I have added this story to my Patreon. You can support me and read the latest chapters there. It also fed and motivate me to write more chapters!
Patreon Link: Patreon.com/NineClouds69
--- Chapter 484 ---
Yun Ming gripped the Atlas Spear with solemnity on his face.
He would have never expected that an oracle sent down by the Ancient Golden Tree to the Sea God Pavilion would lead him to cross paths with such a monster.
Yes, a monster.
It felt very foreign, for Yun Ming, to say another being by that title, for he himself was widely known as the peerless monster of this era, a cultivator who possessed the raw, overwhelming might to defy almost any obstacle placed in his path.
Throughout his life, Yun Ming had faced countless geniuses, dominating them all with overwhelming ease.
He had broken many records, reaching the Title Douluo realm in his early twenties and attaining the towering heights of a Limit Douluo by his mid-thirties. Unrivaled within the same cultivation realm, his glorious legend had been sung across the Federation for decades.
Almost every powerhouse under the heavens feared the tip of Yun Ming's Atlas Spear.
Yet, today, the supposed Number One expert felt a genuine threat to his existence. It was a deathly sensation he had not experienced in a very long time.
But did that mean Yun Ming would choose to retreat? Of course not!
Yun Ming had forged his very cultivation path upon the unyielding laws of total dominance. If he ever took a single step back in fear, that hesitation would instantly manifest as a fatal inner demon, breaking his ongoing ascension to true godhood.
He could not retreat. He could not harbor fear. All he could do was tighten his grip and fight with the Atlas Spear in his hands.
Meanwhile, the remaining Title Douluo powerhouses standing along the periphery grimaced.
Even with their current cultivation realm, which was almost the peak of this world, they realized with a sinking feeling that they could provide zero help to Yun Ming in this fight.
Instead, their presence was only a burden. The sheer pressure generated by the two clashing domains left them looking extremely pale and visibly strained, completely unable to break into the battlefield.
As the tempest raged, Xu Deming remained hovering in the air. His sleek, silver-gold metallic body shone dimly as Gnosia systematically scanned, documented, and studied the cores of Yun Ming's strength.
Yun Ming's gaze then narrowed sharply, his divine perception locking onto a spatial ripple. "Qingtian Spear Technique: Earth Culling, Cloud Ripping!"
The Atlas Spear blurred into motion at an incredible speed.
The weapon swept through the storm like rolling waves, causing the very fabric of space to visibly tremble and fracture under the force of his sweep.
Yet, the sweeping attack struck nothing but empty air.
And before Yun Ming could regain his stance and momentum, a focused, glaring beam of crimson light appeared out of thin air, following an almost impossible trajectory that bypassed his standard divine sense.
The beam struck his right shoulder with dead-accurate point.
BANG!
Yun Ming stumbled forward by half a step, his brow furrowing in genuine surprise. Not only had the crimson laser managed to slip past his refined, Quasi-God-level spatial awareness and divine sense, but a quick scan of his defensive revealed something even more shocking.
'That ray... The impact had actually managed to leave a dent upon my Battle Armor!'
Like almost all Quasi-God powerhouses standing at the pinnacle of mortal limits, Yun Ming possessed a custom-forged Four-Words Battle Armor.
In his case, the Qiantian Tianming Armor he wore was widely regarded as the masterpiece of its era. Yet, a casual, unannounced beam from this mechanical monster had deformed it.
"Heh, it seems I truly have no choice but to take this seriously..." Yun Ming sighed softly. He closed his eyes for a brief millisecond as the space grew terrifyingly quiet. The majesty of a Quasi-God powerhouse was never built upon empty words.
When the Master of the Sea God Pavilion opened his eyes once more, his entire presence underwent a radical transformation.
The Atlas Spear in his hand began to emit a blinding, pristine white light, a manifestation born purely from a fraction of the raw spear intent he was intentionally letting loose.
The vast white-gold domain he had unfurled earlier roared in response to his shift in will, condensing rapidly until it transformed into a conceptual, flightless world of absolute gravity and spatial suppression.
