Chapter 524: Defeating Long Xiaoyao—Why Even Need Ten Moves?! Long Xiaoyao’s Crushing Defeat, The Holy Spirit Cult Appears (Side Story)

The golden-white divine light erupted violently within the dragon's body.

The mighty head of the Darkness Holy Dragon began melting from the mouth.

Its skull—harder than refined gold—and its dragon horns wrapped in nether flames turned into dazzling golden streams of fire, slowly rising and dispersing into the air.

The melting spread uncontrollably, racing down along the dragon's neck.

The ten-thousand-meter dragon body looked like a giant black candle being burned away, collapsing segment by segment and dissolving into rainlike fragments of light.

Within only a few breaths—

more than half of the sky-covering dragon body had already melted away.

"ROAR!"

The Behemoth grabbed the still-melting dragon remains.

With a furious roar, its spine arched like a collapsing demonic mountain.

It lifted the dragon's remains high—

then suddenly leapt up, smashing the dragon bones downward with savage force.

BOOOOM!!!!

The dragon skeleton struck the ground.

The bones that had not yet completely melted shattered apart, only to be swallowed by the surging golden-white divine light mid-flight.

A golden shockwave spread outward for thousands of miles.

The ground flipped and shattered like layers of glass, brilliant white divine light erupting from the cracks.

The scattered fragments of dragon bone screamed as they dissolved into nothingness.

"ROAR!"

The Behemoth stood within a bottomless abyss-like crater, pounding its chest with both fists as it roared toward the sky.

Its golden fur—streaked with strands of icy white—was stained with mottled dragon blood.

In its right hand it still held a broken dragon tail.

Its murderous aura was so intense it almost condensed into substance, causing heaven and earth to fall into utter silence.

The surrounding experts were struck speechless with horror. Countless eyes filled with shock and disbelief focused on the blue-robed youth standing atop the Frostfall Behemoth's head.

Defeated! The Darkness Holy Dragon, Long Xiaoyao, had suffered a crushing defeat!

Ten moves?

No!

Not even three moves!

Long Xiaoyao, who had dominated the continent for a generation, had been crushed by Huo Yuhao.

None of the powerful figures dared to speak. Terrified glances passed silently between them.

"Who on this continent can still stand against Huo Yuhao?!"

"Huo Yuhao is barely twenty years old—he could rule the Douluo Continent for another two hundred years!"

"No one has ascended to godhood in ten thousand years—Huo Yuhao will definitely be able to ascend!"

...

Jing Hongchen felt his courage shatter.

At that moment he had only one thought—

Run!

Even Long Xiaoyao could not last three exchanges against Huo Yuhao.

And he himself had old grudges with Huo Yuhao.

If Huo Yuhao chose to settle accounts with him—

even detonating every soul tool in Illustrious Virtue Hall would not be enough to resist.

Jing Hongchen grabbed his still-dazed grandson and prepared to flee.

However—

the next moment—

a terrifying chill rose in his heart, as if even his blood and soul were about to freeze.

Jing Hongchen's face turned pale, his legs trembling as he no longer dared to move.

He felt…

a cold gaze descending from the heavens, staring directly at him.

"G-Grandfather…"

Xiao Hongchen looked down at the trembling hand gripping his arm.

Jing Hongchen suddenly calmed down. He took a long breath and spoke slowly.

"Grandson… Huo Yuhao likely won't make things difficult for you."

"Remember…"

"If I die at Huo Yuhao's hands today, do not seek revenge for me."

...

The Behemoth bent slightly forward.

Immediately the earth trembled again.

Standing upon its shoulder, Huo Yuhao looked down at Long Xiaoyao, who was buried deep within the ruins.

"You still have your ninth Spirit Ability unused."

"I will give you the chance to use it."

Within the rubble—

Long Xiaoyao slowly pushed himself halfway upright.

His black robe was torn to shreds, stained with dust and blood.

The silver hair that had once been neatly tied behind his head now hung loose and disheveled, several strands sticking to his pale face.

Thud!

He staggered up from the broken stones—

but immediately bent over as his body shook violently, blood flowing from the corner of his mouth.

"No need."

