Douluo: Martial Soul White Tiger, I am the White Emperor of Heaven

The other thirty students followed closely behind, each releasing their martial spirit. Lights of various colors intertwined in the hall, creating a spectacular scene.

"Release him." Su Chen's voice wasn't loud, but every word struck the Void High Priest's heart like a hammer.

The High Priest of Nothingness turned around, his purple pupils fixed on Su Chen, and a flicker of emotion finally appeared in those emotionless eyes—not fear, not surprise, but curiosity.

"The Nine-Tailed Silver Fox," said the Void High Priest. "A legendary mutated martial soul, possessing nine attributes simultaneously, one in ten thousand. You are Su Chen, the strategist from the Heroes' Academy?"

"I said, let him go," Su Chen repeated, his voice even colder than before.

The High Priest of Nothingness smiled, a strange smile, like a madman seeing his favorite toy. He released his grip, and Chen Hao's body plummeted from the air, crashing to the ground with a thud. Several students immediately rushed forward and dragged Chen Hao and Lin Xue to safety.

"Interesting," said the Void High Priest. "Thirty-three Soul Masters at the Soul Sect level, plus Su Chen at the Soul Saint level, and Ares at the Soul Douluo level, and you dare to break into my base? Are you tired of living?"

“We’re just here to complete a mission,” Su Chen said. “Your men have been dealt with, and the base’s defenses have been destroyed. Now you’re the only one left. Surrender; you have no chance.”

The High Priest of Nothingness threw his head back and laughed, the sound echoing through the hall and causing ice crystals on the ceiling to fall. He laughed for a long time, until tears streamed down his face, then suddenly stopped laughing, his purple pupils fixed intently on Su Chen.

"No chance at all?" The High Priest of Nothingness repeated Su Chen's words, "A Soul Saint is telling me that I, a Title Douluo, have no chance at all?"

As he spoke, his aura suddenly exploded.

The pressure from the Title Douluo was tangible, like a mountain pressing down on everyone. Most of the students' legs went weak, and some even knelt on the ground, blood trickling from their mouths. Su Chen's body swayed as well, but he gritted his teeth and stubbornly refused to fall. Ares's body was slightly bent, but he quickly straightened up; his rock armor helped to share some of the pressure.

"Do you see that?" The High Priest of Nothingness spread his arms wide. "This is the power of a Title Douluo. In the face of absolute power, your courage, your beliefs, and your protection are nothing but a worthless joke."

Su Chen remained silent, but his nine-tailed silver fox phantom became even more solid, the light on its nine tails growing brighter. His eyes gleamed with a silver light, a manifestation of the spatial power operating at its peak.

"Nine-Tailed Silver Fox - Spatial Lockdown!"

Su Chen formed a hand seal, and silver light spread from his body, creating a spatial sealing zone with a diameter of fifty meters. Everything within the zone was frozen in place; even the air could not move. The black-robed figures stood motionless, their expressions frozen, like wax figures.

The High Priest of Nothingness paused for a moment, but quickly regained his mobility. The strength of a Title Douluo far surpassed Su Chen's; the spatial seal could only hold him for less than a second.

But sometimes a second is enough.

"Ares!" Su Chen shouted.

Ares had fully charged up; his body swelled to three meters tall, his rock armor covered in spikes, making him resemble an ancient behemoth. He charged forward, each step cracking the ground and scattering debris everywhere.

"Martial Soul True Form - Giant Rock Emperor!"

Ares' fist slammed towards the High Priest of Nothingness, carrying immense force that compressed the air into a white shockwave. The High Priest of Nothingness dodged to the side, but the force of the punch still grazed his shoulder, tearing a rip in his robe. "Interesting," the High Priest of Nothingness said, "but that's all."

He extended a finger and gently tapped Ares' fist.

With just a light touch, Ares's arm cracked with a sharp sound, the rock armor shattered, and his arm bent at an unnatural angle. Ares screamed and staggered back; his right arm was broken, bone protruding from the elbow, blood gushing out.

"Next," the High Priest of Nothingness said calmly.

Su Chen did not back down. He released the spatial seal and concentrated all his soul power into the tail of the Nine-Tailed Silver Fox. The tail of the Nine-Tailed Silver Fox ignited, and the blazing flames dispelled the surrounding cold air, instantly raising the temperature in the air by tens of degrees.

"Flaming Tail - Fiery Dragon's Breath!"

The fire dragon reappeared, but this time it was more solid and larger than the one fought against the ice bear, resembling a real dragon. The fire dragon opened its massive maw and spewed a pillar of blazing fire towards the Void High Priest.

The High Priest of Nothingness raised his right hand, and black mist condensed into a shield before him. A pillar of fire struck the shield with a deafening roar, but the black shield remained unmoved. The pillar of fire was diverted to both sides, burning many pieces of equipment in the hall.

"Your flames are indeed very hot," the High Priest of Nothingness commented, "but for a Title Douluo, they are still far from sufficient."

As he spoke, he waved his left hand, and a black blade flew out, piercing through the pillar of flames and slashing directly at Su Chen. Su Chen had no time to dodge and could only use his spatial barrier to take the hit. The black blade struck the spatial barrier, shattering it, but the blade's momentum remained undiminished, slicing a deep, bone-revealing wound into Su Chen's chest.

Su Chen groaned, took a few steps back, and knelt on one knee. Blood gushed from his chest, staining his white robes red. His face was so pale it was almost transparent, and his soul power was rapidly draining away.

"Strategist!" the students exclaimed.

"I'm fine." Su Chen gritted his teeth and stood up. "I can... I can still fight."

The High Priest of Nothingness watched Su Chen with great interest, as if he were observing an interesting experiment. He didn't rush to kill him, but instead walked towards Su Chen step by step, each step landing on Su Chen's heartbeat, bringing an invisible sense of pressure.

"Do you know why you can't beat me?" the Void High Priest asked.

Su Chen remained silent, secretly gathering his strength for a final desperate attempt.

“It’s not because of the difference in cultivation level,” said the High Priest of Nothingness. “It’s because you have attachments in your heart. You care about your students, you care about your companions, you care about those civilians you don’t even know. These attachments make you weak, and when you face enemies, you always think about protecting rather than destroying.”

“But I have none.” The High Priest of Nothingness’s eyes grew even brighter, his purple pupils flashing with a mad light. “I have nothing in my heart. No love, no hate, no fear, no hope. I have only a thirst for power and a pursuit of knowledge. For these, I can sacrifice everything, including myself.”

"Therefore, you will never be my match." (End of Chapter)