"Fengzhi, this boy's strength has probably surpassed the realm of ordinary Titled Douluo."
Chen Xin's voice was heavy.
Cold sweat seeped from Ning Fengzhi's hand as he gripped the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda, but he had no way back now.
"Uncle Jian, Uncle Gu, don't hold back. Give it everything you've got!"
Ning Fengzhi shouted. The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda in his hand shone brilliantly, and its fifth and sixth Soul Rings lit up in turn, raising his support to the limit.
"Old Bone, join me!"
Chen Xin drew a deep breath. His figure flickered through the air as the Seven Kill Sword in his hand erupted with brilliant azure light.
"Seventh Soul Skill, Seven Kill True Body!"
A colossal Seven Kill Sword, a hundred meters long, took shape in the air, radiating a terrifying aura that seemed capable of destroying heaven and earth.
At the same time, Gu Rong unleashed his most powerful Soul Skill.
"Ninth Soul Skill, Bone Transformation Divine Dragon!"
Gu Rong merged into the enormous Bone Dragon. Its body swelled several times over, black mist billowing around it as space crumbled in its wake.
With Ning Fengzhi's full support, the sword and the dragon—bearing the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's final reserves of strength—charged at Gu Sheng from above and below.
The terrifying pressure made the entire mountain gate shudder violently, and countless buildings collapsed in an instant.
"Good. Come at me."
Looking at this strike, which could shake heaven and earth, a trace of seriousness finally appeared in Gu Sheng's eyes.
"Since you want to see it, I'll show you what true divine power looks like."
Gu Sheng closed his eyes and sank his mind into his body.
Deep within his soul, a crystal radiating boundless sacred light floated in silence.
It was the source of Puni's power.
The first seal had long since shattered. Now, under the pressure of this powerful attack, the second rune etched into the crystal's surface began to tremble violently.
Crack.
A faint but distinct sound of breaking rang out inside Gu Sheng.
In an instant, an indescribably terrifying energy burst from his body like a mountain flood.
The clear sky was swallowed by dazzling golden light.
The dark clouds overhead were torn apart, and the golden radiance became a pillar of light that reached from heaven to earth, engulfing Gu Sheng.
A sacred, boundless, and majestic aura instantly filled every inch of space for a hundred miles.
"W-What is this power?!"
As Chen Xin maintained his Martial Soul Avatar, the golden light made the Soul Power in his body sluggish in an instant. The Seven Kill Sword in his hand trembled uneasily.
The Bone Dragon formed from Gu Rong let out a terrified roar. Its massive body ground to a halt in midair, unable to advance another inch.
Below, Ning Fengzhi's face had gone deathly pale. The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda in his hand shook violently, nearly slipping from his grasp.
"A divine miracle... Is this a divine miracle?"
Ning Fengzhi murmured in a daze, his eyes filled with shock.
It wasn't only them. Even the elite troops of the Heaven Dou Empire fell to their knees, prostrating themselves before the golden pillar of light.
Qian Renxue gazed at the black-clad figure bathed in golden radiance, her beautiful eyes full of adoration and reverence.
That was her husband.
A man with the power of a god.
Within the pillar of light, Gu Sheng slowly opened his eyes.
His pupils turned pure gold, and his long hair floated behind him without a breeze, shimmering with a faint golden glow.
The Second Seal had shattered.
Feeling the Holy Source Power within him multiply, Gu Sheng smiled warmly.
"The power of the Void truly is intoxicating."
He lowered his gaze to Chen Xin and Gu Rong. His voice held not a trace of emotion.
"Now, the game is over."
Gu Sheng raised his right hand slightly and tapped the air.
A golden wave rippled outward from his fingertip.
The hundred-meter-long Seven Kill Sword touched the golden ripple and vanished without a trace, melting like snow.
"Pfft!"
His Martial Soul Avatar shattered. Chen Xin cried out and spat out a mouthful of blood, his body crumpling.
Under the golden ripple's wash, the enormous Bone Dragon's skeleton began to break apart, section by section.
Gu Rong's figure separated from the Bone Dragon. His face was as pale as paper, and with bones broken in several places, he fell limply toward the ground.
With nothing more than a casual flick of his finger, two Titled Douluo who had shaken the entire continent were defeated.
