Watching Lu Sheng's light fade into the distance, Haiji Dao, Pablo, and the other two exchanged glances.
"What should we do now?" Anon muttered.
Haiji Dao said nothing; he simply moved and followed the crowd in pursuit. The other three had nothing more to say and quickly followed suit. With events having reached this point, the situation was completely beyond their control. All they could do was meekly play the role of bystanders. Whether it was Lu Sheng or Dilius, they both seemed far out of reach.
"Keep up!"
Meanwhile, Elder Shadostar, seeing Lu Sheng depart, gritted his teeth and urgently ordered his flagship to give chase. At this point, he too wanted to get to the bottom of it. Between Lu Sheng and Dilius, who was who?
Zi Yanxin, following closely behind, felt a sense of calm wash over her. Yet beneath that calm lay emotions she dared not imagine—emotions too profound for words. Deep within her heart, a faint voice kept telling her. It seemed as though... she had hit the jackpot!
Lu Sheng's mind was as pure and clear as light. After reaching level 13, he had once again entered the First Realm of Extreme Yang. It was yet another completely different sensation. The total number of Extreme Yang Immortal Cells within his body had surpassed three hundred and seventy million. This meant that now, having entered the First Realm of Extreme Yang, the divine essence radiating from him was even purer and more intense.
The power granted by his 370 million Immortal Cells caused his foundational strength to surge exponentially. Even the white crown suspended above his forehead had become many times more solid. It had also become more exquisite and magnificent, so dazzling that one could not look directly at it.
Likewise, his comprehension of the power of the Extreme Yang Laws has deepened immeasurably. His spiritual power has surged accordingly, likely increasing by dozens of times. His martial physique has become perfectly formed, granting him an unprecedented sense of solidity and strength.
Even without utilizing the power of the Space Law, his speed was astonishingly fast, approaching the speed of light. He was steadily drawing closer to a forbidden realm.
Power!
A power that felt like a complete rebirth!
And these were merely the most obvious advancements and transformations.
Deeper aspects required experience gained through battle.
Therefore...
Lu Sheng arrived. He headed toward the location of the three-eyed youth who had suddenly attacked him. He craved a battle. Every breakthrough in strength represents an optimization and refinement of one's own power system. Certain old combat strategies must be discarded, while new ones are created.
So much needs to be reorganized, and the surging strength must be consolidated. And a battle where the odds are even, where every punch lands with force, and where the fight is exhilarating and exhilarating was undoubtedly the best catalyst.
And this time, Lu Sheng was in luck. The perfect test subject was right before his eyes. The one who had ascended to Level 13 alongside him, and who had been competing with him for the cosmic energy drifting through the starry sky the entire time. This person was incredibly powerful; at least, among all the opponents Lu Sheng had faced, this was the first time he'd encountered someone at the same level who was worthy of his full attention.
Listening to the whispers of those around him. That person's name seemed to be… Dilius?!
"Possessor of a Sovereign-level extraordinary life form, a once-in-a-hundred-thousand-years super genius, a natural prodigy, Galaxy Lord level…"
Sheng let those dazzling titles and halos of his opponent flash through his mind one by one, letting out a low sigh.
"The reputation is off the charts—I hope your strength doesn't let me down…" *Hum!*
The third eye that Dilius had opened suddenly burst into brilliant light, and his face instantly turned icy cold.
"You've got some skill after all—you actually managed to shatter my divine soul avatar!"
As soon as he finished speaking, an overwhelming aura erupted from Diliu Eru's body.
The thunder and storms he had previously drawn into his body were all released in an instant.
Terrifying ripples swept across the entire arena, forcing the onlookers around him to retreat step by step with expressions of sheer terror.
"What's happening to Dilius?"
The onlookers watched as Dilius unleashed his full might, resembling a world-destroying demon god, his gaze fixed intently in one direction. Just as they were filled with astonishment, a white light suddenly burst forth from the starry sky to the east. It pierced everyone's vision like a blade, showing no mercy.
Everyone watched as a handsome young man, enveloped from head to toe in dazzling white light, with snow-white hair flowing in the breeze and a white crown upon his head, appeared in an instant. The newcomer's expression was impassive, his gaze serene. He seemed like the polar opposite of the ferocious Delius.
