"Yu Yuanzhen, what are you planning to do?" Seeing Yu Yuanzhen's ferocious grin, the fake Tang Chen—the real Bat King—finally showed a hint of fear. "Don't be impulsive. As long as you withdraw now, I can spare you today."
"Heh, so you are a fake Tang Chen. Otherwise how could you be so spineless? Let me tell you: a dragon is a dragon—forever a dragon! We'd never get beaten and then go be someone's dog! The Clear Sky Sect has Ring Detonation and the Great Sumeru Hammer. The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect has Heart Separation Control. Do you think my Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan has nothing? Today I'll show you our sect's treasure, our pride—the True Dragon Nine Crowns." Yu Yuanzhen was supremely proud. Though his sect ranked third, he never believed the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon's potential was inferior to the other two.
The only reason they lagged now, he felt, was that he himself, as sect master, wasn't outstanding enough.
The so-called True Dragon Nine Crowns were actually nine fragments of the ancient Dragon King's bones. Together they formed the True Dragon Nine Crowns, usually sealed in the clan's mountain. For this unification war, Yu Yuanzhen brought them as a precaution.
By absorbing and fusing these soul bone fragments, Yu Yuanzhen could raise his power to near demi-god level. The downside: after the battle, the True Dragon Nine Crowns would inevitably backlash and kill him.
"Madman! You're insane! Is it worth staking your life on one battle?" the Bat King roared.
"Haha! I, Yu Yuanzhen, have hated evil all my life, proud to bear the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon name. When have I ever clung to life in fear of death? The world is about to be pacified. On the Star Luo side, they're no match for the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect and will soon be subdued. That makes you the final obstacle before peace under heaven. Today I will use my life to break through this barrier and achieve continental unification. My name will go down in history, and everyone will remember my clan's great merit. I, Yu Yuanzhen, will die without regret." He kept inhaling the True Dragon Nine Crowns' power, his aura surging, seemingly about to surpass Tang Chen.
"I'll never let you finish absorbing it!" Terror fully consumed the Bat King. To stop Yu Yuanzhen, he detonated rings six through eight—his limit. He didn't dare detonate all nine; if he did, this borrowed body might collapse.
"Well said, junior of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan. Let us lend you a hand. Ninth Soul Skill: Golden Crocodile Raging Surge!"
"Ninth Soul Skill: Deliver All Beings!"
With a hearty laugh, three experts appeared, propping up against the descending Great Sumeru Hammer.
There were very few on the continent who could call Yu Yuanzhen "junior." Aside from the three Limit Douluo, there was the Golden Crocodile Douluo.
He hadn't planned to meddle in worldly affairs again, wanting only to watch over the Worship Hall for his remaining years. But a few days earlier, he received a message from Ning Fengzhi with an item enclosed: his Worship Token. Back when Tianlin spared his life, he had said that if anyone ever came with this token, then so long as the task didn't harm Spirit Hall, he would see it through.
So today, as promised, he came with Fifteen Ton Douluo to aid the unification.
"And me—Ninth Soul Skill: Hammer Roar Nine Heavens." Suddenly, another Clear Sky Hammer struck upward from below at Tang Chen.
It was Tang Xiao. The Bat King was enraged. "Tang Xiao, how dare you betray your grandfather!"
"Assuming you really are my grandfather," Tang Xiao said coldly. "Today you revealed too many flaws. My sister Tang Yuehua noticed them all. Though your martial soul, soul power, and soul skills are identical to Grandfather's, you are not him. First, he is pride incarnate. He would never acknowledge a master; your slip of the tongue—'master'—was the biggest flaw.
"Second, my grandfather, though he has killed many, only killed enemies. He would never speak lightly of 'massacring cities.'
"Third, Grandfather battles heaven and earth. He would never show fear like you, nor try to stop the enemy from entering their strongest state. If it were truly him, he'd wish for Yu Yuanzhen to finish absorbing the Nine Crowns so they could fight to their hearts' content, not panic and try to stop it early.
"So, impostor pretending to be my grandfather—show your true face!"
Tang Xiao's joining became the last straw. Strong as he was, the Bat King couldn't withstand so many soul masters. The Great Sumeru Hammer was pushed back up, and his body was forced to retreat.
Golden Crocodile Douluo looked around. "We have me from Spirit Hall, a group of young geniuses from the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, Yu Yuanzhen of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, Wu Zhao and Zhu Zhuqing of the Star Luo Empire, Meng Shenji of the Heaven Dou Empire."
He suddenly burst out laughing. "Haha! Living long is wonderful—who'd think I'd see this day: so many soul masters from different powers gathered together—former Three Upper Sects, the two empires, and Spirit Hall—united for continental unification. I didn't expect to witness this in my lifetime."
Only then did everyone realize that the continent's strongest factions had truly converged in this battle.
