________________
Dawn,
Dugu Bo's Mansion,
The sun would rise in just more or less two hours later and yet two people had already awoken this time of the day. In fact, it wouldn't be called like as it was safer to say the two still haven't gone to sleep seeing them still doing something on the bed.
These two people were none other than Lev and Zhu Zhuqing who were still having sex until now. As they were spirit masters, their stamina was far higher than any normal people, and thus getting tired while having sex wasn't that taxing but looking closely, they might probably be over with it soon.
"L-Lev, …aahh…I-I'm done...aahh…. aahh… I c-can'tt…. aaahhhh!!!" Suddenly, Zhu Zhuqing, who looked half-dead while remembering what happened for the last several hours, moaned for the last time using the remaining strength that she had before finally fainting.
"Hnnggggg." Lev, on the other hand, groans as his body shook for about ten seconds before pulling out his cock inside of Zhu Zhuqing. He has already lost count of how many times he has cummed inside of her as they just keep on doing it.
Lev looked at Zhu Zhuqing before a faint smile appeared on his face. He had just had sex with one of the main characters of this world. Anyone would probably feel the same way as him as it was very satisfying. Calming herself down, he then just helped her lie comfortably so she could properly sleep.
Following that, Lev summoned out a bathrobe and put it on as he walked closer to the window to see the quiet and peaceful view outside. He breathed in and then thought, I wonder if I got her pregnant.'
Standing there for a while, Lev had already decided not to sleep as it would be sunrise soon. He then just left the room wanting to get out for a breather and prepare himself for what was about to come.
But before that, there's still something he needs to check on.
Heading outside the mansion, Lev walked toward the main entrance before eventually sitting down on the ground. He leaned back casually, finally finding himself with enough time to examine the rewards he had acquired the previous night.
"System, explain these items to me," Lev muttered as he took two cards out of his inventory.
The moment he summoned them, information about the items immediately appeared in his mind.
[Random Item Card]
[Description: Upon use, the host will obtain a random item from one of the countless worlds that exist. Depending on the host's luck, the obtained item may be powerful—or it may be completely useless.]
[Random Skill Card]
[Description: Upon use, the host will obtain a random skill possessed by a character from one of the countless worlds that exist. Depending on the host's luck, the obtained skill may be powerful—or it may be completely useless.]
"Hmmm… Interesting."
Lev stared at the two cards in his hands, a thoughtful expression appearing on his face.
"So, everything depends on luck."
The two cards were undoubtedly valuable. However, Lev couldn't help but feel a little skeptical.
After all, his luck had never exactly been what one would call good.
He had been abandoned as a child, only to be adopted later on before eventually being left alone once again. His life had been filled with one unfortunate event after another.
Of course, there was one major exception.
Meeting the True God.
That encounter had completely changed his fate and was probably the single luckiest thing that had ever happened to him.
"Still, I don't really lack skills, and I don't need any particular items for the time being. I'll just keep these for later."
Lev put both cards back into his inventory.
He already possessed countless spirit abilities and other skills he had acquired in this world. More than anything, he needed time to familiarize himself with what he already had.
There was no point in recklessly obtaining even more abilities when he hadn't fully mastered the ones currently at his disposal.
"Besides…"
A faint smile appeared on Lev's face.
"Finally, I've acquired a number of Random Summoning Cards again."
This was the reward that interested him the most.
For Lev, companions were just as valuable as skills and items—perhaps even more so.
Having someone by his side was something he valued deeply. After all, power could be obtained through countless means, but genuine companionship was far more difficult to find.
"System, is this the standard reward I can obtain whenever I add more members to my harem?"
Lev immediately asked.
If that were the case, he would have to reconsider some of his plans moving forward.
[No. The rewards obtained are also random.]
"Hmmm…"
Lev fell silent for a moment.
"That's such a shame."
He sounded genuinely disappointed.
"Still, a reward is a reward."
There was no reason for him to complain.
Afterward, Lev's thoughts suddenly shifted toward Dugu Yan. But before he could dwell on that thought for long, another question surfaced in his mind.
"System, I'm sure Tsunade loves me, so why can't she become a member of my harem?"
[Because Tsunade is the host's summon. Summons are an exception.]
