Chapter 44

"RoarRoarRoarRoar"

Nine five-clawed golden dragons pulled a crystal chariot, soaring above the imperial city like celestial steeds. Zhao Hao, standing proudly on the chariot, surveyed the city below. The nine golden dragons circled majestically.

"The emperor is back!" cried a voice.

As Zhao Hao glided through the air in his Nine Dragons chariot, the newly appointed officials gathered before the Golden Phoenix Temple cheered, their spirits lifted.

"Long live the emperor!"

"Long live the emperor!"

Outside the imperial city, amidst the ravages of war, people knelt and worshipped, their voices united in reverence.

The sight of nine five-clawed golden dragons emerging from the clouds was the epitome of imperial power.

Zhao Hao stood confidently atop the chariot, satisfied with this grand display. The formidable dragons had been captured by him at the dragon fishing platform, and the crystal chariot was a treasure from the dragon's spine ladder, an inheritance from an ancient emperor.

The deafening roars of the dragons sent waves of panic through the attacking army. Even enemy soldiers, overwhelmed by the display of power, fell to their knees.

"A million strong enemy troops," Zhao Hao mused, his gaze sweeping the land. "Not just rebels, but assasins as well." With a clenched fist, he looked down at Li Tianba with disdain. "Laugh now, fool. Why don't you laugh anymore?"

Li Tianba, who had been laughing moments ago, felt as if he'd been slapped. He had underestimated Zhao Hao.

Grinding his teeth, Li Tianba retorted, "Zhao Hao is a coward and a weakling. I, Li Tianba, am brave and skilled in strategy. I deserve to be emperor more than he does." His voice was filled with envy and bitterness.

One of the dragons opened its massive mouth and thundered, "You are unworthy!" The sound reverberated through the heavens.

Li Tianba's face turned pale with shame. He had made a grave miscalculation.

Zhao Hao was pleased. The dragons were loyal to him, and seeing Li Tianba humbled was gratifying. "You're a fool, Li Tianba. I didn't think you'd prove it so thoroughly."

Li Tianba's face darkened with embarrassment, wishing he could disappear.

Sa Noko, observing from the side, commented, "These supreme dragons are different from ordinary ones. They are majestic but not hostile to humans. Zhao Hao's display is meant to intimidate us. We must act quickly."

"Yes, this is merely a show of force," agreed General Zaye. "Our million-strong army will crush them."

"I am the emperor!" roared Li Tianba, nearly mad with rage. "No one can surpass me in prestige. Zhao Hao, face me!" Abandoning his fight with Dong Zhuo, he launched himself towards Zhao Hao like a missile.

Everyone watched in shock as Li Tianba attempted to seize the dragon chariot and claim the title of 'Nine Dragons Supreme.'

"Get down!" Zhao Hao shouted, sending a golden whip-like strip hurtling towards Li Tianba.

"Snap!"

The strip broke through Li Tianba's defenses and struck him across the face, sending him crashing back to the ground and creating a massive pit.

The sight of Li Tianba's defeat shocked the millions of troops. The force of the blow was immense.

Sa Noko and Zaye were also stunned. Despite Li Tianba's enhanced strength, Zhao Hao had bested him with ease. How powerful was Zhao Hao?

"The heavenly magic weapon is truly formidable," Zhao Hao thought, pleased. He quickly stowed the weapon, ensuring no one saw it.

"Who called me a weakling?" Zhao Hao taunted, looking down at Li Tianba with contempt.

"You...you..." Li Tianba stammered, a whip mark blazing across his face. Angrily, he flew out of the pit, his accumulated authority shattered.

"My elite guards, bring down that arrogant boy! Smash him to pieces!" Li Tianba commanded, his fury boiling over.

"Troops, listen to my command! Trample the palace, raze the imperial city!" he shouted, brandishing his magic blade.

"Kill!" The cry echoed as eight elite commanders launched themselves at Zhao Hao, determined to tear him apart.

The million strong army descended upon the city, beginning a brutal massacre.

Li Tianba saw this as not a battle but a slaughter of his making, his world where he ruled supreme.

"Fools," Zhao Hao sneered, his expression turning cold. He drew the dragon guns and fired at the attacking commanders: "Bang, bang, bang!"

...

The eight elite commanders fell, headless, their bodies plummeting back to the ground in bloody arcs.

"First-rank generals? Pathetic. I killed you all in a second," Zhao Hao laughed sharply.

"You think this is your world? You think only you have soldiers and generals?"

"Li Tianba, watch as I annihilate your army. I will build a mountain of corpses and use your million soldiers as the foundation for my new palace."

Zhao Hao raised his arms, and a massive blood-red cloud appeared in the sky, like an ominous sunset. From the cloud came the sounds of war: drums, roars, and the clashing of swords, as if an army of fierce spirits awaited his command.

Pointing at the enemy forces below, Zhao Hao shouted, "Kill them all!"

---

"Boom boom~ boom boom~"

As Zhao Hao shouted, blood-colored clouds of anger in the sky began to boil and churn. Warriors clad in blood-stained armor and wielding blood-stained spears emerged from the clouds. Flames burned on each of the soldiers, emanating an endless murderous aura.

Looking closely at these fiery warriors, one could see there was no flesh beneath their blood-stained armor—only the heroic souls sustaining them. These were the battle souls, the fearless and unyielding dragon battle souls.

"Boom boom~ boom boom~"

A thousand battle spirits, each in the realm of warrior realm, burst from the blood-red clouds and charged toward the army on the ground with deadly intent.

Soon, these thousand battle spirits plunged into Li Tianba's 300,000-strong army, creating a bloody storm in their midst.

