Chapter 2626: Breaking Through Again

Boom! Rumble!

With the order given, the Heavenly Court army moved in unison. Battle formations soared into the sky, filling the vast expanse, and simultaneously unleashed their formation attacks.

Hua Shan was no pushover. The protective barrier on the city walls activated, formations came to life, and they targeted the densely packed enemy forces, firing devastating immortal light.

Boom! Bang! Boom!

The battle erupted instantly, with thunderous roars echoing everywhere. Both sides engaged in formation warfare, the heavenly soldiers and generals charging forward with great momentum under the leadership of Yin Yang. Every single one was brimming with fighting spirit, as if they could achieve victory in one fell swoop.

Fight!

The Hua Shan troops roared fiercely. The sect master personally beat the war drums, their battle intent burning like a raging fire, engaging the heavenly soldiers and generals who had scaled the walls.

Boom! Bang! Boom!

In other areas, similar thunderous sounds rang out. The armies of Song Shan and Tai Shan had arrived and were ferociously attacking the city walls, with blood flowers blooming frequently.

As for the forces from Heng Shan and Heng Shan, they hadn't even reached their targets before being intercepted midway by Niu Mo Wang and his allies. Those rushing to aid Hua Shan clashed with those attacking it, and without a word, the fighting broke out on the spot.

Kill!

Fight!

Shouts of battle echoed throughout the realm of scattered immortals.

Amid the roars, the war between the upper and lower realms fully ignited. Figures clashed in the skies, voids, valleys, vast plains, and wild forests. Countless individuals plummeted from the heights, while others charged into the heavens.

No one knew how many factions were involved, or how many had been drawn into the conflict. All they knew was that the fighting was brutal, with lives as expendable as grass.

Warfire and smoke stained the universe.

The dim world was drenched in blood, turning it crimson. Mountains collapsed one after another, and cities exploded in succession, creating an extraordinarily massive disturbance.

"How many years has it been since the upper and lower realms fought like this?" On a distant mountain peak, many elders gazed towards the battlefield. Having lived for thousands of years, even they had never seen the Heavenly Court and the lower realm clash so fiercely with real weapons.

"The Heavenly Court's lapdogs are quite numerous." Many others grumbled, their insult "lapdogs" aimed squarely at the Four Mountains. They were certainly bold in their own territory!

"This old one must live a few more years." An elderly man leaned on his cane, trembling as he climbed to the mountaintop. "At least until the Four Mountains are wiped out by the Heavenly Court."

These words resonated deeply with many of the old-timers.

Or perhaps it was an incredibly strong desire—they all wanted to witness the fate of the Four Mountains. Once Hua Shan fell, and the Heavenly Court turned on them, would anyone still come to their aid? The desperate wails and helpless roars would surely be music to the ears.

"How interesting."

This eerie laugh came from the ninth heaven of the upper realm, more precisely from Yin Ming himself.

Before him, a water screen displayed the scenes from the realm of scattered immortals—bloody and exhilarating, stirring an almost manic excitement.

The ruler of the Heavenly Court had not led the charge personally; it wasn't that he didn't want to, but he didn't dare. Not only had he stayed away, but he had also hidden in a secret location, fearing that Ye Chen might suddenly attack. He had even summoned numerous immortal venerables to guard him.

He was wise enough to let others fight on the front lines while he simply watched the show.

In the depths of the sea, at the Dragon Palace.

Ye Chen, who had been sitting in meditation, finally showed a touch of color in his pale face. Blood no longer seeped from his mouth, and his shattered body had reformed. The mysterious force rampaging within him had settled into peace.

Yet, he remained unmoving, like an old monk in deep contemplation, his entire form enveloped in radiant divine light. His powerful vital energy carried the sound of dragon roars.

His reckless fusion with the imperial essence had brought calamity, but after the calamity came fortune. Having endured that difficult period, opportunity followed.

Pop!

In the void, it seemed a barrier had shattered. His cultivation broke through in an instant, advancing from the second level of quasi-emperor to the third.

If any familiar face were present, they would surely click their tongues in amazement. Advancing again? How could someone progress so quickly in the quasi-emperor realm, which was notoriously difficult?

Bathed in a faint starlight, Ye Chen slowly opened his eyes. Two beams of tangible light shot from his pupils, piercing through the universe.

Now that he had broken through, his eyes appeared even deeper, like a vast starry sky flickering with points of light. Endless dao essences evolved within, and strands of dao principles wound around him, faintly visible before etching into his very flesh—marks of the dao.

"Not bad."

Ye Chen finally stood, stretching lazily. Power surged through his body, immensely vast. Clenching his fist, he caused the space in his palm to explode, with sparks of electricity crackling around his fingers.

