"Wuwuwu…"
From the Dragon-Slaying Blade came a mournful cry of dragons that echoed across the entire arena, shaking the spirits of many spectators.
Last time, when A Ruheng's body martial soul awakened for the third time, had it not been for Xia Yi's presence, it nearly injured the audience.
As a result, the Sun Moon Federation had specially doubled the strength of the arena's protective barrier.
But as the mournful cries of dragons rang out from the Dragon-Slaying Blade, spectators with dragon-type martial souls or darker hearts were greatly affected.
To them, Sima Jinchi had transformed into a black mountain, exuding a terrifying aura that instilled a deep-rooted fear.
However, Gu Yue on the stage remained unaffected. As silver dragon wings unfurled behind her, the Silver Dragon Spear appeared in her hand.
Without hesitation, Sima Jinchi leapt into the air. Surrounding his terrifying blade intent were broken dragon skeletons. In that black world, there was a desolate spiritual fluctuation filled with pain, regret, and sorrow, charging directly at Gu Yue.
"This is a domain comprehended from the Dragon-Slaying Blade. Half-step Spirit Domain Realm—not bad," Gu Yue instantly realized that Sima Jinchi had comprehended a domain.
There are many kinds of domains—those innate to martial souls, granted by soul skills, given by battle armor, or self-comprehended.
A spiritual domain is one that is self-comprehended.
However, to form a spiritual domain, one must at least reach the Spirit Domain Realm in spiritual power.
Sima Jinchi was not only powerful in cultivation, but his spiritual power had actually reached the half-step Spirit Domain Realm.
At that stage, one cannot yet comprehend a true spiritual domain, but can fuse spiritual power with their martial soul to create a special domain.
Such self-comprehended domains might not match the power of innate ones, but the soul master's control over the laws of the domain will always surpass those given by martial souls or battle armor.
Thus, their use would be far more natural and precise.
Gu Yue flapped her dragon wings and, like a moth to the flame, charged into the black world.
"No wonder she's the disciple of Phoenix Douluo—what courage!" Watching Gu Yue enter Sima Jinchi's domain proactively made both the audience and Sima Jinchi frown.
Inside an enemy's domain, one will more or less be suppressed. The correct approach is to avoid it if possible.
Even low-level soul masters wouldn't make the mistake of charging into an enemy's domain on purpose.
But Gu Yue didn't care. Upon entering, she immediately felt the surrounding temperature drop sharply. All the mournful cries turned hoarse in an instant. In that dark world, a brilliant light suddenly flared—like the beginning of the world—cutting through all the darkness. A terrifying blade light burst forth madly.
"Ang!" A resonant dragon roar rang out, instantly silencing all the sorrowful wails, as if something unfathomable had occurred.
In the next moment, Sima Jinchi's blade light clashed with the Silver Dragon Spear.
"Boom!"
It was like thunder exploding in the sky.
At the point of collision, both black and silver forces vanished, revealing Gu Yue and Sima Jinchi.
They were incredibly close. The tip of Gu Yue's spear was touching the edge of Sima Jinchi's blade.
Terrifying energy burst out from the point of collision in an instant!
Sima Jinchi was blown backward, while Gu Yue calmly descended to the ground.
"How is this possible?" Sima Jinchi's eyes were filled with disbelief. He looked at the Silver Dragon Spear in Gu Yue's hand, then turned to his own Dragon-Slaying Blade.
After just one clash, both weapons emitted low, deep hums.
The Dragon-Slaying Blade, which previously cried out mournfully, now expressed a joyous emotion after clashing with the Silver Dragon Spear. The hum was clear and resonant.
The hum from the Silver Dragon Spear was crisp and melodic, harmonizing with that of the Dragon-Slaying Blade, as if they were long-lost friends calling out to each other.
Just one collision, and Sima Jinchi was shocked. He clearly felt that after the clash, the aura of the Silver Dragon Spear stimulated his soul power, causing it to surge violently and rapidly increase. He felt an unprecedented unity between himself and his blade.
