Chapter 1548: Quasi-Emperor?

"Seeking death," Zhi Yang Dao Ren sneered coldly. He took a step forward and soared into the sky, wielding his Zhun Di Sword and slashing down from above.

"You think you can destroy me?" Ye Chen roared with a resounding voice. He charged straight ahead without dodging, using his Sheng Ti to clash head-on. His golden fist clenched tightly, manifesting the universe in his palm, utterly domineering.

Puff! Puff!

Fresh blood splattered as Zhi Yang Dao Ren's sword struck Ye Chen's shoulder, nearly severing his arm, the Sheng blood glaringly vivid. In return, he paid the price, taking a punch from Ye Chen that mangled half his body, sending blood and bones flying.

"This is just too..." The cultivators from all sides were stunned, their eyes wide and mouths agape as they swallowed hard, thinking they must be seeing things.

In this direct clash, Zhi Yang Dao Ren, at the peak of Da Sheng level, was left battered and bloody by a single punch from Ye Chen, who was only at Zhun Sheng level.

"What's going on? When did Zhun Sheng level become this powerful?" Many scratched their heads, feeling dizzy and confused.

"Truly overbearing and unmatched—the Sheng bone of a fully accomplished Sheng Ti," Xi Zun and Zhong Huang said with a shake of their heads and a smile, equally shocked.

"He's actually forcing back a Da Sheng," Feng Xian exclaimed in shock, her face pale as she hurriedly activated a teleportation array platform.

"This is impossible," Zhi Yang Dao Ren roared, his voice echoing through the heavens, his face twisted in ferocity.

He was a Da Sheng, at the peak of that realm, just a step away from Zhun Di, and he wielded a Zhun Di weapon. Yet, he was beaten to the point of vomiting blood by a mere Zhun Sheng—this was a humiliation, an utter disgrace.

Ye Chen stood firm in the void, his voice booming like rolling thunder that shattered the ancient skies. "You've provoked the wrong person."

As he spoke, a golden divine light shot from the top of his head, piercing straight into the sky and tearing a massive hole in the heavens.

His vital energy surged like rivers and oceans, vast and roaring. His divine eyes radiated golden light, wrapped in golden glory, and his Sheng Ti seemed forged from pure gold, too dazzling to look at directly.

Centered on him, visible golden ripples spread infinitely—this was an overwhelming pressure that shattered space, collapsed the void, and made the heavens and earth lose their color.

"Zhun Di..." Zhi Yang Dao Ren's expression changed drastically.

"How could this be Zhun Di level pressure?" The cultivators around were stunned, their mouths hanging open wide enough to fit a dinosaur egg.

"He's clearly just Zhun Sheng—where is this Zhun Di level aura coming from?"

"No wonder he slaughtered a hundred thousand cultivators—he had such a trump card." Discussions erupted like a tidal wave.

"The root is in the Sheng bone—he's fused with the Sheng bone of a fully accomplished Sheng Ti," the elder cultivators cried out in surprise, as if uncovering the truth, their aged bodies trembling with shock.

"The Sheng bone of a fully accomplished Sheng Ti?" The younger cultivators were baffled.

"That's right. He went to Tian Xu and fused with Chen Zhan's Sheng bone. The person who emerged from Tian Xu earlier was Ye Chen."

Wise and powerful figures pieced together the secret.

As soon as these words were spoken, the entire realm was thrown into an uproar.

Everyone present finally understood why Ye Chen had been revived—it must have been Tian Xu's doing—and why he was so strong—it was because he'd fused with Chen Zhan's Sheng bone from Tian Xu.

"The infamous Tian Xu actually saved Ye Chen."

"And let him fuse with Chen Zhan's Sheng bone. What kind of relationship does Ye Chen have with the forbidden zones? Is Ye Chen one of them?"

"This is unbelievable, a taboo?"

Shocks and murmurs rose one after another, filled with doubt and inner turmoil.

Ye Chen's pressure was too immense; many in the crowd couldn't bear it and fell in droves, involuntarily kneeling down.

