Chapter 31: Refining the Killing Intent, Spear Shatters the Divine Throne!

The Great Star Dou Forest, spanning the borders of the Tian Dou Empire and the Star Luo Empire, is one of the three most famous habitats for soul beasts on the Douluo Continent.

Its terrain is complex, featuring wetlands, swamps, and more.

Any soul master with sufficient strength and good fortune can find a soul ring perfectly suited to them within its depths.

However, the soul beasts within are also extremely formidable. The closer one ventures toward the heart of the forest, the stronger the beasts become—soul beasts with over ten thousand years of cultivation are not uncommon.

At this moment.

Dai Chengfeng and Zhu Fan stood at the edge of the Great Star Dou Forest, gazing at the endless expanse of trees and listening to the rustling sound of the wind brushing through the leaves.

"Uncle, it's already late in the day. Let's set up camp here for now."

"We'll officially set out early tomorrow morning."

Upon hearing this, Zhu Fan nodded. As he retrieved tents and other items from his spatial soul-guidance ring, he curiously asked, "Chengfeng, we left so suddenly. Even if Zhu Yan sees the message and passes it along to His Majesty, it'll take several days, right?"

"Though with me here, there shouldn't be any danger in the outer regions of the Great Star Dou Forest."

"But we could've taken the main road and still had time to leave the Star Luo Empire. Why did you insist on passing through the Great Star Dou Forest?"

Dai Chengfeng smiled and shook his head. "Uncle, you still don't fully understand my father!"

"Who said the news of our journey to the Tian Dou Empire has to come from Zhu Yan?"

"I guarantee it!"

"The moment we left the city, someone likely sent an express courier to inform my father—and they may have even sent word to the border towns simultaneously."

"If we had taken the main road…"

"We'd probably have been intercepted halfway. Even if we managed to avoid detection on the way, we definitely wouldn't have made it past the checkpoint!"

"Do you believe me?"

"Eh…"

Zhu Fan was momentarily at a loss for words. "Alright."

He realized that his brother-in-law was indeed capable of such actions. It seemed he had underestimated the situation earlier.

"Chengfeng, Chengfeng, you're really putting me through the wringer!"

"Now I just hope your father will consider that I was forced to accompany you to the Tian Dou Empire against my will and go easy on me…"

Seeing Zhu Fan lamenting, Dai Chengfeng chuckled. "I truly am grateful to you, Uncle."

"How about this!"

"When I ascend as Emperor of Star Luo, I'll help you find twenty wives. How does that sound?"

"Hehe, Chengfeng, there's no need to be so formal—we're family!"

Zhu Fan's 'tears' involuntarily slid down the corner of his mouth.

Then, raising both hands and extending all ten fingers, he said, "Uncle isn't greedy. Twenty is too many—I'm afraid my old waist won't be able to handle it. Ten… hmm~"

After hesitating for a moment, Zhu Fan retracted one hand. "Five! Five will do!"

"After all, my Netherworld Spirit Cat martial soul is primarily about speed, lacking in strength. Five should suffice, hehe~"

Watching Zhu Fan, who had already drifted off into fantasy, Dai Chengfeng shook his head with an amused smile.

Amidst their banter, the two finished dinner and retired to their respective tents.

"Previously, I was busy taking control of Wu Ping City, then dealing with the floodwaters during the heavy rain, and afterward drawing up the plans for the Dujiangyan Water Conservancy Project… I haven't had a moment to rest."

"Now, I finally have the chance to refine the killing intent absorbed by the White Tiger Emperor's Dharma Body on the battlefield!"

Inside the tent, Dai Chengfeng took a deep breath.

Then, he sat cross-legged, focusing his mind and spirit, gradually sinking his consciousness into his spiritual sea.

Deep within Dai Chengfeng's spiritual sea

A mass of dark red energy was bound by countless golden chains of Innate Origin Metal Qi, ensuring it couldn't dissipate or affect Dai Chengfeng's emotions.

Looking at this intensely concentrated killing intent…

Cold. A bone-chilling cold!

Though suppressed by the Innate Origin Metal Qi, the killing intent still radiated an endless chill.

It was as if countless lost souls were wailing mournfully in his ears—their cries filled with the resentment of being slaughtered and an overwhelming malice toward him as the perpetrator, seeking to consume him!

