Wait, How Did My Digital Girlfriend Become a Sword Immortal? Chapter 887: The Great Sumeru Cudgel

The instant Chen Huaian concluded his address.

A piercing sound, like wind and thunder, roared across the expanse of the square.

All eyes ascended, drawn by the noise, to behold the sky rapidly darkening, as a colossal, shadowy form seemed to surge through the clouds.

"What could that be?"

A voice called out, pointing towards the heavens.

In the succeeding moment, the shadow began to resolve into a clearer shape, its cylindrical form becoming faintly discernible.

The clamor of wind and thunder intensified, escalating to a point where it became almost unbearable.

Clouds were rent asunder, one layer yielding after another, as surging air currents embraced the cylindrical silhouette, drawing it ever nearer.

The elite forces of the Battle Soul Hall, who had been advancing upon Tang Er, abruptly ceased their movement and swiftly regrouped around Bixixi.

"Protect Her Holiness!"

Each warrior summoned forth their respective Battle Souls.

However, the strength of the newcomer far surpassed their capabilities.

Even with their Battle Soul True Forms unleashed, confronting the descending shadow of the staff, they could only clench their jaws, their bodies wracked with tremors.

"This is not good! Such power... it must be a Legendary Battle Master!"

On the Canglan Continent, Legendary Battle Masters represented the pinnacle of power, standing just below the level of deities. The number of such formidable individuals across the entire continent could be counted on a single hand.

"That staff... it seems remarkably familiar. Another Legendary Battle Master..."

From within the assembled crowd, a Battle Master's eyes narrowed slightly, a flicker of dread surfacing within his heart.

"Could it be—the Great Mount Sumeru Sun-Sky Rod, the Legendary Battle Master—Tang Ritian!"

These words seemed to ignite comprehension in the onlookers. A wave of dawning realization spread through the throng, with many chiming in agreement.

"Indeed, it must be Tang Ritian!"

"Who would have thought that after all these years, Tang Ritian would manifest once more!"

"Then, what connection exists between this Tang Er and Tang Ritian?"

"Is that even a question? I was already pondering why that young man's staff Battle Soul bore such a striking resemblance... the son following in the father's footsteps, the lineage is quite evident, isn't it?"

"Bixixi is a Legendary Battle Master, and Tang Ritian is also a Legendary Battle Master. This promises to be an extraordinary confrontation!"

...

"Tang Ritian? Is that truly you?" Bixixi inquired, her gaze sharp as she unfurled her World Rings, one after another, beneath her.

A total of nine World Rings gleamed with a chilling, resolute luminescence.

The sky grew somber, and dark snowflakes began to drift down amidst the howling gale.

Multiple layers of wings, colored in hues of gray and white, unfurled behind Bixixi.

The spectral form of a fallen angel Battle Soul materialized in her wake.

Her crimson eyes fixed directly upon the descending colossus of a staff, issuing a challenge: "After skulking in the shadows for so many years, you still possess the audacity to emerge and act with such abandon?"

"Very well! Then today, we shall settle all past grievances and present conflicts!"

"Those words are precisely what I should be directing at you!"

The voice resonated from amidst the clouds.

Faintly visible, a minuscule human figure could be observed trailing behind the immense shadow of the staff.

It was almost inconceivable to fathom the nature of the being capable of wielding such a gargantuan weapon.

"Hmph!"

Confronting the titanic black pillar that appeared poised to obliterate the square, Bixixi held her ground resolutely, not yielding an inch.

With a firm strike of her staff upon the ground, the obsidian ninth World Ring at her feet suddenly blazed to life, its radiance both captivating and ominous.

"Ninth Battle Technique: Dark Demon Shield!"

Hum——

The phantom of the fallen angel behind her emitted a piercing cry, its wings snapping shut in unison.

Innumerable black feathers coalesced, transforming into an unyielding, semi-circular shield of light, projecting forcefully upwards.

BOOM-RUMBLE————!!!

The staff met the shield in a cataclysmic impact.

In that precise instant, a profound silence befell both heaven and earth.

A terrifying shockwave, emanating from the point of collision between the two combatants, expanded outwards like a devastating explosion. The very flagstones of the square disintegrated into dust, while the surrounding structures crumbled as if made of mere paper. Those Soul Masters possessing lesser cultivation capacities were directly overcome, vomiting blood from the sheer force and succumbing to unconsciousness.

Emerging from the billowing dust and smoke.

A powerful, stout figure was revealed.

