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Hearing this, the city defense commander turned pale. Faced with the pressure of a Divinity, he did not even have the courage to draw his sword. A moment later, the city gates opened wide. The Heaven Dou army abandoned their weapons, and the Spirit Empire army marched straight in.
The second city fell. The third city fell. Then the fourth pass was breached. In just a few short days, the western defenses of the Heaven Dou Empire collapsed completely. Those originally sturdy cities were as fragile as paper in front of Qian Renxue. The Soul Master Legion could not stop her, and the city defense arrays were useless. Even when several Spirit Douluo joined forces to execute a Spirit Fusion defense, it disintegrated rapidly under the Angel Holy Light.
For a time, the court of the Heaven Dou Empire was shaken. Xue Beng sat on the throne in the imperial palace, listening to one report of defeat after another, his face pale and devoid of color.
"Defeated? Defeated again?" Xue Beng cried out. "Doesn't Yanmen Pass have three hundred thousand troops? How could it not even hold for a single day?"
Below him, a messenger knelt on the ground, his voice trembling as he said, "Your Majesty, it's not that the army refused to fight. It's Qian Renxue... she has already become a God! She shattered the gates of Yanmen Pass with one sword strike, killing most of our defending Spirit Masters. The main general was severely wounded, and the rest of our soldiers fled."
Inside the palace, the ministers turned pale. To become a God... these words were enough to crush everyone's spirit. It was not that the Heaven Dou Empire lacked powerhouses, but Tang Chen was not in Heaven Dou, while Dugu Bo and Ning Fengzhi were supporting the Star Luo City front. Within the Empire's territory, there was simply no one capable of fighting a Divinity.
Xue Beng gripped the armrests of his throne tightly. "What about Tang Chen? Where is he? And what about Tang San? Doesn't Tang San also hate Qian Renxue? Why isn't he stopping her?"
No one in the hall dared to answer, because everyone knew that Tang San was no longer someone they could rely on. That former heir to the Clear Sky Sect had long since fallen into the path of the Rakshasa. He was slaughtering cities and devouring souls across the continent, making him even more terrifying than Qian Renxue. One was the Angel God, and the other was the Rakshasa God. The mortals could only tremble between these two Divine Rank existences.
After a long silence, an old minister spoke with a trembling voice, "Your Majesty, if we don't consolidate our forces now, I fear Jialing Pass will not hold."
At the mention of Jialing Pass, Xue Beng's eyes trembled violently. Jialing Pass was one of the most important strategic passes of the Heaven Dou Empire. Once it fell, the Spirit Empire army could march directly into the heart of Heaven Dou, placing the Empire in immediate danger.
Xue Beng gritted his teeth and shouted, "Issue the order! Mobilize all forces to defend Jialing Pass to the death! Send people to Star Luo City to request support from Dugu Bo, Ning Fengzhi, Sword Douluo, and Bone Douluo! Find Tang Chen too! Tell him that if Heaven Dou falls, there will be no one left on the continent to check the Spirit Empire!"
At Jialing Pass, the cold wind howled. This majestic pass stood between the mountains, its thick walls covered in sword marks and scorch marks left by Spirit Ability bombardments. It had blocked the Spirit Empire's advance many times before, and the Heaven Dou Empire had invested a massive number of troops here.
On the ramparts, banners snapped in the wind while hundreds of thousands of troops arrayed within the pass. Heavy crossbows, catapults, spirit guide cannons, and defensive Spirit Masters were all in position. Marshal Ge Long personally climbed the walls, his face filled with grim resolve. Behind him, several Spirit Douluo generals wore solemn expressions. They all knew this battle was different. Before, they faced a mortal army, but now they were facing a true God: the Angel God, Qian Renxue.
At dusk, a dense army appeared on the horizon as the Spirit Empire banners blanketed the sky. The golden Angel flag unfurled at the front, and a golden sun rose from above the army. That was not the sun; it was Qian Renxue. She hovered in mid-air, her six wings unfurled, her Angelic Sacred Sword hanging down, her golden eyes looking down at Jialing Pass with cold indifference. She alone suppressed the momentum of a million troops.
On the ramparts, the Heaven Dou soldiers turned pale, their spears trembling in their hands. Even though officers shouted to maintain order, the deep fear in their souls could not be suppressed.
