Xuan Zi, from the parallel world, took a swig of wine, his rough face etched with solemnity.
He truly hadn't expected the Spirit Empire's offensive in this world to be so fierce.
His gaze swept over the young students he had brought with him.
It seemed that if they wanted to safely acquire the divine inheritance in this world, they would first have to overcome the Spirit Hall.
Xuan Zi thought to himself that they had been drawn into the vortex and could not remain aloof.
"Since things have come to this, there is only one option: battle."
Dai Mubai shot up, the phantom of the White Tiger flashing behind him, his eyes burning with unyielding fire.
"We absolutely will not surrender without a fight."
"Dai Boss is right."
Tang San slowly rose, his gaze firm, sweeping over his companions and every powerhouse present.
"We have no retreat, nor can we be timid before the battle. Though the Spirit Empire is powerful, it is not an unbreakable monolith. As long as we stand united, we might still have a glimmer of hope."
His words ignited the passion of many in the hall, especially for the Star Luo Imperial Family and the remnants of Heaven Dou—they had nowhere left to go.
Others might choose to surrender, but they, bound by the hatred of a fallen nation and personal grievances, had only death to choose from.
However, beneath the surface of stirring passion, undercurrents still surged.
Ning Fengzhi's gaze briefly intersected with Ning Tian's from the parallel world.
Ning Tian's eyes carried both concern and a hint, making the vague idea in his heart instantly clear—to withdraw.
To take the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School through the spacetime channel to Ning Tian's world, avoiding this war which seemed almost certainly lost.
The idea was extremely tempting.
As the Sect Master, he had to be responsible for the continuation of the sect's legacy.
The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School's auxiliary ability was a treasure in war, but it also made them a priority target for the enemy.
'But not now.'
Ning Fengzhi cautioned himself inwardly.
To abandon the fight now would be tantamount to pushing their allies—the Star Luo Empire, the Heaven Dou remnants, the Clear Sky School, the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon School, and Shrek Academy—into a desperate situation. The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School would bear eternal infamy and would find it difficult to gain a foothold in any world thereafter.
He lightly tapped his finger on the armrest of his seat, and a more stable, more righteous plan formed in his mind—battle, they must battle.
The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School would go all out, fighting the Spirit Empire alongside their allies.
But at the same time, they must secretly prepare.
Once the war situation completely deteriorated and the matter became irrecoverable, only then would they initiate the withdrawal plan.
This way, they could be worthy of their allies, fulfill their righteousness, and preserve the spark of revival for the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School.
He tilted his head slightly, offering a look only they would understand to Sword Douluo Chen Xin and Bone Douluo Gu Rong behind him.
The two old men who had guarded the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School their entire lives nodded slightly, having understood the Sect Master's choice—fight until the last moment, but also leave a final path for the sect's survival.
Inside the hall, the voices advocating for war gradually became unified.
Dai Yutian began to deploy troops and assign defensive lines, and the leaders of the various factions also expressed their commitment, throwing their forces into this seemingly hopeless battle for survival.
The clouds of war had already shrouded the entire Star Luo Empire.
And beneath the tragedy of going valiantly to their deaths, the balancing act of human nature and the selfish motives of factions were quietly breeding, waiting to expose their true faces in the crucible of blood and fire.
Star Luo Empire border, Luoxia Plain.
The once endless golden sea of grass was now covered by dark masses of armies and the light of various soul skills.
The earth-shaking shouts of killing, the roars of soul beasts, the clash of weapons, and the booming collision of soul skills intertwined into a bloody and grand symphony of war.
The six hundred thousand strong army of the Spirit Empire, like a precise and cold war machine, advanced in layers, with the Soul Master Legion as the spearhead and the ordinary legions as the wings.
The disciples of the new Seven Great Sects, such as the Sacred Dragon Clan and the Elephant Armored Sect, relying on their powerful martial souls and tacit coordination, tore open gaps in the battlefield, sweeping everything before them.
On the side of the Star Luo Empire, Dai Yutian personally commanded the Star Luo elite and the Heaven Dou remnants in a desperate resistance.
The soldiers, relying on temporarily constructed defense lines, used their flesh and blood to resist the steel torrent of the Spirit Empire.
The fight for every inch of land was stained with hot blood.
In the high sky, the battle between the Titled Douluo was even more breathtaking.
Sword Douluo Chen Xin, his Seven Kill Sword shining brightly, amplified by Ning Fengzhi's full-power Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda, his sword energy traversed thousands of meters, single-handedly tying down several elders of the Spirit Hall.
Bone Douluo Gu Rong appeared and disappeared like a ghost, his massive Bone Dragon appearing intermittently, stirring up the battlefield.
However, this delicate balance was completely shattered by the arrival of a single order.
On the cloud layer far from the battlefield, Lu Jingming, Gu Yuena, and Qian Renxue stood silently, overlooking the brutal slaughter below.
Qian Renxue's golden eyes were devoid of emotion, as if watching a drama unrelated to her.
