Starting from the imperial palace guards, his clones spread all over the world.

Chapter 732 Golden Soul Jade
“Rumble——!!!”

The deafening roar seemed to wipe the entire Hanlong Gorge off the face of the earth!
At the center of the raging energy turbulence, Hunxiu King's magnificent body flew backward like a kite with a broken string, tracing a pathetic arc in the air.

His right arm, gripping the mace tightly, trembled violently; the web between his thumb and forefinger was split open, and bright red blood flowed down the dark hammer handle.

Even more shocking was the blood spurt from his mouth, which appeared particularly poignant under the cold moonlight and the raging energy glow.

He caught it!

At the cost of his life's cultivation, his mastery of the Netherworld Realm, and his fighting spirit that nearly burned his life, he finally managed to withstand Liang Jin's stunning and unparalleled spear thrust, a strike from which there was no turning back!
As the head of all the kings of the Black Dragon Empire, and a peerless powerhouse who has stood at the peak of the second rank for decades, his strength is beyond doubt.

The "no return" will and destructive power contained in that spear strike were enough to instantly tear apart an ordinary martial artist of the same level, but he withstood the core killing force of the spear strike by virtue of his profound foundation and tenacious will.

However, while the gun-like force could be blocked, the overwhelming, pure physical force that followed was beyond the limits that his body could withstand at that moment!

The giant dragon tooth spear, forged from cold iron and various exotic ores, possessed devastating weight and kinetic energy when wielded by Liang Jin's inhuman dragon-demon body.

When this power was transmitted through the mace, King Hunxiu felt as if he had been hit head-on by a raging prehistoric beast. His internal organs shifted instantly, and his bones groaned in unbearable pain.

He couldn't steady himself at all and could only watch helplessly as he was thrown away by this irresistible force, like a withered leaf in a storm.

His physical body was ultimately just a mortal body. How could it be compared to the dragon demon body before him, which had been fused with multiple divine bloodlines, strengthened to the extreme by the "Hundred Evils Body Technique" and various divine pills and medicines, and was almost demonic?

"puff--!"

Another mouthful of blood gushed out uncontrollably, the excruciating pain from his internal organs contorting his face.

But strangely, just as his body crashed heavily against the distant cliff and was about to suffer a second impact, his blood-stained face did not show despair, but instead blossomed into an almost manic, blood-stained smile!
"Ho...ho...we won!!"

His gaze was fixed on Liang Jin's back, and a hoarse laugh squeezed out from deep in his throat, filled with the relief of surviving a disaster and the ruthlessness of a successful scheme.

"Meng Xinghun! No matter how skilled you are with your marksmanship or how powerful you are, you've still made a mistake in the end!!"

"Hahaha! We won in the end!!!"

He saw it clearly!
Just as he desperately took that shot, Chi Le's long-awaited Desert Soul-Burial Wheel—a deathly circular saw composed of billions of high-speed rotating, cutting quicksand—slammed solidly and without any fancy moves into Liang Jin's seemingly wide-open back!
In Hunxiu Wang's view, Liang Jin's pursuit of ultimate attack and speed, pushing the power of the One Thought No Return to its peak, came at the cost of a significant vulnerability in his own defense.

This shot was incredibly powerful, but its flaws were equally outrageous!
Chile's long-planned attack hit the target perfectly, almost without any interference!

"Sizzle sizzle sizzle—!!!"

A sharp, teeth-grinding friction sound instantly overwhelmed the roar of the energy's aftershocks and clearly reached Hunxiu King's ears.

That's the sound of a death circular saw frantically cutting and tearing objects apart!
King Hunxiu had absolute confidence in this.

He knew full well how terrifying Chi Le's move was. Each grain of sand, under the infusion and high-speed drive of a second-grade martial artist's immense true energy, had the cutting power to easily tear apart heavy steel armor!
Even a body made of bronze and iron would inevitably be sawed and pulverized under this continuous and destructive cutting!
Moreover, Liang Jin is made of flesh and blood. Even with the strange dragon scales protecting him, there is absolutely no way he could withstand the full force of a second-grade expert's attack!
The scales of victory seem to have tipped!

however--

Just as Hunxiu King's body was about to crash into the cliff wall, and at the moment when his victorious smile was at its brightest, his pupils suddenly contracted to the size of pinpoints, and the ecstasy on his face froze instantly, then turned into extreme horror and disbelief!
What did he see? !

