"I bet your gun… has no bullets."
Xu Cheng's voice echoed through the royal palace's grand hall. Ye Yexi's bony fingers froze mid-air.
To her horror, the Death God Tower—once like an extension of her will—was now eerily unresponsive. The devastating strike she had gathered with all her soul power vanished mysteriously inside the tower without ever being released.
That's right—this was one of the conceptual skills Xu Cheng had obtained from the system.
Inspired by a legendary dual-gun figure from another world.
There was a 50% chance… and he won the bet.
Though really, it wasn't much of a gamble. Against Ye Yexi, who was now like a dying gust of wind, he didn't even need to take a risk…
He just did it on a whim—for the thrill.
Suddenly, Long Xiaoyao's black robes billowed though there was no wind. The pressure of a Level 99 Ultimate Douluo burst forth like a tsunami. On his aged face, dark dragon scales emerged. Behind him, a massive shadow of the Dark Saint Dragon unfurled across the sky.
But when his gaze fell on the scene before him—his pupils shrank in disbelief.
Thousands of Fire Phoenix soul engineer troops had already formed a battle formation. Each mech unit's chest glowed with the light of an 8th-grade focused soul cannon.
Above them, the 72 pillars of the palace's dome were embedded with interlinked soul core nodes, forming a soul array capable of annihilating even Super Douluos.
Compared to the original version of the so-called "Banquet of Death" designed by Xu Tianran—merely a dozen ninth-grade soul bombs that barely harmed two Ultimate Douluos—today's Sun-Moon Empire technology rendered such crude tricks obsolete. After all, building palaces also required budgeting.
"When…?" Long Xiaoyao's voice was hoarse.
As an Ultimate Douluo, he hadn't even noticed when he fell into this illusion. Worse still, his soul power now flowed sluggishly, as if wrapped in countless invisible chains constraining his martial soul.
On the throne, Xu Cheng slowly rose to his feet.
Behind him appeared the illusion of dual pupils—left eye golden-purple, right eye ash-white—the very symbols of Destruction and Reincarnation.
This was a blessing from Electrolux, the Lord of the Underworld.
As Heir to the Underworld, Xu Cheng stood second only to the Lord himself, holding most of its divine authority. After all, the space of undead that sustained the Underworld had already been gifted to him.
"From the moment you sent me the invitation," Xu Cheng said, hands behind his back, gazing down at the Holy Spirit Sect's higher-ups.
Long Xiaoyao placed a hand on Ye Yexi's shoulder."Yexi, stop this."
Beneath his gray eyebrows, those eyes—having seen the rise and fall of countless powers—locked onto Xu Cheng's."You've had the power to kill us all along… Why go to such lengths to set this up?"
At last, the once-dreaded figure of the continent had set aside his sycophantic ways. His intelligence returned.
The hall fell into complete silence.
The soul cannons of the Fire Phoenix Legion still aimed unwaveringly at the Holy Spirit Sect, but Xu Cheng gestured for a ceasefire.
He walked slowly down the marble steps, the sound of his black boots echoing clearly.
Dressed in the Sun-Moon Empire's black-and-red marshal's uniform, Xu Cheng—both emperor and supreme military commander—preferred this battle attire to a golden robe.
"I want the Holy Spirit Sect," Xu Cheng said as he stopped three meters in front of Long Xiaoyao."—but not the filthy nest of evil soul masters it is now."
He raised his right hand, and a purple-black staff appeared out of thin air. The gem embedded in its head glowed a dim gray, with scenes of countless souls slumbering peacefully within.
The moment this staff appeared, Ye Yexi's Death God Tower shuddered violently—then disintegrated on its own, transforming into pure energy and being sucked into Xu Cheng's staff.
"The Authority of Death?!" Ye Yexi cried out in disbelief."You actually…!"
She had speculated countless times.
How exactly had Xu Cheng crippled the Holy Spirit Sect?
She thought he had plotted some grand scheme to destroy the sect—but she never imagined… that he had actually obtained the Authority of Death!
That was a divine realm, only attainable by gods!
As an Ultimate Douluo, she had tried for years to reach godhood. Even someone more talented like Long Xiaoyao had never come close.
But this kid… why him?!
"That's right," Xu Cheng said calmly."Electrolux granted me part of his authority."
He turned the staff, and a six-pointed star of gray mist spread beneath his feet.
"In these past three years, every soul that died naturally has passed through the Underworld's cycle of reincarnation.
But you—" he swept his eyes across the now-ashen faces of the Holy Spirit Sect,"your days of devouring souls to cultivate… are over."
The Authority of Death hovered above everyone like a sword.
Ye Yexi stared at Xu Cheng, shaking. Her title of "Death God" now seemed like a joke.Who was the real Death God here?
