A Final Reckoning, Parts Two and Three (Combined)

The summit of Mount Tai.

The night wind howled, making it impossible to open one's eyes.

Jiangnan stood on the edge of the cliff, holding the Godslayer Spear, looking up at the sky.

Su Gelu' last trump card.

The Flesh Moon, hung in the sky, its lips curling upwards in a sinister smile.

Thirty meters behind Jiangnan, Mo Wan, Lin Zhu, and Zhang Yan huddled together.

Zhang Yan was holding a baby in her arms.

The baby was still giggling, reaching out its little hands to grab the moon in the sky, as if it were something fun to play with.

And in front of them...

It is a bottomless ravine.

It is about twenty meters wide, running vertically downwards, and is pitch black with no bottom in sight.

The wind was blowing upwards from below, and it was bone-chillingly cold.

Across the ravine, a blue portal of light floated in mid-air, emitting a faint glow.

Evacuation point.

It's right in front of me.

But we can't get through.

"What to do, what to do, what to do!"

Mo Wan, clutching her two buns, stamped her feet in frustration, "The road is blocked! I can't fly over there at all with him here!"

She pointed to the baby in Zhang Yan.

Within the Fool's domain, all living beings and forces within a ten-meter radius are synchronized with him and reduced to mortal form.

Want to fly?

No way.

The baby, completely oblivious to the adults' anxiety, continued to giggle innocently, drooling as he did so.

Lin Zhu sat in a chair, having just woken up; her face was still very pale.

She had already learned everything that happened during her coma from Mo Wan.

"There's no other way..."

Lin Zhu spoke, her voice weak but firm, "We have no choice but to fight."

She looked up at the sky.

"Our only chance of survival is to take down that thing in the sky."

In the sky, Jiangnan was facing off against that Flesh Moon.

The crimson moonlight shone on him, casting a long Shadow.

Hahaha!

From within the Flesh Moon came the maniacal laughter of Su Gelu, a sound that shook the entire Mount Tai.

"I wonder what you think of my generous gift?"

It had long ago detected the spatial rift opening at the summit of Mount Tai and cut off the path there in advance.

Jiangnan looked up at it, expressionless.

It's as if it's saying...

That's it?

"Hmph! You're still as arrogant as ever!"

Su Gelu snorted coldly, "Then let me show you what it's like!"

The Flesh Moon began to glow.

The moonlight condensed into a dark red beam, which shot straight down towards the summit of Mount Tai!

It was moving so fast, there was no time to dodge!

Jiangnan squinted.

He didn't try to catch it head-on.

In a flash, he retreated thirty meters away.

They retreated to Zhang Yan's side, into the territory of [the Fool].

The beam of light crashed down.

"Buzz!"

The moment the dark red ray of destruction entered the area, it vanished silently.

Not even a single spark remains.

Su Gelu was stunned.

Then it got angry.

"Despicable! Shameless! Dragon God, you're still as shameless as ever!"

Jiangnan looked down and wrote a sentence in his notebook, then held it up.

[It's just a provocation; you're too stupid to fall for it.]

Su Gelu was so angry the moon trembled. "You!"

Jiangnan put the notebook away and turned to walk towards Mo Wan and the others.

He tore off a piece of paper and handed it to Mo Wan.

[Climb up from the other side, take a detour.]

Mo Wan glanced at it, then at the bottomless ravine, her lips twitching.

"Climb... climb up?"

Jiangnan ignored her and started walking towards the mountainside.

Zhang Yan, carrying the baby, quickly followed.

Lin Zhu stood up from the chair, her legs still a little weak, but she gritted her teeth and followed.

Just then, Su Gelu's voice rang out again.

This time, its tone changed.

It was no longer anger, but a threat.

"Dragon God."

"Try walking."

Jiangnan paused in his steps.

"If you leave, I'll swallow the moon."

Su Gelu's voice was calm, so calm it sent chills down one's spine.

Do you know what that means?

Jiangnan turned around and looked up at the Flesh Moon.

Su Gelu counted them one by one:

"Without the moon, Blue Star's axis of rotation would be out of control!"

"Sometimes standing upright, unaffected by seasons; sometimes lying horizontally, experiencing extreme cold or heat."

"The climate has completely collapsed, and all habitable areas have disappeared."

"Tides have almost disappeared, the ocean is dry, ocean currents are in chaos, and the marine ecosystem is collapsing."

"The nights are completely dark, nocturnal creatures are extinct, and the food chain is broken."

"The vast majority of life will become extinct! Humans, animals, plants—everything will be wiped out."

"This planet will no longer be suitable for your survival."

