Chapter 465 - 464: The Purity of Strength
Cracks spread across the Soul Guide Shield with unbelievable speed, covering the entire shield in an instant. The massive, colorful bowl of light was now veined with emerald-green fissures, transformed into a piece of art on the verge of shattering. Then...
"Bang—!!!"
The shield shattered completely. It transformed into billions of fragments of energy, shooting out multicolored flames as they exploded in all directions. With its last obstacle gone, the torrent of emerald green energy—its power only slightly diminished—surged forward with unparalleled destructive force, slamming straight into Xinming's defensive line.
In that instant, true doom arrived.
A small emerald-green mushroom cloud rose to the sky. Immediately afterward, an ear-splitting, earth-shaking roar tore through the air. From the epicenter of the explosion, a white spherical shockwave expanded violently at supersonic speed. Wherever the shockwave passed, skyscrapers, ornate buildings, and even sturdy Soul Guidance facilities were like castles of sand—obliterated in an instant, reduced to their most basic dust.
The earth mourned.
An unprecedented earthquake, comparable to magnitude 12, struck the entire city. The ground heaved like waves, countless bottomless cracks splitting open the streets, swallowing buildings and lives alike. Countless Soul Engineers were instantly vaporized in the flash of light, heat, and the devastating shockwave—without even time to scream.
The Aegis System, which the Sun Moon Empire had built with untold effort and fortune, was paralyzed in a single strike. The emerald-green pillar of light piercing heaven and earth was like a divine spear of judgment, utterly shattering the last remnants of luck and pride in the hearts of Xinming's people.
The destructive shockwave was still not fully spent. With the breath of death, the emerald-green mushroom cloud slowly rose, becoming the sole protagonist between heaven and earth.
But the true war had only just begun.
"The Aegis System... is paralyzed."
"Energy supply from Area A to Area G has been cut. 93% of the defensive matrix is destroyed..."
"Multiple enemy airborne units detected, launching surprise attacks from above the city."
In the deep underground command center of Xinming, sharp alarms and the frantic shouts of Soul Masters mixed together. Commander Forester sat paralyzed on the ground, staring blankly at the now-erased Aegis System on the main screen, red alarm dots blinking like snowflakes. He muttered unconsciously.
"It's over... it's all over..."
It was all based on the ideas of his mentor, Kong Deming, the absolute defender the Sun Moon Empire was most proud of. Yet, it had not lasted even three seconds before the true transcendent power of this era.
The moment the city's defense system was paralyzed, hundreds of silvery-white figures wreathed in crimson flames rained down from the sky like a meteor shower, roaring through the torn clouds.
Molten Knights.
"All units, follow the predetermined plan and clear your targets."
A mechanical, emotionless voice from Firefly echoed across all knight communication channels.
"Understood."
A neat, unified response.
A Molten Knight adjusted its rear thrusters, landing right next to the massive, undamaged Soul Guidance Cannon with a caliber exceeding five meters. The turret's automated defense system instantly activated, several thick Soul Guidance beams lancing at the knight. Yet, the knight neither dodged nor evaded. The searing beams, hot enough to melt steel, simply scattered across his silver-white mecha frame, creating only ripples of energy.
He raised his flame-imbued right arm, spreading his five fingers and pressing them onto the main cannon's complex energy core.
"Zzzraa—!!!"
Crimson flames, like living venomous snakes, surged along the core's circuitry, devouring and collapsing its delicate interior.
It took only two seconds.
"Boom!!"
With a dull explosion, the hundred-ton battery detonated from within, reduced to a burning heap of scrap.
The same scene played out in every corner of the city.
The massive defense Soul Guides, once the terror of their enemies, were like children's toys before war machines like the Molten Knights, specially designed for destruction.
Their mission: to completely eliminate the claws and fangs of the Sun Moon Empire, clearing all obstacles for the following armies to invade.
At the edge of the city, the giant rift—over ten kilometers wide—blasted open by the starship was now a torrent for the tide of war. The armies of the Star Luo Empire, mixed with the elite of the Fools, surged into the city that was once an impenetrable fortress.
"Advance! Fifth Infantry Regiment, seize the main road in East District Three, mechanized company, cover the flank."
"Fools Squad, target the Energy Center! Repeat: target the Energy Center. Use any means necessary to eliminate resistance."
The war intensified in the city streets.
Star Luo soldiers, wielding sci-fi pulse Soul Guide rifles and portable energy shields, clashed violently with the Sun Moon Empire's Soul Master divisions at street corners. The Sun Moon Soul Masters unleashed a ceaseless barrage of various Soul Guidance beams and shells, using the familiar terrain to their advantage. However, most of their attacks were absorbed and rebounded by the strange blue ripple layers of the Star Luo soldiers' shields.
But the blue pulse light rounds from the Star Luo side easily pierced the simpler Soul power shields, blasting bloody holes through their enemies.
"Their weapons... our shields can't stop them!"
A level-five Soul Engineer of the Sun Moon Empire shouted in terror, witnessing his neighbor being struck in the chest by a blue round—his entire ribcage blown away.
Morale collapsed in an instant.
Even worse, with heavy footsteps, three dark and hideous Knight Return Army standard mechs appeared at the end of the street. Their shoulder missile pods opened, dozens of micro-tracking missiles roaring out, completely engulfing the defenders in explosions.
On the ground, the war was white-hot. In the shadows, the killing was even quieter and deadlier.
The new capital, usually tightly guarded, was home to the mansions where the empire's high nobility debated. The last few Titled Douluo who were loyal to Xu Tiannan had gathered here, among them Shadow Douluo Xue Chen, famed for his strange martial arts and assassination skills.
"We've lost contact with His Majesty's side, and the palace's communications are completely cut off."
