"Hoo..."
A gentle breeze stirred as starlight shimmered across the Star Realm's sky. Calm and composed, Chen Xiaoming retracted his hand and casually tossed the slain body toward the distant Violet-Gold Lion King.
With a flash of its figure, the Violet-Gold Lion King caught the corpse instantly and withdrew.
Silence fell over the Star Realm.
Within the towering spire, Xuan Kongzi and the others gazed up in awe at Chen Xiaoming high above, unable to hide their sighs of admiration.
"Alas, it seems we have truly grown old."
"This Titled Palace has now made a name for itself with a single battle. From this day forth, who across the Central State will not know its name?"
"Indeed. Even the Soul Hall was helpless against him. Titled Palace has undeniably risen."
All the forces Chen Xiaoming had invited this time were the major powers of Central Plains—the One Tower, Two Sects, Three Valleys, and Three Pavilions—all had been summoned.
Some marveled at the rise of Titled Palace, while others' eyes gleamed with resentment—especially Lei Zun, Pavilion Master of Wind Lightning Pavilion, long opposed to Falling Star Pavilion.
Just a moment ago, they had been peers. In the blink of an eye, Chen Xiaoming had left him far behind, even qualifying to vie for the position of Central Plains's greatest force.
This disparity left a bitter taste in Lei Zun's mouth.
But thoughts like his were in the minority. Most present were thrilled—after witnessing Chen Xiaoming easily slay an opponent, their eyes shone brightly with excitement.
Especially the beautiful young woman—at this moment, she trembled violently, her gaze blazing as if she could devour Chen Xiaoming whole.
Those around her instinctively backed away a few steps. She was simply too terrifying.
"You court death!"
Seeing the Soul Clan elder's corpse secured by the Violet-Gold Lion King, Hun Miesheng's face turned ashen. Those men were ones he had painstakingly borrowed from the clan. Now that one had died, when he returned, he would surely face the clan's unquenchable wrath.
A late-stage Five-Star Dou Saint—such strength was rare even within the Soul Clan. Now that one had fallen because of this debacle, he had no way to explain himself.
"Tch, that's all you know how to say?"
Chen Xiaoming scoffed disdainfully. He had heard these empty threats at least eight hundred times already. Couldn't villains ever come up with a fresh line?
After all his cultivation up till now, he had yet to meet a single villain who actually lived up to their own boastful threats!
"Whoosh!"
The Soul Clan elder's foot tapped the ground as his figure shot out like lightning. From the black mist shrouding his sleeves, a blood-red demonic blade emerged, dense with bloodlust. Intricate patterns writhed along its surface, vivid as if they would drip blood at any moment.
The moment the demon blade was drawn, a crimson glow surged through the heavens, blotting out the stars and dyeing the world red.
"Soul Extinguishing Slash!"
The elder's surging Dou Qi roared as countless streams of black mist poured into the demonic blade. With a single swing, a streak of crimson light tore across the void. Space itself cracked apart, leaving a thousand-foot rift swirling with chaotic void currents.
"Buzz..."
The world trembled.
Silver light exploded from within Chen Xiaoming's body, and his majestic Dou Qi surged like a boundless ocean. Instantly, the entire Star Realm was bathed in silver radiance.
His Imperial Soul Realm surged forth, manifesting behind him as an immense phantom figure. As soul power flooded into it, the phantom gradually solidified.
In a seamless motion, Chen Xiaoming and the phantom merged. With a flick of his right hand, the silver light blanketing the heavens coalesced into a massive silver spear.
"Slash!"
The phantom roared, and the silver spear swept out. A dazzling silver arc cleaved through the sky, splitting a thousand-foot chasm in the void, swallowing everything in its path.
"Boom!"
Crimson and silver clashed violently. A terrifying energy storm exploded forth, overwhelming and unstoppable, ripping the Star Realm with countless fractures.
Chen Xiaoming frowned slightly. Starlight cascaded down as the colossal phantom swept its silver light across the heavens, stabilizing the shattered void in an instant.
"Die!"
Above him, taking advantage of Chen Xiaoming's brief distraction, the Soul Clan elder crossed space itself, the demonic blade in hand blazing with infernal fire and bloodlust. Another slash streaked forth, a crimson arc of death.
Yet the phantom's silver spear twitched, and the void split apart. At the exact spot where the crimson light fell, a brilliant burst of silver erupted to meet it.
"Boom!"
The two forces collided again, and a horrifying energy shockwave tore through the surroundings. The void crumbled like paper under the clash of these titanic powers.
Chen Xiaoming tapped his foot lightly and darted forward. The silver spear in his hand danced in rapid thrusts, unleashing streaks of radiant energy that sealed off the entire sky.
Glancing at the broken Star Realm, golden light flared in Chen Xiaoming's eyes. Gripping the spear tightly, he summoned an overwhelming surge of power. Golden beams of light shot forth, transforming into nine golden celestial dragons.
"Roar!"
Dragon cries echoed across the Star Realm as the nine golden dragons soared through the heavens. Chen Xiaoming's mighty golden Dou Qi surged outward. The dragons wove through the void, then spiraled downward in a terrifying dive.
The silver spear shone brilliantly. The nine dragons dissolved into golden runes, etching themselves onto the spear. At its tip, a single, dazzling golden point of light emerged.
"Not good!"
The Soul Clan elder sensed the impending catastrophe. In panic, he roared, unleashing endless black mist from his body. His demonic blade flared to life, releasing a torrent of red, ghostly faces wailing in agony, the blood mist corroding the land below into barren wasteland.
Those spectating hurriedly retreated, their faces pale with horror.
The elder had unleashed his full strength—the peak of a Six-Star Dou Saint's power erupted from him. His demonic blade, wreathed in black flames, burned with annihilating might.
"Devil Annihilation Slash!"
With a slash, the heavens fell into eerie silence. For an instant, even the stars seemed to dim. In the void, a burning infernal flame swept forth, devouring everything in its path.
Within the phantom, Chen Xiaoming's silver eyes gleamed coldly. Lifting his head, he stared unflinchingly at the descending inferno. His boundless Dou Qi erupted, flooding the spear with silver radiance as the golden runes pulsed with dragon cries.
The spear trembled, and the void shattered. Silver light concentrated at the spear tip. Golden and silver hues intertwined, forming a single, blinding spear of light.
When the spear thrust forward, the world fell utterly still, as if time itself froze. The golden-silver spear light advanced relentlessly, closing the distance in a flash to collide with the oncoming infernal flame.
"Boom!"
In an instant, a terrifying surge of energy erupted. Heaven and earth dimmed as if the sky were collapsing and the ground shattering — a scene reminiscent of the end of days.
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