"Ohh?"
Lev blinked before sighing.
"That's a shame."
Although he had expected an answer like that, he was still somewhat disappointed.
Lev continued conversing with the system for a while, asking a few more questions about his rewards and abilities. Eventually, however, he stopped and shifted his attention back toward his surroundings.
His relaxed expression remained unchanged.
But his eyes subtly narrowed.
"You've been hiding there for quite some time now."
Lev slowly stood up from the ground and dusted himself off.
"So, why don't you all just come out already?"
His voice was calm.
Yet the moment those words left his mouth, the atmosphere around the mansion seemed to grow strangely quiet.
He had already sensed their presence for quite some time.
Judging from the number of people surrounding the mansion, it seemed that Emperor Xue Ye had already received news of his return.
Following Lev's words, a cloaked man suddenly stepped forward and appeared a short distance away from him.
Since he was the only one who revealed himself, it was obvious that he was the leader of the group.
"Lev, His Majesty Emperor Xue Ye was delighted to hear of your arrival. The Emperor has ordered us to guide you to the palace—"
"Cut the crap."
Lev interrupted him without hesitation.
"If you were only ordered to guide me to the palace, then why are there more than a hundred people surrounding this place?"
His eyes swept across the surroundings.
"Do you think I'm blind?"
The cloaked man's expression immediately became stiff.
Lev had already sensed the strength of everyone surrounding him.
Every single one of them was a Spirit Saint.
And the man standing before him was a Titled Douluo.
Emperor Xue Ye's intentions were obvious.
He wanted to appear courteous on the surface while preparing enough forces to execute Lev if necessary.
The cloaked man remained silent for several seconds.
Then, he raised his hand.
That was the signal.
In the next instant, more than a hundred figures emerged from their hiding places and charged toward Lev from every direction.
Their killing intent erupted simultaneously.
They had indeed been ordered to escort Lev to the palace.
But they had also been given another order.
If anything went wrong, they were to execute him on the spot.
"That's more like it."
Lev smiled as he looked at the approaching Spirit Masters.
Rather than feeling threatened, excitement flashed through his eyes.
To him, these people weren't terrifying enemies.
They were experience points.
The stronger they were, the more useful they would be for his growth.
"Come."
Lev's smile widened.
"Let's see how much experience you can give me."
The peaceful morning instantly erupted into chaos.
One hundred Spirit Masters and a Titled Douluo surrounded Lev.
And without waiting for another word, the battle began.
**********
—Thirty minutes later—
Only thirty minutes had passed.
Yet the scene outside the mansion had already become completely unrecognizable.
Lev stood calmly amidst the devastation, holding the severed head of one of the attackers in his hand. The surrounding ground had been torn apart, leaving behind countless craters and shattered pieces of earth.
More than a hundred Spirit Masters had come to kill him.
Now, only corpses remained.
The mansion, however, remained completely untouched. A protective barrier that Lev had erected beforehand had shielded the entire building from the battle, preventing even the slightest damage from reaching those inside.
Lev casually looked around before his gaze settled on a man kneeling several meters away.
"Are you the person sent by Dugu Bo?"
The kneeling man immediately lowered his head even further.
"Y-Yes, Young Lord."
He was a man in his forties wearing ordinary clothing. Despite his simple appearance, his strength was anything but ordinary.
He was a Spirit Saint.
Yet at this moment, he was trembling uncontrollably.
The man had witnessed everything.
He had watched Lev fight more than a hundred Spirit Masters as though they were nothing more than ants. Even the Titled Douluo who had led them had been unable to escape his fate.
The scene had completely shattered his understanding of what a Spirit Master could accomplish.
He didn't even dare to look directly at Lev.
"Good."
Lev nodded before casually dropping the severed head onto the ground.
His gaze then swept across the countless corpses scattered throughout the area.
"Come out."
With a thought, the five goblins suddenly appeared beside him.
They immediately bowed toward their master.
Lev didn't bother speaking aloud. Instead, he communicated with them through telepathy and gave them several instructions.
The goblins quickly nodded before spreading out across the battlefield.
After making sure everything was taken care of, Lev turned around and began walking away.
"Let's go."
The Spirit Saint immediately followed behind him without hesitation.