"Is this the first time I've faced these absorbed killing intents while fully conscious?"

Dai Chengfeng mused thoughtfully, a cold smirk forming on his lips. "If I could kill you on the battlefield, then I'm confident I can refine you and turn you into my power…"

"Kneel before me!"

Dai Chengfeng waved his hand, instantly releasing the suppression of the Innate Origin Metal Qi.

Without restraint, the dark red mass of killing intent erupted like a tsunami, surging toward Dai Chengfeng's spiritual consciousness.

In the instant they collided, a powerful shockwave reverberated.

In that fleeting moment, Dai Chengfeng felt as though he had returned to that mysterious crimson space once more.

Beneath his feet lay the familiar piles of white bones, the air thick like viscous blood plasma. The distant throne and blood-red sword grew clearer, while everything around him exuded death, destruction, slaughter, and desolation…

"Perhaps this is the path that the Asura God walked when he ascended to godhood?"

Gazing at this space, Dai Chengfeng speculated.

He wasn't certain—it wasn't like he understood how he had arrived here in the first place.

But instinctively, he felt it was highly plausible…

After all, those without divine inheritance on the Douluo Continent needed faith to ascend to godhood. The Sea God had achieved divinity through the unwavering faith of countless marine life forms.

Could the faith of endless lost souls also allow someone to ascend?

Dai Chengfeng didn't know.

And he didn't care!

After all, one only needed to consider how eagerly the gods in the divine realm passed on their divine positions to understand…

Divine ascension through faith was nothing but another form of bondage.

The next second—

Behind Dai Chengfeng, a White Tiger martial soul emerged, its eyes crimson and its body enveloped in golden-red lightning.

Raising his right hand, Dai Chengfeng condensed the Innate Origin Metal Qi into a golden-red spear.

His body rose into the air without wind, until he hovered high above the horizon.

Dai Chengfeng took a deep breath and stared directly at the majestic 'divine throne' in the distance. "I am the White Emperor! I seek to rise above all gods, striving for physical sanctification—not to become the next Asura God, nor to follow the so-called path of faith!"

"You are nothing but my shackles!"

Roar—!

The White Tiger martial soul let out a thunderous roar that echoed across the heavens.

"Pierce!!!"

In an instant, Dai Chengfeng hurled the golden-red spear with all his might.

The spear surged forward with unstoppable momentum and unparalleled sharpness, resembling a dazzling golden-red meteor streaking through the void, heading straight for the mysterious divine throne.

Boom!!!

A deafening explosion rang out as the spear struck the 'divine throne.'

Seemingly sensing Dai Chengfeng's resolve, the seemingly sacred and majestic 'divine throne' offered no resistance and was instantly pierced.

Shards of stone flew everywhere, crumbling into dust.

As the 'divine throne' shattered, Dai Chengfeng felt a flash of light before his eyes.

When he opened them again, he was no longer in the crimson space filled with the aura of death but back in his familiar spiritual sea.

The surrounding killing intent, which had previously been icy and brimming with malice, now seemed to regard Dai Chengfeng as a 'supreme demon god.'

They were… afraid!

"You're scared?" Dai Chengfeng's lips curled into a faint smile.

The killing intent, merely the lingering instincts of unwilling lost souls, naturally offered no response.

But Dai Chengfeng could clearly sense their… submission.

Seeing this, Dai Chengfeng began circulating the Innate Qi Technique.

Sure enough, the previously wild, brutal, and malevolent killing intent now became docile.

Like a tamed beast, it obediently flowed into Dai Chengfeng, allowing itself to be absorbed and fully refined, merging into his body.

Once all the killing intent was completely melted away, Dai Chengfeng felt a surge of soul power within him. His level smoothly rose to Level 24.

"Previously, absorbing the 1,500-year-old Imperial Blood Tiger soul ring pushed my soul power up by three levels. Now, refining these killing intents absorbed from the battlefield has raised it by another level…"

"Not bad!"

However, at this moment, a flicker of surprise flashed in Dai Chengfeng's eyes…

Looking at his hand, a strand of pure darkness appeared out of nowhere—a strange energy that seemed capable of devouring all light.

"What is this?"

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