At that moment, Daochen felt every hair on his body stand on end, as though needles were digging into his back.
He turned to look. At some point, Dao Ancestor Hongjun had appeared behind him, staring at him with a savage expression, as though he wanted to devour him.
"I knew all along that you would try this. A rabble of misfits, and you think you can stand against me?"
"Today, I shall kill you first. I will deal with those other three another day."
Daochen knitted his brows, searching for a way to overcome his enemy.
Dao Ancestor Hongjun's strength was terrifying indeed. With that single sudden eruption, he had shattered the alliance of the Devil Ancestor and the other two.
Or rather, the four of them had never truly been united.
The unexpected turn of events, coupled with Daochen's intervention, had torn their alliance apart in an instant.
Daochen smiled faintly. "So what if the four of us are no longer united? We are not afraid of you."
"Do not think I am unaware of your current condition. Your state is extremely unstable too. If you get bogged down fighting me, there is no telling who will win and who will lose."
"Besides, since I first set out on my path, I have never fought a true battle to the death against an expert of your caliber. Today, I shall see just how strong you really are!"
Daochen had his own considerations. The Dao Ancestor Hongjun before him was not truly the original, but had been corrupted by some kind of power. Perhaps his soul had been tainted, or perhaps it had been suppressed outright and another soul had taken its place. In any event, he was not in good condition.
Though Dao Ancestor Hongjun's expression remained unchanged,