"Finally, destruction!"

It smiled.

"If you've got the guts, then leave."

Jiangnan came to a halt.

Mo Wan also stopped.

Zhang Yan stood there, holding the baby, at a loss.

Lin Zhu closed her eyes and sighed deeply.

Su Gelu was right.

Without the moon, Blue Star would be destroyed.

This is not an exaggerated threat, it's a fact.

And this planet...

It is not only the home of humankind.

It is also my second home in Jiangnan.

Jiangnan raised his head and looked at the Flesh Moon.

Su Gelu understood his look and smiled.

That's it!

"Fight me, let me really see what your skill level is!"

Jiangnan did not answer.

He turned around, planted the Godslayer Spear in the ground, and began to loosen his wrists.

Mo Wan panicked. "Are you crazy? You really want to fight it?!"

Jiangnan didn't look at her.

He wrote a sentence on a piece of paper and handed it to Zhang Yan.

[Step back, don't leave the baby's territory.]

Zhang Yan opened her mouth as if to say something, but in the end, she held the baby and retreated twenty meters away.

Mo Wan, supporting Lin Zhu, also retreated.

Jiangnan pulled out the Godslayer Spear and walked back to the edge of the cliff.

"Bring it on."

Su Gelu's laughter echoed from the moon, "That's more like it!"

Then, its tone became strange.

"However, not against me..."

"It's with it."

From the Blood Moon, a dark red beam of light slammed straight down, landing on the open ground thirty meters in front of Jiangnan.

Smoke and dust billowed, and gravel flew everywhere.

Amidst the smoke and dust, a human-shaped silhouette slowly rose to its feet.

The moment it emerged from the smoke and dust.

Mo Wan's eyes widened, and her lips began to tremble.

Lin Zhu unconsciously clenched the hem of her clothes.

Zhang Yan hugged the baby tighter and subconsciously took a step back.

What kind of creature was it?

It stands about two meters tall and is covered in jet-black armor that looks like it's made of countless pieces of steel stacked and Fusion together.

Above their heads, an old-fashioned rifle hovered —Mosin-Nagant.

The gun barrels were pointed forward, exuding an aura of death.

He held a dark red longsword in his right hand, with vein-like patterns pulsating on its blade—it was the Blood Demon Sword.

In his left hand he held a meteor hammer covered in spikes, with dried blood still clinging to its head.

Behind him, a green ghostly figure, its eyes gleaming with an eerie light, was staring intently at Jiangnan.

These distinctive features...

Mo Wan recognized her.

"Crime... Captain Xing?!"

No.

It wasn't just Captain Xing.

This monster belongs to three people at the same time.

Captain Xing, Li Tie, and that Su Country elder.

Their weapons were Fusion together!

"What the hell is this monster...?"

Mo Wan's voice was trembling.

Jiangnan frowned.

He looked at this newly appeared defeated opponent, then glanced at the Blood Moon in the sky.

"I'm afraid there's more than that."

He recognized the monster.

His defeated opponent was torn to pieces on the river-crossing bridge.

But now...

Things are different now.

The Blood Demon Sword, which was originally in his chest, has now been moved to his right hand.

That black armor... we didn't have it before.

The ghostly figure behind me... I've never seen one like this before.

Jiangnan spoke, his voice hoarse.

"You combined it with ghosts?"

"Fourth form?"

Su Gelu laughed.

"Correct answer."

"But to be precise, it's the 4.5th generation."

Its tone was smug.

"These are my newly improved subjects, so I gave them a name..."

"Death Demon."

Su Gelu began to show off his work.

"It shrunk to human form and is no longer as cumbersome as the previous warship."

"The black armor is formed by the Fusion of countless layers of steel, possessing top-tier defensive capabilities."

"The shadow behind it is the third stage of the phantom, retaining its domain ability, which allows it to become Intangibility when not attacking."

"That Mosin-Nagant above my head has an Instant Death effect."

"Any living being hit by it will die instantly."

"The Blood Demon Sword, combined with the meteor hammer I reforged from those ant-like weapons, its power speaks for itself, doesn't it?"

"It is no longer as fragile and slow-moving as before, nor is it fixated on an Instant Death move."

"What I want is pure numerical superiority."

Su Gelu's laughter echoed through the sky.

"Dragon God, let me see how long you can hold out!"

Jiangnan did not answer.

He calmly looked at the Death Demon before him, then glanced at the Blood Moon in the sky.

Su Gelu gathered his strength in the air, and the dark red light condensed once more.

The Death Demon has already assumed a charging stance.

Two against one.

No, it was one against two.

Jiangnan took a deep breath.

