At the edge of the Core Zone.
Deep within the dense forest.
A fifteen-meter-long sub-dragon lay coiled atop a boulder.
Its scales were purple-black.
Natural lightning patterns flickered across them.
Electric arcs danced between the scales.
A Thunder Vein Sub-Dragon.
Twenty thousand years old.
Quan Batian pointed the Destruction Dragon Spear.
The pressure of a level ninety-nine cultivator descended.
The sub-dragon could not move.
It tried to rise.
But its body was pinned down by the pressure.
Zixiao stepped forward.
The Thunder Light Sword left its sheath.
Zixiao Divine Thunder danced along the blade.
Quan Cangtian nodded.
Abundance Power spread outward.
Green light enveloped Zixiao's entire body.
Protecting her meridians.
Quan Batian withdrew his pressure.
The sub-dragon struggled.
But the Destruction Dragon Spear was pointed at its head.
It did not dare move.
Zixiao drew her sword.
She thrust it into the sub-dragon's throat.
The sword tip pierced through its scales.
And sank into flesh.
The sub-dragon screamed.
It struggled once.
Then stopped moving.
It was dead.
A purple Soul Ring rose from the sub-dragon's body.
It was twenty thousand years old.
Quan Cangtian spoke softly.
"Protected."
Zixiao sat down cross-legged.
The purple Soul Ring settled around her.
Quan Cangtian unleashed his Abundance Power completely.
Green light enveloped Zixiao's entire body.
The energy of a twenty-thousand-year Soul Ring was immensely powerful.
Quan Cangtian's Soul Power was rapidly depleted.
He activated the first Soul Skill of his Abundance Martial Soul.
Life Echo.
The green light intensified.
His Soul Power recovery speed increased.
Zixiao's entire body trembled.
Zixiao Divine Thunder ran wild within her body.
It clashed with the Soul Ring's energy.
Lightning patterns emerged across her skin.
They resonated with the lightning patterns of the Soul Ring.
Her level began to rise.
Level forty-one.
Level forty-two.
Level forty-three.
The medicinal power of the Immortal Herb was refined at the same time.
Her physique was strengthened.
Level forty-four.
Level forty-five.
It stabilized.
Quan Batian stood at the perimeter.
The Destruction Dragon Spear was planted in the ground.
He watched the scene.
He spoke softly.
"Hold on."
Quan Cangtian did not turn around.
His voice remained steady.
"Protected."
Huo Yuhao watched from the perimeter.
His Spirit Eye continuously scanned Zixiao's condition.
Xiao Xiao's Three-Life Soul-Suppressing Cauldron hummed.
She was using the cauldron to suppress any lightning power that might run wild.
Wang Dong's Light Goddess Butterfly wings fluttered.
She stood guard.
Zixiao opened her eyes.
Zixiao Divine Thunder danced within her pupils.
She stood up.
She clenched her fist.
Lightning power burst outward.
The ground within ten meters was scorched by lightning.
It was charred black.
She looked at Quan Cangtian.
"Level forty-five."
Quan Cangtian withdrew his Abundance Power.
His face was somewhat pale.
But he quickly recovered.
Quan Batian walked over.
He glanced at Zixiao.
"Heavenly Strike."
Zixiao nodded.
She raised the Thunder Light Sword.
A purple-black pillar of lightning descended from the sky.
It struck a distant boulder.
The boulder shattered.
Lightning penetrated deep into the rock.
It continued to burn.
Quan Cangtian smiled.
"Worth it."
Zixiao did not smile.
But she nodded.
Suddenly.
Huo Yuhao shouted.
"Here they come!"
His Spirit Eye locked onto a direction.
Mental Detection was fully activated.
Within the dense forest.
Several black shadows emerged.
They were all Evil Soul Masters.
At their head was a Black-Robed Elder.
His Soul Power fluctuations were at level ninety-five.
He was at the level of a Titled Douluo.
Behind him.
There were five more experts.
Their Soul Power fluctuations ranged from level seventy to eighty.
They were Spirit Saints and Spirit Douluos.
Quan Batian turned around.
His gaze turned cold.
"Dark Soul Cult."
The Black-Robed Elder sneered.
