"Radiant and blazing, electric brilliance shining; O spirits of heaven and earth, by the decree of the Grand Supreme Elder Lord, act swiftly according to divine law!"
(TL Note: Martial Master Yapper)
The cursed power within Luo Hao surged once more, her petite frame radiating an illusory aura like a mirage.
Golden particles erupted from her palms, coalescing before her into a muscular, bald-headed warrior.
As she spoke, Luo Hao leaped into the air, the Vajra Warrior materializing before her and mirroring her every movement with fluid grace.
"Immortal Style: White Pheasant!"
Facing Luo Hao's Authority manifested as a Vajra Warrior, Phoenix struck with a fist bearing the phantom image of a White Pheasant. In ancient times, this sacred bird was considered an auspicious omen, its mythology steeped in divine tales.
The clash between the White Pheasant and Vajra Warrior shattered mountain mists, sending tremors through the Holy Sect disciples at the foot of the peak.
"Immortal Art: Time Rain Swallow! Moonlit Pursuit! Scarlet Chain Sparrow!"
With each strike, Phoenix's hands became irrelevant as she unleashed a barrage of divine arts. The Vajra Warrior's form shattered like fragile porcelain.
Luo Hao, the Cult Leader, was sent flying by a Li Fire-infused kick, crashing against a cliffside and nearly coughing blood. The searing pain in her chest darkened her expression as she stared at the woman standing serenely in mid-air. For the first time, Luo Hao felt utterly helpless.
"Cult Leader Luo Hao, how does it feel?" Phoenix observed the injured Luo Hao from above, remaining motionless rather than striking again.
"This... this is just the beginning!" Luo Hao responded, rising once more and stretching her limbs. She glared defiantly at Phoenix, refusing to yield so easily.
"Soaring Dragon Ascends to Heaven! Close-range assault! Eight swift paths! Inverted Mandarin Duck Kick!" Luo Hao roared the martial arts chant, her shadowy figure dancing through the air like a specter.
The sequence unfolded with deadly precision: a descending strike from above, followed by a crushing stomp and knee thrust. This was succeeded by a flurry of face-targeting punches, a sweeping leg strike, a forceful charge, and finally an inverted aerial kick.
Each movement flowed seamlessly into the next, carrying devastating power.
"Enough, Luo Hao..." Phoenix vanished from the battlefield, reappearing dozens of meters away. Her patience exhausted, she transformed into a colossal Flame Divine Bird, its blazing Li Fire burning hundreds of times hotter than before.
The Flame Divine Bird soared into the sky, locked onto Luo Hao, and dived swiftly toward her target.
Trapped under the Flame Divine Bird's lock, Luo Hao couldn't escape. The phoenix-embodied Flame Divine Bird struck her with inexorable force.
Endless Li Fire engulfed Mount Lu's summit, burning the surrounding mists to ashes in an instant.
In this sea of flames, Li Fire Spirits were born.
Everything at the summit of Mount Lu was destroyed in an instant, burned to ashes by the Li Fire.
Ultimate Skill: Flying Ash Profound Spirit!
-
After Phoenix had reclaimed all the Li Fire, she realized she might have gone too far. The beautiful Mount Lu... had been completely devastated, leaving no trace of its former scenic beauty.
But there was nothing to be done about it.
When Phoenix found Luo Hao, she discovered an even more awkward situation...
Cult Leader Luo Hao... seemed to have been disfigured by her.
As a top-tier Campione, Luo Hao possessed immeasurable Cursed Power that protected her. None of Phoenix's previous Li Fire attacks had harmed her.
But... after unleashing the Flying Ash Profound Spirit, the full destructive power of the Li Fire was revealed. Even with her Cursed Power defenses, Luo Hao's face was ruined in the sea of flames.
The once beautiful woman now resembled a grotesque demon...
"Sorry..." Phoenix felt a pang of guilt.
However, Luo Hao didn't accept her apology. Completely drained of combat strength, she simply stared at Phoenix with an unreadable expression.
The arrogant Cult Leader Luo Hao, who had never regarded other Campiones or Heretic Gods, had been defeated so thoroughly.
Her pride and arrogance had been completely shattered.
"Don't worry about your appearance. I'll restore you to your original state immediately."
As she spoke, Phoenix hastily retrieved a "Rimuru" brand universal healing potion from her inventory.
This healing potion possessed remarkable regenerative properties for external injuries. Even a severed arm... could regrow instantly.
Without hesitation, Phoenix poured the potion onto Luo Hao's burns.
As the liquid touched Luo Hao's wounds, the burns began healing at a visible rate. Within less than a minute, they were nearly fully restored.
Only then did Phoenix relax.
If the potion hadn't worked, she would have needed to find another solution.
Phoenix hadn't intended to burn Luo Hao. After all... such a beautiful woman being ruined by her own hand would be too great a waste.
Her purpose had merely been to make Luo Hao understand that there are always greater heights beyond one's current realm. Martial arts weren't as simple as she imagined. Phoenix never intended to destroy her.
"Who exactly are you?"
Luo Hao, lacking the ability to resist, could only passively accept Phoenix's treatment, though she deeply resented it.
Her curiosity about Phoenix grew with each passing moment. She couldn't comprehend the woman's background, nor could she fathom her true intentions.
When Luo Hao learned that Phoenix had become the seventh Campione, she ordered the Holy Cult of the Five Mountains to investigate. Yet... according to their intelligence, while the seventh Campione hailed from China, not a single trace of Phoenix could be found throughout the entire nation.
It was as if this person had never existed in China at all.
Then there was the mysterious power Phoenix had used today - clearly not Cursed Power, yet undeniably potent.
"Me?... Didn't I already explain?" Phoenix stood before Luo Hao, having delivered her lesson. She hoped this would prevent the girl from acting so presumptuously during their conversation.
"Phoenix? There's no record of you existing..."
"Of course you couldn't find me. My last appearance in this world was during the Ming Dynasty - over five hundred years ago. You're barely two centuries old yourself, brat."
Phoenix spoke no lie. In the Honkai World, Immortal Chiyuan's final manifestation had indeed occurred during the Ming Dynasty. At that time... she had been known as "Phoenix".
"During the Ming dynasty..."
Luo Hao froze at these words...