Ren Zhu VS Li Tian

Since Li Tian himself has become half-eternal, he possesses one half of the world essence, while the other half resides within Ren Zhu's soul. Possessing world essence is the sole requirement for accessing the Chaos Path or even approaching true eternity. In contrast, Limitless's so-called ascension to half-eternity is a complete fabrication—he is nowhere near that threshold. Without any trace of world essence, he would immediately perish upon exposure to external chaos energy.

The Gu World can naturally resist the chaos outside due to its intrinsic world essence. Thus, only those who possess a portion of this essence can withstand chaos and qualify for Chaos Path or half-eternity. Fang Yuan, crucially, does not have it—but Ren Zhu's soul still holds the missing half.

The Gu World contains the essence core, and Ren Zhu and Li Tian each possess half of the world essence. To reach Rank 10, one must first reclaim both halves—only then can they meet the requirement of holding complete world essence. Upon doing so, the cultivator must absorb the entire Gu World into their own immortal aperture, transforming it into a self-contained world. This act signifies the creation of a personal universe—thus granting true eternal life and the status of a Creator.

At present, Li Tian is engaged in a soul battle against Ren Zhu, aiming to dominate and absorb the other half of the world essence. However, this is far from simple. Ren Zhu, empowered by his half of the essence, possesses an overwhelming soul presence. Even while unconscious, his will automatically counters Li Tian's advances. The conflict within their shared vessel is brutal and prone to miscalculations.

No external interference is possible. If even the slightest disruption occurs, Li Tian's unconscious body will instinctively react with lethal force, defending the soul battle from any threat. Inside, the true war continues.

Within Li Tian's body, fists formed of swirling chaos energy clashed with increasing intensity—each blow shook his inner world. Like twin stars colliding, Li Tian and Ren Zhu struck with ferocious resolve, sparks of entropy and creation bursting at every impact.

Then came the ranged phase: beams of star-filled chaos—black and white energies drawn from the edge of conceptual existence—lashed through his internal soul realm. Organs were torn, lungs ruptured, heart stilled momentarily… only to regenerate moments later, sustained by Li Tian's chaotic physiology. The battle raged endlessly, each strike echoing with the weight of creation and annihilation.

With each attack met by a flawless counter, Li Tian and Ren Zhu mirrored one another like reflections in a shattered divine pool. Every move was anticipated, every strategy dismantled. It was as if they were forged from the same mold—and perhaps, in a way, they were.

Li Tian's knowledge of the world essence, something only Ren Zhu should have known, had always seemed uncanny. But he had discovered it during his transformation into the Chaos Demon Venerable. When he faked his death, he opened himself to the chaotic transmissions beyond the Gu World—raw information pouring into his soul like wildfire.

He had known Ren Zhu would likely uncover the ruse, but he acted regardless, following the script of a plan that both of them had once envisioned. Their minds moved in near-perfect synchrony, yet not flawlessly. That microscopic divergence—those slight differences in thinking—had allowed Li Tian to alter key elements, slipping past Ren Zhu's expectations. And today, that difference bore its fruit.

Next, Li Tian summoned every ounce of chaos energy stored within his body—his personal realm of soul and flesh—and condensed it into his right fist. The energy began to swell, surrounding his hand with a storm of black-and-white flames, writhing like serpents of entropy. It grew larger and denser until the very space around it warped violently. The energy didn't stop at the physical—it seeped into his soul's right hand, fusing with his essence in a perfect synchronicity of will and destruction.

Then he moved.

In a flash, Li Tian struck. His chaos-forged fist crashed into Ren Zhu's face, the force so immense it shattered bone instantly. Teeth exploded outward like shrapnel. The follow-up blows were merciless—a brutal symphony of carnage. One after another, Li Tian hammered into Ren Zhu's body: his ribs cracked like dry twigs, spine twisted, collarbone pierced inward, organs ruptured under the chaotic shockwaves.

Each strike wasn't just physical—it was conceptual. Every punch disrupted the structure of Ren Zhu's soul itself, fracturing his memories, warping his willpower, bending his essence. Chaos bled into every fiber of his being, corroding and rewriting.

Ren Zhu's body and soul convulsed, blood pouring from his mouth and eyes, his flesh tearing open at invisible seams. But even through this relentless assault, he fought back, his own world essence burning like a star about to go nova.

But it was clear—this was Li Tian's home ground. The chaos here answered only to him. And through that overwhelming advantage, his fist carried not just power, but inevitability.

This was not a brawl. This was a one-sided execution of intent.

The only reason Ren Zhu lost was due to the overwhelming volume of chaos energy Li Tian possessed—an advantage compounded by Ren Zhu's unconscious state during the soul battle.

Within mere breaths, the brutal fight reached its climax. Ren Zhu's soul, battered and torn, was crushed into a dense sphere—a compressed core of broken will and fractured essence. Li Tian, expression unreadable, devoured it whole through a gaping mouth that opened within his soul—a swirling void of chaos. As the last remnants of Ren Zhu entered him, Li Tian's titanic soul began to stabilize, shrinking to its default size as the absorption process began.

But just as the fusion neared completion, an invisible force tore through his soul. A soul hand lashed outward from the inside of Li Tian where the orb of Ren Zhu's fragmented soul was 99% absorbed. It cleaved through Li Tian's soulscape like a blade of memory and consequence, slashing deep into his essence.