Chapter 1248

Chapter 1248: The Strange Nine Zhun Sheng

After slashing away seven Zhun Sheng, Ye Chen dared not linger and turned to escape immediately.

"Where are you going!"

Ahead, nine figures blocked Ye Chen's path, all of them Zhun Sheng.

These nine Zhun Sheng were extraordinarily strange, all clad in black robes and gripping chains etched with talismans. Their faces were obscured by secret techniques, appearing hazy and chaotic, with an aura of yin and death surrounding them, like death gods from the underworld.

"That is..."

In the crowd, the chubby old man narrowed his eyes slightly, as if recognizing the faction these nine belonged to.

Whoosh...

As the chubby old man murmured, the nine Zhun Sheng had already attacked, each brandishing their chains like slithering serpents. Every chain radiated demonic power, sealing off the surrounding star space.

Ye Chen frowned and retreated swiftly, swinging his sacred weapon to fend off the encroaching chains. He could sense the strangeness of these nine; they were no ordinary Zhun Sheng, especially their chains, which targeted the Yuan Shen. If he were careless and got locked, his Yuan Shen would likely be torn out on the spot.

Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!

The star space echoed with the sounds of metal clashing, sparks flying fiercely from the sword and chains.

"What are those people?"

"Those chains are so strange—are they artifacts specifically for locking the Yuan Shen?"

"They give off a chilling sensation that shakes the soul!"

Voices of astonishment filled the surrounding star space, with many showing wariness toward the nine Zhun Sheng.

"Kill!"

The seven Zhun Sheng that Ye Chen had previously slashed away charged back, ambushing him from behind.

Ye Chen let out a cold laugh and spun around, his sword carving out a silver galaxy. The seven Zhun Sheng were sent flying once more, and one or two of them even had their bodies explode into bloody mist.

Witnessing this, everyone present sighed in admiration. "You seven are Zhun Sheng, and those nine are also Zhun Sheng. How can the gap between fellow Zhun Sheng be so vast!"

Ye Chen faced off against the nine strange Zhun Sheng again.

Compared to the seven he had just slashed away, these nine were truly terrifying. They hailed from the same faction, their coordination nearly flawless, and their divine abilities all targeted the Yuan Shen. Even he dared not clash with them head-on.

The white-robed youth on his back wearily opened his eyes, his smile tinged with desolation. If not for suppressing his heavenly tribulation, he would not have risked undergoing it here. Now that his tribulation had arrived, he had drawn not only the heavenly calamity but also so many powerful foes. He knew he could not escape this ordeal.

At that thought, he glanced at Ye Chen, unsure why Ye Chen was saving him. He only knew that Ye Chen's back felt warm, easing the shiver in his cold body.

"Put me down—you can't fight them!"

The white-robed youth spoke hoarsely, his breath weak, as if he had suffered irreparable wounds from the heavenly tribulation, his gaze dimmed.

"What nonsense!"

Ye Chen chuckled and placed him into the Hun Dun Cauldron, then poured in a surge of sacred body essence.

Meanwhile, the reincarnated figures of Da Chu inside the Hun Dun Cauldron were not idle. They hurriedly channeled their true essence and mystical power into the white-robed youth. From his appearance, they had recognized him as a renowned figure from Da Chu a hundred years ago, known to everyone there.

"Delay will only invite trouble!"

Ye Chen scanned the surrounding heavens, swung his sword, and then used the Shrink the Ground to an Inch technique to flee.

However, at that moment, a beam of desolate ghostly light shot from the distant star space, as if traversing ancient eras.

"A Sheng Ren!"

Ye Chen's brow furrowed as he abruptly raised his sword to block.

Clang!

The ghostly light struck the killing sword precisely, the metallic clash ringing out clearly. Ye Chen was sent tumbling away.

Seeing this, the nine Zhun Sheng rushed forward, each forming hand seals. Nine black pillars pierced the star space, all inscribed with ancient divine patterns and order chains that intertwined to form a massive barrier. It was etched with sealing arrays and slaughtering secrets. As soon as Ye Chen steadied himself, he was trapped inside.

"It's that kind of barrier!"

Among the onlookers, many with sharp eyes recognized the nature of the barrier the nine Zhun Sheng had summoned, and they understood its terror.

"Open for me!"

Ye Chen roared, his vital energy surging, yet even with his power, he could not break free.

At that point, the nine Zhun Sheng divided into groups of three, positioning themselves in three directions of the star space.

"Seal the souls!"