The scene of flying blood and torn scales that I had envisioned did not appear!

On Liang Jin's back, on the broad spine covered with black dragon scales with gold trim, sparks indeed burst forth continuously and dazzlingly bright!

That was the scene created by the intense friction between high-speed sand grains and hard dragon scales.

But beneath this dazzling yet deadly fire, there was not the scales themselves, but... a layer of suddenly illuminating, brilliant, azure lightning!
This layer of electric light is not static, but flows and surges rapidly like a living thing, forming a dense electric field that constantly repels outwards!

This force field carried a powerful, strange force, like the repulsion of magnetic poles, making the sandstorm circular saw, which contained terrifying cutting power, seem to be sawing into an invisible yet incredibly tough elastic barrier!
No matter how frantically the circular saw spun and cut, it could never truly touch Liang Jin's true dragon scales!

The vast majority of the destructive force was cleverly deflected, dispersed, and repelled by the lightning electric field of this automatic protective layer!
Zizzi——!
Crack!

Electric snakes danced wildly, and lightning flashed!

The massive sandstorm circular saw, through this continuous and ineffective consumption, visibly shrank and dimmed in size.

Finally, with a reluctant buzzing sound, it completely disintegrated, turning back into countless ordinary grains of sand, which crashed to the ground as if it had never possessed that world-destroying power.

And Liang Jin's back...

Apart from the slowly fading layer of azure lightning, the back covered with black and gold dragon scales was... completely unharmed!
Not even a white mark was left!

The next moment, Liang Jin's enormous dragon-demon head slowly turned around, its cold golden vertical pupils glancing at the disheveled Hunxiu King who had fallen off the cliff, and then sweeping over Chi Le, who was equally dumbfounded in the distance.

On his face, a blend of human features and dragon-like majesty, a smile slowly spread across his face, filled with extreme mockery and disdain.

With his lips slightly parted, two clear and cold words struck the hearts of King Hunxiu and Chile like heavy hammer blows:
"That's it?"

King Hunxiu, whose internal energy was already disordered and who was filled with shock and anger, could no longer suppress his surging blood and qi when he heard these two extremely insulting words. He suddenly spat out a mouthful of blood.

"puff--!!"

His face turned deathly pale instantly.

They thought it was a sure-fire victory, with the outcome already secured.

But unexpectedly, the situation reversed in the blink of an eye, and the "opportunity" that he had fought so hard for with serious injuries was seen as a joke by the other side!

This feeling of defeat, falling from the clouds to the abyss in an instant, shattered his pride as a king!
At this moment, Liang Jin, who seemed to have an absolute advantage, was actually surprised.

The source of that automatically protective electric field was none other than the divine power he drew from the "Lightning Strike Fruit"!
Liang Jin had always thought that while this lightning power wasn't weak in terms of attack, it was somewhat "useless" compared to his other, more violent and direct methods, and he hadn't paid much attention to it.

However, just now, when Chile's Desert Soul Burial Wheel was about to hit his body, and he was preparing to withstand it with his strong physical body and dragon scales, the divine power of the Lightning Strike Fruit was activated on its own, forming this defensive force field with a strong repulsive ability!

This is undoubtedly a pleasant surprise!

"So that's how it is... The power of this Lightning Strike Fruit is both offensive and defensive."

Liang Jin's mind raced:

"Its attack power may be average, but its defensive capabilities are superb!"

This discovery not only compensated for the weaknesses of "Overlord's Armor Removal Skill", but also greatly compensated for the huge flaws of moves like "One Thought Without Return" that sacrifice defense in pursuit of ultimate attack!
This made Liang Jin's already abnormal defense system even more perfect, almost impenetrable!