"I won't get involved in your grudge with her anymore," Zhi Yang Dao Ren said immediately, sheathing his sword and turning to flee.

He was shocked too, unaware that Ye Chen had such a fortuitous opportunity. No wonder he dared to clash directly with that overbearing sword strike.

Fusing with the Sheng bone of a fully accomplished Sheng Ti granted Zhun Di level pressure. Below Zhun Di, few could match him.

Zhi Yang Dao Ren was only a Da Sheng, not a Zhun Di, and couldn't withstand the might of that Sheng bone. Continuing the fight would likely end in his defeat.

"After opposing me time and again, you think you can just leave?" Ye Chen scolded coldly and stepped through the sky, slamming down a golden palm.

The Zhun Di level pressure was formidable, especially from a fully accomplished Sheng Ti's Sheng bone. Before the palm even landed, the heavens collapsed.

Zhi Yang Dao Ren raged and gripped his sword with both hands, blocking upward.

As the golden palm descended, even his strength couldn't hold; his legs bent, his body cracked, and fresh blood sprayed out.

"Do you really want to fight to the death?" Zhi Yang Dao Ren roared, his vital energy surging as he forcibly withstood the golden palm.

"What's the matter? Afraid?" Ye Chen struck down another palm from the heavens.

"Though the Sheng bone is strong, its power wanes with each use. Do you truly want to fight me to the bitter end?" Zhi Yang Dao Ren swung his sword but still vomited blood and retreated.

"Destroying you is more than enough." Ye Chen enhanced his divine abilities and secret techniques, with ancient seal scripts flowing over his golden palm, making its power even greater.

Blood splashed as Zhi Yang Dao Ren's newly healed body exploded again, his bones ground to fragments.

After reforming his body, Zhi Yang Dao Ren fled at once, waving his hand to summon a teleportation domain gate, unwilling to fight further.

"Still trying to escape?" Ye Chen scolded and activated the Shifting Heavens and Exchanging Earth secret technique, swapping positions with the domain gate.

Zhi Yang Dao Ren's face changed, and he retreated instantly, his speed astonishing.

But Ye Chen was faster. In one step, he caught up, closed in, and without a word, launched an attack—his golden fist invincible.

Many onlookers turned away, unable to watch.

The Sheng Ti's physical body was unbeatable; once close, it was a nightmare. What good was being a Da Sheng? He couldn't even lift his head.

Indeed, Zhi Yang Dao Ren was in a pitiful state, beaten by Ye Chen all the way from the eastern void to the western skies, with no chance to counter.

The scene was bloody, with blood rain pouring down, staining the heavens red, and broken bones and flesh flying everywhere, making hearts race with fear.

Ah!

Zhi Yang Dao Ren howled; every attempt to counter was beaten back. He had a full arsenal of secret techniques but no opportunity to use them.

He was truly wretched, his body a mess of blood and bones, no longer resembling a human form, with stark white bones and chunks of flesh exposed.

In contrast, Ye Chen was ferocious, growing stronger with each blow, his vital energy overwhelming and seemingly endless.

The Sheng bone of a fully accomplished Sheng Ti gave him ample capital—each punch drew blood, and each one hit harder than the last.

He was like a war god, his aura dominating the eight directions, shattering the heavens and earth, his bare fists inverting the universe.

"This is just too fierce." The watching cultivators swallowed hard. "Even at Da Sheng peak level, he's no match."

"I've seen fierce, but never this fierce."

"A fully accomplished Sheng Ti can rival a great emperor—it's no joke. Even without full power, it's still supreme."

"His life is truly full of wonders." Zhong Huang took a deep breath, his eyes filled with wariness.

No sooner had he spoken than a boom shook the heavens and earth.

Looking over, a massive mountain had been crushed by Zhi Yang Dao Ren's falling body, sending rocks flying everywhere.

Ye Chen stood in the void, his oppressive force covering the nine heavens. In his hand, he held a bloody arm.

