Chapter 405: I Told You, No One Can Save You
When Dai Yao's attack was suddenly intercepted, he froze, stunned. But as he recognized the figure who had blocked his strike, a surge of anger erupted within him like a volcano, his vision going red as his body shook with fury.
"Clear…Sky…Clan!" he growled, every syllable forced through gritted teeth.
He had expected that the Star Luo Empire might pull out some last resort in its desperation, but he hadn't anticipated the appearance of the Seventh Elder from the Clear Sky Clan. Given that the Heaven Dou Empire had just come through a period of instability and that the Clear Sky Clan, as Tang San's backer, needed to retain enough Title Douluo to deter threats, this intervention was a complete surprise.
Additionally, Heaven Dou's Temple of Consecration was at Jialing Pass, guarded by powerful enforcers. The Clear Sky Clan was already stretched thin, with personnel needed in several places.
Yet, despite this, the Clear Sky Clan had sent the Seventh Elder, who was no longer a Title Douluo, to Star Luo to intervene. They were willing to risk their own security just to thwart him.
Dai Yao could easily discern their intentions. On one hand, Tang San would want to prevent him from achieving his goals; on the other, Star Luo's stability was vital as Heaven Dou's sole ally against Spirit Hall.
Had his exposed strength been all he could muster, Tang San's intervention might indeed have derailed his plans, leaving him and the five hundred elite disciples of Green Lotus Sect stranded and doomed.
"A brilliant scheme," Dai Yao thought, smirking bitterly. "Lurking in the shadows, waiting to strike at just the right moment." In his mind's eye, he could almost see Tang San, watching smugly from the Heaven Dou palace, waiting for news of Dai Yao's downfall. "Tang San, you're good at this. I swear, I will repay today's treachery!"
Though Tang San's interference wouldn't alter the final outcome, it did infuriate Dai Yao. His plans were disrupted, forcing him to expose some of his hidden trump cards. Now, the names "Clear Sky Clan," "Tang San," and "Seventh Elder" were etched into his mind with a single fate: death.
Those who dared to stand in the way of his revenge had only one end: annihilation.
The appearance of the Seventh Elder caused the entire battlefield to shift dramatically. Dai Yao's forces faltered, shaken by the sudden change in the tide. They understood the significance of the elder's arrival and felt an urge to retreat. Yet they knew that if they didn't hold their ground, Green Lotus Sect would fall even faster.
Meanwhile, the Star Luo forces, who had been teetering on the edge of despair after the Emperor's defeat, now erupted with renewed vigor. They saw a path to victory and attacked Dai Yao's forces with newfound ferocity, unwilling to let such a powerful adversary escape.
"It's wonderful the Clear Sky Clan intervened," the Second Elder thought, beaming with joy. "Finally, this thorn in my side, Dai Yao, will be removed! And to think, they kept this trump card even from me." His mood surged from anxiety to elation in mere seconds, as he watched his enemy's imminent downfall with glee.
Overhead, the battles only intensified, as both sides clashed with renewed urgency. On the ground, the palace guards, who had been wavering, rallied with fresh determination at the sight of the Seventh Elder. Green Lotus disciples struggled under the mounting pressure. However, with Zhu Zhuqing and Feng Wutong reinforcing their ranks, the Green Lotus Sect managed to stave off the worst of the onslaught.
Yet they all knew that victory or defeat would ultimately be decided by the duel between Dai Yao and the Star Luo Emperor.
The Emperor looked up at the robed figure who had blocked the fatal strike on his behalf. Rather than expressing any outward gratitude, he simply nodded and said, "Thank you. To think that after all these years, I would have to ally with the Clear Sky Clan."
Star Luo and Clear Sky had a long-standing history together. Before the clan's isolation, Clear Sky had been an ally to Star Luo, while the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan had supported Heaven Dou. The precarious balance of power between the two empires had been carefully maintained.
As Dai Yao advanced with his powerful vendetta, and with Spirit Hall lurking as a constant threat, the Star Luo Emperor had made certain to secure his own fallback. The Seventh Elder was his last ace.
Although the Seventh Elder was no longer a Title Douluo, his ninth spirit ring was sealed—gray, marking it as unusable. Still, even with the drop in rank, he was an elite Soul Douluo. Wielding the tyrannical Clear Sky Hammer, he could rival some lesser Title Douluo.
