After extracting the serpent core, Li Chang'an remained on guard. His expression was calm, but his hands didn't rest—he flicked his wrist, and the serpent core was stored inside his storage soul tool.
Inside the tool, time was completely frozen, allowing the core's properties to be perfectly preserved. As for who he should give the core to… well, that was still up in the air.
After all, none of his women had a poison-type martial soul. Maybe Meng Yiran would be compatible? If she was, then he'd give it to her.
---
"Well, well… I didn't expect you to make it this far."
An aged voice echoed out as a wave of blood-red mist swept in. The atmosphere instantly became thick with malice and the stench of slaughter.
In the next moment, a black-robed elder appeared out of thin air.
A black cloak, floating in midair, and a face aged with time—it was none other than the Slaughter King.
But this version of the Slaughter King was different from before. For one, his aura was unstable, and his figure looked somewhat illusory.
Blood-red, arcane markings covered his pale skin, and a sword-shaped demonic sigil sat upon his forehead. Behind him, two massive crimson wings unfurled like those of a devil.
Slaughter King – Asura Domain activated!
Ye Xuan's legs went weak. To the citizens of the Slaughter Capital, the Slaughter King was a mountain that crushed all resistance. The fact that she wasn't kneeling already was impressive in itself.
But at that moment, a warm, strong hand steadied her, bringing her a sense of comfort.
A handsome face, refined yet carrying a hint of wickedness—it was, of course, Li Chang'an.
"Slaughter King. Been a while," he said casually.
"Young man, you've broken the rules. But today, I will not kill you. You may leave—but she stays," the Slaughter King said coldly, his gaze looking down at them as if they were insects.
"Chang'an…" Ye Xuan tugged at his sleeve nervously. Anyone else would've taken the offer without hesitation. After all, the Slaughter King was said to be unbeatable.
"Relax. Don't you know your man by now?" Li Chang'an said with a smile, patting her hand to reassure her.
Then he looked at the Slaughter King and said evenly, "This isn't your real body, is it? If I'm not mistaken, you're just projecting a clone."
"Hmph. Even so, with my Asura Domain, I'm more than capable of killing you. Especially since you can't use soul skills!"
As the Slaughter King sneered, he fully unleashed his Slaughter Domain.
The blood-red atmosphere thickened dramatically, and Li Chang'an found himself completely enveloped.
His movements began to feel sluggish, and an intense, primal fear stirred deep within him.
"Hmph! You think I'm scared of you?"
He shoved Ye Xuan out of the domain's range, lifted the Pangu Axe, and activated his self-created technique—Triple Critical Axe Strike!
In just one second, he completed all three strikes in a stacked sequence. But something felt off—his technique seemed weaker, its power reduced by more than 10%.
"Insect," the Slaughter King scoffed. "Even this clone of mine, bolstered by the Asura Domain, has power close to a Level 94 Title Douluo. With your movement impaired, you're not even close to being a match!"
The blood-red wings behind him sliced through the air like blades, intercepting Li Chang'an's triple-strike head-on.
BOOM!
BANG!
CRASH!
On the third strike, Li Chang'an was blown back nearly ten meters. His arm trembled as he gripped the Pangu Axe.
'So this… is the power of a Limit Douluo. Even a clone could reach such terrifying levels!'
But the Slaughter King wasn't feeling great either. His wings felt like they'd been shredded. The pain was maddening.
'This brat's martial soul… is actually suppressing my wings?! If not for the Asura Domain, the outcome of that clash would've been uncertain!'
"Let's go again!"
Li Chang'an summoned the Donghuang Bell, shielding himself. Then, with a light tap of his toes, he shot forward once more, axe in hand.
The Slaughter King didn't dare underestimate him now. He sped forward, moving twice as fast as Li Chang'an. The air cracked under the force of their exchange.
BANG! BANG! BANG!
Within a single second, Li Chang'an took three hits, managing to land only one in return.
Though the bell protected him from injury, the sheer momentum of the Slaughter King's attacks forced him backward again and again…
Watching from the sidelines, Ye Xuan clenched her fists.
'This is all my fault… I dragged him into this…'
"Hmph. Let's see how long you can keep this up!" the Slaughter King roared.
He raised both hands, sending out wave after wave of blood-red energy. The corrosive aura was terrifying—not only could it erode defenses, but it also carried a unique disruptive power.
Instantly, explosions erupted around Li Chang'an. If not for the Donghuang Bell, he would've already been defeated.
Even so, the overwhelming force kept him on the defensive. Sweat streamed down his face.
'This pressure… damn.'
The Slaughter King cackled wildly. "So? How do you like the taste of my domain? Compared to the deathgod Domain you're about to obtain, this Slaughter Domain is far superior. It's the core of the Slaughter Capital's anti-soul-skill field."
"But you still can't break through my defense!" Li Chang'an shouted back stubbornly.
"Then let me show you… what divine power truly means!"
The Slaughter King sneered. He had already noticed: while he could suppress this youth, he couldn't break through his defenses. It was like trying to crush a turtle shell—tough and infuriating.
"Oh?" Li Chang'an raised a brow. If his opponent was about to change tactics, maybe… it was time to find a new opening.
Then the Slaughter King called out:
"Sword—come!"
A blood-red beam of light shot out from the depths of the Slaughter Capital, streaking toward them at supersonic speed.
As the blade approached, Li Chang'an felt it—an immense pressure. Not soul power, but something beyond that. Something divine.
The Asura Sword!
The moment the blood-red sword landed in the Slaughter King's hand, his vital energy began to plummet.
In exchange, the sword's aura surged exponentially.
So this is the cost of wielding a divine weapon—sacrificing one's life force to power it.
This one strike… even if he survived, Li Chang'an would be seriously injured. And what about the rest of the trial?
But at that moment, the Pangu Axe in his hand began to vibrate—almost as if… it was reacting.
Suddenly, a wild idea flashed through his mind.
If divine weapons had sentience… wouldn't there be a hierarchy?
And if that's the case, then his Pangu Axe…
Wasn't it…
A supreme artifact? A Chaos Treasure? The alpha of divine tools?
Then logically…
"Your sword… is also mine!"
Li Chang'an locked eyes with the Asura Sword and shouted:
"SWORD—COME!"
And then—
The blood-colored blade ripped free from the Slaughter King's grasp and flew into Li Chang'an's hand—fully charged and ready to strike.
Just as he thought—your sword… really is mine.