Smoke filled the Star Dou Continent. Cracks covered the earth, broken giant trees lay fallen everywhere, and the forests still bore the devastation left by the Soul Beasts' rampage.
The federal search-and-rescue forces had launched a full-scale operation.
They rescued no dignitaries or nobles, only ordinary civilians.
Large formations of mechas swept across the sky, soul-guided detection beams scanning every ruin and dense forest as shrill communications rose and fell over the channels.
On the ground, federal soldiers formed squads, the metal shells of their Battle Armor and mechas covered in dust. While keeping a wary eye out for lurking Evil Soul Masters, they carefully searched collapsed houses, caves, and gaps in the dense forest. Soul-guided life detectors flashed constantly, and whenever they picked up a faint sign of life, a squad immediately moved forward.
"There are survivors here!"
A soldier shouted, and the mechas' mechanical arms carefully moved aside the broken logs and boulders weighing down the rubble to avoid causing further injuries. Medical Soul Masters followed close behind, the light of their soul power enveloping the injured civilians as they treated their wounds and stabilized their conditions.
Trapped elderly people and children were carefully helped out and aboard soul-guided transport aircraft, then sent to temporary shelters in the rear.
In the air, federal transport ships shuttled back and forth, continually deploying search-and-rescue teams. In some high-risk areas, Black-Grade Mechas took the lead, deterring roaming Evil Soul Masters with their firepower and opening safe passages for rescue personnel.
Reports from the squads came continuously over the command channel, giving the numbers of survivors discovered and reporting the movements of nearby Soul Beasts.
The wind through the forest carried dust, and everywhere rang with shouts and the sounds of rescue work. The federal soldiers did not slacken in the slightest. Even in the face of unknown dangers, they continued searching this ravaged land inch by inch, doing everything they could to rescue every surviving civilian from peril.
The Star Dou Imperial Palace.
"What is the meaning of this? What does Qian Gu Fenfeng mean by this?!" Dai Tianling roared from his throne.
By now, most of Star Dou's cities and towns had fallen. Monster Academy's Eight Heavenly Kings and a group of students had returned to the palace with the civilians they had rescued.
"Your Majesty, Qian Gu Fenfeng's wolfish ambition is plain for all to see! He wants Star Dou destroyed!" En Ci shook his head with a bitter smile.
"This... what are we to do?!"
"Now... perhaps we can only leave it to fate." En Ci had suffered grievous injuries in his battles against the Evil Soul Masters. Clearly, he had little time left, and his spirit was gone.
Perhaps surrendering to the Federation was not a bad choice.
"Are the cameras ready?"
"Ready!"
"Herd some refugees over here."
"Yes!"
"Make absolutely sure you capture the Speaker's flawless bearing clearly!"
"Demon Empress! You activated the Blood River Great Array and slaughtered innocent civilians. You have already given yourself every reason to die!"
"Huh?"
Hearing Qian Gu Fenfeng's righteous declaration, the Demon Empress froze for a moment, then turned to face him. "Me? I'm a disgrace to humankind?"
"Hahaha... hahahahahaha! Qian Gu Fenfeng, do you know what you're saying?!"
"Hmph. I have nothing to say to an evil Soul Beast like you. Once a beast, always a beast!"
"You... you're no different from Tang San! You're a hypocrite! Compared to Tang San... you're even worse!"
A crimson torrent swept across the wilderness as the Demon Empress drove the Blood River Great Array. The earth split apart, countless blood-colored runes burst from the ground, and surging waves of blood churned like rivers and seas. Boundless demonic energy carried the power of resentment and baleful fury, staining the entire world scarlet.
The Demon Empress stood proudly at the center of the blood river, demonic flames roiling around her and her demonic might surging, vowing to crush Qian Gu Fenfeng into oblivion here.
Qian Gu Fenfeng stood quietly in midair, neither using elaborate Soul Skills nor relying on soul-guided divine weapons.
His antique-gold Battle Armor made him look valiant and mighty, a man of justice. A golden radiance as ancient as primordial times flowed beneath his skin. Every inch of his sinews and bones, every strand of his flesh and blood, had been tempered a thousand times over, long since surpassing the limits of mortal creatures.
No surging soul power poured from his body, yet merely standing there, he seemed like a mountain holding heaven and earth beneath it. His entire body radiated a pure, vast pressure originating from the very source of his flesh.
The Demon Empress roared, and the Blood River Great Array erupted at full power. The blood waves filling the sky became countless crimson blades, blotting out heaven and earth and tearing through space. Violent destructive power bore down on Qian Gu Fenfeng like a tsunami. Blood mist eroded madly, and demonic energy seeped into every opening, seeking to burrow into his meridians and marrow and corrode his flesh.
The blood tide crashed into Qian Gu Fenfeng.
BOOM!!
A deafening explosion resounded for ten thousand miles. The crimson torrent tore and strangled furiously, the array's destructive power bombarding him without pause. Golden-red bloody froth splashed, yet Qian Gu Fenfeng remained immovable.
He did not raise a hand to block, taking this world-destroying blow with his flesh alone.
A faint golden glow slowly shone from deep within his flesh-the divine light at the source of his god-level body. Countless blood blades hacked at his body, leaving only shallow white marks. Even as the Blood River Great Array's demonic power gnawed madly at him, it could not break his skin in the slightest. His bones rumbled, and a low vibration came from within his flesh, the echo of a divine body enduring a terrifying impact.
His face remained calm, his gaze as sharp as cold stars, without the slightest trace of panic.
"Power borrowed through an array is ultimately not your own."
Qian Gu Fenfeng gave a deep shout, and the void beneath his feet collapsed under his stomp.
"Besides... you haven't even reached god level!"
Coiling Dragon Staff in hand, he charged straight into the rolling blood river.
He unleashed his god-level body to its fullest, every inch of flesh within him bursting with power. Golden light erupted from every part of his body, enveloping him entirely. He swung his staff, without any dazzling moves, only an intent that had returned to simplicity and truth. With a single sweeping strike, he punched straight through the towering blood waves.
Before his pure physical strength, the barriers of the Blood River Great Array crumbled continuously like thin paper.
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