BOOM!
Xu Deming's silver-gold frame lost its ability to fly, dropping out of the sky and crashing heavily onto the churning sea. Within the boundaries of Yun Ming's domain, the very concept of flight had been banned by his mere intent.
Although Xu Deming had his own monochromatic domain, he could only actively resist the crushing downward gravity, but he was not entirely immune to the conceptual laws ruling the space.
Hovering above the sky, Yun Ming pointed the glowing tip of his weapon straight down. "Qingtian Spear Technique: True Meteor."
Without activating a single spirit skill, he thrust his spear downward.
The simple gesture caused the brilliant, free-flowing Spear Intent he had released earlier to condense, merging with the surrounding atmospheric pressure to synthesize a massive, falling star of pure destruction.
Standing firm upon the crashing ocean waves, Xu Deming merely scoffed behind his demon mask, his crimson optical sensors tracking the descent of the falling star.
"Interesting... a domain that explicitly prohibits the concept of flight. You are indeed an opponent worthy of my little respect, Yun Ming."
Internally, however, his internal diagnostics were firing off a sequence of dry assessments.
'The base of this first-tier Divine Mechanical Body is too limited. Well, it was created primarily to hold my consciousness and handle day-to-day operations, not to serve as a combat platform.'
'But... it's more than enough to destroy you, Yun Ming.'
'Gnosia... report status.'
'Analysis of target trajectory and structural force distribution: Complete,' Gnosia responded, its flat, synthetic voice carrying a tone of certainty.
"Hehe... perfect. Let's kick his ass." Xu Deming let out a warped, wicked chuckle.
BOOOOM!
The instant the True Meteor strike closed the distance, stopping a mere inch away from his facial plate, Xu Deming's silver-gold frame vented a sudden, high-pressure cloud of steam from its exhaust ports.
A small spatial rift and an energy whirlpool manifested directly within the palm of his right hand as he drove his fist forward, preparing to strike the incoming, compressed Spear Intent with brutal force.
'Margin of operational error: 0.67%. Within acceptable safety parameters,' Gnosia's voice echoed directly through his mind. 'Initiating counter-strike sequence.'
'Execute the Spatial Detonation within exactly... 0.45 nanoseconds.'
'Three... two... one...'
'Now!'
Xu Deming's palm slammed squarely against the tip of the Atlas Spear's light. "Space Detonation!"
BANG! CLANK!
A heavy, gritty, metal-smashing-metal noise echoed across thousands of miles of open ocean, instantly vaporizing the surrounding seawater into a dense wall of mist.
High above the sea, Yun Ming's own arms actually trembled as a backfire surged through the shaft of his weapon, causing the tip of the Atlas Spear to release a faint trail of grey smoke.
The Atlas Douluo gazed down through the rising mist, his expression more solemn than it had ever been in his entire life. 'He... he didn't just block it. He perfectly calculated the precise flaw of my technique?'
'Angle, weight distribution, spirit energy, and spiritual manifestation in split microseconds. He completely negated them all. How is this even possible?!'
Suddenly, before Yun Ming's shocked eyes, the silver-gold mechanical demon completely bypassed the vast distance, teleporting instantly into his immediate blind spot and placing a pulsating metallic hand directly onto his face. "My turn..."
Yun Ming's instincts screamed in awe as he unleashed an even greater wave of his Spear Intent to push Xu Deming away. However, Xu Deming had already calculated that exact response.
The moment the powerful Spear Intent slammed into his metallic body, it was dampened, losing its destructive kinetic force like water meeting dry sponges.
Xu Deming's hand core roared, venting a repulsive, destructive energy that was no less potent than Yun Ming's previous attack. "Space Cutting Ray."
With lightning-fast reflexes, Yun Ming swung the Atlas Spear to deflect the direct path of the ray away, tilting his head at an extreme angle to dodge a stray sliver of energy that was about to slice his face.
SHING—!