At this moment, he seemed to have become the blade itself. A joyful emotion spread within him.
What was going on? Could it be that Gu Yue's martial soul was a just and righteous dragon? But even so, why would it make the Dragon-Slaying Blade so happy?
To Gu Yue, the Silver Dragon Spear brought a feeling of joy and familiarity, as if encountering a fellow kindred spirit or an old friend.
But for Sima Jinchi, the Dragon-Slaying Blade gave off an even stronger emotion—almost childlike adoration, like meeting a relative or elder.
What in the world was happening?
"Again!" Gu Yue didn't give Sima Jinchi time to think, speaking softly toward him.
"Come on! Don't think I'm afraid of you!" Sima Jinchi roared. Black light radiated from his body, forming a two-word battle armor that instantly enveloped him. His aura surged to a terrifying level.
He leveled the Dragon-Slaying Blade. On its edge appeared cloud-like patterns resembling broken dragons. The powerful blade intent swept across the arena.
With a roar, his soul rings glowed. He swung his Dragon-Slaying Blade horizontally, sending out a massive blade light accompanied by the mournful cry of a giant dragon. Behind him, a black dragon appeared, struggling frantically in the air as if trying to escape.
But in an instant, a flash of white light split the black dragon's body in two.
Countless emotions—resentment, hatred, regret, pain, unwillingness—all transformed into black streams of energy and poured into the Dragon-Slaying Blade.
The blade light now bore black scale-like patterns.
"Ang…" Gu Yue's dragon roar rang out again. From the tip of her spear, a large silver dragon head burst forth and roared at the terrifying blade light.
A strange scene occurred. The black dragon blade light, filled with negative emotion, began to melt at the sound of the roar. The negative energy rapidly diminished, replaced by a sense of relief.
"Boom—"
The black dragon slash collided with the silver dragon head!
In an instant, the Dragon-Slaying Blade—dominating and unparalleled—showed signs of collapse.
The blade light retracted, then began to shatter. As golden and black lights met, the audience saw the Silver Dragon Spear strike the back of the Dragon-Slaying Blade.
"Ding!" A crisp sound rang out. Sima Jinchi trembled violently as the force hurled him away like a shooting star.
Silver spear intent surged into his body, but at that moment, a ring of black light rippled out from the Dragon-Slaying Blade, devouring the spear intent.
Sima Jinchi's entire body ached as if every inch of his skin was being torn apart. Yet, the Dragon-Slaying Blade exuded pure joy, as if it had received something extraordinary. All the mournful dragon cries vanished, replaced only by joyful hums.
This was…
The next moment, a strange energy wave from the blade surged into his body. His soul power, which hadn't improved in years, suddenly leapt upward—showing signs of breaking through to Titled Douluo.
Even more astonishing, his spiritual sea cleared, and everything around him became a bit more vivid.
He had long reached the half-step Spirit Domain Realm, and any further progress was extremely difficult. Yet, this one clash had elevated both his soul and spiritual power, alongside the Dragon-Slaying Blade.
How could this be? What was happening?
Compared to being blown away, the shock in Sima Jinchi's heart was incomparable. After all, this was inside the Star Dou Battle Network—a simulation. It wasn't a real fight. That meant even if one gained something in combat, it was only experience and technique. Soul and spiritual power shouldn't improve.
How could an opponent's attack cause his cultivation to rise?
It was simply unbelievable!
"Again!" Gu Yue's voice rang out once more. The Silver Dragon Spear pointed at Sima Jinchi.
"Again!" Sima Jinchi shouted too. He poured his will into the Dragon-Slaying Blade, activating its blade spirit. A savage aura erupted from him.
In an instant, the entire arena felt like a battlefield—silent and oppressive. A majestic force filled with righteous might descended from above.
A massive purple dragon appeared in the sky. It had blood-red eyes brimming with evil energy. A giant Dragon-Slaying Blade fell from above, wielded by a nine-colored hand. It struck the purple dragon's forehead and cleaved it in two, all the way to its tail.
Wails, unwillingness, and purple energy filled the skies. That was…!