He raised his right hand, his five fingers spread.

"Born to fight, until death."

Golden light began to emerge from his body, condensing into scales that covered his entire body.

"Adapt to everything, evolve for all life."

" Its Myriad Scale Armor Impervious to All Laws."

"Tear through illusion and see the truth."

"Where this body is located is forbidden."

Dragon's might erupted from Jiangnan, crushing in all directions.

Mo Wan felt a tightness in her chest and almost knelt down.

"Smash these shackles of hypocrisy!"

"Tremble, you wailing beings."

As the seventh line falls.

Jiangnan's body was clad in a dark red dragon armor that was no less impressive than his opponent's.

Dragon God Emperor Armor, seventh floor.

He did not activate the eighth and ninth floors.

Because there is no sun.

Or rather, it's not the right time yet.

"Snap!"

Jiangnan raised his hand and crushed the mask on his face.

Fragments of the faceplate lay on the ground.

His cold, stern face was revealed, Watcher Eye his brows opened once more.

This is not the kind of strained effort after overexertion, but the start of a true peak performance.

"Click! Click-click!"

Jiangnan stretched his neck, looked at the Death Demon, and spoke.

"I wasn't in good form last time, which gave you the upper hand."

He gripped the Godslayer Spear tightly, its tip pointing at the Blood Moon.

"This time... I'll show you what I'm like in my prime."

The words had barely left his mouth.

"Roar!"

The Death Demon moved.

It charged like a cannonball, its meteor hammer dragging on the ground, carving a furrow and scattering sparks.

Jiangnan did not retreat.

He took a step forward, facing the Death Demon.

The Godslayer Spear and the Meteor Hammer collided with a deafening roar atop Mount Tai.

"Boom!!!"

Gravel flew everywhere, and dust filled the sky.

The Death Demon took a half step back.

Jiangnan also took a half step back.

A draw.

Wrong...

Jiangnan glanced at the tiger's mouth (the area between the thumb and index finger), where a cut had appeared and blood was seeping out.

In a pure clash of strength, his body was actually at a disadvantage.

With the blessing of the seventh level of Dragon God Emperor Armor, his physical body has been strengthened to the extreme.

However, the Death Demon is clearly a monster that Su Gelu created specifically for numerical superiority.

His strength and defense are both superior.

"Interesting."

Jiangnan shook his hand.

The Death Demon gave him no chance to catch his breath.

With his left hand wielding a meteor hammer, he swept horizontally, while with his right hand, he slashed vertically with the Blood Demon Sword. The two weapons, one on the left and one on the right, blocked all escape routes!

Jiangnan did not directly respond.

He touched the ground with his toes, his body drifting backward like a falling leaf, barely avoiding the combined attack of the hammer and sword.

The wind from the Blood Demon Sword grazed his chest, leaving a white mark on his scales.

"It's very fast too..."

Jiangnan frowned.

This thing is definitely much more troublesome than before.

Su Gelu's laughter echoed from the sky, "What's wrong, Dragon God? Is that all you've got?"

The dark red light on the moon was still gathering strength, ready to strike at any moment.

Jiangnan knew that things couldn't be delayed.

He must eliminate this Death Demon, or at least cripple it, before Su Gelu fires his beam.

"Snap."

Jiangnan snapped his fingers.

"A moment... is eternity!"

Time stood still.

The wind stopped, the rubble stopped, the meteor hammer raised by the Death Demon hung in mid-air, and the blade of the Blood Demon Sword was fixed half a meter in front of Jiangnan's chest.

Even Su Gelu's distorted face in the sky froze on his smiling expression.

The whole world seemed to have been put on pause.

Jiangnan did not waste any time.

The higher one's physical fitness, the longer the pause can be.

With the seventh layer of Dragon God Emperor Armor's blessing, how long can he stop?

Approximately... seven seconds.

That's enough.

Jiangnan stomped heavily on the ground with one foot!

"Boom!"

The ground cracked, and pebbles slowly floated up as time stood still.

"With the Emperor's might, we will pacify the eight wastelands!"

An invisible aura of Emperor power erupted from Jiangnan, enveloping the area within a hundred meters.

The Death Demon's body stiffened; even in the stillness of time, its soul still felt the oppressive force.

Three golden True Dragon Chain flew out from Jiangnan's body, piercing through the Death Demon's chest and right arm.

Ignore defense.

The True Dragon Chain binds both the body and the soul.

The ghostly figure behind the Death Demon let out a silent howl; it was pinned down.

Jiangnan extended his right hand, spread his five fingers, and pressed it against the chest of the Death Demon.

