Ji Wu zoomed through the air atop his flaming purple phoenix, while Ji Ming soared alongside on a dragon forged entirely from fire.
Immediately, Ji Ming formed a one-handed mudra with his fingers and connected his eyes to those of the dragon he rode on.
"Dragon-Seeking Eyes of Heaven!"
His gaze pierced through all of the Red Snake Mountains until he spotted Yang Wei and his female companions.
Excitedly, Ji Ming turned to his brothers and exclaimed, "I've spotted the target, Yang Wei! And he's with two stunning jade-like beauties. I, Ji Ming, shall make them my wives when I become a cultivator in the Eternal Lands!"
Riding on a fox spirit crafted from lightning, Ji Chang facepalmed and sighed, "It seems you're getting too conceited..." he glared at Ji Ming. "Don't forget," he warned, "Emperor Cloudcrest deems this target formidable."
Grinning confidently, Ji Ming cracked his fists and retorted, "I know, but the Emperor wouldn't have entrusted us with this mission if we weren't up to it!"
Observing Ji Ming's enthusiasm, Ji Wu sighed and relented. "Junior Brother, you may go ahead, since you're so eager," he conceded.
"Excellent!" Ji Ming exclaimed, leaning forward on his flame dragon. With bulging calves and veins, he propelled himself forward with a powerful leap, shattering the atmosphere and demolishing his mount in the process. Hurtling toward Yang Wei like a flaming meteor, Ji Ming's arrival sent shockwaves rippling through the forest, enough that it erased every cloud in the sky.
Witnessing the approaching danger, Bai Suzhen and Liu Yan tensed, sensing the impending collision. "Something's coming!" they exclaimed in unison.
Unperturbed, Yang Wei nonchalantly fanned himself as he looked up. "Hm?" he murmured.
BOOOOOM!!
Ji Ming crash-landed into Yang Wei, unleashing a shockwave that cleared a fifty-meter radius and sent both Bai Suzhen and Liu Yan flying like ragdolls.
Amidst the chaos, Liu Yan cried out, "Junior Brother!" fearing the worst from the impact.
Boulders and trees went flying in all directions, leaving behind a massive ten feet deep crater in Ji Ming's landing spot. A cloud of dust enveloped the area, with debris raining down like scattered drops.
Bai Suzhen, now in her colossal white snake form, coiled around Liu Yan like a protective tent, shielding her from harm.
"Are you okay?"
"Y... Yes, a bit..."
Coughing heavily, Liu Yan emerged from the shelter of Bai Suzhen's coils and hurried forward, her normally unbothered face heavy with concern.
"Junior Brother!" she called out anxiously,
There was a billowing dust obscuring the point of impact.
As the dust settled, both Liu Yan and Bai Suzhen peered into the crater to see Ji Ming on all fours, while Yang Wei sat calmly on his back, legs crossed, gently fanning himself. The shock on Ji Ming's face was palpable, his wide eyes and futile attempts to grasp the earth reflecting his disbelief at being outpaced by Yang Wei.
How can I, Ji Ming, a Spirit Ascension cultivator, be so easily disgraced by this piece of cultivation trash?! I will make him bend a knee even if it means breaking it!
With a simple wave of his hand, he manifested a raging storm of red energy, swirling like a tornado, and shaped it into a colossal, armored avatar— the Scarlet Emperor.
A being so tall it touched the skies.
With a simple motion of the avatar's hand, it obliterated not just the lightning meteors, but also aimed straight for Ji Chang, erasing the skies as it descended upon him. Before Ji Chang could even blink, he was smacked by the gargantuan hand of the Scarlet Emperor, deleting his existence without a trace.
"Two down, one to go..." Yang Wei stretched his arms and yawned.
Watching from afar, Liu Yan and Bai Suzhen was amazed.
How can one man have this much power...? Liu Yan asked herself.
Ji Wu stood there in utter shock, sweat dripping down his forehead, eyes wide with disbelief.
His trembling arms hung by his sides as he witnessed the devastation unfold before him.
But what truly terrified Ji Wu wasn't just the brutal takedown of his brother Ji Ming or the erasure of Ji Chang.
No...
It was the gaping black chasm in the sky, a void of absolute nothingness that seemed to devour half of the heavens, leaving only a black emptiness behind.
His strength... it's terrifying!
Gritting his teeth, Ji Wu crouched down, summoning powerful orbs of purple flames in each hand. "He's not just formidable, he's a monster!" he muttered under his breath, steeling himself for the battle ahead.
As the flaming purple phoenix swooped down towards Yang Wei, Ji Wu grinned like a madman, shouting, "YANG WEI!!"
Yang Wei just kept cool, casually fanning himself as he watched Ji Wu descending upon him.
But then, Liu Yan sensed something off...
Despite losing his comrades, Ji Wu seemed more pumped for the fight than ever, which didn't add up.
"Junior Brother, please, be careful!" she yelled out in concern.
Yang Wei flashed her a reassuring smile. "It's fine, I'm always—"
Before he could finish his sentence, a massive hole blasted open in Yang Wei's chest, his eyes widening in shock as blood and bits of flesh exploded outward. "What?!" he gasped.
And there, at the corner of his eyes, he saw Ji Chang standing there, existing...
Bai Suzhen and Liu Yan screamed out in horror, "YANG WEEEEEI!"