Ye Chen directly moved a massive cyan boulder weighing a hundred thousand jin to block the entire entrance of the twelfth checkpoint. He sat cross-legged atop the boulder, remaining motionless for several days in a row. A powerful aura surged around him, as if a divine mountain stood there, preventing the many trialists who came later from entering the twelfth checkpoint.
The numerous trialists were all dumbfounded, stunned by Ye Chen's actions and unable to comprehend his intentions.
Ye Chen threw out a statement: anyone who wanted to enter the twelfth checkpoint must hand over three identity tokens as a toll; otherwise, they could not pass.
Robbery!
Barefaced robbery!
Damn it! Many trialists present immediately wanted to curse out loud. They had seen shameless people before, but never one so shameless. And this was the young Martial God who was invincible on the entire Trial Path! He was actually pulling off such a scheme. Couldn't he maintain even a shred of the dignity befitting a Martial God?
But no one dared to actually curse. Ye Chen was a generation's Martial God. He had even forced four Checkpoint Masters out of the Trial Path. With his domineering and overbearing nature, how many people dared to provoke this young Martial God?
However, in secret, many gave him another title: the Young Great Demon King!
That's right, this young Martial God was just like a great demon king—utterly shameless, forcing trialists to hand over their identity tokens, completely bullying the weak.
Yet the many trialists had no choice. If it were anyone else, even those super-powerful individuals with the qualification to delay claiming kingship wouldn't dare to incur public wrath like this; a group attack could eliminate them.
But this person was Ye Chen, the young Martial God. His strength was right there for all to see. No one could do anything about him. Even if those super-powerful individuals with the qualification to delay claiming kingship came, they would have no way to deal with him.
Even the twelfth Checkpoint Master was somewhat speechless. But the Trial Path was a place where the strong preyed on the weak, and this was happening before the twelfth checkpoint, not inside it. She had no way to deal with Ye Chen.
Moreover, even if she took action, she likely wouldn't be Ye Chen's match.
Many could only curse their bad luck in secret and reluctantly hand over three identity tokens as the toll, abandoning any unrealistic hope that some super-powerful individual would appear to defeat Ye Chen.
Looking across the entire Trial Path, Ye Chen's strength was undoubtedly the strongest. Who had the ability to defeat Ye Chen?
Not long after, Ye Chen made another announcement: they could avoid handing over identity tokens, but they must agree to one condition. Otherwise, no one would be allowed to pass the twelfth checkpoint, and he would even take action to seize all their identity tokens.
This condition made everyone extremely curious.
"Hunt down all trialists from the Tianqi Empire and its vassal states and drive them out of the Trial Path!"
As soon as these words were released, an uproar immediately erupted. Many people's expressions changed. Was Ye Chen declaring war on the Tianqi Empire?
However, everyone remembered that the trialists from Xia Feng Kingdom had been hunted down by the Tianqi Empire before, creating a long-standing grudge. This was simply paying them back in their own coin.
The news quickly spread throughout the entire Trial Path, like a massive earthquake, startling many trialists and leaving them all dumbfounded.
Ye Chen was simply too overbearing.
"Ye Chen, are you seeking death? Do you deliberately intend to oppose my Tianqi Empire?"
In the tenth checkpoint, a Hundred Strong Trialist roared in anger, shaking the mountain forest, startling birds and scattering beasts. His aura surged astonishingly as he gazed towards the twelfth checkpoint, his eyes filled with hatred.
In other checkpoints, several others also roared in fury. They were all members of the Tianqi Empire's imperial bloodline who had entered the Trial Path for training this time. Each was of noble and powerful lineage, having received high-level guidance and training since childhood. Though only around twenty-one or twenty-two years old, they were all capable of ranking among the Hundred Strong Trialists.
It could be said that the younger generation sent by every superpower was the most unprovokable group. Not only did they have the strongest individuals with the qualification to delay claiming kingship, but even the others were qualified to rank among the Hundred Strong Trialists.
This was the mark of a true superpower.
Originally, each of these superpowers was transcendent and powerful, able to look down upon other trialists. No one dared to provoke them. The death of the Eighth Prince had already filled them with rage. Now, they weren't even looking for trouble with Ye Chen, yet someone wanted to hunt them down.
The trialists of the Tianqi Empire were utterly shocked and enraged. What did Ye Chen mean by this? Did he truly intend to exterminate them? Wasn't he afraid of thoroughly offending the Tianqi Empire? Even if he wasn't afraid on the Trial Path, wasn't he afraid of the Tianqi Empire's terrifying retaliation after leaving the Trial Path?
That could lead to the Xia Feng Kingdom being destroyed overnight.
The trialists from the Tenglong Empire, Jiuhua Empire, and Martial God Hall gloated over their misfortune, but also felt a sense of alarm. This Ye Chen either didn't act, or when he did, it was with overwhelming force, so ruthless and utterly unafraid of offending a superpower.
This further confirmed the rumors: this person had a supreme Divine Spirit protecting him, fearing nothing. Even superpowers probably didn't dare to offend him.
Finally, several princes of the Tianqi Empire also grew furious. They sent out a message: anyone who dared to take action, even if they were eliminated on the Trial Path, would face retaliation from the Tianqi Empire after leaving. Let those who weren't afraid go ahead.
