"What a fierce battle."
Inside a chamber of the Sun Moon Imperial Palace, Di Tian tore open space, bringing Chen Junting forth in utter silence. Gazing outward, he remarked dryly, "How ironic—to witness humans slaughtering one another."
"This world has always been thus," Chen Junting replied calmly, eyes scanning the room. "Even soul beasts battle to the death over territory and sustenance. Humans acting likewise is hardly strange. Nature's law is survival of the fittest."
Di Tian merely smiled, saying nothing.
Chen Junting had now confirmed their location: a soul-engineered barrier-protected chamber deep within the palace—Sun Moon's true armory. Here lay soul tools and fixed-load artillery shells of Grade 7 and above, far surpassing the nearby Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineer Academy's cache. A treasure trove of unmatched strategic value.
This was his true target.
A gamble he'd conceived alone—unshared, unspoken. Locating this vault required impossible intelligence; guarding it demanded elite forces. Even Super Douluos would struggle to breach it.
But now?
With the palace's elite forces fully engaged, Kong Deming personally committed to battle, and Di Tian at his side…
Heaven's timing and human alliance were his.
This was the perfect moment to empty the imperial armory.
Though… Chen Junting shook his head. If he ignited this place? Even Kong Deming—nearly Grade 10—would be vaporized. Mingdu itself might vanish. Based on his estimates, the stored Grade-9 fixed-load shells here exceeded Mingde Hall's entire wartime stockpile.
Thankfully, he possessed restraint.
If Dugu Xin were here?
Tsk tsk tsk…
Who designed this layout? Storing apocalyptic firepower beneath the throne room? Like sleeping with a gun pressed to your temple!
As Chen Junting's thoughts settled—
Snap!
Di Tian's hand clenched. A figure ripped through space, landing in his grip. Palace attire. A Grade-8 soul engineer—guardian of this very vault. Captured before he could raise an alarm.
Di Tian's fingers tightened—
"Senior Di Tian, wait." Chen Junting intervened. Under Di Tian's questioning gaze, he placed a hand on the man's brow. Memories flowed effortlessly into his mind.
A nod.
Crack—!
The engineer fell limp. Chen Junting stored the body without hesitation.
"Do you still require my aid?" Di Tian asked.
"Not here." Chen Junting glanced toward the window. "But outside—yes. Though you must exit from another direction."
"I understand." Di Tian's golden eyes gleamed. "Don't die."
He vanished through a spatial rift.
Chen Junting turned toward the corridor. From the engineer's memories, he retrieved the Deceiving Heaven Array Disc Zhang Lexuan had returned. Rare materials. Singular craftsmanship.
Array runes flared.
In the next breath—Chen Junting vanished. Not just his form, but all traces of his presence. As if he had never set foot in the Sun Moon Palace.
—
Above the palace, chaos erupted.
ROAR—!
Trapped within Di Tian's dragon claw, Long Xiaoyao sensed doom. Pure soul power and life essence erupted—burning.
His dragon form trembled. A roar shattered the heavens.
GREAT DARK HEAVEN!
His ultimate self-created soul skill. Now unleashed at the cost of life itself—spirit, blood essence, and soul fused into one cataclysmic strike.
Shatter!
The dragon claw's restraint exploded.
The battlefield plunged into absolute darkness—Long Xiaoyao seemingly merging with the void of ultimate shadow.
Futile.
Before Di Tian, this was mere child's play.
"You have nothing left."
DRAGON GOD CLAW!
Di Tian's eyes blazed. Full power. Unleashed.
Whoosh—!
Great Dark Heaven tore like paper.
The colossal claw speared toward Long Xiaoyao's skull.
No escape.
Kong Deming lunged to intervene—but Du Busi and the others barred his path. He could only watch.
"SAVE THE DRAGON EMPEROR DOULUO!" Xu Tianran's voice boomed.
Long Xiaoyao could not die. Not yet. To unify Douluo Continent, he needed Limit Douluos to counter the Three Great Empires' elites.
CRACK! CRACK! CRACK!
Palace roofs split open. Massive cannon barrels emerged—cold metal gleaming with apocalyptic intent. All aimed solely at Di Tian.
(Why not target the others? Fear of collateral damage to Kong Deming.)
The sky-born elites paled. Even Di Tian's gaze sharpened.
At Title Douluo rank, one sensed mortal peril instinctively. Now—a wave of lethal dread washed over them. These cannons targeted only Di Tian… yet the threat felt universal.
Below, Zhi Yong and the others gasped.
Mingdu Palace had transformed into a forest of steel. Cannon barrels thicker than tree trunks protruded from every structure. Smallest bore: over one foot. Largest: two meters wide. Glowing muzzles pulsed—charging. Ready to annihilate.
"DI TIAN! STOP!" Xu Tianran's amplified voice shook the heavens. A threat. A gamble. Fire these cannons—they might save Long Xiaoyao… or obliterate him.
But would the Beast God yield to threats?
"You dare threaten this Sovereign?"
Di Tian's golden eyes turned glacial.
Him? The Sovereign of Star Luo Great Forest? Threatened by a crippled mortal?
Crack—!
The Dragon God Claw descended without hesitation. Judgment surged forth.
Gravely wounded, depleted—Long Xiaoyao stood no chance against this enraged, full-power divine strike.
The outcome was inevitable.
A gentle breeze stirred.
The Dark Holy Dragon let out one final roar—lingering, reluctant. His gaze drifted toward a distant horizon. Then, his colossal form shrank back to human shape. His body dissolved into countless drifting butterflies… then into fine dust… vanishing into the wind.
Dragon Emperor Douluo—PERISHED.
The legendary Dark Holy Dragon, who once shook the world alongside Mu En… met his end beneath Di Tian's claw.
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