Ning Tianchen didn't even glance at the man and coldly stated, "You're brave, but it's a foolish bravery."
With that, a burst of sword qi shot from his fingertips, and the burly man's head fell to the ground.
In an instant, the tavern fell silent. The heavy breathing of the men filled the air.
The timid ones even covered their mouths, afraid to breathe.
The server didn't dare provoke him and quickly moved behind the counter to open the passage.
"Lord Killing God, please!"
Ning Tianchen leapt into the passage.
After he left, the men felt as if they'd been granted amnesty, gasping for air.
"He—he's the Killing God!" one of them stammered after hearing what the server had said, collapsing to the floor in shock.
The others in the tavern, however, didn't know what "Killing God" meant.
They were all criminals, and most of them came to the Slaughter City to seek refuge.
…
Slaughter City hadn't changed much. Ning Tianchen entered, and the Killing Messengers had been waiting at the passage entrance for some time.
"I didn't expect we'd meet again. The Slaughter King has already instructed us—you may go directly to the Palace of Slaughter."
Ning Tianchen nodded. "Lead the way."
Although Tang Chen's body was parasitized by the Crimson Nine-Headed Bat King, Slaughter City itself was established by the Asura God.
Regarding Ning Tianchen's Asura God trial, even if the Crimson Nine-Headed Bat King harbored resentment, it had to release its hold on Tang Chen.
At the Palace of Slaughter.
The Slaughter King stood atop the roof, overlooking everything within the Slaughter City.
When Ning Tianchen arrived, the Crimson Nine-Headed Bat King immediately detached itself from Tang Chen's body.
Spreading its wings, it fled the scene swiftly.
"This—" The Killing Messenger covered their mouth, unwilling to believe that the Slaughter King was actually a beast.
Tang Chen's consciousness gradually returned, and he looked down. "So, you are the new inheritor of the Asura God?"
Though Tang Chen was dissatisfied about being parasitized by the Crimson Nine-Headed Bat King, he had more pressing matters at hand.
The Asura God had already communicated with him—there was only one god position, and both of them were inheritors. One of them would inevitably become a sacrifice in the competition for the godhood.
"The Asura God mentioned that if I kill you, I can still inherit the Asura position."
Tang Chen looked down with an arrogant expression.
Ning Tianchen cupped his fist respectfully. "What you say is correct, Elder Tang Chen. However, if I kill you, I can still inherit the god position."
"This place is too small for us to fight freely. Would you be willing to follow me outside for a battle, Elder Tang Chen?"
A battle between two demi-gods would undoubtedly cause the already fragile Slaughter City to collapse. This place was a natural prison, and Ning Tianchen didn't want to destroy it.
"As you wish." Tang Chen nodded.
The two flew toward the top of Slaughter City, where there was an exit.
However, the exits of the Slaughter City were fixed. After leaving, the two found themselves in the Great Star Dou Forest.
…
Tang Chen greedily inhaled the fresh air, his gaze unconsciously drifting toward the direction of the Sea God Island.
After a pause, he asked, "Young man, how many years have passed since I disappeared from the continent? What happened to the Hao Tian Sect?"
Ning Tianchen casually leaned against a tree trunk and responded, "Elder Tang Chen, it's been roughly thirty-some years since your disappearance. I don't know the exact number of years, as I wasn't born back then."
"Oh?" Tang Chen's gaze involuntarily shifted to Ning Tianchen.
He could sense that the aura emanating from the other was no weaker than his own.
In less than thirty years, such a powerful individual had emerged on the continent. His talent surpassed even Tang Chen's in his prime.
Thirty years was far from the lifespan limit for a supreme Douluo.
Perhaps, Bo Saixi was still alive.
Ning Tianchen continued, "As for the Hao Tian Sect, it has vanished under the wheels of history. Over twenty years ago, Tang Hao killed Qian Xunji, prompting the Spirit Hall to retaliate against the Hao Tian Sect."