A deathly silence fell over the battlefield.

Only the smoke and dust continued to drift slowly, the rustling sound of pebbles rolling down the cliff face, and the faint struggles of the buried Hua Nongying echoed from the depths of the canyon.

Hunxiu King struggled to his feet from the sunken rock wall, leaning on his mace and breathing heavily.

Chile also put away his previous arrogance and greed, his face so solemn it seemed like it could drip water.

The two exchanged a glance, and both saw an unprecedented seriousness and... a hint of barely perceptible fear in each other's eyes.

They finally understood that the young man who had transformed into a dragon demon was an opponent that could not be measured by common sense.

The previous contempt and scheming now seem so ridiculous and fatal.

Chile took a deep breath, his voice low and hoarse, breaking the suffocating silence:
“Brother Hunxiu…it seems we can no longer hold back.”

"If we don't bring out our trump card soon, I'm afraid we'll be in trouble today..."

He didn't finish his sentence, but Hunxiu King instantly understood its meaning.

A second-grade martial artist's full-force attack couldn't even break through the opponent's passive defense.

However, he could only barely withstand the opponent's attack by giving it his all.

How can we fight this war?
Hunxiu Wang's face turned ashen, and he nodded with difficulty.

He raised his hand and forcefully wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth. When he looked at Liang Jin again, the shock and anger in his eyes had been replaced by an almost tangible killing intent.

“Meng Xinghun…”

His voice was like it had been sanded, carrying a deep-seated hatred and a hint of undeniable gravity:
"It was I who... underestimated you."

"I never imagined that the harsh and cold Western Desert could give birth to a monster like you."

"Perhaps Chile is right. You are indeed a person with great fortune, a darling of this world."

His words suddenly rose in pitch, becoming resolute and determined, carrying a desperate, do-or-die quality:
"That's precisely why! An existence like you is a major future threat to my Black Dragon Empire, a threat that must be eliminated!"

"Today, even if I sacrifice all my cultivation and exhaust all my life's accumulation, I will surely... kill you here!!"

Before he finished speaking, Hunxiu Wang suddenly reached into his robes, and when he reached out again, there was something in his palm!
As soon as the object appeared, it emitted a soft and pure golden light, instantly attracting everyone's attention!
It was a triangular piece of jade, about the size of a palm, with natural cloud-like patterns on its edges.

The jade is crystal clear, with liquid golden light flowing and swirling slowly inside, radiating a vast, majestic, and soul-stirring energy fluctuation!

"Golden Soul Jade!!"

Liang Jin's vertical pupils narrowed slightly, and for the first time, his eyes revealed genuine concern and keen interest.

He clearly sensed that within that small jade stone was sealed a destructive power.

That was a powerful strike, imbued with life and will, from a first-rank martial artist!
This was the first time Liang Jin had ever seen the legendary golden soul jade in person.

First-grade martial artists are already extremely rare, and the golden soul jade that requires the sacrifice of a first-grade martial artist to create is even rarer and more precious!

The fact that King Hunxiu brought it out at this moment undoubtedly meant that he had truly reached a point of life-or-death struggle and was pulling out his last trump card!
Meanwhile, on the other side, Chi Le also underwent a startling change. "Marquis of Zhenxi! This sacred undertaking cannot be stopped; the wheels of time will surely crush all obstacles!"

Chile roared in a low voice, and his aura suddenly became wild and violent!
"Chichichichi——!"

Amidst the horrifying sounds of flesh writhing, countless hard, thick, black hairs gleaming with a metallic sheen burst forth from beneath the exposed skin of Chi Le's face, neck, and arms, rapidly covering his entire body!
His body swelled up with a crackling sound as his bones popped, his muscles bulging, almost tearing the snow leopard skin vest he was wearing!

His mouth and nose protruded forward, his lips were torn, and two pale, sharp fangs pierced his lips, gleaming coldly.

The bones in his fingers grew longer, and his nails became thicker and more curved, transforming into sharp claws capable of tearing through steel!

