Chapter 366: Western Heaven Battle Emperor: "Xiao Tiance, You've Truly Angered This Emperor!"
"Defeat me first. Then maybe your words will carry some weight."
Western Heaven Continent, Void Outside Luoshui City
As Xiao Tiance's words echoed through the void, the Western Heaven Battle Emperor's expression darkened. He clearly understood the meaning behind Xiao Tiance's taunt: Enough talking prove yourself if you want me to listen.
"Very well. Since you won't shed tears until you see the coffin, I'll show you the gulf between a Celestial Grade Heavenly Supreme and an early Ling Grade Heavenly Supreme."
With a cold sneer, the Western Heaven Battle Emperor unleashed his aura fully for the first time. His demeanor shifted from playful to deadly serious.
The change was immediate. In less than two seconds, the Battle Emperor obliterated all nine golden dragons within the Nine Dragons Ascend Formation.
Unlike the previous enemies Xiao Tiance had faced, who were either overwhelmed or trapped by his spirit arrays, the Battle Emperor was entirely different. Though not a Spirit Array Master, his vast combat experience from countless battles over millennia had made him adept at dealing with even the trickiest arrays.
Through his keen perception, he quickly identified the array's core and struck decisively.
Boom!
With a deafening crash, the Nine Dragons Ascend Formation shattered, unleashing a violent windstorm.
The Western Heaven Battle Emperor smirked in satisfaction, thinking to himself: See that? This so called Grandmaster level array of yours was nothing before me.
Even so, he refrained from immediately attacking Xiao Tiance. His goal wasn't just to defeat him it was to break him, to force him into submission. If Xiao Tiance prided himself on his spirit arrays, the Battle Emperor would dismantle them. If he thought his strength was unmatched, the Battle Emperor would crush that illusion.
"Do you have a stronger array?" the Battle Emperor taunted. "Let me show you what true power looks like."
Xiao Tiance's Calm Response
Xiao Tiance, unfazed by the destruction of his array, met the Battle Emperor's mocking gaze with a faint smile. He could already see through the Battle Emperor's strategy.
"He's arrogant, truly convinced of his invincibility. That's good. A cooperative opponent like this is rare. Wasting such an opportunity would be a shame and wasting anything is disgraceful."
With a cold laugh, Xiao Tiance said, "Hahaha! It seems you're quite proud of dismantling my casually arranged array.
"Since you're so eager, how could I disappoint you? Ling'er, activate the next array!"
"Got it, Little Sir!" Ling'er replied cheerfully.
To the Battle Emperor's astonishment, another, far more powerful Grandmaster level spirit array erupted around him, locking him in its grasp.
The Battle Emperor's Realization
Feeling the oppressive force of this new array, the Battle Emperor's contempt faded slightly. He thought, So fast! He didn't even seem to prepare this array how did he set it up?
This array was at least 30% stronger than the previous one. Still, the Battle Emperor remained confident.
"It's stronger, yes, but still not enough to trouble me. A bit more effort, and I'll break this one too."
However, uncertainty crept into his mind. "What if this isn't his strongest array? What if he has more? What kind of power would his strongest array wield?"
Even for someone as arrogant as the Battle Emperor, the reputation of Spirit Array Masters couldn't be ignored. Among equally matched opponents, Spirit Array Masters were famously difficult to deal with.
What puzzled him most was how Xiao Tiance, supposedly from a lower plane, had mastered such advanced spirit arrays. "Does the lower plane he came from even have Spirit Array Masters?"
Shaking off the thought, he refocused. "No matter. Today, I'll see just how many arrays you have up your sleeve, Xiao Tiance."
He scrutinized the new array carefully but couldn't immediately pinpoint its core, as Xiao Tiance had yet to activate its full power.
Xiao Tiance's Plan
Outside the array, Xiao Tiance watched the Battle Emperor's overconfidence with amusement.
*"A Celestial Grade Heavenly Supreme underestimating a Spirit Array Master… Isn't he afraid of falling into a trap?
"Well, the more he underestimates me, the more satisfying it'll be when I knock him down."*
With a laugh, Xiao Tiance said, "Hahaha! Impressive, Battle Emperor. Facing a Grandmaster level array like this, you remain so composed. Truly remarkable!"
Inside the array, the Battle Emperor took Xiao Tiance's praise as further proof that his approach was working. "Once I follow through with my plan, he'll have no choice but to bow."
This wasn't mere arrogance. As a late stage Celestial Grade Heavenly Supreme, the Battle Emperor was acutely aware of the vast power gap between himself and Xiao Tiance.
The Battle Emperor's Arrogant Offer
"Since you clearly know you're no match for me, why not surrender now?" the Battle Emperor sneered.
"Don't think I don't see through your tricks. No matter how hard you struggle, you're just a lamb awaiting slaughter.
"For someone like you, a genius who ascended to Heavenly Supreme from a lower plane, this is already impressive. Pledge allegiance to me, and I'll grant you a position second only to me in the Western Heaven Battle Palace.
"You'll command even the four Saint Sons, and I'll ensure Elder Lingdong answers to you. Do with him as you please.
"This is your last chance. Don't waste it."
Xiao Tiance's Rejection
Hearing the Battle Emperor's offer, Xiao Tiance couldn't help but laugh.
He knew the offer was genuine. With his strength and talent, the Battle Emperor's proposal made sense recruiting him would bolster the Western Heaven Battle Palace immeasurably.
But Xiao Tiance had no intention of serving anyone. If he had wanted that, he would have stayed in the Dou Qi Continent, where he had already been a true god, unmatched even among Dou Di powerhouses.
"Battle Emperor," Xiao Tiance said with a smile, "do you think I'd serve you just because you asked?
"I've never had any interest in bowing to others.
