't watched Toki no Ouja myself, I couldn't adopt that idea.)
(Just clarifying here.)
—Side note
Tomorrow ends Jun Bai's legend quest, then we start Jun Mo Li's video PV.