Thank you to our new Patrons: Shisui34, Keith Lighthill, Damass 13, RrJ, Emil Pedersen, Zhandos Kauzhanov, J L, Caio Cainel Buchalla and reece campbell! Your support means the world to me <3 We are up to Chapter 665: Straightforward – Part 1 on Patreon!
There's something for free patrons too! Free Patrons receive 1 chapter in advance :)
I've also recently started a new translation, please check it out and show your support! It's called Douluo: Martial Soul Seven Kill Sword, The Sword Opens Heaven's Gates. As always, Patrons will have unrestricted access to all of my stories including futures ones!
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Within the Perfect Cube, the writhing soul power initially appeared to be just gas. However, after a while, it condensed into an extremely grotesque and terrifying monster.
Ye Wen smiled faintly as he gazed at the entity trapped inside the Perfect Cube.
"Blood Red Nine-Headed Bat King, a unique existence nurtured by the rules of the City of Slaughter. You can freely switch forms and excel in mental attacks—even top-tier soul masters like Tang Chen could fall prey to your parasitism.
You're far too dangerous, Blood Red Nine-Headed Bat King. I must seal you away."
{T/N: Hashirama, is that you?}
Inside the Perfect Cube, the Blood Red Nine-Headed Bat King was on the verge of tears.
Earlier, it had attempted to take control of Tang Chen's body to escape together. But at that critical moment, Tang Chen's consciousness had unexpectedly recovered, and the two began fighting for control over the body.
Faced with the increasingly intense holy light, the Blood Red Nine-Headed Bat King ultimately chose to detach itself and flee. Who would have thought that this seemingly ordinary man nearby was actually the strongest? In one swift move, he completely locked the bat king down.
'This guy… he must be a god,' the Blood Red Nine-Headed Bat King thought grimly.
When it saw Ye Wen's sly, probing gaze, the creature grew even more uneasy. Its future now seemed bleak.
At this moment, the Blood Red Nine-Headed Bat King deeply regretted its earlier decision. After emerging from Tang Chen's body, it should have attacked the barrier directly—perhaps then it might have had a chance to survive.
But Ye Wen paid no heed to the thoughts of this precious specimen. With a casual flick of his hand, he tossed it into his Spirit Soul Space and returned to observing the scene unfold.
With the departure of the Blood Red Nine-Headed Bat King, the King of Slaughter—or rather, Tang Chen—now stood panting heavily in place.
Tang Chen was already over a hundred years old, but as a 99th-level Title Douluo, even at this age, he should have appeared youthful.
However, Tang Chen's current appearance resembled that of a middle-aged man. His once glossy black hair was now dry, split, and glaringly white.
Qian Qian had also retracted her soul skill, Sacred Light, and calmly observed Tang Chen without rushing to attack.
Tang Chen raised his hand slightly, then gazed at the sky, his eyes filled with weariness. Looking at Ye Wen, who was casually watching the spectacle, Tang Chen asked in a slightly hoarse voice,
"What year is it now?"
Ye Wen and Qian Qian weren't so tasteless as to immediately attack a centenarian. They decided to humor the dying elder's request.
"Year 2651."
Upon hearing Ye Wen's response, Tang Chen's weary gaze grew even more exhausted. He glanced around at the Six Directions Seal Absolute surrounding them.
"It seems we're enemies.
But now that the beast has left my body, there should be no enmity between us. Why not let me go?" Tang Chen said indifferently.
To everyone's surprise, Qian Qian was the first to respond.
"Our target was always you. Are you ready, Tang Chen, the Invincible of the Earth, the Hao Tian Douluo?"
Tang Chen and Qian Dao Liu were old rivals, so Tang Chen naturally sensed the overwhelming aura of the Angel God emanating from Qian Qian.
His gaze finally settled on the eight wings behind Qian Qian.
"I consider myself an old friend of Qian Daoliu, the Great Elder of the Spirit Hall. Are you really going to fight me?"
