"This is getting more and more interesting. She actually drew something even more troublesome than earth."
"Looks like I'll have to get serious too. Otherwise, I'll end up being looked down on."
After fusing with the Ancient Soul, Shivelle's appearance and aura underwent a dramatic transformation.
Black markings crawled across her once cold, flawless face. Her pupils turned pitch black, without a trace of white. Wings formed from black flames spread out from her jade-like back, and a suffocating aura radiated in all directions.
If she had looked like a noble and holy queen before—
Now she resembled a demon straight out of hell.
A sharp horn had grown from her smooth forehead, adding an eerie sense of dissonance to her beauty.
"Zhao Xuan… your time of death has arrived."
Dark Fireball!
The black flames in her hands condensed into a massive sphere over five meters wide and hurtled toward Zhao Xuan's face.
In an instant, the surrounding temperature soared. Even space itself seemed to be melting.
Under such an overwhelming attack, Zhao Xuan's chance of dodging was nearly zero.
"Zhao Xuan! Do you need this old man to step in?!"
In the distance, Addison was visibly panicking. He no longer cared about positions or sides and openly offered help.
The other Ninth-Rank Emperors were stunned.
"Addison, you're going too far! You can't throw everything away just for your son! We're on the same side!"
"Yeah! People like you need to be blown up with bombs to learn your lesson!"
Their taunts came quickly, and Addison's anger finally boiled over.
"Hmph! None of you childless fools could ever understand how I feel!"
Those words struck a nerve.
Because due to their fruit abilities, the three of them had permanently lost the ability to have offspring.
They exploded in rage.
"Super Bear Bomb!"
"Mountain-Splitting Palm!"
"Crow Feather Descent!"
The four Ninth-Rank Emperors fell into battle again—this time for real. No holding back.
Meanwhile—
"Looks like I can't count on you for help."
"Then I'll handle this myself. Miss Shivelle, using a small fireball to deal with me—isn't that underestimating me a bit?"
Thunderfall!
Emperor Sword!
Lightning flashed. Zhao Xuan grabbed the air with both hands. A bolt of lightning descended onto him, and in the next moment, a sword made of pure lightning appeared in his grasp.
After breaking through to Rank 7, his swordsmanship had advanced to the point where he could use natural elements as his personal blade.
An elemental sword was formless, indestructible, and endlessly renewable.
A massive advantage.
"Break!"
The dragon-scaled hand swung the lightning blade.
The five-meter-wide dark fireball was split cleanly in half.
Sparks rained from the sky.
Zhao Xuan did not lose face.
Thunder Bagua · Iron Fist!
His other fist surged with blue lightning.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Three layers of sonic booms erupted as the fist tore through the air.
"Hmph. An ant trying to shake a tree—and you even dare counterattack?"
Black Flame Fist!
Lightning and black flame collided.
Zhao Xuan staggered back more than ten steps. Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth.
"As expected of the Ancient Soul… this power is extraordinary."
He had lost the initiative.
Now, he could only react and adapt.
Black Flame Clone — Three Thousand!
The shattered flames reignited.
Sparks rose and turned into countless figures identical to Shivelle.
Pitch-black eyes locked onto Zhao Xuan.
Laughter echoed everywhere.
"Zhao Xuan, can you find my real body?"
"I will tear you apart piece by piece!"
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Black flame clones swarmed him.
Some exploded on contact. Some attacked vital points.
Dozens… hundreds of assaults.
Zhao Xuan's Armament Haki began to weaken.
"This can't continue. I have to find her real body… or I'll be worn down to death."
Shivelle was already Ninth Rank. Now enhanced by the Ancient Soul, she was far harder to deal with.
Then—
A thought flashed in Zhao Xuan's mind.
All the treasures he had collected inside the relic…
A bold idea was born.
"Only by facing death can one find a way to live…"
"Maybe this is the best method."
"If this fails… I'll have to abandon everything and find a way to escape with my life."
"Begin."
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