Chapter 1762: That's Right!

Ye Chen couldn't help but chuckle. He gently brushed the dust off his shoulder and said, "What a heavy killing intent, what a failure to achieve true enlightenment, what a plea to show mercy where it can be shown. Truly, a senior is a senior— even this admonition is full of profound meaning."

Shang Shan stroked his beard lightly, still maintaining his elder's demeanor. Though it was sheer hypocrisy, his face bore an expression of deep compassion, as if eager for the world to see how benevolent he was. "Considering your shallow cultivation and lack of worldly experience, I won't hold it against you. Waste your own powers, and I'll spare your life. Don't make this difficult for me."

"Kill him, finish off this bastard," Kui Niu in the furnace rolled up his sleeves, his bull eyes gleaming with cold light as flames shot out. Shang Shan was just like Zhi Yang from the past— both hid their true natures behind the facade of a senior, cloaking their deceit in false benevolence, their ugliness on full display.

"What a load of crap for a Quasi-Emperor, just a worthless piece of trash," Li Changsheng jumped up high, spitting as he cursed.

"Twisting right and wrong like that— I've never seen such a shameless Quasi-Emperor," the human cultivators around muttered angrily, grinding their teeth in frustration, their insides churning with rage, itching to kill. If only they had the strength, they would have charged over and kicked that hypocritical dog to death.

"Waste your powers," the Qiong Qi Ninth Prince and the other Qiong Qi were utterly unrestrained, baring their sharp white teeth and licking their blood-red tongues, more demonic than devils themselves. They couldn't wait to see Ye Chen die.

"Why haven't you done it yet?" Shang Shan said indifferently, growing impatient. He looked down at Ye Chen like a king, his expression stern and icy.

"Go to hell," Ye Chen shouted, striding forward and shattering the star space. He clenched his golden fist, channeling a secret technique, and charged straight at Shang Shan.

"How reckless," Shang Shan snorted coldly, waving his hand to shroud the star space and slam down on Ye Chen. The power of that single palm could annihilate worlds.

Ye Chen's lips curved into a slight smile. In the split second before the palm struck, he vanished instantly. In his place, a Qiong Qi suddenly appeared— and not just any Qiong Qi, but a Great Saint one.

Indeed, he had used Shifting Heaven and Earth, swapping places with the Qiong Qi behind Shang Shan to dodge the suppression.

Ye Chen escaped, but the Qiong Qi that took his place wasn't so lucky. It had no idea what hit it and was obliterated in a daze by that palm, its soul scattered.

"Shifting Heaven and Earth?" Shang Shan frowned and turned abruptly, for Ye Chen was now behind him. But he was too late— before he could act, Ye Chen had already fled.

"Can't say it's not impressive for a Quasi-Emperor— such keen insight, senior," Ye Chen said from several thousand zhang away, coming to a stop. He wasn't alone; in his hand, he held the Qiong Qi Ninth Prince.

Earlier, the Qiong Qi he swapped with had been standing right next to the Ninth Prince. By switching places, Ye Chen ended up closest to the prince— how could he not seize the opportunity? Or rather, he had targeted the Ninth Prince all along. As a prince of the Qiong Qi clan with royal bloodline, he was a valuable trump card.

From the moment Ye Chen launched his attack to now, everything happened in a flash. Not even the human cultivators, let alone Shang Shan, had time to react.

It was all because his maneuver was executed with perfect precision, timing and positioning flawless.

Originally, he didn't need to take such a risk— he could have used Turning Universe into Dust to evade and then access the Underworld. But having just comprehended Turning Universe into Dust, it still had flaws, and he couldn't open the dust space again so soon. He wanted to access the Underworld, but Shang Shan wouldn't give him the time. Helplessly, he had to risk capturing the Ninth Prince.

And it proved successful. A Quasi-Emperor at the peak had been outmaneuvered right under his nose.

The most bewildered was the Qiong Qi Ninth Prince himself— he had no clue what happened before he was captured by Ye Chen. A killing sword was pressed against his shoulder, its sharp energy targeting his primordial spirit.

"Nicely done," Kui Niu laughed, and Li Changsheng joined in, though they hadn't fully reacted— they only heard two whooshing sounds.

"Incredible," the human cultivators around clicked their tongues in amazement. To snatch someone from under a Quasi-Emperor's nose— this guy was the first.

"Save me, True Man, save me!" the Qiong Qi Ninth Prince cried out in terror, trembling all over as he felt Ye Chen's naked killing intent. If he didn't behave, he'd be reduced to ashes in the next instant.

"Release our clan's prince!" the other Qiong Qi roared in fury.

"Begging me is useless— you need to beg him," Ye Chen said with a laugh, glancing at Shang Shan.

"I underestimated you," Shang Shan's face turned iron-blue. As a Quasi-Emperor at the peak, to have a mere Saint snatch the Qiong Qi Ninth Prince from under his eyes— he had lost all face.

"When have you ever thought highly of me?" Ye Chen replied cheerfully.

"Release him, and I'll let you go," Shang Shan snapped coldly.

"Release him, and I'd die even faster!" Ye Chen sneered.

"Even if you don't release him, do you think you can escape alive?" Shang Shan's eyes flashed with cold light as he began channeling a secret technique in his palm.

"That remains to be seen," Ye Chen said with a smile. Casually, he raised his hand and tore off one of the Qiong Qi Ninth Prince's arms— quick and clean, leaving everyone stunned. Fresh blood sprayed out along with the prince's screams, a ghastly sight.

"Prince!" the other Qiong Qi panicked, their eyes turning blood-red.

"Don't push me to madness," Ye Chen ignored the Qiong Qi and stared at Shang Shan, his eyes wild. "Next time, it'll be his primordial spirit. Let's all go down together if it comes to that."

