Coiling Dragon (Pan Long)

“Crunch!”

Although Linley immediately dodged, the spear still pierced through Linley’s throat, then instantly returned to Belsize’s hands.

“So fast.” Linley felt utterly shocked. A faint green light quickly covered the wound, allowing his throat to rapidly return to normal.

Belsize glanced at Linley in surprise, then let out a sigh of approval. “I didn’t expect that you would be in possession of a Pearl of Life. It seems that you are the leader of these Blasphemers, then.” Although he had discovered Linley was in possession of a Pearl of Life, Belsize was still completely confident.

This attack of Belsize had caused all of the experts on Linley’s side to feel terror.

“That attack only pierced through your throat. This next attack, I will use to pierce through your soul. Let’s see how you will dodge this.” Belsize moved, transforming into a line of bright light and piercing through the air. As for Linley, he immediately utilized the ‘Profound Truths of Velocity’ to fly backwards and retreat.

Linley was fast. But Belsize was even faster!

The Bloodviolet sword in Linley’s hand, covered with that faint blue aura, chopped directly towards Belsize’s head.

Belsize smiled disdainfully. Dodging backwards, he avoided the strike of Bloodviolet, and then the spear in his hand shot out like a ray of light, piercing through the heavens towards Linley’s skull. The speed of this attack was simply too fast, and Linley didn’t have any time to dodge at all.

“Clang!”

Bloodviolet seemed to have teleported, as it clashed against the side of the spear. The spear shuddered, then just missed Linley, passing by his head.

“Your attack has a hint of the ‘Dimensional Edge’ about it, and your speed isn’t bad either.” Belsize was wielding his spear again, chuckling calmly as he looked at Linley. “Even in the countless, myriad planes of the universe, amongst Saints, you can be considered to be amongst the highest class. A pity…”

Belsize’s face grew solemn, and then he swept his arm out.

“Boom!”

A burst of dim white light shot directly towards Linley. Linley had been extremely cautious, and so as soon as the white light shot at him, Linley immediately flew backwards, retreating without even pausing to think.

“Hissss….” The parts of his body which the white light touched all immediately disintegrated into ash.

“Whew.” Having just barely escaped the area of the white light, Linley let out a secret sigh of relief.

Right now, his forehead was matted in sweat. His entirely disintegrated legs were quickly regrowing, and he stared in terror and rage at the distant Belsize. “His speed is several times faster than mine, and it seems he hasn’t gone all out yet either. Even a casual blow from him is so terrifying.”

In terms of power and energy levels, Linley and Belsize were on par.

But in terms of understanding the Laws…

The difference was simply enormous!

“Boss!” Bebe’s voice rang out in Linley’s mind. “If you can’t hold on, then flee.” Bebe was nervous as well. Desri and the others had fled far away long ago and were watching from afar. They had to admit…that their power was far lower than Linley’s.

If Linley was unable to defeat the opponent, then they wouldn’t be able to either.

“Hissss…” Suddenly, a Dimensional Edge suddenly shot towards Belsize at high speed. It had been cast by Delia.

“Dimensional Edge.” The other experts, Linley included, all felt a thread of hope.

Belsize glanced at the Dimensional Edge, neither dodging nor retreating. When the Dimensional Edge reached his body, only then did Belsize suddenly retreat at high speed.

The Dimensional Edge flew forwards, and Belsize flew backwards.

“What?!”

Everyone, Linley included, felt shock and terror, because they knew exactly how fast the ‘Dimensional Edge’ was…and yet it was still slower than Belsize. Belsize had a faint smile on his face, easily maintaining the distance between himself and the Dimensional Edge.

After the Dimensional Edge dissipated, Belsize came to a halt as well.

“Dimensional Edge? It has been such a long time since I have encountered it. What a nostalgic feeling.” Belsize sighed.

Linley’s face changed.

It was hopeless!

It was utterly hopeless!

“Retreat, everyone, retreat, quickly, quickly!!!” Linley’s voice suddenly rang out in the minds of Tulily, Desri, and the other experts.

Not hesitating at all, Tulily and the other experts immediately began to flee in every which way.

“Fleeing?” Belsize’s face turned cold. “Hrmph.”

