Chapter 224: The Secret Art of the Soul Clan Soul Annihilation
"Ah! This cursed thing is devouring our soul energy!"
Inside the Heavenly Seal Grandmaster Spirit Array, the agonizing scream of Void Devouring Flame echoed. The Soul Heavenly Emperor felt his panic rising as he realized his own soul energy was being drained, while his Dou Qi, once depleted, showed no signs of replenishment.
"This array can even block Dou Qi recovery... What now?" Soul Heavenly Emperor thought, gritting his teeth as he struggled to resist the rising temperature within the array.
He knew he couldn't last long like this. Desperation settling in, he made a ruthless decision. From his storage ring, he retrieved three Gates of Deathly Silence, their ominous energy seeping into the air.
Seeing this, Void Devouring Flame quickly moved closer to the emperor, shielding himself behind the gates.
"Clan leader, what's the plan? This array's heat is increasing by the second. At this rate, we won't last much longer!" Void Devouring Flame exclaimed, his voice tense.
A Desperate Gamble
The Soul Heavenly Emperor's expression darkened. He didn't need Void Devouring Flame to tell him how dire their situation was. The array's relentless pressure, combined with the gradual depletion of their soul energy, left no room for error.
"Void, transfer your Dou Qi to me. I'll activate the Realm of Death with these gates. Even though only three of the four gates remain, their power is still formidable," he commanded grimly.
"Understood!"
Without hesitation, Void Devouring Flame channeled his Dou Qi into the Soul Heavenly Emperor, who poured the combined energy into the three Gates of Deathly Silence.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The gates began to spin rapidly, growing larger and exuding ominous black red mist.
Xiao Tiance's Calm Confidence
Outside the array, Xiao Tiance observed their frantic efforts, his expression one of detached amusement.
"How pathetic. They don't realize that their every move is futile. Two grandmaster level spirit arrays have already sealed their fate. There's no escape," he mused.
Inside the array, the gates grew to massive proportions, their tops pressing against the array's shimmering barrier.
"Argh!" The Soul Heavenly Emperor roared, his eyes blazing with determination as he injected even more Dou Qi into the gates.
"Void, protect me!"
"Don't worry, clan leader. I've got your back!"
Their voices filled the space as the Soul Heavenly Emperor bellowed: "Xiao Tiance! Let's see if your array can withstand the combined explosion of three Gates of Deathly Silence!"
A Colossal Explosion
The moment the gates detonated, a deafening roar echoed throughout the Ancient Emperor's cave, and a blinding light engulfed the chamber.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The tremendous explosion shook the very foundations of the cave. However, as the light and smoke dissipated, Xiao Tiance stood unmoved, a faint smirk gracing his lips.
Crash!
The gates, now shattered, fell to the ground as nothing more than charred remnants. Inside the array, the aftermath of the explosion was grim.
Broken and Beaten
Void Devouring Flame, though weakened, remained standing thanks to his flame based body. The Soul Heavenly Emperor, however, fared far worse. A large shard from one of the gates had pierced through his chest, blood gushing from the wound and staining his robes.
Cough!
Blood splattered as the emperor doubled over, his once mighty aura reduced to nothing. The man who had stood as a half Emperor now struggled to muster the strength of even an eight star Dou Saint.
"Clan leader! Are you alright?" Void Devouring Flame asked, concern etched across his face.
Cough. "I'm... fine," the Soul Heavenly Emperor muttered weakly, though his pale face betrayed his words. His gaze drifted to the shimmering barrier of the Heavenly Seal Array, despair flickering in his eyes.
The Final Betrayal
As he struggled to comprehend their failure, a sharp pain pierced his chest.
Splurt!
The Soul Heavenly Emperor looked down in disbelief to see Void Devouring Flame's hand, engulfed in black flame, protruding through his chest.
"Void... what are you doing?!" he gasped, coughing up blood.
Void Devouring Flame grinned wickedly, pulling out a charred piece of the emperor's lung.