As he walked, he couldn't help but glance back at the devastated battlefield.
The sight made his heart tremble once again.
He had been ordered by Dugu Bo to meet Lev and assist him.
But after witnessing what had just happened, he finally understood why Dugu Bo had repeatedly warned them to obey every order from the Young Lord without question.
The young man walking ahead of him wasn't someone they could afford to disobey.
He was a monster.
And this monster had just begun his return.
*****
Heaven Dou Palace,
Meanwhile, inside the palace, Emperor Xue Ye could be found sitting on his throne together with several important figures of the empire. Everyone was waiting for news regarding Lev.
Emperor Xue Ye had received word of Lev's arrival the previous night, prompting him to immediately dispatch a group of Spirit Masters to greet him and invite him to the palace.
He still remembered what had happened five years ago.
This time, he would not allow Lev to escape his grasp.
The war between the Heaven Dou Empire and Spirit Hall had reached a stalemate. Neither side could gain a decisive advantage, and because of this, any information Lev possessed could potentially change the entire outcome of the war.
His sudden return was therefore an opportunity that Emperor Xue Ye could not afford to miss.
After waiting for some time, a figure suddenly appeared inside the hall.
The person immediately knelt and reported everything that had happened.
As Emperor Xue Ye listened, his expression gradually darkened.
His face became extremely ugly after hearing that the entire group sent to capture Lev had been annihilated.
"A hundred Spirit Masters..."
His hands slowly tightened around the armrests of his throne.
Those weren't ordinary Spirit Masters. Every single one of them was a Spirit Saint, while their leader was even a Titled Douluo.
And yet, all of them had been killed.
"How strong has he become after five years?"
Emperor Xue Ye's expression became increasingly solemn.
He had initially intended to capture Lev alive and force him to reveal whatever information he possessed.
Now, he realized that the situation was far more serious than he had anticipated.
He slowly raised his hand.
"There is no need to hesitate anymore."
His voice was cold and decisive.
"Mobilize the troops."
The people inside the hall immediately became serious.
"No matter what method you have to use, bring Lev back to the palace alive."
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
The person immediately bowed before disappearing from the hall.
Emperor Xue Ye remained seated, his expression dark and gloomy.
The loss of a hundred Spirit Saints was already an enormous blow to the empire. Yet what angered him even more was something else.
Dugu Bo.
Ning Fengzhi.
To think that those two would remain silent and betray me.
His veins bulged slightly on his forehead as anger surged through him.
"Those two bastards..."
Emperor Xue Ye had already been suspicious of them before.
However, with the war escalating, he had deliberately chosen to overlook his suspicions. The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan and Dugu Bo were both extremely valuable to the empire, and their assistance was still necessary to maintain the balance against Spirit Hall.
But now that Lev had returned, everything had changed.
Both of them had chosen to stand aside.
To Emperor Xue Ye, that was no different from betrayal.
He clenched his fists tightly.
"Lev..."
His eyes became filled with killing intent.
He had already failed to deal with him once five years ago.
This time, he would not make the same mistake.
No matter how strong Lev had become, he would mobilize the entire strength of the Heaven Dou Empire if necessary.
He would capture Lev alive.
And this time, he would make absolutely certain that Lev never had the opportunity to escape again.
*****
Heaven Dou City,
The peaceful morning was suddenly shattered by the sight of a massive army of Spirit Masters marching through the city.
The people immediately became curious and anxious upon seeing such a large force heading toward the outskirts.
There could only be one reason for the empire to mobilize such an army.
Spirit Hall had launched another attack.
Panic quickly spread throughout Heaven Dou City. People hurried back into their homes, closing their doors and windows while praying that they would survive the day.
*****
On the Field,
Dugu Bo's mansion was located some distance away from Heaven Dou City, with a large plain separating the two places. Dugu Bo had deliberately chosen this location because of its proximity to Sunset Forest, allowing him to easily travel between the forest and his medicinal garden whenever necessary.
However, the normally peaceful field was now filled with an oppressive atmosphere.
An enormous army of Spirit Masters from the Heaven Dou Empire had already gathered across the plain.
...Boom!!!!...
A deafening explosion suddenly echoed across the battlefield, sending dust and debris flying in every direction.
