"Blood Demon Finger!"
From within the shattered void, a cold voice echoed. Then, a crimson finger—wreathed in a sinister mist of blood essence and shadow—pierced through the darkness. Faint trails of black fog coiled around the finger, and within that haze, it felt as though countless wailing spirits cried out in agony, their chilling howls bleeding into the world like echoes from the underworld itself.
The Soul Emperor emerged from the rift in the void, thrusting that terrifying finger toward Chen Xiaoming.
The very space around Chen Xiaoming shuddered from the strike. The dark, resentful aura battered his consciousness, and even with the strength of an Imperial Soul Realm, his mind wavered ever so slightly under its assault.
"Hmph."
Within the torrent of wails and chaos, Chen Xiaoming let out a cold snort. His Imperial Soul flared to life, silver radiance enveloping his entire body. Behind him, a towering ethereal figure rose, and with a swift motion, he launched a spear strike toward the Soul Emperor.
Since the Soul Emperor refused to flee, then he could not blame Chen Xiaoming for being merciless.
"Break!"
The spear thrust forth, unleashing a devastating silver light that tore through the void. It collided with the Blood Demon Finger, and in an instant, the crimson digit began to dissolve like frost under the sun.
The black mist dispersed, releasing invisible shockwaves that rippled outward. In just a few moments, the strange energy had surrounded Chen Xiaoming, and his brows furrowed slightly at the unsettling sensation in the air.
"Jie jie…"
A sinister chuckle suddenly rang out by his ear. A dangerous intuition surged from within. Chen Xiaoming's body tensed, and silver light flickered within his eyes.
The Soul Emperor had vanished, concealed entirely by the dispersing black mist.
There was no time to think.
Golden light flared around Chen Xiaoming's right fist as the power of the Soulfruit of Douluo surged. Dou Qi gathered in torrents while his Imperial Soul erupted once more. He spun with precision—and struck.
From the side of the battlefield, the Soul Emperor's form abruptly reappeared. A massive black hand formed from condensed mist reached out toward Chen Xiaoming.
Boom!
Fist and palm collided. Black mist surged wildly as Chen Xiaoming stamped down, channeling the full force of his soul and dragonfruit power. In an instant, golden light burst from his fist.
With terrifying momentum, his strike shattered the black hand completely. The already fragmented void trembled violently, and a deep, guttural boom resounded across the battlefield.
Chen Xiaoming's eyes gleamed sharply. He stared down at the stunned Soul Emperor behind the broken mist—and without hesitation, his figure flashed forward, launching another punch.
"Not good!"
The Soul Emperor paled. A torrent of black mist gushed from within him, quickly forming a gaping black hole to intercept Chen Xiaoming's strike.
"Oh? That trick again?" Chen Xiaoming sneered. "You think it'll work this time?"
Boom!
His golden fist crashed forward. Silver light surged, and the space itself split open as the punch pierced the black hole in the blink of an eye.
The Soul Emperor attempted to counter with a palm strike, but a crisp crack echoed through the air—followed by the sound of bones shattering. He was flung backward like a shooting star.
Energy shockwaves erupted in every direction. The already devastated terrain beneath their feet split once more, deep crevices spreading like spiderwebs across the ground.
Chaotic space currents and violent gales swept through the battlefield. What had once been a mighty battleground was now nothing but scorched earth and ruin.
As the torn space struggled to repair itself only to be ripped apart again, Chen Xiaoming stood suspended in the air, watching calmly as the Soul Emperor lay embedded deep in the mountainside.
That was just a warm-up. He hadn't even gotten serious yet.
Most of his fury had already faded. The fact that the Soul Emperor had taken his full blow head-on and still hadn't fled earned him a sliver of respect. For that alone, Chen Xiaoming was willing to spare his life—temporarily.
After all, there were far too few opponents in this world who could truly challenge him.
If someone dared to rise against him without fear of death, then he wouldn't mind letting them live a little longer… before killing them.
Whoosh!
The mountain exploded as the Soul Emperor shot forth from its depths. Blood stained the corner of his lips, his once-pristine white robes now tattered and marked with crimson. He was in a sorry state.
"Hah! You really are stronger than Gu Yuan!"
Though he'd suffered a loss, the Soul Emperor didn't seem angry. In fact, his eyes gleamed with excitement. The black mist within him surged wildly as an oppressive aura began to gather around him.
He locked eyes with Chen Xiaoming, his will clearly reignited—he would not suffer defeat again.
"Come then, Soul Emperor," Chen Xiaoming said, voice low and steady. "Let me show you what true power looks like."
Excitement flickered in his eyes. A terrifying pressure erupted from his body, and the silver glow around him began to tremble—as if bowing to some unseen force.
The surrounding void trembled under an invisible force, freezing as though time itself had halted. The battlefield fell into a strange stillness.
Battle intent ignited within Chen Xiaoming's gaze. He didn't know what else the Soul Emperor had in store, but he was eager to find out.
"Not watching. You're just a needle."
The Soul Emperor's frosty voice cut through the silence like a blade. His tone was mocking—dismissive.
Pfft!
The momentum Chen Xiaoming had gathered abruptly faltered. He looked up, utterly dumbfounded. Confusion filled his gaze.
From the start until now, something about the Soul Emperor hadn't matched his expectations at all.
But being mocked like that—being called a needle—sparked a killing intent that surged uncontrollably from within.
Hehe… So you dare insult me like that? Looks like I can't let you live after all.
Murderous aura burst forth. The silver light surrounding him surged as Chen Xiaoming stepped forward, standing proudly in the void. Behind him, the massive silhouette loomed, and the silver spear in his hand glinted with deadly brilliance.
The Soul Emperor's eyes narrowed, a trace of anxiety flashing through them.
But just as Chen Xiaoming prepared to strike—
BOOM!
A thunderous noise erupted from deep within the GU Realm.
"Damn it! The Soul Clan's target is the Ancient Jade!"
Outside the battlefield, Gu Yuan's voice cried out in alarm. Realization struck him like lightning—this entire battle had been a diversion. The Soul Emperor never intended to win; he was just stalling for time.
"Hahaha! Gu Yuan, you're too late! My Soul Clan has already secured the handoff!"
The Soul Emperor, battered and bloodied, burst into wild laughter. A spatial rift tore open behind him as he vanished into the breach.
The Soul Emperor, who had been relentlessly suppressed in battle by Chen Xiaoming, suddenly burst into wild laughter. Behind him, a rift in space tore open.
He had laid his plans long ago—Soul Clan elites had been dispatched to await his signal. He himself had remained here as bait, never fleeing, all to bide time until the Ancient Jade was in his grasp.
Now that the jade was his, he had no intention of continuing this futile fight against a monster like Chen Xiaoming.
With a slight motion, his figure began to retreat, preparing to withdraw. But in that instant, a surge of intense deathly aura flooded his senses. Lifting his gaze, he saw it—a colossal phantom in midair, clutching a spear in one hand. With a sudden lunge, the spear was hurled, shattering through space itself as it hurtled directly toward him.
"You want to leave? Did I say you could?"
-------
Want to read ahead of schedule? Head over to my Patreon ——— patreon(.)com/igotneonlight [remove the parenthesis ( )]