Chapter 164: Chapter 55: I’ll Beat You Bare-Handed Until You Cry for Your Mommy

The trees surged like a tide, merging into a mouth. The entire sky seemed to transform into a giant Venus flytrap, its sharp teeth rapidly snapping shut.

But at this moment, Su Zhou wasn’t the least bit panicked.

In their last two exchanges, he had been knocked back and injured both times. However, he had also gotten a clear look at the flow of Spiritual Power within the Demon Emperor’s draconic body. Su Zhou could confirm that the Demon Emperor’s transformation was incomplete. Within that massive Coiling Dragon Body, there was still a humanoid core. This core was entangled with the roots generated by the Celestial Palace, forming the draconic body that was now half-rooted within it.

If the Demon Emperor’s transformation into a dragon were to reach perfection, the Coiling Dragon would break free from the Celestial Palace and no longer need to rely on its power or that of the Divine Wood!

’All I have to do is destroy the Jade Pillar formed from the Divine Wood Tree Top, and the Demon Emperor will revert from his dragon form. But how can I destroy it? The Blade of Annihilation is too small compared to the dragon, and I can’t get past the Coiling Dragon’s attack range to get close to the Jade Pillar.’

There was no time to think. The tide of twisted wood crashed down like a tsunami. Su Zhou took a deep breath, bent his knees, and then shot upwards like a locust!

WHOOSH! With a rush of wind, Su Zhou launched himself into the air. Empowered by Spiritual Power, the force of Wind Aid propelled him two hundred meters high in a single breath, not only dodging the attack but also reaching a height the Demon Emperor had never imagined. The moment the Demon Emperor lost sight of him, Su Zhou, silent, raised his Divine Blade in mid-air, aimed at the Jade Pillar, and unleashed a scorching Fire Blade!

"Don’t even think about it!"

Although the Demon Emperor didn’t spot Su Zhou at first, he still detected the surprise attack in time. Protecting the Jade Pillar on the Celestial Altar was undoubtedly his top priority. With a low roar, he spat out a beam-like stream of cyan Wood Qi, directly annihilating the Fire Blade from the Blade of Annihilation without pursuing further.

But not until the Fire Blade was swallowed by the Wood Qi like a soap bubble did the Demon Emperor realize it was just a feint—nothing more than a flashy illusion!

’This one strike will decide it all!’

At that very moment, Su Zhou was already accelerating in mid-air with his Spiritual Power. He became a phantom, hurtling toward the Coiling Dragon. A stream of red-gold light erupted from the edge of his Blade of Annihilation, casting the towering storm clouds below in a crimson glow.

Su Zhou raised the Divine Blade, which he had pushed to the absolute limit of his power, and roared, "Demon Emperor, take this!"

"Interesting!"

This time, the Demon Emperor felt it. This was truly a strike condensing all of Su Zhou’s power and that of the Blade of Annihilation! He sensed a do-or-die will within it. He laughed heartily and boomed, "Is this the pride of the Dragon Race? You want to face me head-on?!"

"Then, as you wish!"

BOOM! A vast amount of cyan Wood Qi gathered. The Demon Emperor raised his third sharp claw, and immense Spiritual Power swelled within it. A raging tide of Wood Qi swept across the zenith, washing away all the dust from the cloud-borne Celestial Palace.

On the other side, the red-gold blade gathered endless light and heat. It even ignited the dust and wood splinters drifting in the air, turning them into a storm of fire and wind that kicked up billows of black smoke. Wherever the Divine Blade passed, the air distorted and waves of heat radiated outward!

The Demon Emperor was certain he would win. He had already reached the Innate Realm. The sheer vastness of his Spiritual Power alone was far beyond what Su Zhou could match. Although he was surprised by the Grandmaster’s abundant Spiritual Power, no amount of talent could possibly compare to him, who had the support of the Divine Wood!

So, the Demon Emperor swiped his claw at Su Zhou, full of confidence.

And then, to his astonishment, he saw Su Zhou laugh wildly, let go of his blade, and leap into the air, dodging his full-power strike!

"You actually fell for it!?"

"He let go of the blade?! No, it’s the Celestial Thunder Sword Control Technique!" Although the Demon Emperor, as the Celestial Emperor, rarely acted personally, he was very familiar with his National Preceptor’s signature skill. After feeling the air begin to crackle with the hiss of electricity, he knew something was wrong, but it was too late!

"Qi Condensation and Object Manipulation! Celestial Thunder Sword Control Technique!"

At that moment, in mid-air, Su Zhou was wreathed in arcs of blue-green electricity. He used the Grand Master’s Qi Condensation and Object Manipulation Technique to control the Blade of Annihilation’s direction and the National Preceptor’s Celestial Thunder Sword Control Technique to accelerate it. Applying both techniques to the Divine Blade, he sent it flying in a wide arc. With a force no less than his own full-power strike and trailing a terrifying, searing hurricane, it slammed solidly into the cyan Jade Pillar!

