"How dare a mere quasi-powerhouse try to kill my son? Who gave you the courage?"
Qin Chuan stood with his hands behind his back, looking down at the enormous phoenix that spanned the starry sky. His voice was cold and filled with disdain.
"You are Qin Chuan?"
A flash of surprise appeared in the phoenix's eyes, but soon its gaze turned cold again. It said domineeringly, "So what if you're here? Your son killed the young master of my Phoenix Clan. Today, he must pay with his life!"
"You are not capable of killing him."
Qin Chuan replied indifferently.
There was no overwhelming aura around him, yet he stood like an unshakable mountain, giving off a sense of insurmountable strength.
"Then let's test that!"
The phoenix sneered. With a powerful shake of its wings, a terrifying force surged forth like a tidal wave. Instantly, the entire starry sky began to spin around it, like a scene from Van Gogh's "Starry Night."
Boom!
The stars in the sky roared, and endless starlight converged onto the phoenix, transforming into dazzling flames.
The phoenix used the stars as fuel to ignite the eternal fire!
"Perish!"
With a low growl, the flames surrounding the phoenix surged outward, sweeping toward Qin Chuan like a massive red tide.
The fiery torrent roared, melting space and distorting time wherever it passed.
This was the fire of world destruction!
However, Qin Chuan remained calm. He slowly raised his right hand and pointed forward.
Hum
A light appeared at his fingertip, like a divine being splitting the chaos and creating the world.
In an instant, the overwhelming flames parted like water, forming the shape of the character for "human" in the starry sky.
"What?!"
A look of astonishment flashed through the phoenix's eyes. Just then, Qin Chuan withdrew his finger and followed up with a palm strike.
Boom!
The space in front of him split open, forming a dark chasm. An indescribable and terrifying force surged along the chasm, crashing into the phoenix's body.
Pfft!!
The enormous phoenix exploded on the spot, disintegrating into countless fragments of light. Amid the scattering light, a figure was sent flying backward.
The figure flew for a long time before regaining stability. It was a middle-aged man with a majestic demeanor, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth as he glared coldly at Qin Chuan.
"I didn't expect you to be this strong, but it changes nothing. Your fate is already sealed."
With those words, a spatial vortex appeared in front of him, and he stepped into it, his body gradually fading.
"Stay here!"
Qin Chuan reached out with his right hand, and an immense divine force erupted, halting time and slowly reversing it.
Boom!
However, the spatial vortex suddenly spun faster, and an overwhelming backlash surged toward Qin Chuan.
Thud!
Caught off guard, Qin Chuan was struck by the backlash, forcing him back several steps. His body churned with energy, nearly tearing apart.
"A true powerhouse!"
A flash of seriousness crossed Qin Chuan's eyes as he looked ahead. The starry sky darkened, and from the depths of space, a dark vortex appeared, out of which emerged an old man with white hair and a black robe, as if he were walking from the heart of the cosmos.
"Young man, you're quite impressive. Given a few million more years, you might become a true powerhouse."
The black-robed elder looked at Qin Chuan with admiration and smiled. "But sadly, you won't have that opportunity."
"Are you also from the Phoenix Clan?"
Qin Chuan asked.
"Indeed."
The black-robed elder smiled.
"My son and I have no enmity with the Phoenix Clan. Why are you forcing us so relentlessly?" Qin Chuan asked solemnly.
"Your son killed the young master of our Phoenix Clan. There must be consequences," the black-robed elder replied calmly.
Qin Chuan sneered and said, "Anyone else might say that, but you, a true powerhouse, find it difficult to speak the truth?"
The elder chuckled, his expression meaningful. "Since the result will be the same, what difference does it make whether it's a lie or the truth?"
"So, you've decided to bully us, father and son?" Qin Chuan's eyes flashed with cold light.
"Indeed."
The black-robed elder didn't deny it. He continued to smile, looking as harmless as an old friend.
"In that case, let's fight."
Qin Chuan said coldly.
"As you wish."
The elder raised his withered right hand, regret flashing in his eyes. He pointed at Qin Chuan.
Hum!
In that instant, the starry sky seemed to contract, and all light disappeared. Then, a red flame shot toward Qin Chuan.