In the blink of an eye, Chi Le transformed from a tall old man into a terrifying monster that was half-human and half-wolf, exuding a cold and bloodthirsty aura!

A savage, primal power, several times stronger than before, swept out of his body like a storm!

"Feel it deeply, this power of the ancient wolf!"

Chile's voice became deep and resonant, filled with a bestial roar.

His surging divine power and internal energy were released in a mixture, causing a dramatic change in the surrounding area!

"Boom--!"

Centered on him, the sand and stones on the surface of the entire Hanlong Gorge seemed to be summoned by an invisible force, and they rose up wildly, spinning, colliding, and rubbing against each other at high speed around the gorge!
In an instant, a massive sandstorm, connecting heaven and earth, with a diameter of over a hundred feet and blotting out the sun, suddenly took shape!

The wind howled, sand and stones flew, and visibility became extremely blurred, as if the end of the world had arrived!
Within this sandstorm domain, Chile is the absolute ruler!

Every grain of sand is his eye, his weapon, capable of coalescing into any form at any time to launch a deadly attack from any angle!

Judging from this ability to invoke the power of heaven and earth and create a small-scale natural disaster, it is clear that after releasing his divine blood, Chi Le's strength is already infinitely close to... that legendary first-grade realm!
As Liang Jin sensed the werewolf-like aura and the overwhelming power of the sandstorm, the massive dragon head nodded slightly, its tone carrying a hint of understanding:
"I see, it's also one that has fused with divine blood."

"Unfortunately, it's not essence blood, just ordinary divine blood."

With his keen senses, fused with the bloodlines of multiple gods, he was able to clearly discern the "texture" of the divine power within Chile's body.

Although its quantity is enormous and it has been strengthened many times over the years, making its power level not weak, it ultimately lacks the special divine effects of essence blood and is more inclined to amplify power.

Seeing the changes in Chile, King Hunxiu's eyes flashed with surprise and envy, and he couldn't help but praise him:

"Chile, I didn't expect you to have this trick up your sleeve!"

"The power of divine blood is indeed profound! Once this matter is resolved, I will definitely try to obtain some!"

Chile's wolf-like head turned towards King Hunxiu, its scarlet eyes flashing with a cold light:
"Then let's join forces and kill him first!"

"His value far exceeds your imagination! After this is accomplished, divine blood... will be no problem!"

Upon hearing this, King Hunxiu's eyes burned with intense greed.

He had already realized that the long-term value of divine blood, a treasure that could permanently enhance one's strength and even bring about changes in form, far surpassed that of the one-time consumable golden soul jade!
Liang Jin believed him.

A few days ago, the people of the Yinxi Society used an unfamiliar divine blood to impersonate the blood of the divine tortoise in an attempt to lure Liang Jin.

It is clear that Yinxi has the means to obtain divine blood, or a considerable amount of divine blood in stock.

At this moment, Liang Jin faced the ultimate trump cards finally revealed by the two masters, feeling the destructive energy about to burst forth from the golden soul jade, as well as the raging sandstorm domain that enveloped the heavens and the earth.

Instead of showing any fear, he let out a deep, battle-ready laugh, like a dragon's roar!

"Good! Very good! Finally, a worthy opponent!"

"Since you've gone all out, then this Marquis... should get serious too!"

After he finished speaking, Liang Jin's enormous dragon-demon body trembled violently!
"Crack——!"

A crisp sound of chains snapping rang out clearly!
That was the sound of the final [Zhenyuan Dragon-Slaying Lock] being completely released!
It turns out that Liang Jin has never used his full strength since the start of the battle!
He believed that he didn't need to use his full strength when dealing with martial artists of the same level, so Liang Jin had previously unlocked three of the four [Zhenyuan Nianlong Locks] and only wore one in battle.

Under the constraint of the only remaining [Zhenyuan Dragon-Slaying Lock], Liang Jin felt his power suppressed to the level of a third-grade cultivator.

Even so, he still managed to injure King Hunxiu and withstand Chile's deadly attack without sustaining any damage!
At this moment, with the removal of the last shackle, the power belonging to the second-grade martial artist has finally returned!