"At the time, the Spirit Hall forced the Hao Tian Sect into seclusion, while Tang Hao wandered outside. A few years ago, feeling their earlier retaliation wasn't enough, the Spirit Hall sent powerful individuals to exterminate the Hao Tian Sect completely."
Upon hearing this, Tang Chen's expression drastically changed. "That useless Qian Xunji got himself killed by my son—that was due to his incompetence. That brat Qian Daoliu dared to break his promise!"
Ning Tianchen shrugged, as if to imply that the "fine tradition" of the Hao Tian Sect began with Tang Chen himself.
However, the current priority was the trial. Even if Tang Chen was furious, now wasn't the time to seek revenge against the Spirit Hall.
Ning Tianchen suddenly chuckled and added, "Oh, right. The Angel God has a new inheritor, and Pope Bibi Dong has also received the inheritance of a god position. So, if you want revenge, you'd better think carefully."
"Even if I agree to delay the trial, given your strength, you might not stand a chance against those mother-daughter duo."
Tang Chen took a deep breath. "It seems I'm destined to never take revenge on Qian Daoliu. Young man, do you know the Sea God?"
"Does the Sea God have an inheritor now?"
Facing Tang Chen's question, Ning Tianchen didn't show any impatience.
Pursuing power had led him to imprisonment, and upon returning, everything had changed.
To be honest, Tang Chen was rather pitiful.
"I know of the Sea God. If we're talking about the Sea God's inheritor, your great-grandson Tang San should be it."
Bo Saixi was a divine servant; if the Sea God's inheritor appeared, her days were likely numbered.
Moreover, the inheritor was his own great-grandson—what was he supposed to do about it?
If it were an outsider, given his temperament, he would've killed them without hesitation. But Tang San might be the last remaining seed of the Hao Tian Sect—if he killed him, wouldn't that mean the end of the Hao Tian bloodline?
Feelings of conflict and panic welled up in his heart.
After a long silence, Tang Chen decided to set the problem aside for now.
Before the fight began, he asked one final question: "Young man, who are your elders?"
Ning Tianchen clasped his fists. "Not long after I was born, my parents perished during a mission for the sect. Later, Uncle Ning Fengzhi and Grandpa Chen Xin took great care of me."
"The Chen family of the Sword Dao—a name I haven't heard in a long time. So, you possess a sword-type martial soul?"
Tang Chen sighed and couldn't help but ask in return.
Being noticed by Chen Xin, Ning Tianchen was likely a wielder of a sword-type martial soul.
Ning Tianchen softly called out, and the Coiling Dragon Seven Kill Sword materialized in his hand.
Tang Chen realized, "So it's the Seven Kill Sword. For the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect to have someone as strong as you, it seems they've replaced the former position of the Hao Tian Sect."
"It appears this trial isn't just about competing for the god position—it's also a clash between the Hao Tian Hammer and the Seven Kill Sword. I look forward to seeing if the Seven Kill Sword has improved after all these years."
"Then you'd better watch closely," Ning Tianchen chuckled.
With that, nine soul rings—red, red, red, red, red, red, red, red, gold—appeared beneath his feet.
As for Tang Chen's soul ring configuration, it was merely eight black rings and one red. "Truly impressive, young man. I have no choice but to win, so let's give it our all."
"The same goes for you."
Ning Tianchen struck first. A fierce dragon-shaped sword qi roared forth.
The sword qi condensed into a solid form, resembling a galloping azure dragon, ready to destroy everything in its path.
Tang Chen's eyes narrowed. The Hao Tian Hammer materialized in front of him, and with soul power infused into it, the hammer erupted with tremendous force.
Centered on his body, everything within a radius of several hundred meters turned to dust.
The overwhelming force caused Ning Tianchen to retreat.
From just this first exchange, he could feel that Tang Chen was far stronger than Tang Hao—not by a small margin, but by an astronomical difference.
"Sixth Soul Skill, Traceless Flying Sword!"
Wings of swords sprouted from Ning Tianchen's back, and he raised the Coiling Dragon Seven Kill Sword above his head.
