Remove redundant readmore from featured slider

function fabulous_fluid_page_slider() {
    $quantity   = apply_filters( 'fabulous_fluid_get_option', 'featured_slide_number' );

    $excerpt_more_text  = apply_filters( 'fabulous_fluid_get_option', 'excerpt_more_text' );

    global $post;

    $output         = '';
    $number_of_page = 0;        // for number of pages
    $page_list      = array();  // list of valid page ids

    //Get number of valid pages
    for( $i = 1; $i <= $quantity; $i++ ){
        if( apply_filters( 'fabulous_fluid_get_option', 'featured_slider_page_' . $i ) && apply_filters( 'fabulous_fluid_get_option', 'featured_slider_page_' . $i ) > 0 ){
            $number_of_page++;

            $page_list  =   array_merge( $page_list, array( apply_filters( 'fabulous_fluid_get_option', 'featured_slider_page_' . $i ) ) );
        }

    }

    if ( !empty( $page_list ) && $number_of_page > 0 ) {
        $get_featured_posts = new WP_Query( array(
            'posts_per_page'    => $quantity,
            'post_type'         => 'page',
            'post__in'          => $page_list,
            'orderby'           => 'post__in'
        ));

        $i=0;

        while ( $get_featured_posts->have_posts() ) {
            $get_featured_posts->the_post();

            $i++;

            $title_attribute = the_title_attribute( array( 'echo' => false ) );

            $classes = 'page page-' . $post->ID . ' slider-box';

            if ( $i == 1 ) {
                $classes .= ' first';
            }

            //Default value if there is no featurd image or first image
            $image_url = get_template_directory_uri() . '/images/no-featured-image-1680x720.jpg';
            $image     = '<img class="wp-post-image no-featured-image" src="'.get_template_directory_uri().'/images/no-featured-image-1680x720.jpg">';

            if ( has_post_thumbnail() ) {
                $image =  get_the_post_thumbnail( $post->ID, 'fabulous-fluid-slider', array( 'title' => $title_attribute, 'alt' => $title_attribute, 'class' => 'wp-post-image' ) );

                $image_url = get_the_post_thumbnail_url( $post->ID, 'fabulous-fluid-slider' );
            }
            else {
                //Get the first image in page, returns false if there is no image
                $first_image = fabulous_fluid_get_first_image( $post->ID, 'fabulous-fluid-slider', array( 'title' => $title_attribute, 'alt' => $title_attribute ) );

                //Set value of image as first image if there is an image present in the page
                if ( '' != $first_image ) {
                    $image = $first_image;

                    $image_url = fabulous_fluid_get_first_image( $post->ID, 'fabulous-fluid-slider', '', true );
                }
            }

            $tag = "a";

            $content = get_the_excerpt();
            $content = preg_replace("/<\\/?" . $tag . "(.|\\s)*?>/", null,$content);

            $output .= '
            <a class="' . $classes . '" data-cycle-pager-template="<div class=\'thumbnail thumbnail-' . $i . '\'><span class=\'cover\'></span>' . the_title( '<h2>','</h2>', false ) . '<img src=\'' . esc_url( $image_url ) .'\'></div>" title="'. $title_attribute . '" href="' . esc_url( get_permalink() ) . '">';

                $output .=  $image;

                $output .= '
                <div class="caption">
                    <span class="vcenter">
                        ' . the_title( '<span class="entry-title">','</span>', false ) . '

                        <span class="entry-content">' . wp_kses_post( $content ) . '</span>

                        <span class="more">' . esc_html( $excerpt_more_text ) . '</span>
                    </span><!-- .vcenter -->
                </div><!-- .caption -->
            </a><!-- .slider-box -->';
        } //endwhile

        wp_reset_query();
    }
    return $output;
}