"I am Ye Chen!"
It was the same name he had given when introducing himself to Hai Qingxue and the others earlier, but now it was completely different.
Previously, it had been a simple statement of his name. Now, it was more like a declaration to the entire world—his name was Ye Chen.
Ye Chen!
It was a name that seemed ordinary and common, but everyone present had countless reasons to believe that from this day forward, it would no longer be ordinary. Because starting today, this name was destined to shine brilliantly alongside the person who bore it, becoming renowned throughout the entire Trial Path and even the Tian Du Continent.
"Ye Chen..."
Han Fei murmured the name twice, committing it to memory, but ultimately let out a dejected sigh, his head drooping as he muttered, "I lost..."
This defeat was not unjust. It wasn't that he wasn't strong enough. On the contrary, among the fifteen thousand people on the Trial Path—the gathering of all the young generation's elites from the entire Tian Du Continent—his ability to rank among the top hundred was proof enough of his strength.
But this time, he had encountered an opponent who was too monstrous, strong to an absurd and indescribable degree, simply impossible to contend with.
Such a person would likely gradually dominate the entire Trial Path in the days to come. Even those super-powerful experts with the qualification to delay claiming kingship would probably lose hope when facing him.
Ye Chen extended his hand. "Since you've lost and been eliminated, hand over all the identity tokens on you."
On the Trial Path, the loser had to surrender all the identity tokens they had collected to the one who eliminated them. This was an unwritten rule.
Han Fei gave a bitter smile but did not hesitate. He handed over the pack on his back, stuffed full. The bag was packed so tightly with identity tokens, each only the size of a baby's fist, that one could imagine just how many there were.
When it was opened, it immediately drew the gazes of everyone present. There were easily over a hundred.
Many couldn't help but swallow hard. Only a top hundred Trial Path participant like Han Fei could have gathered so many identity tokens.
Hai Qingxue's group was fine; they knew these tokens now belonged to Ye Chen and didn't dare act recklessly, merely glancing at them a few more times.
But the several dozen people on Han Fei's side almost all looked at the identity tokens with greedy eyes. With these tokens, two or three people could completely pass the trial.
It was a huge temptation.
But at this moment, they all shivered violently, because a pair of icy eyes suddenly swept over them, chilling them to the bone.
The owner of those eyes was none other than Ye Chen, who was now looking down at them from above with an indifferent, emotionless expression, like an emperor gazing down upon his subjects, making them feel an urge to kneel and submit.
Their expressions changed drastically. They had been so focused on the identity tokens that they had forgotten there was an even more terrifying presence here—a young Martial God, overwhelmingly powerful and not to be provoked. And here they were, still coveting these identity tokens. They really had a death wish.
"Esteemed Martial God, we were all previously misled and coerced by Han Fei, which led us to act against you all. Please forgive us."
"That's right, all of this was Han Fei's doing. We were all forced under his tyranny. Please don't hold it against us. We'll leave immediately."
"Our apologies, Miss Qingxue, and everyone else!"
When the tree falls, the monkeys scatter; when the wall collapses, everyone pushes. With Han Fei defeated and eliminated, these people had lost their leader. Moreover, with a young Martial God like Ye Chen present, everyone feared he might attack them. They quickly stated their stance—of the thirty-six stratagems, retreat was the best.
"You're truly shameless! Earlier, you surrounded us with such ferocity, and now that the situation has turned against you, you want to run. How despicable and brazen!" A woman behind Hai Qingxue snorted angrily. She was the one who had initially called Ye Chen 'little brother,' named Xue Wei. She was extremely indignant at the behavior of these fair-weather friends.
If not for Ye Chen, these people would never have been willing to let them go. Now that Ye Chen had displayed his formidable power and Han Fei was defeated, they were pinning all the blame for their failure on the eliminated Han Fei. Such shameless behavior infuriated her.
Others in the team pulled at the woman, signaling her to stop. Although they also felt great indignation, everything was because of Ye Chen. Whether these people stayed or left should be left to Ye Chen, not them.
A man from the opposing side with a rather delicate and handsome face stepped forward. "Miss, I think you misunderstand. All these actions were actually because of Han Fei. Previously, we were all misled and coerced by him, forced to do these things against our will. Now that Han Fei has been eliminated, we naturally dare not attack you anymore."
"That's right, please forgive our previous rash actions, young masters and misses. You must understand that Han Fei was one of the top hundred Trial Path participants, his strength far surpassing ours. If not for his forceful coercion, why would we have been willing to attack you all?" Another person spoke up passionately.