The sharp silver beam cleaved past Yun Ming, but the Title Douluos flying behind him were not so fortunate. The beam tore through their defenses like a hot knife through butter, slicing the famous Title Douluos clean in half like blocks of soft tofu.
They couldn't even manage a single scream before they perished, their severed remains falling into the churning ocean to become food for the slumbering spirit beasts below.
Even the massive ocean storm around them was split in half by the ray, revealing a vast, clear blue horizon that looked deeply eerie against the split ocean below.
Yun Ming's eyes burned with cold rage as he thrust his spear forward with nearly everything he had. "Shooting the Moon!"
BOOOOM!
The massive impact sent Xu Deming flying several kilometers backward across the horizon, followed closely by a continuous, relentless stream of piercing spear intents.
Yet, through the attacks, the mechanical demon smiled at Yun Ming. "Heh, Yun Ming..."
"You forgot that you were also standing within my domain."
Yun Ming's eyes widened as a weight settled over his own meridians. His internal spirit energy got suppressed by the demon's monochrome field, a restrictive domain unlike anything he had ever felt before.
His spirit energy didn't just get weakened; its very flowing speed, internal density, and total output capacity halved the moment he entered the demon's domain.
Buzz!
Xu Deming teleported once more, materializing directly above Yun Ming. His metallic hand pressed firmly against the atmospheric layer, causing the air to ripple violently like disturbed water. "Space Quake."
Yun Ming watched in disbelief as the blue sky began to release a sharp, cracking, glass-shattering sound, followed by a shockwave that slammed into his body like a solid tidal wave.
BOOM!
He crashed violently down onto the rocky surface of the island, slamming the end of the Atlas Spear into the ground to stabilize his footing. Blood trickled down the corner of his lips as he looked up. "How can you still fly within my domain?"
Although he was deeply pained by the instantaneous deaths of his fellow Title Douluos, the fact that his conceptual domain had been bypassed was far more shocking to his pride.
Xu Deming chuckled, descending slowly through the fractured air. "Your domain strictly prohibits the concept of flight. Anyone who exists within your world will naturally be subjected to gravitational weight far beyond the norms of this plane."
"But I am not flying, Yun Ming."
"I... simply teleport."
"Again, again, and again, achieving rapid spatial repositioning that merely registers as flight within your primitive divine senses."
"As for the method required to execute such a feat... you, a spirit master who relies too much on so-called Shrek's pride and legacy, could never hope to understand it even if I spent a century explaining it to you." He insulted, his voice dripping with mockery.
Deep inside, Xu Deming also complained. 'Even to this day, the path of the Spirit Engineer is utterly unappreciated by Spirit Masters. Yes, they show less resistance to using Spirit Guidance Tools now, but actually becoming the minds that conceptualize and build them? To you hypocrites, that is entirely out of the question.'
'Unless a heaven-sent genius is bred within the heart of my Mingdu, this stagnant era only allows the learning of the standard Four Secondary Professions—Blacksmith, Designer, Manufacturer, and Repairman.'
'What used to be the foundational pillars of unified Spirit Engineering has been broken apart.'
'The people of this current era, especially Shrek Academy, did not just halt the natural evolution of technology! No, you actively dismantled the independent ascension of Spirit Engineers and suppressed their social standing! To me, it is an absolute, unforgettable disgrace. Being a Spirit Engineer is an avenue of truth no less sublime than becoming a Spirit Master! In fact, the two paths were always meant to complement one another!'
Meanwhile, Yun Ming fell into a strange, mind-stirring silence.
"Teleportation..." Yun Ming closed his eyes, an inkling of doubt creeping into his heart. He let out a silent, weary sigh internally.
'There is always a greater monster waiting beyond the horizon. It seems I have allowed myself to become too prideful over these long decades.' He had forgotten that the world does not revolve around his legend.
When the Master of the Sea God Pavilion opened his eyes once more, a crystalline clarity had returned to his gaze. He shifted his stance, holding the Atlas Spear with an iron grip that traced every single groove engraved upon his martial soul.
SWOOSH! BOOM!