As the dust slowly settled, five enormous creatures could be seen surrounding a lone man.
They were Kokuo and the four other summoned creatures, standing protectively around Lev.
"It's really you!"
The army leader from before stared at Lev with a frown.
"I don't know what you have done, but His Majesty wants you to come to the palace immediately. You're still young, yet it seems you've done something serious enough to warrant such an order."
The man couldn't help but feel confused.
He still didn't understand why Emperor Xue Ye was so determined to capture this young man.
"You don't even know why you're really here, do you?"
Lev calmly asked.
He was somewhat surprised to see an entire army waiting for him.
Although he felt a little pity for these people, who were merely following orders without knowing the truth, that sympathy wasn't enough to make him spare them.
"Looks like you're not willing to come peacefully."
The army leader sighed.
"What a shame. I'm sorry, but we'll have to use force to bring you back."
He stepped forward before releasing his spirit rings.
At the same time, the enormous army behind him began releasing their Spirit Power.
Tens of thousands of Spirit Masters stood across the battlefield.
"Lev, right?"
The army leader looked at him seriously.
"I'm asking you one last time. Come with us peacefully."
Despite his words, confidence filled his heart.
There were nearly fifty thousand Spirit Masters standing behind him.
Lev, meanwhile, was completely alone.
Well, except for the five strange, enormous creatures standing beside him.
The army leader couldn't understand why Lev remained so calm.
Even if Lev was powerful, could a single person truly fight an entire army?
"Not going to happen."
Lev shook his head helplessly.
The decision had already been made.
There was no longer any reason to negotiate.
Lev slowly raised his hand and began drawing something in the air.
His expression became calm and serious.
The army leader narrowed his eyes, wondering what Lev was planning.
Suddenly—
***Koku***
A thunderous roar shook the entire battlefield.
Koku's enormous body rose behind Lev, its single visible eye staring directly at the army.
The creature's overwhelming presence instantly swept across the plain.
The army leader's expression changed.
He stared at the enormous beast in disbelief.
Although the information they had received had mentioned that Lev possessed extraordinary strength and strange creatures, he had never truly believed it.
How could one person possibly fight an entire army?
He had thought this mission would be simple.
They were merely here to capture one young man.
But looking at the enormous creature standing before him, the army leader suddenly felt a strange sense of unease.
For the first time, he wondered whether the information they had received had severely underestimated Lev.
Right after summoning Koku, Lev gave him an order.
"Koku, concentrate on your fire."
Koku immediately understood.
The massive dragon opened its mouth, and a blazing sphere of fire slowly began forming within it. At first, the fireball was only the size of a human head.
But it continued to grow.
The longer Kokuo concentrated his power, the larger and more terrifying the fireball became. Its intense heat distorted the air around it, causing waves of heat to spread across the battlefield.
Kokuo needed time to fully charge the attack.
Therefore, his single eye remained fixed on the army before him, ready to prevent anyone from interrupting him.
Although Kokuo could probably eliminate most of the army with a single attack, Lev had deliberately ordered him to take his time.
After all, this was a perfect opportunity to see Kokuo's true power.
He wanted to know just how much destructive power his summon could unleash after five years of training.
The army leader frowned as he stared at the enormous fireball.
Something felt wrong.
He couldn't explain it, but an instinctive sense of danger gradually emerged from the depths of his heart.
Yet instead of immediately ordering his soldiers to attack, he hesitated.
He continued observing.
He didn't realize that his hesitation had already sealed the fate of tens of thousands of people.
"Approximately fifty thousand Spirit Masters, huh?"
Lev smiled as he looked at the enormous army.
"I wonder how many levels I can gain from all of you."
His words were filled with anticipation rather than fear.
He then glanced at the army behind their leader before shaking his head.
What a pity.
They had brought such a massive force, yet their commander was too incompetent to recognize the danger in front of him.
Lev's smile slowly widened.
"Kokuo."
He raised his hand.
"Fire Beam."
Kokuo's single eye suddenly gleamed.
The fireball inside his mouth reached its limit.
The army leader's pupils contracted.
At that moment, he finally understood what was wrong.
The terrifying fireball wasn't merely an attack.
It was a weapon capable of wiping out his entire army.
