The next moment.
Bathed in the radiant glow of divine golden light, Qian Renxue's figure underwent a dramatic transformation.
One turned into two, two into four, four into eight...
Countless Qian Renxues appeared in mid-air, each wielding the Angelic Holy Sword raised high above her head. Behind them, crimson-golden halos illuminated the earth.
All the halos converged on one target: Zhou Yi.
"I'm surrounded by countless Qian Renxues?"
Zhou Yi smirked lightly, sensing the immense pressure saturating the space. Yet, it was insignificant to him.
He didn't even bother activating his Martial God Domain.
With sheer physical strength alone, he could effortlessly withstand everything.
"Great Sun, Angel, Myriad Suns Overpower the Heavens."
The innumerable Qian Renxues roared in unison, their voices rolling like thunder through the skies. The nearby Azure Lake surged with towering waves, while the ground beneath them shattered inch by inch.
Within the range of the crimson sun's radiance, the land itself began to sink.
"Ah!"
"Retreat!"
The onlookers were struck with terror, fleeing frantically. Fortunately, they were outside the range of Qian Renxue's domain. Otherwise, they would have been obliterated long ago.
"Is this the power of a god?"
Tang Chen's eyes burned with fervor as he stared at Qian Renxue in the sky, his fists clenched tightly.
God!
He, too, would ascend to godhood!
"With such an overwhelming attack, even Zhou Yi won't be able to resist it easily, will he?"
Tang San kept his gaze fixed on the sky, only to freeze in shock.
Zhou Yi remained standing with his hands behind his back, a calm smile on his lips, unchanged from before. Despite Qian Renxue's frenzied assault, he stood unmoving, like a rock amidst a raging sea—untouched by the storm.
"How is this possible? How can he be this strong?"
"Could it be that Qian Renxue, the Angel God, is just a fraud?"
"Maybe it's all for show?"
"That must be it!"
"If I were to become a god, I would be a hundred or even a thousand times stronger than her!"
Tang San widened his eyes, comforting himself with these thoughts.
The more he dwelled on it, the more convinced he became that Qian Renxue was an incompetent deity.
If he were to ascend,
He would never be this weak.
"Holy Light Radiance!"
Qian Renxue's voice carried a hint of desperation as she raised the Angelic Holy Sword once more.
Golden rays descended from the heavens, bathing her in their brilliance. The crimson-gold hue of her aura gradually transformed into a pure, dazzling gold, and the energy fluctuations around her underwent a qualitative change.
Her Angelic God Armor was now enveloped in a liquid-like golden glow.
The blinding light forced the onlookers to close their eyes, unable to bear its intensity. Once again, Qian Renxue unleashed a powerful attack.
This time, Zhou Yi moved.
Not because he couldn't endure it, but because he had grown tired of playing.
Clang!
With a casual flick of his finger, Qian Renxue's Angelic Holy Sword shattered into fragments.
"How… how is this possible?"
Qian Renxue was horrified. Zhou Yi's effortless gesture was nothing short of earth-shattering, a display of overwhelming might.
"What's impossible about it?"
Zhou Yi's figure appeared before her in a flash. Looking at her delicate, flawless face, he grinned and said:
"The gap between us is still twenty-four levels. You have no chance of defeating me."
Qian Renxue didn't understand what "twenty-four" referred to, but she had already experienced the overwhelming disparity between them.
Even though she could still unleash greater power at the cost of her life,
Deep down, she knew the truth:
Even if she gave her all, she could never defeat Zhou Yi.
Up until now,
Zhou Yi had been toying with her.
He hadn't even exerted himself.
"Grandfather…"
Qian Renxue thought of Qian Daoliu, who had sacrificed himself for her. Her emotions churned, and her gaze at Zhou Yi turned complex.
In the next moment, her eyes grew determined and fierce. She couldn't surrender like this.
"Let's do this!"
She shattered her Angelic God Armor, exchanging it for ultimate strength.
The space around them was instantly dyed crimson-gold, flames roaring as terrifying energy waves surged. The onlookers scattered in terror.
"What a feisty tigress!"
Watching her desperate struggle, Zhou Yi extended his hand. It pierced through the blazing flames and golden light, pulling Qian Renxue into his arms.
Bang!
Her supple, curvaceous body collided against his chest, shattering her already broken Angelic God Armor completely.