Belsize suddenly raised his level of speed to the limit, appearing in front of Linley in the blink of an eye, and Linley immediately flew backwards.

But just at that moment, Belsize’s body suddenly came to a halt, a hint of surprise and anger in his eyes. “A Deity?” Linley suddenly realized that Delia was close to them, and he hurriedly, frantically messaged her mentally, “Delia, quick, leave!”

Delia had just utilized her ‘Godrealm’.

However, this ‘Belsize’ was nothing more than an apparition, an energy construct. He had no soul, only a linked thread of awareness. If this was a true ‘Godrealm’, perhaps there would have been some effect, but this imperfect ‘Godrealm’ had virtually no effect on him.

Belsize’s body paused for only the briefest of instants, and then he turned to look at Delia, his gaze cold. “You haven’t even successfully fused with the divine spark in its entirety, and yet you dare to use it?”

“Swoosh!” The spear immediately shot out from his hands, and the target…was Delia!

“Delia!” Linley was shocked.

“Clang!”

A metallic ringing sound. The spear returned to Belsize’s hands, its mission unaccomplished. Belsize stared at Delia in astonishment. “A set of divine battle armor? You actually have divine battle armor?”

“Delia, leave, quickly. I’ll hold him down. Quick!” Linley mentally said to her frantically.

Linley knew that given Belsize’s speed, if he chased after any one of them, that person would definitely be caught up to and killed.

“No.” Delia didn’t leave. She stared at Linley, her eyes slightly misty. “If we die, we die together.”

“Delia…” Linley’s heart was extremely confused and torn.

He hadn’t expect that the Holy Emperor, Heidens, would have this final card up his sleeve. To summon the specter of a Deity, and one of such terrifying power, at that…

“I was overconfident, too overconfident. If I had been a bit more prudent, and had immediately killed Heidens at the beginning! If I hadn’t given him the chance to summon this specter, none of this would have happened.” Linley hated himself for his mistake. And at this moment, Belsize charged towards Delia once more.”

At this point in time, Belsize’s primary target had actually become Delia.

“A divine spark, and a set of divine battle armor…” Belsize flew over at high speed. “I didn’t expect that in this material plane, there would actually be someone so astonishingly stupid. If she had actually finished fusing her divine spark, it truly would be quite hard for me to kill her. But as things stand…”

A cold light flashed through Belsize’s eyes.

“Delia, quick, leave!” Linley was utterly beside himself with panic, shooting towards Belsize at maximum speed.

But Linley was behind Belsize, and he was slower than Belsize to begin with. How could he possibly catch up?

“Shkreeeeeeeeeee!!!”

Suddenly, a heaven-shaking, high-pitched shriek rang out, and a black shadow charged forward from behind Delia. Ignoring everything, it charged straight towards Belsize with explosive fury, transforming into eight shadows, all of which revealed cold, sharp fangs and fierce claws. It was Bebe!

Linley was instantly stunned.

“Bebe, quick, flee!” Linley was about to go insane.

Bebe, block Belsize? How could he possibly hold!

“A little mouse?” A look of contempt flashed through Belsize’s eyes. The speed of the rat-type magical beast in front of him was lower than Linley. How could Belsize be bothered by it? As for this Shadowshape Doppelganger Technique, Belsize could tell at one glance where Bebe’s true body was.

The spear in Belsize’s hand swept out.

“Slash!” The spear pierced directly into Bebe’s body. But even then, Bebe still opened his maw, wanting to bite down at Belsize, his two eyes filled with a hint of insanity.

“Boss, quick, run, run!!!!” Bebe’s voice rang in Linley’s mind.

Bebe stared forcefully at Linley with his two eyes.

It was as though in this last moment of his life, he wanted to take one more look at Linley.

“Boss, run for it!” Bebe’s little eyes were filled with unshed tears.

“Bebe!” Linley felt his mind go blank. Seeing Bebe spitted on that spear, Linley’s tears began to fall out uncontrollably. He felt so powerless. He wanted to save Bebe, but he didn’t have the ability to do so! Linley’s entire body began to shudder from his agony.

“Huh?” Belsize’s eyes suddenly opened wide with astonishment and rage.

