Di Tian's giant body had trouble breathing as he lay on the ground. While his scales and skin, and torn wings had begun to heal, the same couldn't be said about his innards. An injury like this, even with his extreme vitality, would take weeks, if not months, to heal. After all, a dragon's body is extremely precious in the sense that they are resistant to various elements. This meant that to heal themselves, at least, from fatal wounds that took out their parts necessary for regular function, dragons needed more energy and time. This could have been shortened by Bi Ji's presence... alas, he acted quickly to keep his prestige intact.

Not to mention the fact that Ja Sun's toxins were still in his system. No matter how resistant a true dragon's body is, now that he was weakened, even the poison would start inhibiting him.

And this is where Ja Sun finally revealed his superiority at the moment.

His survival skills.

Di Tian's pupil shrunk as he watched the tiny, venomous purplish figure appear in the middle of the sky of the King's Lair. All six of the eyes gazed at Di Tian while five of his remaining spirit rings continued to flicker behind him. Even though Di Tian was sure that his attack combining the full might of his law and domain would surely wreck the bastard in multiple tiny pieces, the invincibility provided by the exoskeleton of the Death Spider Emperor far surpassed his imagination. Di Tian, at this moment, couldn't help but recall one particular Death Spider Emperor whom he had provided with a technique that could allow her to transfer her consciousness and soul into her descendants.

If the Lair survives this menace, Emerald Swans or not, Di Tian firmed his heart to look for the Death Spider Emperor and make every one of their kind join his ranks.

"Man, you really are a beast, almost consumed half the force generated by the explosion of my spirit ring," Ja Sun informed 'kindly' as he cocked his fist back yet again. Di Tian's eyes couldn't help but widen at this moment. He felt that his attack would end the human but the roles were reversed too quickly!

"Do you feel your guts turned into a mess? Just as well. Saves me the time to process the meat and turn it into draconic sausages," his wicked response gave Di Tian no face as shock force accumulated around his fist once again, his deathly whisper leaking, "I told you... you would regret giving me time..."

*Roar*

Majestic jet-black flames instantly grew into a raging mass of pillars as it shot towards Ja Sun. The breath attack was filled with darkness attribute with no sense of spatial intent. The attack, to others, would raze their very existence to dust but as Ja Sun's fist descended, Di Tian felt a massive, unbearable pressure descend down. Blocking the flaming pillar of darkness as a spread of thick white cracks in the middle of nowhere as the ground underneath Di Tian was instantly pulverized into fine dust while giant patches of land rose out due to sheer shock.

*Bang*

The flames exploded outwards as Ja Sun revealed temporary strength of what he could achieve if he was a million-year-old beast while Di Tian's jaws were forcefully shut down, his sharp fangs breaking in the process and crushing into finer and smaller pieces while his remaining pupil rolled back into his skull.

*Weng*

It was at this point that the Black Dragon Sword suddenly appeared in front of Ja Sun, intending to slice him to bits yet again.

"I've had enough of you," Ja Sun caught the sword as if it was made out of wood. With sheer strength filling him, Ja Sun's body contested against beasts itself. His exoskeleton alongside the Vajra Gauntlets that, too, were enhanced temporarily became artifacts that others couldn't simply scoff at.

The breath attack was a diversion while the sword was an attack that should have brought Di Tian some valuable seconds to regain his bearings yet uncaring of the sharp sword intent lacerating his arm, Ja Sun casually grasped the black dragon sword and evaluated it for a second. It wasn't as strong as the Water Dragon King Saber in his body but Ja Sun was slightly moved by the spatial attribute that saturated the sword. If he could study this sword alongside the comprehension of law using the Evil Sage's Third Eye then Ja Sun was sure that he could manage to grasp the meaning of law and even surpass Qian Daoliu's own understanding on the matter.

After all, Di Tian revealed that a law is equivalent to a domain. Whether it was a lie or not, there was only one way to find out and that is by experiencing such sensations oneself.

The sword struggled in Ja Sun's hand yet he sliced it down, releasing the accumulated darkness and spatial attribute with which it was formed as a deep gash littered the already destroyed ground.

Narrowing his eyes in excitement, Ja Sun's exoskeleton began to slowly secrete more sludge towards the sword itself. At the moment, the purple slime was also a substitute for his blood, and taking the chance that Di Tian was out, Ja Sun intended to rob him clean!

