The memory projection of Ye Chen’s past life moved Liu Xuan deeply.
Gritting her teeth, she pulled out twenty thousand High-grade Spirit Stones, risking a spiritual backlash to forcefully extend the illusion. The so-called illusion was nothing more than a manifestation of Ye Chen’s deepest, most profound memories. Through this experience, she gained a deeper comprehension of illusion weaving.
With a graceful smile, Liu Xuan said, "Junior Brother Ye Chen, I've gained some enlightenment and must return to Ethereal Peak now."
Ye Chen nodded.
Soon, Liu Xuan stepped onto the air, her jade feet treading on brilliant flower petals, her figure exquisitely beautiful as she floated into the distance.
The field fell silent. Everyone was stunned. They hadn't expected Ye Chen’s Soul Power to be even stronger than Liu Xuan’s!
Deep within the void, the Sect Master watched Ye Chen with shock. "That boy Ye Chen’s Soul Power is truly terrifying!"
They had all seen the truth: Ye Chen had fallen into Liu Xuan’s illusion, but instead of losing consciousness, he had used his own Soul Power to forcefully sustain the illusion, drawing on his deep, emotional memories.
Gu Yuefang sighed with emotion. "Ye Chen is likely the number one Soul Power master among the younger generation of our Grand Dao Sect!"
The Ethereal Peak Master smiled faintly. "However, this battle with Ye Chen was a huge gain for Xuan'er. She forcefully wove the illusion for him, and the reward was immense!"
The Peak Masters all lamented. "First, Ji Fuyao defeated Liu Xuan, and now her junior brother has done the same."
The Sect Master was in high spirits. Regardless of the process, placing Ji Fuyao and Ye Chen on Azure Mystery Peak under Lu Xuan’s tutelage had yielded excellent results.
Lu Xuan, well done! the Sect Master mentally transmitted to him.
Lu Xuan, who was slowly sitting up from his recliner, looked utterly bewildered. "Sect Master, what do you mean?"
The Sect Master replied, "It seems your role as a master is actually working out quite well."
Lu Xuan froze. This was the first time the Sect Master had ever praised him, yet it felt strange. His heart was crawling with ten thousand ants, tickling him. He was completely unaccustomed to it!
Seriously? Do I really need the Sect Master to praise me to feel good?
I’m so cheap! Lu Xuan thought, immediately lying back down on his recliner and gazing into the void.
Just then, Fang Yan stepped forward. He laughed heartily. "Junior Brother Ye Chen, I don't know what you saw in that illusion, but now it’s time for our match. I hope you give it your all!"
Ye Chen smiled. "I will give it my best, Senior Brother."
Seeing the gloom vanish from Ye Chen’s face, Fang Yan spoke in a coarse, booming voice. "Junior Brother Ye Chen, there’s something I’ve been holding in for too long. Before we spar, I have to say it."
Ye Chen nodded. "Please speak, Senior Brother."
Fang Yan burst into rough, uninhibited laughter. "Junior Brother Ye Chen, what I want to say is... you eat like a slow woman! Dragging your feet!"
At this, everyone remembered how Ye Chen ate and burst into uproarious laughter, doubling over.
"Hahahahaha!"
Fang Yan pounded his chest, his flesh radiating a brilliant golden light and emitting a metallic clang. "Junior Brother Ye Chen, promise me you'll change your ways!"
Ye Chen smiled. "Alright."
In the deep void, the Body Tempering Peak Master smiled faintly. "Ye Chen is no match for Fang Yan. Fang Yan's Body Tempering Realm is now approaching Great Perfection, combining both offense and defense! I doubt Ye Chen can even break his defense!"
The Sect Master chuckled. "Perhaps Ye Chen has a hidden card. Let's wait and see."
Soon, the match began.
Brilliant golden light erupted from Fang Yan. His body seemed indestructible, and the power of his blood surged within him, creating the sound of crashing waves. In an instant, Fang Yan's aura reached its peak, possessing both supreme offense and supreme defense!
