Chapter 1236: The Two Kings Confront

A massive, gaping pit suddenly appeared in Deep Abyss City, cracks spreading like giant serpents in all directions, swallowing countless buildings whole.

The city was in utter chaos.

The numerous Marquis Realm experts hovering in midair swallowed hard as they stared into the depths of the pit—at Qin Qin Lian, her body shattered, bones exposed.

A top-rank Marquis Realm expert, she would be a formidable figure anywhere in Outer Shenzhou, yet now she had nearly been smashed to pulp by a casual slap from Li Li Jingzhe.

The Double-Crowned King is truly terrifying.

At the bottom of the pit, Qin Qin Lian's body had lost all control; she felt searing pain coursing through every limb and bone, her face twisted in agony, and Li Li Jingzhe's slap carried Royal Power, rendering her flesh unable to heal—she lay there like a corpse, utterly motionless.

If Li Li Jingzhe so much as raised his hand again, she would surely die here.

At this thought, deep fear surged into Qin Qin Lian's eyes.

Above, Li Li Jingzhe merely glanced coldly at Qin Qin Lian, then turned to the empty air ahead and said calmly, "Qin Jiujie, you've finally come."

"Li Li Jingzhe, you've crossed the line."

The next instant, a deep, resonant voice filled with fury rang out across heaven and earth, and the people of Deep Abyss City saw the sky above split open, a figure stepping forth from the rift.

The figure was towering and robust, his face noble and martial, with mysterious runes engraved upon his skin—even his pupils swirled with runes, lending him an air of profound mystery.

Above his head, divine power coalesced into two layers of supreme, noble crowns, flowing with the pure essence of kingship, towering above heaven and earth.

He was none other than another Double-Crowned King!

"Hail the Grand Master!"

The Qin Li Tianwang faction's experts in Deep Abyss City, upon seeing this figure, burst into joy, bowing deeply in fervent reverence.

The newcomer was Qin Jiujie, the current leader of the Qin Li Tianwang faction.

Within the Qin Li Tianwang faction, save for the Qin Li Tianwang Ancestor who had not appeared in years, Qin Jiujie held the highest position.

Li Li Jingzhe gazed at the appearing Qin Jiujie and said, "I told you long ago—past matters belong to the past. Have you forgotten I've stayed in seclusion for so long that you've mistaken me for a gentle old man?"

Qin Jiujie replied calmly, "Li Li Jingzhe, there is no proof Qin Qin Lian was responsible. You wrongfully accuse a junior without cause—isn't that breaking the rules too?"

"Even if Qin Qin Lian had deep grievances with Li Taixuan and Dan Tai Lan, why punish a mere child who hasn't even reached the Marquis Realm? Would that do anything but tarnish her reputation? Would it soothe even a sliver of your anger?"

Li Li Jingzhe fixed his gaze on Qin Jiujie and said slowly, "So I want to know—why is she so hostile toward my grandson?"

Qin Jiujie shook his head. "You're being unreasonable."

"I already told you—I didn't come here to reason."

"Then what do you intend to do?" Qin Jiujie frowned.

Li Li Jingzhe gave a faint smile. "Of course… I'm here to fight with fists."

Qin Jiujie narrowed his eyes. "You've made your point. I've appeared. Are you still unwilling to stop?"

Li Li Jingzhe's aged voice carried a chilling, heart-stopping edge: "Do you think I spent all this time toying with her for what reason?"

"Do you think I came here just for her?"

His voice echoed throughout Deep Abyss City, leaving the many experts stunned, then pale with horror.

Li Li Jingzhe never came to fight Qin Qin Lian—he'd targeted Qin Jiujie from the start?!

Hiss!

Countless people drew sharp breaths—this leader of the Dragon Fang Line was terrifyingly ruthless.

Everyone assumed he had stormed Deep Abyss City, shattered Qin Qin Lian's body with one slap, and forced the Qin Li Tianwang faction's Royal-level experts to appear—that would have been enough.

But no one expected Li Li Jingzhe had been waiting not for Qin Qin Lian, but for Qin Jiujie!

Qin Jiujie's gaze darkened. "Li Li Jingzhe, do you truly wish to ignite war between our two lines? I suspect Zhao Li Tianwang's faction would be delighted to see this."

The Li Li Tianwang and Zhao Li Tianwang factions were ancient enemies, their territories bordering each other, having waged countless wars over millennia—deep enmity bound them, which was precisely why, during Li Taixuan's time, the Li Li Tianwang faction chose to retreat.

And now, Li Li Jingzhe intended to strike at Qin Jiujie, the Grand Master of the Qin Li Tianwang faction?

"To kill a chicken to scare the monkeys, she's not worthy. So I'll use you." Li Li Jingzhe said calmly.

Hearing this, even Qin Jiujie's composure cracked—he let out a bitter, furious laugh. "For Li Luo? You'd risk this much?"

"Li Li Jingzhe, have you lost your mind?"

Li Li Jingzhe had clearly come to escalate matters, to make a terrifying example—to warn everyone not to bully his grandson.

But for a man of Li Li Jingzhe's stature to do this? It was utterly unexpected.

He was protecting his cub far too fiercely.

He had never protected Li Taixuan like this.

Perhaps, because of that guilt, Li Li Jingzhe now clings so fiercely to Li Luo?

"I gave ground once before—and it only emboldened them. Taixuan fled Outer Shenzhou with his wife. Now that his child has returned to the Dragon Fang Line, I will strike even you, Qin Jiujie—and if your Qin Li Tianwang himself came, I'd strike him too!"

Li Li Jingzhe's voice rang cold and final—the rules stood firm. If anyone dared break them, his old bones would tear heaven apart.

If you won't play by the rules, then no one plays at all.

With those words, Li Li Jingzhe spoke no more—he raised his seemingly ordinary bamboo staff, and the two supreme crowns above his head dissolved into boundless pure energy, coiling around the staff.

"After so many years without a fight, have you forgotten? When I broke through to Royal, how many Royal-level souls fell beneath this 'Royal-Slaying Staff'?"

Li Li Jingzhe's face was cold as he swung the staff—the sky above seemed to shatter, vast cosmic energy surging toward him, forming countless tiny runes along the staff's length.

Though the staff was barely a zhang long, in that instant, every Marquis Realm expert in Deep Abyss City felt only the shadow of that descending staff—filling their entire vision.

The "Black Water Divine Transformation Array" shielding the entire city trembled violently, faint cracks beginning to form.

Unimaginable—if not for this array, even the residual shockwave of that single strike would have leveled the city.

Is this the true power of a Double-Crowned King?

This was true annihilation.

Amid the stunned horror of countless onlookers, the staff-shadow descended with boundless killing intent, directly striking the position where Qin Jiujie stood.