Even from tens of kilometers away,
the murderous aura rolling in from the Spirit Empire's territory pressed down so heavily that it was hard to breathe.
Yue Guan, Gui Mei, the Six Worships of the Spirit Hall, and two others whose blood-qi reeked of slaughter—clearly from the Slaughter City—stood among them. Ten full Titled Douluo in total, their pressure like a prison.
On the Heaven Dou side,
their lineup was equally formidable.
Li Zhexian, Chen Xin, Gu Rong, Dugu Bo, Feng Bailong, Yu Yuanzhen, the Dark Demon Evil God, and another man clad in full armor—his aura vast and steady: the former War Marquis of the Star Luo Empire, known as First Marquis, newly ascended to Titled level.
BOOM—BOOM—BOOM—BOOM—BOOM!!
Ten Titled Douluo released their aura simultaneously from within the Spirit Empire's borders.
Spirit Power surged like a tidal wave, rolling across half the sky as it rushed toward Heaven Dou.
"Hmph!"
Chen Xin, Gu Rong, Dugu Bo and the others took a single step forward—
and their figures shot into the sky.
Behind them, light radiated from Ning Fengzhi's Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda.
Several beams of amplification fell upon the Heaven Dou powerhouses, their mighty aura meeting the enemy head-on.
Li Zhexian did not move.
His aura was tightly condensed.
Somewhere unseen—
two incomparably vicious killing intents had already locked onto him from afar, making it impossible for him to move lightly.
Seventeen Titled Douluo's auras collided above the border of the two nations, raw and unadorned.
In that moment—
time seemed to freeze.
At the point of impact, a thin line of darkness split open, devouring all light.
Then—
the darkness expanded violently.
It became a giant vortex of energy over ten thousand meters wide, tearing the sky asunder.
It was as if the heavens themselves had been smashed apart!
Jagged bolts of lightning roared within the vortex.
Shockwaves became visible gray-white rings that swept outward in all directions.
Below—
hundreds of thousands of soldiers locked in battle
became as insignificant as ants.
Whether the Spirit Empire's Spirit Master armies or Heaven Dou's iron-armored cavalry, all were crushed to the ground by the weight of heaven and earth.
Warhorses wailed and buckled, soldiers stumbled in droves, and the entire battlefield quaked violently.
Moments earlier they had fought to the death—
but now none could even stand straight, forced to brace themselves with their weapons stabbed into the ground.
Heaven and earth lost their color.
Only those seventeen figures stood like mountains above an abyss.
BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM—!
BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM—!
Their auras continued to clash wildly.
The energy vortex grew more violent, like a titanic millstone grinding the heavens, its mixed attributes erupting with world-shattering power.
The fighting below had long ceased.
Hundreds of thousands of eyes—
burning with fear and fervor—
were fixed upon those figures in the sky.
This was the first direct clash of the two nations' peak forces—
its outcome would decide morale.
Whoever showed weakness first…
would change the course of the entire war.
BOOM BOOM BOOM—!
BOOM BOOM BOOM—!
The vortex slowly shifted—
pushing toward Heaven Dou territory.
At that moment—
A faint but chilling crack… rang out.
Chen Xin, Gu Rong, and the others stiffened, turning sharply toward the First Marquis of Star Luo.
The newly advanced Titled Douluo, in the end, still lacked a deep foundation.
Cracks like blood-red lightning split across his proud figure.
Blood welled out rapidly, staining his graying hair crimson.
And yet—
the First Marquis's eyes remained sharp as an eagle's—utterly unmoved.
"Do not worry…"
His voice was steady, not the least bit weak.
"A Marquis of Star Luo… never drags his comrades down. I am fine!"
The moment he spoke—
the Spirit Empire's ten Titled Douluo flared their power again.
Even with Ning Fengzhi's full amplification, Chen Xin and the others were forced back several staggering steps in the sky.
RUMBLE—RUMBLE—RUMBLE—!!
RUMBLE—RUMBLE—RUMBLE—!!
The massive vortex pushed several more kilometers into Heaven Dou's territory.
Loose energy crushed the earth below like shattering glass—
spreading jagged ravines across the land.
"SPIRIT EMPIRE—INVINCIBLE!"
"SPIRIT EMPIRE—INVINCIBLE!"
The Spirit Master army erupted in thunderous cheers, their morale soaring.
In contrast, even with Heaven Dou's strict military discipline, a faint panic still spread through their ranks.
Yu Tianheng, Huo Wushuang, and the other outstanding youths all wore grim expressions.
"Why isn't Brother Zhexian making a move?"
"Spirit Empire's Bibi Dong and the Slaughter King haven't appeared either—they must be facing off against Brother Zhexian!"
"To stand alone against two Limit Douluo… Brother Zhexian bears the greatest pressure!"
"If this continues, our Heaven Dou Titled Douluo may be the first to falter!"
"If our peak combat strength collapses before the war even begins, morale will be struck a fatal blow!"
Just as the Heaven Dou side began to show signs of losing—
The figure of Li Zhexian atop the city wall suddenly blurred.
Fast.
So fast it transcended description.
As though he moved against the current of time itself—
The world around him slowed to a crawl.
Before anyone could react—
A white-robed figure had already ghosted into Spirit Empire territory, appearing before the two Titled Douluo from the Slaughter City.
His hand tightened on the sword hilt—
about to draw—
"Sword Wine Slaughter God, I have been waiting for you for a long time."
At almost the same instant—
A slim figure draped in a blood-red cloak appeared soundlessly at Li Zhexian's flank.
A pale hand emerged from within the cloak—
Spirit Power condensed within it enough to shatter mountains—
and chopped straight toward the crown of Li Zhexian's head.
The Slaughter King made his move!
If Li Zhexian insisted on killing the two Titled Douluo, he would be forced to endure this skull-crushing blow.
Yet—
To the King of Slaughter's shock—
The youth ignored him completely, letting his brilliant sword light swing out unhindered.
"Hmph!"
A blood-red gleam flashed in the Slaughte King's eyes.
His palm force surged even more violently, shaking the surrounding space.
Boom!
His pale palm struck the youth's head cleanly—
Yet hit only emptiness.
The Slaughter King's expression shifted.
His strike, locked firmly onto Li Zhexian's vital energy, had… missed?
He looked carefully—
Li Zhexian's form was hazy, as though he stood in a different slice of time and space—
not fully present in the current world.
"A terrifying space-time movement technique!"
"But using this power means you can't attack others!"
The Slaughter King, sharp as ever, instantly saw through the mystery of Instant Eternity, and rasped harshly.
But before his voice even faded—
Li Zhexian's figure suddenly solidified.
In that lightning-flash instant—
the two Titled Douluo from Slaughter City finally realized danger.
Their expressions twisted as they roared, raising their weapons instinctively to block.
Where the sword light passed—
their tool Martial Souls shattered instantly.
Before the backlash of their broken Martial Souls even struck them—
the blade had already swept through their necks.
Psshhk!
Two heads flew skyward.
Blood sprayed several meters high.
"Courting death!"
Seizing the moment when Li Zhexian's previous force had faded and new strength had yet to rise—
The Slaughter King struck again.
His palm slammed heavily into Li Zhexian's chest.
The youth's body shattered like glass—
But time began to rewind around him,
the broken form reverting to the moment before destruction.
His injuries healed visibly, rapidly…
Within a heartbeat—
he had returned to an uninjured state.
Time continued to rewind further—
his figure flickering through moments—
until he reappeared atop the Heaven Dou city wall.
His posture, expression, even the angle of his brows—
all identical to before he struck.
Only the two headless bodies falling from the sky
proved that what had just happened
was no illusion.