This flame was slow, but it made one's heart race, as if it had been destined to strike its target since ancient times. There was no escape—no matter how one dodged or fled, death was inevitable.
This was the true power of a powerhouse!
"Sigh, a talent like you, but alas, an enemy…"
The black-robed elder sighed and turned away, not waiting to see the outcome, fully expecting it.
In his mind, once he acted, there would be no suspense. It was destiny, a law of the universe—a father and son fated to die!
Pfft!
But suddenly, his pupils shrank. Before he could react, a searing pain spread through his chest.
The elder slowly looked down.
A bowl-sized hole had appeared in his chest, the edges of which were charred black, like burning coals.
Turning back, he saw Qin Chuan holding an ancient stone mirror, glowing brightly.
"The Heaven-Burning King's Heaven-Burning Mirror?!"
The black-robed elder cried out in shock, his disbelief evident. "How did the Heaven-Burning Mirror end up in your hands? What is your connection to the Heaven-Burning King?!"
His heart trembled.
The Heaven-Burning Mirror was the nemesis of the Phoenix Clan, capable of reflecting the power of their divine fire. The Phoenix Clan's greatest strength lay in their fire; without it, they were like toothless tigers.
"I'm not obligated to answer your questions. All I can tell you is, if you don't want to die, leave now."
Qin Chuan said calmly.
"You!!"
The black-robed elder's face darkened, his previous smile and composure gone, replaced by a fierce, sinister expression.
He eyed the Heaven-Burning Mirror in Qin Chuan's hand warily, hesitating for a long moment before finally taking a deep breath, ready to retreat.
"Wait!"
Suddenly, a flash of insight crossed the elder's eyes, and his entire demeanor brightened as he turned back with a sneer.
"Haha, I almost forgot. You're just a quasi-powerhouse. Even if I don't use fire, I can still crush you!"
Boom!
In the next moment, an overwhelming pressure erupted from the elder's body, like the awakening of a primordial beast intent on tearing everything apart.
Rumble!
Crackle!
Blood-red lightning danced through the void, and colorful chains of laws appeared, spreading like a spider's web across the sky. This was the manifestation of overwhelming power, triggering the anomalies of heaven and earth!
"Father!"
Qin Zi's face turned pale with worry. Could his father withstand such a terrifying force?
The elder had said it himself—his father was still only a quasi-powerhouse. Qin Zi knew well the vast gap between a quasi-powerhouse and a true powerhouse, a gap that seemed impossible to bridge.
"Ten Directions Annihilation!"
The black-robed elder clenched his right fist, and with no unnecessary flourish, threw a punch at Qin Chuan. In that moment, the heavens and earth lost their color!
Boom!!!
The vast starry sky shattered, breaking down into its most primal particles. The terrifying force of that punch, carrying a surge of chaotic energy, barreled toward Qin Chuan and Qin Zi, like the collapse of the heavens themselves.
"The strength of ants, thinking they can overturn the heavens?"
The black-robed elder sneered. To him, Qin Chuan was nothing more than an ant, and Qin Zi was even more insignificant.
Two bugs being drowned in the ocean—no one would care or feel the slightest ripple of emotion.
Pop!
Just then, a strange sound echoed, like the cork being pulled from a bottle.
Whoosh!
In the next instant, an indescribable suction force erupted, sweeping across the sky and earth in the blink of an eye.
In an instant, the elder's punch was completely absorbed. Not only that, but the suction force expanded, devouring everything in front of it like a black hole in the universe, mercilessly pulling everything toward it!
"What… What is this power? This is impossible!!"
The elder's face turned pale with terror. He tried to escape but was already caught in the suction, unable to stop himself from being dragged toward it, as if he were about to be swallowed whole by a giant beast.
"Ahhh!!!"
He struggled desperately, unleashing a terrifying amount of energy that could have drowned the world.
Yet, it had no effect. The force was swallowed up, and he continued to be pulled toward the source.
"What… What is that?!"
At the last moment before being sucked in, the elder finally saw it: in Qin Chuan's hand, he held a purple gourd.
That gourd was devouring everything!