With his arrival, the stalemate on the battlefield was broken. Now, he could stall Dugu Bo and free up the Grand Elder, a Level 96 Super Douluo, to act as a solid anchor in the fight. With the Seventh Elder's support, the path to Dai Yao's defeat lay open.
The Emperor nodded slightly at the elder's greeting. "No need for apologies," he said. "To come to our aid is no crime."
At that moment, two figures dropped from the sky, landing beside Dai Yao and the Emperor—Dugu Bo and the Grand Elder.
The Grand Elder acknowledged the Seventh Elder with a nod, and the Seventh Elder returned it in silent greeting. However, the Emperor's eyes narrowed sharply at the Grand Elder. If the Grand Elder had subdued Dugu Bo sooner, the Emperor would not have been pushed so close to defeat.
The Grand Elder murmured a few words by way of explanation, and the Emperor's face turned as dark as a storm cloud. He cast a venomous glare at Dugu Bo but held his silence.
"My apologies, Dai Yao," Dugu Bo said quietly, his tone slightly regretful. "I had to step in with Clear Sky's interference."
Dai Yao waved the apology away. "This isn't on you, Grandfather Dugu. You did your part by keeping the Grand Elder occupied for this long. It was my oversight that things got this far without dispatching the Emperor."
Dugu Bo glanced at the Grand Elder and the Seventh Elder, then sighed deeply, the once-threatening aura fading as he softened, almost like a kindly elder, his usual venomous intensity nowhere to be found.
"Dai Yao, when the time comes, you go first. I'll stay behind and hold them off. I'm entrusting Yan Yan to you—take good care of her," Dugu Bo said with a solemn determination, ready to sacrifice himself to buy time. Though he knew the decision could very well lead to his death, his love for his granddaughter Dugu Yan was stronger than any fear of dying. If Dai Yao were to fall, Yan Yan would be devastated.
Dai Yao was deeply moved by Dugu Bo's resolve. He hadn't expected Dugu Bo to go to such lengths for him.
A faint smile appeared on Dai Yao's face. "Don't worry, Grandpa Dugu. It hasn't come to that. And besides, do you really think Yan Yan would be happy if you sacrificed yourself so that I could escape? I will not only see my vengeance fulfilled, realizing the dream I've harbored for so long, but I will also ensure everyone gets out safely!"
Dugu Bo looked at Dai Yao, momentarily dazed by his confidence. He couldn't fathom what trump card Dai Yao could have that would turn the tide of this crisis. Yet Dai Yao wasn't one to boast idly, so Dugu Bo nodded, choosing to wait and see.
"Dai Yao, standing on the brink of death, do you have any last words?" Star Luo Emperor spoke with a cold calm, his demeanor restored after the arrival of the Seventh Elder, exuding a chilling confidence.
Seeing the Emperor's renewed intent to eliminate Dai Yao, the Seventh Elder interjected hastily, "Your Majesty, please wait. I have a few questions for Dai Yao."
Since the Shura Sovereign's disappearance from the Heaven Dou Empire, Tang San had expended considerable effort to track him down, only to find that he had vanished completely. For Tang San and the Clear Sky Clan, the Shura Sovereign was a dire enemy. Now, seeing a technique from Dai Yao that mirrored the Shura Sovereign's gun art, the Seventh Elder couldn't pass up the opportunity to investigate. This was a lead he had to pursue.
Though irritated by the interruption, Star Luo Emperor concealed his displeasure. The Seventh Elder's aid was invaluable, and offending him would not be wise. After a brief pause, he replied, "Very well, Seventh Elder. Ask your questions."
The Seventh Elder nodded in gratitude, then turned to Dai Yao, his gaze sharpening. "Dai Yao, I'll ask you plainly: what is your connection to the Shura Sovereign? Why is your spear art so similar to his?"
A gust of icy wind swept through, and the air seemed to still.
Meeting the Seventh Elder's gaze without flinching, Dai Yao held his silence for a moment, then shifted his focus to the Emperor, a dark smile spreading across his face as his cold killing intent sent chills down their spines. "I told you already—today, no one can save you."
The Emperor's brow furrowed, and he snapped, "Arrogant fool! Even in your final moments, you speak big. I told you, not one of you traitors will leave here alive!"
Dai Yao merely chuckled in response, extending his right hand with a slow, deliberate motion. His arm, chiseled and unyielding as granite, radiated a palpable, bone-chilling aura. This wasn't merely a physical coldness—it was a raw, terrifying killing intent that seized the hearts of those around him.