Suddenly, Zhongli Wu launched a surprise attack, unleashing the full might of his 98th-level soul power. His martial soul—Death Demon Puppet—instantly materialized in its true form.
But he was not faster than Nana.
The girl's nine soul rings—one purple, five black, three red—blazed with light.
Though only a normal Titled Douluo, she repelled Zhongli Wu's assault, then melted into a cloud of black mist that curled around Xu Cheng's body.
The ghostly Nana had finally become a real, fearsome presence.
"..."
At that moment—
Long Xiaoyao's face changed. He looked down—
Three gray mist spears had somehow pierced his chest, straight through his heart.
"Underworld Judgment," Xu Cheng said calmly, his voice distant and cold."A special sentence… for those drenched in sin."
"My power doesn't come from just the Sun-Moon Empire."
This was the [Judgment] ability granted by his Authority of Death.
A force meant to drag the sinful into the Underworld, to be judged and punished.
An ordinary Ultimate Douluo couldn't withstand this Judgment. Only a demigod might resist it…
Suddenly, the palace floor lit up with complex soul circuitry—linked to Xu Cheng's star array and forming a massive formation spanning kilometers.
Simultaneously, the Fire Phoenix Legion's mechas ascended into the air—720 cannons began charging.
"No!" Ye Yexi screamed and lunged forward—only to be blocked by a sudden wall of thorned iron.
Cain smiled coldly from atop the wall. Clad in a deep violet dress fluttering in the wind, she looked both stunning and tragic. She twirled a bloody dagger in her hand.
"Old hag, your opponent is me~"
Long Xiaoyao groaned as he released his Dark Saint Dragon true form.
Nine shadowy black dragons spiraled upward—the clash with the Underworld spears shook the entire palace.
At last, the legendary figure of two centuries showed his full strength. He formed seals with both hands, and his seventh soul ring burst with light:
"Martial Soul True Body: Dark Curtain!"
Thick darkness poured out from him like ink, consuming even light itself.
When the Fire Phoenix Legion's coordinated cannon barrage struck it—it was like stones thrown into a bottomless pond. No ripple.
"Impressive," Xu Cheng muttered, raising a brow."But the era has changed, Senior Long."
Suddenly, the palace ceiling opened—revealing twelve silver spheres suspended a thousand meters above.
Each sphere pulsed with intricate soul circuitry. When they activated, twelve soul-energy beams, each over ten meters wide, blasted downward.
"Sky-Based Soul Array," Xu Cheng explained through the rumbling."A gift… specially prepared for Ultimate Douluos."
The Dark Curtain was ripped open with twelve gaping holes.
Long Xiaoyao coughed up blood. Xu Cheng had already appeared before him, gently placing a fingertip on his forehead.
Memories flooded into Long Xiaoyao's mind—
Zhongli Wu ordering massacres…
Nangong Wan trafficking children…
Elders of the Sect using live humans as cultivation tools…
And finally—an ethereal wheel spinning in gray mist—souls once slaughtered by the Sect now receiving salvation in the Underworld.
Xu Cheng studied him curiously.
This man had always straddled the line between good and evil.
But the question remained:
Was he truly blind to his crimes… or did he simply choose to ignore them?
"No…" Long Xiaoyao's martial soul began collapsing.
Not because of external force—but because his convictions shattered, causing soul force backlash.
He staggered backward. The battle in his eyes faded to exhaustion.
"..."
His expression was bitter—but not regretful.
He felt crushed beneath the tide of blood from his spiritual sea—but showed a trace of relief.
"Heh… heh… heh…"
Xu Cheng smiled.
"I once thought you were truly evil.
Now I see… you're just a coward running from the truth."
"..."
Blood dripped from Long Xiaoyao's lips.
He closed his eyes… and said nothing.
With Long Xiaoyao giving up, the Holy Spirit Sect's last pillar of strength crumbled. The battlefield shifted decisively.
Zhongli Wu was pierced through the shoulder by Nana's ninth soul skill.
Nangong Wan and the elders were being routed by the Fire Phoenix Legion.
Ye Yexi tried to unleash the Death God Tower one final time—but even her martial soul was now suppressed by the Authority of Death.
As Xu Cheng's dual pupils turned entirely gray, the entire palace seemed to fall under the projection of the Underworld.
Chains of gray mist wrapped around every Holy Spirit Sect member's martial soul.
"Members of the Holy Spirit Sect—your crimes are proven.
You are… beyond mercy."
Xu Cheng's voice rang out, bolstered by soul power.
As the Fire Phoenix Legion's blades fell—
Long Xiaoyao closed his eyes.
He felt Ye Yexi collapse in his arms. He heard Zhongli Wu's final curses.
But what lingered in his mind most—
Was the sound of that young man's footsteps, walking steadily toward the throne.
