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The King of Slaughter was enveloped in a raging crimson aura, but to Li Luochen, it was nothing more than a splash of color.
"Enjoy your new paint job, King of Slaughter!"
The Asura Blood Sword in the King of Slaughter's hands gathered the surrounding blood energy. His eyes glowed crimson as he flashed a bloodthirsty grin at Li Luochen.
Suddenly, the King of Slaughter broke free from Li Luochen's suppression, leaping backward over a hundred meters before roaring:
"Die!"
With a swing of the Asura Blood Sword, a massive crimson sword qi shot forth!
Li Luochen stared at the attack, which had a diameter of several dozen meters, with an expressionless face. He shifted the Divine Dragon Pattern Staff to his left hand.
His right hand clenched into a fist as he began to gather power. A vast surge of spirit energy accumulated in his right arm, and along with it, the earth's elemental energy was drawn upon.
The earth's elemental spirit energy also flowed into Li Luochen's right arm.
"Titan Sky Cannon!"
The Titan Sky Cannon was a skill granted by the hundred-thousand-year Titan Ape's right arm bone. It utilized mastery over gravity to instantly compress air into a terrifying energy blast, unleashing the full force of the Titan Ape's spirit power.
Thanks to Li Luochen's significantly enhanced elemental affinity, he could freely draw upon the earth's elemental energy while standing on the ground to amplify his attacks.
Though Li Luochen no longer possessed any spirit skills, their passive effects were inscribed onto the Divine Dragon Pattern Staff. Among them was the Titan Ape's ability to harness earth energy.
*Boom—*
The earthen-yellow energy blast unleashed by the Titan Sky Cannon shattered the King of Slaughter's sword qi and struck him directly.
Though the King of Slaughter wielded a divine artifact, his strength was only equivalent to Level 95. He couldn't fully unleash the artifact's power. Did he really think he could rely on it to fight above his level?
What was he thinking? Did he mistake me for Bibi Dong during her first playthrough, defeated by Tang San despite being six levels higher?
And even then, Bibi Dong couldn't use her full power due to her divine trial, allowing Tang San to exploit her luck-based weaknesses. But what did the King of Slaughter have going for him?
"Playing with you has lost its appeal. You don't even have the ability to put up a proper fight. Let's switch opponents."
Li Luochen held the Divine Dragon Pattern Staff, and suddenly, the crimson staff erupted with dazzling light. At the same time, his left leg also began to radiate brilliance.
This was the light attribute granted by the Golden Earth Dragon King's spirit ring and bones.
Li Luochen intended to directly eliminate the Crimson Nine-Headed Bat King.
The Crimson Nine-Headed Bat King was parasitizing Tang Chen's body. Originally a hundred-thousand-year soul beast, it had successfully halted Tang Chen's divine trial with the help of the Demon God and taken over his body to become the King of Slaughter.
But this time, Li Luochen wanted to restore Tang Chen's consciousness. Playing with the King of Slaughter was boring; facing Tang Chen, the so-called "Unrivaled on Land" Limit Douluo, would be far more interesting.
The Divine Dragon Pattern Staff in Li Luochen's hands shone brilliantly with light energy! In an instant, he teleported in front of the King of Slaughter.
*Thrust!*
The tip of the staff pressed against the King of Slaughter's chest, and a powerful surge of light energy entered his body, forcibly expelling the Crimson Nine-Headed Bat King from Tang Chen's body.
A blood-red shadow suddenly appeared behind the King of Slaughter. The shadow resembled a bat with nine heads.
The blood-red shadow clung to Tang Chen like maggots to flesh, but bats feared light, so it was easily driven away.
As Li Luochen's light energy penetrated the King of Slaughter's body, a strong, ancient, and domineering spirit energy suddenly erupted from within.
A smile curled at the corner of Li Luochen's lips. It seemed Tang Chen still retained some awareness. Seizing the critical moment, Li Luochen used his light-infused spirit energy to drive out the Crimson Nine-Headed Bat King.
Once expelled from its host body, the Crimson Nine-Headed Bat King transformed into a blood-red bead. It hadn't been killed, but without a physical body, it condensed into this form.
This bead likely contained all of the Crimson Nine-Headed Bat King's cultivation, similar to a divine-bestowed spirit ring. If its soul inside the bead were dealt with, it could serve as a hundred-thousand-year spirit ring.
With a flick of his hand, Li Luochen drew the blood-red bead into his palm and stored it away, then waited for Tang Chen's recovery.
"This pure light energy… it feels somewhat like that old scoundrel Qian Daoliu's? But you lack the sacred attribute. Are you related to Qian Daoliu?"
It was Tang Chen's voice. Compared to the previous King of Slaughter's sharp and sinister tone, this one was aged and heavy, unlike the voice of a middle-aged man and more akin to that of a dignified elder.
Tang Chen was indeed different now. Though his body still radiated a crimson glow, his eyes had become exceptionally clear. His deep gaze locked onto Li Luochen, filled with contemplation and complex emotions, as if he had just awakened from a long dream.
"I am Li Luochen, the grandson-in-law of the Sky Douluo Qian Daoliu. May I ask how I may assist you?"
Li Luochen spoke neither humbly nor arrogantly, making no formal bows. With his current strength, there was no need to grovel.
A profound sadness flashed in Tang Chen's eyes. "How many years has it been? I've lost count myself. Even Qian Daoliu has grandchildren—and such a powerful grandson-in-law. How is she doing?"
"You mean the Sea God Douluo Bo Saixi, senior? She's doing well, though she's still hung up on an unfeeling brute."
Li Luochen crossed his arms and spoke teasingly.
"? You know Bo Saixi? And do you know who I am?" Tang Chen asked in surprise.
"The Hao Tian Douluo Tang Chen, Your Eminence. Your reputation precedes you, truly awe-inspiring."
"Hahahaha... Hao Tian... Douluo... awe-inspiring? Hahahaha... Did I win? Or did I lose? None of it holds any meaning for me anymore.
Was I wrong? Was I right? Decades feel like a single dream. Yet here I am, burdened with such sins. Asura, what a cruel Asura. In the end, I couldn't pass your trial. It wasn't about right or wrong—it was about time and fate."
Chaotic energy fluctuations caused everything around them to tremble. Bloodlight continuously spilled from the heavy sword in Tang Chen's hands.
"Your staff appears to be a divine artifact, resembling the Dragon Pattern Staff. May I ask which deity's inheritance you carry? Could it be the Sea God?" Tang Chen questioned, observing Li Luochen.
"I am the inheritor of the Asura God. My wife inherits the Sea God's position. I spent some time cultivating on the Sea God Island recently."
Li Luochen spoke lightly, as if discussing trivial matters.
"Is that so? Shouldn't your wife inherit the Angel God instead? Why the Sea God?"
"Can't I have multiple beautiful wives?"
"Fair enough, fair enough. I owe you my thanks, young master. Without your light-infused spirit energy, I wouldn't have regained my sanity. I would've remained lost in that evil crimson haze, controlled by malevolent thoughts.
Your light freed me from that prison and allowed me to achieve this demi-god body. Though it's too late for regrets, feeling the power of a god fulfills half of my lifelong ambition.
May I trouble you to take me to the Sea God Island? Once I settle my affairs, I'll pass the Asura God's divine trial to you."
"No need. I came to the City of Slaughter to fully complete my own trial. If I let you see Bo Saixi, will she still help my wife?
As for passing the divine trial to me, I'll initiate it myself."
Suddenly, Li Luochen summoned the Divine Dragon Pattern Staff and brought it crashing down on Tang Chen's head!
*Clang—*
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