As if in answer, frost began to creep across the ground, slowly encasing the legs of the guards and freezing their armor in place. A layer of ice spread over the grand palace gates, transforming the battlefield into a frozen, crystalline wasteland.
This was the Killing God Domain!
His golden hair billowed wildly, charged with energy. Staring at the Seventh Elder, Dai Yao sneered, "Didn't you want to know my connection to the Shura Sovereign? Fine, I'll show you!"
The Seventh Elder's elation was tinged with a foreboding sense of dread as he tightened his grip on the Clear Sky Hammer. This Killing God Domain was not something he encountered often. "So, what's the answer?" he demanded cautiously.
A greenish-blue light began to coalesce in Dai Yao's hand, extending outward, taking form. In full view of the gathered combatants, the light solidified into a jade-green staff, which continued to lengthen and sharpen into a gleaming spear.
The Seventh Elder's expression grew increasingly tense. This "staff" Dai Yao held—it seemed all too familiar. When the blinding gleam finally appeared, his eyes went wide with shock, as if he'd been struck by lightning. He recognized it. This was the very weapon that the Shura Sovereign had used to sever his arm.
"No!" the Seventh Elder shouted, but it was too late.
Dai Yao's form blurred as he closed the distance of hundreds of meters in an instant, appearing directly before the Star Luo Emperor. Wielding the lethal spear, he unleashed a torrent of murderous intent that crashed down like a tidal wave on the Emperor and his guards.
The Emperor's eyes widened in pure terror. He couldn't comprehend how Dai Yao had materialized before him, nor could he identify the weapon in Dai Yao's hand. All he knew was the absolute, lethal threat it posed.
This spear would kill him. He was certain of it.
But he was too late to react.
In that critical instant, the Seventh Elder threw himself at the Emperor, shoving him aside and stepping into the path of Dai Yao's strike. He swung the Clear Sky Hammer at Dai Yao's head in a desperate bid to trade his life for Dai Yao's, knowing the sheer weight of the hammer alone could crush his target.
Yet, as the hammer descended, Dai Yao vanished once more. The Seventh Elder's eyes went wide as a sharp chill pricked his back. He realized with dawning horror that he was Dai Yao's true target all along.
Dai Yao reappeared, eyes blazing as he aimed the Shura Sovereign's spear straight at the Seventh Elder's unguarded back.
"Stop!" roared the Grand Elder, his fury echoing across the battlefield.
Dai Yao's double teleportation had shaken the Grand Elder, who was both stunned by Dai Yao's speed and incensed by his disregard. A Super Douluo, yet Dai Yao was attempting a kill right in front of him—a blatant challenge to his authority.
The Grand Elder's tiger claws shot out, tearing through the air toward Dai Yao. Everything slowed as his claws neared their target. But at the last possible moment, Dai Yao disappeared once again with a soft "whoosh."
The Grand Elder's eyes went wide, his mind blank as he processed the maneuver.
In his third and final teleportation, Dai Yao reappeared right before the Emperor. Without hesitation, he plunged the Shura Sovereign's spear into the Emperor's chest, the spearhead piercing clean through, emerging from his back.
The Emperor's body went rigid.
Everyone froze, staring at the scene in stunned silence, struggling to accept the reality before them.
Dai Yao withdrew the spear slowly, its blade immaculate, untouched by blood. Bereft of support, the Emperor's body slumped to the ground like a marionette with its strings cut, collapsing in a lifeless heap.
Though his heart was pierced, the Emperor, a Soul Douluo, clung to a sliver of life, blood bubbling from his lips as he choked on unspoken words. His gaze remained locked on Dai Yao, his eyes full of disbelief and unasked questions.
The cold wind whipped through the courtyard, stirring Dai Yao's golden hair as he looked down, expressionless, at the man who was his father in name only.
"I told you," Dai Yao said, his tone chillingly calm. "Today, no one can save you."
The first teleportation had forced the Seventh Elder to shove the Emperor aside; the second had baited the Grand Elder into attacking. With his opponents thoroughly out of position, Dai Yao's third teleportation had been the death blow.
Everything had happened in a split second. Though the Seventh Elder and the Grand Elder were both capable of reacting, their forced displacements left them powerless to intervene. All they could do was watch helplessly as Dai Yao's spear pierced the Emperor's heart, ending his life in one decisive stroke.
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