The jian came down on Fantana's skull. With a bang, light burst apart, and a mass of azure flame exploded from his body. Crystalline radiance scattered outward like fireworks, and his entire form wavered, turning insubstantial.
Yet strands of divine energy could still be seen inside him, twisting together like cords to bind everything in place and keep his form solid.
After that strike, Chen Chuan knew something had been missing from the way he exerted his strength. Although he could restrain his opponent's spiritual eruption, he had not truly brought the Power to Subdue Demons and Devils into play.
That was only natural. This was his first time using it in actual combat, after all. Moreover, he was delivering this power through his Spirit Manifestation, which differed slightly from wielding it with his own body, adding another layer of separation.
Still, the blow immediately gave him further insight. Actual combat was the best way to verify what he had learned, after all, so he raised the Long Jian again.
Just then, mist suddenly sprang up around him. He found himself no longer on the Cloud Islet, but in some Judgment Court, with shackles on his hands and feet and court personnel standing all around, staring at him impassively.
The flag of the Linax Federation hung overhead, the star-shaped flowers representing its continents glittering ceaselessly upon it.
A man who was clearly a Profound Cave Observation Fighter stood before him, arms folded, gazing at him coldly. Nor was he alone: several similar powers watched Chen Chuan from elsewhere, all maintaining their hostility.
These scenes were obviously simulated. Ordinarily, the mental invasion of the aspect of the gods did more than conjure external images; it also penetrated a person's mind. Only by combining the two could it shake an opponent's mind