The nearly four hundred trial participants who had gathered in the Thousand-Mile Desert and entered the mysterious realm were almost completely wiped out. Only a handful survived, including the imperial princesses and princes. This event thoroughly shook the entire Trial Path, causing a massive uproar that swept through it and incited widespread panic.
This was an unprecedented major incident. The loss of hundreds of trial participants was a significant number, accounting for nearly half of the total population on the entire Trial Path. Moreover, they were all genuine elite disciples, each with at least Xiantian realm cultivation.
Even twenty to thirty powerful trial participants from the Top Hundred list were among them, along with all the princes and princesses of the three great empires. However, aside from a few of the self-proclaimed king super experts, the Sixth Princess Yang Miaoxue of the Tianqi Empire who had an ambiguous relationship with Ye Chen, and a few from the Xia Feng Kingdom, everyone else had been eliminated in one fell swoop, all slaughtered.
It was said that within that small Divine Spirit realm, blood stained every corner, corpses littered the ground, and many trial participants' remains had turned to dust, leaving nothing behind—a scene of unprecedented carnage.
This was the most severe incident to occur since the opening of the Trial Path. The slaughter of hundreds of elite trial participants could be expected to cause an immense uproar if it spread across the Tian Du Continent, affecting the entire landmass.
These messages were spread by the few self-proclaimed king super experts who had managed to escape. The mastermind behind this severe massacre was pointed at the recent sensation who had shaken the Trial Path—
The Unrivaled King, Ye Chen!
According to the information disseminated by these individuals while fleeing, Ye Chen had transformed into a peerless great demon king. Ignoring everyone's pleas for mercy, he had slaughtered hundreds of powerful trial participants with unprecedented bloody methods. He had even declared his intention to bathe the entire Trial Path in blood, dyeing the ancient road red with the blood of all trial participants from the Tian Du Continent.
For a time, this caused immense panic among the numerous trial participants on the Trial Path. Many immediately sought refuge in the various major towns, seeking protection from the Checkpoint Masters.
One Checkpoint Master after another was alarmed. Even the Supreme Elders stationed on the Trial Path were disturbed. If such a massacre event were truly confirmed, it would cause an unprecedented, massive ripple effect with unpredictable consequences.
However, they also harbored doubts. Because this massacre incident involved too many parties, they couldn't help but question its authenticity, suspecting that the young prodigies of the four super forces were slandering Ye Chen.
After all, Ye Chen was a genuine Young King, peerless in his generation, sweeping through the younger generation with no match. Even the several self-proclaimed king experts should logically be no match for him. This was their goal—to eliminate the greatest threat. This made the various Checkpoint Masters hesitate, refraining from making an immediate judgment.
The four experts had sought these Checkpoint Masters and Supreme Elders to intervene and protect them, but they all shook their heads and refused. The Trial Path was ultimately a trial for the younger generation and had nothing to do with them. Intervening would compromise fairness.
Knowing this, the four experts inwardly cursed these people for being pedantic, but they had no choice. They could only rush swiftly toward the Fifteenth Checkpoint. Once they passed the Fifteenth Checkpoint, the finish line would be in sight. At that time, experts from their respective major forces would come to receive the strong and escort them back to the Tian Du Continent.
Boom—
The four experts passed through the Fifteenth Town, located between the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Checkpoints, without stopping. However, shortly after they left, an unprecedented powerful aura surged from behind, startling all the trial participants and the Checkpoint Master in the town, who shot into the sky.
From afar, they saw a vast expanse of golden radiance rapidly approaching, chasing after them like a shooting star. The immense fluctuation shook the heavens and the earth, surging with unprecedented power that made people pale.
All the trial participants in the entire Fifteenth Town were stunned, their minds and bodies trembling with fear. Was it true, as the rumors said, that Ye Chen intended to slaughter all the trial participants on the entire Trial Path?
The Checkpoint Master of this town, a Martial God realm expert, immediately changed color. He saw a youthful figure, far too young, treading on the void as he approached from the distance, like a deity. The entire void trembled, and he felt that this youth seemed far more powerful than an ordinary Martial God expert.
Was this really just a trial participant? He was excessively powerful. Why was he even participating in the Trial Path? Even if he went to the Tian Du Academy, the highest-tier Heaven-tier Academy would unconditionally accept him.
The youth arrived through the air, bathed in boundless golden light, arriving with lightning speed. He appeared in the sky above the Fifteenth Town. The Fifteenth Checkpoint Master appeared horizontally, blocking his path, and said, "No matter who you are, this is the Fifteenth Town. As a trial participant, you must pass through here properly and stay for three days. Otherwise, you cannot proceed."
He was doing this to buy time for the four. Ye Chen was too terrifying. If he didn't block him, Ye Chen would surely succeed in pursuing and killing them.
This was because he was a member of the Jiuhua Empire's royal family. Although not from the current emperor's direct line, but from a collateral branch of a previous generation prince, his cultivation talent was still exceptional. He had now reached the Martial God realm and had joined the Tian Du Academy, being selected as a Checkpoint Master.
When Li Sheng fled here, he recognized his identity. In a moment of quiet desperation, Li Sheng promised him a significant reward. If he could delay Ye Chen, allowing them to successfully reach the finish line, then in the future, when Li Sheng became a figure of power, he would surely bring this branch back into the royal family, granting them great authority.
It was precisely because of this condition that the Fifteenth Checkpoint Master agreed to hinder Ye Chen. Moreover, he firmly believed that no matter how bold Ye Chen was, he wouldn't dare challenge the authority of the Tian Du Academy, much less attack him, a Checkpoint Master.
