Fear

A sneer of scorn replaced the fear on Yun Che's face, transforming it into a smirk as he ascended towards the incoming attack. His sword ignited with a peculiar Blue Icy Flame that seemed to embody the essences of both ice and fire.

"So, he has chosen... that power..." Chi Wuyao reflected silently. Her earlier retreat wasn't spurred by fear of Long Bai, but rather because of the formidable blue flames. Those were the very flames Yun Che had conjured and harnessed within the Bone Sea of the Yama Realm. Despite her extensive knowledge, their true power remained a mystery to her.

When she had inquired about their strength, Yun Che had offered a chillingly simple response: "They possess enough power to extinguish the mightiest existences of this world, bar none."

"You court death!" Long Bai bellowed in response to Yun Che's audacious charge. No matter Yun Che's prowess, Long Bai had invested his full might into his draconic claw strike. There was no conceivable way Yun Che could withstand such force. This was the raw, unbridled power of a ruler, a force that claimed dominion over the vast expanse of the Primal Chaos.

"Heavenly Wolf Slash!" With a thunderous shout, Yun Che unleashed his attack, a formidable slash wreathed in the blue flames he had summoned. His sword, aglow with an icy cerulean blaze, carved through the air, materializing the spectral form of a wolf.

"AWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!"

The howl of this ethereal wolf reverberated through the heavens, a sound so powerful it seemed to shatter the very fabric of space. The visage of the great blue wolf, infused with a sovereign might, surged towards Long Bai's descending claws.

"!!!!!!!!!" 

The image of a blue wolf, charged with formidable power, raced towards the giant dragon claws. But instead of an explosive confrontation, the ethereal wolf simply enveloped Long Bai's claws and ascended along his limb, without eliciting any feeling from Long Bai himself.

"BOOM!" The sound echoed as Long Bai's claw made contact with Yun Che, sending him plummeting into the ground and creating a vast crater of unfathomable depth. As the collision reverberated, Long Bai perceived that the power of his attack had significantly lessened upon striking Yun Che. Could this attenuation be attributed to the peculiar blue flame?

"Heh, so much for your so-called fearsome power. It's pitifully weak," Long Bai scoffed, his voice heavy with mockery. Despite having never encountered this blue flame before, it appeared to him to be utterly ineffective.

"What?!" Long Bai's eyes bulged in shock as he witnessed his once formidable arm now reduced to little more than bone—its flesh incinerated by the mysterious blue flame. What confounded him was the absence of pain; even the faintest flame would torment its victim, yet he felt nothing. By the time he noticed, his arm's flesh had been completely consumed.

"AHHHHH!!!" His bellow echoed, not out of agony but out of bewilderment and frustration.

Despite his attempts to extinguish the relentless flames with his own power, they persisted in their destruction, unabated.

"ZZZZZZZZZ!" The hissing sound filled the air as the flame greedily consumed his very bones.

The dragon bones, known as the toughest in existence, were now succumbing to the fierce burn of the blue flame.

"ROARRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!" Tremors of fear rippled through Long Bai's enormous draconic form as it writhed in midair. For the first time since ascending to the throne of the Dragon Monarch, the chilling touch of terror seized him.

The relentless flames mercilessly devoured him, from the bony remnants of his fingers up his arm, leaving nothing in their wake. The insidious fire was spreading towards his shoulder, yet he was numb to its scorching embrace.

"ROARRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!" In the face of this consuming inferno, Long Bai's mind quickly made a decision. His other claw, swift and resolute, swung towards his shoulder. With a mighty and fearsome roar, he severed his own limb, a desperate act to halt the advance of the flames.

"AAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!" His majestic roar deteriorated into a pained howl, a stark contrast to the formidable presence he once was. Fear still glinted in his eyes as darkness once again clouded his vision.

"AHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Long Bai's roar thundered again, but this time in anguish. With no respite, even as he reeled from self-mutilation, his soul now found itself besieged by Chi Wuyao's attack.

"DEVIL QUEEN!!!" Long Bai's bellow reverberated as he readied his soul's power to retaliate. But abruptly, a burst of brilliant blue erupted a mere thirty meters behind him—a dangerously close range for a God Emperor, where even a breath's distance could spell doom.

This frosty azure radiance was different from Yun Che's earlier display; it wielded a pure, chilling force that alone was enough to instill dread in the Dragon Monarch. Distracted by Chi Wuyao's assault on his soul, Long Bai was blindsided.

