The scene before Ye Chen and Liya filled them both with unease. The altar, engulfed in strange flames, emitted a chilling aura. The villagers kneeling around it appeared vacant, as if they were completely under someone else's control. Ye Chen gripped his battle axe tightly, his mind racing as he strategized their next move.
"There must be a powerful fantasist controlling this altar," Ye Chen murmured, a hint of caution flashing in his eyes.
Liya nodded, her brow furrowed. "It seems their fantasist is far beyond our level. We need to be careful."
Just as they prepared to act, the flames above the altar suddenly flared violently, releasing an even more potent presence. Accompanying this surge was a deep, sinister laughter that echoed through the air.
"Finally, new challengers have arrived," an aged voice emerged from the flames, and slowly, a towering figure began to materialize amidst the fire. It was an old man with white hair and beard, dressed in a tattered robe, his face weathered, but his eyes gleamed with cunning.
Ye Chen's gaze sharpened, a strong sense of wariness surging within him. This old man seemed ordinary, yet the oppressive energy he exuded surpassed any opponent Ye Chen had faced before.
"Who are you?" Ye Chen demanded, his voice laced with ice.
The old man chuckled softly, descending from the altar. "In this world, strength is revered. I am but an ordinary fantasist, just like you."
"Ordinary?" Ye Chen scoffed. "You've enslaved these villagers and summoned those shadow wolves with the altar. You can't possibly be just an ordinary fantasist."
A flicker of surprise flashed in the old man's eyes, but he quickly regained his composure. "It seems you have a basic understanding of fantasism. Yes, the shadow wolves are indeed my creations, but merely a small test on my part."
Ye Chen's heart sank; his earlier suspicions had been correct. This old man was the puppet master behind everything. He subtly turned to Liya and whispered, "Be cautious; this guy is not simple."
Liya nodded, tightening her grip on her short sword, ready for battle.
The old man watched their movements with a mocking smile. "Young ones, you certainly have courage, but in this world, courage alone won't keep you alive. Only powerful fantasism can control everything."
"So, you sacrifice the lives of these villagers to enhance your own power?" Ye Chen retorted, anger flashing in his eyes.
The old man smiled lightly. "Everyone seeks power, do they not? These villagers are merely tools for my experiments. You should understand that in this world, strength is the only law."
Ye Chen's anger transformed into determination. He gripped his battle axe tightly, a strong resolve rising within him. This world may indeed be one that reveres power, but he would never choose the path of sacrificing innocent lives like the old man.
"You're right; power is important," Ye Chen's voice was low and resolute. "But I will acquire my strength in my own way!"
With that, Ye Chen swung his axe with all his might, the familiar power of Pangu shimmering on the blade once more. The axe light sliced through the air, aimed directly at the old man.
The old man regarded the attack with disdain. He raised a hand, and a black barrier appeared, effortlessly blocking Ye Chen's strike. The axe light hit the barrier, leaving no trace.
"Naive," the old man shook his head, a contemptuous smile creeping across his lips. "Do you really think a mere spark of fantasism can harm me? You are still too weak."
Ye Chen frowned. Although he had anticipated the old man's strength, he hadn't expected his defense to be so formidable. He quickly stepped back, pondering how to respond.
At that moment, Liya sprang into action, her short sword cutting through the air with fierce intent as she aimed for the old man's chest. Her movements were swift as the wind, leaving him little time to react.
However, the old man seemed to have foreseen her attack. He deftly sidestepped, evading her strike, and with a swift motion, unleashed a powerful wave of black energy that sent Liya flying, crashing hard onto the ground.
"Liya!" Ye Chen shouted, rushing to her side.
Liya gritted her teeth, propping herself up, her face pale. "I'm fine... I can still hold on."
Ye Chen's expression hardened. He knew that with their current strength, confronting the old man head-on was nearly impossible. But he refused to give up. A bold idea flickered in his mind, one inspired by mythologies from Earth.
He recalled that in Chinese mythology, alongside Pangu's creation of the world, there existed many other powerful mythological forces, such as Nuwa creating humanity, mending the sky, and Fuxi's bagua. Not to mention the Western mythologies, with Thor's hammer and Odin's eye of wisdom. These mythological powers might aid him in facing the current challenge.
"I need stronger fantasism," Ye Chen thought to himself. "If I could merge these mythological forces with my fantasist world, perhaps I could turn the tide."
Taking a deep breath, he quickly conjured an entirely new mythological world in his mind. In this world, the powers of Pangu combined with Thor's lightning to create a force capable of obliterating everything. At the center of this realm stood Ye Chen, the master of it all.
As Ye Chen's thoughts surged, his fantasism began to coalesce rapidly within him. The surrounding air seemed to shift as a powerful aura erupted from his being.
The old man frowned slightly, sensing the sudden surge of power from Ye Chen. A flicker of intrigue crossed his eyes, but he quickly masked it. "Interesting; it seems you have some potential."
Ye Chen let out a cold laugh, raising his battle axe once more. This time, the axe blade was infused not just with Pangu's power, but also with the lightning energy he had just envisioned. Sparks danced along the blade as if it could tear the heavens apart.
"Lightning strikes with ferocity!" Ye Chen shouted, swinging his axe with all his might, the blade, charged with electric power, hurtling toward the old man.
The old man's expression shifted; he clearly hadn't anticipated Ye Chen's sudden surge in strength. He hurriedly summoned another black barrier, but this time, the lightning energy tore through it effortlessly, the axe light striking the old man's body without obstruction.
"Ah—!" the old man screamed, his form consumed by the lightning, transforming into a cloud of black smoke.
Panting heavily, Ye Chen gripped his battle axe, his eyes filled with resolve. He knew this was just the beginning. The road ahead was long, and he had to grow even stronger.
"Let's go," Ye Chen said, turning to Liya. "We must keep moving forward."
Liya nodded, despite the pain still lingering in her body, her eyes filled with trust and admiration for Ye Chen.
"Ye Chen, you're truly a miracle worker," she smiled faintly. "Perhaps one day, you really will become the strongest fantasist in this world."
Ye Chen said nothing, merely tightening his grip on the axe, his gaze unwavering. He understood that the journey to become the strongest fantasist would not be easy, but he was ready to face every challenge ahead.
Behind them, the burning altar gradually extinguished, and the malevolent aura that had pervaded the village dissipated. The villagers began to awaken, bewildered by the sights around them, unable to comprehend what had just transpired.
"Next, we need to seek out stronger resources to enhance our fantasism," Ye Chen said quietly, determination flickering in his eyes.
"Exactly. Only by continually improving ourselves can we establish a foothold in this world," Liya agreed, her spirit reignited.
Together, they left the mysterious and perilous village, stepping toward a vast unknown world.
Before them lay endless adventures and challenges, along with numerous resources and the path of the strong.