In the next moment,
Qian Renxue trembled as Zhou Yi's divine blade pierced through her body. Her eyes widened in disbelief as she looked at him.
"Now the gap between us is closed. Maybe you can defeat me now!"
Zhou Yi chuckled lightly.
"I'll fight you to the death!"
Qian Renxue clawed at him fiercely, igniting an even bloodier battle.
The dark night sky was already illuminated by golden light.
By now, the distant spectators had finally stopped fleeing. They looked up at the battlefield in the sky.
High above, a crimson-golden cloud churned violently, radiating boundless golden light that obscured the details of the battle. Yet faintly, they could make out two figures clashing fiercely atop the cloud.
The waves of golden light spread outward in waves, too powerful for anyone to approach.
Everyone watched anxiously, filled with anticipation and curiosity.
Time passed, second by second.
The crowd grew increasingly astonished.
"Originally, I thought Qian Renxue was no match for the Martial Ancestor. Who would have expected her to erupt with such strength? It's been a whole hour, and she still hasn't been defeated!"
"Judging by the Martial Ancestor's casual demeanor earlier, I assumed he could take down Qian Renxue in just a few moves. But her resilience is astounding—she's lasted this long! That said, I'm guessing this is her limit."
"Exactly! While Qian Renxue has ascended to godhood, the Martial Ancestor must have become a god long ago. The gap between them was evident from the start."
The spectators whispered among themselves, their discussions growing animated.
Tang San gazed at the battlefield—a crimson-gold cloud radiating boundless golden light—and fell into deep thought:
"Based on the strength Zhou Yi displayed earlier, it shouldn't take him this long to defeat Qian Renxue. Could he be… showing off?"
"Was his seemingly effortless performance actually his full strength, just cleverly disguised as ease?"
"That must be it!"
"It seems Zhou Yi is stronger than Qian Renxue, but not by much!"
"It's already been an hour. Maybe Qian Renxue can turn the tables!"
Tang San fixed his gaze on the sky, silently hoping for Zhou Yi's defeat.
"Young Mistress will surely win!"
"Defeat the Martial Ancestor!"
Golden Crocodile Douluo, Thousand Jun Douluo, and Demon Subduing Douluo—all esteemed experts of the Spirit Hall—had initially been filled with despair. But as time dragged on, their extinguished hope reignited.
The longer the battle lasted, the smaller the gap between the two seemed.
This suggested that Qian Renxue had a real chance of defeating the Martial Ancestor.
Even if she ultimately lost, the prolonged fight would still be a glorious defeat.
It would signify that the two of them stood on the same level.
And with that…
Even if the Spirit Hall couldn't surpass the Martial Sect, it could at least stand as its equal.
Above the clouds, Qian Renxue remained unyielding. Though her body was battered and bruised by Zhou Yi's relentless attacks, and her golden blood painted the clouds an even more dazzling hue, she refused to admit defeat.
The radiant moon seemed to retreat in shame, while the proud sun began to rise in the east, casting its light upon the sleepless onlookers.
Frost clung to their eyebrows and hair, their bloodshot eyes fixed on the golden battlefield above.
That golden radiance outshone even the sun.
"My heavens, how long is this fight going to last?" muttered Ma Hongjun, rubbing his bleary eyes in amazement.
"A Titled Douluo can fight for days on end. Gods? They could battle for ten days, even half a month, without a clear winner," said Oscar.
"Then are we going to wait here for ten days or more?"
"Let's give it a little longer."
The crowd's eyes remained glued to the sky.
By noon, the blazing sun bore down on them, and many began to falter under the scorching heat. Some were preparing to leave when the golden light in the sky began to dim.
The crowd immediately perked up.
Could the fight finally be reaching its conclusion?
In their anxious anticipation, the golden radiance completely faded.
Descending from the sky, Qian Renxue appeared wrapped in a flowing golden palace gown, soft and delicate like satin. Cradled in Zhou Yi's arms in a princess carry, her flushed cheeks glowed crimson, as if she had fainted.
Without sparing a glance at anyone else, Zhou Yi held the utterly defeated Qian Renxue and vanished in an instant.
Silence.
An overwhelming silence fell over the crowd.
And then—
An uproar broke out by the lakeside. The gathered spectators erupted with excitement.
"The Martial Ancestor knocked out the Angel God Qian Renxue and carried her home!!!"
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