With a thunderous "BOOOOOMMMM!!!!!!", the icy might of a phoenix's power detonated against Long Bai's back. The dragon's formidable scales, known as the strongest, shattered as they were flash-frozen and shattered under the onslaught.

"ROARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!!!!" Long Bai's agonized roar pierced the heavens, a stark counterpoint to the splendor of the attack, as he plummeted to the earth below, a cascade of his own blood trailing from his jaws.

He did not see the attacker who waiting to ambush him until it's too late! He's the mighty Dragon Monarch! What kind of concept is this!!!! What kind of power is this!

"ZZZZZZZZZZZZZ!!!!" "BOOMMMM!!!"

Yet, before his colossal form could crash into the earth, a flash of unfamiliar white lightning surged upward, colliding with him mid-descent. It was a hue of lightning Long Bai had never encountered in all his eons, its searing agony forcing more blood from his wounds.

With a roar that shook the realms, "ROARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Long Bai's cry of pain thundered across the world!

---------------------

As word of the devils' assault on Eternal Heaven disseminated, reactions varied widely. Sympathies for the devils were matched by those who anticipated gains from the chaos.

The information traversed swiftly throughout the lands, reaching the Southern, Western, and eventually the Northern Divine Regions in remarkably short order.

Various King Realms, each weighing their prospects, plotted to capitalize on the unfolding events. Among these, the Burning Moon Devil God Realm stood poised to gain the most.

"HAHAHAHAHH!!!!!"

Echoing through his quarters, the Burning Moon God Emperor's laughter boomed. He foresaw a future where, with the Devil Queen and Yan Tianxiao embarking on a seemingly fatal offensive against the Eastern Divine Region, he might soon stand unrivaled as the sole God Emperor in the Northern Divine Region.

"HAHAHAHHAAH!"

His laughter, full and resonant, filled the space—a laughter he would soon come to rue as the days unfolded.

--------------------

In the Western Divine Region within the Dragon God Realm:

"Do you think big brother will be alright?" a Dragon God inquired, concern etched into his features.

"Without a doubt, it's big brother Long Bai we're talking about. He'll wipe those devils out. We just have to wait for the victory news," another Dragon God assured with unwavering confidence.

Among the Dragon Gods and other preeminent practitioners within the King Realms of the Western Divine Region, this sentiment was widely shared. They recognized that even with their formidable speed, reaching the Eternal Heaven Realm to offer aid would take days.

By then, they joked, not even the remnants of the devils might remain.

"Why don't we organize a grand welcome for big brother Bai's triumphant return?" one of them proposed, looking around at his companions.

"Yes, that's a splendid idea," agreed another. The suggestion was met with nods of approval, as they began to envision the celebration for their revered big brother's anticipated victory.

---------------------

"BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!!!!"

"RUMBLEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!"

"ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ!!!!!!"

"BOOOMMMMM!!!!!!!

"ROARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!"

Surges of profound energy in diverse forms relentlessly assailed Long Bai. From the corrosive touch of darkness to the searing blaze of fire, the chilling embrace of ice, and the ruthless strikes of lightning, each assault was potent in its unique way.

The dark energy gnawed at Long Bai's flesh, freshly scorched by flames, while the frosty might of the phoenix power encased his abilities, dampening his reflexes. Before he could muster a defense, he was bombarded with bolts of lightning, one after another.

The anguished moans and roars of Long Bai resonated throughout the world.

Drained of the strength to sustain his majestic dragon form, Long Bai had reverted to his human appearance, signaling his waning power.

As far as God Realm know, Long Bai is eight feet tall and extremely handsome. His eyebrows are like swords, and every line and pattern on his face are incredibly imposing. His eyes shine like the bright sun itself; a divine light that seems to have circulated for an infinity of time.

Before today that's would always been how he looks, but now, he resembled nothing more than a decaying cadaver. His flesh was marred with burns from varied elemental powers, his body convulsing continuously. With one hand, he desperately attempted to prop himself up from the ground, the other arm having been severed by his own doing to escape the relentless frost flame.

"Huff...huff...huff..."

He gasped and wheezed, each breath a struggle, pain-filled groans escaping his lips. The onslaught had momentarily ceased, giving him a chance to gulp down breaths of air.

Blood-soaked and struggling, his vision blurred with crimson, began to clear ever so slowly.

Then, with a sudden "BOOM," a ferocious kick smashed into his face, sending him hurtling hundreds of meters away.