He spoke the instant he touched the black armor.

"Let this be a candle, offered to you for the rest of your life, burning until it is completely consumed!"

Crimson Black flames surged from Jiangnan's palm.

The lifespan of the Death Demon was transformed into fuel.

Crimson-Black Tribulation Flame coiled around its entire body, burning silently.

Unavoidable, immortal and Undying.

Until its time withers away, or it burns out completely.

"Time... restored."

Jiangnan let go of her hand.

"Click."

The snap effect ended.

Time begins to flow again.

The Death Demon sensed the True Dragon Chain it; it couldn't move!

The next second, it sensed the Tribulation Flame.

"Aaaaaah!!!"

A piercing scream echoed across the summit of Mount Tai.

Crimson Black flames spread across its body, burning through its black armor, flesh, and soul.

The ghostly figure behind it tried to struggle, but was firmly bound by the True Dragon Chain, unable even to become Intangibility.

Su Gelu's laughter sounded stuck in his throat. As Evil God, he immediately realized what had just happened.

"How could this be? You can actually Time Stop! And you possess the Tribulation Flame?!"

Jiangnan did not answer.

He took two steps back, watching the Death Demon struggle in the Tribulation Flame.

Five seconds.

Ten seconds.

Fifteen seconds.

The Death Demon's black armor began to peel away, its flesh began to carbonize, but it was not yet dead.

It has a long lifespan.

The duration of the Calamity Flame Time Ash is equal to the target's current lifespan.

In other words, it will burn until it dies.

At this time...

"Bang!"

Mosin-Nagant out.

In its final struggle, the Death Demon pulled the trigger.

Instant Death bullet, fired.

Jiangnan's pupils suddenly contracted.

At that distance, less than two meters, there's no way to dodge it.

He didn't hesitate at all...

"The Fourth World!"

As the dark red vertical pupil between his brows lit up, his domain instantly expanded!

But unlike before, this area is only about ten meters wide.

Because this will save a lot of energy.

The next second, Jiangnan's body became transparent.

Dimensional ascension.

They ascended from three-dimensional space to four-dimensional space.

The bullet that Instant Death him passed through the spot he had just been standing on and struck the rock behind him, instantly turning it into dust.

Looks like I'll have to take care of you first!

Jiangnan is concentrating his efforts; he's about to unleash [Banishment]!

As long as the Death Demon is confined to four-dimensional space, it will pose no threat!

But Su Gelu had already learned his lesson.

After its consciousness returned to the moon, it integrated all its memories!

We've learned how the biological warship was destroyed!

"You think I'd fall for that a second time?!"

A dark red beam of light shot straight down!

It wasn't aimed at Jiangnan, but rather at the space between Jiangnan and the Death Demon!

At the same time, the Death Demon lifted Mosin-Nagant again; it could still move!

The True Dragon Chain was still binding it, but the Tribulation Flame was burning its flesh, and the binding area was also carbonizing.

"Bang!"

The second, Instant Death bullet was aimed at Jiangnan.

Two attacks came at the same time!

Jiangnan frowned.

If he were to pull the Death Demon into the fourth dimension now.

Without a doubt, he will be hit by the Instant Death bullet!

However, if they take a risk, they can pull the Death Demon inside and then get out themselves.

Then it will be hit by the light!

Neither of these is a good solution.

Then there's only one option...

"Walk."

Jiangnan made her choice.

He ended the Banishment and shut both of them out!

The Su Gelu Ray missed him, and neither did the Death Demon's Instant Death bullet!

However, the light was too powerful!

The Death Demon was caught in the blast and was blasted away, crashing to the ground before struggling to its feet.

"Hateful!"

Su Gelu was furious; he'd been tricked again!

At this moment, Jiangnan closed the Watcher Eye.

Maintaining four-dimensional space consumes a great deal of energy, and Jiangnan has not had a chance to recharge the Watcher Eye since the start of the battle.

He can't sustain himself for long on his own energy alone.

Jiangnan fell back to the ground and knelt on one knee.

The Death Demon is still burning.

But most of its black armor had been burned away, revealing the ghostly pilot inside.

The True Dragon Chain was still locked, but Jiangnan glanced at it and his brows furrowed even more.

Including the accidental injury, the Death Demon's right arm had been burned off.

The True Dragon Chain that bound the right arm had lost its target.

Two remain.

The Death Demon is raising his broom with his only remaining left hand.

"Ha ha ha ha!"

Su Gelu burst into laughter, and the entire Blood Moon trembled.

"You've reached a dead end, Dragon God!"