"Quan Batian, a level ninety-nine Semi-God."
He looked at Quan Cangtian.
Greed filled his eyes.
"Judgment of Shamash... I want it."
Quan Batian said nothing.
The Destruction Dragon Spear lay across before him.
Quan Cangtian stepped forward.
Abundance Power spread outward.
"How many people did you bring?"
The Black-Robed Elder sneered.
"Quite a few."
Quan Cangtian said,
"Enough?"
The Black-Robed Elder did not answer.
He waved his hand.
Several black shadows charged forward.
Five Evil Soul Masters between levels seventy and eighty.
They charged straight at Quan Cangtian, Huo Yuhao, Zixiao, Xiao Xiao, and Wang Dong.
The Black-Robed Elder himself.
Charged at Quan Batian.
Quan Batian slammed the Destruction Dragon Spear into the ground.
The pressure of a level ninety-nine cultivator erupted fully.
He took one step forward.
The Destruction Dragon Spear thrust toward the Black-Robed Elder.
The Black-Robed Elder unleashed his ninth Soul Skill.
Evil Soul Ten Thousand Ghosts Devouring Soul.
Black ghostly figures pounced toward Quan Batian.
Quan Batian snorted coldly.
The second Soul Skill of the Destruction Dragon Spear.
Destruction Tornado.
The spear tip spun.
The dragon-shaped soul power tore apart the ghostly shadow.
His third soul skill.
Destruction Dragon Devour.
The dragon-shaped soul power clamped down on the Black-Robed Elder.
The Black-Robed Elder screamed miserably.
Evil Soul Power ran rampant.
But it was suppressed by the pressure.
Quan Batian did not kill him.
The Destruction Dragon Spear pressed against his throat.
"Don't move."
The Black-Robed Elder gritted his teeth.
He did not dare move.
Elsewhere.
Five Evil Soul Masters between levels seventy and eighty.
Charged at the main group.
Leading them was a middle-aged man in red robes.
Level eighty-five.
A Spirit Douluo.
He unleashed his seventh soul skill.
Evil Soul Blood Fiend Frenzy Tide.
A blood-red tide surged toward Quan Cangtian.
Quan Cangtian released his Abundance Power.
Green light formed a barrier.
Blocking the blood-red tide.
But the barrier trembled.
Level eighty-five against level sixteen.
The gap was far too great.
The middle-aged man in red sneered.
"Kid, your Abundance Power is quite good."
"But unfortunately, it's too weak."
He waved his hand.
The blood-red tide surged forward again.
Quan Cangtian gritted his teeth.
He unleashed his Abundance Power to its fullest.
But his Soul Power was draining too quickly.
He could not hold on.
Zixiao rushed over.
Her Thunder Light Sword slashed toward the blood-red tide.
The Zixiao Divine Thunder collided with the blood-red tide.
An explosion erupted.
Zixiao was forced back three steps.
She had only just broken through to level forty-five.
Facing a level eighty-five opponent.
She still struggled.
Huo Yuhao shouted.
"The two on the left are preparing to unleash Evil Soul skills!"
Xiao Xiao's Three-Life Soul-Suppressing Cauldron crashed toward the two Evil Soul Masters on the right.
Golden light surged from the cauldron.
But the opponents were level seventy-five.
With one palm strike, they sent the Three-Life Soul-Suppressing Cauldron flying.
Xiao Xiao spat blood.
Wang Dong's Light Goddess Butterfly scattered phosphor powder.
It formed a curtain of light.
Interfering with the Evil Soul Masters' mental attacks.
But the opponent was level seventy-eight.
One punch shattered the curtain of light.
Wang Dong was sent flying.
She crashed to the ground.
Huo Yuhao charged forward.
The Spirit-Devouring Silver Knife stabbed toward the middle-aged man in red.
But the middle-aged man in red sent him flying with a palm strike.
Huo Yuhao fell to the ground.
He spat blood.
Quan Cangtian watched the scene.
His gaze turned cold.
He clenched his fists.
The Prototype of Heavenly Flame Sacred Judgment appeared in his hand.
Blue-white flames flickered.
But it was not enough.
The prototype was unstable.
The middle-aged man in red sneered.