Thousands of spiritual swords manifested behind him, exuding a terrifying presence.
The sword blades slashed down, sending the spiritual swords flying like a rainstorm of pear blossoms.
Tang Chen's fighting spirit had been thoroughly ignited.
For how many years had it been since he last encountered such a worthy opponent?
Even back in the day, Qian Daoliu hadn't made him take things this seriously.
"You youngsters are truly impressive."
Swinging the Hao Tian Hammer before him, Tang Chen exerted force with both arms, causing the hammer to grow massive as it came crashing down.
A gigantic humanoid phantom rose from the ground, and Tang Chen immediately activated his Martial Soul True Body.
"Hao Tian Nine Absolutes, Tremor Technique!"
Borrowing the force of the attack, the hammer vibrated, creating a buffer effect.
The Hao Tian Hammer swung rapidly, forming a soul power barrier around him.
When the spiritual swords dissipated, the Hao Tian Hammer broke through like dawn breaking.
"Heaven-Piercing Strike!"
Ning Tianchen had already experienced the might of this technique on Tang Hao.
The Hao Tian Hammer's attacks were wide and devastating, while the Seven Kill Sword relied on precision strikes to break through defenses.
Ning Tianchen would never fight using his weaknesses against the opponent's strengths.
"Golden Scaled Dragon Right Leg Soul Bone Skill, Illusory Golden Scales."
Scales of golden light enveloped his entire body, allowing him to withstand Tang Chen's full-force attack.
Boom!
A deafening collision echoed, and though Ning Tianchen remained unmoved, a bottomless crater was smashed beneath him.
"Sky Azure Bull Python Right Arm Soul Bone Skill, Sky Azure Slowing Divine Claw!"
Ning Tianchen quickly countered, extending his right hand as the Azure Dragon Claw shot out, firmly restraining Tang Chen.
After being immobilized by the hundred-thousand-year soul bone of the Sky Azure Bull Python, Tang Chen couldn't move for a short time.
But that didn't mean Tang Chen couldn't still attack.
"Titan Ape Left Arm Soul Bone Skill, Titan Sky Cannon!"
Clutching his left hand into a fist, he unleashed a punch that flew like a cannonball toward Tang Chen.
"Eighth Soul Skill, Hao Tian Protective Barrier!"
The Hao Tian Hammer positioned itself in front of him, forming a solid soul power shield.
The Titan Sky Cannon collided with the barrier, but despite the thunderous impact, it caused no injury to Tang Chen.
"It's not over yet!" Ning Tianchen roared as the brilliant golden soul ring beneath his feet erupted in dazzling light.
"Ninth Soul Skill, One Sword to Split the Heavens."
From high above, rays of golden light rained down, and at the end of the radiance, a colossal sword emerged into existence.
The sword tip pointed directly at Tang Chen as it descended.
The power of a million-year soul skill was terrifying—so much so that as the Heavenly Sword approached the ground, the sheer pressure of its aura crumbled the stones beneath it into powder.
"Nine-nine as One, Martial Art: Hao Tian!" (Hao Tian means 'Clear Sky')
Swinging the Hao Tian Hammer, Tang Chen's movements constantly shifted, stirring up a horrifying storm.
The fusion of the Hao Tian Nine Absolutes and the Chaotic Wind Splitting Hammer Technique formed an immensely powerful soul skill.
Their duel shook heaven and earth, and space itself seemed on the verge of shattering.
"Killing Intent Domain, activate!"
With the emergence of the domain, Tang Chen's momentum reached its peak. The Hao Tian Hammer surged forward, colliding with the Heavenly Sword.
…
The techniques Tang Chen displayed were ones Ning Tianchen had never seen before—their power was utterly terrifying.
In contrast, Tang Hao had only learned the surface-level aspects of Tang Chen's skills.
It was important to note that non-twin martial soul masters who broke through Level 95 experienced exponential growth in their understanding of their martial soul with each subsequent level increase.
Before reaching Level 99, Tang Chen hadn't relied on any divine trials—he had purely depended on his own comprehension of his martial soul.
