That combo of skills was practically a full set from Li Chang'an. Even though it was just his clone, once the fourth soul skill's Phantom speed was added in, the chain of attacks came crashing down like a storm. For the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger, it was more than enough to make it choke on a bitter mouthful.
But just then, the tiger's reaction speed also reached its peak. Its massive tail lashed out, and the Evil God Hook transformed into a translucent gray hue. A shield of gray light instantly wrapped around its entire body.
At the same time, an intensely cold current swept through the air, making Li Chang'an shiver. His clone's already limited strength was forcefully suppressed even further.
That sinister aura stirred his blood, threatening to burst out of his body. Were it not for the toughness of his physique, that evil chill would've injured him on the spot.
'What a terrifying domain… so evil!'
Even so, the gray shield didn't last long. Under the Pangu Axe's bombardment, cracks spread across its surface, and with a resounding bang, it shattered into drifting streams of gray vapor.
The truth was, the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger's instincts had been razor-sharp. The instant it noticed another Li Chang'an appear behind it, danger bells went off. Without hesitation, it unleashed its strongest defensive technique. The Evil God Hook, which had originally been prepared for offense, erupted in a torrent of gray energy that encased its body.
This skill was its ultimate defense—Evil God's Protection. By harnessing the aura of the Evil God, it could create a barrier nearly equivalent to absolute defense. While its durability was lower than a true absolute defense, the skill lasted far longer and didn't hinder movement.
Unfortunately, it had encountered Li Chang'an—and the Pangu Axe. Against that weapon, even such defense could only barely hold.
Sensing the threat in full, the tiger roared and shed all pretense. The gray aura around its body flared violently, condensing into countless arrows of light that rained from above, all locking onto Li Chang'an.
At first glance, the attack looked like mere wind-element arrows. But within them surged a tide of corrupt energy that made even Li Chang'an's scalp prickle. This time, however, he wasn't about to hold back.
With a thought, his clone dissipated, and his true body gripped the Pangu Axe. Then, he activated the terrifying ability of his torso soul bone—seventy-two thousand years old—boosting the strength of any chosen body part by six hundred percent!
He channeled all of it into his right arm.
The Pangu Axe was already a weapon of raw power. Now, each swing carried the weight of over fifty tons!
"Whoosh!"
"Boom!"
Explosions thundered in the air as Li Chang'an's figure flashed forward, appearing before the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger in the blink of an eye. No flashy techniques, no complicated maneuvers—just pure, merciless chops of the axe!
"ROAR—!"
For the first time, the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger felt genuine fear. It finally realized that this human's strength was beyond what it could contend with. That sheer, unadulterated power made its body tremble instinctively. One hit from that axe would be catastrophic.
Driven into a corner, the beast erupted with all its might. The Evil God Hook behind it spun wildly, releasing rippling waves that circled around it, forcefully breaking Li Chang'an's spiritual lock. Simultaneously, the gray aura covering its body flared into dazzling radiance, spreading across hundreds of meters and enveloping both itself and Li Chang'an.
The battle shifted into something beyond ordinary combat—this was a clash infused with the power of time itself!
An ominous premonition surged through Li Chang'an's mind. Above, a pitch-black vortex, nearly three meters wide, materialized in the sky.
The vortex's suction was monstrous. Even Li Chang'an couldn't resist as it dragged him in. The Dark Demon Evil God Tiger's body, too, was pulled uncontrollably into the void.
Though he had prepared himself mentally, when it truly happened, Li Chang'an's heart still clenched in panic.
Darkness engulfed everything. His body felt weightless, as though all force had abandoned him. Stranger still, his soul power seemed to weaken with every passing moment. Some mysterious restriction clamped down, warping his very body.
Suddenly, the world lit up.
His feet touched solid ground again. Li Chang'an looked around and found himself in a bizarre arena. It was circular yet endless, stretching into infinity. Above, there were no clouds, no sun, no stars—only endless darkness. The illumination came entirely from the arena itself.
Thirty meters away stood the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger. It stared at him, eyes blazing with fury, roaring again and again. The calmness from earlier was gone, replaced with unrestrained rage.
Its original form had been eight meters long, with wings unfurling to blot out the sky.
Now, however—its wings had vanished, its tail had reverted to an ordinary tiger's, and the Evil God Hook at the end was pitifully tiny, devoid of any energy. Its body had shrunk drastically, leaving behind a frame barely a meter and a half long. Ferocity was gone; what remained looked more like… an oversized black housecat.
And Li Chang'an himself?
He had reverted to the form of his six-year-old self—the same little pretty boy from before his martial soul awakened. No spirit, no soul power—nothing. Just his small, frail body.
A strange voice echoed from all directions:
"Welcome to the Arena of Life and Death. This battle ends only when one side dies. Escape from this space is impossible. Countdown: five… four… three… two… one… Begin."
Li Chang'an barely had a moment to process before the restraints fell away. The Dark Demon Evil God Tiger turned into a blur, charging at him like a shadow. Its scarlet eyes glowed with killing intent—it already saw him as a corpse.
If he were his usual self, a tiger barely one and a half meters long would pose no threat at all. But right now, as a six-year-old child, any strike from the beast could kill him instantly.
At six years old, he was far too fragile.
But that didn't mean the tiger could casually take his life. After all—Li Chang'an knew the script. How could he possibly allow himself to be bullied?
Besides, while this strange realm had stripped him of his martial Soul and soul power…
It hadn't stripped away his system. And the system was something that could never be restricted.
'Come then. Let's see… is your strength greater, or is my cheat more broken?'
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