The lizard thinks: Same attack as before... but bigger.
Too late to dodge.
Can't dodge.
Must block.
The air turned frigid in an instant. The ground beneath him cracked and froze as a thin layer of ice crept up his scales. A cold breath escaped his maw, followed by a thunderous roar.
The roar wasn't just sound—it carried force. A sonic wave laced with razor-sharp ice blasted upward, meeting the descending Fire Dragon head-on.
BOOM!
The collision birthed a massive explosion. Lizarius, the lizard, stood at its center as the shockwave surged outward, leveling buildings and reducing a wide radius to rubble. Smoke and flame rose high into the air, leaving behind a massive, smoking crater.
---
The Grand Patriarch
Far from the chaos, a clean and quiet courtyard stood in eerie contrast.
Li Zhen, current Head of the Li family, walked with a heavy heart and furrowed brow. His thoughts swirled with dread.
> To think the beast managed to kill another elder... and all in the seconds it took me to walk here. If it isn't dealt with now... there might not be any Elders left in a few more minutes?,
He stopped before a modest house—the only structure in the courtyard. Dropping to one knee, he clasped his fists in salute.
His voice rang out with urgency and reverence.
> "The current Patriarch of the Li family, Li Zhen, humbly pays respects to the Great Elder. A demonic beast has entered the city. It has already slain three of the Clan's elders. I humbly request that the Great Elder take action and rid us of this calamity."
Silence.
Then—the doors opened.
An old man stepped forward, floating inches above the ground, his body cloaked in swirling spiritual energy. Though he appeared no older than sixty, his presence was ancient—undeniably powerful.
Li Tianyuan, the Grand Patriarch.
He hovered closer to Li Zhen, his expression unreadable.
> "To think my Li family has fallen so far... Six Foundation Establishment Elders, and not one of them can handle a demonic beast at the early stage of Foundation Establishment?"
His words cut like a blade.
Li Zhen's face dripped with sweat. He opened his mouth.
> "It's not just any demonic beast, it's—"
But before he could finish Suddenly, Li Tianyuan's expression darkens.
Turned
His eyes narrow.
> "Hmph."
A pulse of energy.
> One of them just died.
> "...Another one just died."
Without another word, he vanished, rocketing into the sky with a thunderous boom, the force of his departure blowing Li Zhen backward.
[ Flying ]
> It killed another one, Li Tianyuan' thought, stunned. What kind of demonic beast is this...?
---
High Above the Battlefield
In a blink, Li Tianyuan appeared over the devastated city. Smoke still clung to the ground below like ghostly tendrils. He scanned the battlefield.
At the center of the crater lay the scorched remains of Li Feng Wei.
Nearby, Lizarius surged forward, his form now crackling with arcs of lightning. He attacked relentlessly, bearing down on Li Zhao Ling, whose talisman barrier—splintered and glowing—threatened to shatter at any moment.
---
The Aftermath
Just seconds earlier, following the explosion,
Smoke billows from the massive crater, thick and dark.
Then—a sharp gust of wind rips through the haze, clearing the smoke with violent precision.
The smoke vanished.