But Qian Qian had already taken a battle stance and replied,
"As a senior, your probing is far too crude.
After all this time, are you ready?"
Tang Chen frowned, then sighed softly. This young girl, despite her apparent youth, was surprisingly experienced. She had instantly seen through his intentions.
After all, both of them had undergone divine trials—how could they possibly overlook the divine presence emanating from each other?
As the Great Elder of the Spirit Hall and the High Priest of the Angel God, Qian Daoliu held a high position. But even he couldn't compare to the next Angel God.
Sensing his body, which had been ravaged by the Blood Red Nine-Headed Bat King, Tang Chen sighed softly. His chances of victory were slim.
But—
"Little girl, do you know who I am?!"
In an instant, an overwhelmingly domineering surge of soul power erupted from Tang Chen, causing even Ye Wen and Qian Qian, whose soul power levels far surpassed his, to tense up.
Ye Wen watched Tang Chen with admiration. Truly, he was the only person in this era to reach level 99 through sheer self-cultivation.
His mastery of the Heaven's Hammer was unparalleled—far beyond what those useless members of the Hao Tian Sect could achieve. Ye Wen even felt that Tang Chen had become the embodiment of the Heaven's Hammer itself.
However, Tang Chen didn't rush to attack. Instead, he looked at the two-meter-long, crimson-colored Asura Demon Sword in his hand, its surface etched with golden patterns.
"Hmph." Tang Chen let out a self-deprecating chuckle and tossed the Asura Demon Sword aside.
For most of his life, Tang Chen had been obsessed with cultivation. Later, driven by his longing for love, he relentlessly pursued godhood.
Now that the Asura Divine Trial had failed, the Asura Demon Sword, forged through countless hardships, had lost all meaning.
Tang Chen raised his right hand slightly, and a massive Heaven's Hammer appeared in his grasp.
The dark golden hammer was covered in demonic patterns. Though merely a hammer, it exuded an air of nobility. Yet, the demonic patterns added a sense of ferocity, creating a paradoxical yet harmonious blend.
Tang Chen cast a stern glance at the two before him and said gravely,
"This is your last chance.
If there's no irreconcilable conflict between us, you'd best retreat. Otherwise, once I strike, I cannot guarantee your safety."
In response, Qian Qian raised her holy Angelic Holy Sword.
Facing this pure and radiant sword, Tang Chen's expression changed drastically. Qian Qian's strike had transcended the realm of a level 100 soul master—it had reached the level of a Tier 2 god.
But in that instant, Tang Chen felt the Asura God's power within him respond. Bolstered by this newfound confidence, he swung his hammer and unleashed the nine ultimate techniques of the Heaven's Hammer to meet her attack.
For a time, despite the vast disparity in their strength, the two fought fiercely, neither gaining the upper hand.
From the sidelines, Ye Wen watched the scene unfold with a calm gaze.
He then tilted his head toward the sky, a cold sneer curling at the corner of his lips.
"You don't stand a chance."
Qian Qian, as a quasi-new god, might not have noticed Tang Chen's anomaly.
But Ye Wen, having been a god for so long, could easily discern it.
The reason Tang Chen could currently hold his own against Qian Qian was due to the divine power of the Asura God King from the god realm resonating within him. Combined with Tang Chen's profound understanding of his martial soul, it was enough to bridge the gap created by divine equipment.
However, this was the extent of what the Asura God could do. With the new Sea God watching closely, any further interference was impossible.
Meanwhile, in the god realm, the Asura God's expression was particularly grim.
Tang Chen's eighth trial was to slay the Blood Red Nine-Headed Bat King, but this divine trial had dragged on for years without either side emerging victorious.
The Blood Red Nine-Headed Bat King had exploited a loophole in the rules by parasitizing Tang Chen. Since Tang Chen hadn't died, the stalemate continued, and the eighth trial remained incomplete.
------------------------------------------------------
Support my writing journey: patreon.com/EphemeralShadow