BOOM! A muffled explosion rang out as the air was consumed by flame. Atop the three-tiered Celestial Altar, the Jade Pillar began to burn fiercely! Sparks filled the sky as cracks, like those on shattering porcelain, spread across its surface, a crimson glow following in their wake!

"AAAAAAAGH! You peasant!"

Instantly, a bone-deep, piercing chill and a soul-searing heat shot up the Demon Emperor’s spine. He let out a shriek of helpless rage, and then, his massive Coiling Dragon Body violently disintegrated!

A dozen or so wooden tentacles that had extended from the Celestial Palace fell limply to the ground. A tall, two-horned figure emerged from the wreckage and landed.

He didn’t land in a pathetic heap; his descent was as steady as Su Zhou’s, who was also slowly landing from mid-air. But the Demon Emperor’s entire body was trembling with fury. His already twisted face contorted even further. "Decades of hard work... the Rising Dragon Pillar I forged... all for nothing..."

BOOM!

Just then, with a deep rumble of thunder, the storm clouds that had been below the Celestial Palace surged upward, enveloping the ruined battlefield.

The once-quiet battlefield was now shrouded in damp clouds. The Demon Emperor’s enraged figure vanished, as if melting into the mist.

Within the rain and mist, the Gray Mist began to spread once more, and a grim voice echoed.

"I will peel every shred of flesh from your bones!"

WHOOSH! Instantly, from all directions, the incredibly dense Gray Mist that drained a person’s life force and Essence Qi surged forth again. It was filled with nearly imperceptible, thread-like wooden tendrils, attacking from countless bizarre angles!

Su Zhou brought the long spear from his back into his hands and sneered, "Idiot!"

CRACKLE! Surging electricity erupted over Su Zhou’s body. A ring of lightning instantly expanded outward from him. Amidst the spreading water vapor, water molecules were electrolyzed into hydrogen and oxygen, which were then immediately ignited by the high-voltage discharge!

BOOM! A massive spark detonated, blasting away all the surrounding Gray Mist and clouds. The Demon Emperor’s figure was thrown out of the mist with a wretched cry. The writhing, thread-like wooden tendrils on his body had been burned away and were now flailing wildly.

The electricity gradually faded. Su Zhou, holding his long spear at the ready, didn’t give chase. Instead, his body swayed slightly. The emptiness of his Spiritual Power brought an irrepressible look of exhaustion to his face. Even so, as his Spiritual Power began to recover thanks to the Celestial Human Cycle, Su Zhou gritted his teeth and taunted viciously, "You’re so weak, Demon Emperor. You may have the power of the Innate Realm, but your combat sense is completely amateurish!"

"No wonder the National Preceptor looked down on you and called you ’shortsighted and overeager’."

On the other side, the Demon Emperor, though he looked pathetic, still had ample Spiritual Power. He slowly stood up. The various charred parts of his body rapidly healed and peeled away, revealing a new shell underneath.

Faced with Su Zhou’s taunt, the Emperor didn’t immediately lash out in anger. Instead, he fell silent for a moment.

"Hah. So what? I am the Emperor, and he is the National Preceptor. But I have to admit, little dragon, you are indeed strong. You’re certainly troublesome enough to have killed my National Preceptor."

At this, all the fury vanished from the Demon Emperor’s face. His body no longer trembled with agitation. He had calmed down. "You’re right. If you weren’t this strong, how would those three old fools have dared to send you to kill me? After reaching the Innate Realm, I admit I became a little too arrogant."

Once again, the clouds of the storm enveloped the battlefield. The Demon Emperor took a deep breath, then exhaled. He stretched his limbs and, within the swirling mist, settled into a strange stance. He spoke calmly, "But now, without the Blade of Annihilation, you still think you can kill me?"

"With that Water-Purifying Centipede Long Spear that can’t even harm me?"

Only then did he reveal a trace of the aura of a Grandmaster—or rather, an Innate Martial Saint.

Hearing this and sensing his opponent’s seriousness, Su Zhou, whose Celestial Human Cycle had restored some of his Spiritual Power, just smiled. He decisively stabbed his long spear into the ground of the Celestial Palace, allowing the crimson Demon Poison to spread.

CRACK, CRACK. He cracked his knuckles, staring at the Demon Emperor, who had adopted a strange martial stance. Just as calmly, he replied, "Of course not."

"I’m going to beat you with my bare hands until you’re crying for your mommy."

BOOM! With an explosive sound, wood splinters flew everywhere. Almost simultaneously, both fighters channeled power through their feet and closed the distance, engaging in a flurry of close-quarters punches high above in the thin air!