Phoenix’s Warning

"I’ll leave this beautiful lady to you, Dad. Come on, you can do it!"

Li Congxin:…

Li Congxin no longer knew what to say about the girl’s suggestive way of speaking.

Was this what they called being a true daughter? (‵▽′)ψ

Fortunately, Phoenix Fire burned toward them once again at that moment. Filled with destructive energy, it came just in time to bail Li Congxin out, sparing him the headache of figuring out how to answer his daughter’s troublesome question. He merely furrowed his brows slightly, and a massive wall of divine power several dozen feet thick instantly condensed before him. When Phoenix Fire struck it, the two sides could only wear each other down, just as they had during their previous clashes.

"Damn it!" Jean Grey’s body had now been completely seized by the Phoenix. Seeing Li Congxin’s move, she immediately roared furiously, "Is this the only move you know?"

Li Congxin could not help laughing when he heard that. "Since this move works on you, I’ll just keep using it. Why bother changing?" After a slight pause, he suddenly asked the Phoenix, "Have you ever heard of a palm technique that descends from the heavens?"

As he spoke, he gently extended his right hand forward, then abruptly pressed it downward. The wall of divine power instantly transformed into a gigantic palm and came crashing down on the Phoenix possessing Jean Grey, with the force of Mount Tai bearing down from above.

Boom!

With a deafening crash, Jean Grey’s entire body was smashed beneath the ground by the palm of divine power. The formerly level grassland was left with a huge palmprint ten zhang across and three chi deep.

The Phoenix’s divine power and Li Congxin’s Vengeance Divine Power became entangled, grinding against each other and letting out a series of ear-piercing sizzling sounds.

In truth, as Li Congxin refined more and more Infinity Stones, his divine power grew increasingly solid. This not only made him stronger overall, but also gave him an even greater advantage when fighting within the Singular Universe.

Back when he had first fought Phoenix Zayn, Li Congxin had struggled considerably even against a host whose compatibility with the Phoenix was not particularly high. But now, even when facing Jean Grey, a perfect host who had nearly reached the Dark Phoenix form, Li Congxin could still suppress her effortlessly, leaving her utterly helpless.

Unless she evolved into the White Phoenix form, she would never be able to fight Li Congxin on equal terms within the Singular Universe. However, reaching the White Phoenix form required the host to retain complete awareness and fully control the Phoenix Force.

If Jean could truly reach that level, then this conflict could be resolved peacefully through conversation instead.

Seeing Jean Grey pinned to the ground, the Phoenix Force pressed down by Vengeance Divine Power until it sizzled and smoked, Charles, who had already withdrawn beyond the school grounds, suddenly shouted toward Li Congxin in the sky, "Don’t hurt her! The person who unleashed that destructive power earlier wasn’t her. Jean is a very kind girl. Please, don’t hurt her!"

"No." Li Congxin continued the drawn-out battle against the Phoenix Force while replying casually, "It wasn’t only her earlier self. Even now, she is still being controlled by the Phoenix Force. Unless it is willing to stop on its own, I can’t afford to hold back."

"Dad…" Li Qianhuan, who had already retreated, came over to Li Congxin again and said quietly, "Actually, I can tell that big sister is completely controlled by the Phoenix’s power. Is there any way to destroy the Phoenix Force without hurting her?"

His beloved daughter had spoken. Even if it was impossible, he had to make it possible.

However, the request she had made seemed a little difficult…

Furrowing his brows slightly, Li Congxin said, "I can only try to calm her down or destroy her completely. For now, those are the only two choices."

Li Qianhuan barely hesitated. "Then let’s calm this big sister down. Actually, when I fought her earlier, I only wanted to see whether anyone in this world could match me."

Li Congxin nodded, his eyes once again falling on the Dark Phoenix lying sprawled on the ground beneath the pressure of his divine power. "I’ll give you two choices. First, obediently retreat and return control of the body to your host. Otherwise, after I kill this perfect host of yours, I’ll completely destroy the power you left in this world."

The Dark Phoenix glared fiercely at Li Congxin, looking as though she wanted to devour him, but she did not make a decision for quite some time.

Li Congxin was not bothered by this. He simply continued unhurriedly, "Or the two of us can keep wearing each other down like this. Using divine power to exhaust an opponent is my specialty anyway. I don’t mind."

The Dark Phoenix clearly knew that Li Congxin was telling the truth. After another moment of silence, she finally said, "Withdraw your divine power first. Otherwise, once I withdraw mine, this body won’t be able to withstand your divine power."

