Luo Xiu looked down at the sea of blood beneath his feet, which was nearly filled with human figures, and slowly clenched his fists.

"I don't know… if I can bear such a heavy burden of slaughter," he said.

Dream and Asura said, "From the looks of it, you don't seem ready to become an Asura. But it doesn't matter. I can wait for you."

"Only by enduring hardship without complaint and carrying the burden of slaughter alone can one truly become an Asura."

Luo Xiu remained silent.

Dream and Asura then said, "Actually, there is another way."

"What way?"

"For now, don't accept the Asura Divine Soul. Just borrow the Asura Divine Power," said Dream and Asura.

"Besides, you already possess a Divine Soul. If two different Divine Souls were to merge into one, their distinct divine natures would conflict. That would only harm you."

He added, "I must also tell you, even if you borrow the Asura Divine Power, your body won't be able to bear it since you don't have the Life-bound Green Lotus."

"In other words, you will die."

Without a moment's hesitation, Luo Xiu said, "If my death can save them, I am willing."

"Then, enough talk. Draw your sword. I, too, want to see just how strong the true Asura Divine Power is."

Luo Xiu asked, "After I draw the sword, will you…"

"Don't worry. It won't be like before," Dream and Asura interrupted him, speaking slowly. "Previously, it was because your heart wasn't firm enough. You drew your sword only for your own predicaments or on a momentary impulse."

"Now, you should be clear about why you are drawing the sword."

Luo Xiu said, "I am drawing my sword for the people of Hua Country."

"…"

「...」

Below the Construct Wood, atop the altar, the Celestial Being was constantly struggling, so the Dragon Qi was being consumed much faster than Di Xuanji had anticipated.

BOOM—!

Seeing the Dragon Qi weaken, the Celestial Being seized the opportunity to unleash his full might, shattering it with a powerful blast.

The Void immediately resounded with the piteous howl of a dragon. The engulfing golden light instantly contracted, converging into the figure of Di Xuanji, who then crashed heavily to the ground.

Standing on the altar, the Celestial Being let out a long breath.

"The Dragon Qi of a nation is indeed extraordinary."

His expression was indifferent as he looked down at Di Xuanji, who lay on the ground with a ruptured body and barely a breath left in him. "For a mere mortal, you managed to suppress me for so long with this Dragon Qi," he said slowly. "You can die without regrets."

With that, he slowly raised his hand. A mysterious Spiritual Power Glyph condensed above his palm, ready to deliver the final blow to Di Xuanji.

But just then, a whistling sound approached.

Lin Xiyue, Zhang Yi, Luo Ying, Luo Qianye, and the others who had been waiting outside the provincial city descended from the sky. They landed with a bang, positioning themselves in front of Di Xuanji.

"Dragon King's Breakthrough—!"

A heaven-shaking roar echoed through the Void as a Thunder Dragon manifested, hurtling toward the Celestial Being with supreme might.

"Heh."

The Celestial Being let out a disdainful laugh. "That little azure dragon's Innate Divine Ability is somewhat interesting," he said. "It's just a pity you are too weak."

As he spoke, the Spiritual Power Glyph in his palm drifted silently forward. It moved at extreme speed and silently annihilated the Thunder Dragon.

Kuang Pi seemed to suffer a backlash. His enormous bear-like body was sent flying backward, spewing blood as he crashed to the ground, unable to rise again.

Everyone present was shocked by the sight. A single, casual strike was enough to nullify Kuang Pi's Divine Skill and severely injure him!

Indeed… Luo Hao is no match for this guy.

Zhang Yi gritted his teeth as strange, bright purple Spirit Martial Markings appeared on his skin.

"Sister Lei Luan, take His Majesty and go first!"

Without a word, Lei Luan picked up Di Xuanji from the ground and swiftly flew away.

Xiao Luanzi gazed at Luo Xiu, who was still kneeling quietly on the altar, and frowned. "The sand in the hourglass has clearly run out. Why isn't the boss waking up?"

Lin Xiyue's gaze also fell upon Luo Xiu, her eyes filled with worry.

Zhang Yi took a deep breath and stepped forward. "Let's not worry about that for now! Let's just get Brother Luo Xiu out of here!"

The Celestial Being eyed the approaching Zhang Yi with some surprise.

"Spirit Martial Markings? I never would have imagined that his power still existed in this world, let alone appeared in this Lower Realm."

Zhang Yi suddenly leaped into the air and threw a palm strike at the Celestial Being. "I don't care who you are! Have a taste of my palm!"

However, with a casual wave of his hand, the Celestial Being struck Zhang Yi with an invisible force. Zhang Yi was sent flying backward, spitting blood as the markings on his body vanished completely.

"Out of consideration for the Spirit Martial Markings, this old man will spare your life."

Lin Xiyue hastily flew up and steadily caught the falling Zhang Yi.

Upon landing, Lin Xiyue gave a light wave of her hand. The sky above the provincial city immediately became overcast, and countless specks of dust gathered at an astonishing speed to form a giant sword hundreds of meters long!

This was the Divine Skill Lin Xiyue had prepared in advance—the Ancient Starry Sky Sword!

On the altar, the Celestial Being looked up at the sword in the sky, somewhat incredulous.

"The Sky-shaking Sword Emperor's Divine Skill… How could it have been comprehended by someone like you from the Lower Realm?" he murmured. "But as things stand, this is the most power you can draw from it."

Raising his hand, he sent a Spiritual Power Glyph flying into the sky. It expanded and burst without a sound, silently annihilating the Ancient Starry Sky Sword before it could even descend.

PUH!

Instantly struck by the backlash, Lin Xiyue spat out a mouthful of blood.

At that moment, the Celestial Being stepped forward and appeared before Lin Xiyue as if he had teleported.

"This old man has a grudge against the Sky-shaking Sword Emperor. Since you are his successor, I shall send you to meet him."

As the Celestial Being's hand, filled with terrifying power, reached for her neck, despair was the only thing Lin Xiyue felt.

She knew that coming to find Luo Xiu would likely end in her death, but she had never imagined it would come so swiftly. Against this Celestial Being, there was truly no room for resistance.

And yet, strangely, the very instant the Celestial Being's hand was about to touch her neck, the entire world came to a sudden standstill!

At that moment, everyone was mysteriously frozen. Even the floating dust hung motionless in the air.

It was as if everything had been frozen by some mysterious force, or as if time itself had simply stopped.

But their consciousness and senses remained unaffected.

Before their eyes, a thick, blood-red aura began to rise from the altar.

In an instant, a terrifying and chilling killing intent enveloped heaven and earth.

Within that mass of blood-red aura, a bare-chested young man with waist-length white hair fluttering in the wind slowly rose to his feet.

It was Luo Xiu!

"Since you've come, you can stay."

Luo Xiu's hoarse voice resounded as he lifted his gaze to the Celestial Being. His crimson eyes radiated an icy killing intent so intense it felt like a stabbing pain in one's very soul.

The next moment, the stillness vanished.

Lin Xiyue disappeared as if she had evaporated, reappearing instantaneously in Luo Xiu's embrace.

"Luo Xiu… is that you?" Lin Xiyue looked up at his red eyes, suddenly afraid.

She feared that the person before her was not Luo Xiu, but the Asura.

Luo Xiu did not respond. With one arm encircling her, he used his other hand to pull the sword, Dream and Asura, from the altar.

"It doesn't matter who you are. If you dare to run rampant here, you will leave your life behind."

"…"

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