The black greatsword clashed with the blood red greatsword. The shockwave from their attacks destroyed the entire street.
Asura God pushed Wu Ling's black sword aside and was about to cut toward Wu Ling's head when the Ame no Murakumo Sword in Wu Ling's other hand reached Asura God's head one step earlier. Asura God had no choice but to pull his sword back to defend.
The two traded blows back and forth. The energy leaking from their battle formed something like an absolute domain. Even a Ruler as powerful as Lucius Cross did not dare enter it rashly. The other Spirit Masters of Spirit Hall threw themselves into rescuing the wounded.
Looking at Wu Ling and that unknown god locked in battle in the distance, Lucius Cross murmured, "So this is a god."
A god. What is a god?
Mystery beyond measure is godhood. Supreme authority is godhood. Deathless immortality is godhood.
But from another angle, a so called god is only a stronger existence.
The gods of Soul Land were called gods for two reasons. First, their divine power had higher quality than Spirit Power. Second, they controlled parts of certain laws. But those two advantages did not matter much against Wu Ling.
The difference between divine power and Spirit Power was like the difference between water and gasoline. Their concentration differed, but not to the point of total qualitative transformation. After absorbing divine power before, Wu Ling had adjusted the energy circuits inside his body. Then he compressed the massive Spirit Power he had just absorbed. The energy inside him was not inferior to that of Asura God or the other god kings.
As for laws, Asura God's law could be called slaughter and judgment. But after Wu Ling had passed through the serpent god's divine core and the layered divine natures of several Heroic Spirits, the divinity inside him was not inferior to that of Asura God and the other god kings.
Divinity canceled divinity. Damage against divine beings increased. Add First Hassan's boundary between life and death, and Asura God's laws could no longer affect Wu Ling enough to decide the battle.
The greatest principles are often simple. Once Wu Ling and Asura God stood on the same level, and once Asura God lost the advantage of being a god, their battle became the simplest contest of direct clashes and mutual killing.
And when it came to clashing and killing, what species in any world could compare with humans? Lofty gods looked down on martial skill. How could this god have imagined that the martial skill he disdained would become the key to his defeat?
After forcing Asura God back again, Wu Ling, having grasped Asura God's combat information, finally went all out.
"Secret Sword..."
Wu Ling used the demonic sword technique from Sasaki Kojiro, the Heroic Spirit of his first Spirit Skill. But unlike the original, Wu Ling did not use a light katana. He used the Ame no Murakumo Sword. And the slashes he cut were not three, but eight.
It was said that if Ibuki Douji's Ame no Murakumo Sword released its True Name, it could split eight valleys and eight mountain peaks, creating eight great rivers. But Wu Ling did not need to release its True Name. He only needed the sword itself.
Under Wu Ling's control, the eight slashes created through Swallow Reversal did not spread apart. The original Swallow Reversal divided into three slashes to seal the enemy's movement and make the strike unavoidable. Wu Ling had only one goal now: kill.
Asura God, locked by Wu Ling, discovered with alarm that when the eight space-transcending slashes merged into one, the surrounding space collapsed. Black patterns spread around the sword. Most importantly, he found that he had nowhere to dodge. Every retreat path had been sealed. His only choice was to meet it head on.
Facing a strike that surpassed the one from the Dragon God of the past, Asura God held the Asura Sword across his body, then spat a mouthful of essence blood onto it. After that, his aura did not weaken. It grew stronger.
"Do not look down on me, boy!"
For a moment, the space around Asura God also exceeded its limit and shattered. Dense blood colored light wrapped Asura God and the Asura Sword in his hand.
This was unity of body and sword, unity of divine soul and blade. It was a full force strike that poured in all of Asura God's divine power, burned his Asura bloodline, and consumed his origin as the price.
"Asura Blood Sword!"
"Swallow Reversal!"
At once, the sky and earth changed color. Space collapsed. All of Spirit City vanished under the collision of those two attacks. A rushing wave of air swept in every direction with Wu Ling and Asura God at its center. Even in the shelters several kilometers from Spirit City, people could clearly sense an aura like the end of the world.
With help from Red Hare, Medea, and the other Heroic Spirits who were not fighting, every person in Spirit City was rescued without losing a single one.
Of course, that little time would never have been enough on its own. Fortunately, when Wu Ling had foreseen this battle, he used the excuse of rebuilding Spirit City to send away most of the elderly, the sick, and the children.
This time, two more people stood beside Lucius Cross as he watched from afar. They were Aurelia Cross and Bibi Dong, who had accepted their inheritances. But after seeing that terrifying battle, the confidence that had risen in them was pressed down again.
Set aside the fact that Angel God and Rakshasa God were only First Class gods. More importantly, Aurelia and Bibi Dong had only accepted the inheritances. They had not gone to the Divine Realm to touch true divine power or transform the energy inside them. Because of that, never mind fighting Asura God and the other god kings. Even Poseidon could fight both of them at once.
Aurelia Cross and Bibi Dong exchanged a glance, then silently turned back to continue watching. They both knew themselves well. Even if they were unable to help, they absolutely could not become a burden.
On Wu Ling and Asura God's side, the aftermath of their battle also affected the other fights. Yet what puzzled the gods was that the Heroic Spirits would rather suffer damage from the shockwaves than stop holding them back.
The God of Evil's expression was solemn. His lips moved slightly as he sent a divine sense transmission to Goodness and Life.
"Something is wrong. Leave aside Sea God and Destruction for now. The three on our side seem to be deliberately delaying us."
"Yes. I feel it too," the Goddess of Goodness replied while facing Ibuki Douji. Then the Life Goddess agreed as well.
"I will attack with everything I have in a moment. When I do, you two seize the chance to leave. After returning to the Divine Realm, summon every First Class god and bring them down to fight. I only now realize that Asura God and Sea God underestimated that man."
"Mm hm. Where do you think you are going?"
Wu Ling's voice suddenly sounded behind the God of Evil.
The God of Evil instinctively left his original position. Wu Ling, unlike usual, did not attack him. At the same time, the God of Evil searched the area for Asura God.
Wait. Why is he here? Where is Asura?
Wu Ling seemed to notice the God of Evil's thoughts, so he lifted his hand.
"What? Are you looking for this one?"
The God of Evil followed Wu Ling's hand with his eyes. All that remained of Asura God was a soul, weak and feeble, held in Wu Ling's grasp.
The God of Evil's eyes widened. Divine power surged through his body, and he shouted, "Goodness, Life, go!"
But Wu Ling moved faster than he did. With one beckoning motion, golden chains wrapped the God of Evil like a rice dumpling.
"I am tired of playing with you. Try this. Enkidu: Chains of Heaven!"