One hundred miles outside Heavenly Dou City, the area was desolate, devoid of both people and Soul Beasts. Sword Douluo and Golden Alligator Douluo stood a hundred meters apart. Though neither made a move, their auras were firmly locked onto each other.
Li Xun found a relatively safe distance to set down Qian Renxue and Ning Fengzhi, then focused entirely on observing the movements of the two combatants.
This action puzzled Ning Fengzhi and Qian Renxue, but now was not the time to dwell on it, as Golden Alligator Douluo had begun to move.
"Seventh Soul Skill, Golden Crocodile True Form." Unlike a swordsman, Golden Alligator Douluo did not rely on intricate techniques—he simply overpowered his opponents with sheer force.
As his seventh Spirit Ring flashed, the clear sky instantly darkened with thick clouds. A colossal creature, nearly sixty meters long, roared, and a beam of light tore through the clouds, shooting straight toward Sword Douluo.
As a swordsman, Sword Douluo placed great importance on sensing his opponent's aura, seeking that fleeting moment of vulnerability.
"Seven Kill Avatar." The instant Golden Alligator Douluo struck, Sword Douluo's eyes gleamed with sharp intensity.
The Seven Kill Domain activated, and the seventh, third, and sixth Spirit Rings at his feet lit up in succession. Riding atop the Seven Kill Sword, he charged toward Golden Alligator Douluo amidst a dense swarm of Flying Swords—this was Ten Thousand Swords Return to Origin.
Facing this attack, Golden Alligator Douluo's expression turned grave. Having lost the initiative, he could only defend. His first and sixth Spirit Rings glowed as a massive golden crocodile enveloped his body, radiating a dazzling golden light.
Clang, clang, clang—
A cacophony of metallic clashes echoed across the wilderness. The Flying Swords were all deflected by the Golden Crocodile King's scaled body, scattering in all directions and scarring the land deeply.
Sword Douluo had anticipated this. His sixth Spirit Ring flashed, and the Seven Kill Sword beneath his feet hummed incessantly, transforming into a white streak that shot forth like a meteor, instantly shattering the Golden Crocodile King's illusion and heading straight for Golden Alligator Douluo's face.
"Well done!" Golden Alligator Douluo grinned wildly in the face of danger. His body abruptly leaned backward before spinning rapidly in mid-air, his tail whipping sideways to strike the Seven Kill Sword.
Boom—Crash—
Golden Alligator Douluo's tail, connected to his Martial Soul illusion, collided with the Seven Kill Sword. After a deafening impact, the sword veered off course and plunged into a mountain five miles away.
The once sizable peak was instantly sheared flat.
This pinpoint strike finally allowed Golden Alligator Douluo to balance the scales after his earlier disadvantage. Now, he shed all arrogance. His eighth Spirit Ring lit up: "Starfall."
The enormous Golden Crocodile King roared, its gaze fixed on Sword Douluo. Then, it shot forward at incredible speed, its massive body spinning faster and faster until it resembled a meteor tearing through the atmosphere, crashing down with devastating force.
Boom—
Like an asteroid striking Earth, a massive shockwave radiated outward, churning up clouds of dust and debris. Trees and vegetation within a two- to three-hundred-meter diameter were reduced to powder.
Even Li Xun and the other two were affected, temporarily unable to see the situation clearly.
Suddenly, the heavens shifted. A gigantic Seven Kill Sword materialized high in the sky, grasped by a half-demonic, half-divine figure: "God and Demon Dual Slash—Sword Douluo Chen Xin."
A deep voice resonated across the land as countless streaks of Sword Qi rained down.
"Bring it on!!" Facing the relentless onslaught of Sword Qi, Golden Alligator Douluo spread his arms and laughed heartily. The ninth, blood-red Spirit Ring at his feet began to glow.
The Golden Crocodile King raised its scales all over its body, swaying rhythmically. Each sway generated a layer of red ripples, and then the massive crocodile clamped its mouth onto its own tail, forming a ring and beginning to spin rapidly.
