Myth Beyond Heaven

As the words left Si Junyi's lips, the battered form of the Hell Asura began to writhe in agony. Its obsidian armor, once a testament to its strength, cracked and shattered, revealing a pulsating core of inky blackness beneath.

The blackness grew, spreading outwards, consuming the remaining asura flesh until it formed a swirling vortex of pure, unadulterated death energy.

The air crackled with an unnatural electricity, the very stones of the tomb groaning in protest.

Zhan You felt a primal fear grip him for the first time in millennia. This wasn't the raw, chaotic energy of the asuras.

This was something far older, far more terrifying – the Great Law of Death, a power wielded only by entities beyond the god realm.

Zhan You reacted with lightning speed, the primal fear momentarily replaced by the instinct honed over eons of battles.

A crimson dome erupted around him, the Laws of Fire and Defense intertwining to form a barrier against the encroaching vortex.

The dome flared violently as it met the tendrils of death energy, the clash emitting a sound that scraped against the very essence of existence.

The tomb walls, already strained beyond their limits, began to crumble under the pressure.

Si Junyi, bathed in the dark glow of the vortex, said coldly. "Witness the true power of the asura, War God."

Crackle!

The vortex thrummed with a life of its own, pushing against Zhan You's dome with relentless force. Cracks began to spiderweb across the crimson barrier, threatening to shatter under the onslaught.

Zhan You frowned deeply, channeling more and more power into his defenses. His eyes, blazing with a red fury that mirrored the flames around him, refused to yield.

"You have unleashed a force beyond your control." He uttered coldly.

Si Junyi's laughter echoed through the collapsing tomb. "Control? The Great Law of Death doesn't need control, only destruction!"

With his words, the vortex intensified, a tendril of pure death energy breaching Zhan You's defenses.

"Ugh." A groan escaped his lips as the tendril struck Zhan You's shoulder, sizzling and eating away at his divine armor. Despite his power, even a touch of the Great Law of Death inflicted excruciating pain.

Si Junyi narrowed his eyes. He waved his hand, pouring more power into the vortex.

The swirling mass of death energy pulsed, responding to his will. It lashed out at Zhan You relentlessly, tendrils of inky blackness snapping at him like ravenous vipers. Each tendril held the power to extinguish a lesser cultivator's life force in an instant.

But Zhan You, the embodiment of unwavering defense, remained calm amidst the chaos. His crimson dome, fueled by his Law of Fire and bolstered by his divine armor, shimmered as it absorbed the brunt of the assault.

He moved with an effortless grace, deflecting tendrils with his bare hands, the flames around him singeing them upon contact.

The air crackled with a sickening energy, the very essence of life withering under the vortex's influence.

Zhan You, however, seemed immune. A faint golden aura, barely perceptible, emanated from him, shielding him from the deathly energy's corrupting touch.

Si Junyi frowned slightly upon seeing this scene. Zhan You's strength was stronger than he thought.

He pushed the asura's corrupted core harder, channeling more of the deathly power. The vortex writhed, expanding in size, and unleashed a barrage of tendrils, each thicker and more potent than the last.

Zhan You, however, remained undeterred. His movements became a blur, a whirlwind of crimson as he danced around the onslaught.

He unleashed bursts of flame, burning the tendrils back into the vortex. Yet, the sheer number of them began to overwhelm his defenses.

The crimson dome flickered precariously, threatening to collapse under the relentless assault. Zhan You's brow creased, a testament to the immense exertion he was putting forth.

Sensing his opponent's weakening defense, Si Junyi let out a cold laugh. "Give in, War God. This power is beyond your control."

Zhao You raised his head, his face was calm and composed. "You do have some strength… But it's not enough to defeat me."

With a deep breath, Zhan You closed his eyes. When he opened them again, a blinding light erupted from his body, momentarily eclipsing the dark glow of the vortex.

As the light subsided, a majestic figure stood in Zhan You's place.

His entire body seemed to be wrapped in swirling galaxies, each one pulsating with an otherworldly power. A magnificent crown, adorned with miniature constellations, sat upon his head, radiating an aura of unparalleled authority.

This was Zhan You's True God form – the Heaven Severing God.

The air crackled with raw power as the Heaven Severing God surveyed the scene. The vortex of death energy recoiled slightly, as if sensing the shift in power dynamics.

Si Junyi's expression grew solemn. He had heard whispers of Zhan You's might for years, but had never borne witness to it himself.

Clang!

With a flick of his wrist, the Heaven Severing God summoned a colossal crimson sword, its blade forged from the first fires of creation. The very air sang as the sword materialized, its presence warping the fabric of reality itself.

"Now," the Heaven Severing God boomed, his voice echoing with the power of a thousand celestial storms, "witness the true might of the War God."

He raised the sword high, the galaxies swirling around him intensifying their glow. A terrifying energy, a potent mix of fire and the will of the heavens, began to coalesce around the blade.

Zhan You stared at Si Junyi expressionlessly, as if he were looking at an insignificant creature.

"Don't worry. I won't kill you." He said calmly.

Boom!

The oppressive heat from the crimson dome had transformed into a celestial brilliance, pushing back the tendrils of death energy with terrifying ease. The air hummed with a power that resonated through his very soul.

Si Junyi remained unfazed. As the sole disciple of the God of Death, fear held no sway over him.

He calmly poured his divine energy into the Hell Asura. The vortex writhed in response, pulsating like a dark heart. From its churning depths, a colossal figure coalesced.

Gone was the jagged, obsidian form of the Hell Asura. In its place stood a towering entity cloaked in shadow, its form vaguely humanoid but twisted with monstrous features. Tenebrous wings, tattered and immense, stretched out like a shroud, blotting out the remaining light filtering through the collapsing tomb.

Four glowing red eyes, burning with an unholy fire, glared down at the Heaven Severing God. This was the asura's True God form, the "Guardian of the Netherworld."