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*****
Three hours later...
A crimson flash streaked across the sky above Heaven Dou City, followed by an overwhelming and terrifying aura.
Tang Chen's face was grim with murderous intent. He had been recuperating in the mountains when a disciple of the Clear Sky Sect brought urgent news—five elders had been slain, and even the sect master had been gravely wounded, teetering on the edge of death.
Upon hearing this, Tang Chen was instantly enraged. These elders were the pinnacle of the Clear Sky Sect's strength, yet they had been slaughtered so wantonly.
Unforgivable.
Without hesitation, he demanded to know the location of the attack and immediately rushed toward it.
Upon arrival, he hovered in midair, his fury palpable as he bellowed:
"Who is Wang Li? Come out!"
Hearing this, Wang Li ascended into the sky until he was level with Tang Chen.
Their gazes locked as they assessed each other.
From Tang Chen's aura, Wang Li could roughly gauge his strength—partially at the divine level, though not yet a full-fledged god.
Tang Chen, in turn, scrutinized Wang Li. Blue hair, blue eyes, strikingly handsome, and tall. He appeared youthful, yet the energy surrounding him was so formidable that even the very elements of heaven and earth seemed to revolve around him.
Such overwhelming power… Could he, like myself, also be the inheritor of a god's legacy?
Suppressing his impulse to strike immediately, Tang Chen maintained a cold expression and demanded in a deep voice:
"So you're Wang Li? You killed the five elders of my Clear Sky Sect. Where is Tang Xiao? Return him to me!"
Wang Li's tone remained indifferent.
"I am Wang Li. As for Tang Xiao… I'm afraid you're too late. He has already melted into a pool of sludge. If you had arrived a bit earlier, you might have seen his bones. But now? Not even that remains."
"What?!"
Tang Chen's mind felt as if it had exploded.
The five elders were dead. Tang Xiao was dead.
Uncontrollable killing intent surged from within him. His expression turned ice-cold as he gritted his teeth and growled:
"You little bastard… Such ruthless cruelty! You left no room for mercy! Do you intend to wage an all-out war against the Clear Sky Sect?!"
Wang Li couldn't help but sneer at this accusation.
"Are all members of the Clear Sky Sect this hypocritical? Tang Xiao led his people to exterminate my sect. That was already a declaration of war. I merely retaliated. And now, you act as if you're the ones who've suffered some great injustice?"
"Hmph!"
Tang Chen let out a cold snort and raised both hands.
In his left hand, blood-red energy coalesced into a massive, two-meter-long greatsword. In his right hand, a dark golden Clear Sky Hammer materialized, pulsating with ominous light. One by one, his soul rings emerged, and a torrential wave of crimson energy erupted around him—his Slaughter Domain.
"Then you can die alongside my fallen brethren!"
With that, Tang Chen transformed into a streak of light, charging toward Wang Li with lethal intent.
Wang Li could clearly sense the blood-red energy attempting to invade his body. But the moment it entered, his physique effortlessly neutralized and dispersed it.
Realizing this, he paid it no mind. Instead, he turned his gaze toward the incoming Tang Chen and casually threw a punch.
The space around them distorted as an immense pressure condensed into an earth-shattering force.
Tang Chen raised his Clear Sky Hammer in an attempt to block—only to grossly underestimate the terrifying might of Wang Li's strike.
BOOM!
A thunderous explosion echoed across the sky.
Tang Chen was sent hurtling backward like a ragdoll. The impact force traveled through the Clear Sky Hammer and into his body, igniting a scorching pain in his internal organs, as if they were set ablaze.
Crack! Crack! Crack!
His Clear Sky Hammer—refined repeatedly over the years and approaching the level of a divine weapon—was now covered in countless web-like fractures, seemingly on the verge of shattering.
After tumbling nearly a hundred meters through the air, Tang Chen barely managed to stabilize himself, forcing down the urge to cough up blood.
He stared at his right hand, at the fractured Clear Sky Hammer, his eyes momentarily dazed.
How could this be?
He possessed the strength of a half-god. Even a divine servant like Qian Daoliu was no match for him.
Yet now…
Facing Wang Li—Even His Martial Soul Was on the Verge of Shattering
What kind of terrifying power was this? Could it be…
Tang Chen lifted his head, staring at Wang Li in shock.
"You… You're that unknown powerhouse with divine-level strength!"
Wang Li raised an eyebrow, slightly surprised.
"Oh? Seems like you know something. In that case, I can't let you live."
Tang Chen gritted his teeth. Now was not the time to think about the Ninth Trial—he had to find a way to survive, or he would die here. Without hesitation, he unleashed the power of the Asura God.
"Slaughter Domain—Slaughter Hell!"
The surrounding blood-colored energy solidified, forming countless chains that shot out, each imbued with an intense binding force.
Wang Li initially dodged with caution, but then he reached out and grabbed one of the chains. The moment it tried to restrain him, his sheer strength shattered it instantly.
That settled it.
Now, Wang Li was certain—these chains had a unique effect, but if one's power was strong enough, they could break free with ease.
A thought crossed his mind—Tang Chen was the inheritor of the Asura God. These abilities must be tied to the rules Asura governed.
Though I haven't ascended to godhood yet, my million-year soul rings and million-year soul bones grant me power surpassing that of many gods. No wonder I can outright ignore these restraints.
Then, Tang Chen witnessed something that left him utterly dumbfounded.
Every chain he had forged with his Asura power—chains strong enough to bind even gods—collapsed upon contact with Wang Li.
How was he supposed to fight this?!
Seeing Wang Li closing in, Tang Chen, a seasoned warrior with vast battle experience, swiftly made a desperate decision.
He detonated eight of his soul rings—two yellow, two purple, and four black.
An overwhelming surge of energy flooded his body, threatening to destroy him from the inside out.
He wanted to stake everything on one final attack.
But he had overestimated himself.
His body, long corroded by toxins, was already at its breaking point. This sudden influx of power became the last straw. Just as his own strength was about to tear him apart—
All of it settled.
Then, it surged into the Asura Demon Sword.
Tang Chen lost control of his body as it swung the sword on its own, unleashing a blood-red sword aura—like a dragon roaring to devour the heavens.
Wang Li's eyes widened slightly.
This… This wasn't an attack that Tang Chen himself could unleash.
This was beyond a Soul Master's power.
It had reached the divine level.
Still, Wang Li merely waved his hand.
The devastating sword aura vanished in an instant.
Before Tang Chen could react, Wang Li closed the distance in a blink.
One hand gripped the Asura Demon Sword.
The other clasped Tang Chen's throat.
Lifting him effortlessly, Wang Li watched as Tang Chen's face turned purple.
Tang Chen struggled desperately, but Wang Li's grip was like an unyielding vice, completely immovable.
Despair set in.
Boom!
Tang Chen detonated his ninth soul ring—a hundred-thousand-year soul ring.
Raw, immense power surged into his body.
But it was far beyond what his current self could withstand.
His body exploded.
A crimson light shot from his forehead, burrowing into the Asura Demon Sword.
The sword began to dissolve, inch by inch, transforming into pure blood-red energy before streaking southwest like a shooting star.
Wang Li casually discarded Tang Chen's lifeless corpse.
As he considered whether to chase after the fleeing energy, a voice echoed in his ears—majestic, yet tinged with unmistakable fury.
"Human who seeks godhood through the body alone… May you soon comprehend the laws. I shall await you in the Divine Realm."
Wang Li frowned slightly—then smirked, his body relaxing.
"Asura…"
Go ahead and wait all you want.
I have no intention of stepping into the Divine Realm.
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(End of Chapter)