It was a middle-aged man, clad in tattered garments, his face covered in stubble. He firmly grasped the colossal 'Great Mount Sumeru Sun-Sky Rod' in his hands. Though his posture seemed weary, his eyes burned with an intense, eerie brightness, resembling twin specters aflame in the darkest night.

The Legendary Battle Master—Tang Ritian.

"Bixixi, you took my wife's life all those years ago, and now you seek to harm my son?"

Tang Ritian's voice was raspy and deep. With every utterance, the killing intent surrounding him intensified, becoming almost palpable.

"That debt remains unsettled!"

"Then you shall forfeit your life here to settle it!"

Bixixi's voice cut through the air, cold and sharp, as the fallen angel phantom behind her dramatically expanded.

"Domain—Dark Extinction!"

Whoosh——

The square, moments before illuminated by daylight, was instantly swallowed by an all-encompassing, absolute darkness.

It wasn't that light was absent, but instead, it felt like it was being consumed.

Within this Domain, all senses were brutally stripped away, leaving behind nothing but an unending cold and a corrosive touch.

"A Domain?"

Tang Ritian let out a grin, baring a full set of striking white teeth.

"This old man possesses one too!"

"Domain—Open!!"

BOOM!

An intensely thick, almost palpable crimson light burst forth from his very being.

This was the embodiment of pure killing intent, the Asura aura he had painstakingly forged by emerging from countless piles of deceased bodies.

Sizzle——

The crimson light and the black light violently clashed and began to erode each other in the expanse of the air.

The sky itself seemed to be torn asunder.

One half was a deathly, void-like black, while the other was a furious, violent red.

These two distinct energies transformed into two streams of luminous energy, engaging in a frenzied clash high above.

Shadows of rods descended like formidable mountains, and demonic light spread out like vast seas.

Each impactful collision sent fine fractures spreading across the surrounding fabric of space.

This, indeed, was the fierce battle between Legendary Battle Masters.

Every single movement, every subtle gesture, had the power to agitate the very Laws governing heaven and earth.

"Pfft!"

Following another brutal impact.

Tang Ritian unexpectedly coughed up a mouthful of blood, yet the fierce madness blazing in his eyes did not diminish; rather, it intensified.

He was acutely aware that this place was the formidable headquarters of the Battle Soul Hall. The longer this confrontation dragged on, the more disadvantageous it would become for him.

He absolutely had to bring this to a swift conclusion!

"Bixixi, let's see if you can withstand this ultimate move!"

Tang Ritian let out a thunderous roar, and the World Rings adorning his body began to tremble with extreme violence, leading to...

BANG——!

A deafening explosion occurred.

He had, in fact, detonated his own Battle Soul.

He was willing to pay the steep price of his Battle Soul's destruction in exchange for a momentary, ultimate surge of power.

"Great Mount Sumeru—Exploding Rod!!!"

"Get the hell... out of my way!!!"

BOOM——!!!

Even though the Sun-Sky Rod had been obliterated in the preceding explosion, it instantly swelled to ten times its original size, resembling an expanding cloud, enveloped in world-ending crimson lightning.

Carrying the desperate, mutually destructive momentum of a final stand, it violently smashed its way towards Bixixi's fallen angel True Form.

CRACK!

The wings of the fallen angel were violently snapped.

Bixixi let out a pained groan, her entire body plummeting towards the ground like a falling meteor, shattering the grand steps leading to the Pope's Hall into countless pieces.

"Pfft—"

She coughed up blood, her breathtakingly beautiful face etched with sheer astonishment.

What a complete lunatic!

He had actually plunged into a life-or-death struggle right from the very start!

Seizing this fleeting moment while Bixixi was forcefully repelled, Tang Ritian showed absolutely no intention of prolonging this engagement.

His figure blurred, and he swiftly scooped up the utterly stunned Tang Er and Xiao Tu from the ground.

"Let's go!"

However, he did not make a direct dash for the exit.

This was because he could distinctly sense that surrounding the entire square, several obscure yet immensely powerful auras were beginning to awaken—these were the ancient, formidable beings from the Battle Soul Hall's Hall of Offerings.

Attempting to break through by sheer force would prove exceedingly difficult.

He needed a critical bargaining chip.

Tang Ritian's gaze instantly zeroed in on the young girl clad in white robes, exuding a cool and clear temperament, standing not too far away.

Li Qingran.

She was the undisputed champion of this tournament, the radiant face of the Battle Soul Hall's younger generation, and the most highly valued chess piece by Bixixi.

