Chapter 2989

Boom! Rumbling!

The heavens thundered, lightning flashed, and thunder roared, as Di Sha's oppressive force remained formidable. Even stripped of his bloodline and reduced to a mid-stage Emperor, he still commanded a terrifying might that awed the universe. Surging demonic energy rolled like tidal waves, casting a dark shadow over the heavens and earth.

Creating chaos was his forte.

But the truth was, causing trouble was merely a pretense; his real objective was to seize an opportunity to advance to Quasi-Huang Di.

In his eyes, Ye Chen was just a minor figure.

However, this minor figure held immense significance—he was the supreme being of the Huang Gu Sheng Ti lineage. If Di Sha could defeat him by fighting beyond his level, all of Ye Chen's glory, fortune, and serendipity would become his own, serving as a destined opportunity to propel him toward Quasi-Huang Di.

This was why he had willingly lowered his own level.

Ye Chen was well aware of Di Sha's intentions. There were many benefits to defeating an opponent at a higher level, and opportunities of this magnitude were rare. More importantly, as the supreme being of the Sheng Ti lineage, he was being used as a stepping stone for Di Sha's ascent to Quasi-Huang Di.

Di Sha sneered mockingly and vanished in an instant, reappearing directly in front of Ye Chen. He thrust out a finger that seemed to dominate heaven and earth.

"Go ahead and poke."

Ye Chen scoffed coldly, reaching out swiftly and precisely grabbing Di Sha's finger. Eternal light flickered, dispelling the finger's divine power, and he snapped it clean off.

Di Sha showed no anger. From his brow, a black demonic sword shot out, aiming straight for Ye Chen's primordial spirit.

Ye Chen had anticipated this move—the finger thrust was a feint; the real intention was to strike with the demonic sword.

Since he knew, he was prepared.

Before the black demonic sword could penetrate his divine sea, the Nine Divine Tribulations emerged, shattering Di Sha's primordial spirit sword.

"Don't rush; there's more."

Di Sha's lips curved slightly, his eyes swirling with destruction as two bolts of annihilating thunder erupted.

"Illusions are useless against me."

Ye Chen radiated dominance, swinging a palm that landed squarely on Di Sha's face with a resounding slap.

Smack!

The sound was sharp and satisfying. Di Sha was sent spinning away, his handsome face distorted from the blow.

Their brief clash unfolded in a single breath.

A hundred zhang away, Di Sha steadied himself, his face stinging. His earlier air of superiority was gone. As a Heavenly Emperor-level Saint Demon who had always been invincible at his level, he couldn't tolerate being slapped by a mere Great Emperor.

"Don't get distracted; keep going."

Ye Chen charged forward, stepping onto the vast nine heavens and slamming down a palm that covered the sky.

Di Sha snorted coldly and countered with a punch.

A boom erupted, causing the vast heavens to collapse. Ye Chen's sky-covering palm was pierced by Di Sha's fist.

But that wasn't the end.

Di Sha, who had just shattered the palm, hadn't even launched his next attack when he collided head-on with the Chaotic Great Realm—Ye Chen's Dao manifestation. Every mountain, river, plant, and tree within it was enveloped in eternal power, making it more accurately described as the Eternal Immortal Realm.

Boom!

Di Sha, caught off guard, staggered back a step, nearly dropping to his knees on the spot.

"Break for me!"

Di Sha roared, instantly unleashing his Overlord External Form, raising his hands to the sky and forcing apart the Eternal Immortal Realm.

"Truly outstanding."

Ye Chen chuckled, condensing an immortal tower with eternal energy, a massive structure thousands of zhang tall, that enveloped Di Sha.

Break!

Di Sha was no ordinary foe; in just a moment, he burst out of the tower.

This was exactly as Ye Chen had expected.

The clever Ye Chen already had a staff in hand, forged from eternal energy. As Di Sha broke free, he struck down from the heavens, nearly smashing the Saint Demon's head.

As expected! Facing a peak opponent as a mid-stage one, he felt no pressure at all.

Throughout his cultivation journey, he had mostly fought above his level, so battles where his cultivation was suppressed were rare.

In contrast, Di Sha looked utterly disheveled.

After several exchanges, it seemed he hadn't gained any advantage; instead, Ye Chen had him on the defensive.

He had underestimated Ye Chen.

Fortunately, Ming Di wasn't there; if he were, he would have given Di Sha a meaningful look. You're quite the character! Dropping from Heavenly Emperor peak to mid-stage Great Emperor and even removing your bloodline limits—this isn't a fight; it's clearly asking for a beating. That guy opposite you is far superior.

"If you can't win, you can always advance a level. This junior is generous and won't say a word."

Ye Chen stood in the vast heavens, polishing his staff. After all, a staff was the most reliable.

Ye Chen's words were quite profound.

This was a genuine taunt, yet full of deeper meaning—the legendary strategy of retreating to advance. The implication was clear: if you're shameless enough, feel free to level up.

What happened next introduced him to another concept: straightforwardness.

Di Sha was straightforward indeed; he leveled up on the spot. Just as he had dropped levels decisively before, he now rose through them without hesitation.

"Damn, did I talk too much?"

Ye Chen took a deep breath and reassessed Di Sha, his expression turning serious. Couldn't I have held back? He was more straightforward than imagined—and more shameless too.

Bang!

Di Sha stepped up to the nine heavens, his face twisted in displeasure. Defeating Ye Chen by fighting beyond his level was clearly impossible, so he settled for the next best thing: rising to the same level. Killing Ye Chen this way would still bring opportunities, though fewer than a cross-level kill. There was no choice; as a mid-stage, he couldn't handle peak.

