148: Chapter 148: A Big Move Right from the Start?

The day of the knockout stage.

Above the Tianyuan Arena, the voice of the eye of destiny was louder than ever before.

[Knockout Stage · Second Match]

[Red Side: Su Bai, Tianxuan Star Sector · Qinglin Province, Netherworld World, Rank 6 Peak.]

[Blue Side: Luo Qinghe, Tianji Star Sector · Canglan Province, Myriad Demon World, Rank 6 Peak.]

[Both sides, please prepare.]

[Countdown: Sixty seconds.]

Across sixty-seven star sectors and thirty-two trillion viewers, all light screens switched to the footage of this duel at the same time.

On the viewing platform of Qinglin Province, thirty million people were dead silent. Chu Kuangren's palms were covered in sweat, his wine bottle creaking in his grip. Chu Zhentian's fingers hovered over the armrest, suspended and unmoving.

On the viewing platform of Tianji Province, Jun Luoyu sat cross-legged with an invisible sword across his knees, his eyes half-open and half-closed.

On the viewing platform of Guixu Province, Ye Qingxue stood by an ancient well, her left eye pitch black and her right eye pure white, with the corners of her mouth slightly upturned.

On the viewing platform of Zhongzhou Province, Di Wudao picked up a teacup, the tea inside remaining perfectly still.

Inside the world pod, Su Bai opened his eyes.

Greyish-white Yin Qi surged around him, thicker and more active than during the Points Race. In the ten-plus days since the Glimmer-moss was integrated, the Yin Qi circulation efficiency of the Netherworld World had increased by thirty percent, the soul energy absorbed by the Ghost Gate Pass had increased by twenty percent, and the daily Power Of Faith output had broken through twenty thousand points.

He used this Power Of Faith to build two more levels of hell.

Copper Pillar Hell and Knife Mountain Hell. The quality of Ox-Head and Horse-Face had approached the threshold of eight stars from seven-star perfection, and the progress of the Eighteen Levels of Hell had reached 7/18.

It was enough.

Su Bai raised his hand, his consciousness sinking into the Netherworld World.

Opposite him, the Myriad Demon World.

Luo Qinghe stood in his world pod, his dark-gold vertical pupils burning with battle intent. His hide robe flapped in the wind, and his long hair was lifted by Demonic Qi, resembling a swarm of wildly dancing snakes.

The Myriad Demon World unfolded in the void.

It was a desolate continent.

The ground was dark red, soaked with the blood of countless demon beasts. Seven demon moons hung in the sky, each formed from the demon core of a peak Rank 6 demon beast, emitting light of different colors.

The ghostly purple of the Heavenly Demon Fox, the earthy yellow of the Earthen Demon Bear, the deep green of the Mystic Demon Python, the golden yellow of the Yellow Demon Tiger, the silvery white of the Cosmic Demon Eagle, the emerald green of the Chronos Demon Deer, and the crimson red of the Flood Demon Dragon.

The seven-colored demon lights intertwined, illuminating the entire continent.

On the continent, five million seven hundred thousand demon beasts were arrayed like a sea. At the very front were three hundred thousand tiger demons, their golden fur covered in black stripes, fangs exposed, and claws like knives. Behind the tiger demons were five hundred thousand wolf demons, their greyish-white fur fluttering in the demonic wind, their ghostly green eyes flickering in the darkness. On either side of the wolf demons were two hundred thousand eagle demons, with wingspans exceeding three zhang, their silvery-white feathers gleaming with a cold light under the demon moons.

Further away, there were also snake demons, bear demons, deer demons, and fox demons, dense and overwhelming.

And above all the demon beasts, seven massive figures stood towering.

Heavenly Demon Fox · Su Meiren. Nine-tailed, snow-white all over, every strand of hair shimmering with a ghostly purple light. Her eyes were violet, with countless charm techniques swirling deep within her pupils. Her body length exceeded fifty zhang, and nine tails swayed slowly behind her; with every sway, a layer of pink mist filled the air. That was a charm mist that even Rank 6 heroes could not resist.

Earthen Demon Bear · Shanyue. Three zhang tall, earthy yellow all over, his skin like solidified lava, covered in cracked patterns with dark red earth fire flowing within the cracks. His fists were larger than millstones, and the power of a single punch was enough to shatter a mountain peak.

Mystic Demon Python · Youming. A hundred zhang long, deep green all over, his scales covered in eerie runes. His eyes were ghostly green with vertical pupils, like two cracks leading to the netherworld. His fangs could inject a toxin that even a peak Rank 6 could not withstand, and his constricting power could crush steel.

Yellow Demon Tiger · Liekong. Ten zhang long, golden yellow all over, his fur covered in black stripes, each stripe being the mark of a spatial rift. His claws could tear through space, and his roar could shatter souls.

Cosmic Demon Eagle · Cangqiong. A hundred zhang wingspan, silvery white all over, with star fragments embedded in his feathers. His eyes were silver, capable of seeing enemies ten thousand li away. His speed was the fastest among the seven demon beasts, able to cross a thousand li in an instant.

Chronos Demon Deer · Shiguang. Ten zhang long, emerald green all over, with countless tiny light ribbons wrapped around his antlers—those were the threads of time. His ability was to manipulate the flow of time, slowing down enemy attacks and speeding up his own.

Flood Demon Dragon · Nutao. A hundred zhang long, crimson red all over, with lava-like patterns flowing on his dragon scales. He had three curved dragon horns on his head, their tips burning with unquenchable demon fire. His dragon majesty could suppress any unit below Rank 5, and his Dragon Flame could melt any defense below Rank 6. His dragon bloodline had awakened to the second generation, purer than Blood Howl's third generation.

Seven peak Rank 6 demon beasts, their seven auras intertwined like seven pillars holding up the sky shrouded by the demon moons.

Luo Qinghe's consciousness avatar floated above the Myriad Demon World, his dark-gold vertical pupils staring at the greyish-white world opposite him.

"Su Bai." His voice was low like thunder, echoing through the void. "Your Ghost King is strong. Your Six Paths of Reincarnation can devour stars. But my demon beasts are not stars. They have flesh and blood, souls and wills. Your Yin Qi can corrode starlight, but it cannot corrode the bloodlines of demon beasts."

He raised his hand.

"Myriad Demon Array, rise!"

The seven demon beasts attacked simultaneously.

Five million seven hundred thousand demon beasts roared in unison, their Demonic Qi soaring to the heavens. The seven-colored demon lights converged into a massive pillar of light, merging with the attacks of the seven demon beasts to form a torrent capable of destroying a peak Rank 6 world.

Luo Qinghe's first strike was his full power.

He did not intend to give Su Bai any chance to catch his breath.