Without a moment's hesitation.

Tang Ritian's large, calloused hand made a sudden grabbing motion through the air.

"Come here!"

A colossal claw formed from pitch-black Battle Qi materialized out of thin air, exuding an irresistible gravitational pull. In an instant, it firmly seized Li Qingran, who had no time to react, within its palm.

"Qingran!!"

Bixixi had only just managed to extricate herself from the debris. Witnessing this scene, her pupils contracted sharply, and she instinctively moved to intervene.

"Don't move!!"

Tang Ritian bellowed with all his might.

The massive black claw suddenly constricted. Li Qingran emitted a pained yelp, her face instantly paling.

"Bixixi, my only desire is to depart with my son."

Tang Ritian, holding Tang Er and Xiao Tu, with the menacing black claw holding Li Qingran aloft like a mere chick, suspended in mid-air.

He fixed his gaze upon Bixixi, his eyes burning with the ruthless desperation of a cornered beast:

"If you dare to make even a single move..."

"I will shatter this genius's neck!"

"You must understand, she represents the future hope of your Battle Soul Hall!"

Bixixi's hand froze mid-action.

She stared intently at Li Qingran, held firmly within Tang Ritian's grasp. The killing intent radiating from her eyes surged, but what truly dominated was a profound sense of apprehension.

What she truly feared was not Li Qingran's exceptional talent.

But rather... the unfathomably terrifying entity residing behind Li Qingran.

Should Li Qingran meet her demise at Tang Ritian's hands, would that revered deity behind her retaliate with unrestrained fury?

That very deity had already bestowed upon Li Qingran three black World Rings at this very moment!

This served as clear evidence of the deity's intense protectiveness.

Once incensed, forget the Pope's Hall, it was highly probable that the entirety of Battle Soul City would be razed to the ground along with them!

She absolutely dared not allow any shred of karma to befall her, lest her own arduous journey towards godhood be irrevocably severed because of it.

"Tang Ritian..."

Bixixi clenched her silver teeth, her voice a strained whisper forced between them:

"If even a single strand of hair on her head is harmed..."

"I will hunt you to the ends of the earth!"

"Hahaha! Then I won't trouble Your Holiness to worry!"

Witnessing Bixixi's hesitation to act, Tang Ritian threw his head back and let out a wild laugh.

He cast a final, lingering glance at the assembled crowd in the square before his form dissolved into a streak of black light.

Enveloping the three captured individuals, he shattered the Battle Soul Hall's blockade in an instant, rocketing towards the distant horizon.

Carried on the wind, only his defiant voice remained:

"Today's debt, I shall repay twofold in the future!!"

...

Trapped within the colossal black claw.

Li Qingran felt an intense pressure, making it difficult to draw breath. Yet, she offered little resistance.

This was because, deep within her Battle Soul space.

A man clad in immaculate snow-white robes was seated in meditation, observing the unfolding events through her very eyes.

"Master..." Li Qingran transmitted, her message tinged with anxiety, "We have been abducted."

"Hmm, I am aware," Chen Huaian's voice was cold as ice.

"This uncle is quite formidable, he's squeezing me rather painfully..." Li Qingran voiced her concern, "Master, what course of action should we take now?"

What course of action?

Chen Huaian felt a fury so potent it threatened to rupture his lungs.

Out of all individuals, it had to be this Tang Ritian who targeted his young disciple. Such an affront was intolerable!

However, in his current state, merely a Battle Soul manifestation with severely restricted power, a direct confrontation might not guarantee victory against the renowned Battle Master, Tang Ritian.

"I had not intended to utilize these items originally..."

Chen Huaian retrieved the gourd bestowed upon him by the middle-aged corpse. Inside it lay the monthly card and the Glory Battle Pass he had previously acquired.

The Glory Battle Pass, under normal circumstances, would grant Li Qingran a five hundred-thousand-year World Ring and a million-year World Ring.

However, as per its stipulations, Li Qingran was required to attain the rank of Peak Battle Master before she could claim the million-year World Ring – such were the established regulations of the Glory Battle Pass.

But...

At this precise moment, he, Chen Huaian, *was* the Electronic Girlfriend System itself.

He possessed the authority to claim any rewards at his discretion.

This action, admittedly, carried the risk of inviting contention with the Heavenly Dao of the Canglan Realm.

Yet, such concerns were secondary to the present crisis.

Chen Huaian decisively selected the ultimate reward from the Glory Battle Pass – the coveted million-year World Ring.

Instant claim initiated!

...