"True enough."
Xiong Jun glanced at Snow Empress, who had turned her gaze toward them, and scratched his head, understanding Ji Xuanqiu's reasoning.
With Snow Empress watching over them, the earlier situation hadn't truly been dangerous.
He dropped the matter and said, "We've mostly dealt with the evil soul master experts. Time to lead the teams to clear out the Cult's forces elsewhere."
Though Tiandou City had the highest concentration of Holy Spirit Cult evil soul masters, that didn't mean there were none elsewhere.
According to the original plan, after clearing Tiandou City's Cult members, aside from necessary left-behind personnel, the Limit Douluo would each lead ten Title Douluo to various parts of the Douling Continent to eliminate other Cult bases and evil soul masters.
With the Cult's two divine-level experts both in Tiandou City, a Limit Douluo-led team would encounter no major problems.
Ji Xuanqiu's gaze turned to the battlefield.
Though the battle hadn't been going on long, as Xiong Jun had said, the evil soul masters had indeed been mostly dealt with.
Under absolute superiority in both power and numbers, the Cult's evil soul masters couldn't put up any resistance. They'd been mostly eliminated.
Even those who tried to flee ran into Soul-Calming Douluo and the Title Douluo teams—none could escape.
Even if someone managed to temporarily slip away with a special ability, they inevitably left blood or personal items behind. And Soul-Calming Douluo's curse-killing ability was unparalleled—with those, he didn't need to chase; he could kill them from afar. The enemy had nowhere to hide.
As for the Douling experts and armies they'd worried might obstruct them—
Ji Xuanqiu's expression was somewhat odd as he scanned the ground.
He saw a Douling Empire Title Douluo encounter a Tower Title Douluo—clearly both at Title level, yet the Douling expert turned and fled without hesitation.
Outside Tiandou City, where the Douling army was stationed, there was no movement. The army that theoretically had the power to repel Limit Douluo was now cowering in their camps, not daring to come out.
Tens of thousands of soldiers huddled in their camps, staring up at the sky with expressions ranging from terror to gravity to resentment—yet under their commander's orders, not a single one came to support the Holy Spirit Cult.
Clearly, these people wouldn't be causing them trouble.
Xiong Jun, seeing Ji Xuanqiu's gaze on the Douling military camp, also looked over and said, "Don't worry about them interfering. Most of the Douling experts have been scared out of their wits."
Facing the Spirit Transmission Tower's formation, there truly weren't many brave enough to come out and die.
The Holy Spirit Cult's evil soul masters had no choice—they knew they couldn't escape, so they were forced to "die" fighting.
But the Douling people were different from the evil soul masters. When the battle began, Huo Yuhao had already stated that this war was to eliminate the Holy Spirit Cult, not to slaughter the city. Any Douling expert with even a shred of sense wouldn't be foolish enough to join the evil soul masters in their graves.
Even if the Tower considered some Douling people who aided the Cult deserving of death, to maintain stability, they wouldn't actively kill them now, lest they provoke a city-wide uprising that would be harder to control.
Ji Xuanqiu withdrew his gaze, glancing instead at Tiandou City's streets and the imperial palace. "It seems not all Douling people are so sensible."
Xiong Jun followed his gaze to the streets, seeing some residents still praying for the Holy Spirit Cult and the Killing God, and couldn't help twitching his mouth.
These ordinary residents had only a superficial understanding of soul master affairs, and with the Douling high command's deliberate propaganda, they naturally had a positive impression of the Cult and the Killing God.
In their eyes, the Spirit Transmission Tower wasn't a righteous force coming to save them from danger—it was an invader bringing fire and sword to their homes.
"Making us out to be the villains instead—"
Xiong Jun shook his head helplessly.
Still, it was understandable. An enemy nation's experts had invaded their territory, fighting on their soil, with the residual effects destroying large areas of buildings and causing widespread damage. Expecting them to see the Tower as the good guys was unrealistic.
And these residents could only voice their opinions—it wasn't a major concern.
His gaze then shifted to the Douling imperial palace, and his eyes narrowed.
A massive protective barrier had been raised over the palace, and numerous large soul tools were aimed in their direction, charging energy—clearly preparing to resist them.
"There really are those who aren't afraid to die." Xiong Jun clicked his tongue, but there was no anger in his eyes—only a hint of amusement. "They know their end is near?"
It made sense. Ordinary Douling residents might be ignorant, but the Douling high command certainly knew about the Cult's dirty dealings—some had likely participated.
Once they finished cleaning up the Cult and exposed those crimes, the Douling leadership would face reckoning.
Better to make a last stand than wait for death—a reasonable thought.
"Tower Master Xiong Jun, go clear out the Cult elsewhere. I'll stay here and handle the Douling high command." Ji Xuanqiu said.
Xiong Jun glanced at Ji Xuanqiu, seeing his composed expression, and silently clicked his tongue.
Well said—he really just wanted to stay and watch the two divine-level battles.
He wanted to too.
But someone had to go elsewhere.