Fang Yan stepped into the air and charged directly at Ye Chen, a pure, terrifying physical force. The air shrieked as he tore through the sky.
Ye Chen remained calm and composed, instantly activating the power of the Desolate Heaven Art. In the space of a single breath, an overwhelmingly domineering aura surged from his body. Violent spiritual energy erupted from him like a storm.
In that moment, Ye Chen’s white robes billowed in the wind, his black hair danced, and a faint divine radiance emanated from him, making him look like a God-Child descending to the mortal world—absolutely invincible!
Before he even moved, an Invincible Stance had already formed!
Ye Chen’s martial aura was like a blazing furnace, fiercely burning with monstrous power.
Suddenly, Ye Chen moved, slamming out a single palm strike.
Instantly, Ye Chen and Fang Yan clashed, palm against fist.
The violent gale of energy exploded outward from their center. The two supreme offensive forces collided, like mountains crashing together, threatening to shatter the heavens and collapse the earth.
Boom!
Crack!
The sound of breaking bones echoed through the void.
In the next instant, Fang Yan was sent flying backward, like a kite with a snapped string, crashing heavily onto Azure Mystery Peak.
Thud!
A massive, deep pit was instantly smashed into the ground!
Seeing this, the field fell into a dead silence. Everyone looked at Ye Chen in utter shock.
Ye Chen had defeated Fang Yan with a single palm strike!
One must remember that Fang Yan had used his full power, pushing his physical strength to the absolute limit, achieving a state of extreme offense and defense!
Yet, Ye Chen had instantly defeated him!
The disciples of Body Tempering Peak immediately flew down to Fang Yan, attempting to help him up.
Fang Yan cried out in pain, his face pale. "Don't move! They're broken!"
Everyone was stunned.
Ye Chen quickly flew down. "Senior Brother Fang Yan, my apologies. I used a little too much force."
Fang Yan’s face twitched. His mentality was shattered. He had been severely burned by Ji Fuyao’s single attack before, and now he had been severely injured by Ye Chen’s single palm strike!
He began to suspect that Azure Mystery Peak was cursed against him!
Crucially, both Ji Fuyao and Ye Chen had achieved victory by fighting across realms, defeating a superior opponent!
Just then, the voice of the Body Tempering Peak Master drifted down from the void. "Someone, carry your Senior Brother back."
Upon hearing this, several Body Tempering Peak disciples brought out a stretcher and carefully lifted Fang Yan onto it. Fang Yan howled in pain. "Oww, slowly! I can't take it!"
One of the disciples apologized weakly. "Senior Brother, did we hurt you?"
Fang Yan gritted his teeth. "Forget it, just hurry up and carry me back for treatment!"
Another disciple timidly spoke up. "Senior Brother, this stretcher... it's the same one we used to carry you back last time, during the Inner Sect Trial."
Fang Yan’s face darkened. "If you don't know what to say, then just cough."
The disciple cleared his throat twice. "Cough, cough."
Everyone: "..."
Fang Yan felt utterly miserable! He had spent months in seclusion, believing he could finally defeat Ji Fuyao! Yet, he couldn't even defeat Ji Fuyao’s junior brother, Ye Chen! It was too humiliating!
Above the void, the shock on the faces of the Sect Master and the others lingered.
The Body Tempering Peak Master looked at the Sect Master. "Sect Master, since when did Ye Chen cultivate the martial Dao?"
The Sect Master looked utterly lost. "I truly don't know! Lu Xuan never told me anything!"
The Sword Peak Saint said, "I observe that Ye Chen’s martial will is incredibly profound, like a boundless furnace. This is not something that can be refined in a short time!"
Gu Yuefang, the Pill Peak Peak Master, laughed exasperatedly. "That boy Ye Chen is too secretive! He hid his alchemy talent, only to shock everyone at the Pill Refining Exchange Conference. Now he possesses the martial Dao as well. Is he trying to defy the heavens?"