As soon as these words were spoken, silence fell over the Trial Path. The vast majority hesitated. Ye Chen might not fear the Tianqi Empire, but that didn't mean others didn't. No one dared to take action to hunt them down.
Those who had already paid three identity tokens, who had been quite angry earlier, now thought themselves lucky and even breathed a sigh of relief. At least they didn't have to hunt down Tianqi Empire trialists.
But Ye Chen paid no heed to everyone's apprehensions. He simply sat cross-legged on the cyan boulder. Moreover, a terrifying demonic flood dragon coiled in the void, releasing a monstrous demonic aura that forced everyone to retreat three paces, not daring to approach in the slightest.
"Lord Ye Chen, I wish to pay three identity tokens to pass," a trialist said, unwilling to hunt down Tianqi Empire trialists. He could only reluctantly offer three identity tokens.
Following him, many trialists stepped forward. Under desperate circumstances, they could only choose this method. Paying three identity tokens was far better than offending the Tianqi Empire or being unable to pass the checkpoint.
But Ye Chen refused, stating indifferently, "The time for that has passed. Now, unless all Tianqi Empire trialists are eliminated, no one can pass the twelfth checkpoint."
Everyone's expressions immediately changed. Ye Chen was clearly trying to force them into a corner. Now they were stuck between a rock and a hard place, with no way out. Neither side was someone they could afford to provoke.
"Lord Ye Chen, please show mercy. The Tianqi Empire is wealthy and powerful; we truly cannot afford to provoke them," the trialist who had spoken earlier pleaded.
"Please, Lord Ye Chen, show mercy!"
Many trialists spoke up, pleading with Ye Chen not to make things difficult for them, the innocent ones.
At that moment, a graceful and beautiful figure in a Daoist robe stepped through the air. It was the twelfth Checkpoint Master, Elder Nalan. Her red lips parted slightly as she said softly, "Ye Chen, to be a king requires a broad mind. Please do not make things difficult for these innocent trialists."
Ye Chen merely shook his head. A king? He had even been a Supreme Being before, let alone a mere young king of the Tian Du Continent, which was utterly insignificant in the myriad realms.
However, he seemed to feel he had gone a bit too far and said, "Allow me to consider it for two days."
The many trialists immediately breathed a sigh of relief. Finally, there was a glimmer of hope. Fortunately, the twelfth Checkpoint Master had spoken up for them. It was also because of the battle a few days ago that the twelfth Checkpoint Master hadn't made things difficult for Ye Chen and had even proactively spoken up to protect him, winning his favor.
"Simply providing their location information is also acceptable. As long as all Tianqi Empire trialists are eliminated, you can pass immediately."
Two days later, Ye Chen finally made a concession, allowing many to breathe a sigh of relief. Although this still somewhat offended the Tianqi Empire, at least it wasn't too excessive—it was merely providing location information.
And at this time, throughout the entire Trial Path, the other trialists of the Tianqi Empire were like rats scurrying across the street.
Although other trialists were apprehensive and didn't dare to take action, geographical information was quickly gathered. Streams of news rapidly reached Ye Chen's ears at the twelfth checkpoint.
Soon, Ye Chen moved. He left the demonic flood dragon to guard the place while he personally took action.
"Quick, notify Lord Ye Chen! The Sixteenth Prince is at Grinding Mountain in the tenth checkpoint!"
"Hurry and notify Lord Ye Chen! We absolutely must not lose track of the Sixteenth Prince!"
In the tenth checkpoint, within a dense mountain forest, a figure coldly scanned the figures hidden among the trees—all trialists who had come to gather his location information.
He was a prince of the Tianqi Empire, ranked sixteenth, called the Sixteenth Prince. He was a Hundred Strong Trialist, quite powerful. During this period, he had also obtained forty-seven identity tokens, meaning he was only a short distance from obtaining the corresponding qualification to pass the trial.
He never expected Ye Chen to have all trialists in the first twelve checkpoints search for their traces and provide geographical information. This made them both furious and helpless. Because until now, only they had hunted others; no one had ever dared to hunt them. This was the first time they had encountered such a situation.
But it was utterly helpless because Ye Chen was too strong. Although rumors said he relied on a Heavenly God Dao Weapon to defeat three Checkpoint Masters, at the very least, his Martial God realm combat power was confirmed. Although he was a Hundred Strong Trialist, he had self-awareness and understood he was far from his opponent's match.
Now, the only plan was to flee, and the farther the better, preferably without these trialists discovering his trail.
He quickly departed. The trialists were all greatly surprised, not expecting to be discovered, and they all gave chase.
"We absolutely must not lose him! If we lose him, don't even think about passing the checkpoint!"
All the trialists sprang into action, not daring to stop for a moment, fearing they would lose the Sixteenth Prince.
"Damn it, these guys," the Sixteenth Prince cursed. These trackers were like sticky candy; once they latched on, it was hard to shake them off, leaving him quite helpless.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
He casually shot over a dozen throwing darts into the jungle. Several unfortunate individuals were immediately hit, their miserable cries ringing out incessantly.
Soon, he shook off these trackers and fled far away. But when he had escaped a certain distance, suddenly, a tall and straight figure appeared before him, standing alone there like an unshakable mountain.
Ye Chen!
The Sixteenth Prince smiled bitterly. In the end, he still couldn't escape. It left him utterly helpless...