And Xiong Jun had been beaten to finding an excuse to stay.
"Fine. You stay."
Xiong Jun sighed softly and left.
Meanwhile, the Douling residents on the ground, watching the Cult's experts rapidly collapse in the sky, saw their prayers fade, despair rising in their hearts.
"It's over... we're losing..."
"Those evil invaders from the Douluo Federation are going to win. What do we do?"
"Is heaven abandoning Douling?"
Some wept softly, some collapsed to the ground, more just stared blankly at the sky, their eyes hollow.
In their understanding, the Spirit Transmission Tower and the Douluo Federation were all enemies of the Douling Empire. They were invaders, demons coming to destroy their homes.
As for what the Holy Spirit Cult had been doing all these years, most ordinary people neither knew nor cared. All they knew was that the Cult was under the Killing God, an organization recognized by the Douling government. If it fell, Douling would suffer.
"Lord Killing God—only Lord Killing God is our hope!"
A worshiper of the Killing God looked up at the sky. He couldn't see the battle's details, only the terrifying energy waves continuously exploding, shaking his very soul. But he still stared fixedly in that direction, silently praying.
In the sky, Snow Empress was also watching Huo Yuhao and the Killing God's battle, a trace of worry on her brow.
Because Huo Yuhao was the one losing ground.
Whenever their techniques clashed, Huo Yuhao was usually the one suppressed.
Snow Empress had actually seen this coming from the Killing God's first exchanges with Huo Yuhao.
At the time, Huo Yuhao had used nothing but powerful techniques—Emperor's Sword—Seven Luminaries Return to Void, seven-colored divine thunder, Crimson Gold Mysterious Flame—while the Killing God casually wielded his killing intent.
The gap had been there from the start.
The Killing God's cultivation didn't seem far beyond Level 100, but his displayed power far exceeded it.
In Snow Empress's view, if she or Emperor Tian faced the Killing God, they'd likely die within three moves.
Given the Killing God's strength, even knowing Huo Yuhao had many trump cards, she couldn't help worrying.
Compared to Snow Empress, Gu Yuena had a clearer view of the Killing God's power.
She unleashed the power of the seven elements, forcing the Demon Empress back. In that gap, she glanced at the Killing God and Huo Yuhao's battlefield, her expression serious.
In Douluo terms, the Killing God's cultivation was around Level 102, but his displayed power had likely reached late third-class deity level or above!
At the divine level, fighting across levels wasn't easy.
Take Lan Xuanyu as an example—with Dragon God bloodline, various law comprehensions, mastery of thunder tribulation power and universal origin laws, plus Six-Word Battle Armor, multiple divine artifacts, and a super-divine artifact, he could barely contend with an ordinary super-divine level at the mortal-world second-class deity level. This showed just how large the gaps between divine levels were.
After all, every level of the Divine Realm represented a vast gap in strength. Those who attained godhood had overcome countless trials and bottlenecks along the way. Much like the progression from Title Douluo to Super Douluo, then Limit Douluo, and finally godhood, every breakthrough was a formidable hurdle. Anyone who crossed them all possessed an extraordinary foundation in destiny, law comprehension, and cultivation.
To fight across levels at the divine level, what advantage did you have?
Without an advantage, how could you fight across levels? You couldn't just rely on passion, could you?
But the Killing God's situation was clearly different.
He'd been a second-class deity in the Divine Realm, among the best—enough to rank in the top three. His true strength had probably reached late super-divine or even peak level.
Now re-cultivating, though he'd lost all his cultivation, he still had super-divine-level law comprehension, killing intent at the level of laws, and super-divine-level experience in wielding divine power and divine consciousness, plus the Killing God divine seat. Gu Yuena wasn't surprised he had such power.
"Still, unable to display the full power of his divine seat, he won't easily defeat Yuhao." Gu Yuena thought to herself.
The Killing God couldn't currently manifest his divine seat's full power.
To fully display a divine seat's glory, one's cultivation had to reach a certain level. The Killing God was a second-class deity—he'd need to reach above Level 110 to fully unleash the Killing God's divine seat. Now, he was far from that.
(Note: In Soul Land V, after Tang San's re-cultivation, he only truly manifested the Sea God's divine seat's power after reaching mortal-world first-class deity level.)
And since he couldn't fully use his divine seat, defeating Huo Yuhao wouldn't be easy.
After all, ordinary divine-level experts didn't have Huo Yuhao's profound foundation.
"Before forging a divine body and Four-Word Battle Armor, Yuhao already had early third-class deity power. Even if his raw strength isn't yet the Killing God's match, he won't be easily defeated. The stronger the Killing God, the more he'll sharpen Yuhao."
Gu Yuena noticed that though Huo Yuhao was on the back foot, under the Killing God's pressure, his aura was actually growing more solid, his fighting spirit rising rather than falling. The corner of her mouth lifted slightly.
Though the Killing God was an enemy, having walked far on the divine path, he was also a "good teacher" for Huo Yuhao, who hadn't yet truly become a deity.
