The Snow-Colored Swan Kiss—this was the very immortal herb that Tang San of his past life had once used to destroy the Slaughter City.
It was the deadliest of poisons. Though harmless by itself, it could amplify any bacteria or toxin in the world a hundredfold, even a thousandfold, in an instant!
Even with Dustwind's current ninety-rank soul power, he did not dare make direct contact with it. Instead, he suspended it with soul power, never letting it touch his skin.
Even the pollen scattered toward the King of Slaughter was carefully controlled and guided by Dustwind's soul power.
The King of Slaughter instantly recoiled in panic. The pollen did not immediately wound him fatally, but it made his blood boil as if it were on fire.
The blood of the Slaughter City, its very foundation—the Blood Mary—was already laced with a slow, insidious virus. For ordinary soul masters, it would take years before symptoms appeared. But under the effect of the Snow-Colored Swan Kiss, the toxins were triggered instantly.
For another person, it might have taken time to manifest.
But one must not forget—the so-called King of Slaughter's true body was the Blood-Red Nine-Headed Bat King, a vampire who depended on consuming blood daily to survive.
Its body harbored more accumulated toxins than any other creature. By the time it realized what was happening, it was already too late.
"Brat, hand over the antidote—or I'll kill you!" The King of Slaughter's eyes burst with beams of crimson light a foot long. At that moment, a torrential soul power surged outward.
Behind him, nine astonishing soul rings slowly rose into view—
Black, black, black, black, black, black, black, black… red!
All were ten-thousand-year soul rings, with the ninth a hundred-thousand-year ring. This was Tang Chen's original configuration, now wielded by the Bat King in control of his body.
"Hand over the antidote, and I will spare your life!"
The King of Slaughter thrust his hand forward. Even Dustwind felt a suffocating pressure descend on him, suppressing every ring of his Seven Kill Sword.
A ninety-ninth rank Limit Douluo—beyond even the might of a hundred-thousand-year soul beasts—the Blood-Red Nine-Headed Bat King was also half-divine.
The sheer force erupting from the King of Slaughter at this moment overturned Dustwind's understanding. This was a true peak existence. Unless his cultivation from his past life instantly returned, there was no hope of resisting. In this life, he had not yet reached the absolute summit.
At that critical instant, the red demonic mark on Dustwind's forehead lit up.
A crimson radiance—the Shura God's divine light—burst forth of its own accord.
At the same time, a similar mark flickered briefly on the King of Slaughter's forehead, and another ray of Shura God's light flowed outward.
The two beams of Shura God's light clashed, intertwined, and merged.
Within the Slaughter City, it was as though a small crimson sun had risen, illuminating the darkness with dazzling brilliance.
A tide of pure, supreme killing intent swept across the land. Countless fallen ones were reduced to nothingness in an instant.
Purple smoke rose into the air—even the remnants of the Rakshasa God's power were beginning to dissipate.
In the distance, the Nine-Headed Bat King let out a shrill scream, hastily covering itself with its cloak and retreating.
Yet no matter how it tried to evade, it could not escape the light of Shura. White smoke hissed from its body as it sizzled in agony.
On the tall figure of the King of Slaughter, a phantom began to solidify. Tang Chen's body resonated with the Shura God's light—for he too was once a successor chosen by the Shura God.
Behind him, another phantom appeared—the shadow of a bat.
The shadow swiftly took form, manifesting as the true Nine-Headed Bat King, torn free from Tang Chen's body.
Its wings spread wide like two blood-red cloaks, its pitch-black eyes deep as a cosmic abyss. On its forehead gleamed a prominent violet mark.
"Tang Chen! You're not dead—you've awakened!"
The Bat King no longer pressed Dustwind for the antidote. Its full attention had been seized by Tang Chen's restored self.
A glimmer of light returned to Tang Chen's eyes—his long-dormant soul cleansed and finally awakened at the last moment.
He looked to Dustwind and nodded, then turned his gaze toward the Bat King.
"Kill!"
In his hands, a colossal warhammer appeared, which then melted and reshaped into a massive Shura Demon Sword.
His ninth soul ring of a hundred thousand years flared, scarlet ripples spreading outward. Tang Chen stepped forward, and the Shura Demon Sword slashed down with unstoppable force.
At the same moment, Dustwind also struck. This was the best chance to kill the Nine-Headed Bat King.
No one had expected that at this decisive moment, the Shura's divine light would awaken the parasitized Tang Chen.
Shura Seven Kill. Shura Demon Sword.
Two weapons infused with the power of the Shura God struck as one. One was a half-divine tool; the other, a true divine weapon—the exclusive legacy of the Shura God.
The Bat King's body, its toxins already violently activated by the Swan Kiss, had fallen drastically in strength.
And now, having lost its host body, its soul was rapidly deteriorating. Facing the combined assault of Tang Chen and Dustwind, it had no chance of resistance.
One half-divine weapon. One true divine artifact. That alone was more than enough respect for it.
The razor edge of the Seven Kill Sword tore across, and the Bat King's remaining six heads were severed in an instant.
The next second, those heads exploded.
The titanic Shura Demon Sword descended, crushing and disintegrating the Bat King's body in an instant.
No corpse remained. Its form evaporated into nothing, leaving only a soul bone faintly glowing and a soul ring slowly condensing in the pool of blood.
The two men turned toward each other.
The King of Slaughter's appearance had utterly transformed.
Though still wreathed in crimson light, his eyes now held unfathomable depth, a weight of solemnity—and a heavy sorrow.
"Young man… thank you for saving me."
The King of Slaughter—no, Tang Chen—spoke, his voice no longer sharp but aged and resonant.
Dustwind clasped his fists respectfully. "I greet Senior Tang Chen."
Tang Chen nodded, sorrow deepening in his gaze. "So… you too were chosen as the Shura God's successor."
"Yes," Dustwind admitted without concealment.
But in truth, because of the Snow-Colored Swan Kiss, the toxins within both Tang Chen and the Bat King were erupting without restraint. Though Tang Chen had briefly regained clarity, such a peak state could not last long.
It would not be long before the virus destroyed his body. Not even a half-god could withstand it.
"Hahaha…"
Tang Chen threw his head back and laughed, but tears streamed down his face.
I have lost!
All of this… has lost its meaning. Shura God, in the end, I still failed your trial!