But these seemingly reasonable words sounded utterly shameless and brazen to Hai Qingxue and the others.
These people had clearly come for the identity tokens on them. Although Han Fei was strong, he had merely become the leader by circumstance.
Yet none of them spoke. The right to decide these people's fate now lay in the hands of the young Ye Chen.
"We'll leave now, we promise not to attack any of you."
These people said urgently. Where would they dare to stay now? With Ye Chen standing there, just the invisible pressure emanating from him was enough to make them feel suffocated. If he really attacked, they wouldn't know what to do.
But Ye Chen swept his gaze over them and said lightly, "Hand over all the identity tokens on you."
Everyone's expressions changed abruptly. The delicate, handsome man who had spoken first couldn't help but say, "Ye Chen, although you are strong, there are so many of us here. We might not be unable to defeat you. You've already taken Han Fei's identity tokens, that's enough. But don't be too greedy—a snake trying to swallow an elephant, thinking you're invincible under heaven. If we all attack together, we might not lose to you."
With the first person speaking up, a second and third followed, indirectly threatening Ye Chen. Over thirty people together, all genuine Xiantian experts, and young elites from major factions who were highly valued, cultivating techniques and martial skills that were not weak. If over thirty of them truly attacked together, the power would not be inferior to a Martial God's strike.
Even those super-powerful experts on the Trial Path with the qualification to delay claiming kingship would probably be wary.
But perhaps they had forgotten who Ye Chen was—a man who had defeated and severely injured a top hundred Trial Path participant like Han Fei with a single finger, a peerless powerhouse suspected to be a Martial God. How could he possibly fear their threats?
At this moment, the corner of Ye Chen's mouth lifted into a cold curve. He shook his head. "Threatening me? Just a bunch of clay chickens and pottery dogs, yet you dare threaten me? How laughable."
"Everyone, run!" The delicate, handsome man's expression changed as he shouted. The thirty or forty people immediately fled like lightning in all directions. Even if he was a young Martial God, he couldn't chase so many people at once. These people had pinpointed Ye Chen's weakness.
"Trying to escape in front of me? But can you escape?"
Ye Chen gave a cold laugh. He suddenly took a step forward, and an invisible ripple spread out from under his foot, rapidly expanding in all directions.
Visible to the naked eye, this invisible ripple spread like lightning. When it reached Hai Qingxue and the others, it simply skipped over them. But those fleeing were not so lucky; they were directly swept by the invisible ripple.
*Thump, thump, thump—*
In the dark mountain forest, the fleeing figures suddenly halted, then as if struck by lightning, they coughed up blood and were sent flying backward, collapsing to the ground, utterly defenseless.
With just a single step, over thirty Xiantian young elites were defeated like this, not even able to withstand a single exchange.
Such a method was truly extraordinary, breathtaking to behold.
Was this the true means of the Martial God realm?
"Now, will you hand over the identity tokens yourselves, or do you want me to continue?" Ye Chen said lightly, but his voice sounded like that of the god of death in their ears, sending chills down their spines. They hurriedly handed over all the identity tokens they had, without the slightest delay or hesitation, and were then eliminated.
This youth was simply a demon god. Whoever dared provoke him would meet a hellish end. They would rather be eliminated.
Further away, in the mountain forest, faintly discernible powerful auras emerged—all Trial Path participants who had been coveting the identity tokens of Hai Qingxue and the others. Having witnessed Ye Chen's terrifying strength, they all gasped in shock and chose to retreat.
Hai Qingxue and the others' expressions changed. If not for Ye Chen displaying overwhelmingly powerful strength, they probably wouldn't have noticed those Trial Path participants hiding in the shadows, waiting to profit from the conflict.
"No need to worry. Since they've set their sights on our identity tokens, naturally, I won't let them leave easily." Ye Chen smiled, then whistled. Suddenly, a heaven-shaking roar erupted, shaking the mountain forest.
Then, they heard cries of agony rising and falling one after another, horrifying to hear.
Not long after, a golden lion covered in scales charged out. Standing up, it was a full two zhang tall, its entire body radiating a powerful aura that even a top hundred Trial Path participant like Hai Qingxue regarded with extreme wariness. She drew her sword, full of vigilance.
But Ye Chen waved his hand, signaling not to attack. The Scaled Golden Lion let out a low roar, then, to everyone's stunned gazes, actually brought its massive lion head close to Ye Chen, appearing extremely docile.