"It seems that they alone cannot bring this play to a close."
Qian Renxue's clear, cold voice sounded, and she turned her head slightly.
"Enshrinement Hall, make your move. End this meaningless resistance quickly."
"As you command, Milady."
An aged and deep voice responded.
The next moment, six figures as dazzling as the sun soared up from behind the Spirit Empire army. Terrifying soul power pressure instantly engulfed the entire battlefield, making even the sky seem to dim.
It was the six Great Enshriners of the Spirit Empire's Enshrinement Hall, excluding Qian Daoliu.
Seeing the six Great Enshriners make their move, Bibi Dong, who had been sitting in the rear and taking no action, narrowed her eyes.
She had thought Qian Renxue would not make a move, but now it seemed she had underestimated her daughter's breadth of mind.
Golden Crocodile Douluo, the Second Enshriner and leader of the six Great Enshriners, had a clear target. The massive Golden Crocodile King phantom, carrying a primordial aura, directly engaged Xuan Zi, the strongest presence on the field.
"Hmph, visitor from another world, let this old man see what you are capable of."
Golden Crocodile Douluo's voice was like a great bell. He violently collided with Xuan Zi, who had transformed into the Gluttonous God Cow, the terrifying shockwave causing ordinary soldiers below to fall in droves.
Simultaneously, a stream of extreme cold light, like the whisper of the Grim Reaper, silently traversed the chaotic battlefield, heading straight for Thunder Douluo Yu Yuanzhen, who was fiercely battling the Sacred Dragon Clan Master on the Star Luo side.
Yu Yuanzhen's body shimmered with lightning, his dragon-transformed body full of power, but his old wounds had not fully healed, and his movements were ultimately a fraction too slow.
"Pfft—!"
It was the dull sound of a sharp object piercing through flesh and bone.
Yu Yuanzhen's entire body shook. He looked down in disbelief at the arrow, completely condensed from ice-attribute soul power, which had pierced his heart. The extreme cold instantly froze his blood and soul power.
Glowing Feather Douluo, holding his divine bow, appeared in the distance, his eyes cold.
"Father!"
Yu Xiaogang, who was commanding the army, screamed in heartbreaking grief, his eyes bloodshot.
The Sect Master of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon School, Thunder Douluo Yu Yuanzhen, had fallen.
His death was like a signal, completely raising the curtain on a battle of life and death at the Titled Douluo level.
Spirit Hall Elder Spirit Kite Douluo, seeing Sword Douluo being tied down by multiple opponents, relied on his speed and transformed into a fiery kite stream of light, heading straight for Ning Fengzhi, the auxiliary in the rear.
"Seeking death."
Sword Douluo Chen Xin's eyes sharpened, his Seven Kill Sword Intent instantly bursting to its maximum.
"Seventh Soul Skill, Seven Kill True Body!"
Amplified by Ning Fengzhi's astonishing eighty percent boost, Chen Xin became one with his sword. A sword light that traversed the heavens struck first, accurately slicing through the fiery kite that Spirit Kite Douluo had transformed into.
The mournful cry of the bird came to an abrupt halt.
Spirit Kite Douluo, an Elder of the Spirit Hall, was cut in half mid-air, his spirit extinguished.
On the other side, Poison Douluo Dugu Bo's Jade Phosphorous Serpent Emperor Poison was dominant, but against Chrysanthemum Douluo Yue Guan, whom he had known for years, he seemed somewhat outmatched.
Chrysanthemum Douluo's Strange Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum shone with golden light, constantly purifying and neutralizing the potent poison. Petals filled the sky and turned into sharp blades, forcing Dugu Bo into dangerous situations, putting him in jeopardy.
On the battlefield, every Titled Douluo found their opponent.
Clear Sky Douluo Tang Xiao of the Clear Sky School single-handedly fought two Spirit Hall elders, gaining the upper hand with the dominance of the Clear Sky Hammer.
The three Super Douluo from the parallel world's Shrek Academy also took on Enshriners like Lion and Azure Luan. Although there was a gap in soul power level, they did not immediately show signs of defeat.
However, once the six Great Enshriners fully joined the battle, the scales of victory began to tip irreversibly.
The strength of a Peak Douluo was far beyond that of an ordinary Titled Douluo.
Especially under the fierce assault of Peak Douluo like Golden Crocodile, Azure Luan, and Lion, the top combat strength of the Star Luo Empire began to quickly collapse.
Xuan Zi was being firmly suppressed by Golden Crocodile Douluo, and the Gluttonous God Cow's body already showed numerous wounds.
Though Sword Douluo Chen Xin and Bone Douluo Gu Rong were extremely powerful with Ning Fengzhi's assistance, the opponents had an absolute advantage in numbers. They could not fight four hands with two fists and could only barely hold on.
The army below was retreating step by step, their defense lines constantly compressed and torn.
The Spirit Empire's legions pressed relentlessly, stepping over the corpses of Star Luo soldiers.
