Chapter 264: Xùyán vs. Grim van Ambrose
The air between them crackled with energies as the two combatants faced each other.
Xùyán’s white and silver fur gleamed, the dark mana corruption having bleached his coat while enhancing his natural coloring.
His seven tails swayed behind him, each one crackling with the mixture of silver and purple.
"Let’s see how long you last against real power," Xùyán said.
The battle erupted without further warning. Xùyán gestured sharply, and a dozen illusory copies of himself materialized around the clearing, each one solid enough to cast shadows and leave footprints.
"Celestial Mist: Ethereal Mist," Grim whispered, as thick fog began to seep from his body.
But Xùyán’s enhanced perception cut through the concealment easily. Fire erupted from multiple directions as the copies attacked in perfect coordination, their flames burning with silver and purple edges that seemed to devour the mist itself.
"Celestial Mist: Drifting Steps," Grim called out, his form becoming partially incorporeal as he moved through the fog.
His enhanced footwork allowed him to avoid the worst of the flame barrage, but the corrupted fire was relentless.
A copy appeared directly in front of him, claws extended. "Celestial Mist: Cross-Cut!" Grim shouted, his blade creating an X-shaped slash that should have bisected the illusion. Instead, the copy reformed around the attack, dark mana making it far more resilient than before.
"Too slow," Xùyán’s voice echoed from everywhere at once. "My illusions aren’t bound by normal limitations anymore."
A copy appeared behind him, silver flames wreathing its claws. Grim spun and parried, but the impact sent shockwaves through his arms. The corrupted Xùyán was physically stronger than before, each strike carrying the weight of the realm’s fundamental forces.