Kill!

Fight!

Suddenly, shouts of battle reached him, accompanied by rumbling noises. Even deep in the sea, the Dragon Palace trembled violently, indicating the scale of the chaos outside.

Ye Chen furrowed his brow and stepped out onto the sea surface in one stride.

What met his eyes was a tide of figures—the Heavenly Court's East Sea naval forces, swarming in vast numbers, each wielding spears as they tried to reach the shore but failing.

Facing them were beings radiating monstrous demonic energy, each armed with divine bows. Any East Sea expert who made it to shore was shot down.

The East Sea forces suffered heavy casualties, blood flowers blooming proudly as blood rained down, turning the churning sea water a lurid red.

"Kill! Kill for me!"

"A bunch of little fish—come on if you dare!"

"Fools!"

Ye Chen spotted Jiao Long Wang, standing at the shore and cursing loudly, along with other demonic experts. They were not only formidable fighters but also had booming voices.

Their taunts enraged the East Sea forces, drawing even more experts from the deep sea, surging forth with overwhelming killing intent and blotting out the sky.

Even Jiao Long Wang, with his bold nature, couldn't help but swallow hard at the sight. When small fry numbered this many, they were terrifying. Glancing out, the sea was covered with shrimp soldiers and crab generals.

The demonic forces quickly fell at a disadvantage. Under the East Sea assault, they retreated repeatedly, their lines collapsing as casualties mounted.

"Hold them back! Hold them for me!" Jiao Long Wang shouted hoarsely.

No sooner had he spoken than a hand suddenly appeared, pulling him aside. It was Ye Chen, clad in black robes, his dao sword already pointed toward the East Sea navy.

In an instant, billions of immortal swords rang out, their sound piercing the soul. Shadows of swords fused with annihilating divine power, stabbing through the universe.

Pfft! Pfft! Pfft!

The East Sea experts charging in were struck head-on before they could even show off. From quasi-emperors to spirit void realm cultivators, anyone hit by the sword shadows exploded into blood flowers, blooming across the sky.

This was the realm of scattered immortals, after all, where everyone was suppressed to the saint realm. None could withstand Ye Chen's Ten Thousand Swords United as One.

Gulp!

Jiao Long Wang watched and swallowed hard, as did the demonic experts, their eyes wide with shock. Who was this? Too ferocious! That dense swarm of East Sea forces had thinned out in an instant.

Clang!

Ye Chen swung his sword again—still Ten Thousand Swords United as One.

The newly arrived East Sea experts met the same fate. They had just reached the shore when, in a single encounter, they all plummeted from the sky. Their bodies shattered, and for six out of ten, their spirits were destroyed, souls scattered.

As for the remaining four out of ten, though alive, their bodies had exploded, leaving them stunned. That black-robed figure opposite them—had he cheated death?

Clang!

More sword clangs echoed, with sword shadows filling the air.

The East Sea experts saw this and slammed on the brakes, retreating into the sea. Their expressions were shocked, eyes filled with horror. They had seen group attacks before, but never one this devastating—like autumn winds sweeping away fallen leaves!

Not just them—Jiao Long Wang and the demonic powerhouses were also clicking their tongues. This fight was ridiculously one-sided. One person forcing back an entire army!

With this level of power, why need the demonic forces at all? He alone could block the shore, preventing any East Sea expert from landing.

No wonder the realm of scattered immortals hid so many hidden dragons and crouching tigers—talents everywhere. Pity he was shrouded in black robes, his true face unseen, only that he wasn't a human cultivator.

"This fellow daoist, may I ask your name?" Jiao Long Wang rubbed his hands, smiling amiably. He was sure this black-robed figure was some reclusive senior.

"An old acquaintance." Ye Chen chuckled, using a secret technique to reveal his true face for a brief moment—visible only to Jiao Long Wang.

"You? Ye Chen?" Jiao Long Wang was stunned, scanning him up and down with a colorful expression. "Weren't you staying put at Hua Shan? What are you doing here in the East Sea?"

"It's a long story."

Ye Chen took a deep breath. If not for the inopportune moment, he would have found a comfortable spot to chat with Jiao Long Wang about his theft of the imperial essence.

"Forcing back an entire army on your own—you've got the skills." Jiao Long Wang sighed, knowing Ye Chen was strong but not realizing just how strong.

"Has the Heavenly Court started the war?"

"Their East Sea navy is already here—what do you think?" Jiao Long Wang tucked his hands away, speaking leisurely. With Ye Chen there, his confidence soared. Those shrimp soldiers and crab generals opposite wouldn't get past him.