The Hell Demon Dragon!
Gu Yue instantly recognized it—a twisted, evil breed among dragonkind.
As the blade passed through the Hell Demon Dragon's body, it grew several times larger. Dark purple blood condensed into patterns on the blade. It descended like a meteor, enveloping Gu Yue.
Gu Yue's purple eyes deepened. The Silver Dragon Spear gathered all elements and fired toward the massive blade.
"Buzz—"
The enormous blade illusion shattered inch by inch as elemental power tore apart the purple blade intent.
The audience only saw Sima Jinchi's sixth soul ring flash, then a slash that turned the whole stage purple.
They couldn't see the purple dragon that Gu Yue saw. They only witnessed the blade grow immensely and envelop her.
Gu Yue, holding her Silver Dragon Spear, suddenly burst forth with unprecedented multicolored light—like a radiant sphere of seven colors.
The clash of purple and rainbow light shook the blade spirit to its core, nearly shattering it.
Sima Jinchi rejoiced again—his cultivation had risen another step, seemingly entering a new realm.
A joyful expression appeared under his mask. It really works!
His long-stagnant cultivation was actually improving. Could this be a projection of that miraculous world he felt when comprehending his blade spirit?
Was it all real?
As that thought passed, his Dragon-Slaying Blade did not stop. His seventh soul ring glowed, and the blade paused midair. Nine-colored scales appeared along its hilt, forming into a dragon claw grasping the handle.
Sima Jinchi vanished. What remained—was only the True Body of the Dragon Slayer!Seventh Soul Skill: Martial Soul True Body—Dragon Slayer!
The massive blade rose again. This time, it was also the sixth soul ring that shone, but now the soul ring appeared directly on the body of the Dragon Slayer Blade itself. The surrounding space was transformed completely into a dark purple, like a massive, swirling vortex had manifested.
And what appeared before them was no longer the previous Hell Evil Dragon. Instead, it was a terrifying, massive purple-black dragon, seemingly hundreds of meters long—so immense it seemed to fill all of heaven and earth. Its raised black-purple scales were faintly tinged with golden edges.
Hell Evil Dragon Emperor!
Gu Yue's purple eyes instantly turned into a dazzling nine-colored radiance. A massive, multicolored dragon head appeared above her, and the silver Dragon Spear in her hand exploded with brilliant light. A rainbow-like seven-colored beam swept out toward Sima Jinchi.
In an instant, the entire battle stage seemed to shatter—countless cracks crisscrossing every inch of the platform.
The fractured space raged and twisted, entangling with the descending purple dragon blade.
Strangely, no sound of collision was heard, yet the entire battle stage seemed to collapse in that moment. At its center, a giant sphere of light expanded violently. Terrifying explosions boomed continuously, obliterating the energy barrier meant to protect the platform.
Horrifying energy burst outward, and the audience—once cheering—cried out in alarm.
In their fearful gazes, a seven-colored light formed a new barrier in an instant, halting the rampaging energy.
Everyone let out a breath of relief. The released energy just now was enough to kill even a Title Douluo. Ordinary spectators wouldn't have survived.
In that moment, all hearts filled with gratitude toward Gu Yue.Even though one would not truly die in the Star Dou Battle Network,experiencing death was far from pleasant.
The only regret was that while Gu Yue had saved them, the multicolored shield was opaque. No one could see what was happening inside it.
"What level of strength is this from Gu Yue!" Even the staff of the Sun Moon Federation gasped at the multicolored barrier.
She was facing off against Sima Jinchi, who had gone all-out in his two-word battle armor.And yet, she had strength to spare for that barrier.
Even a Super Douluo might not be able to achieve such a feat.
With such power, how had Gu Yue been entangled by Sima Jinchi for so long?
At the center of the seven-colored barrier, where the explosion had originated, the entire platform had caved in by more than a hundred meters. Gu Yue hovered silently in the air, completely unharmed.
