His Offspring

The earth wailed beneath Long Ao’s feet as cracks spread wildly across it like a spiderweb.

The pressure erupting from his body was no longer the qi he usually wielded. It was as though an ancient deity sleeping in the deepest reaches of his bloodline had opened its eyes at that very moment.

“Long Ao, you…”

Even Qin Wu’s throat had gone dry. The rest of his words were forcefully swallowed by the searing wave of heat.

The strength he had always been proud of could not even approach that golden flame. It melted away in an instant, like winter snow beneath the blazing sun.

The long sword in An Changqing’s hand let out an uneasy hum. The force field of the Stellar Shift showed its first signs of instability before this overbearing, peerless power.

This was not something an Esper could accomplish.

This was authority.

The power of authority had actually appeared in Long Ao, the man they had spent every day with.

[The special effects budget is literally on fire! That bird-shaped phantom behind him is insanely cool!]

[Now this is the true protagonist template! Awakening at the critical moment and skyrocketing in combat power!]

[Brother Coffin: ??? This isn’t how the script was supposed to go!]

Elsewhere, Chen Guan silently withdrew his demonic arm, which was still yearning to devour. The black markings faded away, and his skin returned to its original color.

…

The Demon Realm, Angel City.

“Vermilion Bird…”

Astaroth’s divine body, powerful enough to shake the stars, trembled upon its throne. Its gaze locked onto the human below, and the shock in its scarlet eyes was nearly impossible to conceal.

“Impossible! Shouldn’t the bloodline of the Four Symbols have been buried along with that era? Baal! Is this your doing?”

That was Astaroth’s first reaction. Baal’s reputation preceded him, and the timing of this incident was far too suspicious for Astaroth not to suspect him.

Beneath the throne, Baal humanely stuck a finger in his ear.

“Don’t blame everything on me. To be honest, I didn’t see it either. His bloodline was far too thin. We all mistook a fledgling phoenix for a chick.”

Baal smiled as he continued, “Look. That wisp of your spiritual fragment doesn’t seem very happy. It thinks this human is provoking it.”

Astaroth’s gaze returned to the blood-colored illusion.

The human who had awakened the bloodline of the Vermilion Bird—Long Ao—was completely ignoring the pressure powerful enough to crush a soul. He slowly raised his fist toward the phantom of Astaroth’s will.

Golden divine fire spiraled and condensed around his knuckles, eventually forming the head of a proud Vermilion Bird. Endless flames were reflected in its eyes as it let out a clear, piercing cry that seemed to pass straight through the soul.

“I don’t care what you are.”

Long Ao’s voice rang throughout the entire illusionary battlefield.

“Just break.”

His only thought was that this pitch-black thing had placed his friends in danger.

If that was the case, then he would smash it to pieces.

The moment his words fell, he shot forward like a cannonball.

There was no technique, no form. It was merely the most primal and savage punch, infused with boundless fury and the instinct to protect, that struck straight toward the colossal demonic god phantom blotting out the sky.

The instant the golden flame left his fist, it expanded wildly in midair, transforming into a resplendent firebird with a wingspan of more than a hundred meters.

Trailing a golden tail of flame that tore through space, it let out a clear cry and charged without hesitation into the phantom in the sky.

When the golden firebird collided with the demonic god phantom, there was no earth-shattering explosion or deafening roar. It was as though the special-effects budget had run out, and all the flashy effects had simply vanished.

An Changqing and the others could only watch as the enormous shadow formed from Astaroth’s will began to burn soundlessly from its edges the instant it came into contact with the golden flames. In the end, it turned to ash.

The terrifying pressure that had crushed their bones and threatened to tear their souls apart failed to put up even the slightest struggle before these purifying flames. It was erased completely.

“This…”

Qin Wu stared at the scene before him, his mind utterly blank.

This was Long Ao’s true power.

No. This was the true monster hidden within the Long family’s bloodline.

He suddenly remembered a rumor his grandfather had once told him: an ancestor of the Long family had reached the level of a god.

“Roar.”

A roar of unwillingness, originating from the depths of the soul, came from the core of the dissipating phantom.

Astaroth was truly enraged.

It would rather offend Baal than allow these flames that dared to burn a god to survive.

Its descendant could not be allowed to live.

The black spiritual energy rapidly contracted, condensing into a pitch-black spear. It pierced through the burning golden flames and shot straight toward Long Ao’s brow.

This was the final counterattack, infused with every last trace of the demonic god’s killing intent.

Baal continued to watch with a smile, making no move to interfere.

“Long Ao, get out of the way!”

An Changqing’s eyes bulged with desperation. The long sword in his hand unleashed a dragon-shaped sword aura as he tried to intercept the spear of death.

But the instant his sword aura touched the black spear, it was completely eroded by the rotten will clinging to its surface.

The spear was about to pierce Long Ao’s forehead when Long Ao smiled.

There was no fear in his molten-gold eyes—only a battle intent blazing even more fiercely than the divine fire itself.

“Good. Come at me.”

Instead of retreating, he took a step forward and allowed the black spear to stab toward him.

Just before the spearhead touched his skin, the enormous bird phantom behind him suddenly spread its wings. An even denser and more brilliant golden barrier unfolded before him.

Ping.

A crisp sound, like glass shattering.

The black spear, which contained all the power of the demonic god’s lingering will, shattered inch by inch before the golden barrier, ultimately dispersing into a wisp of black smoke.

And Long Ao was completely unharmed.

[Holy crap, Brother Ao is incredible.]

[I hereby announce that from today onward, Brother Ao is the only bro I acknowledge.]

[Is this the power of the Vermilion Bird bloodline? He can actually tank a strike from a demonic god. That’s absurd.]

[Let me guess who still hasn’t gotten a power-up.]

Chen Guan watched in silence, taking everything in.

Long Ao’s sudden attack had genuinely given him quite a shock.

Could this be why the White Tiger had chosen him in advance?

As the demonic god phantom completely vanished, the entire blood-colored illusion began to shake violently. The frozen crimson sky started to peel away.

This world, constructed from a spiritual imprint, was collapsing.

“Pfft.”

Long Ao spat out a mouthful of blood. When it hit the ground, the blood was actually golden, and it quickly burned away into nothingness.

The golden flames around his body and the Vermilion Bird phantom behind him vanished like the receding tide. His molten-gold eyes returned to their original color as well.

After accomplishing all this, his body swayed as though every ounce of strength had been drained from him. He fell straight backward.

“Long Ao!”

Chen Guan, who was closest to him, immediately reached out and caught him.

Long Ao was scorching hot to the touch, like a red-hot brand. Chen Guan could feel the heat within his body gradually falling silent.

“What… what happened to me?”

Leaning against Chen Guan, Long Ao looked confused. He only remembered seeing Chen Guan in danger and charging forward in a fit of reckless passion. Everything after that was a complete blur.