After all, he had temporarily exploded his spirit ring. The already suicidal butterfly truly felt like taking a dive if it wasn't for his constant consolation so he needed to settle the matter before anything else.

As Ja Sun's blood attempted to corrode Di Tian's will in the sword and refine it as his own, Ja Sun descended and easily used one of his eight spider legs to pick a giant ring around one of Di Tian's massive claws, revealing that the intense battle did help improve his control over the eight additional limbs.

The golden ring was none other than Di Tian's storage ring, the artifact where he stored the unconscious body of the Deep Sea Demonic Whale no doubt. Not stopping, Ja Sun instantly refined the ring since it was much easier to do so with the owner already unconscious and then stored the unconscious body of Tyrant Eye. While Deep Sea Demonic Whale would be the source for Nightmare's Fantasy to finally become a million-year-old spirit soul, the Evileye Tyrant had revealed enough talent and potential in spatial and mental abilities to be considered as a back-up for his third spirit soul.

The fact that the beast could even study time and evil attributes, which were foreign to the species made Ja Sun more envious of his comprehension and aside from these major attributes, the Evileye Tyrant are born with tentacles that represent various other elements. The fact that this beast had almost all the colors in the spectrum itself made Ja Sun believe that this monarch of a beast had enough accumulation of all the basic attributes...

He would be a fool to not collect such a prized body.

Seeing their 'God' plundered, the surrounding beasts far away were absolutely stunned.

What made them feel completely enraged, however, was Ja Sun taking out their God's reverse scale just like he did with Zi Ji.

As if sensing their gazes, Ja Sun looked around. The Black Dragon Sword already had purple veins spreading across its surface as the struggle from the sword became weaker and weaker.

Holding the sword across his shoulder, Ja Sun chuckled, "The hell are you all waiting for? Just one round isn't enough for me."

His devilish eyes widened in pure excitement as he roared, "I've defeated your 'God'! Beast God, my venomous ass! All of you, come at me at once, or get the fuck out of this forest cause this is my property from here on out!"

His declaration only served to trigger anger and fear in the beasts. The previously neutral Heavenly Snow Maiden, too, had her brows locked in displeasure. Not only because she was defeated but the fact that Ja Sun could destroy them together.

Their prestige as the strongest of the beasts had been shattered.

The Monarch of the nearest ocean was captured with his mate retreating.

The overlord of the nearest continent was taken hostage, too.

The God of the beasts is now unconscious as Ja Sun stripped him off of his dignity and possessions.

Now, he even laid claim to the King's Lair, a location known to be the purest form of a haven for all the beasts.

Despite Ja Sun's call, none of the beasts moved.

"Tch," Ja Sun clicked his tongue and finally jumped onto Di Tian's head before proceeding to silently make his way towards his other eye.

*Puchi*

Di Tian's eyelids were slightly less resilient than the other portions of his hide as Ja Sun stabbed the Black Dragon Sword into his other eye, "For your information, had you kept me busy, I wouldn't have gone to stab his only good eye," he chuckled as Zi Ji finally growled.

"Leave him alone!"

Her gigantic body rushed out. Compared to Di Tian, she was quite small but of all the beasts, she proved herself the bravest... and the most reckless one, too.

Turning around instantly, Ja Sun sliced at Zi Ji.

A powerful artifact slightly weaker than the divine ones in Ja Sun's hand, the Black Dragon Sword proved quite useful since Ja Sun could hope to bring out its strength more efficiently than the divine weapons itself.

The moment he slashed at Zi Ji, the attack powered by spatial element blinked and left a deep gash into her leathery wings as she crashed into the ground, her body dragging across the land only to be stopped by a tiny foot that stepped on the tip of her nose.

"Stop? Why should I? This is merely a natural selection. The weak either submit, or die. That's the way of beasts, yes?

Devouring nutrition, absorbing it, resting to make the full use of it, and then the cycle continues."

Ja Sun's words rang as his gaze bore coldly into Zi Ji, "Am I to give respect to a god that I can defeat? Or should I make use of his essence and grow myself? Or strip him off of his fortunes and make them mine?

Then again, manpower includes in that aspect, too.

Hmm, right, thanks Zi Ji, you gave me a wonderful idea!"

Ja Sun's chuckle rang.