If Dilius gave the impression of a world-shattering demon, an unrivaled overlord, then this handsome young man was like a deity. A light walking among mortals. A brilliance burned to its absolute limit. So blinding it was impossible to look upon—the Ultimate Sun.
"I haven't even gone to find you myself, yet you dare to come knocking on my door."
"Very well!"
Dilius fixed his gaze intently on Sheng before him, a savage grin curling across his icy face. In an instant, the circle of thunder and storm surrounding him erupted with a deafening roar. The light from his third eye blinded everything. He raised his hand and, with a defiant and frenzied posture, delivered a ferocious punch toward Lu Sheng.
The might of that punch caused the starry sky to rapidly lose its color, and distant stars wailed in agony. Those standing at the edge of the storm, watching the spectacle, were as helpless as floating duckweed in the wind under the might of this punch, each wearing an expression of utter horror. Everyone felt as though their bodies and souls were about to be torn apart.
There was only one choice: retreat!
They had no choice but to retreat!
This was a punch in which the brilliance of a Sovereign-level Blood blazed forth unchecked. No one could describe just how terrifying the might of this punch truly was. Even fellow level 13 martial arts masters felt as insignificant as ants in the face of this strike. The slightest lapse in attention, and they would be crushed to dust.
Sovereign-level.
They finally understood the true meaning behind those three words: "Sovereign-level Blood."
Under this punch, the Laws of the universe surged like a dragon—wouldn't even a god of the same realm be doomed to fall? Reality provided them with the answer.
"Boom!"
Facing Dilius terrifying, star-shaking punch, a faint flicker of emotion crossed Lu Sheng's face. And then. He did not dodge, evade, or counterattack. He chose to brace himself and take the full brunt of that punch head-on. Dilius fist struck with no frills, no resistance—it slammed squarely into Lu Sheng's chest. The rampaging thunder, the roaring tornadoes. The surging, overwhelming power of the Laws of the universe poured forth in an instant. But the expected scene of Lu Sheng being severely wounded—or even reduced to ashes—did not materialize.
The very moment Dilius fist struck Sheng's chest, the crown atop Sheng's head blazed with intense light; endless white radiance erupted as if ten thousand supernovas were exploding simultaneously. Everything—absolutely everything—rapidly dissolved within that white light, pure to an extreme. Sheng's battle suit melted and crumbled without a sound, revealing the body beneath, perfect as if forged by the gods.
Upon this body, vast amounts of white light surged, coalescing into substance. White light patterns emerged, dense and magnificent. Filled by the white light, these patterns rapidly expanded, gradually forming the rudiments of armor-like plates. White light also cascaded like a waterfall, billowing fiercely behind Sheng like a cape.
Dilius fist was finally completely blocked by the rudimentary form of this strange armor. The savage, ferocious expression on his face vanished entirely in that moment, replaced by a look of shock and disbelief.
"How… is this possible?! How did you block my punch?"
Enveloped in a halo of white light and crowned with a regal diadem, Sheng's divine aura grew ever more intense as his cloak and armor took shape. His entire presence radiated increasing majesty and splendor. He lowered his head slightly, looking down upon Dilius with calm composure. It was as if a god walking among mortals was calmly observing a mortal who dared to challenge his divine might. He spoke softly, offering his appraisal.
"Truly worthy of the title of Sovereign-level, as the rumors say. That punch… Not bad."
"Boom!"
In an instant, it felt as though billions of bolts of lightning had exploded simultaneously in the minds of every onlooker present. Everyone's eyes widened in shock as they stared blankly at the scene before them, as if witnessing the most awe-inspiring, most unimaginable spectacle in the entire cosmos. They had forgotten how to think, let alone speak.
At this very moment, behind Sheng, streaks of light appeared in the starry sky. It was another group of onlookers who had followed in his footsteps. They arrived just in time to take in the entire scene. A gleam shone in the eyes of the many followers, and their faces betrayed an indescribable excitement and fervor. They shouted their praise.
"Truly worthy of the name 'Dilius'!"
"Among those of the same Realm, he is the god whom all must look up to!"
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Translation notes by dhoo
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