Chapter 48: The Guardians’ Stand

Three figures floated through the air, their forms—two men and one woman—gradually approaching the girl’s position.

However, upon reaching a distance of fifty units, all three halted, finding themselves unable to advance another step.

Lili observed their attire; they were fully armed, each bearing a dragon totem insignia upon their chests.

Lili’s face remained impassive, her gaze, cold and unwavering, fixed upon the trio before her.

The three were utterly astonished by Lili’s appearance, for they could scarcely believe that the Outer God who had instantaneously seized control of an entire city was, in truth, merely a young girl.

Judging by her age, she seemed even younger than their own daughters.

Among the trio, the Arcanist, who appeared to be their leader, took the first step, intending to approach Lili.

But in that instant, an overwhelming and terrifying pressure rendered him utterly incapable of advancing further.

Concurrently, an indescribable terror also gripped him; as he looked towards Lili, he perceived a phantom presence behind the girl’s figure, something utterly beyond his power to resist.

A cold sweat immediately beaded on his brow.

“Your Excellency, we harbor no ill intent.

Our sole purpose in coming here is for negotiation.

We implore you to spare the people of this city; whatever you require, we are prepared to provide.”

The sole woman beside him quickly clasped her hands in supplication, her captain visibly faltering under the immense pressure.

Lili remained silent, merely manipulating the ethereal threads behind her, causing ripples to undulate through the air.

These ripples carried information, which then directly surged into the minds of the three individuals.

The message they conveyed was singular and absolute: Depart!

In that instant, the crushing pressure enveloped the trio, making them feel, for a fleeting moment, an irresistible urge to kneel.

“Old Li, what are we to do?”

The Bald Man behind him asked his leader, his endurance clearly at its limit.

“No, we cannot allow her to continue like this.

If she does, everyone below will perish!”

Old Li, the man thus addressed, tore off his glasses, his muscles bulging as the spectral image of a lion materialized behind him.

Simultaneously, fur began to sprout across his body, and his fingernails elongated into sharp claws.

“Old Li…”

The Bald Man seemed to hesitate, his body trembling slightly as he watched Old Li enter his combat state.

This battle was unlike any they had faced before; this time, they were confronting a true deity.

“Enough talk!

Are you still a Dragon Summer Guardian?

Have you forgotten the oath you took upon joining the team?”

The sole woman in the team likewise summoned an immense bow, its body adorned with sun and flame totems, upon which an immense surge of spiritual energy began to gather.

Spurred by her words, the Bald Man finally steeled his resolve.

With a resounding roar, his body stiffened, and golden armor began to spread across him, encasing his robust physique in an impenetrable shell.

Indeed, these three were the absolute core of the Dragon Summer Investigation Bureau’s power, each a heroic figure with countless accomplishments to their name.

They were also known as Dragon Summer Guardians.

This was a title bestowed only upon those who had made outstanding contributions to the Dragon Summer Nation and rescued it from peril.

Such individuals were never weak; without exception, all three possessed the peak strength of humanity, reaching the Ninth Tier.

Arcanists capable of reaching the Ninth Tier were considered the strongest among the strong, requiring an indispensable combination of a powerful spiritual core, luck, opportunity, courage, and perseverance.

Each of their spiritual cores was exceptionally potent and incredibly rare; some were even inherited through ancient family lineages.

The Bald Man’s spiritual core, [Golden Armor], was particularly legendary, rumored to have appeared only once centuries ago during a bygone dynasty.

In an era where the Tenth Tier remained elusive, the Ninth Tier represented the pinnacle of strength in this world.

Yet, these three peak powerhouses stood poised for battle, their gazes intently fixed upon the girl before them.

The girl’s appearance was not human; she was a true monster, a deity from beyond their world.

Observing the trio’s readiness for combat, a barely perceptible smile touched Lili’s lips.

She turned, her blue-pink hair flowing freely in the air, its soft strands as delicate as silk, truly the most exquisite fabric imaginable.

Lili retreated into the shell-like structure.

She had issued her warning, and after this, she cared not for the lives or deaths of any others.

The only person she cared for was still soaring through the dreamscape; were it not for Bai Yu, Lili would have utterly annihilated these three the moment she saw them.

Such was the terrifying chasm between mortals and gods.

Nevertheless, since these three persisted in their futile resistance, Lili would not hesitate.

“Old Li, what’s happening?”

The Bald Man, clad in his golden armor, watched the girl retreat into what appeared to be some sort of chamber, his voice tinged with confusion.

“I don’t know, but we mustn’t act rashly.

We have no understanding of her intentions.

If possible, persuading her to voluntarily dismantle everything here would be the optimal course of action.”

The man, now transformed into a lion-like beast, had not been blinded by bloodlust.

He knew that the three of them were no match for a deity; all they could do was resist, hoping to compel the god to withdraw.

After Lili entered the chamber, all movement ceased, leaving the three Dragon Summer Guardians suspended foolishly in the air outside.

As each minute ticked by, they remained hesitant to make any sudden moves, keenly aware that they dared not initiate an attack.

They were not so foolish as to engage in such a suicidal act.

However, just as they considered calling out to the deity once more, the membrane-like substance beneath them began to stir.

The membrane, stretching across the sky, started forming colossal bubbles that continuously floated upwards, nearing the trio.

“What is this?

Damn it!

She’s gone!”

The Bald Man, observing the surrounding bubbles, suddenly realized that the chamber Lili had entered had swiftly vanished into the membrane below.

“Don’t pursue!

Be wary of these bubbles!”

The woman abruptly seized the Bald Man’s arm.

“What?”

The Bald Man gazed at the colossal bubbles, within which he perceived strange, grotesque, and immense forms lurking.

“What are these things?!”

He was utterly astonished.

Throughout his countless battles, he had never encountered creatures resembling these monsters.

With a deafening boom.

A multitude of bubbles exploded in the air, unleashing countless grotesquely limbed monsters.

Upon closer inspection, they bore an uncanny resemblance to the Two-faced Weavers Bai Yu had previously encountered in the dreamscape.

However, these monsters were far more colossal, and the spiritual energy they harbored was terrifyingly immense, utterly incomparable to the creatures Bai Yu had faced.

“Roar! Roar! Roar!!”

Innumerable monsters stood poised on the membrane, their gazes fixed menacingly upon the trio.