The Burning Heaven Demoness, bathed in crimson fire with arms folded across her chest, stood proudly in the sky.
She called out: "Black Family's Four Elders, your ancient battle formation Azure City Crisscross is so incomplete it's practically falling apart — and you still have the nerve to show it off? A hundred years ago, practicing this very formation left you unable to move more than a zhang apart. Now that you've finally ventured out, who's guarding your blessed land back home?"
The bronze giant raised its head to stare at the Burning Heaven Demoness.
An aged voice rang out from within the bronze giant: "Burning Heaven Demoness! Since you already know this is the ancient battle formation Azure City Crisscross, you should understand — its power can rival an Eighth Transformation cultivator. Hei Cheng and Hei Loulan are both members of our Black Family. We're handling our own family affairs; an outsider like you has absolutely no right to interfere. Don't forget that the great Zombie Alliance itself falls under the Righteous Path. As the leader of the Northern Plains Zombie Alliance branch, your responsibilities are immense — you'd best be careful."
Then another voice spoke: "Burning Heaven Demoness, shouldn't you be dealing with Old Ancestor Snow Whisker? Why come here to cause trouble?"
"Causing trouble? Ha ha ha ha ha..." The Burning Heaven Demoness threw her head back and roared with laughter.
It was then that Fairy Lishan chimed in: "Old Ancestor Snow Whisker is not something the Black Family's Four Elders need to worry about. Besides... this is your family matter — but isn't it ours too?"
"What do you mean?" A startled voice echoed from within the bronze giant — the Black Family's Four Elders.
At that moment, a fierce sense of dread surged through Fang Yuan's heart.
"Sister!" Fairy Lishan suddenly called out.
The silent understanding between siblings needed no elaborate words.
The Burning Heaven Demoness's laughter cut off abruptly. Her gaze, sharp as lightning, shot toward the bronze giant.
On the bronze giant's body, a flame spontaneously ignited, instantly erupting into a raging inferno that engulfed its entire form.
In the blink of an eye, the mountain-sized bronze giant had become a massive orange torch.
Immortal Killer Move — Fire Prison!
Within the blazing flames, the bronze giant struggled to move, as though it had fallen into the most viscous black oil imaginable.
The Black Family's Four Elders who composed the bronze giant were all stunned.
"When did this hit us?"
"This killer move's power is extraordinary — even our Azure City Crisscross can't break free!"
"What's worst is that it came with absolutely no warning — impossible to guard against!"
But the four elders possessed vast combat experience. After just a few breaths of shock, they figured it out.
They recalled the earlier strike — Angry Birds — that had hammered into the bronze giant's chest.
And the spot where Fire Prison had ignited was right on the bronze giant's chest.
This was an Immortal Combo Move!
An Immortal Combo Move meant amplified power or synergistic effects produced by unleashing two or more Immortal Killer Moves in succession.
Angry Birds and Fire Prison — these two Immortal Killer Moves could form an Immortal Combo Move.
The Burning Heaven Demoness had first used Angry Birds to strike the bronze giant, then immediately deployed Fire Prison, trapping Azure City Crisscross on the spot with devastating results.
If more time had elapsed, or if she had initiated Fire Prison first, the Burning Heaven Demoness would have needed a moment to prepare. During that window, not only could the Black Family's Four Elders dodge, but Fire Prison's power wouldn't be nearly as overwhelming.
The underlying principle was actually quite simple.
Dao Marks.
Immortal Killer Moves were powerful techniques centered on Immortal Gu.
Their immense power came from the temporary Dao Marks they formed.
Angry Birds had bombarded the bronze giant's chest, leaving Flame Dao Marks behind for a short duration. The Burning Heaven Demoness exploited those Flame Dao Marks as a foundation, instantly unleashing Fire Prison with its power boosted an entire tier — temporarily trapping the bronze giant.
"Any Gu Immortal who can conceive of an Immortal Combo Move must be a Grandmaster-level expert! So the Burning Heaven Demoness's Flame Dao attainment has already reached such heights!" Fang Yuan's heart trembled with shock.
A Flame Dao Grandmaster!
This was a level of attainment that no ordinary Gu Immortal could ever hope to reach.
ROAR!
The bronze giant roared toward the heavens. Vast quantities of azure mist hissed out from every part of its body.
Wherever the azure mist spread, the flames rapidly dissipated.
Clearly, this mysterious azure mist was itself a formidable Immortal Killer Move.
The Burning Heaven Demoness's Immortal Combo Move couldn't even endure ten breaths before nearing complete collapse.
But it had bought precious time.
Seizing the opportunity, Fairy Lishan had finished her preparations and unleashed her trump card.
Immortal Battlefield Killer Move — Mountain Pear Garden!
The earth began to tremble.
BOOM... BOOM... BOOM...
In an instant, wave after wave of heart-pounding rumbling echoed up from deep underground.
The ground began to bulge upward, the terrain transforming at a rapid pace.
What had been flat grassland swelled into a hill.
The hill rose swiftly, growing ever taller. Mountains jutted up on both sides.
Finally, the peaks stopped rising. A ring of mountains had closed in around the bronze giant from every direction.
The trembling of the earth at last came to rest.