Heaven-Dominating Martial Emperor

After bidding farewell to the Liu family, Ye Chen made his way toward the Dragon Prison Cave.

As he drew closer to the Dragon Prison Cave, Ye Chen could clearly feel the Spiritual Qi in the surrounding air beginning to roil.

In such an environment, an ordinary Bone Forging Realm Cultivator would likely be unable to even get close.

"WHOOSH!"

A colossal bird soared high on beating wings, its massive pinions nearly obscuring half the sky as it swept past, heedless of anything below.

On the bird's back sat a group of powerful Cultivators cross-legged, their eyes closed. Alarming fluctuations of Spiritual Power radiated from their bodies.

Seeing this, Ye Chen remained unfazed.

Ever since the Dragon Prison Cave opened, countless powerful factions had arrived from beyond Lei Province.

'The Dragon Prison Cave must be the most prominent secret realm in the eastern part of the dynasty. Otherwise, it wouldn't have such an astonishing allure.'

Ye Chen's figure flashed like a streak of light. With a surge of Spiritual Power, he shot toward the Dragon Prison Cave at an incredible speed.

But just then, a group of people noticed Ye Chen from a distance.

Their leader was a middle-aged woman.

She was dressed in iridescent robes, her long skirt trailing on the ground, giving her the elegant and noble air of a lady of high society.

Her eyes lit up slightly, and she suddenly said, "Hmm? Is that the aura of the Demon Dao?"

"You all came down from the mountain for training, to slay demons, defend the Righteous Dao, and hone your skills. A Demon Cultivator has appeared; this is the perfect opportunity for you to act!"

However, a male disciple beside her first shot a fervent glance at the noble woman before saying disdainfully, "Master, even if we're here to train, surely we didn't need to come to this barren wasteland?"

"How strong can a Demon Cultivator from Lei Province possibly be? I can't muster any interest in this kind of 'training'."

The noble woman sighed. "If the Dragon Prison Cave hadn't opened, why else would I have brought you here to train?"

"While we make our way to the Dragon Prison Cave, finding a few Demon Cultivators to practice on can be considered a warm-up for you."

With that, she looked at Ye Chen and spoke again.

"He's so young, yet Demonic Qi is overflowing from his body. He must have been practicing the Demon Dao since he was a child."

"People of the Demon Dao should be swiftly eliminated by us, the forces of the Righteous Dao!"

"Which of you would like to prove yourselves?"

She smiled charmingly, not giving Ye Chen a second thought.

Ye Chen was about the same age as her disciples, but his strength was only at the Third Layer of the Spirit Sea Realm.

Anyone could tell that Ye Chen was undoubtedly a local from Lei Province.

That being the case, they naturally had no reason to be wary.

Besides, as leaders of a sect from the Righteous Dao, their purpose in coming down from the mountain—apart from experiencing the Dragon Prison Cave—was to bring a few disciples to Lei Province to practice on some Demon Cultivators.

Now that they had run into Ye Chen, there was no reason for them not to act.

"Let me go."

"I've been stuck at the Peak of the Spirit Sea Realm for a while now, and I can't seem to find the opportunity to break through to the Primordial Mansion."

"I hope that through the crucible of real combat, I can achieve my breakthrough soon."

A young man stepped forward slowly, shaking his head and sighing as if he were very dissatisfied with his recent cultivation progress.

"Chen Yue, you still haven't broken through to the Primordial Mansion?"

A lively and pretty girl with a ponytail standing nearby couldn't help but cover her mouth and giggle. "You'd better hurry up then. Don't fall too far behind the Senior Brother."

"Don't worry. On this trip, if I don't break through to the Primordial Mansion, I'm not going back!"

Chen Yue let out a long laugh, his fighting spirit surging!

With a single step, he appeared directly in front of Ye Chen, blocking his path.

"Kid, you could have learned anything, but you chose to become a Demon Cultivator. It's your unlucky day to have run into me."

"If you obediently cripple your own cultivation, abandon the darkness for the light, and return to the Righteous Dao, I might consider letting you go."

Chen Yue clasped his hands behind his back, looking at Ye Chen with a detached expression.

"Hmm? Who are you?"

Ye Chen's brow furrowed slightly.

'I was just minding my own business, trying to get somewhere. I haven't provoked anyone!'

'What's going on?'

"Who am I?"

Chen Yue sneered. "I am a current disciple of Feihong Academy. I never thought Lei Province would have fallen so far that a Demon Cultivator like you could swagger around in broad daylight. It's simply preposterous!"

"I may be a Demon Cultivator, but I haven't provoked you. What is the meaning of this?"

Ye Chen's eyes narrowed, a dangerous glint flickering in their depths.

"Hmph! How ridiculous!"

"How would a creature like you ever have the guts to provoke us?"

"But as members of the Righteous Dao, it is our duty to slay demons and uphold justice. For you to be so brazen, you must be used to running rampant in Lei Province, aren't you?"

A cold light flashed in Chen Yue's eyes. "Enough talk! Either cripple your cultivation and submit to me, or die!"

Terrifying fluctuations of Spiritual Qi erupted from his body.

Behind him, his Spiritual Sea churned, and brilliant rays of light soared into the air.

He was, in fact, a powerful Cultivator at the Ninth Layer Peak of the Spirit Sea Realm!

His terrifying aura filled the sky and covered the land. Many Cultivators from Lei Province sensed this dreadful presence from afar.

They looked in this direction and gasped. "Is this a Cultivator from an outside faction? A single young disciple possesses the strength of the Spirit Sea Peak... It's simply unimaginable!"

It was no wonder they were so shocked.

After all, the Peak of the Spirit Sea Realm was already considered first-class strength in Lei Province, enough to dominate a whole region!

But among the truly great powers from beyond the province, someone of this strength was merely an ordinary, talented disciple.

"Wait... Is that the Sect Leader of the Demon Faction, Ye Chen?!"

Seeing Ye Chen, everyone's expressions changed!

No one expected Ye Chen to actually clash with these major powers from outside the province!

"Slaying demons to defend the Dao... So that's the reason?"

"What a shame. Ye Chen just led his Demon Faction to prominence in Lei Province, and he's already being targeted by an outside power!"

The crowd couldn't help but shake their heads and sigh.

Although Ye Chen was a Demon Cultivator, he didn't usually commit any heinous crimes. Most Cultivators in Lei Province didn't hate him; on the contrary, they held him in admiration and awe.

However, feeling the ever-surging aura coming from Chen Yue,

Ye Chen just smiled placidly. "You've barely scratched the surface of cultivation, and you're already trying to imitate others by coming down from the mountain to slay demons and defend the Dao?"

"What an absolute fool."

"Say that again?" Chen Yue's expression darkened.

He never imagined that this mere Demon Cultivator at the Third Layer of the Spirit Sea Realm would actually dare to mock him!

The absolute nerve!

"Fool." Ye Chen had no patience for him, softly uttering the single word in a detached tone.

"BOOM!"

A terrifying aura erupted in an instant. With an ice-cold expression, Chen Yue ruthlessly struck, sending a palm strike flying toward Ye Chen!