"Your attacks are too weak. They couldn't even scratch me."
Between heaven and earth, Chen Xiaoming stood calmly, his back against the True Sunfire, silver radiance flickering around him. His gaze was fixed on Qian Renxue in the distance.
He did not rush to strike—after all, a God of Angels was no real threat to him.
Even relying solely on his bloodline power was enough to handle her. However, a shadow flickered in his eyes as he looked up toward the sky.
Silver light shimmered in his pupils, and from the vast blue sky, he seemed to perceive an irritating phantom.
The Will of Heaven itself?
After I deal with Tang San and the others, I'll settle things with you.
"As you are now, you really don't interest me."
Shaking his head slightly, Chen Xiaoming refrained from attacking and also chose not to ascend to godhood just yet.
A true protagonist must have an impeccable sense of style.
As the saying goes, the right time, the right place, and the right people—for Chen Xiaoming, that meant choosing a grand stage, finding the perfect location brimming with gravitas, and selecting two or three worthy opponents.
In the presence of all, he would ascend to godhood in a single, resplendent moment, shaking the entire Douluo Continent.
The script was already set in his mind.
"Half a month from now, at Heavenly Sword Mountain, I'll be waiting for you and Bibi Dong."
With a flicker of his silhouette and a gentle step, Chen Xiaoming vanished into the distance. Behind him, Qian Renxue was momentarily stunned, then quickly reacted. A trace of frustration flashed across her flawless face as she clenched her teeth. Her six wings flared open, and she transformed into a fiery streak, pursuing him at full speed.
"You won't escape!"
Hearing her shout behind him, Chen Xiaoming did not pause. A silver light flickered around him, and the space behind him instantly solidified, forming a reflective Spatial Mirror.
Boom!
Qian Renxue collided with the mirror, producing a resounding impact. However, she failed to break through and instead staggered back a few steps. A flicker of shock appeared in her eyes as she stared at Chen Xiaoming's departing figure, sensing that something was off.
"Stop wasting your energy. If you want revenge, come to Heavenly Sword Mountain in half a month."
With a few more flickers, Chen Xiaoming's figure vanished entirely, leaving only his voice lingering in the air.
Qian Renxue did not pursue further. Instead, she stood there, frowning in thought.
She refused to believe that any mortal could rival the gods—let alone suppress them.
But Chen Xiaoming's existence forced her to confront this reality.
It couldn't be helped. She had no way of knowing that Chen Xiaoming was essentially a walking cheat code, possessing a bloodline far beyond the limits of the Douluo plane. Even less could she have imagined that, while resisting the True Sunfire earlier, Chen Xiaoming had accidentally tapped into his bloodline power.
His initial lower-tier bloodline essence had instantly advanced to mid-tier, merging a far more powerful force into his being.
Otherwise, why else would he have let her off so easily?
While Qian Renxue pondered, Chen Xiaoming, now far away, was not idle either.
His next destination awaited—he had to leave a message for a certain soon-to-be god.
Then, he would return to Heavenly Sword Mountain, quietly refining his bloodline essence while awaiting his opponents' arrival.
...
Three days later—Heavenly Sword Mountain.
Heavenly Sword Mountain, the tallest peak in the Heaven Dou Empire, stood in the empire's southern lands. It was renowned for its resemblance to an unsheathed sword piercing the heavens.
Atop the mountain peak, a lone figure drifted in, glancing down at the vast landscape below. A satisfied smile formed on his lips.
"This is the feeling I wanted—to overlook the world from above."
The figure was none other than Chen Xiaoming. He had once visited this place during his wanderings and had fond memories of it, which led him to choose it as his stage.
"Everything is in place. Now, I just wait for them."
Sitting cross-legged, Chen Xiaoming closed his eyes and focused his mind. With all preparations complete, all that remained was the final step. He needed to make the most of his time refining his mid-tier bloodline essence.
Compared to the lower-tier essence, his comprehension of the mid-tier was advancing faster, yet its fusion into his being was proving far more difficult.
Silver light continuously radiated from his body, distorting the space around him. His figure flickered in and out of existence as he entered a unique meditative state.
Within his consciousness, a massive, radiant core of bloodline essence hovered, many times larger than before. Chen Xiaoming's soul sat beneath it, silently absorbing its profound energy.
Tiny specks of golden light descended from the core, merging into his being.
...
Half a month later.
"Third Brother, why do you think Teacher Chen asked us to come here?"
Not far from Heavenly Sword Mountain, Oscar, Dai Mubai, Ning Fengzhi, and the others made their way toward the peak. Fatty Ma Hongjun turned to Tang San—now the Sea God—with a puzzled look.
Half a month prior, Chen Xiaoming had appeared on the battlefield of the Heaven Dou Empire, leaving Tang San a message to meet him here today.
Tang San had originally planned to come alone, but Xiao Wu, Dai Mubai, and the others insisted on accompanying him. Conveniently, for some unknown reason, the Spirit Hall had also declared a rare ceasefire, so they all made the journey together.
Having inherited the mantle of the Sea God, Tang San gazed toward the distant mountain peak, where he sensed a faint but familiar energy ripple.
"Huh? That's...?"
Tang San's expression shifted—he sensed another presence. No, not just a presence, but spirit beasts—occupying the peak beside Heavenly Sword Mountain.
This was no spirit beast habitat, so their presence was perplexing.
Boom!
Before Tang San could process this, two overwhelming auras suddenly hurtled through the sky—one blazing like fire, the other shrouded in an aura of malevolence that repelled all who sensed it.
"They're here too?"
Tang San's brows furrowed. He was no stranger to these two energies.
The Angel God and the Rakshasa God—Spirit Hall's twin deities, Qian Renxue and Bibi Dong.
Tang San had clashed with them before upon his return as the Sea God.
Yet, due to Chen Xiaoming's arrangement, none of them had truly fought. After a brief exchange, Bibi Dong and Qian Renxue had withdrawn.
A mere Sea God was not their priority. Until Chen Xiaoming was dealt with, Spirit Hall's grand ambition remained incomplete.
Compared to Tang San, Chen Xiaoming was a far greater threat. If not for the fear of alerting him, the two would have struck Tang San down long ago.
"You all go ahead. I'll handle this alone."
Turning to his companions, Tang San met Xiao Wu's worried gaze.
"Brother, I'll wait for you to return!"
Tang San smiled, gently ruffling her hair before soaring skyward toward Heavenly Sword Mountain.
"Let's go."
Dai Mubai and the others knew they couldn't interfere. They diverted toward the adjacent peak.
At the summit of Heavenly Sword Mountain, Chen Xiaoming—who had been in deep meditation—slowly opened his eyes, gazing at the three approaching figures with a smile.
"At last, we are all gathered!"
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