"Ah, Soul Heavenly Emperor... how amusing. After all these years of mutual distrust, you finally let your guard down against me. Isn't it ironic?" he sneered.
Xiao Tiance Watches in Amusement
Outside the array, Xiao Tiance raised an eyebrow, momentarily surprised by the sudden turn of events. Then, with a smirk, he mused, "So even after altering the story, this betrayal still happens. Fate, or just the frailty of their so called alliance? Either way, let the dogs tear each other apart. It saves me the trouble."
A Bitter End
Inside the array, the Soul Heavenly Emperor stumbled backward, his hand clutching the gaping wound in his chest. His once imposing demeanor had crumbled entirely.
"Why, Void? Why betray me?" he rasped, his voice filled with a mixture of anger and despair.
Void Devouring Flame laughed maniacally. "Don't play the victim, Soul Heavenly Emperor. You and I both know our relationship was never built on trust. It's always been about mutual use. The difference is, I chose to strike first!"
Xiao Tiance's Closing Words
As the scene unfolded, Xiao Tiance's voice rang out from beyond the array.
"How poetic... Betrayed by the one ally you thought you had left. Well, Soul Heavenly Emperor, you have seven minutes before the array's heat consumes you entirely. Use them wisely."
Void Devouring Flame turned his gaze to Xiao Tiance, his expression twisted with glee.
"You think this is my end? I am eternal! No array can destroy me!"
Xiao Tiance chuckled. "Let's test that theory. Oh, and don't forget to thank me for saving you from such a dull death."
"Ah! This cursed thing is devouring our soul energy!"
Inside the Heavenly Seal Grandmaster Spirit Array, Void Devouring Flame's agonizing scream echoed. The Soul Heavenly Emperor, feeling his own soul energy rapidly weakening, realized the dire nature of their predicament. Worse, his Dou Qi wasn't replenishing after being consumed, leaving him desperate.
"This array can even block Dou Qi recovery. What should I do now?" he thought, struggling to resist the searing heat within the array.
Seeing no other way out, the Soul Heavenly Emperor gritted his teeth and retrieved three Gates of Deathly Silence from his storage ring.
"Clan leader, what's the plan? The array's temperature is rising too quickly. At this rate, we won't last much longer!" Void Devouring Flame exclaimed as he moved closer to the emperor, shielding himself.
A Final Gamble
The Soul Heavenly Emperor's expression darkened, and his voice was resolute.
"Void, transfer your Dou Qi to me. I will activate the Deathly Realm Grand Array using these gates. Even though we only have three left, their power is still formidable."
Void Devouring Flame hesitated for a moment but quickly agreed. "Understood!"
Pooling their Dou Qi, the Soul Heavenly Emperor channeled all of their combined energy into the three Gates of Deathly Silence, causing them to expand rapidly. The gates began spinning, emitting an eerie black red mist as they grew massive enough to press against the array's barrier.
Xiao Tiance's Icy Confidence
Outside the array, Xiao Tiance watched their frantic efforts with calm indifference.
"A futile struggle. Even three exploding Deathly Silence Gates can't shatter a Grandmaster level spirit array," he thought, amused by their desperation.
The gates continued to spin faster, their ominous power building to a crescendo.
"Let's see if your array can withstand the explosion of three Deathly Silence Gates!" the Soul Heavenly Emperor bellowed, pouring every ounce of his strength into his final attack.
The Explosion
The gates detonated, unleashing a deafening explosion that lit up the entire cave. The shockwave reverberated through the chamber, shaking its very foundations.
However, as the light and dust settled, the Heavenly Seal Array remained intact, its shimmering barrier completely unharmed.
Clang!
The remnants of the shattered gates fell to the ground. Inside the array, Void Devouring Flame stood battered but intact due to his flame based form. The Soul Heavenly Emperor, however, was in critical condition.
A Betrayal Revealed
With a large shard from the gates embedded in his chest, the Soul Heavenly Emperor staggered, blood pouring from his wound. His aura, once mighty and domineering, had diminished to a mere shadow of itself.
Cough!
