At the foot of Mount Lu, within an opulent guest room, Lu Yinghua sat with Higokumaru, Erica, and two others.
As the mountain's peak erupted with Cursed Power and Honkai energy, the residual waves shook the entire Mount Lu, making it impossible to maintain any semblance of calm.
Though Lu Yinghua had long guessed that when two Campione met, a battle would inevitably follow—after all, these divine killers were essentially combat maniacs—he now wished they might restrain themselves somewhat during their clash. He hoped they'd consider the feelings of ordinary people like himself and the natural world.
Otherwise, if Mount Lu or even the entire city were destroyed, the Holy Sect would have to relocate. Even a sparring match between Campione could trigger catastrophic events like mountain collapses and tsunamis.
"That Cursed Power emanating from the mountain's peak... Could it be King and Luo Hao the Cult Leader have clashed?!" Erica asked, her gaze fixed on Lu Yinghua before her. Her worst fears had materialized.
"King..."
Liliana stood to the side, hand resting on her sword hilt. She paced anxiously, her azure eyes repeatedly darting toward Mount Lu's summit, her delicate features etched with worry.
The current Liliana had truly grown fond of the "charming" Phoenix. She couldn't bear for anything to happen to King.
Though she knew King's strength was formidable, Luo Hao was still the Cult Leader!
On the side, Higokumaru sat calmly eating the snacks and fruits prepared by Lu Yinghua, her face showing no trace of concern whatsoever.
Higokumaru wasn't worried at all about Phoenix losing or getting injured. In this world, there simply didn't exist anyone capable of defeating her.
Even if someone possessed greater strength than Phoenix, her numerous divine keys weren't mere decorations.
Not a single one could be easily endured by any opponent, especially those with devastating destructive power like the Judgement of Shamash and Abyss Flower.
Thus, Higokumaru remained perfectly composed as she ate.
However... Erica and Liliana had no knowledge of Phoenix's true strength and resources.
"As you can see, Master and your King are clashing at the summit of Mount Lu. The residual energy from their battle is affecting our position here."
Lu Yinghua, hearing the questions from Erica and Liliana, deliberately avoided looking at them. His expression remained stoic, but the wry smile on his face betrayed his inner turmoil.
He had long anticipated this very scenario.
"King..."
Upon hearing Lu Yinghua's words, Erica and Liliana's anxiety intensified. Their eyes locked on the mountain's peak, desperate to rush to Phoenix's aid. Yet... Campione battles were beyond mortal interference. Any attempt to intervene might not only fail but could endanger Phoenix herself. The two girls found themselves paralyzed by indecision - advancing would be futile, yet remaining passive bred constant worry.
In their agitation, they noticed Higokumaru calmly eating nearby. A realization struck Erica - hadn't Phoenix herself claimed that Higokumaru possessed both Campione and Heretic God strength?
With such power, Higokumaru could surely intervene effectively.
"Lord Hiyokumaru, shouldn't you assist our King in this desperate battle?"
Erica couldn't comprehend Higokumaru's composure. Based on past interactions, the Campione had always shown... a certain concern for Phoenix. Could all those previous displays have been false?
"Rest assured... Big Sister will remain unharmed. We need only wait patiently for her victory. No being in this world can defeat her yet."
Higokumaru waved her hand nonchalantly and said calmly:
"Lord Hiyokumaru, that's Cult Leader Luo Hao..."
Upon hearing this, Erica wondered if Higokumaru truly understood the significance of Cult Leader Luo Hao...
"Regardless of who it is, it doesn't matter."
However, Higokumaru remained indifferent.
"..."
At the summit of Mount Lu, Cult Leader Luo Hao's shock deepened with each passing moment. The more they fought, the more she realized Phoenix's overwhelming power.
Though a Campione herself, Phoenix hadn't even used her Authority. Luo Hao had already employed several of her own, yet still found herself no match for her opponent. What's more, it felt like Phoenix wasn't even taking this seriously.
If Phoenix were to truly focus, Luo Hao would be dead in an instant.
Now, Luo Hao found her initial notion of guiding and instructing Phoenix utterly laughable.
How utterly delusional she had been.
As Phoenix closed in once more, Luo Hao's expression shifted. She unleashed another Authority.
"Heaven's Way brings clarity, Earth's Way brings peace, Man's Way brings tranquility! Hah!"
The earth-shaking Word Spirit reverberated across the heavens once more.
Dragon's Roar, Tiger's Howl Great Art!
This was the Authority Luo Hao had wrested from Gayatri, the Indian mythological saintess. It allowed her to expel sound and breath as supersonic gusts, generating devastating shockwaves.
The ethereal cry that followed left the mountain peak riddled with fissures. The magic wind, charged with concentrated Cursed Power, proved sharper than any blade.
As Luo Hao and Phoenix fought, Luo Hao grew increasingly alarmed.
The mere aftereffects of their clash made Mount Lu tremble, its very foundations shaking, while the weather grew increasingly perilous.
Boom!
Though Luo Hao wielded the Flying Phoenix Twelve Palms with peerless mastery, she still couldn't block Phoenix's Immortal Techniques.
True to their name, these techniques resembled those used by immortals and transcendent beings.
Every punch and kick from Phoenix carried the power of divine beasts—not the so-called Heretical Divine Beasts of this world, but a strength exponentially greater than even those legendary creatures.
Yet Luo Hao remained a Martial Arts King who had lived for over two centuries. Her martial arts were far from weak.
Luo Hao's martial arts were gentle yet precise. When she raised her palm, it might not even stir the wind.
When their fists and palms collided, they produced only soft sounds. At first glance, this seemed far less powerful than their earlier devastating clashes.
But Phoenix could sense that each of Luo Hao's palms carried enough force to shatter stone and split metal. This seemingly light and airy palm technique was Luo Hao's true martial art. Hidden within each strike lay cosmic power. A solid hit from these palms would be no less painful than being struck by those very stones.