"Huff, huff..."
Hongjun wiped the sweat from his forehead. Clearly, that exchange had taken quite a toll on him, but his face was full of smiles.
After their probing exchange just now, he had discovered that Houtu's cultivation was a notch below his. He was at Heavenly Dao Peak, while Houtu was only at late Heavenly Dao! "Hahaha, Fellow Daoist Houtu, you are indeed formidable, and you even have treasures at your disposal. But I am at Heavenly Dao Peak, while you are only at late Heavenly Dao. At our level, each step is another heaven. The gap between us may seem like a single minor realm, but in truth, an entire heaven separates us!"
Hongjun laughed heartily, his formerly solemn gaze instantly relaxing somewhat. "Fellow Daoist Houtu, your defeat today is certain!"
With that, Hongjun tapped his toes against the void. Like a startled swallow, like an antelope kicking off the ground, he suddenly shot toward Houtu, clenched one hand into a fist, and unleashed a ferocious punch.
Rumble!
A vast surge of power stirred the surrounding chaos energy, condensing it into an enormous fist. This Chaos Fist was formed entirely from Hongjun's immense magical power. Its strength defied imagination; even a Saint's body would be beaten into pulp.
"Cleave!"
Houtu made no unnecessary movements. Once again, she simply raised the Creation Sword in her hand and swept it horizontally.
A silver gleam flashed past, slicing the entire fist in two. That terrifying fist could not withstand even one stroke of Houtu's sword.
What happened next, however, filled Hongjun with delight.
That fist... condensed from chaos energy had merely been a feint. He had seized the chance to hide behind it and quietly gather power for another attack. As the chaos energy fist was cleaved apart and scattered in