Struggling to breathe, he glanced at Void Devouring Flame, who approached him with apparent concern.
"Clan leader, are you alright?" Void Devouring Flame asked, a hint of hesitation in his voice.
Cough. "I'll manage," the Soul Heavenly Emperor muttered weakly, though his pale face betrayed his true condition.
As the emperor attempted to stabilize himself, Void Devouring Flame's expression twisted into one of malice. Suddenly, his hand, engulfed in black flames, pierced through the Soul Heavenly Emperor's chest.
Splurt!
"Void... what are you doing?!" the emperor gasped, coughing up blood.
Void Devouring Flame sneered. "Oh, Soul Heavenly Emperor, how amusing. You always suspected me, yet today, you finally dropped your guard. Isn't that ironic?"
Xiao Tiance Observes
Outside the array, Xiao Tiance raised an eyebrow at the sudden turn of events. "Even after altering the timeline, this betrayal still plays out. Fate or simply their twisted nature? Either way, it saves me the trouble of dealing with both."
A Forbidden Art Revealed
Inside the array, the Soul Heavenly Emperor stumbled back, his blood staining the ground. He clutched his chest, his expression a mixture of rage and disbelief.
"Why? After everything I've done for you?" he rasped, glaring at Void Devouring Flame.
Void Devouring Flame chuckled darkly. "Spare me your self righteousness, emperor. You and I were never allies just mutual tools. The difference is, I struck first!"
A Last Bargain
The Soul Heavenly Emperor's eyes burned with hatred as he turned toward Xiao Tiance outside the array.
"Xiao Tiance, let's make a deal," he called out, his voice hoarse but determined.
Xiao Tiance tilted his head, intrigued. "A deal? I'm listening."
"Stop the array's heat. Once I've killed Void Devouring Flame, you can do whatever you want with me. Surely, after all these years, you still remember the day I ambushed you. Wouldn't it be satisfying to settle this grudge properly?"
Xiao Tiance smirked, though inwardly he remained cautious. "Oh? And you still think you're capable of killing him in your current state?"
The Soul Heavenly Emperor laughed bitterly. "You know better than anyone that I wouldn't make such an offer without the means to back it up. I still have a few cards to play."
The Emperor's Secret Weapon
Satisfied, Xiao Tiance waved his hand, and the searing heat within the array began to dissipate.
Without the heat to contend with, the Soul Heavenly Emperor turned to Void Devouring Flame, his gaze ice cold.
"Void, they say your greatest enemy is the one who knows you best. I never trusted you just as you never trusted me. But now, it's time to end this."
Void Devouring Flame cackled, his aura surging. "Finally, the truth! Well, if you're so eager to die, let's settle this!"
The two clashed, their powers colliding in a cataclysmic battle.
A Deadly Artifact
As their fight raged on, the Soul Heavenly Emperor suddenly pulled out a black stone, its surface etched with glowing runes.
Void Devouring Flame's eyes narrowed. "What is that?!"
The emperor sneered. "This is the Soul Clan's ultimate forbidden artifact the Soul Extinguishing Stone. It's fueled by a fragment of your soul, collected when I first brought you to the Soul Realm. With this, your life or death is mine to command!"
Void Devouring Flame's face twisted in horror. "You... you've been planning this for a thousand years?!"
The Soul Heavenly Emperor's laughter echoed through the chamber. "Goodbye, Void. You should have been more patient."
Crack!
The black stone shattered, releasing a wave of energy that instantly obliterated Void Devouring Flame's soul. His body froze, his lifeless eyes staring ahead as he collapsed like a puppet with its strings cut.
Xiao Tiance's Reflection
Outside the array, Xiao Tiance watched impassively. "What a terrifying artifact. A single move to extinguish a soul... The Soul Clan truly lived up to their name."
Inside, the Soul Heavenly Emperor stood over Void Devouring Flame's lifeless body, his expression a mix of triumph and sorrow.
"You should have waited, Void. Had I reached Dou Di, I might have spared you. But now, it's too late."
(Chapter End)
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