Marshal Ge Long stared at Qian Renxue in mid-air and said in a deep voice, "Hold steady! We can't retreat from Jialing Pass! Behind us lies the heart of Heaven Dou! If this pass falls, the Empire is finished!"
Just as he finished speaking, Qian Renxue slowly raised the Angelic Sacred Sword. She offered no words, nor did she demand surrender. Jialing Pass was the last wall of the Heaven Dou Empire, and by shattering it, Heaven Dou would understand that mortals could not stop a God.
"Angel, Judgment," she uttered softly.
Golden sword light descended from the sky, illuminating the whole world. The defensive spirit guide array above Jialing Pass lit up instantly as dozens of Spirit Masters poured their spirit power into it. A massive blue light barrier enveloped the pass.
The next moment, the Angelic sword light slashed down.
The entire Jialing Pass shook violently. The light barrier trembled crazily as countless cracks appeared on its surface. On the ramparts, dozens of Spirit Masters maintaining the array vomited blood and were thrown backward.
Marshal Ge Long's expression changed drastically. "One sword... Just one sword..."
Before he could recover, Qian Renxue's second sword fell. The golden light struck like divine punishment, and the barrier could no longer hold. A crisp shattering sound echoed across the battlefield as the defensive array collapsed.
The morale of the Heaven Dou army instantly fell into chaos, while the Spirit Empire army erupted with a thunderous roar.
"Kill! Break through Jialing Pass! Long live the Angel God!"
Countless Spirit Masters soared into the air as the heavy armor legion advanced. Spirit guide cannons roared, and crossbow bolts fell like rain. On the walls, the Heaven Dou army resisted desperately.
Marshal Ge Long drew his sword and roared, "Don't retreat! Archers, fire! Soul Master Legion, stop them!"
A rain of arrows fell from the ramparts. The Heaven Dou Soul Master Legion unleashed their Spirit Abilities, blasting colorful lights toward the enemy vanguard. Explosions occurred continuously on the battlefield. Although the Spirit Empire had Qian Renxue presiding over the battle, Jialing Pass had a huge number of defending troops who caused heavy resistance at first.
However, such resistance was meaningless against a God. Qian Renxue looked down coldly and raised her left hand, unfolding the Angelic Domain. Golden radiance enveloped half of Jialing Pass. Any Heaven Dou soldier struck by the Holy Light felt as if a heavy weight were pressing on them, making their movements sluggish. Meanwhile, the Spirit Empire Spirit Masters received a boost to their spirit power recovery and attack power.
With this shift, the defense line collapsed rapidly. Spirit Douluo from the Spirit Empire tore open the gates, while flying Spirit Masters launched attacks from above. The defenders were beaten back step by step.
Marshal Ge Long was covered in blood, still fighting desperately. "Plug the gap! Rear army, fill in! Don't let them enter the city!"
Suddenly, a golden light descended, and Qian Renxue landed on the ramparts. She ignored the ordinary soldiers and looked straight at Marshal Ge Long. "Are you the commander of Heaven Dou?"
Marshal Ge Long gripped his sword tightly, his face pale, but he stood his ground. "I am."
Qian Renxue said indifferently, "Surrender, and you can live."
Marshal Ge Long sneered, "As the Marshal of Heaven Dou, how could I surrender to the Spirit Empire?"
Qian Renxue's expression did not change. "Foolish loyalty."
Marshal Ge Long roared, summoned his Spirit, and charged at Qian Renxue with his spirit rings lit. He knew he couldn't win, but he was the commander. If he retreated, Jialing Pass was lost.
Qian Renxue merely raised her hand, sending a wisp of golden light forward. Marshal Ge Long's charge stopped instantly as he was pinned in place. The sword in his hand shattered, and cracks appeared on his armor. Qian Renxue waved her hand, sending him flying back against the wall, coughing up blood.
"Marshal!" the Heaven Dou generals cried out in shock. Several Spirit Masters charged at Qian Renxue together.
Qian Renxue didn't even turn her head. Her six wings vibrated, releasing a wave of golden light that blew all the charging Spirit Masters away. Some fell unconscious, some had their internal channels severed, and several Spirit King generals fell off the wall to their deaths.
The morale of the Heaven Dou army collapsed completely.
"We can't stop her... She's a God! How can we stop a God?"
