Douluo: I am the True Master

Xu Tianran didn't intend to follow the original plotline and betray the two Limit Douluos of the Holy Spirit Sect, causing the sect to collapse due to the loss of its supreme fighting force. 

After all, times had changed. The forces on the Douluo Continent were far stronger now. If Xu Tianran were to cripple his own side under such circumstances, he would either be insane or brain-dead. 

This time, calling upon these two was purely to increase their chances of victory. Unfortunately, unless they volunteered, Xu Tianran couldn't force these two powerful figures to act. 

On the battlefield, the unparalleled fighters clashed fiercely. 

Xuan Zi knew he wasn't suited for governance, so he decided to unleash his full potential on this battlefield to restore Shrek's former glory. 

Xiao Ding had come to assist, but since he wasn't part of the Star Luo Empire and had received some insider information, he mainly stayed on the sidelines, providing support. 

When it came to gravity control, Xiao Ding—after activating his True Body—was even stronger than Xuan Zi, who relied on a beast-type martial soul. 

By holding back one technique, Xiao Ding could focus more fully on his other abilities. Xuan Zi naturally didn't mind, so he held no grudges when Xiao Ding chose not to actively engage in battle alongside him. 

Looking at Kong Deming and his companion, old hatreds and new grievances combined to fuel Xuan Zi's murderous intent. Without hesitation, he charged toward them like a raging bull. 

Though Kong Deming and his partner were inferior to Xuan Zi in combat strength, they had to hold him back here to prevent him from interfering with the ordinary battles taking place elsewhere. 

Relying on the overwhelming power of their Level 10 soul-guided devices, the two managed to restrain Xuan Zi while subtly maneuvering closer to Xiao Ding. 

Xiao Ding didn't want to join the melee, but he wasn't someone to be trifled with either. He directly condensed a mountain-sized Three Lives Soul-Sealing Cauldron and hurled it toward them.

Taking advantage of this momentary distraction, Xuan Zi moved in to strike, forcing the two to suffer a minor setback. 

Faced with vigilant Limit Douluos, getting close and continuously restraining both of them was an immense challenge for Kong Deming. 

"Enough," Kong Deming thought. "Since this Tian Ding Douluo doesn't want to get too involved in our fight, let's first deal with this wretch, Xuan Zi!" 

Seizing the opportunity, Kong Deming used the Silver Moon Divine Light Shield to forcibly trap himself and Xuan Zi within a confined space. 

Though Xuan Zi was impulsive, he possessed his own battle wisdom. Realizing he had been pulled into what resembled a spatial domain, he immediately activated his spatial powers, attempting to tear through space and escape. 

In the original storyline, Kong Deming had feared damaging his Level 10 soul-guided device and thus released the spatial lock himself. 

But this time, Kong Deming—resolved to sacrifice everything—wasn't about to let go so easily! 

Like a rabid dog sinking its teeth into its prey, Kong Deming stubbornly kept Xuan Zi trapped, refusing to let him leave. 

Even Xuan Zi, though not the sharpest tool in the shed, realized that the enemy had prepared a deadly "gift" for him. With a furious roar, he rapidly channeled all his soul power, attempting to forcefully break free from this spatial confinement. 

But in that fleeting instant, Kong Deming's twisted, resolute gaze clearly conveyed one message: 

It's too late! 

At that moment, ten Level 9 soul-guided cannon shells appeared between the two. 

Having dealt with the Sun Moon Empire for years, Xuan Zi instantly recognized these terrifying weapons. Though their destructive power was immense, even someone at Level 98 like him could evade the blast radius if he prepared carefully. However, with the current compressed space, he had nowhere to run! 

The only thing Xuan Zi could do now was convert the soul power he had gathered from destruction into maximum defense. 

The sky seemed to split as two suns blazed brightly! 

But from afar, the soul masters on the battlefield only saw a dazzling sun rise—they heard no explosion because Kong Deming's Silver Moon Divine Light Shield had completely isolated the interior from the outside world. 

The power of ten Level 9 cannon shells was horrifying. The intense light and heat radiating as residual effects caused the shield to crack densely across its surface before shattering entirely. 

Thus, one of the two Level 10 soul mentors of the Sun Moon Empire ceased to exist. 

Jing Hongchen, with his sharp eyes, suddenly noticed a figure falling from the smoke and dust of the explosion. 

"That's Kong Lao!" 

His pupils contracted, and without hesitation, he rushed forward, ignoring the scorching aftermath of the explosion. He dove in and caught Kong Deming in his arms. 

Even those determined to die wouldn't give up easily while alive. Although Kong Deming had devised this near-suicidal plan, at the last moment, he activated five energy-based and two physical-based Level 9 defensive soul-guided devices to withstand the blast's residual effects. 

However, detonating ten Level 9 cannon shells—each comparable to a Limit Douluo's attack—at the same time and location unleashed a force rivaling Kong Deming's strongest Silver Moon Divine Light Wave. 

In the blink of an eye, seven priceless Level 9 defensive devices were utterly destroyed. 

Fortunately, they managed to withstand the initial brunt of the explosion. After that, the remaining aftershocks were reduced to the level of a standard Level 9 cannon shell. 

Still, Kong Deming's condition was dire. His face was charred black like charcoal, and his once-majestic beard and hair had been completely burned away. 

Such superficial injuries were trivial for a Title Douluo. What truly left Kong Deming gravely wounded was the destruction of his life-and-soul-bound Level 10 soul-guided device, which inflicted severe backlash, leaving his spirit heavily damaged. 

Even so, with clouded eyes, Kong Deming struggled to ask hoarsely, 

"Check... check if it succeeded." 

After forcing out these few words, Kong Deming fell into a deep coma. 

Carefully cradling Kong Deming, Jing Hongchen was also curious about the outcome of the battle. He quickly began probing with his spiritual power. 

In the opposite direction from Kong Deming, a trail of black smoke slowly descended from mid-air. 

Though the details were unclear, it was undoubtedly Xuan Zi! 

Unsure whether the opponent was dead or alive, Jing Hongchen placed Kong Deming into a storage-type soul-guided device capable of holding living beings and prepared to deliver a finishing blow. 

But at that moment, a mountain-like giant cauldron came crashing down again. 

"Xiao Ding!" Jing Hongchen gritted his teeth in anger. 

Xiao Ding merely glanced at him calmly and said indifferently, "I don't want to fight to the death, but that doesn't mean I'll let you kill my teammate so easily." 

Even Xiao Ding didn't know whether Xuan Zi had survived such an attack, but that didn't stop him from maintaining the balance of the battlefield. 

Now, with each side left with only one unparalleled fighter, the situation was just right. 

Moreover, Jing Hongchen's Golden Toad Armor of Red Dust specialized in enhancing Level 9 soul-guided devices. While it excelled in attacks, Xiao Ding's defenses weren't weak either, so there was no reason to fear a confrontation. 

After a long moment of indecision, Jing Hongchen ultimately chose to retreat. After all, Kong Deming was far too important to the Sun Moon Empire.

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