Unfortunately, perhaps he had forgotten how, not long ago, Ye Chen had forced several Checkpoint Masters to leave. Otherwise, he probably wouldn't have agreed to this condition.
But there was no 'if'.
Meanwhile, all the trial participants in the town couldn't help but want to curse this Checkpoint Master. Had his head been kicked by a donkey? Had he forgotten what the four experts said when they left? The rumors said Ye Chen wanted to slaughter all the trial participants on the Trial Path. They should be wishing he would leave, yet you dare to make him stay? Are you deliberately seeking death?
Ye Chen indeed stopped. However, his aura did not retract; on the contrary, it became even more terrifying. Divine might swept across this region of the sky. The hundreds of trial participants in the entire Fifteenth Town felt an immense pressure, looking at Ye Chen with fear and bitterness.
Could the rumors be true? Did Ye Chen intend to bathe the Trial Path in blood?
But the Fifteenth Checkpoint Master grew furious, feeling his dignity had been challenged. He shouted sternly, "Ye Chen, are you trying to challenge the dignity of a Checkpoint Master? I warn you, it's best you stop now. Otherwise, you will be expelled from the Trial Path."
Many people felt pity for this Checkpoint Master. He actually dared to reprimand Ye Chen. Did he truly not know how several previous Checkpoint Masters had been forced to leave the Trial Path?
"Can I interpret this as you threatening me?" Ye Chen said expressionlessly, yet anyone could hear the trace of coldness in his words.
Many began to pray, hoping Ye Chen wouldn't actually attack, for the result would be terrifying.
"Ye Chen, you may be considered a genius of your generation, but do not challenge the dignity of us Checkpoint Masters, which is equivalent to challenging the dignity of the Tian Du Academy. Quickly restrain your aura, or don't blame me for suppressing you," the Fifteenth Checkpoint Master shouted.
"Suppress me?" Ye Chen laughed, but there was a coldness to it. "You're from the Jiuhua Empire, aren't you? No wonder your aura feels so familiar. But since you want to shield those four, I won't waste words. I know you won't step aside, but I will pass."
"Pass?" The Fifteenth Checkpoint Master sneered. "Who do you think you are? Do you really think you can pass?"
Boom—
Ye Chen chose to act directly, without further words. He formed hand seals, and the Mountain Embracing Seal manifested. A golden mountain peak was directly hurled out, smashing toward the Fifteenth Checkpoint Master.
The Fifteenth Checkpoint Master immediately changed color, knowing the fearsome nature of this youth. He shouted, summoning vast amounts of heaven and earth energy to block, continuously attacking to temporarily halt the golden mountain, intending to shatter it.
But the next moment, Ye Chen had already closed in. His palm transformed into crystalline gold, forcefully slapping the golden mountain. With a deafening boom, the void shook violently. The golden mountain broke through the blockade, directly striking the Fifteenth Checkpoint Master, causing him to cough up large mouthfuls of blood. He was sent flying along with the golden mountain, scattering a trail of bright, eye-catching blood—a shocking sight.
This scene made others' scalps go numb. With just one palm and one mountain, he had defeated a Martial God so quickly. How was Ye Chen's power becoming increasingly terrifying?
The Fifteenth Checkpoint Master continuously vomited blood, looking at Ye Chen in shock and horror. How could this youth be powerful to this extent? He wasn't someone who had just stepped into the Martial God realm; he stood on the second level, which was quite decent. Yet he was no match for the other. How could this be?
In response, Ye Chen sneered. Although he only had a vague concept of his true combat power, after the Human Yuan Body Art reached great completion, it could rival a Martial God. But it wasn't an ordinary Martial God, because body refiners were generally stronger than cultivators. Their formidable physiques made cultivators wary.
If one had to say how powerful Ye Chen was, he was definitely not a first or second-level Martial God. He estimated he could rival a powerful third-level Martial God, and in close-quarters combat, he could probably rival a fourth-level Martial God.
Of course, this was just theoretical. How strong he truly was could only be truly demonstrated by actual combat power.
But undoubtedly, he possessed the strength to suppress a second-level Martial God expert.
Ye Chen strode past the Fifteenth Checkpoint Master, appearing calm and composed. He didn't even glance at him again, making the Fifteenth Checkpoint Master feel a sense of humiliation, as if he had been disgraced, filling him with immense resentment.
"Brat, die!"
Even though he knew he was no match for Ye Chen, he couldn't help himself. He suddenly shouted and attacked again. Blood energy surged throughout his body, divine power billowed, and a divine sword shone with majestic light as it thrust out, aiming for the vital spot at Ye Chen's back.
"Scram!"
Ye Chen coldly roared, his black hair flying wildly. His fingers and palms flowed with brilliant golden radiance, like crystalline gold, as if a heavenly stele was smashing out.
With just this one strike, the Fifteenth Checkpoint Master was sent flying, like a kite with its string cut. He was sent tumbling backward, coughing up large mouthfuls of blood. His body cracked like porcelain, blood seeping from the fissures—a miserable sight.
The Fifteenth Checkpoint Master was defeated, utterly unable to hinder Ye Chen's steps. Ye Chen moved through the air like a demon lord, unstoppable.
"If there's a next time, I will surely take your life."
Ye Chen sinisterly declared, then slapped him flying again with another palm. Crackling sounds erupted from the Checkpoint Master's body; who knew how many bones were shattered. He was severely injured, bleeding profusely.
Clearly, even if the Fifteenth Checkpoint Master didn't die, he would be crippled.