"Judgment of Shamash?"
"That's it?"
He waved his hand.
The blood-red tide surged forward again.
Quan Cangtian was swallowed up.
The blood-red tide scorched his body.
He felt his skin splitting apart.
His bones burned.
The Path of Destruction trembled within him.
The Path of Abundance clashed within him.
The two powers were fighting each other.
He was about to reach his limit.
Suddenly.
The Void Devouring Beast Gene awakened within him.
Dark Red Crystal spread from his arm.
It covered his shoulder.
It covered his chest.
His consciousness began to blur.
Honkai Erosion.
He could no longer distinguish friend from foe.
Electrolux's voice rang out in his Consciousness Sea.
"Kid! Hold steady!"
"Use the Abundance Power to harmonize them!"
Quan Cangtian gritted his teeth.
He unleashed his Abundance Power to its fullest.
Green light collided with the Dark Red Crystal.
The Path of Destruction.
The Path of Abundance.
The Void Devouring Beast Gene.
The three powers converged within him.
At the very limit.
They resonated.
His right hand.
The blue-white flames surged violently.
Destruction was cold.
The Fire Phoenix was scorching.
The contradiction between ice and fire became one.
The flames condensed.
Taking shape.
A pair of pistols.
Dark red all over.
Cracks ran across their bodies.
As though they could shatter at any moment.
Yet within those cracks.
Blue-white flames flowed.
Judgment of Shamash.
Fully formed.
Quan Cangtian gripped Judgment of Shamash tightly.
His gaze turned cold.
He raised the barrels.
And aimed at the middle-aged man in red.
Blue-white flames erupted from the muzzles.
They were not bullets.
They were flames.
Ultimate destructive power.
The flames struck the middle-aged man in red.
He did not even scream.
He vanished instantly.
Burned to ash by the flames.
Not even a Spirit Bone remained.
The other four Evil Soul Masters froze.
Quan Cangtian pulled the trigger again.
Blue-white flames swept across them.
The four Evil Soul Masters.
Fell to the ground at the same time.
Burned to ash by the flames.
Quan Cangtian withdrew Judgment of Shamash.
His body swayed.
His face was pale.
The Abundance Power could not be used for combat.
It needed to be restored.
Zixiao rushed over.
And supported him.
"You..."
Quan Cangtian waved his hand.
"I'm fine."
Quan Batian walked over.
He looked at the ashes on the ground.
His expression was complicated.
"Judgment of Shamash..."
He looked at Quan Cangtian.
"It's fully formed."
Quan Cangtian nodded.
"Mhm."
The Black-Robed Elder was being suppressed by Quan Batian.
But he saw this scene.
His eyes widened in shock.
"Judgment of Shamash... its complete form..."
Quan Batian paused his Destruction Dragon Spear.
The Black-Robed Elder fainted.
Quan Cangtian looked at Zixiao.
He smiled.
"It was worth it."
Zixiao said nothing.
But she tightened her grip on Quan Cangtian's hand.
Huo Yuhao climbed to his feet.
He looked at the ashes on the ground.
His eyes were filled with shock.
Quan Batian looked toward the depths of the forest.
"We'll deal with the Dark Soul Cult after we return."
"The news that Judgment of Shamash has fully formed cannot get out."
Quan Cangtian nodded.
"Understood."
Quan Batian looked at the Black-Robed Elder.
"Take him away. Interrogate him."
Quan Cangtian nodded.
Abundance Power condensed into green chains.
They coiled around the Black-Robed Elder.
The team cleared the battlefield.
They prepared to return.
Quan Cangtian raised his head.
He looked at the sky.
He sensed it.
The Dark Soul Cult's aura.
It lingered in the distance.
He clenched his fist.
Judgment of Shamash pulsed in his hand.
He spoke softly.
"Come on."
Zixiao walked over.
"What's wrong?"
Quan Cangtian did not answer.
He merely smiled.
He looked at Quan Batian.
"Grandpa, let's go back."
Quan Batian nodded.
"Alright."
The Nine Heavens Thunder Roc took flight.
The team returned.
The Dark Soul Cult was searching for him.
Judgment of Shamash had fully formed.
The real battle.
Had only just begun.
Before you continue