Heaven-Dominating Martial Emperor

Three days passed in the blink of an eye.

For the past three days, the Demon Gate had been peaceful. Although its location was now exposed, no one had come to cause trouble.

Ye Chen, for his part, seemed to have no intention of making a move.

After being seen at the Li family's residence that day, he had vanished without a trace.

"That Ye Chen kid... could he have gotten scared?"

"I'd say so. The Li family was annihilated. If he still dares to cause a ruckus, the Demon Gate will just suffer the same fate!"

"All thanks to the Abbot! With a single move, he put that lawless maniac in his place!"

...

Comments like these began to spread like wildfire.

In the public's eye, Ye Chen had previously been the very definition of arrogance.

He would kill gods and buddhas who stood in his way—there was nothing he feared!

But after provoking the Abbot, he had finally backed down!

Given his previous temperament, he would have stormed out, ready to kill, long ago. Yet now, he was just hiding in the Demon Gate, refusing to show his face.

It seemed the so-called Demon Gate was nothing special after all!

It was far too early for them to be challenging the top powers in Lei Province!

Inside the Demon Gate's Elder Pavilion.

In addition to the Elders, many other members of the Demon Gate had also gathered here.

"Damn it! Vicious rumors about our sect are spreading everywhere!"

"I've even seen people gathering outside our mountain gate, watching and spying!"

"I really want to charge out there and rip their gossiping mouths off!"

The Nine-Fingered Demon Slaughter slammed his palm on the table, his expression furious.

He had been saved by Ye Chen twice. The fact that someone so young possessed the strength to crush Primordial Mansion Realm Cultivators filled him with awe and admiration.

Thus, hearing the slanderous rumors from the outside world had enraged him. He wanted nothing more than to kill every last person who was bad-mouthing them.

Especially that group of masked people who were going around disparaging the Demon Gate.

If Ye Chen hadn't displayed strength on par with a top-tier Cultivator of Lei Province back in Luoyun City, countless factions would have already come to harass the Demon Gate.

"Calm yourself!"

Old Ghost Wushan glared at the Nine-Fingered Demon Slaughter. "The Sect Leader is still healing the Li family's ancestor!"

"With the Sect Leader absent, it's best we keep a low profile!"

The beautiful and alluring Blood Dancer Ji, standing to the side, also spoke up. "The Grand Elder is right. This is a provocation from the Abbot of the Vajra Temple!"

"The Abbot's strength is not to be taken lightly; he is at least at the Primordial Mansion Realm, if not higher! Only the Sect Leader can handle an enemy like that. For us to go out now would be suicide."

The annihilation of the Li family may not have scared Ye Chen.

But it certainly scared everyone else in the Demon Gate.

With a figure like the Abbot making a move, they knew that without Ye Chen's protection, the Demon Gate could truly be wiped out.

"Damn it!"

"Must we rely on the Sect Leader for everything?"

The Nine-Fingered Demon Slaughter was resentful.

Hearing this, the others could only sigh in resignation.

Old Ghost Wushan sighed deeply. "That's why, to keep pace with the Sect Leader, we must focus more on our cultivation!"

"With the Myriad Sects Return to Origin Grand Array, our cultivation efficiency here is much faster than in the outside world! We must seize this opportunity!"

"In the last few days, I've almost touched the threshold of the Fourth Layer of the Spirit Sea Realm. You all should put in more effort too!"

Just as he finished speaking, a terrifying aura suddenly appeared within the sect.

Everyone froze for a moment, then cried out in joyous surprise, "It's the Sect Leader! The Sect Leader is out of seclusion!"

A young man walked slowly into the Elder Pavilion, an old man following by his side.

It was none other than the Li family's ancestor, Li Yunxiao!

Tears streamed down the old man's face, his expression one of pure elation.

"Thank you, Sect Leader... Thank you for giving me a new life!"

'He knew full well that if not for Ye Chen's terrifying Alchemy Skill, he would not have survived.'

After all, beyond the surface wounds, his meridians and internal organs had all sustained various degrees of damage.

'Throughout all of Lei Province, probably only Ye Chen possessed such miraculous healing abilities!'

Seeing the revitalized Li Yunxiao before them, the crowd was stunned.

Everyone knew how terrifying his injuries had been when Ye Chen had brought him back, clinging to life by a thread.

Yet now, his severed limbs had regrown, and not a single wound remained on his body.

His face was radiant with health. How could he possibly look like someone who had been on the verge of death?

"This... The Sect Leader is a miracle worker!"

The crowd couldn't help but sigh in amazement.

Li Yunxiao couldn't help but let out a long sigh. "Though I was fortunate enough to survive, my cultivation is gone. I'm no different from a cripple."

For a Primordial Mansion Realm Cultivator to suddenly become a mortal with no cultivation was a devastating blow, a fate worse than death.

But having already been to hell and back, Li Yunxiao had begun to accept this reality.

"You're underestimating the art of Alchemy,"

Ye Chen said with a shake of his head and a smile. "Legend speaks of high-grade Spirit Pills with all sorts of wondrous effects."

"They can not only bring the dead back to life, but some Divine Pills can even reverse the flow of time!"

"When my own power grows, it won't be impossible for me to refine a Spirit Pill that can restore your cultivation!"

Li Yunxiao was, after all, a Primordial Mansion Realm Cultivator.

He was an invaluable asset to the Demon Gate's fighting strength.

Ye Chen was naturally unwilling to let such an asset go to waste.

"R-Really?" Li Yunxiao trembled with excitement. "If that day ever comes, I swear my undying loyalty to you, Sect Leader! I will never betray you!"

He dropped to his knees.

Driven into a corner, the knowledge that his cultivation could be restored gave him a renewed will to live!

"Get up. I'm partly to blame for what happened to you."

With a casual lift of his hand, Ye Chen raised Li Yunxiao with a gentle force.

"Watch over the mountain gate. I'll be back shortly."

With that, he turned and walked toward the mountain gate.

"Sect Leader, where are you going?"

The others asked, watching his retreating back.

Ye Chen didn't break his stride. His casual words, however, made everyone's expression change.

"After today, the Vajra Temple will cease to exist."

...

「Inside the Prefect's Mansion.」

The Prefect stood by a rockery, gazing quietly at the horizon.

A flicker of doubt crossed his eyes.

'It's been so long with no news... Was that kid really scared off by the Abbot?'

'I suppose I overestimated him.'

'The Ancient God Order is still in his hands. It looks like I'll have to snatch it before the Abbot makes a move.'

「Inside the Vajra Temple.」

The Abbot sat cross-legged with his eyes closed in meditation.

A faint golden light circulated around him, making him look like an awe-inspiring divine statue.

Below him, many Monks were chattering excitedly among themselves.