"This is all thanks to Xiao Tian. He pursued the kingly path of unification, favoring subjugation over slaughter, unknowingly gathering a vast power," Yu Tianheng said excitedly. "We, too, have the strength we do because of him. It's time to repay him. Everyone, lend my grandfather your strength—heterogeneous fusion!"
At Yu Tianheng's command, all the soul masters formed a circle, surrounding Yu Yuanzhen.
At the four corners stood four Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect soul masters versed in ring fusion.
Huo Wu leapt to the center. "You want a multi-person fusion skill? I'll help too. I'll fuse as much as I can!"
Huo Wu had joined the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect and learned the heterogeneous fusion theory.
Nearly a hundred soul rings flew forth. Huo Wu and the sect's soul masters used their ring-fusion talent to merge all their power.
Such a massive power was not easy to fuse. Fortunately, the pressure wasn't on them, but on Yu Yuanzhen, who had to bear it. Even with the Nine Crowns infused and his physique akin to a demi-god's, it was hard to withstand so much power.
But Yu Yuanzhen didn't care. After absorbing the Nine Crowns, he was already doomed to die. Even if his body collapsed immediately after, so be it.
Gazing at the god-slaying power, Yu Yuanzhen felt some comfort. "Xiaogang, you've put on a moralistic face your whole life. In the end, you left behind something of use. The rest… leave it to your father."
He received all the power. Combined with the Nine Crowns, he was no weaker than the four top powerhouses who had recently fought.
Yu Yuanzhen's body turned into a colossal thunder dragon hundreds of meters long, roaring as it charged the Bat King.
"Nine Rings Detonate Together!" The Bat King could no longer hold back, detonating all nine and wielding the Great Sumeru Hammer in defense.
But the once-invincible Great Sumeru Hammer shattered into iron filings the instant it touched the thunder dragon.
In the Bat King's disbelieving eyes, the thunder dragon carried him skyward. From Tang Chen's mouth came bat-like screeches, and his blood boiled as if trying to spread itself.
"So you're a Bat King. I've heard your Blood Bat race can resurrect from a single drop of blood. But this time, I won't leave you a single drop," Yu Yuanzhen said coldly.
He flew higher and higher with the Bat King, knowing the coming explosion would be world-ending. If it happened over land, those he wanted to protect would die.
At last, the thunder dragon rushed into space and detonated there. The dark cosmos flashed brilliantly for a moment. The Bat King truly died beyond death—his blood fully vaporized, with no hope of revival.
"It's over," Oslo stepped up and patted Yu Tianheng's shoulder.
Yu Tianheng nodded. "Yes, it's over."
He seemed to hear his grandfather's many teachings:
"A dragon is a dragon—forever a dragon! We'd never get beaten and then go be someone's dog!"
"Any who try to harm our Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan must be ready to die."
"Haha, Tianheng, let me see how far we can go in this continental war."
"…"
Scenes of memory surged. Then a shadow of a thunder dragon descended from the sky, its mouth holding three soul bones and the Snow-Jade Crown of the True Dragon Nine Crowns.
These were Yu Yuanzhen's relics. Likely because he died in a god-level state, he retained a final trace of power to send the clan's treasures to Yu Tianheng.
The thunder dragon phantom nodded to Tianheng and dissipated. Yu Tianheng smiled with relief. "Grandfather, I won't keep mourning. In your final moment you became the strongest thunder dragon and let our clan's glory shine across the continent. Though your life ended, the path you hacked open will be trod by countless descendants."
Now, one last task remained. Yu Tianheng walked step by step toward Xue Beng—the final enemy to continental unification.
"Wait, Yu Tianheng. I am willing to surrender. You accepted the Spirit Empire and Star Luo people—surely you can accept me? I'll order the Heaven Dou Empire to become your vassal."
Seeing Tianheng unmoved, Xue Beng kept retreating. "If not, I'll abdicate in favor of Jun Tianlin. Just let me live and be a wealthy commoner."
"I can persuade the remaining troops outside to surrender, even personally help you unify the continent. I'm a Titled Douluo now—I can at least be of some use."
Facing the pleading Xue Beng, Yu Tianheng said coldly, "We accept everyone's surrender—except yours. You don't deserve to live."
"Wait. Don't you want to know where fake Tang Chen's and my power came from? If you harm me, you'll never know the truth." With begging useless, Xue Beng resorted to threats.
"Even if I spared you, you wouldn't talk, since you'd fear being killed after. As for future enemies, Xiao Tian will handle them—I trust him absolutely. My job is to finish unifying the continent." Yu Tianheng raised his fist and, amid Xue Beng's pleas, smashed down.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
No one counted how many punches he threw. They only saw Xue Beng's head buried into the earth, skull shattered, blood staining the ground.
Yu Tianheng stood, wiped his tears, turned, and roared, "All forces, hear my command! Xue Beng is dead. Accept the surrender of Heaven Dou's remaining troops. Any who refuse—kill without mercy.
"And spread the word across the continent: from today, the Heaven Dou Empire is pacified!"