Everyone laughed. "Dual cultivation of alchemy and martial arts? We can no longer see through this boy Ye Chen."
The Sect Master pondered for a moment, then sighed. "Lu Xuan must have known. Yet, this master and disciple pair kept it hidden, even from me!"
Everyone: "..."
The Sect Master grew angrier the more he thought about it and immediately sent a mental transmission to Lu Xuan.
Lu! Xuan! What in the world are you doing? Give me an explanation!
Lu Xuan slowly rose from his recliner, looking utterly confused.
What the hell? What did I do now?
Just a moment ago, the Sect Master had praised him. Why was he yelling at him again?
Lu Xuan asked, "Sect Master, what is it?"
The Sect Master angrily replied, "Ye Chen possesses such powerful martial talent, why didn't you tell me?"
Lu Xuan said, "Didn't Ye Chen ringing the Grand Dao Bell already prove his heaven-defying talent?"
The Sect Master froze. He suddenly realized that because Ye Chen’s performance at the alchemy conference had been so astonishing, they had completely overlooked his martial cultivation talent. After all, few people pursued dual cultivation of alchemy and martial arts!
The Sect Master sternly instructed Lu Xuan. "From now on, whether it's Fuyao or Ye Chen, if anything happens, you must inform me."
Lu Xuan replied, "Understood."
At that moment, Luo Lingkong slowly stepped forward, his blue robes fluttering. He looked at Ye Chen. "Junior Brother Ye Chen, do you have the strength left to continue the fight?"
Ye Chen stepped into the air. "Senior Brother Luo Lingkong, please enlighten me."
Luo Lingkong smiled. "Before you defeated Fang Yan, I held a slight contempt for you! Now, I apologize. Your martial will is extremely powerful. You are worthy of receiving my supreme strike."
Ye Chen frowned slightly, his expression serious. "Supreme strike?"
Luo Lingkong explained, "My supreme strike is called the Instant Void Sword! It is a sword strike that sacrifices all my power. It possesses only offense, no defense! After unleashing it, I will be completely weakened."
Ye Chen was slightly startled. The Instant Void Sword!
This sword strike was essentially the manifestation of Luo Lingkong’s Willpower/Persistent Thought!
Luo Lingkong’s eyes blazed. "Months ago, I fought your Senior Sister Ji Fuyao and used my supreme strike, but I lost. After months of seclusion, I have gained new comprehension. My Sword Dao is now stronger!"
Ye Chen nodded. "Senior Brother, please strike."
In the next instant, Luo Lingkong’s mind moved, and the spirit sword in his hand erupted with terrifying sword intent. The sharp, unparalleled aura surged around him like a great river.
Sword energy burst forth from his body, and his spirit sword let out a clear chime, radiating a brilliant light.
Luo Lingkong unleashed his strike.
The sword energy soared to the heavens, transforming into a long rainbow that pierced through the void. The sword energy was so sharp it seemed capable of tearing the sky and splitting the earth.
Many disciples cried out in alarm. This single sword strike gave them a feeling of profound dread.
At this moment, Ye Chen’s expression was solemn. Facing this strike, he knew he had to use his full power!
Suddenly, boundless martial will surged from Ye Chen’s body, like a volcanic eruption. Divine radiance poured out around him, and a domineering, overwhelming aura permeated the air, sweeping across the sky like the waters of a vast ocean.
Stance!
A powerful Invincible Stance had formed around Ye Chen!
It was a Stance of absolute invincibility!
"Desolate Heaven Art!"
In an instant, many disciples looking at Ye Chen felt a slight sting in their spiritual seas. The great Invincible Stance emanating from Ye Chen was boundless, as if intent on crushing everything in its path.
This Stance was several times stronger than the life-or-death Willpower/Persistent Thought contained in Luo Lingkong’s sword!
Ye Chen slammed his palm down!
……