"And isn't it a bit early to make such offers? This array was casually arranged. Defeat me first, and then maybe I'll take your words seriously."
"Xiao Tiance, the Great Thousand World runs deep. It's not something you can stir up in your current state.
"Moreover, you'll never truly understand just how vast the gap is between you and this emperor."
The Western Heaven Battle Emperor was undoubtedly skilled in theatrics. His confidence and pride rivaled Xiao Tiance's in intensity.
With a cold laugh, he continued, "I understand you're eager to use this emperor as a test of your skills. That's fine; I'm not unreasonable. I'll give you three more chances.
"As a so called Grandmaster Spirit Array Master, you may arrange three more spirit arrays. Once I've dismantled them one by one, if you still refuse to submit, I won't hold back any longer."
Xiao Tiance's Reaction
Hearing this, Xiao Tiance chuckled. The Western Heaven Battle Emperor was indeed arrogant. It was no surprise after ruling unchallenged on the Western Heaven Continent for millennia, there had been no one bold enough to provoke him.
Even the ancient clans of the Great Thousand World showed him deference, which had fostered his overwhelming belief in his own invincibility.
To be fair, before Xiao Tiance's breakthrough to Heavenly Supreme, the Battle Emperor's arrogance would have been justified. The gulf between their two cultivation levels had been insurmountable.
But now, having ascended to Heavenly Supreme and achieved the rank of Grandmaster Spirit Array Master, Xiao Tiance had the confidence and capability to face him.
In truth, even Xiao Tiance wasn't entirely sure of his current strength. If he unleashed all his trump cards, he might even dare to challenge a Saint Grade Heavenly Supreme.
"Hahaha, as expected of the Battle Emperor! Your dominance is unparalleled, your generosity unmatched.
"Since you've kindly offered to guide me, how can I refuse?" Xiao Tiance laughed heartily, taking control of the next spirit array from Ling'er.
"Spirit Array Night Parade of a Hundred Ghosts, activate!"
The Hundred Ghosts Unleashed
As Xiao Tiance spoke, the runes of the array around the Battle Emperor began to spin rapidly. A chilling black mist emerged, filled with eerie wails and cries that echoed like the screams of tormented souls.
Swish!
Within the array, countless pairs of blood red eyes appeared, followed by ghostly figures clawing their way out of the ground.
But the most terrifying element wasn't the ghostly apparitions it was the black mist itself. Not only did it exude a powerful corrosive force, but it also seemed to contain a devouring energy, pulling everything into its abyssal depths.
It was as if the mist sought to drag the Battle Emperor straight into hell.
Battle Emperor's Struggle
Inside the Night Parade of a Hundred Ghosts, the Western Heaven Battle Emperor's expression turned grim. Though the time had been brief, he'd already identified some key elements of the array.
However, before he could act further, the wails grew louder, and a swarm of malevolent ghosts surged toward him.
Clang!
"What?! How is this possible?"
The Battle Emperor swatted at the attacking ghosts, only to realize in shock that where their claws had touched him, his external spiritual energy had been devoured.
It felt as though the ghosts were consuming his very life force.
Boom!
Without hesitation, he unleashed a burst of spiritual energy, destroying one of the ghosts with a devastating strike. But to his dismay, the ghost remained unscathed, retaliating with a swipe of its claws.
Had he not reacted swiftly, he might have been scarred.
"Damn it! What kind of array is this?" the Battle Emperor muttered angrily. What he had dismissed as a mere game now felt like a dire situation, as though the roles of predator and prey had been reversed.
He continued unleashing a barrage of powerful strikes, attempting to clear the spirits. Yet, as before, his attacks had no effect.
Xiao Tiance and Ling'er's Observations
Outside the array, Xiao Tiance communicated with Ling'er via spiritual transmission.
"Ling'er, if I add an offensive spirit array on top of this one, do you think we could injure him seriously?"
Ling'er giggled. "Little Sir, let's hold off for now. Our goal is to use the Battle Emperor as a test subject to gauge the power of this array.
"Let's take it slow I want to see how long it takes for him to break free from the Night Parade of a Hundred Ghosts.
"Though it's not an offensive array, it's highly disorienting. For someone encountering it for the first time, the impact can be significant. If it proves effective, you could use it to trap powerful enemies in the future, creating an opening to strike them down."
Hearing this, Xiao Tiance nodded with a smirk. Initially, he'd thought about simply overwhelming the Battle Emperor with brute force, but Ling'er had convinced him to experiment with the new array.
And the results were as promising as Ling'er had anticipated. From their perspective, the Western Heaven Battle Emperor appeared immobilized. If not for the faint spiritual energy radiating from him, they might have thought he was a statue.
The Battle Emperor Realizes the Truth
Inside the array, the Battle Emperor continued to battle the ghosts. Yet no matter how many he struck, they seemed endless. Even when he activated his Ancient Battle Emperor Avatar, the array seemed unaffected.
"This… this isn't real!
"With the power of my Ancient Battle Emperor Avatar, I should be able to obliterate these spirits. Even against a Saint Grade Heavenly Supreme, I wouldn't struggle like this!"
Realizing something was amiss, the Battle Emperor took a dagger from his storage ring and plunged it into his chest.
Swish!
To his astonishment, there was no pain, no blood. When he pulled the dagger out, the wound closed instantly, as if nothing had happened.
Boom!
At that moment, everything clicked. "A mirage array! I've been trapped in an illusion!"
With this realization, he unleashed a powerful burst of spiritual energy, dispelling the illusion.
When his vision cleared, he found himself outside the array, staring at Xiao Tiance, who was grinning at him.
"Xiao Tiance," the Battle Emperor growled, his face dark as thunder, "you dare to toy with this emperor?
"Very well. You've truly angered me now."
(End of Chapter)
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