"Everyone, disperse!!!"
His desperate roar echoed across the battlefield.
The Spirit Soldiers finally reacted.
But it was already too late.
BOOOOOOM!!!
A massive beam of fire erupted from Kokuo's mouth.
The attack tore across the battlefield like a blazing line of destruction, incinerating everything in its path.
The ground shook violently as the enormous beam swept through the army.
Buildings of earth and stone were reduced to nothing.
The surrounding terrain was scorched black.
And the Spirit Masters caught within the attack didn't even have enough time to scream before their bodies were swallowed by the flames.
The attack lasted only a second.
Yet the casualties were devastating.
The army leader barely managed to escape the edge of the attack. He stumbled backward and stared at the battlefield in complete disbelief.
His mind went blank.
Nearly half of the fifty-thousand-strong army had disappeared.
Those who survived were scattered across the ruined battlefield, many of them severely injured and unable to continue fighting.
Only now did the army leader finally understand.
So this is why His Majesty mobilized an entire army.
He had thought the Emperor was being overly cautious.
Now, he realized that the Emperor's caution had been justified.
This wasn't a battle against one powerful Spirit Master.
They were facing a monster.
[You have leveled up.]
Lev's eyes immediately lit up.
"Finally."
A wide smile appeared on his face.
He had finally leveled up.
More importantly, he could now complete the final step toward becoming a Titled Douluo whenever he wished.
Lev was just about to summon the dragon required for his ascension when he suddenly stopped.
His attention shifted toward the army leader.
The man's face was filled with grief, anger, and unwillingness.
Yet despite everything that had happened, he still refused to retreat.
"Everyone!"
His voice trembled with fury.
"ATTACKKK!!!"
His roar finally broke the remaining Spirit Soldiers out of their shock.
The survivors gritted their teeth and immediately launched their attacks.
Countless Spirit Abilities filled the sky as ranged attacks were fired toward Lev from every direction.
The remaining soldiers were the strongest members of the army. They had survived Kokuo's devastating attack by reacting quickly and avoiding the worst of it.
They knew that they were facing a monster.
But they also believed that such a terrifying attack must have consumed a tremendous amount of Spirit Power.
Perhaps Lev was exhausted.
Perhaps this was their only opportunity to complete their mission.
With that thought in mind, the surviving Spirit Masters launched everything they had toward Lev.
Meanwhile, the army leader did the same as he unleashed his strongest attack together with the remaining spirit soldiers. Though they had been ordered to apprehend Lev, after witnessing his monstrous strength, they realized that they needed to use force to accomplish their mission. The Emperor had only ordered them to bring Lev back alive. His condition and anything else did not matter, meaning that losing one or even two limbs was an acceptable price as long as Lev was captured alive.
Seeing the countless spirit abilities descending upon him like falling meteors, Lev did not underestimate them. Even with his current strength, taking all of those attacks head-on would still be troublesome. He immediately began moving his hand once again, preparing to end the battle once and for all.
***Madoka***
Another dragon emerged from the summoning formation. Lev immediately created numerous fireballs and commanded Madoka to connect them together, forming a massive barrier around him.
Not long after, thousands of spirit abilities bombarded the area.
BOOOOM!!!
The entire battlefield trembled as countless attacks collided with the barrier, creating a massive explosion that covered the area in smoke and dust. The tremendous impact completely blocked everyone's vision.
The army leader, being a Titled Douluo, immediately focused his attention on Lev's location. He desperately hoped that their combined attacks had finally injured him.
After witnessing Lev's monstrous strength earlier, he could no longer think of him as an ordinary Spirit Master. He could only hope that their overwhelming numbers and combined attacks would finally bring him down.
After a while, the dust slowly settled.
The army leader's eyes immediately widened.
A massive dome stood in the middle of the devastated battlefield.
And inside it stood Lev.
Completely unharmed.
The army leader's heart sank.
Their combined attacks, which were powerful enough to turn even a Titled Douluo into ashes, had failed to leave even a scratch on him.
'What kind of monster is this?!'
"Salamander, Undine, Gnome, Sylph, and Whisp. Do you think you can handle them? If not, I'll take care of them all myself." Lev said calmly as he recalled Madoka back.