“Buzz——!!!”

A violent aura, far more terrifying than before and as if a prehistoric beast had been fully awakened, erupted like a volcano that had been dormant for thousands of years, spreading outwards from Liang Jin as the center!

After losing the immense pressure from the Zhenyuan Dragon-Slaying Lock, Liang Jin couldn't help but feel a sense of relief.
"That makes things much easier!"

The air around him hummed under the influence of this pure power, and even began to distort and blur!
The sandstorm that swept across the sky was forcibly repelled by an invisible force field when it approached within a few feet of him, unable to penetrate even a little!
The expressions of King Hunxiu and Chile changed completely at this moment!
They could clearly sense that Liang Jin's power... was rising!
It's climbing at a frantic, desperate pace!
They crossed a certain critical point and reached a level that made them all feel uneasy!

"You...you...you didn't even use your full strength just now?!"

"This is impossible!!!"

Hunxiu Wang's voice trembled uncontrollably, filled with absurdity and horror.

Disbelief was also written all over Chilena's wolf-like, ferocious face:

"Truly worthy of being a person of great fortune, indeed one cannot be judged by ordinary standards."

"I'm afraid the entire fortune of the Western Desert has already been obtained by you alone."

After the initial shock came an even stronger determination to kill!
Chile roared:

"That's precisely why you absolutely must die!"

"If you die, the divine tortoise will surely awaken! Our great undertaking can be accomplished!"

As he spoke, a hideous face began to rapidly coalesce amidst the howling sandstorm.

Clearly, Chile has already begun preparing for the attack!
Hunxiu King also floated into the sky, raising the golden soul jade in his hand high.

He stared at Liang Jin with utmost seriousness and said in a deep voice:

"Meng Xinghun, it seems you've already used your trump card!"

"So today, who lives and who dies depends on their own abilities!"

At this moment, even King Hunxiu lost the sense of certainty he had when he took out the golden soul jade.

Liang Jin scoffed at this:

"I don't need my trump card to deal with you!"

His greatest asset is the Destroyer Armor.

With no top-tier experts appearing, Liang Jin had no intention of using the Annihilation Armor.

King Hunxiu's golden soul jade could only unleash a single strike at the first-grade level.

Chi Le's power was only very close to the first-grade level, but he had never been able to cross that threshold.

Therefore, neither King Hunxiu nor Chile were as powerful as the Demon Lord Wuxu, who was clad in demonic armor.

After all, the Demon Lord of Wuxu, who was wearing the demon armor, had already reached the threshold of the first-grade realm.

Right now, Liang Jin's strength has increased by leaps and bounds again, and he is now a whole realm stronger than when he fought against the Demon Lord of Wuxu!

So now, Liang Jin wants to challenge himself.

Let's see if I have the strength to fight these two masters to the death without wearing the Annihilation Armor!

next moment.

Chile has already made his move!

"Sandstorm Wolf!!!"

With a wolf howl that shook the canyon, endless quicksand gathered, compressed, and condensed wildly within the sandstorm that blotted out the sky!
In the blink of an eye, a huge, ferocious wolf head made entirely of sand and stone slowly emerged from the sandstorm!
The wolf's head was incredibly lifelike, with its fangs bared and two swirling sandstorm vortexes in its eye sockets, coldly "staring" at Liang Jin below, who looked like an ant!

at the same time.

King Hunxiu also completely abandoned all distracting thoughts and elevated his spirit and energy to their peak.

He held the golden soul jade with both hands respectfully, as if holding the fate of the empire, his eyes resolute and fervent.

"Meng Xinghun! You have every reason to be proud that you were able to force me to use this item!"

"Today, I will use this power to send you to your grave!!"

As soon as he finished speaking, he suddenly tightened his grip on his five fingers—

"Crack!!!"

The crisp cracking sound was like the tolling of a death knell!
In an instant, the golden soul jade shattered!

A dazzling golden light suddenly burst forth, illuminating the pitch-black night sky as if it were daytime!
(End of this chapter)