"PUKE!!!!"

A gush of blood followed, along with broken teeth, as Long Bai vomited from the force of the impact.

"So, that's all huh? That's all you could do?" The mocking tone of Yun Che pierced the air.

Gritting through the pain, Long Bai's glare locked onto Yun Che. Standing with him was Chi Wuyao, and a woman clad in pure white, her appearance akin to an icy goddess descending among mortals. She was the stealthy assailant who had struck him from behind.

"...you...arghh," Long Bai uttered with a trembling finger pointed toward the trio. His disbelief was palpable; the woman before him was known to him, Mu Xuanyin from the Middle Star Realms, a newcomer to the ranks of Divine Masters. Yet her aura now suggested a might far surpassing that of an early-stage Divine Master. To Long Bai's discerning senses, she exuded a force that rivaled, even exceeded, that of the God Emperors he had encountered. Her frosty assaults were even more agonizing than Chi Wuyao's dark powers; her presence was almost on par with his own formidable strength.

How had the God Realm concealed such a powerhouse? And when had it given rise to a monster like Yun Che?

Chi Wuyao's voice broke through his thoughts, "Look at him, Che'er. Isn't he just pitiable?"

Yun Che responded with a cold nod, "Like I've always said, nothing but a pitiful lizard."

"Enough, Che'er. With him brought to his knees, we must finish this before any assistance arrives," Mu Xuanyin interjected, her keen insight into the situation evident.

"...arghhh..." The pained moans of Long Bai continued as a slight narrowing of his eyes suggested his realization of the predicament. It appeared that these devils had meticulously orchestrated today's events. Mu Xuanyin's words seemed to echo his suspicions.

Indeed, they had bested him with a well-laid ambush and caught him unawares! Yet, as the Dragon Monarch, he still commanded the vast forces of the God Realm, the allegiance of the Western Divine Region, and the allegiance of the Dragon Gods!

Chi Wuyao's eyes were like slits as she added, "I concur with Mu Xuanyin, Che'er. Let's end him."

Yun Che's smile was chilling. "The time has come for your demise, Long Bai," he declared as dark flames danced around him, icy might radiated from Mu Xuanyin, and dark energy surged around Chi Wuyao.

But then, with a defiant roar, "AHHHHHHHH!!!!!!" Long Bai's form burst with a divine aura, "BOOOMMMMMMMMMMMMM!!!!" Instead of confronting them, he made the desperate choice to flee, tearing through the fabric of space itself, igniting his precious Blood Essence to fuel his desperate escape.

"Crap!" Yun Che exclaimed, surging into the sky alongside his companions in hot pursuit of Long Bai. Yet, despite their swift takeoff, Long Bai's desperate sacrifice of his Blood Essence gave him an unmatchable burst of speed, making him a mere streak against the horizon, impossible to catch.

"DMAN IT!!!" Yun Che's shout of vexation echoed as he watched Long Bai vanish from sight.

"...."

"....."

"........"

Silence hung for a moment before Chi Wuyao's sultry, chilling voice broke it. "He sure made a quick escape, didn't he?" she mused close to Yun Che.

"Are we really going to let this happen, Che'er?" Mu Xuanyin voiced her concern from his other side.

"We'll let him go. It's actually for the best," Yun Che replied with a confident smile, drawing both women close as he diverted his attention towards another direction before turning back to Chi Wuyao.

"Devil Queen, are you ... okay?" Yun Che's gaze softened with affection and concern as he checked on her condition. Utilizing the Devil Emperor's soul technique repeatedly against Long Bai was likely to have taxed her significantly.

"I'm managing, Che'er. A bit of rest is all I require," Chi Wuyao assured him with a slight nod.

"Let me take care of her, Che'er. You have other matters to attend to," Mu Xuanyin interjected, her tone implying a need for privacy. "After all, I have to update Bingyun on our situation."

"Make sure to rest adequately, both of you," Yun Che said tenderly, embracing them briefly before the Primordial Profound Ark materialized, its form expanding to accommodate entry. Chi Wuyao and Mu Xuanyin stepped aboard.

As they departed, the tumultuous sounds of battle raged on in the background — a resonating symphony of "BOOM!!! BOOMMMM BOOOMMMM!!" The fierce exchange was clearly between someone powerful, someone at the Divine Master realm! But the energies coming from it wasn't that of dark profound practitioners, but rather from the Brahma God Realm practitioners!