Gu Sheng walked slowly up to Chen Xin and looked down at him.
"Your swordsmanship is too weak."
Chen Xin knelt on one knee in midair, bracing himself with the Seven Kill Sword so he would not collapse.
He looked at the young man before him, his eyes filled with nothing but awe.
"Y-You... Who are you?"
Chen Xin's voice was hoarse. The Holy Soul Power had destroyed the meridians in his body, leaving him unable to muster even the slightest strength to resist.
Gu Sheng did not answer. He simply held two fingers together like a sword and pointed them at Chen Xin.
"Remember this name."
"I am Gu Sheng, the Saint Spirit King of the Heaven Dou Empire."
As his words fell, a golden beam shot from his fingertips and pierced Chen Xin's right shoulder.
Chen Xin let out a muffled groan. He could no longer hold himself up. He passed out and plunged toward the ruins of the mountain gate below.
And so, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's two strongest protectors were both defeated: one gravely wounded, the other unconscious.
Watching Chen Xin plummet like a meteor, Ning Fengzhi's Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda dimmed and slipped from his hand, clattering to the ground.
He looked at the black-clad figure hovering in the sky like a god. He seemed to age several decades in an instant, his eyes hollow.
The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect was finished.
Gu Sheng stood in midair, his golden eyes surveying the silent Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect below. His voice rang across the entire mountain range.
"Those who follow me prosper. Those who oppose me perish."
"Ning Fengzhi, do you concede?"
His mighty voice echoed through the valley, raising clouds of dust.
Across the entire Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, more than ten thousand disciples stared at the black-clad figure in the air. Not one dared to speak. A deathly silence fell.
Gu Sheng swept his sleeve. The golden Holy Divine Halo behind him gradually faded, and the violent energy slowly settled.
He spared no further glance for Ning Fengzhi, slumped on the ground. Turning around, he moved and reappeared at Qian Renxue's side.
"Husband."
Qian Renxue forgot all about maintaining her imperial dignity in front of the two armies. She went straight to him and took his arm, concern filling her eyes.
"Are you hurt?"
Seeing her worried expression, Gu Sheng reached out and affectionately tapped the tip of her nose.
"They couldn't hurt me."
"I had a bit of a breakthrough just now. The second seal inside me broke open, so it was an unexpected blessing."
Hearing this, Qian Renxue immediately relaxed, the corners of her lips curving upward.
"As expected of my husband. You're truly amazing."
Gu Sheng smiled and turned his gaze back toward the ancient sect that had stood for hundreds of years.
As the dust around the mountain gate gradually settled, the devastation came into view.
Gu Rong lay amid the ruins, bones broken in several places and his breath as faint as a candle flickering in the wind.
Chen Xin, meanwhile, knelt on the ground, leaning on the cracked Seven Kill Sword as he gasped for breath. His earlier air of peerless mastery was gone.
As the Soul Power lingering in the air gradually settled, the tense sky finally cleared.
Gu Sheng looked at Chen Xin, motionless in the ruins, then glanced at Ning Fengzhi, whose face was ashen. He turned away, showing none of the smugness of victory. He remained as leisurely and composed as ever.
"Xue'er, let Ge Long handle the cleanup."
Gu Sheng walked to Qian Renxue's side and naturally took her cool hand.
"Ning Fengzhi is a clever man. After seeing what I can do today, he knows what to choose. He won't put up any pointless resistance."
Qian Renxue watched her husband crush two Titled Douluo renowned across the continent with such casual ease. Her eyes held not only admiration, but an overwhelming love. She nodded slightly and turned to face the ranks of elite Heaven Dou troops behind them, once again assuming the dignity of the empire's Empress.
"Ge Long, hear my command. Lead the Royal Knights in taking control of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect. Confine Ning Fengzhi and all core disciples within the sect for now. Without my imperial decree, no one may enter or leave."
Qian Renxue's voice carried supreme authority. Wrapped in Soul Power, it reached every soldier clearly.
"Your servant obeys!"
Ge Long knelt on one knee, his expression utterly reverent. Today's battle had shattered his understanding of the strong. As for the newly appointed Saint Spirit King, he no longer harbored the slightest disloyalty—only deep awe.