Long Xiaoyao raised his head.

The thin remaining Spirit Power around him flickered weakly, struggling to repair his body on the verge of collapse.

But the injuries were too severe.

His Martial Soul True Body had been destroyed, and the backlash had struck his real body directly.

"I can see it…"

"You… still haven't used your full strength."

"The ten-move agreement… I lost."

He forced himself to straighten his back—

even though the movement caused every bone in his body to cry out under unbearable strain.

"Back then, when I tried to assassinate you…"

"Now, whether you kill me or torture me…"

"Do as you wish."

The wind swept across the wild fields, stirring up fine dust, wailing like a mourning song.

Long Xiaoyao stood like a broken banner that, though torn, still refused to fall.

"Sigh..." Someone sighed softly.

Seeing the once-dominant Darkness Holy Dragon reduced to such a defeated state, it felt as though an entire era had come to an end.

Mu En leaned weakly against his wheelchair. His aged face showed no obvious emotion, yet the hand gripping the armrest had veins bulging tightly.

"I have no intention of taking Senior Long Xiaoyao's life."

In the silent world, Huo Yuhao's calm voice rang out.

The battle was already decided.

In the way he addressed him, there was now a trace of respect for a senior.

"The ten-move agreement was only to settle the karma between us from when Senior Long Xiaoyao attempted to assassinate me."

"That day, Senior Long Xiaoyao also did not strike with the intent to kill."

"Since such righteousness existed, now that victory and defeat are decided, that is enough."

The reason he had not formed killing intent did not lie only in this life.

Aside from the fact that Long Xiaoyao had shown restraint when he attacked this time—

even in the previous life,

although this Darkness Holy Dragon had tried to assassinate him twice and nearly succeeded,

he later showed appreciation for Huo Yuhao's talent.

After Teacher Mu En died, he had even used the dragon core Mu En entrusted to him to help Huo Yuhao improve his strength.

Between him and Long Xiaoyao,

it had never truly been a life-and-death grudge.

However—

if he did not fight this senior openly and fairly once,

Huo Yuhao always felt…

that he would be unworthy of those life-and-death encounters and the complicated, indescribable grudge and gratitude between them.

Now, the ten-move agreement had ended, and the karmic ties were settled.

He felt only clarity and calm in his mind, without any lingering burdens.

"You…"

Long Xiaoyao looked at Huo Yuhao with complicated eyes.

He had never expected

that the boy he once attempted to assassinate would choose to show mercy.

He turned his head and looked toward the distant figure sitting in a wheelchair.

His throat moved slightly before he finally sighed.

"Mu En… you truly accepted a fine disciple."

Death did not frighten him.

But if he could live, it was naturally still a blessing.

Just as his words fell, his expression suddenly changed slightly. A hint of struggle flashed through his eyes. He abruptly gathered his strength and shouted toward Huo Yuhao:

"Huo Yuhao—take Mu En and leave quickly!"

After saying this,

he looked around.

His old yet sorrowful voice echoed through the silent mountain ruins.

"Give it up…"

"The abilities of this boy Huo Yuhao are no longer something mortal power can defeat."

"Even if the entire cult gathered its strength, victory or defeat would still be uncertain."

His voice grew hoarse,

yet every word remained clear—like a final warning and plea.

"It would be better… to lie low for now."

"Perhaps you could take this chance to cleanse the cult of its bloodshed and find another path to survive."

The wind wailed.

It swept across his tattered robes.

Long Xiaoyao slowly closed his eyes, then opened them again.

Deep in his gaze, a long-forgotten gentle emotion surfaced.

These two words were light as they scattered in the wind, yet heavy as mountains.

"Xishui…"

"Turn back."

Long Xiaoyao's words immediately caused the expressions of the surrounding experts to change drastically.

"So the Holy Spirit Cult has indeed come!"

"The Holy Spirit Cult is always ruthless in its actions—don't get dragged into this!"

No one knew who moved first.

Whoosh!

Whoosh!

One after another, bursts of Spirit Power light flashed as the sounds of breaking through the air suddenly multiplied.

The many experts who had just been watching the battle

now fled one after another toward the outer edges of the mountain range.