Heaven-Dominating Martial Emperor

Faced with the utterly terrifying assault, the Prefect's expression changed dramatically, and his body began to tremble uncontrollably.

The Abbot's attack was too ferocious. Black flames filled the sky, threatening to incinerate everything in their path. The illusory Spiritual Sea behind the Prefect shattered in an instant!

Under the immense pressure of a Ninth-Layer Primordial Mansion Realm expert, his own Fifth-Layer strength was completely outmatched.

The gap in their cultivation realms was too vast. Even if he and Ye Chen joined forces, there seemed to be no hope of defeating the Abbot!

Ye Chen's expression was just as grave. He gripped his Cangming Sword tightly, and boundless Sword Qi whipped up into a storm, sweeping toward the sea of black flames before them.

But the Sword Qi was silently devoured, and the black flames showed no sign of weakening!

"This is bad!"

"Even when Lei Province's two most powerful Cultivators team up, they're still no match for that Abbot!"

"How is Lei Province supposed to survive this catastrophe?"

"That's right! Once Ye Chen and the Prefect fall, there'll be no one left in Lei Province to keep the Abbot in check!"

"He'll devour the flesh and blood of every Cultivator here to ascend to a higher realm! That's what an evil cultivator is! Wherever they pass, no living being is left alive!!!"

The crowd below grew restless.

Anyone could see it.

Now that the Abbot no longer concealed his identity as an evil cultivator, he had completely unleashed his full strength.

Below the Divinity Transformation Realm, his might was unparalleled. He was invincible!

"BOOM!"

The Prefect fought back with all his might, but was ultimately sent flying backward, coughing up blood!

If Ye Chen hadn't been by his side, using all his strength to unleash a wave of Sword Qi imbued with the ultimate Sword Intent to scatter the black flames...

...the Prefect would have been utterly annihilated, devoured by the Abbot!

"Thank you!"

The Prefect's aura was weak. He wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, his face pale.

Even he had never imagined that he would one day fight shoulder-to-shoulder with Ye Chen.

"If he had devoured you, his strength would have risen to another level, and my chances of defeating him would be even slimmer."

"Helping you was just helping myself."

Ye Chen shook his head.

"Even together, the two of you can only prolong the inevitable."

"You're going to die sooner or later anyway, so why not let me fulfill my destiny? I will become one with you, and together, we will ascend to the Divinity Transformation Realm!"

A rapturous expression suddenly appeared on the Abbot's face.

It was as if he could already see the scene: he would devour them both, his power would skyrocket, and he would reign supreme over heaven and earth!

From that day forward, Lei Province would belong to him and him alone!

"Dream on!"

Ye Chen swung his sword, driving back the surrounding black flames.

At the same time, with a single thought, the Ancient God Order began to glow brilliantly. It descended from the sky, transforming into a streak of light that smashed down hard on the ghost face in front of the Abbot.

"You dare attack me? Boy, I'm going to eat you first! I'll chew you up bite by bite and make you suffer an agony beyond imagination!"

The ghost face was enraged. Before the Abbot could even react, it opened its mouth and spat. A bizarre beam of purple light shot through the void, striking the Ancient God Order head-on!

However, even an attack as terrifying as the ghost face's failed to leave so much as a scratch on the Ancient God Order.

The Ancient God Order was knocked away. Connected to it by his aura, Ye Chen was affected as well. His brow furrowed as he felt his own blood and energy churn violently.

Just then, the Abbot finally reacted. He let out a wild laugh as his twelve Buddha Beads spun through the air and settled around Ye Chen.

The Buddha Beads radiated golden light, forming what looked like a seal that trapped Ye Chen securely within!

Ye Chen slashed with his sword, sending a tide of Sword Qi crashing against the twelve Buddha Beads, but it only created faint ripples and failed to break the seal.

"I'll help!"

Seeing this, the Prefect grew anxious.

He knew he couldn't let the Abbot separate them, otherwise they would be picked off one by one.

"BOOM!"

A vast tide of Spiritual Power surged from the Prefect's body, leaving the crowd below completely stunned.

'Is this the terrifying power of a Fifth-Layer Primordial Mansion Realm expert?'

The Spiritual Power surged forth, forming a massive Palm Seal that shot toward the twelve Buddha Beads!

"BOOM!"

But the Abbot appeared in front of the Palm Seal a split second faster.

He waved his hand, and the terrifying attack—one that could have easily crushed an ordinary Primordial Mansion Realm Cultivator—dispersed like a gentle breeze.

The Prefect's expression changed dramatically. 'Was my all-out attack really that pathetic in his eyes?'

"I've said it before. Below the Divinity Transformation Realm, I am peerless! You two should stop struggling in vain."

"Lei Province belongs to the strong. You'd be better off facing reality and submitting to me!"

"I might even be able to lead you out of Lei Province to see the vast world beyond!"

A hint of smug satisfaction gleamed in the Abbot's eyes.

Watching these two—arguably the most powerful Cultivators in Lei Province—being toyed with so effortlessly...

...gave him an indescribable thrill!

"Cangming Nether Emperor Hand!"

An illusion of an ancient god appeared behind Ye Chen. He used the Immortal Grade martial art to forcibly shatter the seal of the twelve Buddha Beads!

"With my bare hands, I will forge mountains and rivers! I will birth a new heaven with the sun and moon!"

Immediately after, his hands moved without pause. His Spiritual Power, which had been nearly depleted, began to recover at a rapid pace under the effect of a Third-Layer Spirit-Gathering Array.

Soon, Ye Chen's ten fingers were a nimble blur. Beneath them, an image of mountains and rivers manifested, blotting out the sky as it hurtled toward the Abbot.

The sight left the crowd below trembling, and even the Prefect at his side couldn't help but stare wide-eyed, his heart filled with utter disbelief!

'Just how many secrets is this guy hiding?'

'The martial art he's using is so powerful! I feel like I wouldn't even be able to help!'

The illusory mountains and rivers materialized from thin air, spanning half the sky as if to crush the very heavens and earth as they bore down upon the Abbot!

"You know, I'm growing more and more curious about you!"

"When you're defeated, I don't think I'll be able to devour you right away."

A glint flashed in the Abbot's eyes. Ye Chen's attack had actually made him—a Ninth-Layer Primordial Mansion Realm expert—feel a sense of threat!

He took a step forward, his aura flaring. The twelve Buddha Beads reappeared behind him, wreathed in black flames. They transformed into twelve meteors, converging on Ye Chen from all directions!

"BOOM!"

Before the twelve Buddha Beads could even converge, they triggered a heaven-shaking tremor. After a moment of violent shaking, the illusion of mountains and rivers exploded!

He watched the Buddha Beads rapidly converging before him and saw the mocking smile on the Abbot's face not far away.

Ye Chen's mind had never been so clear, as lucid as a flawless mirror.

At this moment of life and death, he seemed to have entered a unique state of being.

However, before Ye Chen could dwell on it...

...a vast and majestic power suddenly descended from the heavens!

A brilliant light flashed on the distant horizon, and in the blink of an eye, it was right before them!

It was a golden Primordial Spirit!

The Primordial Spirit was like a colossal, towering giant. With a wave of its hand, it swatted away the endless black flames, then snatched up the Abbot as if grabbing a helpless chick!