Heaven-Dominating Martial Emperor

'Could it be that this young man before me has actually earned the acknowledgment of the Red Lotus Karma Fire?'

A strange glint appeared in the Supreme Profound Daoist's eyes. He stared intently at Ye Chen, his tone growing excited. "Legend has it that the Red Lotus Karma Fire is born in the depths of hell, and it only appears in places closest to it."

"I don't know how you obtained it, but a rare treasure like this is not something a mere Divinity Transformation Realm Cultivator like you should possess!"

Hearing this, Ye Chen couldn't help but scoff. "If you want to kill me for my treasure, just say it. Why waste time with such pointless nonsense?"

With that, he casually glanced over at the Demon Venerable and the others. "Just come at me together," he added.

His arrogant, domineering attitude stunned everyone present.

"Do you really think you can do as you please just because you control the Red Lotus Karma Fire?"

The Supreme Profound Daoist took a step forward, a monstrous aura sweeping out like a storm!

Clearly, after witnessing Jue Yun's miserable death, he could no longer sit still. He intended to join the fight and suppress Ye Chen!

The Red Lotus Karma Fire was a powerful counter to evil cultivators, but it was also incredibly alluring to them.

After all, the Red Lotus Karma Fire was born from hell itself. If an evil cultivator obtained it, they could use it to probe the secrets of hell and seek even more powerful demonic arts!

'Seventh Layer of the Divine Might Realm?'

'Finally, someone worth taking seriously.'

Ye Chen shot a casual glance at the Supreme Profound Daoist, a fierce fighting spirit igniting in his brilliant eyes!

He was eager to test his current combat strength, and the Supreme Profound Daoist, a Seventh-Layer Divine Might Realm Cultivator, was the perfect opponent!

"All of you, attack! Take this brat down!"

The Supreme Profound Daoist gave the order calmly, then immediately launched his own impatient attack on Ye Chen.

The great skeletal hand, which had been coiled above the thunderclouds, began to shrink rapidly, only stopping once it was the size of a normal person's arm.

"Go!"

As the Supreme Profound Daoist chanted an ancient and mysterious incantation, the skeletal hand transformed into a streak of light, tearing through the layers of clouds as it shot down toward Ye Chen.

Its unstoppable momentum seemed to tear a rift in space itself, making the hearts of the onlookers pound in terror.

Meanwhile, the Demon Venerable and the others were not idle. He opened his mouth and spat, and a bolt of baleful lightning erupted from his throat. A vast, destructive aura filled the deck, and the blindingly malevolent light reached Ye Chen in an instant.

Zhong Quanming and Murong Dai each manipulated their spirit weapons to confine the space around Ye Chen, preventing him from moving and forcing him to take the attacks from the Supreme Profound Daoist and the Demon Venerable head-on.

The bolt of baleful lightning reached Ye Chen first. His eyes flashed like electricity as a golden halo pulsed outward, neutralizing the attack.

That was the power of his Divine Soul!

No one could have imagined that although Ye Chen was only at the First Layer of the Divinity Transformation Realm, his Divine Soul would be so incredibly powerful.

Immediately after, Ye Chen flicked his finger. A beam of Sword Qi, carrying the force of a thousand thunderbolts, swept out toward the Demon Venerable.

The Demon Venerable's expression changed drastically. A potent sense of danger washed over him, and he frantically tried to resist, but all his defenses were like paper, instantly shredded by the Sword Qi!

BOOM!

With a blood-curdling scream, half of the Demon Venerable's body was sliced open by the Sword Qi. Scalding blood sprayed across the deck. His aura instantly withered, and he almost collapsed, his face twisted in agony.

Similarly, the Sword Qi blocked the attacks from Zhong Quanming and Murong Dai. Realizing its terrifying power, they both scrambled to activate the ship's Forbidden Array, narrowly averting disaster.

Just then, the skeletal hand finally smashed down in front of Ye Chen. Without even a glance, he threw a punch in response. A brilliant azure light swept out like a sharp sword, threatening to pierce the dark clouds and illuminate the heavens.

BOOM!

Fist met hand, and in that instant, an indescribably violent shockwave erupted, spreading in all directions like a monstrous flood.

Zhong Quanming's and Murong Dai's faces fell. They fled in a panic as the ship's Forbidden Arrays shattered one after another.

The gravely injured Demon Venerable was too slow to dodge. At the critical moment, a sinisterly handsome man appeared by his side, grabbed his mangled body, and retreated swiftly, just barely escaping the torrential shockwave.

The onlookers were sent scattering by the shockwave, their faces aghast. Stunned by this first exchange between Ye Chen and the Supreme Profound Daoist, they all turned their eyes to the center of the conflict, eager to see who had come out on top.

As the smoke cleared, Ye Chen's figure was the first to emerge.

His clothes were in disarray, and the deck beneath his feet was a spiderweb of cracks. If not for a sliver of the Power of the Forbidden Array holding it together, the deck would have already collapsed into a massive crater.

Ye Chen's face looked slightly pale, and his breathing was somewhat ragged.

But his gaze remained sharp, and his aura surged like a dragon, showing no signs of faltering!

As for the skeletal hand... it had long since been shattered into a pile of bone fragments by the powerful recoil.

"What?"

"That brat actually... he blocked it?!"

The crowd stared with wide, incredulous eyes. No one had expected that such a terrifying attack would fail to defeat Ye Chen!

Zhong Quanming, Murong Dai, the Demon Venerable, and the others all wore grim expressions.

But many more breathed a sigh of relief.

Although Zhong Quanming and Murong Dai had chosen to side with the Supreme Profound Daoist, in the eyes of the majority, evil cultivators were terrifying fiends, and they were more inclined to see Ye Chen win.

However, faced with an alliance of so many powerful foes, anyone would have thought Ye Chen's chances of victory were slim to none!

But now, after seeing Ye Chen successfully block the Supreme Profound Daoist's powerful strike, the crowd couldn't help but realize that this young man was actually powerful enough to go toe-to-toe with the Supreme Profound Daoist himself!

To accomplish such a feat at the Divinity Transformation Realm was simply inconceivable!

A grave expression crossed the Supreme Profound Daoist's face. He watched Ye Chen from afar, his demeanor turning solemn.

"My earlier attempt failed to stop you, and now, even my full-powered strike has been successfully repelled..."

"You really are full of surprises!"

"I'm very curious as to how you've achieved this level of power with only a Divinity Transformation Realm cultivation!"

The Supreme Profound Daoist spoke slowly, his tone growing heavy.

"Block my next attack, and I'll give you your answer. How about it?"

Ye Chen smiled and began to rapidly circulate the Astonishing Records of the Demon God. Within just a few breaths, his aura had completely stabilized.

The earlier blow from the skeletal hand had only left him with minor scratches; it was utterly insignificant.

Now, it was his turn to strike back!