"Your eyes are out of energy! The True Dragon Chain can't hold you back much longer either! No matter how fiercely the Tribulation Flame burns, it will take you down with it before it dies!"

"What other tricks do you have up your sleeve?!"

The Death Demon dragged its burning body, walking step by step toward Jiangnan.

With each step, a trail of charred footprints was left on the ground.

Thirty meters away, Mo Wan and the other two were embracing each other, their faces deathly pale.

"It's all over, it..."

Mo Wan's lips trembled, "Even without saying a word, we can't beat them..."

Lin Zhu gritted her teeth and remained silent.

Her hands were trembling, but her eyes remained fixed on the battlefield, searching for any possibility of turning the tide.

Zhang Yan is holding the baby, who is still smiling.

"Giggle..."

The laughter sounded particularly jarring in the deathly silence.

He's finished.

Lin Zhu finally spoke, her voice hoarse, "Out of energy, and the enemy still has two..."

Mo Wan's eyes reddened. "What do we do? Are we all going to die here?"

Zhang Yan didn't say anything, she just hugged the baby tighter.

An atmosphere of frustration was spreading.

But...

Jiangnan stood up.

He brushed the dust off his knees, his face expressionless.

Then he smiled.

It was a very faint smile, with the corners of the mouth slightly upturned.

Su Gelu's laughter stopped abruptly.

"How... how can you still laugh?"

An ominous premonition rose in its heart.

It had seen that expression before.

This was the expression on the Dragon God's face when he ripped out Helge's heart a thousand years ago.

Jiangnan raised his head, looked at the Blood Moon in the sky, and spoke.

The voice was hoarse, but very clear.

"Su Gelu."

Have you ever thought about this question?

What's the problem?

"I haven't been using my full strength since the beginning."

Su Gelu was stunned.

Or perhaps...

Jiangnan stretched his neck. "I don't really want to use something dirty."

"Dirty?" Su Gelu was bewildered. "What's dirty?"

Jiangnan did not answer.

He turned and walked towards Zhang Yan.

As Zhang Yan watched him approach, her heart tightened, and she instinctively wanted to back away, but her legs wouldn't obey her commands.

Jiangnan walked up to her.

Then, extend your hand.

His hand crossed into the baby's territory.

The moment he entered the domain, Dragon God Emperor Armor's scales began to peel off, and the armor became ineffective.

Dragon God Emperor Armor is not a regular Word Spirit; it exists in reality and can be used by anyone.

Therefore, it will be interfered with by the [Fool].

But Jiangnan didn't care.

He lifted the baby from Zhang Yan with one hand.

Like picking up a kitten.

The baby was grabbed by one leg and hung upside down. Instead of crying, the baby started laughing and waving its little hands and feet around in the air.

It thought it was playing a game.

Su Gelu's pupils contracted.

"What... what are you going to do?!"

Jiangnan did not answer.

He turned to face the Death Demon.

He held the baby in his right hand as if he were holding a weapon.

The Death Demon stopped in its tracks, instinctively sensing that something was wrong.

The ghostly figure behind it emitted an uneasy hiss.

Jiangnan is walking step by step toward the Death Demon.

Ten meters.

Eight meters.

Six meters.

Five meters...

We've entered the realm of Fool.

At the same time, Dragon God Emperor Armor also disappeared completely, and Jiangnan returned to his mortal body.

But he didn't stop.

Four meters.

Three meters!

Two meters!

One meter!!!

Jiangnan swung the baby...

"Smack!!!"

The Fool's body struck the Death Demon in the chest.

The moment of contact!

"Ah!!!"

The Death Demon let out a piercing howl!

That's not pain, it's disappearance.

Wherever the baby touched, the black armor disappeared, the flesh disappeared, and even the bones disappeared.

It's like it was erased by an eraser.

It was completely clean; nothing was left behind.

A hole the size of a bowl appeared in the Death Demon's chest, its edges as smooth as if it had been cut.

The True Dragon Chain, having lost its target, dissipated automatically.

The Tribulation Flame, having lost its source of combustion, was extinguished.

The Death Demon looked down at the hole in his chest, then looked up at the baby on Jiangnan's shoulder.

"No..."

It crashed to the ground.

Mo Wan: "..."

Lin Zhu: "..."

Zhang Yan: "..."

All three of them were dumbfounded.

Su Gelu was dumbfounded.

"Holy shit, you... you're not even human?!"

Jiangnan did not answer.

He picked up the baby again and carried him on his shoulder.

The baby was still laughing, patting Jiangnan's head with its little hands, finding it very amusing.

Jiangnan looked up at the Blood Moon in the sky and said one sentence expressionlessly:

"It doesn't have to be."