Strike First

Li Pu said to her, "Does that mean it's impossible without Soul Tool technology?"

Bibi Dong replied matter-of-factly, "Aside from attack-type Soul Tools powered by Soul Power, what other weapons have such destructive power?"

"Once we get out, I'll start researching them. Destructive power doesn't have to come from Soul Power." Li Pu painted a picture of a new future.

"All right. I'll be waiting."

Bibi Dong was curious, too, about what weapons that didn't need Soul Power would look like.

The two continued onward. The swarms of Blood Bats didn't return to stop them.

Gradually, the air around them began to warm. The temperature kept rising, and the heat rising from the abyss on either side made them even more wary.

"It seems we're getting closer to the core below," Li Pu said.

Bibi Dong glanced ahead, then down at the narrow bridge. "I can't believe we're getting closer to the core without feeling even the slightest slope."

Li Pu kept walking. "That's because the bridge's slope is so slight that we can't feel it. The heat rising around us is the best proof—we're slowly making our way downward."

"And the trials of Hell Road aren't over yet."

On a fort directly ahead, a gigantic bat hung upside down. Its entire body was dark gold, and it had three heads. Two enormous claws gripped the narrow path, each more than a meter across, their sharp talons dug into the stone.

It glowed dark gold beneath the faint reddish light around them.

Li Pu stuck to the principle of striking first to gain the upper hand against an enemy. He pulled out the Bun Bombs he'd prepared and hurled them over. Bibi Dong threw some after him. No matter how strong the three-headed bat was, striking first was the right move.

The Dark Gold Three-Headed Bat King never imagined that its enemies wouldn't be afraid—instead, they'd just start throwing things at it.

The moment it opened its eyes, dozens of Bun Bombs had already slammed into its body.

Their tremendous destructive force struck it directly. Blood immediately poured from its wounds, leaving it in agony.

All three heads cried out at once as it spread its terrifying wings. Its enormous wings snapped open, and an unparalleled, overwhelming pressure came crashing toward them. The gusting wind was terrifying!

"Steadfast as a Mountain!"

Li Pu stepped forward and planted his feet firmly on the ground.

Bibi Dong's Martial Soul possessed her, and her spider legs dug into the ground.

Bibi Dong immediately judged that this Dark Gold Three-Headed Bat was definitely stronger than an ordinary Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Beast.

If she could use her Soul Skills, dealing with this Soul Beast would be no problem.

Facing such a huge, flying creature on terrain like this was clearly a tremendous disadvantage.

The Dark Gold Three-Headed Bat King let out a shriek. A ring of dark red ripples spread from its head—it was about to unleash some terrifying skill.

Bibi Dong leapt in front of Li Pu.

"Let me handle it!"

"Death Domain, activate!"

Intense purple light surged from her body, and an aura of death spread at once, instantly suppressing the Dark Gold Three-Headed Bat King's skill.

As an innate Domain Skill of the Death Spider Emperor, Bibi Dong rarely used it. It was also unaffected by Slaughter City's ban on Soul Skills, since that ban only applied to Soul Ring Skills.

It increased all her attributes by ten percent and reduced all enemy attributes by twenty percent. Within the Domain, enemies found it difficult to use any concealment or instant-transmission skills.

It also created a spiritual deterrent, increasing her spiritual strength by twenty percent and weakening her opponent's by twenty percent.

Those were the current effects of Bibi Dong's Death Domain. Once she reached the Titled Douluo level, she would unlock the third stage of the Death Spider Emperor's Innate Domain: a poisonous environment.

The Dark Gold Three-Headed Bat King hadn't expected the challenger before it to possess a Domain.

Even less had it expected anyone to unleash a powerful move right from the start!

Taking advantage of the effects of Bibi Dong's Death Domain, Li Pu drew two long spears fitted with Bun Bombs from his Storage Soul Tool. He hurled them one after another at the Dark Gold Three-Headed Bat King's head with all his strength.

The distance between them wasn't great—well within Li Pu's accurate throwing range. And with the bat's huge body, it couldn't dodge even if it tried.

And two spears weren't all he had. Li Pu kept pulling more out and hurling them one after another as if they cost him nothing.

Caught off guard, the Dark Gold Three-Headed Bat King was hit again and again. Each spear detonated the instant it struck, blasting apart parts of its body. Two of its three heads were blown to pieces, and with its wings destroyed, it couldn't stay airborne.

It had never dreamed that this time's challengers would be so outrageous!

Just as Bibi Dong was about to deliver the killing blow, a golden light shone from its last head. Its enormous body abruptly burst apart, transforming into hundreds of tiny golden bats that scattered in every direction.

"A clone!?"

Bibi Dong recognized the skill at a glance.

"That's not a clone. It's Divide into Zero!" Li Pu said.

Unlike other clone skills, Divide into Zero could split the original body into multiple parts, allowing it to seek the greatest advantage when facing a powerful enemy.

The dark golden bats suddenly made a maddening, agitating sound. Within Bibi Dong's Domain, they couldn't fly freely, but they still struggled to flee.

But after splitting into pieces, the Domain's effects only became stronger. They were in no state to regroup, and Li Pu was still unleashing his explosive Soul Skills from behind, making it even easier for his attacks to hit them.

With a bang, golden mist billowed. The tiny golden bats rejoined and returned to their original form, their injuries even worse than before.

An eerie sound came from its mouth, and the other Blood Bats quickly flew over.

"Blow up its last head!" Li Pu shouted.

Bibi Dong immediately sprang into action, rushing forward to smash its final head.

The Dark Gold Three-Headed Bat King's life force vanished. The other Blood Bats were suddenly left without a leader, and in what was nearly a vengeful frenzy, they charged at Li Pu and Bibi Dong.

"The boss is dead, and the little ones still won't leave? They've got a death wish!"

As he spoke, Li Pu kept throwing out his Bun Martial Soul. Explosions rang out again and again, killing Blood Bats one after another.

Not a single Blood Bat could get close to them. Even the few that did were killed with ease.

In no time, they had dealt with every last Blood Bat.

Bibi Dong wiped the fragrant sweat from her brow and looked at Li Pu, a faint smile appearing on her pretty face.

If she'd faced this swarm of bats alone, she'd probably have had no choice but to run—or even use her Martial Soul's devouring ability to consume them.

But with Li Pu there, destruction simply rained down over a wide area. Thinking back on his fighting style, she had no doubt that no matter how strong someone's defenses were, hundreds or thousands of attacks would make short work of them. It really was ants devouring an elephant.

"Want to rest for a while? You just used your Domain."