"You could just go back to Heavenly Emperor peak and crush me with one palm. That would be straightforward."

Ye Chen laughed as he looked at Di Sha. Whether mid-stage or peak, below the Heavenly Emperor realm, he was invincible.

"Even at the same level, I will destroy you."

Di Sha snorted coldly. Now at peak, his tone had shifted back to arrogance.

"Very well."

Ye Chen smiled and turned to flee—not out of fear, but to buy time. He couldn't defeat Di Sha; this Saint Demon was too straightforward. If peak wasn't enough, he'd activate his bloodline limits; if that failed, he'd rise to Heavenly Emperor peak. As a mere Great Emperor, he was no match.

So, his hopes rested on the Heavenly Court Empress.

If the Heavenly Court Empress could slay the Saint Demon Can Zhou, they might turn the tide, at least avoiding a total defeat. As for him, he was just along for the ride. What could he do? The enemy was on a higher level.

"You cannot escape."

Di Sha's voice was desolate, sweeping forth with demonic energy as he pursued relentlessly, devouring everything in his path.

"Catch me, and I'll take your name."

Ye Chen glanced back, his lips curling in a cold smile. A peak Great Emperor trying to chase me?

No sooner had he spoken than Ye Chen turned back with a flourish.

Pound!

A heavy impact sounded immediately. As he fled, it was as if he had slammed into an iron wall.

Ouch! That hurt!

Ye Chen stopped, perhaps from flying too fast or hitting too hard, leaving his head ringing.

Once he steadied himself, he realized what it was.

The path ahead was empty, yet an invisible barrier blocked it. This barrier had been set by Can Zhou and Di Sha to trap the empress, taking eight thousand years to create. Because of these barriers on all sides, the empress had no choice but to fight head-on; she wanted to flee into the Void of Illusions but couldn't break through, leaving her confined to the Ancient Road.

This barrier was invisible to anyone below Emperor level. Even as a peak Great Emperor, Ye Chen could only glimpse parts of it, knowing it was an enormous formation with thousands of invisible pillars of light.

If the empress couldn't break it, neither could he.

Behind him, Di Sha had caught up, grinning sinisterly as he eyed Ye Chen like prey.

"Even if you kill me at the same level, you won't reach Quasi-Huang Di."

Ye Chen rubbed his throbbing head; that collision against the wall had left him seeing stars.

"I have never been defeated at the same level."

Di Sha chuckled darkly, advancing step by step, his Emperor Dao aura rising with each one.

"What a coincidence; neither have I."

Ye Chen shook his head, clearing the stars from his vision.

Boom!

Di Sha attacked, shattering the void with a step and unleashing a palm that formed a realm of utter chaos.

Buzz!

Ye Chen swung the Eternal Immortal Staff, smashing it apart, then soared into the heavens, dodging Di Sha's incoming finger. In turn, he struck with a palm from above, but Di Sha evaded it, avoiding the hit.

Seal!

The Saint Demon and Saint Body moved in perfect sync, both casting binding spells. Ye Chen was trapped in a demonic array, while Di Sha was fixed in an immortal array. In the same instant, they both shattered each other's traps. Di Sha stomped down, collapsing the skies, and Ye Chen tread upon space, their fist and palm colliding across the heavens.

Boom!

A destructive halo spread out, grinding the void to pieces inch by inch.

Ye Chen stood firm, unmoved.

Di Sha, however, was forced back half a step, his face twisting with ferocity. Anyone could see that in this direct clash, he had the disadvantage. If this strike decided the winner, he would have lost. At the same peak Emperor level, he was still a step behind Ye Chen.

"Invincible at the same level? You're not up to it. Let a true Saint Demon handle this."

Ye Chen said coolly, exuding an air of superiority. He had the right; he was the supreme of the Sheng Ti lineage, while Di Sha was far from it in the Saint Demon line. The difference in status was clear.

"I will slaughter you."

Di Sha roared, his aura surging again as he shaped demonic energy into nine-headed, ten-thousand-zhang dragons that roared toward Ye Chen.

"Whether dragon or worm, all of you, get down!"

Ye Chen was forceful, stepping on one dragon to destroy it, swinging his staff to obliterate two more. The remaining six didn't stand a chance, swallowed and turned to ash by the brilliant Eternal Immortal Sea.

"Exterminate!"

Di Sha had already ascended to the nine heavens, thrusting a palm downward with fingers spread, inscribed runes forming between them.

Buzz!

The Eternal Immortal Staff hummed as Ye Chen hefted it skyward, piercing the palm seal and sending Di Sha staggering. Before Di Sha could steady himself, Ye Chen struck like a ghost, delivering another solid blow with the staff.

Pfft!

Di Sha's head exploded for the second time, black blood and bones scattering as he nearly met his end.

"Run! Where do you think you're running?"

Di Sha fled, with Ye Chen shadowing him relentlessly, raining down a barrage of staff strikes whenever he caught up.

What Di Sha didn't know was that Ye Chen hadn't used his full power.

The Tenth Emperor of Great Chu was still stalling for time; he hadn't fully recovered to his peak state and needed more time. He was also buying time for the empress, hoping she could slay the Saint Demon Can Zhou.

In a spare moment, he glanced at the other battle through the Chaos Cauldron.

The empress and Can Zhou were locked in a truly brutal fight. Compared to her earlier two-against-one struggle, she now held her ground, thanks to the eternal energy sustaining her and replenishing her depleted divine power.

In contrast, Can Zhou looked furious beyond words.

In his state of immortality, he was still being battered by the empress. Though she wasn't at full strength, a starving camel is still larger than a horse; in the short term, he couldn't take her down.