Myth Beyond Heaven

Bang!

The crimson fist slammed into the water barrier, sending a spray of droplets flying. But the impact seemed to have no effect. The water, imbued with the power of Yun Lintian's Law of Water, held firm, absorbing the fiery energy and dissipating it harmlessly.

The red-haired brute, momentarily stunned by the perfect defense, stumbled back a few steps. Before he could recover, Yun Lintian launched his counteroffensive. His left hand, crackling with vibrant violet energy, shot forward in a blur.

This time, it was the Law of Fire unleashed in all its fury. A condensed sphere of violet flame, emanating an intense heat, hurtled towards the red-haired brute.

The man's eyes widened in terror as the fiery projectile approached. He attempted to raise his arm in defense, but it was too late.

Boom!

The violet sphere slammed into his chest, engulfing him in an inferno. A heart-wrenching scream ripped through the chamber as the flames danced across his skin, searing his flesh and scorching his bones.

"Arghhhh!" The man thrashed wildly for a moment before collapsing into a smoldering heap on the ground.

The remaining Iron Fists watched in horrified silence as their comrade met his fiery demise. The sight of Yun Lintian wielding the Laws of Water and Fire with such mastery filled them with a chilling dread.

This wasn't a mere Lower God; he was a heavenly genius, a being capable of manipulating the very elements to his will.

One of the remaining Iron Fists, a man with skin as dark as obsidian and eyes that glowed faintly with an inner fire, stepped forward, his voice a low growl. "You… you're a monster!" he spat, a hint of fear lacing his words.

Yun Lintian chuckled, a cold sound devoid of humor. "Monster? Perhaps," he said, his gaze sweeping across the remaining Iron Fists.

With a flick of his wrist, two more spheres materialized in his hands – one a swirling vortex of water, the other a miniature sun radiating an intense heat.

The Iron Fists, their bravado shattered, exchanged nervous glances. They knew, with a chilling certainty, that they had underestimated their opponent.

Yun Lintian's chilling chuckle reverberated through the chamber, amplifying the suffocating silence.

The remaining Iron Fists, their faces etched with a mixture of terror and desperation, huddled closer. Their previous arrogant swagger was replaced by a frantic scramble for some semblance of a strategy.

"We… we can still take him!" the obsidian-skinned man stammered, his voice cracking under the pressure. "Together!"

But his words lacked conviction, failing to rouse his comrades from their state of fear. Deep down, they knew their odds were slim to none.

Yun Lintian's effortless manipulation of the elements was a power they'd never encountered, and the agonizing demise of their red-haired companion served as a grim reminder of the consequences of underestimating him.

Sensing their hesitation, Yun Lintian raised the water sphere in his right hand. It pulsed with an otherworldly glow, mirroring the fear in the Iron Fists' eyes. "Perhaps," he said, his voice laced with a deadly calm, "but why risk it?"

Ripp—

With a flick of his wrist, the water sphere shot forward, morphing into a razor-sharp blade as it hurtled towards the obsidian-skinned man. The man, fueled by a primal urge for survival, raised his arm in a desperate attempt to block the attack.

"Arghhhh!"

The water blade sliced through his arm like a hot knife through butter. A scream of pure agony erupted from the man's throat as the blade continued its relentless path, bisecting him from shoulder to hip. His two halves crumpled lifelessly to the ground, a gruesome testament to Yun Lintian's unwavering power.

The remaining Iron Fists, their resolve shattered completely, turned to flee. But escape was not an option. Yun Lintian, a predator toying with his prey, flicked his wrist again.

This time, the fiery sphere detached itself from his hand, morphing into a blazing serpent as it surged towards the fleeing figures.

The serpent, fueled by Yun Lintian's control over the Law of Fire, slithered through the air with an eerie grace. It overtook the first fleeing Iron Fist, wrapping itself around his body in a fiery embrace.

"Noooo!!" The man let out a bloodcurdling shriek, his screams abruptly cut short as the flames consumed him, leaving behind only ashes that scattered across the chamber floor.

"S…Spare me!" The final Iron Fist, his face contorted in abject terror, tripped and fell. He scrambled back on his hands and knees, his eyes pleading for mercy he knew wouldn't come.

Yun Lintian merely raised an eyebrow, a flicker of cold indifference in his gaze.

Before the man could utter another word, the fiery serpent whipped around, its fiery maw engulfing the unfortunate soul. The scream that echoed this time was barely a whimper, quickly extinguished by the relentless inferno.

Silence, thick and heavy, descended upon the chamber once more. The remaining crowd, previously filled with morbid curiosity, now stared at Yun Lintian with a mixture of awe and dread. He stood amidst the carnage, his figure silhouetted against the flickering light emanating from the smoldering remains of the Iron Fists.

The bulky man lay sprawled on the ground, forgotten in the whirlwind of violence. He watched in a daze as his comrades, the men he'd considered brothers-in-arms, met their gruesome ends. The power radiating from Yun Lintian was overwhelming, a force of nature he couldn't even begin to comprehend.

As the last embers from the Iron Fists died out, Yun Lintian turned his gaze towards the bulky man. The amusement that had danced in his eyes earlier was replaced by a chilling emptiness. He took a single step forward, the movement echoing in the deathly silence of the chamber.

"You…" The bulky man flinched, his bravado completely gone. He could only stare up at Yun Lintian with a look of abject terror, whimpering like a cornered animal awaiting its fate.

"What happened? Where is your arrogance now?" Yun Lintian asked with a playful smile.

"Don't come here!" The bulky man shouted in horror.

"How boring." Yun Lintian shook his head.

Yun Lintian's playful smile evaporated, replaced by a glint of icy finality. He raised his hand, a single finger extended towards the whimpering man. A faint golden spark crackled at his fingertip, condensing the very essence of his Law of Lightning.

Puff!

Before the bulky man could even whimper another plea, the spark shot forward with blinding speed. It pierced the man's chest, leaving a small, blackened hole…

"Who dares disturb the trials of the Illusion Palace!"