After his spear had just penetrated partway through Bebe, he wasn’t able to push any further. Suddenly, a surge of black light instantly erupted forth from Bebe’s body, directly attacking Belsize’s mind, destroying that linked thread of awareness. As it did so, an ice-cold voice rang out in his mind.

“Belsize, how dare you! When I have some free time, I will pay a personal visit to your Lord Plaker!”

Belsize’s body instantly crumbled away and dissipated.

“Boss, Boss!” Bebe instantly scurried towards Linley.

Surprised and delighted, Delia flew over as well. Linley was standing there in mid-air, utterly stupefied. What had happened?

Just moments ago, he had been filled with utter despair and regret. But now, the incomparably powerful Belsize had suddenly dissipated, and Bebe hadn’t died.

“Bebe isn’t dead!” Linley’s eyes suddenly lit up.

“Bebe.” Linley immediately grabbed Bebe, pulling him in for a tight hug.

“Boss.” Bebe rubbed his little head comfortably against Linley’s chest.

“Delia.” Linley reached out to embrace Delia as well. Just moments ago, he had been in the grip of a nightmare, but now…he felt as though he truly understood what ‘happiness’ meant.

Within the shattered remnants of the Radiant Temple, in a room, there was a tall, three-eyed man with a pair of goose-like wings on his back. The man was staring out the window. He had watched the entire battle, from start to finish. “Even the specter of Lord Belsize was destroyed. How is that possible? That ‘Linley’ fellow’s power is on par with mine, but there’s no way he could possibly destroy the shadow of Lord Belsize.”

The three-eyed man considered his options.

“Best to simply leave. As for that Heidens…leave him to his fate.”

The tall, muscular man leapt out from within a window in the Radiant Temple. His wings trembled gently, and then he transformed into a line of light, disappearing into the horizon. His speed was incredibly fast, on par with Linley.

Heidens’ face seemed ancient and decrepit. His eyes were dim.

The execution of the ‘Deity’s Descent’ technique which was only taught to each Holy Emperor was something which had caused great harm to Heidens. Not just in terms of mageforce; his spiritual energy had been entirely used up, and even his soul had been badly damaged. There was no way he could possibly recover without spending a century in rest.

“He lost?” Seeing Belsize’s form dissipate, he couldn’t believe his eyes.

“Your Holiness, what should we do?” The Church members behind him were all terror-stricken. Just then, they had been celebrating their impending victory, but now…

Heidens stood up, turning and roaring with anger, “Where is Lord Chiquitas? Why hasn’t Lord Chiquitas come? Go find him!!!” At this point in time, their one and only hope was Lord Chiquitas. Heidens had personally witnessed Lord Chiquitas’ power before.

He should be able to deal with Linley.

“Heidens, what are you shouting about?”

Heidens turned his head. Linley, with Bebe in one arm and holding Delia’s hand with the other, walked into the main hall of the Radiant Temple.

“Linley…” Heidens, after having utilized the ‘Deity’s Descent’ technique, was unable to fight back any longer. “Linley, don’t be so smug. The Radiant Church will never be destroyed, and the glory of the Lord will forever illuminate the endless reaches of the world.” Heidens growled with fury.

Right at this moment, a white-robed priestess came running over.

Heidens noticed the white-robed priestess. This was the one he had sent to go find Lord Chiquitas. Heidens suddenly felt a hint of hope. “Lord Chiquitas?”

The white-robed priestess was so panicked, she was crying. “Your Holiness, Lord Chiquitas is no longer here any longer. He’s left. I can’t find him. I looked everywhere, but I can’t find him!” The white-robed priestess also sensed what the situation was.

“No…” Heidens seemed to have been struck by a bolt of lightning. He was utterly stunned.

Heidens instantly understood everything. Given how major this battle had been, if Chiquitas had been planning to get involved, he would have done so long ago, but he did not…clearly, Chiquitas didn’t want to get involved, and had fled long ago.

“Aaaaaaaaaaah!!!” Heidens let out a furious, unrepentant howl.

Looking at Heidens, who was in such agony that he seemed about to go insane, as well as those other terrified high-level members of the Church, Linley felt his heart become peaceful. He spoke. “The Radiant Church…will never exist again.”