The remaining spirit soldiers were already as good as defeated. Aside from their severe injuries, their will to fight had completely disappeared. Killing them while they were in such a state did not appeal to Lev, especially since he had already achieved his purpose here.
He wanted to head toward the palace as soon as possible.
Without answering, the five Elemental Spirits suddenly vanished from their positions, leaving behind only trails of smoke.
The army leader and the remaining spirit soldiers looked around in confusion before suddenly looking upward.
BOOOOM!!!
The five Elemental Spirits used their teleportation abilities and descended upon the battlefield, causing the ground to violently shake. Several spirit soldiers were killed instantly beneath the impact.
But they had only just begun.
The five Elemental Spirits immediately drew their weapons and charged into the battlefield, beginning their rampage.
They had spent the past five years fighting countless spirit beasts, but this was their first time fighting humans.
Naturally, they were curious to see how their opponents compared.
"Watch out!!!" the army leader shouted.
The remaining spirit soldiers immediately raised their guards.
However, the events of the past few minutes had already shattered their morale. Their bodies were severely injured, their minds were still overwhelmed by the destruction around them, and now they had to face five powerful elemental beings with completely unfamiliar fighting styles.
They could only defend themselves helplessly.
The five Elemental Spirits moved like phantoms as they attacked from different directions, perfectly coordinating with one another as their attacks struck the exhausted spirit soldiers,
The battlefield quickly descended into complete chaos.
The army leader could only watch helplessly as his once-mighty army was gradually overwhelmed.
He had brought fifty thousand spirit masters with him.
Yet now, thousands were already dead, countless others were severely injured, and those who remained had completely lost their fighting spirit.
The army he had been so confident in had been reduced to this state in such a short period of time.
He finally collapsed onto his knees.
Looking at the battlefield before him, his eyes were filled with despair.
'Fifty thousand...'
That number had once represented an overwhelming force.
But now, it was nothing more than a field filled with corpses and wounded soldiers.
Some were still desperately fighting against the strange spirit beasts, but the army leader knew that it was only a matter of time before they suffered the same fate.
What he failed to notice was that Lev had already left the battlefield.
Without looking back, Lev was already heading toward his next destination.
The Heaven Dou Palace.
Today, he would make the entire Heaven Dou Empire understand what it meant to provoke him.
*****
Heaven Dou Palace,
Meanwhile, inside the main hall of the palace, Emperor Xue Ye sat on his throne, feeling both excited and nervous as he waited for news from the battlefield.
He had already felt the tremors coming from the distance earlier, and judging from their intensity, he assumed that the battle had already begun.
Suddenly, a cloaked man hurriedly entered the hall.
"Y-Your Majesty..." he stammered, his voice trembling with fear.
"What happened?" Emperor Xue Ye immediately asked.
The cloaked man swallowed hard before forcing himself to report.
"Y-Your Majesty... the army has been completely wiped out."
The expression of Emperor Xue Ye and everyone else inside the hall changed instantly.
They had expected Lev to be powerful, but none of them had anticipated such a result. It had only been a short while since the battle began, yet fifty thousand spirit masters had already been completely defeated.
"W-What did you just say?" Emperor Xue Ye asked, his voice filled with disbelief and anger.
Before the cloaked man could answer, another cloaked figure suddenly appeared inside the hall and hurriedly knelt down.
"Y-Your Majesty! Lev is already at the city gate!"
The entire hall fell silent.
Emperor Xue Ye's face darkened as his hands clenched tightly.
At this moment, he finally understood that Lev had already grown far beyond their control.
"Call every Titled Douluo currently in the palace. Now!"
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
The two cloaked men immediately answered before disappearing from the hall.
Neither of them dared to hesitate.
They had already witnessed something unbelievable throughout their years of service. A single man was now attacking the entire empire by himself, and judging from the reports they had received, there was nothing anyone had been able to do to stop him.
*****
Heaven Dou City,
Lev leisurely walked through the streets of Heaven Dou City.
The once-peaceful streets were now eerily silent.
The citizens who had hidden inside their homes cautiously peeked through their windows, their faces filled with terror as they watched him pass.
They had already heard what was happening.
The mysterious young man who had single-handedly destroyed an army of fifty thousand spirit masters was now walking toward the palace.