That arm was Zhi Yang Dao Ren's, torn off by him.

And in that hand's grasp was the Fen Ji Zhun Di Sword.

Ye Chen crushed the arm and once again seized the Zhun Di Sword. With the Sheng bone's power, the sword's might grew even stronger.

Zhi Yang Dao Ren staggered up from the rubble.

He was no longer human-shaped, his vital energy depleted, beaten nearly to death, his body having exploded countless times.

Zhi Yang Dao Ren's body trembled as a wisp of dark light and a wisp of golden light flew from his lower abdomen—these were Ye Chen's immortal fire and heavenly thunder. Now, with Ye Chen's overwhelming presence, he summoned them with his intent, along with the Chaos Cauldron, and all three returned to him.

"I've admitted my fault. Do you still want to fight?" Zhi Yang Dao Ren roared, glaring at the sky with blood-red eyes, grinding his teeth in fury.

"Can your apology bring back my dead loved ones?" Ye Chen advanced step by step, holding the blood-stained Fen Ji, his words still icy and laden with supreme pressure.

"The grievances have heads, and debts have owners—they weren't killed by me."

"If you hadn't saved Feng Xian in the Western Desert, my family wouldn't have met such a tragic end." Ye Chen's voice thundered through the skies, his golden eyes turning blood-red, filled with chilling killing intent.

"You..."

"Once was bad enough—I endured it. But a second time, and now a third—you'll pay the bloody price for your arrogance." Ye Chen suddenly swung the Fen Ji.

The Zhun Di weapon's sword strike unleashed an immortal river, splitting the heavens and earth.

Zhi Yang Dao Ren dared not confront it and fled with his battered body, roaring furiously, "Do you know who I am?"

"I've provoked the ten thousand clans of Nan Yu—what more can you use to scare me?" Ye Chen sneered and pursued with the sword in hand.

Zhi Yang Dao Ren said no more, burning his yuan shen power and fleeing for his life, devoid of any Da Sheng dignity.

Indeed, threatening Ye Chen now was futile.

The ten thousand clans of Nan Yu, with nine Zhun Di and nine Zhun Di weapons, plus over a million cultivators—Ye Chen had still emerged victorious from that.

Compared to being hunted by the clans, this was just a minor skirmish.

The world was no longer at peace. Zhi Yang Dao Ren stumbled ahead in escape, while Ye Chen followed unhurriedly.

Behind them came the spectators, a vast crowd, all eager to see Zhi Yang Dao Ren's fate.

Ye Chen occasionally swung his sword, each strike sending Zhi Yang Dao Ren flying and drenching the heavens in fresh blood.

Zhi Yang Dao Ren was miserable, focused only on escape, burning his yuan shen power and lifespan, leaving a trail of blood.

"This is karma," someone said bluntly. "He tried to destroy Ye Chen before, and now he's like a stray dog."

"Let that Zhi Yang bully everyone—serves him right." Many were indignant, young and old alike.

"What a satisfying sight—better if Ye Chen finishes him."

"Huh? Where's Feng Xian?" Someone glanced around.

Too focused on the battle, they'd overlooked that vicious woman. Now, looking for her, she was already gone.

"With Ye Chen's power, she's probably fled."

"Thinking about it, the bloodbath at Zhutian Mountain, the capture of many divine children, the destruction of numerous families, the slaughter of a hundred thousand cultivators, and now Zhi Yang Dao Ren's pursuit—all stem from her mischief. And she's run away."

"What a disaster. Because of her personal grudge, so many have been dragged down. Those killed by Ye Chen are likely waiting for her in the afterlife to settle scores."

"If I were Ye Chen, I'd have killed her first. Now that she's escaped, finding her in the vast Xuan Huang will be tough."

"You think of it, so would Sheng Ti Ye Chen? In my view, Ye Chen has probably set up restrictions. No matter where Feng Xian flees, he can catch her—otherwise, he wouldn't let her go so easily." An old man stroked his beard and said.