A super-divine expert's various foundations and experiences in battle were the best nourishment for someone like Huo Yuhao, who hadn't yet reached full godhood.
Just as Gu Yuena was watching Huo Yuhao, a water blade of Lunar True Water, wrapped in law power, cut through the air toward her—"You have time to watch others? Focus on yourself first!" The Demon Empress's angry shout accompanied the blade as it reached her.
Gu Yuena cast a cold glance, raising her hand slightly. A chill surged forth, easily freezing and shattering the water blade—the space around it cracking audibly, scattering into ice crystals.
Though with Four-Word Battle Armor, she, the Demon Empress, Snow Empress, and Emperor Tian could all be considered at the same level, all capable of briefly breaking through to the divine level.
But standing at the same level didn't mean equal strength. None of them were her match.
If not for giving Elder Electrolux an opportunity to shine and Huo Yuhao's promise to Lan Fozi, she could easily have killed the Demon Empress.
But for now, she still needed to keep the other alive, so she'd have to put on an act.
Seeing Gu Yuena easily block her attack again, the Demon Empress grew increasingly anxious.
The rapidly fading auras of the evil soul masters around her reminded her that the Spirit Transmission Tower had gained the absolute upper hand.
Her inability to defeat Gu Yuena, and Snow Empress's presence on the sidelines, were telling her she was at an absolute disadvantage.
If not for two trump cards that assured her survival, she might have abandoned the Killing God and fled.
Ordinary evil soul masters couldn't escape, but she and the Killing God had a chance.
But if she left, Gu Yuena—another reincarnated deity like Huo Yuhao—would be free to act. Then who knew what situation the Killing God would face?
Snow Empress, Emperor Tian, and the others meant little to the Killing God, but Gu Yuena was different.
As a fellow reincarnated deity, who knew what trump cards she held?
The reason she'd chosen Gu Yuena as her opponent was precisely to prevent her from joining Huo Yuhao in a pincer attack. If she withdrew, the situation would develop in that direction.
"For now, the key is still the Killing God. If he can kill Huo Yuhao, it will all be worth it. And with those two trump cards, I won't be in immediate danger. I'll wait a little longer—if the Killing God still can't achieve results, then I'll retreat."
With that thought, the Demon Empress unleashed another Sea God divine technique, gritting her teeth as she attacked Gu Yuena.
She'd obtained most of the Sea God's divine persona fragments and, through research, gained many insights into laws and the divine level, along with numerous Sea God divine techniques. She didn't dare use the Sea God's divine persona itself, but these techniques were another matter.
While the Demon Empress gritted her teeth and persisted, the Killing God—on whom she and the Douling residents had pinned their hopes—was locked in fierce battle with Huo Yuhao.
Clang!
One wielded the Killing God's Sword, the other the Tian Fen Shen Chu, engaged in a deadly melee across the sky. Sword light and staff shadow interwove; each collision exploded with a shockwave that tore through the void, shattering the heavens.
The longer they fought, the more the Killing God's doubts grew.
As Snow Empress and Gu Yuena had observed, he was in the advantage.
But he hadn't managed to leave many wounds on Huo Yuhao.
The other's physique was too strong.
Divine bodies and divine bodies had their differences. Aside from those who specialized in physical training, ordinary divine-level experts didn't pay particular attention to body refinement.
And Huo Yuhao's divine body, in the Killing God's view, wasn't comparable to that of an ordinary expert who'd broken through to the divine level. Especially in recovery—perhaps because he'd mastered the path of life, his recovery was astonishing. Even when wounded and with some killing intent suppressing his body's recovery, he could quickly expel the intent and heal.
Most importantly, Huo Yuhao seemed to have a special constitution.
The Killing God found that even when his attacks landed on Huo Yuhao, twenty to thirty percent of the killing intent would simply dissipate.
He could sense that a special energy within Huo Yuhao's constitution was assimilating his killing intent, weakening part of the attack.
It seemed to be Chaos Power!
A Chaos Power constitution, combined with a powerful physique and strong recovery, plus a highly protective divine artifact armor, made Huo Yuhao an unkillable physical monster.
Even though the Killing God had the upper hand, after his attacks clashed with Huo Yuhao's power and then landed on him, they rarely inflicted truly fatal wounds.
Of course, if it were only that, the Killing God would merely find it troublesome—not alarming.
After all, if a first-class deity were re-cultivating, such fortune and means were understandable. Even Chaos Power existed in most lands—with enough opportunity, it could be obtained.
What truly made the Killing God's heart sink was something else—Huo Yuhao was constantly improving during the battle!
His control and use of divine power were growing more proficient. He was like a sponge, absorbing the various experiences the Killing God displayed.
Was this the normal performance of a reincarnated first-class deity?
Shouldn't your mastery of these things surpass mine?
Could it be that his opponent wasn't a reincarnated first-class deity? But if he wasn't a reincarnated deity, yet displayed such performance—what kind of monster was he fighting?!
Who,was this opponent before him?
The Killing God looked at Huo Yuhao, a trace of alarm flashing in his eyes.