Join my Patreon to be 30 chapters ahead of the webnovel releases:
patreon.com/ZeroMoney
*****
The robust man, who had lived for nearly 150 years, was now crying like a child.
"Your Majesty, what's troubling you? Is it the service that didn't meet your satisfaction? If so, I'll make sure to satisfy you properly."
The beautiful young woman beside the throne knelt before Tang Chen, opening her mouth to reveal her supple, snake-like tongue.
"Get lost!"
Tang Chen snapped to his senses and kicked the maid in front of him.
In his rage, Tang Chen didn't hold back, and his kick sent the maid into a bloody mist.
"Your Majesty, please forgive us, forgive us."
The sight of this shocked the other two maids, who trembled and stepped back, kneeling with their foreheads to the ground.
"I am not your king!"
Tang Chen hastily adjusted his pants and turned into a beam of blood-red light, bursting out of the black castle. He glanced at the inner city of the City of Slaughter, now a living hell, and flew outside the city.
In mid-air, Tang Chen sorted through the information in his mind.
[Shura's Eighth Trial: Kill the Blood-Red Nine-Headed Bat King, Pending.]
Tang Chen pressed his hand to his chest, feeling his body. He could sense that the Blood-Red Nine-Headed Bat King was still inside him, but its soul had been heavily injured by some mysterious force and was now in a deep slumber.
"Heaven hasn't abandoned me, Tang Chen! My decades of effort haven't been in vain. As long as I expel the Blood-Red Nine-Headed Bat King and eliminate the poison in my body, I still have a chance to attempt the Ninth Trial of Shura. I'll fulfill my promise to Xixi and restore my body. I must not allow this body to corrupt her pure heart!"
Though Tang Chen still held hope of becoming a god, what he didn't realize was that the blood-red sword-shaped mark on his forehead, which represented the inheritance of the Shura God, had mysteriously disappeared.
Without the Snowy Swan's Kiss to amplify the chronic pain of Bloody Mary a thousand times over, Tang Chen's body—though still somewhat damaged—could recover with the help of rare spiritual herbs, especially those that replenish energy and blood. If he could cleanse the poisonous blood from his body, there was a possibility for recovery.
Tang Chen noticed his clothes felt loose. Looking down at his thin arms, body, and gaunt face, he growled, "The Blood-Red Nine-Headed Bat King is damned! It's ruined my body! I used to be so mighty, so strong, now I'm just a sickly, scrawny figure!"
After leaving the City of Slaughter, Tang Chen flew towards the direction of the Clear Sky Sect. "I wonder how the Clear Sky Sect has developed. I need to fill my stomach and regain some strength; otherwise, I'll be too ashamed to see Xixi."
Leaving the City of Slaughter, Tang Chen came to an open area and stopped. Before him stood a man in black robes with white hair, blocking his path. Tang Chen narrowed his eyes. His extreme Douluo instincts told him that the person in front of him meant no good and was extremely dangerous.
The man in front was, of course, Qian Renxue. After severely wounding the Blood-Red Nine-Headed Bat King with her soul power, she had wanted to deal with Tang Chen directly. However, a battle between the two would likely destroy the City of Slaughter, so she decided it would be better to handle it outside. Thus, she waited at the critical path to Clear Sky Sect.
"Your dream is over," Qian Renxue said, turning around calmly.
Such a young Title Douluo! To think the continent has produced such a genius!
Tang Chen studied the young man before him, appearing to be in his twenties, with a handsome face and vibrant blood-red eyes. His heart trembled in awe. The man couldn't be older than forty—wait, he just said "your dream is over"?
"Younger generation, did you save me?" Tang Chen asked.
"Indeed," Qian Renxue replied with a slight nod. Despite Tang Chen being an elder who had ruled an era, founded the Clear Sky Sect, and created the world's most powerful Clear Sky Hammer, Qian Renxue still held respect for him. Had it been Tang Hao or Tang Xiao, they wouldn't have lasted long enough to speak.
Upon hearing this, Tang Chen smiled, like a wise elder. "Young man, my name is Tang Chen. You may not have heard of me, but you must know the Two Mountains of Soul Masters. I am one of them—the Tang Chen of Clear Sky Sect!"
"How about you come to Clear Sky Sect as my guest? You saved me, and I want to repay you. My granddaughter is a great beauty, although her cultivation talent is not the best, she excels in the arts of music, chess, calligraphy, and painting. I wonder if she is married yet. If not, she might just be a good match for you."
"I'm sorry, I'm not interested. The reason I saved you is because I want your life."
Qian Renxue's five soul rings lit up beneath her feet, the Shura Sword gripped tightly in her hand. The dark red sword-shaped mark on her forehead became visible as her hair fluttered in the wind.
"Five ten-thousand-year soul rings! You want to kill me? This sword is the Shura Demon Sword! Could it be a god-given martial soul? Are you the Shura God's inheritor?" Tang Chen's tone shifted, his pupils narrowing. The blood-red light in his hand flared as nine soul rings—eight black and one red—appeared beneath his feet. In his hand, the Clear Sky Hammer, enormous and covered in blood-red runes, glowed brightly. The runes flickered, transforming it into a two-meter-long blood-red giant sword.
The Shura Demon Sword and the supreme artifact, the Shura Demon Sword Martial Soul, both appeared.
Tang Chen demanded, "Young one, who exactly are you? Even if we are both inheritors of the Shura God's power, why must this fight be to the death? We should have no grudge between us, right?"
Qian Renxue responded coldly, "That's correct. My seventh Shura trial is to defeat you. But for certain reasons, I must erase you from existence. As for who I am... You should know my grandfather. His name is Qian Daoliu."
"You're Qian Daoliu's grandson!"
Tang Chen, who had been about to question why Qian Renxue wanted to kill him, was now enraged by her next words.
"As for the Clear Sky Sect, I've wiped it out. Not a single mouse remains."
"What did you say? Why did you do that?" Tang Chen's forehead bulged with veins.
"You should go ask your descendants in the Yellow Springs what kind of disgraceful people they truly are."
"Fifth Soul Skill: Shura Demon Whale's Sky-Devouring Slash!"
The dark golden soul ring on Qian Renxue's Shura Sword lit up. The once clear sky darkened at a visible speed, and a blood-red light exploded. A massive blood-red magic whale, the size of a small island, emerged. The whale coldly gazed at Tang Chen, its abyssal mouth opening wide as it charged at him. Wherever the whale passed, the space tore apart and was devoured by its maw.
"Great Mount Hammer, Nine Rings Exploding Together!"
Tang Chen sensed the destructive power of the attack and didn't hesitate. All nine of his soul rings exploded in gold, and his already battered body erupted with blood as he gathered all his strength. He swung the Shura Demon Sword, aiming for the massive sea monster, delivering a devastating strike.
Qian Renxue remained calm throughout the battle. At level 98, she could already match Qian Daoliu and Poseidon. After absorbing two top-tier soul rings and the Sea Demon Whale King's right arm bone, her power had surged past the 99th level. Using the Shura Demon Sword, she had unlocked the 999,999-year soul skill.
Even if Tang Chen managed to block the attack, his body would never withstand the backlash from the Nine Rings Explosion. The once-greatest figure of the continent was now on the brink of death.
(End of Chapter)