The Hao Tian Hammer had reached the absolute limit of its potential in his hands.
If one were to compare the mastery of the Hao Tian Hammer, even Tang San, the God King of the original timeline, might not have reached half of Tang Chen's level.
Chen Xin, having absorbed the essence of his family's teachings and forged his own path, had only managed to reach Level 98—far inferior to Tang Chen.
If Ning Tianchen had no other means at his disposal, the battle between the Hao Tian Hammer and the Seven Kill Sword would have already drawn to a close.
But his arsenal wasn't limited to just that.
After activating the divine trial, his Asura Domain could no longer be used.
After all, both possessed 100% divine affinity, and relying on divine power alone wouldn't easily determine a victor.
Moreover, the Killing God Domain's power paled in comparison to the Killing Intent Domain Tang Chen had developed himself.
Domains of the same origin naturally grew stronger with higher levels of mastery—there was no reason for Ning Tianchen to stubbornly resist head-on.
"Seven Kill Domain, activate!"
The unique talent domain of the Seven Kill Sword underwent a qualitative transformation under the influence of the Martial Soul True Body.
"Seven Kill Domain Evolution Skill, Myriad Peaks and Ranges."
Countless sword qi continuously condensed within the domain, forming walls of sword energy that barely resisted the invasive killing intent of the Killing Intent Domain.
"If Chen Xun is watching from above, seeing you cultivate the Seven Kill Domain to this extent, he'd surely be proud to have a descendant like you."
Ning Tianchen chuckled. "It's an honor to receive your praise, Senior."
Tang Chen shook his head. "Unfortunately, if not for the constraints of the divine trial, I'd gladly offer guidance as you grow."
"Fate plays tricks on us. Only one of us can survive today."
"Ninth Soul Skill, Hao Tian Heaven Splitting Strike!"
Lifting the Hao Tian Hammer overhead, countless soul power infused into it, shattering the surrounding space.
This technique's power was overwhelmingly fierce—even its residual shockwaves could effortlessly slay a Level 98 Super Douluo.
"Ice Dragon King Soul Bone Skill, Winter is Coming!"
Lightly touching the ground with his right hand, summer vanished instantly, replaced by snowflakes dancing in the sky as temperatures plummeted below freezing.
The ultimate ice attribute was unleashed, and in an instant, the northern landscape was frozen over, ten thousand miles of ice stretching endlessly.
"Ice Dragon King Soul Bone Skill, Ice Fang Shattering Slash."
A phantom of the Ice Dragon King appeared behind him, and the water vapor in the air condensed into tooth-shaped ice crystals.
Ning Tianchen suddenly raised his head, his gaze firm and confident.
Thousands of ice crystals collided with the Hao Tian Hammer, and the residual shockwaves wreaked havoc, freezing the ground into permanently unmelting permafrost.
…
Both sides tacitly abandoned low-level soul skills, continuously clashing with high-level ones. For a time, neither could gain the upper hand.
Faced with the overwhelming force of the Hao Tian Hammer, the Seven Kill Sword required significantly more soul power to counteract its techniques.
After an hour of combat, Ning Tianchen's soul power consumption became unsustainable, whereas Tang Chen seemed to have only expended about thirty percent of his reserves.
"This isn't your fault—it's the inherent difference in the nature of weapon martial souls. Heavy weapons drain physical strength but conserve soul power. Light weapons conserve physical strength, but to match the offensive power of heavy weapons, they require far greater soul power expenditure."
Tang Chen succinctly explained the fundamental differences in martial soul essence.
In terms of precision and speed, the Seven Kill Sword undoubtedly excelled. But this was a one-on-one battle with no external support; the Seven Kill Sword struggled to compete with the Hao Tian Hammer.
Ning Tianchen's lips curved slightly upward. "Is that so?"
Immediately afterward, the Seven Kill Sword martial soul disappeared from his hand, replaced by the Nine Treasures Glazed Pagoda martial soul.
"Fourth Soul Skill, Time Reversal!"
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