Three Zhun Sheng shouted coldly and thrust their chains through Ye Chen's body, locking his three souls.

"Forbid the spirits!"

Another three spoke sinisterly, sealing his seven spirits.

"Lock the god!"

The final three drove their chains straight into Ye Chen's divine sea, binding his Yuan Shen.

At this sight, cultivators from all sides sighed. The older experts saw through it clearly, knowing the origins of the nine Zhun Sheng and the dominance of their techniques. Once struck, one was likely doomed.

"Exterminate!"

Amid the sighs, the nine Zhun Sheng declared in unison, their voices sinister, icy, ethereal, and authoritative, like a judgment from the heavens.

"Do you really think I'm just for show?"

Ye Chen sneered, releasing Hun Dun Dao principles. Strands of order law chains wove together into a Dao principle divine sword, slashing through the chains that bound him.

The nine Zhun Sheng grunted in unison, blood spilling from their mouths as they suffered backlash.

"Outer path dharma form, activate!"

Ye Chen bellowed, unleashing the Hun Dun phenomenon. It was like a true world, radiating immortal light and vibrant colors, with mountains, rivers, trees, and flowers all interwoven with Dao principles, as if alive. Ye Chen stood within it like an immortal king.

"This... what kind of phenomenon is this!"

The surrounding cultivators stared in shock at Ye Chen's outer path dharma form, having never seen anything so vast.

"The laws of Hun Dun, the ways of all things!"

The chubby old man and Gu Lan murmured lightly, their eyes filled with awe.

"Break!"

Under everyone's gaze, Ye Chen expanded the Hun Dun world, instantly shattering the barrier that trapped him.

Pfft! Pfft! Pfft!

Coughing up blood, the nine Zhun Sheng who controlled the barrier were flung away, suffering another massive backlash. Horror filled their eyes—they had no idea Ye Chen was so powerful, able to break both their soul-locking techniques and this god-trapping barrier, something even ordinary Sheng Ren could hardly do.

"Now it's my turn!"

Ye Chen's expression turned icy as he used Shrink the Ground to an Inch to instantly appear before one Zhun Sheng.

"You..."

That Zhun Sheng's face changed, trying to flee, but he could not escape annihilation. His head was severed on the spot, his Yuan Shen extinguished.

"Retreat!"

The remaining eight Zhun Sheng fled hastily. Ye Chen was too unpredictable; nine of them were no match, let alone eight now.

"Where are you going!"

Ye Chen soared through the sky, his golden hand covering the star space like a massive mountain. The eight fleeing Zhun Sheng staggered under the pressure, and one was particularly unlucky—perhaps due to weaker cultivation, his body was crushed, and as his Yuan Shen tried to escape, Ye Chen stomped it to dust.

Pfft! Pfft! Pfft!

Blood splattered continuously as the remaining seven Zhun Sheng fared no better. Four heads were chopped off in succession, two Zhun Sheng had their bodies and Yuan Shen blasted to pieces by Ye Chen's fist, and the last one fled desperately. Though he ran quickly, he still met his end.

"Impressive!"

Watching the blood-soaked Ye Chen, cultivators from all sides exclaimed in admiration.

Counting it up, since emerging from his seclusion, Ye Chen had slain over a dozen Zhun Sheng in a row, many of whom were no ordinary ones. Such feats had surpassed the realm of imperial cultivators.

"Excellent!"

Amid the exclamations, an ethereal voice suddenly echoed, dead and chilling, as if from the nine layers of hell, causing a momentary daze in the mind.

"A Sheng Ren!"

The chubby old man and Gu Lan both turned toward one direction, their eyes narrowing.

Not just them, many veteran cultivators scanned that area, wariness in their gazes, even from the Sheng Ren.

Ye Chen stood in the star space, his expression cold as he stared into the depths. That person was the mysterious figure who had fired the desolate divine light earlier—a Sheng Ren, and an extremely powerful one, stronger than any he had encountered.

Under everyone's watchful eyes, a black shadow emerged from the distant star space.

It was utterly strange, just a shadow with no visible face, its aura flickering in and out like a ghost, gloomy and desolate. Its eyes, glowing with ghostly light, were impossible to meet directly, like bottomless abysses that could swallow the mind.

"Fight!"

With a domineering roar, Ye Chen stepped into the sky and charged at the black shadow.

At this, everyone held their breath, eager to see how long this ruthless slayer of over a dozen Zhun Sheng could hold out against a powerful Sheng Ren.

To everyone's surprise, Ye Chen, who had charged halfway, suddenly turned and fled.