In the sky, sword and lightning collided in a massive explosion.
Lightning scattered across the heavens like a grand display of fireworks, visible across the entire Douluo Continent.
The disturbance from the energy made Qian Daoliu turn his head and glance over curiously before looking back at his granddaughter.
A mysterious valley.
Hsi Wu sat on a stone throne, one hand propping up his chin as he looked toward the distant explosion.
"Who's Zhong Su fighting? How'd he make such a huge commotion?"
"Damn it, every one of these guys is so strong. Why am I so weak? Is it because I'm the youngest? I'm the great Sky Demon!" Hsi Wu stood on his throne and vented his frustration at the sky.
Down in the valley, a giant black dragon scratched its head, covered its ears, and went back to sleep.
Slaughter City.
Beneath the beautiful fireworks of lightning lurked immense danger.
Bolts of lightning fell, raging through Slaughter City. Every building was reduced to rubble as people fled in panic.
"Quick! This lightning can kill a Soul Douluo in one hit!"
"My Soul Skills aren't suppressed anymore. Great! Wings of Flight!"
"Shadow Shuttle!"
People used their Soul Skills to flee Slaughter City in terror. But to their despair, the boundless wilderness in every direction was completely blanketed in lightning.
Whether they survived depended entirely on luck.
"How could this happen?" The moment they escaped, the people were forced to search for a safe place amid the lightning.
In the sky, Zhong Su was covered in blood. He stood unsteadily on the lightning, his eyes full of unwillingness.
Although Tang Chen had expended a great deal of energy, the divine weapon in his hand had left him completely unharmed.
Bibi Dong looked up, then touched her cheek. A few drops of bright-red blood stained her palm.
"So a demon's blood is red, too." Her expression was calm as she rubbed her fingers together.
She had once pierced straight through Hsi Wu's chest with her own hands, but at the time she hadn't paid attention. As far as she was concerned, Hsi Wu was nothing more than a Soul Beast.
This was what a Peerless Douluo was truly supposed to be like.
Lightning crackled around Zhong Su, and his injured body was restored as good as new.
Tang Chen frowned at the sight. He couldn't outlast his opponent like this. It looked like he'd have to finish this in one strike. This Soul Beast really did have some strength.
Zhong Su's gaze turned icy as it fell on the sword. "The aura inside that sword of yours is absolutely disgusting."
The divine power within the sword disgusted Zhong Su, yet he also sensed something familiar in it. In their era, that kind of power was usually called Righteous Demon Qi.
"Afraid? Too late." Tang Chen stood with his sword held at his side, ready to finish his opponent with a single move.
Zhong Su flew into a rage, then laughed. "Ha! Afraid? I'll electrocute your sword until it's nothing but a lump of charcoal!"
He charged at his opponent, bringing with him thunder powerful enough to destroy the world.
"Demonic Qi, return to its source."
Zhong Su murmured inwardly. The members of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, including Yu Yuanzhen, seemed to have had all their strength drained away. They collapsed to the ground, utterly spent.
"What—where did my power go?" Yu Luomian panicked, anxiously patting himself down.
His strength had fallen all the way to Soul Douluo. Zhong Su had taken and commandeered all the Soul Power in his body.
"Face the judgment of lightning!"
Zhong Su's aura surged. After taking the demonic energy of the entire Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, he had absorbed all their Soul Power as well, further increasing his strength.
Lightning attacked Tang Chen from above and below. Even the sky itself seemed to close in around him with bolts of lightning.
"Damn it!"
Tang Chen's expression darkened. That guy seemed to have an endless supply of Soul Power—every attack was a finishing move.
This time, he had to end it in one strike.
"Blood!" Tang Chen pointed his sword at the ground. Endless blood welled out of the Soul Masters' bodies and surged into the Asura Sword, making its crimson blade even more sinister.
"Ah—please, no, King of Slaughter! I have Bloody Mary! You can't kill me!"
"No! I've already escaped! You can't do this!"
"King of Slaughter, I'll fuck your grandmother!"
The people clutched their throats and shrieked as their blood poured out. Before long, they were nothing but dried corpses.
After absorbing the blood, the Asura Sword underwent a transformation. Tang Chen's eyes grew even more dazed, and he couldn't even maintain his current level of consciousness. The only instinct he had left was to kill.
His lips curled upward. Raising his sword in a frenzy, he laughed. "Hahaha! Hahahaha! I'm the King of Slaughter! Kill, kill, kill!"
Tang Chen lost his mind and swung his sword wildly.
Bibi Dong furrowed her brows. Had the King of Slaughter lost his mind? This was going to be a problem. She didn't know whether Qian Daoliu could stop Tang Chen in his current state.
Zhong Su paid no heed to the turn of events. He was certain his lightning would never lose to anyone; he was the strongest.
Lightning was the most powerful force in the world. Everyone had to submit to it!
Arrogant beyond measure, Zhong Su crushed a bolt of lightning in one hand to intimidate his opponent.
But the truth was, he was still far weaker than Tang Chen.
Rumble—
A flash of light streaked across the sky and earth. Red beams of light shot in every direction, reducing the lightning they struck to ash.
"What? How is that possible?" Zhong Su was instantly stunned, unable to believe it.
Tsk, tsk, tsk. You're still a long way off, Zhong Su. I don't know where you got your confidence. Shendu remarked dismissively.
Hsi Wu's strength had originally been around that of a Level 96 Super Douluo, roughly equivalent to a 200,000-year Ferocious Beast, though he also had the fastest speed in the world.
Even if Zhong Su was slightly stronger than Hsi Wu, he was only around Level 97, with lightning capable of destroying anything.
Shendu wasn't surprised by the outcome, nor by Zhong Su's reaction.
"You insect! You'll pay for what you've done!" Zhong Su roared in fury as lightning crackled around him.
Before he could even react, a sword plunged through his chest. Disgusting divine power flooded into his body, tearing him to pieces in an instant.
You bastard! Zhong Su felt himself on the verge of losing consciousness and panicked. He had only just regained his freedom and hadn't even had the chance to enjoy it. How could he be sealed again?
"You think you can seal me? You're nowhere near strong enough! Disperse!"
Zhong Su's body suddenly exploded, transforming into countless bolts of lightning that scattered into the distance, creating one last display of lightning fireworks.
Tang Chen froze in midair, completely dumbfounded.
Was his opponent dead? Had he exploded and died, or taken the chance to escape? He had no idea.
Well, would you look at that—he blew himself up! Shendu looked surprised. Demons couldn't die, but after an explosion like that, it would take a very long time for him to recover.
This works out fine, too. At least he won't cause trouble. He can stay in Thunder City and live quietly. Shendu spoke casually.
Slaughter City.
Bibi Dong turned and headed back. The battle should be over for now, with the King of Slaughter victorious.
Who exactly was the King of Slaughter? she wondered, puzzled.
Not many people had seen the Clear Sky Hammer to begin with, and now they were all dead. Bibi Dong could only make wild guesses.
After the Thunder Demon disappeared, the continent seemed to return to normal.
The Heaven Dou Empire had lost 3,404 civilians this time, but it didn't cause even a ripple in the Soul Master World. It didn't even draw as much attention as this year's Continental Advanced Spirit Master Academy Elite Tournament.
At Shrek Academy, Yu Xiaogang stood at the lectern and rambled on. "As everyone knows, demons are another kind of life, distinct from both humans and Soul Beasts..."
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