When the final resisting elder fell, Xu Cheng slammed the Underworld Scepter into the ground:
"From this day forth, the Holy Spirit Sect shall be renamed the Sacred Sect. It shall be elevated to the status of National Religion of the Sun-Moon Empire."
He glanced at the chained Ye Yexi.
"You… are its funeral offering."
...
Outside the imperial palace, the morning sun finally rose.
As the first ray of sunlight passed through the stained-glass windows, Xu Cheng's shadow stretched long across the floor—landing squarely on the shattered banner of the Holy Spirit Sect.
Behind him, Nana and Cain knelt on one knee, while the entire Fire Phoenix Legion stood neatly in formation.
"Your Majesty, what are your orders next?" Nana asked softly.
Xu Cheng looked toward the northern sky, where a silver warship was breaking through the clouds."Prepare for the All-Continent Elite Tournament," he said, fingers idly tracing the gemstone atop his staff."It's time… to settle things with Shrek."
Meanwhile—
Deep within the Star Dou Forest, atop a cliff, stood an ancient, long-forgotten altar. Moonlight poured over the weathered stone pillars, revealing faint angelic carvings glowing with golden light in the night.
By all accounts, this was a relic from the old continent—
Former territory of the Douling Empire.
But as time passed and territories shifted, this land was eventually swallowed by the domain of the Star Dou Forest.
Ye Guyi, barefoot, stepped into the altar's center. Her violet-gold Angel Battle Armor shimmered in the cold wind.
Now a Level 96 Titled Douluo, her Sacred Angel Martial Soul had evolved to its peak—yet the shattered godhood of Qian Renxue remained an uncrossable chasm on her path to divinity.
Her rise amid the geniuses of the Sun-Moon Empire…
Was perhaps due to the lingering grace of the Angel God.
Back during her trial in the Temple of Destruction…
When she received divine power…
She seemed to feel—if only faintly—the blessing of the once-Angel God.
Like the last flickering hope of a village.
"Faith…" she whispered, fingers brushing over the pendant on her chest—a reward from one of her divine trials.
It was Xu Cheng who gave her the answer.
The answer to restoring the Angel's glory.
Ye Guyi spread her arms. Six golden wings burst forth from her back, radiant and blazing. The light of divinity shot skyward, illuminating the entire night sky.
"In the name of the Angel—summon the faith of all living beings!"
Her voice was cool, but carried an irrefutable authority.
In an instant, countless motes of light began to converge from all directions—those were remnants of faith from soul masters she once protected, from civilians, and even from soul beasts in the Star Dou Forest she once purified.
Under Xu Cheng's command, she had formed a Sun-Moon army called "Judgment of Light."
During her missions, Xu Cheng had subtly guided her into high-profile campaigns of justice and purification, clearly intending to spread her name—as the Angel's inheritor—across both continents.
The motes of light gathered like fireflies, forming a golden sea of faith around her.
Ye Guyi raised Qian Renxue's godhood fragment high into the air. The golden light intertwined with the gathered faith, attempting to awaken the dormant Angel God's position.
But then—
"Crack—!"
The godhood shard began violently shaking, and cracks spread across its surface!
"Still not enough…" she gritted her teeth, eyes flashing with frustration.
Ten thousand years ago, Qian Renxue's godhood had shattered too completely. These fragmented bits of faith simply weren't enough to restore it.
Golden light blazed in Ye Guyi's eyes. Suddenly, she slashed open her wrist, letting blood drip onto the altar.
"If there isn't enough faith—then I'll use my own soul power as a guide to forcibly reforge the godhood!"
In this moment—
As the Angel Martial Soul's chosen—
Ye Guyi demonstrated her unshakable resolve.
Her golden blood mixed with the faith, forming a pillar of divine light that reached to the heavens. Her soul power burned wildly as nine soul rings rose around her——the last two, both hundred-thousand-year red rings, shone with dazzling brilliance.
"Holy Angel: Descent of Divinity!"
Behind her, the six wings split apart, transforming into twelve ethereal wings—a symbol of near-godhood.
But it still wasn't enough!
Ye Guyi clenched her blood-soaked fingers, teeth grinding.
Then—
She stabbed the shattered godhood fragment directly into her own heart!
"BOOM—!!!"
A surge of divine fire erupted from within her.
The twelve wings solidified completely.
The blazing golden light turned the entire night into daylight.
"Today, I, Ye Guyi—"
"With faith as my foundation, and blood as my offering—reforge the Angel God's throne!"
Far away, among the depths of the forest—
Numerous ferocious soul beasts, using spiritual detection, caught sight of this terrifying scene. Their pupils shrank.
"She's gone mad?!!"
"Not mad… just desperate." Xu Cheng clicked his tongue.
His eyes were filled with genuine admiration.
As expected of the Angel God… they all carry a bit of madness.(End of Chapter)