Fear spread like a plague. The Spirit Empire army rushed through the opened city gates as heavy cavalry poured in like a flood. The battle turned into a absolute rout. The Heaven Dou Empire suffered heavy losses; the Soul Master Legion lost more than half its strength, and many generals were killed or captured.
Jialing Pass, a strategic stronghold that once cost the Spirit Empire a massive price to even attempt to breach, fell in less than a day.
When night fell, Qian Renxue stood at the highest point of Jialing Pass. Below her feet was the devastated battlefield, where the golden Angel flag now stood. In the distance, the remnants of the Heaven Dou army retreated. She did not order her troops to hunt them down.
Looking into the distance, she said, "Reorganize the army. Three days from now, we continue our advance. I want to end the Heaven Dou front before Tang San becomes a God."
A general knelt behind her. "Yes, Your Majesty!"
Qian Renxue looked toward the horizon, sensing two powerful forces far away: Tang San's Rakshasa Death Qi and Tang Chen's life and Sea God aura.
She gripped her sword tightly. "Tang San, Tang Chen... Don't let me down. This continent will eventually return to the Angel Holy Light."
A few days later, outside Heaven Dou City, dark clouds hung low over the battlefield. The Spirit Empire army stretched for miles across the plains, pressing toward the city like a giant wave. At the front stood the heavy armor legion, followed by the Soul Master Legion with their bright spirit rings.
Above them all, Qian Renxue hovered silently. Her six wings were spread wide, and her sword flowed with holy golden light. She was like a second sun in the sky. Though she didn't unleash her full power, her presence alone made the defenders in the city struggle to breathe.
Jialing Pass had fallen, and many cities along the way had surrendered. Now, the Spirit Empire was at the gates of Heaven Dou City.
On the ramparts, Xue Beng stood with a pale face, his hands gripping the walls. Behind him, the generals looked grim. If Heaven Dou City fell today, the Empire would collapse.
Xue Beng looked at Qian Renxue in the distance and asked, "What about Tang Chen? Has he not returned yet?"
A messenger knelt behind him, his voice trembling. "Your Majesty, we have received no word. We only know that Lord Tang Chen went toward the Star Dou Great Forest to chase Tang San."
Xue Beng's expression darkened. Tang San was slaughtering cities for his Rakshasa transformation, Qian Renxue was leading an army as the Angel God, and Heaven Dou was caught in the middle with no strength to fight back.
Just as despair filled the air, several sounds broke through the sky as powerful spirit power signals approached at high speed.
Someone on the ramparts shouted in surprise, "It's Senior Dugu! School Master Ning has also come! Sword Douluo! Bone Douluo! And Senior Yang Wudi!"
Xue Beng looked up and saw several figures flying over the horizon. At the front was a green lightâDugu Bo, with the Jade Phosphor Serpent flickering behind him. Though his face was still pale from his injuries, his eyes remained sharp. Behind him, Ning Fengzhi arrived in a flying carriage, holding the bright Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda. Sword Douluo Chen Xin stood in white with the Seven Kill Sword beside him, while Bone Douluo Gu Rong flew with bone phantoms circling his body. Yang Wudi held his Soul Breaking Spear, sharp and ready for battle.
They had finally returned from Suotuo City, but no one smiled. They all saw the golden figure of Qian Renxue in the sky, a true God.
Dugu Bo landed on the ramparts, staring at her in mid-air. "Damn it, we were still a step too late."
Ning Fengzhi came to Xue Beng's side and asked in a deep voice, "Your Majesty, what's the status of our defenders?"
Xue Beng replied hurriedly, "We have over two hundred thousand defenders, fewer than three thousand Soul Masters, and the remnants from Jialing Pass. School Master Ning, Senior Dugu, what should we do now?"
Ning Fengzhi did not answer immediately. He looked up at Qian Renxue. She had once disguised herself as the Heaven Dou Crown Prince Xue Qinghe, playing the entire Empire in the palm of her hand. Now that she was a God, strategies seemed useless.
Sword Douluo Chen Xin gripped his Seven Kill Sword. "Her aura is much stronger than before."
Bone Douluo Gu Rong added in a deep voice, "Is this the power of a God? Just looking at her makes my Spirit tremble."
Yang Wudi slammed his Soul Breaking Spear onto the ramparts and snorted coldly. "So what if she's a God? If we retreat today, Heaven Dou is gone forever!"