The battle began with a loud roar from Mo Tianyu, his arrogance burning like a flame. He was determined to prove his worth, to show the world that he was not just a "so-called genius," but a force to be reckoned with. His cultivators followed his lead, charging toward Bai Qingyu and Li Yuexin with a fury borne of pride and desperation.
But as the first cultivators stepped forward, a sudden shift in the air made the ground tremble beneath their feet. The valley seemed to come alive with a force beyond mortal comprehension. The temperature plummeted, and an overwhelming pressure fell on them like a massive weight.
Bai Qingyu raised her hand, and with a single flick of her wrist, an icy wind erupted from her fingertips, sweeping through the air with brutal force. The cultivators at the front were instantly frozen, their bodies encased in thick layers of ice, their expressions frozen in terror.
Li Yuexin, never one to be outdone, released a burst of fiery energy from her palm. The flames blazed like a sun, consuming the remaining cultivators in its wake. But even in the face of such power, Yuexin's playful grin never faltered.
"Well, that was easy," she said, stretching lazily as the fiery blast engulfed the group. The heat was intense, but her energy seemed to dance with an infectious lightness, as though she was enjoying every second of the destruction.
Mo Tianyu, who had been leading the charge, barely managed to dodge the ice storm that Bai Qingyu unleashed. His heart raced, his face twisted with a mixture of disbelief and rage. The power these two women wielded was unlike anything he had ever encountered—this was not a mere challenge but a crushing reminder of his own insignificance.
"No!" Mo Tianyu shouted, his voice shaking with frustration. "I will not be defeated by them!"
He drew a sword from his side, his aura flaring as he pushed himself to his limits. The sword glowed with a brilliant light as he charged forward, aiming directly at Bai Qingyu. His confidence surged with every step, the belief that he could overcome anything fueling his movements.
But before he could even reach her, a single movement from Bai Qingyu stopped him in his tracks. With a casual flick of her finger, the ground beneath him cracked open, and an enormous wall of ice shot up, blocking his path.
Mo Tianyu skidded to a halt, his breath coming in ragged gasps. He stared at the ice wall, then back at Bai Qingyu, whose expression was as calm and indifferent as ever.
"You're too slow," Bai Qingyu said, her voice a sharp contrast to the violent display of power that had just occurred. She stepped forward, her ice-cold eyes meeting his with an almost detached curiosity. "Is this really all you've got?"
Mo Tianyu's face flushed with anger. He was humiliated in front of his own forces, but his pride refused to allow him to back down. "I won't be looked down upon by you!" he yelled, his energy surging once again. He charged at her, determined to land a blow.
But as he swung his sword, Bai Qingyu didn't even flinch. With a wave of her hand, she summoned a massive ice spike that shot up from the ground, knocking his sword from his grasp and sending him crashing to the ground.
The sound of his body hitting the earth echoed through the valley, and the remaining cultivators froze in place, their faces filled with terror as they watched their leader fall.
"You're not even worth my time," Bai Qingyu said coldly, turning away from him. Her gaze shifted to the rest of the group, who had hesitated, unsure of how to proceed.
Li Yuexin chuckled, her fiery energy flickering playfully. "I told you they were too weak," she said with a wink. "They're not even a challenge."
Mo Tianyu struggled to get to his feet, his breath coming in shallow gasps. His face was a mask of fury and humiliation. "You think you've won?" he spat. "You'll regret this. The Celestial Dao Alliance will not—"
"The Celestial Dao Alliance?" Bai Qingyu interrupted, her voice ice-cold. She turned back to face him, her eyes gleaming with an unsettling calmness. "You think we're afraid of your sect's power? You're nothing more than a pawn, playing at power."
With a simple wave of her hand, the ice that had encased the other cultivators shattered, sending them tumbling to the ground, helpless. None of them dared move as they gazed up at her in fear. Their pride had been shattered in an instant.
"Let me make something clear," Bai Qingyu continued, her voice as cold and final as the ice she wielded. "We are not interested in your petty alliances or your squabbles. If you continue to challenge us, you will learn just how insignificant you truly are."
Li Yuexin grinned, her fiery aura flaring up once again. "I'd say you should go back to your little sect, but I'm not sure you'll be able to make it in one piece."
Mo Tianyu, his pride crushed and his body aching, struggled to stand but knew he had no chance against them. His hands trembled as he gripped the ground, his gaze filled with both defiance and defeat.
"This isn't over," he muttered, though his voice was shaky. "We'll be back. You can't keep us down forever."
Bai Qingyu's eyes gleamed with cold amusement. "We'll be waiting," she said, her tone utterly dismissive.
The cultivators of the Celestial Dao Alliance, humiliated and broken, slowly retreated, their spirits crushed by the overwhelming power of the two women. Mo Tianyu, his pride shattered, could only stumble away in silence, unable to meet the eyes of his comrades.
As the group vanished into the distance, Li Yuexin laughed, her voice light and carefree. "Well, that was a bit too easy. I was hoping for more of a challenge."
Bai Qingyu allowed herself a small smile, her icy demeanor finally breaking. "Patience," she said. "They'll be back, and when they are, we'll be ready."
Back at the Heavenly Imperial Court, the Emperor paced back and forth in his private chamber. The news of the Celestial Dao Alliance's failed mission had reached him, and it filled him with a mixture of rage and disbelief. His advisors gathered around him, each one nervously awaiting his command.
"The Empresses are more powerful than we ever imagined," Lord Zhang said carefully. "The Celestial Dao Alliance failed to make any headway. What are we to do now, Your Majesty?"
The Emperor's face darkened as he stopped pacing. "They are not just a threat to our authority—they are a force that could destabilize the entire empire. We must act before they gain too much power."
He turned to his ministers. "Prepare the Imperial Army. We will not allow them to remain unchecked any longer. If they will not bow to us, then we will make them."