He had promised himself to not lead any group in this life. Being a leader, a good one, meant being responsible. However, Ja Sun did feel like giving something else a try.

His body began to rise as Zi Ji finally felt the overbearing pressure from her body disappear as a moment of despair bore into her heart.

This strength... was unreasonable.

"Everyone, my name is Ja Sun. Also known as Ka-ul. This land is mine, and so are its citizens. I'm no king, but from this moment, as your god lay defeated, I elect myself to that title humbly—"

"Shut the fuck up!" Zi Ji roared, the gash on her wing already healed as she charged towards Ja Sun yet again.

However, before she could do so, a soft whisper stopped her.

"No... let me..."

*Rumble*

The ground trembled for the umpteenth time as Di Tian's large frame began to shift and move. While one of his eyes was out of commission for the foreseeable future, his other eye stabbed by the Black Dragon Sword was healed once again.

Zi Ji came to a stop while Di Tian looked towards Ja Sun, "I do not regret giving you the time to prepare back then, Ja Sun..." Mentioning the youth by the name, Di Tian added, "It allowed me to understand your depths. Even if you completely explode all your spirit rings... you won't be able to defend against my next attack."

"Fine," Ja Sun shrugged as he stored the half-refined Black Dragon Sword into his storage ring. The sight made Di Tian's eye twitch. But even the lack of his reverse scale didn't faze him at the moment. After all, as long as Ja Sun is ended, everything will return to his possession.

"I believe you," Ja Sun smiled, "Then there is no point in destroying my other five spirit rings."

The strength of the previous burst had yet to fully leave him but that wasn't his source of confidence.

He was simply happy that he pushed his opponent to the absolute limits, too.

Di Tian might never agree with him, but Ja Sun could feel the dragon's body alight with drastic fighting intent and excitement that wasn't present in their previous exchange.

"Once I take you out, King's Lair is mine to laze in." Ja Sun added with a chuckle.

"Victors are the rightful. Losers are fortunate enough to not have their lives in a forfeit." Di Tian responded.

Zi Ji had a conflicted expression on her face. For once, she wanted to refute but Di Tian's next words truly sent her to despair, "Should I lose, I am not fit for any title bestowed upon me since my birth. Be a god, a king, or whatever you wish to be. The King's Lair is yours to explore."

Ja Sun's eyes twitched slightly. He sensed something was about the last bit but he ended up sighing and laughed heartily, "Bitch, if I win, I don't need your permission to explore anything or anyone."

His uncouth manner in such a dignified moment only made all the beasts, including those with a grudge against Di Tian, side with the Beast God.

Not speaking anything further, the space above Di Tian's head fluctuated and raptured as a silverish shield appeared around him fuelled by spatial attribute.

From within the dark void raptured overhead, Ja Sun finally felt his slime crawling in absolute horror. It was an almost instinctive reaction when facing the absolute— to go all out.

All six of Ja Sun's eyes radiated shocking bloodlust that chilled everyone's hearts, including Di Tian himself as the most terrible memories of their ancestors seemed to awaken within each of the beasts. Now trapped in an illusion not performed by mental energy but pure bloodlust, the beasts found themselves in a world of pure blood-red, standing across the calm sea of blood without a single ripple as if it signified Ja Sun's current mindset.

Pure.

Focused.

Through the void appeared a gigantic claw. It was more phantom than realistic but the dark scales of this single claw had an odd kaleidoscopic glint as if every scale encompassed everything. An ancient aura spread out from the claw once it crossed through the void, easily contending against Ja Sun's carnal bloodlust while every spirit beast dropped on its knees. Trees had their branches shattered while the sky changed color from vibrant to dull.

Desolate.

Ja Sun had sensed something like this before.

The tribulation where Poseidon schemed to end him.

A genuine divine attack!

"Wrought with malevolence," Di Tian's somber voice attracted every beast as if he truly became their god this time. The ancient aura touched his voice as if he commanded every living being.

Ja Sun would be buckling up if his intense bloodlust didn't counter the archaic intent hidden within that godly draconic claw.

"This conjuration of the Black Dragon King's Claw blessed by the Dragon God... shall end your existence and revert you to your most primal essence.

The victory is mine..."

The claw moved slowly at first as Di Tian exerted himself behind the shield. The attack's impact on oneself was one of the reasons Di Tian erected a shield in the first so that Ja Sun couldn't counter him.

