Qian Ye nodded, neither agreeing nor disagreeing.
"Your sword is too clean."
"The Angel Sword is a sword of judgment, and a sword of protection. But at the end of the day, it is still a weapon of slaughter."
"Your sword holds only holiness and light, yet lacks the most essential thing.
"Killing intent."
Qian Ye's words rang through Qian Renxue's mind like a thunderclap.
Killing intent?
Ever since childhood, she had been taught to purge all evil from the world and protect peace and order across the continent.
Her sword was noble and pure.
How could it have anything to do with something like "killing intent"?
"You don't understand?"
Qian Ye could see her confusion.
"Then let me ask you: why do you want to kill Tang San?"
Without hesitation, Qian Renxue replied, "Because he made an enemy of Spirit Hall, obstructed the unification of the continent, and is the embodiment of evil."
"Evil?"
Qian Ye gave a scornful laugh.
"What is right? What is evil?"
"It's simply the victor who becomes king and the loser who becomes a criminal."
"You don't want to kill him because he's evil. You want to kill him because he stands in your way."
"That's all."
"When you swing your sword, your thoughts shouldn't be clouded by those hollow creeds and lofty ideals. There should be only one thought in your mind."
"Kill him!"
"Use the most direct, most effective means to erase your enemy from this world completely!"
Every word Qian Ye spoke struck Qian Renxue's heart like a heavy hammer.
The worldview she had built up since childhood seemed to crack at that very moment.
She stood there, dazed, turning Qian Ye's words over in her mind as she sank into deep thought.
Qian Ye didn't disturb her.
Some truths, in the end, had to be understood for oneself.
All he could do was point her in the right direction.
Just then—
Rumble!
Without warning, the skies over the entire Douluo Continent were once again engulfed in endless golden light!
That familiar, boundless pressure descended upon the world once more!
The Heavenly Vault Golden List had appeared again!
Countless Soul Masters rushed out of Spirit Hall, craning their necks to gaze at the sky.
At the Shrek Camp, the surviving Soul Masters also stared upward in astonishment.
In the Star Dou Great Forest, Di Tian and the other Ferocious Beasts all knelt in unison, their faces full of reverence.
The same thought arose in everyone's heart.
What would be revealed this time?
The golden scroll slowly unfurled across the heavens.
Lines of gilded text appeared before every living creature.
[The Great Dao is fifty, Heaven evolves forty-nine; one escapes, and that is the variable.]
[Today, we take stock of the Divine Artifacts of the Douluo Continent!]
[Super Divine Artifacts List!]
The Super Divine Artifacts List again!
At the sight of those words, the powerful figures across the continent couldn't help but breathe faster.
The last time, the appearance of the Silver Dragon Spear had drawn out a legendary Soul Beast Co-ruler!
What sort of astonishing Divine Artifact would appear this time?
Inside the quiet chamber.
Qian Renxue was roused from her thoughts. She looked up at the Golden List in the sky, curiosity filling her beautiful eyes.
Beside her, Qian Ye remained as calm as ever, as though none of it had anything to do with him.
Elsewhere.
The ruined Shrek camp lay shrouded in gloom.
Dai Mubai's death had dealt a devastating blow to everyone.
Zhu Zhuqing seemed to have lost her soul. She sat in a daze, silent and still.
Ma Hongjun and Oscar were also dejected, their faces haunted by fear.
--
The sects and factions aligned with Shrek and the Heaven Dou Empire were especially panicked. Many were already thinking of retreating.
The army's morale had sunk to rock bottom.
"A bunch of useless trash!"
Inside the command tent, Tang San listened to his subordinates' report, his face so dark it looked ready to drip water.
He slammed his fist into the table. The desk, made from ten-thousand-year-old sunken wood, instantly crumbled to dust.
"Third Brother, don't be angry."
Xiao Wu stepped forward, gently wrapped her arms around him from behind, and comforted him softly.
"They were just frightened for a while."
Tang San drew a deep breath, and the violence in his eyes subsided a little.
He glanced back at Xiao Wu, Oscar, Ning Rongrong, and the others beside him, then spoke in a hoarse voice.
"Are you afraid?"
"Not afraid!"
Oscar and Ma Hongjun immediately straightened their backs.
"As long as we can avenge Boss Dai, we're not afraid of anything!"
Ning Rongrong and Zhu Zhuqing said nothing, but the resolve in their eyes said it all.
"Good!"
A trace of comfort flickered in Tang San's eyes.
"Adversity reveals true friends. With brothers and sisters like you, I have no regrets in this life!"
"As for those fair-weather friends—"
A cruel smile curled his lips.
"Once we destroy Spirit Hall, I'll make them understand what it means to regret their choices!"
"If you aren't strong enough, relying on anyone is an illusion!"
"In the end, this world speaks only the language of strength!"
Tang San gripped the Asura Magic Sword tightly. Feeling the sword's overwhelming baleful aura and immense divine power, his wavering heart steadied once more.
"Third Brother is right!"
Ma Hongjun was fired up as well.
"With Third Brother here, and this peerless demonic sword, we'll definitely win!"
"Exactly!" Oscar chimed in. "We've all felt the power of this sword. It can even cut through the Silver Dragon King's spatial confinement. It's definitely the greatest Divine Artifact on the continent!"
Ning Rongrong and Xiao Wu nodded again and again, hope rekindling in their eyes.
In their view, Tang San, with Dual Godhood and the number-one Divine Artifact in his hands, was invincible!
However, just then—
Light blazed across the Heavenly Vault Golden List!
A new line of text slowly appeared.
[Super Divine Artifacts List, Fourth Place: Asura Magic Sword!]
[Holder: Sea God, Asura God, Tang San!]
[Artifact Description: The treasured sword wielded by Asura God, one of the five Supreme God Kings of the Divine Realm and God of Law Enforcement. One of the Divine Realm's strongest weapons of slaughter, it contains endless power of judgment and killing. When the sword is drawn, myriad souls wail; it can sever divine souls and break all laws!]
[Heavenly Dao Reward: Tang San's compatibility with the Asura Magic Sword increases by thirty percent! He is rewarded with one-tenth of Asura Divine Power!]
Boom!
When everyone saw the ranking on the Golden List—
The entire Shrek Camp fell into utter silence.
Every face was frozen in shock and disbelief.
Fourth place?
The Asura Magic Sword—
It was only fourth?
How could this be!
"No!"
An enraged roar rang out from the command tent!
It was Tang San!
He glared at the Golden List in the sky, eyes bloodshot and veins bulging, his whole body twisted with fury!
"This is impossible! Absolutely impossible!"
He couldn't accept the result!
This was the Asura Magic Sword!
The treasured sword of Asura God, God of Law Enforcement and one of the Divine Realm's most supreme God Kings!
A symbol of order in the Divine Realm, the ultimate weapon of slaughter!
How could a Divine Artifact like this possibly be ranked only fourth?!
Before you continue