"The city defense system is finished. We must fight our way to the palace to protect His Majesty."
Xue Chen said grimly, his figure looming in the shadow of the room, filled with unease.
But as soon as he finished speaking, a shrill scream echoed from the outskirts of the estate, followed by a violent clash of soul power.
"Enemy attack!"
Xue Chen's heart went cold. His figure instantly melted into the shadows, appearing in the sky above the estate.
All around, several figures had silently appeared, exuding an evil, bloody aura. Like ghosts, they quietly slaughtered the estate's guards.
At the front were two figures. One wielded a massive blood-red scythe. Each swing released an unpleasant, bloody light, and the guards caught by it had their essence and blood sucked away, reduced to withered corpses.
The opponent's Martial Soul was a giant Scorpio Tiger; the scorpion tail's stinger was highly poisonous and corrosive, turning contaminated ground into pools of pus and blood with agonized wails.
The Blood Scythe Douluo and Scorpio Tiger Douluo Zhang Peng had joined the Wuchang Division.
"You... you're traitors from the Holy Spirit Church!"
Xue Chen's eyes nearly popped out in fury when he saw the two. The Holy Spirit Church had cooperated with the Sun Moon Empire for many years; he recognized these offerings. Emerging from the shadows, he pointed at the Blood Scythe Douluo and roared in anger.
"Blood Scythe, Zhang Peng, you dogs who bite both inside and out—The Empire cherished you, His Majesty gave you status to walk in the sun! How dare you betray the Empire, betray His Majesty!"
At Xue Chen's accusation, Blood Scythe Douluo ceased his killing, raising his head. The face that was always twisted in a bloodthirsty grin now brimmed with contempt and mockery.
"Betrayal?"
He laughed oddly, as if hearing a great joke.
"Xue Chen, did we do something wrong? We never swore loyalty to your crippled emperor. We are loyal to the strong, to those who bring us power and profit. Once we followed the Holy Spirit Church, now... we follow Lord Lu Jingming."
"As for that status to walk in the sun?" His smile grew even more mocking. "That was just a dog's chain you gave us. And now, having found a new, stronger master, we're cleaning up your old master's lackeys—as an offering to the new master. This is our first tribute..."
He licked the fresh blood from his scythe, his eyes exploding with greed and fanaticism.
Those who surrendered from the Holy Spirit Church were in a precarious position, needing to prove their worth and loyalty. And before them, the stubborn loyalists to Xu Tiannan made the best sacrifices. The more ruthlessly they killed, the more secure their new place in the order.
"You... you—"
Xue Chen trembled with rage.
"What do you want? Talk with them, kill them, avenge the Sect Master, avenge the wronged souls of the Heavenly Soul Empire!"
From the opposing side came a roar full of hatred.
Like arrows, several figures charged fearlessly into the melee. At the front was Wei Na, eyes red with fury. Behind her were several elders of the Body Sect, radiating insane killing intent.
If Blood Scythe Douluo and his group fought for surrender, Wei Na's group fought purely for revenge. Their attacks were desperate, bypassing all defense and rules, purely seeking to take lives.
One Body elder took a Sun Moon Empire Soul Douluo's strike head-on, a gaping hole in his chest, but before dying, his hand—transformed into a giant palm—crushed the Soul Douluo's head like a walnut.
"Kill! Kill! Kill every last one of the Sun Moon Empire scum!"
Wei Na gazed at the city swallowed by war, watching Sun Moon Empire Soul Masters die in grief. She felt no pity—only shed tears of joy.
"Father... Empress Dowager... can you see this? People of Heavenly Soul, can you see? Revenge... revenge! The Sun Moon Empire... is dying!"
"I never thought this day would come so soon."
Before Lu Jingming's power, the so-called strength of the Sun Moon Empire was nothing but a joke. With the double assault of the former Holy Spirit faction, the bottomless strength of Haiyuan City, and the revenge-driven madmen led by Wei Na, the high-level Sun Moon Empire battle force trying to organize resistance quickly retreated—falling into a desperate slaughter.
...
As the entire city was engulfed in blood and fire, the road to the palace seemed unusually calm.
Lu Jingming strolled along the wide royal avenue as if taking a walk after dinner, hands clasped behind his back. Following him were Zhang Lexuan—her expression complex—as well as the siblings Meng and Xiao, and their grandfather, the Master of Mingde Hall, Jing Hongchen.
All around, the cries of killing shook the sky, the flames of explosions occasionally lighting it up. Yet within a hundred meters, not a single enemy could approach.
In the shadows of buildings on both sides, the figures of Fools occasionally flickered. The black-and-white Wuchang of the Wuchang Division quietly dealt with the defeated Sun Moon Empire soldiers who tried to rush over.
They were clearing an absolutely safe red carpet leading to the palace for Lu Jingming.
Jing Hongchen walked at the edge of the group, gazing at the city he once defended—now burning under the enemy's iron hooves. His heart was full of emotion.
"I never thought... the day would really come when the Empire's capital would fall so easily."
He recalled the recent Holy Grail War. The Mingdu City had fallen, but only because Xu Tiannan himself invited the wolves into the house and gave up.
But now was different.
This was a real war between nations.
At this time, the Sun Moon Empire's main army was still present.
"Marshal Ju had her reasons for withdrawing the main force, but..."
Jing Hongchen looked with awe at the figure of Lu Jingming walking ahead.
"But for such a massive, terrifying alliance to form in such a short time, and for the Aegis System to be shattered in an instant of thunder and lightning... This alone shows that the strength of the Haiyuan City Legion far exceeds the Sun Moon Empire."
"Thinking of this, the sorrow for the Empire's fall in my heart quickly gave way to a kind of happiness."