Once she had arranged everything, Qian Renxue lowered her gaze. When she looked at Gu Sheng again, the sternness and authority vanished from her face, replaced by a gentle smile.
"Husband, let's return to the palace."
Gu Sheng gave her palm a gentle squeeze and murmured:
"All right. Whatever my little wife says."
At the teasing endearment, Qian Renxue shot him a look. A faint blush rose on her cheeks, but she did not object. Instead, she clung to his arm even more tightly.
A short while later, the two climbed aboard the lavish imperial carriage drawn by eight pure white steeds.
As the heavy golden velvet curtains slowly fell, the cramped, private space shut out all the noise and bustle outside.
The Dragon Carriage was spacious, with a soft white fox-fur rug laid across the floor. A small rosewood table stood in the middle, holding several plates of fresh fruit and a pot of warm tea.
The wheels turned slowly, and the carriage swayed faintly.
As soon as they sat down, Qian Renxue eagerly nestled into Gu Sheng's arms. She wrapped both arms around his sturdy waist and buried her face against his chest, greedily breathing in his faintly sacred scent.
"Husband, the way you showed off your power in the sky just now—I wish everyone in the world could have seen it. That's my man."
Qian Renxue's voice was muffled, but her pride was unmistakable.
Gu Sheng put an arm around her slender waist and leaned back against the cushion, his tone playful.
"What happened to the person clutching her hem in the carriage earlier, with her palms covered in cold sweat? Aren't you afraid now?"
Caught out, Qian Renxue lifted her head in embarrassment and annoyance. Her golden eyes held a coquettish glint.
"I was worried about you. Sword Douluo Chen Xin is renowned as the continent's greatest attacker, and that old fox Ning Fengzhi was supporting him with all his might. How could I not be worried?"
Looking at her cheeks, flushed with embarrassment, Gu Sheng's heart stirred. He leaned over and lightly kissed her red lips.
"In this world, no one can hurt your husband. Even those people in the Divine Realm—if they dare come down, I can make sure they never go back. But you, wearing this golden imperial robe today, truly have the bearing of an Empress. Even I was dazzled."
Sweetness filled Qian Renxue at her husband's praise. Her eyes rolled playfully as her little hand traced its way up Gu Sheng's chest, finally stopping at his Adam's apple, where she teased him lightly.
"So, husband, do you think I look better in this imperial robe, or when I'm in the bedroom... wearing nothing at all?"
Looking at the alluring, seductive woman in his arms, Gu Sheng's dark eyes deepened. They had been married for some time, and Qian Renxue, once so proud and aloof, had grown ever more bewitching in front of him, teasing him at every turn.
"Since we got married, you've become more and more unruly. If you ask me, you look best wearing nothing at all—especially when you're begging for mercy."
Gu Sheng caught her misbehaving hand and nipped it.
"Ow, that hurts."
Qian Renxue curled her hand back but couldn't pull free. She gazed at him with watery eyes and pouted coquettishly.
"Husband, you're so mean. All you ever do is bully me."
Gu Sheng smiled, picked up the white jade cup from the small table, and speared a peeled purple grape with a toothpick, offering it to Qian Renxue's lips.
"Here, let me make it up to you. Open wide."
Qian Renxue obediently parted her lips and took the glistening grape into her mouth. Its juice burst on her tongue, filling her mouth with sweetness.
"Is it sweet?"
Gu Sheng leaned in close, his warm breath brushing her ear.
Qian Renxue swallowed the grape and looked at him, her face flushed.
"It's sweet, but not as sweet as you, husband."
Hearing the corny endearment, Gu Sheng couldn't help laughing softly. He gathered her up and sat her astride his lap.
They faced each other, close enough to see each other's eyelashes tremble.
"After breaking the Second Seal today, I can feel the Saint Spirit Origin inside me much more active. Even my body's grown warmer."
Gu Sheng rested a large hand on her back. Through the thin imperial robe, he could feel her astonishingly supple warmth.
Qian Renxue swallowed nervously. Her husband's gaze was so heated that she hardly dared meet it.
"Th-Then how do you feel now, husband? Do you need me to help you regulate your Soul Power?"
"I don't need help regulating my Soul Power, but there's some Evil Fire I'd like you to help me put out."
Gu Sheng's voice was low, filled with undisguised affection.
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