And the sight behind him only made their fear worse.
Several corpses were scattered along the road.
Lev continued walking without paying attention to the terrified citizens around him. Anyone who had tried to stop him along the way had already been dealt with.
After a while, he finally arrived at the entrance of the Heaven Dou Palace.
The magnificent palace stood before him, its grandeur completely contrasting with the destruction left behind him.
Several palace guards immediately stepped forward and blocked his path.
However, the moment their eyes met Lev's, their bodies froze.
They had already heard the reports.
They knew exactly who was standing in front of them.
Lev.
The man who had destroyed fifty thousand spirit masters by himself.
The man who was now walking directly toward their Emperor.
The guards' hands trembled as they struggled to maintain their positions.
Lev glanced at them.
He had already killed thousands of people today. Adding a few more guards to that number would not make any difference.
His right hand slowly rose.
The guards instinctively closed their eyes, expecting death.
But Lev suddenly stopped.
His gaze fell upon his own hand.
It was covered in blood.
For a moment, he simply stared at it.
Then he sighed softly.
"It will be over soon."
Lev lowered his hand and casually waved it, shaking the blood away.
He then walked past the guards without saying another word.
The guards remained frozen in place, their bodies drenched in cold sweat.
None of them dared to move.
They could only watch helplessly as Lev entered the palace and continued walking toward the throne room.
The confrontation they had all feared was finally about to begin.
*****
Inside the Palace,
Lev had already been inside the Heaven Dou Palace once before, so he had no trouble finding his way. With no one daring to stop him, he walked straight into the main hall.
His gaze swept across the magnificent room before finally settling on Emperor Xue Ye, who was sitting on his throne.
Surrounding the Emperor were ten cloaked figures.
Each one possessed the strength of a Titled Douluo.
Seeing this, Lev's lips curled into an amused smile.
"Emperor Xue Ye, do you still remember what happened five years ago?" Lev asked calmly.
Deep inside, however, he felt a strange sense of satisfaction.
Five years ago, he had been forced to hide and flee because of the Emperor's schemes.
Now, he was standing in the very heart of the Heaven Dou Empire, while the same Emperor could only surround himself with ten Titled Douluos in an attempt to stop him.
The difference between them was simply too amusing.
"Lev, if you're still offended by what happened back then, then allow me to apologize."
Emperor Xue Ye maintained a calm expression despite the nervousness hidden deep within his heart.
"Seeing that you're here now, why don't we end this misunderstanding and talk about cooperation instead?"
He slowly stood from his throne.
"This is my empire. No matter how powerful you have become, you are still alone. You may have defeated fifty thousand spirit masters, but do you really believe you can fight against the entire Heaven Dou Empire?"
Emperor Xue Ye extended his hand slightly.
"How about it?"
Lev's expression immediately darkened.
"You really are—"
He felt an intense anger rising within him.
Even after everything that had happened, Emperor Xue Ye still believed that he was in control.
"There is no need for talking anymore. I wi—"
Before Lev could finish his sentence, the ten Titled Douluos surrounding the hall suddenly moved.
Their spirit powers erupted simultaneously.
"Now!"
BOOOOM!!!
A terrifying barrage of attacks struck Lev from every direction.
The palace shook violently as the combined power of ten Titled Douluos exploded inside the hall.
Emperor Xue Ye's eyes widened for a moment before a faint smile appeared on his face.
'In the end, you're still the same as you were five years ago.'
He watched as Lev's body was blasted backward and crashed through the palace wall, creating a massive hole in the structure.
'No matter how strong he has become, he is still only one person.'
Emperor Xue Ye immediately stepped forward.
"Go and get him."
The ten Titled Douluos immediately moved toward the destroyed section of the palace.
Emperor Xue Ye followed behind them, wanting to personally witness Lev's expression.
He wanted to see the despair on Lev's face after everything he had done finally amounted to nothing.
After all, this was his empire.
He had spent countless years building his authority and power.
And he firmly believed that no matter how monstrous Lev had become, there was no way a single person could stand against an entire empire.
Unbeknownst to him, however, the very moment Lev was blasted through the palace wall was also the moment Emperor Xue Ye's greatest misconception was about to be shattered.