Shang Shan's gaze turned icy. With his level of cultivation, when had he ever been threatened? In that instant, he nearly struck.

But he held back. The Qiong Qi Ninth Prince's status was too sensitive— if anything went wrong, the Qiong Qi clan would hold him accountable. What good was being a Quasi-Emperor at the peak? In the eyes of the Qiong Qi, he was still insignificant. The Hong Huang was terrifying, and he knew that all too well.

He regretted it deeply. He shouldn't have wasted words earlier— he should have killed Ye Chen outright. Now, he was stuck, unable to advance or retreat, feeling utterly stifled.

"This is right!" Ye Chen chuckled sinisterly, gripping the Qiong Qi Ninth Prince as he backed away, then turned and fled.

"Don't you dare run!" Shang Shan shouted, using a massive step to pursue.

"Kill him!" the other Qiong Qi bellowed, charging en masse.

"Follow him," the human cultivators hesitated for a moment before rushing after, all senior experts. They had resolved to rescue Ye Chen if he was in danger, even if it meant facing a Quasi-Emperor at the peak— it would be their contribution to the heroes of the realms.

The star space grew lively again. Ye Chen fled ahead, with Shang Shan and the Qiong Qi chasing behind, joined by many human cultivators. Everywhere they passed, the void rumbled with tremendous commotion.

It was worth noting that Ye Chen's escape skills were as smooth as ever— even a Quasi-Emperor at the peak couldn't catch up.

Shang Shan's face twisted into something grotesque. Since reaching the Quasi-Emperor level, he had never lost face like this. Now, chasing a mere Saint and still being left far behind— what a waste of his years.

"That old face of his is truly ugly," Kui Niu and Li Changsheng grumbled from the furnace's mouth, though they laughed heartily.

"Keep an eye on him, don't let anything go wrong," Ye Chen said, tossing the Qiong Qi Ninth Prince into the bronze furnace and adding seals for reinforcement.

"My clan won't let you get away with this," the Qiong Qi Ninth Prince was tough, still roaring furiously even while sealed, his face a mix of terror and ferocity, like a demon.

"We love the stubborn ones," Kui Niu and Li Changsheng pounced, each grabbing an iron rod and beating him mercilessly. For scum like this, they figured, beat him until he's done.

Screams echoed through the bronze furnace as the Qiong Qi Ninth Prince, unable to fight back, was pummeled into a unrecognizable pulp.

"Take it easy— we're counting on him for leverage," Ye Chen scolded; those two were hitting too hard and might actually kill him.

"What else is there to say? Let's stew him!" Kui Niu and Li Changsheng lunged again, quickly ripping out the Qiong Qi Ninth Prince's primordial spirit and tossing his body into the iron pot.

What followed was quite the scene. Kui Niu and Li Changsheng bustled around the pot, adding ingredients, while the prince's primordial spirit was trapped nearby, forced to watch his own body being stewed. He raged like a mad dog.

As a Qiong Qi with royal bloodline, how proud he was— yet his body was being cooked, a humiliation beyond measure.

Ye Chen glanced over but said nothing more, continuing his escape. With the Quasi-Emperor weapon enhancing him, his speed left even Quasi-Emperors and Great Saints in the dust, pulling far ahead no matter how they chased.

While this side was chaotic, another part of the star space was just as bustling.

The battle between the Four Underworld Kings and the Qiong Qi clan's Gold and Silver Quasi-Emperors had ended. The outcome was no surprise— the Gold and Silver Quasi-Emperors were slain, and despite their attempts to flee, they couldn't escape.

"That area seems pretty lively," Song Di Wang looked up toward the distant star space, as if he could see Ye Chen being pursued.

"Unfortunately, the time for accessing the Underworld is almost up. We can't help him. Whether it's fortune or disaster, it'll depend on him," another said.

"What are the Quasi-Emperors of the Ten Thousand Realms even doing?" Tai Shan Wang grumbled, his temper flaring.

"Out of ten parts of combat strength, the Hong Huang clans hold more than six. The Ten Thousand Realms only have less than four, and with the previous invasion by the Heavenly Demons causing heavy losses, our strength is barely over two or three parts. If war breaks out, defeat is certain," Chu Jiang Wang sighed.

The four Underworld Kings— three were discussing, while Qin Guang Wang remained silent, quietly gazing at a section of the star space, his divine eyes slightly narrowed.

Seeing this, the other three followed his gaze.

There, they saw a young man striding through the void, clad in white robes fluttering in the wind, his demeanor serene. His eyes were like stars, his black hair cascading like a waterfall. He moved like an immortal king, each step infused with profound Dao mysteries.

The three Underworld Kings furrowed their brows, sensing the young man's extraordinary presence. As fellow Quasi-Emperors at the peak, his power subtly overshadowed theirs— even at full strength, they might not defeat this white-robed youth.

The Ten Thousand Realms hide many hidden dragons and crouching tigers— that was their shared thought.

Though the Ten Thousand Realms lacked an emperor, their peerless talents far surpassed the Underworld. Figures like the Nine Emperors of Great Chu, the Nine Divine Generals, and this white-robed youth before them were strong enough to astonish anyone.

"He's still alive," Qin Guang Wang murmured softly.

"How so? Do you know him?" the other three Underworld Kings turned, surprised that Qin Guang Wang, as an Underworld King, had acquaintances in the human world.

"Chen Yi, a supreme powerhouse. How could I not know him?" Qin Guang Wang took a deep breath, his expression serious.

"Chen Yi?" The three exchanged glances and shook their heads. "Never heard of him."

"You should be familiar with his sister," Qin Guang Wang said.

"Is she that impressive?" the three asked, raising their eyebrows tentatively.

"Yao Chi Nu Di."