Li Congxin smiled faintly and withdrew his palm. The Vengeance Divine Power pressing down on the Dark Phoenix vanished as well.

Within the Singular Universe, Li Congxin now held an overwhelming advantage over the Phoenix Force, so he was not worried that she would try anything underhanded.

His divine power could pin the Dark Phoenix down once, so it could pin her down a second time. He could press her down however he wanted, in any position he pleased.

Feeling the divine power pressing down on her disappear, the Dark Phoenix gave Li Congxin a deep look and said coldly, "Brat, don’t let me see you in Hyperdimensional Space."

The moment the Dark Phoenix said this, Li Congxin’s heart gave a sudden jolt.

Don’t let her see me in Hyperdimensional Space?

Did that mean the Phoenix’s true form in Hyperdimensional Space had already noticed his existence and set its sights on him?

Realizing that he had been targeted by someone he currently had no chance of defeating, Li Congxin felt terribly shaken inside. But he obviously could not show fear in front of his daughter. He could only deliberately put on an utterly unflappable expression.

At that moment, Jean Grey’s eyes had regained their clarity. She first straightened her tattered, disheveled clothes, then timidly rose from the ground and said to Li Congxin in a nervous voice, "Thank you."

Li Congxin cast aside his worries about the Phoenix and smiled faintly. "Thanking me for beating you just now?"

Unexpectedly, Jean Grey answered with complete seriousness, "If you can help me suppress that uncontrollable power, I’d be willing to let you beat me every day."

In truth, many Mutants’ abilities were uncontrollable. More precisely, learning to control one’s abilities required a period of adjustment. The same had been true for Professor X and Magneto when they first encountered their powers.

And the more powerful an ability was, the more difficult it became to control it flexibly.

Moreover, Jean Grey’s Phoenix Force was not her own power at all. To control it completely, she had to reach the level of the White Phoenix.

Reaching that level required the right time, place, and people, with none of those factors missing. Before then, all the Phoenix Force could bring her was endless trouble and suffering.

The high-altitude wind fluttered her clothes. Looking at the hopeful expression on Jean Grey’s face, Li Congxin wore a sunny smile. "All right. If you ever feel unable to control the power inside you, come find me anytime. I’ll do it for the sake of the cup of coffee you bought me."

As he spoke, everyone who had retreated earlier returned.

Before anyone could ask after their well-being, Jean Grey suddenly said, "Just now, while I was being controlled by that power—you call it the Phoenix Force, right? While the Phoenix Force was controlling my body, I sensed a strange energy fluctuation. I saw a blue-skinned Mutant awaken from his slumber. It seemed he wanted to rule this world."

Jean Grey’s words left Professor X and the others utterly bewildered.

A Mutant actually wanted to use his abilities to rule the world?

Whose mind worked in such a bizarre way?

Even Magneto was not that childish!

"That person is called Apocalypse," Li Congxin said calmly. "He claims to be the first Mutant in the world, having lived in ancient Egypt approximately five thousand years ago. He actually only has one ability: using a special method to transfer his consciousness into other people’s bodies, taking over their bodies and their Mutant abilities."

"However, back in ancient Egypt, he proclaimed himself a god. After transferring his body countless times, he acquired numerous powerful Mutant abilities. Now, he can even help other Mutants develop their abilities and make them stronger."

Under everyone’s attentive gazes, Li Congxin began educating them about Apocalypse. "In every era, Apocalypse gathers four powerful Mutants to become his Four Horsemen of Apocalypse. Under his leadership, the Four Horsemen of Apocalypse conquer every known territory for him."

"And this time, those chosen by Apocalypse are Storm Ororo Munroe, who can control changes in the weather; Psylocke Elizabeth Braddock, who can create various weapons with her mind; Angel Warren Worthington III, who possesses the ability to fly; and…"

Seeing everyone listening attentively like obedient students, Li Congxin finally revealed the last of the Four Horsemen of Apocalypse: "Magneto."

After hearing Li Congxin expose Apocalypse’s secrets in such detail, Jean Grey could not help stepping forward and asking, "You sensed it too just now?"

"Of course." Li Congxin replied calmly, "Even the Phoenix Force, after taking such a beating from me, could sense the energy fluctuation he released. I was leisurely beating people the whole time, so of course I could sense it too—and even more clearly."

After hearing Li Congxin explain the entire sequence of events, Charles immediately said, "If we let them run wild, the peace we worked so hard to achieve will be ruined. We have to stop them."

"There’s no need to go to all that trouble." As Li Congxin spoke, his gaze turned toward a certain direction in the distance. "They’re already here."