"Any being not blessed by a god will perish. Ja Sun, your existence has humbled me."

Ironically, however, Di Tian couldn't help but sound prouder than ever. For the first time, Beast God felt what is necessary to take one of the paths to godhood.

Faith.

Absolute faith of those around him filtered through to him.

Till now, even Zi Ji held him as a being of adoration due to the power he claimed. Beasts are quite simple in that matter. Truly, the strongest are the only ones that can command man and nature alike.

However, this second, Di Tian couldn't help but feel even more glad for someone to push him against the corner in such a manner.

In fact, Di Tian, as the descendant of true dragons, still had trouble with this technique but this state of an absolute determination made the attack successful.

Right now, every beast revered Di Tian and had their hearts captured by him.

"Blessed by God? Of course, I understand that only a complete divine being can contend against someone or something at a similar level." Ja Sun whistled softly. Despite the slow pace of the attack, he couldn't really move at this point. Even the Bright World Domain wouldn't work due to the sheer difference in the quality of attack. While Ja Sun could contend with attacks fuelled by laws of nature by stacking strength, the same wasn't possible anymore.

Yet, when did he have any actual trouble with divine tools?

Actual god?

He had one such being captured.

Ja Sun had wanted to take over everything Poseidon felt dear or valuable to him in front of his eyes, or a part of him in the form of divine intent...

But he may as well start making use of the unruly God of the Sea.

In front of the divine claw appeared a sapphire tetrahedron. Its pyramid-like, fist-sized shape made Di Tian frown as he felt his confidence threatened once again, a feeling that he felt he wouldn't lose now.

Clenching the Vast Sea Cosmic Shroud in his hand, which he was sure that it was none other than a divine tool, too, that refused to accept him as the owner for obvious reasons, Ja Sun overloaded the artifact with his spirit energy and divine intent.

Countless runes took shape under Ja Sun's expertise within an instant.

As an experienced array master himself, Di Tian realized that these runes were the simplest of exploding runes!

"You're up, champ," Ja Sun snickered.

Truly, he didn't have to explode his other spirit rings.

All he had to destroy was an unruly divine artifact that was helpless against his devious schemes.

Sure, there could be a chance in the future where he may find a good use of the Vast Sea Cosmic Shroud, however, Ja Sun felt much more pleasurable in the knowledge that destroying anything related to Poseidon would make him kick in the air with rage. Just that hope was worth Ja Sun's treasure.

The bastard almost killed Ah Yin... Ja Sun no longer held any form of human thought towards Poseidon except for an unadulterated need for petty vengeance that would constantly bite the god until he wished he was dead.

The sapphire pyramid gently floated towards the claw. Ja Sun couldn't move due to the claw, neither could Di Tian or the surrounding beasts.

Everyone's eyes widened as Di Tian felt the reverence of those around him turn into confusion but Di Tian could feel something wrong about the situation until...

"As Erlong would say it rightly— Boom!"

Ja Sun whispered as white, hot light marked with ocean blue sheen suddenly shrouded the entire King's Lair...

Until—

A burst of silver glow suddenly encapsulated Ja Sun, Di Tian, and the explosion as if forming an isolated space out of nowhere while repairing all the damage to the array of the King's Lair.

Yet, while every beast watched wide-eyed, this strange isolated space had cracks forming across its surfaces. They felt like they had been slapped harshly across their cheeks and muzzles. The moment they felt like truly submitting to Di Tian out of their free will, enchanted by his aura and strength as if he would bring back the rights that the beasts deserve...

Everything seemed to crumbe in front of that human, finally making a few question at this delicate moment.

Is a beast truly the only criteria to for others to follow someone. If so... should it be an actual beast at the pinnacle of mortal cultivation, or someone betial enough to even best the strongest devils?

A gentle sigh blew over to every beast that contained a hint of irrefutability, "Retreat to near the Emerald Lake... let the two decide their fate by themselves."

***

A/N: As you all know, I haven't read Douluo Dalu 2 or 3... or 4. So, my perception on Di Tian's strength is flawed. If he is stronger than the canon then hot damn, Ja Sun is a beast. If he is weaker than the canon... I hope that this long chain of battle was enough to excite all of you.

***

Shoutout to Mitsogon, Aliosman, and Victor Gonzalez!!

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