Blood splattered, and the sound of killing shook the sky.

Three hundred thousand iron-clad elite soldiers slashed at the battle souls, but the spirits were fearless and relentless, fighting in groups. The elite soldiers continued to fall, layer after layer.

Battle souls do not think or feel pain; they possess only an unending killing intent.

"Under the majesty of the sky, the gods descend! Raise the prestige of our Kingdom, and revitalize our land!"

Seeing the brave and fearless battle spirits, the officials outside the Golden Temple cheered and shouted excitedly. Some elderly civil officials even cried out, "Long live my emperor! Long live my emperor!"

"Battle souls!" Li Tianba was taken aback. Though the soldiers wore armor, they had no physical bodies; they were clearly battle souls!

Zhao Hao could summon thousands of battle souls to fight for him. These were the heroic souls of ancestors. It seemed not only the gods but also the deceased ancestors blessed him!

"I'm not convinced!" Li Tianba yelled at the sky.

"Take that up with your mother!" The nine dragons in the sky shouted in unison, their response further offending Long Wei.

Li Tianba almost spat blood. The sacred five-clawed golden dragon had resorted to cursing. Could Zhao Hao have taught it this?

"Hahaha, just a thousand battle spirits? Why so serious?" Li Tianba laughed wildly in his anger. He was a hero in his own right and was not easily scared.

"Hahaha, Zhao Hao, is this your only trick?" he taunted. A thousand battle spirits were mere cannon fodder in front of his million-strong army.

"Not satisfied? I'll satisfy you," Zhao Hao sneered, then waved his arms. "Attack!"

"Boom boom~ boom boom~"

Suddenly, the blood-red clouds churned more violently. More warriors in blood-stained armor, holding blood-stained swords, rushed out of the clouds, attacking with infinite killing intent.

Another thousand fearless, murderous battle spirits.

This time, they charged into the two hundred thousand assassins of the Holy Sun Sect.

As these battle spirits entered the enemy ranks, the bloody storm intensified. Fighting individually, they wielded soul-flame swords to slash at the assassins. Despite their agility, the assassins suffered heavy casualties.

The ghostly wails and screams filled the air.

"This is the spirit of battle souls!" Sa Noko's face was shocked, and her chest heaved violently creating waves.

Li Tianba also trembled.

Zhao Hao had summoned another thousand, even stronger, battle spirits!

But soon, Li Tianba's fury turned to wild laughter again. "Hahaha, adding another thousand battle souls changes nothing! Zhao Hao, this is your trump card? You think this will turn the tide?"

"I'll satisfy you," Zhao Hao replied, raising his arms once more. "Attack!"

"Boom boom~ boom boom~"

The blood-red clouds roiled furiously, and the sound of fierce battle cries came from the clouds. More warriors in blood-stained armor, wielding swords, spears, and axes, burning with soul flames, charged out in fury.

"The flesh is destroyed, but the battle endures forever!! Kill! Kill! Kill!"

"Kill! Kill! Kill!"

The synchronized shouts shook the earth, creating a bloody battle song.

Thousands of battle spirits surged into the enemy's half-million-strong force. Under the might of their swords, spears, and axes, the enemy soldiers were dismembered and trampled into pulp.

The invincible momentum of these thousand battle spirits continued unabated, cutting down the enemy ranks with relentless ferocity.

"This is the power of battle souls in the War Spirit and even war King Realm!" Zayetai gasped as he watched his soldiers being slaughtered.

"This, this is impossible!" Li Tianba was in turmoil. Zhao Hao, who had been imprisoned and was supposed to be a puppet, commanded an army of battle souls.

"This is unexpected." Sa Noko's chest heaved more violently.

Zhao Hao had summoned another thousand battle spirits!

A powerful warrior could command an army. How could ordinary soldiers withstand a thousand such warriors?

As the nine dragons soared, Zhao Hao stood proudly on his chariot. "Is this enough for you? If not, keep smiling."

Li Tianba's mouth twitched slightly. After Zhao Hao summoned a stronger group of battle spirits, Li Tianba dared not laugh anymore.

"You're satisfied, but I'm not," Zhao Hao said with a wicked smile.

Li Tianba, Sa Noko, and Zaye's hearts trembled. Their expressions changed drastically as they shouted, "Don't let him summon more! Kill him, kill him now!" Immediately, dozens of powerful warriors charged toward Zhao Hao from all directions—generals under Li Tianba, masters of the Holy Sun Sect, and leaders of the Ram country.

Not only Li Tianba but also Sa Noko and Zaye felt a deep emptiness and fear in their hearts.

"Attack!" Zhao Hao commanded, raising his arms.

"The flesh is destroyed, but our battle will shall endure forever!"

"The flesh is destroyed, but our battle will shall endure forever!"

Suddenly, two battle spirits with immense fighting power appeared on either side of Zhao Hao's chariot, one wielding a long-handled sword, the other a spear, their soul flames swirling with murderous intent.

"Kill! Kill!"

The two warriors unleashed powerful strikes, forming a deadly cross in the air.

Under the attack, dozens of powerful warriors in the War King Realm were reduced to scattered corpses.

"Two battle spirits in the War Emperor Realm!" Li Tianba, Sa Noko, and General Zaye exclaimed.

"Hahaha, dozens of powerful fighters in the War King Realm mean nothing," Zhao Hao said, using Li Tianba's own words. He stood proudly on the chariot, flanked by two battle spirits in the War Emperor Realm, their soul flames burning fiercely.

Li Tianba's face turned purple and he felt suffocated. Using his own words against him, Zhao Hao repeatedly humiliated him. It was...heartbreaking.