"Have the Four Mountains joined the fight?"

"The Heavenly Court's lapdogs are barking loud and clear." Jiao Long Wang said meaningfully, not answering directly. That metaphor fit perfectly—they weren't just involved; they were fighting fiercely.

"How interesting." Ye Chen couldn't help but sneer.

"No need to worry too much. Plenty are allied with us." Jiao Long Wang continued. "The realm of scattered immortals has many talents. Even if they're not fighting openly, plenty are sabotaging the Heavenly Court in secret. My task is to block the East Sea navy."

"Just this few?" Ye Chen raised an eyebrow, glancing around. The demonic experts were impressive, but in numbers, they were overwhelmed by the East Sea navy—a single spit from them could drown their side.

"On their way." Jiao Long Wang coughed dryly. "Ran into Haotian Sect folks midway and had a skirmish, which delayed us."

Ye Chen said nothing. Gripping his dao sword, he stepped forward to the shore's edge, making the East Sea navy collectively retreat, fearing another Ten Thousand Swords United as One—few could withstand it.

In reality, Ye Chen wasn't attacking; he was just intimidating them. He would wait for reinforcements before leaving to aid elsewhere.

His presence was formidable—one person standing at the shore, and the East Sea experts dared not move, most even backing away.

Looking at their expressions, their eyes were filled with wariness. Unable to see through Ye Chen's disguise, they didn't know who he was, only that he was extraordinarily powerful, capable of sweeping thousands.

This scene perfectly illustrated the saying: One man guards the pass, and ten thousand cannot open it.

It was also deeply ironic. The East Sea forces had an absolute numerical advantage and the potential for victory, yet they were cowed by a single person, afraid to set foot on shore.

"Impressive." Jiao Long Wang tutted, grinning widely. In terms of presence, it had to be Ye Chen—the future Hua Shan sect leader had a certain aura that was undeniably striking.

"Impressive." The demonic experts sighed too. Once they learned it was Ye Chen, they probably wouldn't be so shocked. Compared to his past rampage in the Heavenly Court, this East Sea battle was just a small puddle.

The East Sea navy, however, felt awkward. Some powerful figures even wanted to curse—this intelligence was way off! Where did this guy come from? No reports mentioned him, and he was too strong.

In secret, many were calling for reinforcements. They needed peak experts—plenty of them. One or two wouldn't cut it; they'd have to gang up.

Boom! Rumble!

Soon, the skies thundered. Clouds churned, demonic energy raged, and waves of figures soared in—the demonic army had arrived.

At the land-sea border, massive mountains rose, and the demonic experts landed on the peaks, setting up attack formations. Then, they waited for the East Sea navy to come ashore and pick them off one by one.

Ye Chen glanced sideways.

This demonic lineup was barely sufficient for a defensive war. The East Sea navy would pay a heavy price to land.

"The Heavenly Court's forces are so vast; their upper realm defenses must be weak. With your skills, you should head to the heavens for a spin." Jiao Long Wang stroked his chin meaningfully. "Capture Yin Ming and finish him off."

"You know the Heavenly Court's defenses are weak—do you think Yin Ming doesn't?" Ye Chen replied slowly. Without even looking, he knew Yin Ming had hidden himself in some utterly secret spot, impossible to find.

The Heavenly Court's ruler cherished his life. Let others charge ahead while he watched from the shadows—it was his style. Ye Chen knew him all too well.

"This time, the Heavenly Court's army is led by the Third Prince, Yin Yang." Jiao Long Wang took a deep breath. "He's never lost a battle."

Ye Chen fell silent. He had expected Yin Yang's arrival. A man that skilled in warfare had to come, but his string of victories was about to end. Different sides meant even deep ties couldn't withstand such nonsense.

Meanwhile, the demonic experts had finished setting up their attack formations. War banners fluttered fiercely, their momentum overwhelming, ready to strike at any moment.

With the demonic forces holding the line, Ye Chen finally turned. "I'll take a trip to the Four Mountains. Fight steadily—don't get reckless."

"Why go to the Four Mountains?"

"To drag their sect leader out for some sun." As Ye Chen spoke, he ascended in a single step, vanishing like a divine rainbow.

"Some sun?"

Behind him, Jiao Long Wang raised an eyebrow, looking puzzled. He had no idea what Ye Chen meant.

One had to say, Young Master Ye's way of speaking was quite refined. He made certain activities sound refreshingly elegant.

To put it bluntly, "some sun" meant kidnapping. Since he wasn't going to the Heavenly Court, he'd swing by the Four Mountains. You fight your war; I'll handle my abductions. He was a pro at both battlefield brawls and disruptive tactics—this was his specialty.