The collapse of the army was like a landslide.
Star Luo Emperor Dai Yutian watched the continuous fall of generals and soldiers, watched the Titled Douluo constantly perishing in the sky, his eyes filled with bloodshot despair.
He knew that the tide had turned.
Luoxia Plain, he feared, would become the burial ground of the Star Luo Empire.
On the clouds above, Qian Renxue watched the scene, a subtle, indifferent arc curving on her lips.
Bibi Dong still sat high in her imperial carriage in the rear, watching with cold eyes, as if enjoying this drama of destruction that she had personally directed.
Just as the Star Luo Empire's defense line was about to completely collapse, and Xuan Zi and the others were also on the verge of breaking under the fierce attack of Golden Crocodile Douluo, two distinct yet equally vast auras suddenly soared up from the rear of the Star Luo Empire's formation.
One aura was blazing and sacred, like burning justice, while the other was gentle and vast, like a romantic poem encompassing all things.
"In the name of my Lord."
A clear shout rang through the battlefield, and a figure wrapped in blinding white light was the first to appear.
She held the Iris Battle Flag, her body shimmering with a light of belief that seemed corporeal. It was the long-hidden Saintess—Jeanne.
She plunged the Battle Flag violently into the void, and a massive sacred barrier instantly unfolded, blocking the fatal strike from Golden Crocodile Douluo, a blow capable of splitting mountains and cracking the earth.
Simultaneously, countless golden threads appeared from thin air, elegantly and precisely winding around Enshriners like Azure Luan and Lion. The strange power of law contained in the golden threads actually caused their immense soul power to momentarily stagnate, their movements instantly slowing down.
The Demigod of Romance—Aglaya—stepped on the void. She smiled slightly at the Enshriners, whose faces had drastically changed: "This path is temporarily closed."
These two Retainers, comparable to Demigods, had finally made their move.
They had originally been unwilling to interfere too much in the war of this world, but with their Master in danger, they had no choice but to intervene.
However, their purpose was not slaughter, but rescue and withdrawal.
Jeanne waved her Battle Flag. Beams of sacred light fell upon Xuan Zi, Ma Xiaotao, and the other Shrek members, providing them with powerful defensive buffs.
Aglaya lightly waved her jade hand, and threads of golden silk wrapped around Han Ruoruo and others.
"Go!"
Jeanne was concise, but her gaze was solemn as she looked toward the very rear of the Spirit Empire army.
The moment they intervened, an aura of divine power, far more terrifying than the six Great Enshriners combined, filled with endless malice and evil, suddenly awoke like a sleeping fierce beast and descended with a roar.
"Insignificant beings from another domain, dare you interfere with my war?"
Bibi Dong's cold and heartless voice seemed to come from the Nine Serenities.
The next moment, a giant phantom of a scythe, wrapped in purple-black evil energy, tore through the sky, carrying the terrifying divine power of judging all living things and polluting everything, and slashed down at Jeanne and Aglaya.
It was the Rakshasa Scythe.
The two Retainers' faces slightly changed, and they struck out simultaneously.
Jeanne's Iris Battle Flag erupted with a towering sacred light, while a shield woven from golden threads appeared in front of Aglaya.
"Boom—!!!"
The collision of divine-level power darkened the entire sky. Countless ripples spread across space, as if unable to withstand the force.
Jeanne and Aglaya's figures swayed slightly. Though unharmed, their expressions grew several degrees more serious.
They were, after all, not true gods. Facing Bibi Dong's angry strike, they felt immense pressure.
"Take them and go first."
Aglaya whispered to Jeanne, simultaneously forming hand seals. More golden threads wrapped around the giant Rakshasa Scythe, buying them time.
Jeanne did not hesitate. With a sweep of her Battle Flag, sacred power enveloped Ning Tian, Han Ruoruo, Ma Xiaotao, and all the Shrek members, transforming into a stream of light that quickly fled into the distance.
Xuan Zi was equally quick. He instantly turned into a yellow streak of light and ran, seizing the opportunity while Aglaya was blocking the enemy.
Before leaving, Xuan Zi looked back in horror, just in time to see the aftermath of the Rakshasa Scythe sweep across the position he had just occupied. Cracks were corroded in the space itself, frightening the Super Douluo out of his wits and stripping away any lingering sense of complacency.
Bibi Dong's true body did not fully manifest, but the Rakshasa Scythe, like the extension of her will, did not cease its killing after forcing back the two Retainers.
The scythe changed direction, appearing as if teleported above the head of Soaring Sky Douluo Tang Xiao, who was struggling against two Spirit Hall elders.
Tang Xiao roared, raising his massive Clear Sky Hammer, and pushing the profound meaning of the Great Sumeru Hammer to its limit, attempting to resist.
However, in the face of divine-level power, a Peak Douluo's desperate strike seemed so pale.
The lightning brought by the Clear Sky Hammer could not stop the cleave of the Rakshasa Scythe at all.