An explosive surge of raw, spiritual essence burst forth from Yun Ming's body, forcefully flattening the raging storm and enveloping a radius of nearly a thousand miles in an ocean of pure Spear Intent.
Even the boundaries of Xu Deming's monochrome domain began to fray and get swallowed up by this sudden, unrivalled aura.
Xu Deming narrowed his optical sensors, his internal sensors flashing red with warning. "You are willingly burning... your half-baked divinity to wage this battle now?"
"Half-baked? Perhaps it is. But for you, it will be more than enough!" Yun Ming declared, a serene, fearless smile gracing his features.
"Then I shall naturally respond with a corresponding gesture..." Xu Deming chuckled darkly.
Directly behind the mechanical demon, a colossal spatial rift tore open like an infected wound in the sky, revealing a terrifying, menacing silver ray that caused the laws of the world to violently destabilize.
Then, the world rumbled.
No, it wasn't the air—the entire sea itself rumbled.
From an impossible distance across the horizon, a faint and incredibly heavy sound resembling an astronomical object being violently swung echoed across the sky.
"Heh, I knew you wouldn't be able to sit still forever, Tang Hao..." Xu Deming's crimson visor gleamed with cold amusement.
Yun Ming's divine perception naturally detected the planetary anomaly, but he completely ignored the incoming distraction, channeling every ounce of his remaining life force, spirit energy, and burning soul into a singular, final strike against the mechanical demon.
"Shooting... the Sun! Qingtian Pierce the Heavens!"
A beam of white-gold radiance pierced directly through the structural layers of the atmosphere, ignoring the physical distance separating the two sides.
It was an attack that had fundamentally crossed the threshold of mortal limitations—a strike that touched true divinity.
BOOOOM!
Xu Deming's silver-gold mechanical chassis was pierced squarely through the center of its chest plate, breaking the mechanical armor and exposing a squirming, churning of liquid metal rather than a biological, beating heart.
Yun Ming's eyes widened in momentary shock as the anomalous, divine force he had sensed earlier fully expanded, crushing the mechanical demon into thousands of obliterated metallic fragments.
Yet, despite the destruction of the vessel, the massive spatial rift in the sky remained wide open.
And the descending silver ray finally made contact with the world.
"Hehehe... Foolish Shrek, hypocritical Tang Clan! Do you truly believe your hollow reign could endure forever after all the unspoken evils you have committed against the development of this plane?!"
A mocking, heavily amplified mechanical laughter echoed across the vast sea—no, it echoed simultaneously across the entire planet as thousands of public communications networks and military Spirit Guidance Tools across the Federation were hijacked by Gnosia's overriding powers.
All this time, the world-shaking fight between Yun Ming and Xu Deming had been projected to all the world to see.
"Tang Hao, the self-proclaimed Father of the Sea God Tang San... and all you parasitic Jailers who have actively suppressed the natural growth of the Douluo Plane to prevent its mortal souls from breaking through to divine glory..."
"I cast down upon you... my very first gift!" The detached voice laughed in deep, unhinged mockery.
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOO—!!!"
An incredibly angry, booming, and hateful shout echoed from the depths of the planet's core immediately after, as a giant, mountain-sized ethereal silhouette of a Clear Sky Hammer materialized out of the void, attempting to smash the tearing rift shut through sheer brute force.
However, it was already far too late.
As the echoes of mocking laughter and the roar of the Plane Lord filled the world, the silver ray fully fell upon the coordinate zone, completely erasing everything within a hundred-mile radius into a massive crater.
The churning sea, the surrounding islands, and the lingering presence of the battlefield, all of them were instantaneously reduced to nothingness.
All that was left was Yun Ming... hovering desolately in the center of the sweeping ruins, his body utterly battered, bloodied, and heavily wounded, staring into the empty void.
Far away from the center of the tragedy, a tiny, jet-black flame containing Xu Deming's consciousness sparkled briefly within a localized spatial fold, before teleporting to the dark side of the world.
He, Xu Deming, would be back!