A sudden gale arose, and the earth trembled. The enormous Golden Crocodile King now resembled a golden-red tornado, its snorts mingled with roars as it charged headlong into Sword Douluo's Sword Qi.
Boom! Boom! Boom!—
The continuous explosions left Li Xun and the other two with only a ringing in their ears. The scattered Sword Qi gouged deep trenches across the ground.
As a seasoned powerhouse, Golden Alligator Douluo's strength was utterly terrifying. He blocked each wave of Sword Qi with his immense power. Though he sustained some injuries, his momentum did not diminish in the slightest as he surged skyward.
Sword Douluo unleashed twelve consecutive Sword Qi attacks, yet Golden Alligator Douluo met them head-on with sheer force. Faced with such a scene, Sword Douluo remained completely emotionless.
Watching the invincible aura emanating from the massive Golden Crocodile King, he gained a sudden insight.
Releasing the Seven Kill Sword in his hand, letting it fall freely through the air, Sword Douluo seemed to grasp a sword from within his heart: "A lifetime of trials, condensed into a single strike."
At this moment, whether it was the previous twelve strikes or the other skills from his Spirit Rings, they all seemed to merge into this one attack.
A streak of white light flashed, and the world seemed to lose its color. The rapidly spinning body of the Golden Crocodile King was instantly severed into two halves, and the attack continued toward Golden Alligator Douluo.
"A breakthrough in the heat of battle!" Golden Alligator Douluo's heart tightened, and his estimation of Sword Douluo rose several notches.
The Sword Qi had now reached him, but having already clashed with the Golden Crocodile King, its power had diminished and no longer posed a threat.
Dodging the Sword Qi, Golden Alligator Douluo looked toward Sword Douluo, whose aura had grown even stronger: "Truly, each generation brings forth its own talents. You have now surpassed your father, Chen Jianjun. How about we call this match a draw?"
Sword Douluo's eyes flickered. He had just glimpsed the path ahead and now needed a quiet place to contemplate: "Then I thank the Second Enshrinement."
Golden Alligator Douluo nodded. Previously, he had been confident in defeating Sword Douluo, but now that his opponent had broken through, the outcome was uncertain. Since this was not a life-or-death struggle, neither could predict the final result.
Moreover, through this duel, he too had gained some insights and needed time to quietly absorb them.
He had been stuck at the 98th rank for nearly twenty years and had not left Spirit Hall for fifty years. He never expected that a single battle today would loosen his bottleneck.
Had he grown too complacent over the years?
Golden Alligator Douluo sighed. If that were truly the case, had he wasted all these years?
"Young lady, since you do not wish for me to remain by your side, I will return to Spirit City. However, I will report everything truthfully to the Great Enshrinement," Golden Alligator Douluo turned to Qian Renxue.
He had come this time to protect Qian Renxue, not under Bibidong's orders. His earlier actions were merely to test the growth of Spirit Hall's little princess after witnessing her progress.
As for the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School and Sword Douluo, they were entirely unexpected developments.
Besides, Qian Renxue now seemed to trust these people more than him. Let the Great Enshrinement and the Pope deal with the rest.
However, unless they made a move themselves, there was truly no way to deal with a powerful 98th-ranked Douluo.
Seeing that Golden Alligator Douluo was about to leave, Qian Renxue felt a surge of joy in her heart: "No problem, Second Elder, just report the truth. And please help me pass a message to Grandfather—tell him I'm doing very well and he doesn't need to worry."
Hearing this, Golden Alligator Douluo nodded, then turned and transformed into a streak of light, vanishing into the distance.
As their opponent retreated, Sword Douluo withdrew his imposing aura and landed beside Ning Fengzhi. Just as he was about to fly back to Heavenly Dou City with the others, he suddenly noticed something unusual about Li Xun.
-Support me in Patreon for more chapters 35+ chapters in there
patreon.com/QueenTL
Thanks!