But Sima Jinchi, the Blade Demon of the Storm, fared worse. His battle armor was heavily damaged. His Dragon Slayer Blade was stabbed into the ground to support him, but his aura continued to surge violently—showing no signs of waning.
Behind him, a hazy projection took form—vaguely resembling a massive white dragon, though still unclear.
"Hahaha! So that's it, that's it! Very good, very good—I've finally found it! Hahahaha! HAHAHAHA!" Sima Jinchi laughed wildly. After so many years, he had finally sensed an opportunity—a breakthrough toward Title Douluo and even the Spirit Domain Realm.
"Still not enough. Continue!" Gu Yue flapped her dragon wings, flying toward Sima Jinchi with the nine-colored dragon head above her.
"Fine! Take another slash!" Sima Jinchi roared as his aura soared again.
A storm-like force solidified behind him, forming a massive black dragon.
The black dragon bared its fangs, blood-red eyes brimming with savagery. Though only ten meters long, it emanated a presence as massive as a hundred-meter behemoth. The intense dark-elemental energy dimmed all light across the battlefield.
Just then, the Dragon Slayer Blade in Sima Jinchi's hands rang out. It soared into the sky, the number of shining soul rings atop it now uncountable. The black dragon behind him wailed and was absorbed into the blade like a river flowing into the sea.
The blade itself remained unchanged, but the pitch-black blade aura exploded outward like the force of creation itself.
Blade intent condensed into blade soul. The weapon seemed alive.A slash swept across the sky—a hundred-meter golden arc, slashing straight toward Gu Yue.
"Not bad." Gu Yue nodded. A crystal appeared on her chest.
From that crystal shone nine-colored light, glowing softly.
It was the Divine Artifact—Dragon God's Heart.
At the moment it appeared, her dragon wings became fully nine-colored. From the Silver Dragon Spear rang out a majestic dragon's roar, shaking the heavens.
In the next moment, the spear transformed into a silver dragon, spiraling around the airborne Dragon Slayer Blade.
All light on the blade suddenly collapsed, turning into a blinding golden radiance. The blade expanded, and a fantastical scene emerged between Gu Yue and Sima Jinchi.
A massive dragon appeared—radiating nine-colored light, its divine presence crushing down upon the world. Sima Jinchi could barely breathe.
He fell to his knees instantly, while Gu Yue still stood, her beautiful eyes showing a hint of complexity.
"With my horn, I forge the Blade of Judgment. To slay all evil dragons, to cut through all injustice.The Law Blade of the Dragon Clan—born today—offered as sacrifice to heaven and earth!"
The nine-colored dragon's body shrank, transforming into a person clad in nine-colored robes, their face obscured. A golden blade appeared in their hand, slashing upward.
A golden beam soared into the sky, splitting it in half—one side sun, moon, and stars; the other total darkness.
A thousand dragon roars echoed, as if all the dragons of the world bowed in reverence.
Dragon Horn as Blade. Origin of Law. All Dragons Submit!
"Dragon God, how presumptuous! You would cleave the heavens? Are you rebelling against the Divine Realm?"A sharp voice rang out from all directions.
A green shadow appeared nearby, its voice piercing and unpleasant.
"This is a matter of the Dragon Clan. What business is it of yours?" the Dragon God said coldly.
The green shadow sneered. "You may be the ruler of dragons, but also the sovereign of divine beasts. With so many artifacts forged and your horn regenerating, do you intend rebellion? I was sent by the Divine Realm Committee to warn you."
The Dragon God laughed. "I am King of Beasts, Sovereign of Divine Creatures. And you think you can lecture me? If the Committee has a message, let the gods themselves come. You—little yaksha—dare bark before me? Leave, or I'll use your blood to sanctify my Law Blade."
"Impudence! Dragon God, don't regret this—I speak for the Divine Realm Committee!" the shadow snapped.
"What a joke. When did the Committee let minor gods command me? Every time, it's the God Kings who speak with me. Divine beasts and gods coexist peacefully—since when do you nightshades stir trouble? Begone!"
With a roar, the Dragon God's power struck the green shadow, which exploded into a green light and fled.
