Heaven-Dominating Martial Emperor

Fresh blood splattered, covering the ground.

Looking at the severed limbs and mangled bodies littering the ground, Mu Shanhong felt his heart skip a beat.

For a moment, he was so tense he couldn't utter a single word!

The white-haired old man slowly sheathed his blade and approached him.

Only then did Mu Shanhong seem to jolt awake as if from a dream. His eyes widened, and he stammered, "Th-Thank you, Senior, for saving my life!"

"I, Mu Shanhong, am eternally grateful!"

He dropped to his knees right on the spot.

'This old man clearly isn't the good-tempered sort.'

'Who knows if he'll suddenly get annoyed and decide to butcher me too?'

However, a faint smile suddenly appeared on the old man's face.

"Sect Leader, I've taken care of those three."

Not far away, Ye Chen strolled over and nodded slightly. "A little sloppy."

Luo Sandao replied with a helpless tone, "I didn't intend to kill them at first. I just wanted to scare them away."

"I didn't expect them to actually attack me. They can't blame me for being merciless."

For a Primordial Mansion Realm Cultivator, a Spirit Sea Realm Cultivator daring to strike first was an act of gross insubordination—a grave sign of disrespect!

It was perfectly normal for them to kill such an offender.

"S-Sect Leader?!"

Mu Shanhong struggled to lift his head. When he saw the slender, upright young man before him, he froze completely.

"It's... it's you?!"

Mu Shanhong's eyes widened in disbelief.

"Yes, it's me." Ye Chen nodded slightly. "Are you interested in joining my Demon Sect?"

"When you chose to submit to me back then, I already considered you one of my men."

"Of course! I am willing to join the Demon Sect!"

Mu Shanhong didn't hesitate for a second, immediately prostrating himself.

'Hadn't he come all this way just to ask Ye Chen for help?'

'To be taken in by Ye Chen now was the best possible outcome!'

He had been hunted relentlessly by the experts of the Nine Nether Sect. There was nowhere left for him to hide in the outside world; he had been driven into a corner long ago!

Seeing Mu Shanhong agree so readily,

Luo Sandao, who stood to the side, chuckled. "You've made a wise decision, kid."

"Stick with the Sect Leader, and you'll never be on the losing end."

At these words, a flicker of shock passed through Mu Shanhong's eyes.

'This old man is a bona fide Primordial Mansion Realm expert.'

'Otherwise, he couldn't have crushed those three Eighth Layer Spirit Sea Realm cultivators so easily, with just a flick of his wrist!'

'Yet a Great Power like him is obediently following Ye Chen around, and he even looks proud to do so?!'

It was something Mu Shanhong just couldn't comprehend!

'He knew Ye Chen was powerful, but he never imagined he was powerful enough to command the loyalty of a Primordial Mansion Realm Cultivator!'

Watching Mu Shanhong's rapidly changing expression,

Ye Chen guessed what was going on. 'Mu Shanhong must have spent all this time hiding from the Nine Nether Sect's assassins.'

'He wouldn't have had time to keep up with events in the outside world.'

'Mu Shanhong clearly doesn't know about my shocking battle against the four Primordial Mansion Realm experts in Luoyun City!'

But Ye Chen couldn't be bothered to explain everything.

All he knew was that his Demon Sect had just grown a little stronger.

Mu Shanhong was a genuine Spirit Sea Realm Cultivator, his cultivation on par with that of his Grand Elder, Old Ghost Wushan.

Recruiting such a powerful figure was clearly a great boon for the Demon Sect's development.

Ye Chen casually tossed over a bottle of Healing Elixirs and said coolly, "These are Third Grade Healing Elixirs. Take them. If they aren't enough, you can come to me for more."

With that, he turned to Luo Sandao and instructed, "I have some business down the mountain. I'm leaving you in charge of the Demon Sect."

"As the Sect Leader commands!"

"I will not allow any harm to befall the Demon Sect before your return!"

Luo Sandao said hurriedly.

"That's for the best."

Ye Chen nodded slightly, then left the Demon Sect's grounds.

He left Mu Shanhong standing there, utterly shocked.

He picked up the bottle of elixirs and examined it closely. The shock on his face only intensified.

'Every single one of these Third Grade elixirs is Top Grade!'

'How many Spirit Stones would this be worth?!'

'When did Ye Chen get so rich and generous?!'

'Not long ago, Ye Chen was just a Saint Heir of the Luoyun Sect.'

'Who would have thought... How long has it even been?'

'His own faction has already grown so powerful! It not only far surpasses the Luoyun Sect of the past, but it even has a Primordial Mansion Realm Cultivator as a member!'

Mu Shanhong was completely and utterly stunned.

'Perhaps following Ye Chen will be the greatest fortune of my life.'

...

After descending the mountain, Ye Chen headed straight for Luoyun City.

Now that the hidden threats within the Demon Sect were eliminated, it was time to find the Liu family and hold them to their end of the bargain.

After all, news of the Juedi Sheng Lan was at stake.

He needed it to re-refine his Five Elements Pill and unlock its true power.

He had already gathered all the other herbs; the Juedi Sheng Lan was the last ingredient he needed!

With Ye Chen's current cultivation, his travel speed was incredibly fast.

Especially after comprehending Sword Intent, even his Body Technique had become noticeably faster.

By imagining himself as a sword, his body became light, flashing past like a blade's gleam. The profoundness of this state was entirely beyond the imagination of an ordinary person.

This was the power of a Sword Cultivator!

Soon, Ye Chen arrived in Luoyun City once more.

But the moment he stepped into Luoyun City, he sensed a strange atmosphere.

All along the streets, Cultivators were gathered in small groups, talking amongst themselves. Their faces were all grim, and they didn't even dare to raise their voices.

But their words did not escape Ye Chen's ears.

"That Ye Chen... he wouldn't dare show up now, would he?"

"I wouldn't either! We're talking about the abbot of Vajra Temple, a man at the apex of power in Lei Province! If I were Ye Chen, I definitely wouldn't keep this appointment!"

"Sigh... you're not wrong, but I feel sorry for the Li family's Old Ancestor."

"I know. I never thought the abbot would be so cruel, insisting on slaughtering the entire clan one by one right in front of their Old Ancestor!"

"No kidding! I saw it from afar. Every time the abbot killed someone, the Li family's Old Ancestor would charge forward like a madman, only to be swatted away."

"It happened over and over again. The Li family clan is almost completely wiped out, and their Old Ancestor is covered in wounds. But even when he couldn't get back up, he was still using his last ounce of strength, trying to get revenge for his people..."

"Gods, that's too horrible. Stop, I can't listen to any more! Vajra Temple and the Li family don't even have a grudge, do they? Just to lure out Ye Chen... did he really have to be so vicious...?"

Listening to the hushed whispers of the passersby,

Ye Chen's expression turned to ice.