The Dragon God raised the golden blade. "All evil, all lies, all betrayal—shall be cut down."
The nine-colored figure swelled, towering over the world. The golden blade radiated infinite brilliance.
Sima Jinchi looked on, stunned. Without a doubt, this was Dragon Clan history—the birth of the Dragon Slayer Blade.As the figure supported the sky, he finally saw its eyes.
Clear as water. Pure, with nine-colored divine light.
So strong… so unimaginably strong!
The Dragon God cast him a meaningful glance—then all light collapsed into the golden blade.
At that moment, Sima Jinchi howled to the sky.
Golden light burst from his body, from his very skin and every orifice. He seemed to disintegrate, golden radiance consuming him. His skin peeled, his clothes vanished.
He became pure golden light.
Then, he ascended.
The Dragon God vanished. The dragons' worship disappeared.What remained—was a golden figure merging with the Dragon Slayer Blade.
Above the battlefield, a golden sun had appeared.
And in that radiant sunlight, Sima Jinchi felt something had awakened within him.
The Silver Dragon Spear vibrated endlessly, humming in grief and joy, emotions overwhelming Gu Yue.
"The Phoenix God…" Gu Yue murmured. She was more certain now—behind the Dragon God War, Phoenix God followers had a hand.
That war between divine beasts and the gods was not so simple.
But the Dragon God had been too arrogant to see the truth.
Only by finding the Rising Dragon Pillar and the Phoenix God's surviving followers could the truth be known.
And somehow, Gu Yue could feel it—the Dragon Slayer Blade had become a part of her.
In fact, if she wished, she could even turn Sima Jinchi into the blade itself.
The golden radiance lasted a full ten minutes before the dragon patterns on the blade faded.It fell as golden light and stabbed into the ground.
The light faded. The Dragon Slayer Blade twisted—transforming into a human once more.
Sima Jinchi now looked more than ten years younger—only about thirty. His bronze skin glowed faintly golden. Long golden hair fell over his cheeks. His appearance was serene, and his eyes had become vertical pupils.
Eight soul rings rose around him. Then, a ninth ring flickered into view, appearing and vanishing.
To his shock—it was a nine-colored soul ring, rendering the other eight pale by comparison.
"This is the Star Dou Battle Network. Your real body isn't here, so the soul ring won't form fully yet. But once you leave, it can be condensed anytime," Gu Yue said calmly.
Watching his breakthrough, she nodded in satisfaction and muttered,"If I'd known the Dragon Slayer Blade would appear, I wouldn't have given Xia Yi the Rising Dragon Pillar.He should wield the Dragon Slayer Blade—to command the origin of law and creation.But convincing him… won't be easy."
Law enforcement wasn't like guarding the Way. Too much hassle—like the Asura God in the Douluo Divine Realm.
And Xia Yi… was only good at freeloading meals.
Giving him such a responsibility? Difficult.
Sima Jinchi looked at Gu Yue with complex eyes. After several seconds, he stepped forward, knelt on one knee, and respectfully said:"My Lord."
"So, you've recalled your identity. In that case, I won't say more," Gu Yue replied.
"Yes. After becoming a Title Douluo, I recovered many memories—and I now know who I truly am." Sima Jinchi smiled bitterly.
Though his ninth ring hadn't fully formed, his soul power had already passed level ninety.
He was now a Title Douluo.
Seeing his conflicted gaze, Gu Yue thought of Xia Yi. She took a deep breath and said,
"You haven't fully awakened your memories. If you don't want the ninth soul ring, I won't force you. When this body dies naturally, I'll take back the Dragon Slayer Blade. A hundred years? I can wait."
With that, Gu Yue vanished.
"Contestant 63, victory."
The electronic prompt rang out as she disappeared.
Sima Jinchi stood alone, as if he hadn't heard.
He knew what she meant.
He was Sima Jinchi before. Now… he still was.
But if he condensed that ninth soul ring,Accepted the full memory of the Dragon Slayer Blade…
Then he might become the Dragon Slayer Blade.