The Ancient Battle Stage was located in the eastern district of Huatian City, where a majestic battle arena stood. It possessed a rather long history, often spanning tens of thousands of years, and was one of the most renowned battle stages in Huatian City, frequently hosting duels between peerless experts.
The Young King of the Donghua Clan, the foremost clan of the Donghua Domain, was to set up a challenge platform there to face the young generation geniuses of the Five Great Domains, seeking to prove himself as the number one among the younger generation across the Five Domains. This naturally attracted the attention of countless people.
It must be known that within the Void Tian Domain, Huatian City was a first-rate main city, not controlled by just a single great domain. Instead, it was jointly managed by the five great domains within this region, with the Donghua Domain being just one of them.
Clearly, Donghua Haoyi intended to use Huatian City's Ancient Battle Stage to face the young geniuses of the Five Great Domains, truly becoming the number one among the younger generation of the Five Domains.
The struggle for supremacy among the younger generation held immense significance, potentially even involving the future competition for the position of Human Sovereign. Major forces from all Five Domains were paying attention, and even some ancient recluses who had long remained hidden were stirred, entering the Void Tian Domain to observe this contest for the title of number one among the younger generation of the Five Domains.
The battle arena was majestic and enormous, capable of accommodating over a million people. It was usually closed, only opening when peerless experts or major forces presided over events. This time, it was the Donghua Clan that had exercised its authority to open it.
The ancient battle stage was about a hundred zhang in length and width. The stone platform was pitted and covered with mottled bloodstains, indelible marks left behind by experts throughout the ages.
The Void Tian Domain was very realistic; even Primordial Spirit power could transform into blood.
Now, to allow this generation's key young king to display his might and prestige, and even more to establish an invincible resolve for the Human Sovereign competition, the Donghua Clan attached great importance to this event. They did not hesitate to expend significant resources to open the Ancient Battle Stage, allowing him to establish his fame and awe across the world once more.
By the time Ye Chen arrived, the battle arena was already densely packed with figures. Naturally, most were Houtian and Xiantian martial artists, but there were also numerous experts at the Martial God realm and above. It was exceptionally lively.
A rough estimate suggested no fewer than seven to eight hundred thousand spectators had come to watch. It was evident that this Young King of the Donghua Clan was the focus of attention across the Five Domains; otherwise, he wouldn't have attracted so many people specifically entering the Void Tian Domain to watch.
Ye Chen chose a seat that was neither too close nor too far back, ordinary and plain. He simply sat there, quietly waiting for the battle to begin.
Roar— Roar— Roar—
Three terrifying roars shook the entire battle arena, silencing the entire venue. Everyone looked up, shocked to see a carriage speeding through the void from the sky. Astonishingly, it was pulled by three demonic flood dragon beasts, dragging a purple-gold carriage as it flew over, appearing awe-inspiring and exuding a powerful aura.
"Heavens! Three mighty demonic flood dragon beasts are actually being used as carriage-pulling beasts. Each one is a peak Semi-Divine great demon, even possessing a trace of True Dragon bloodline, yet they can only serve as carriage-pullers. What a grand gesture," the crowd exclaimed in astonishment.
The three demonic flood dragons pulled the purple-gold carriage, which flashed and finally landed on the Ancient Battle Stage. The carriage door opened, and a young figure clad in purple-gold robes stepped out, standing tall on the battle stage.
This person had sword-like eyebrows and starry eyes, an imposing heroic air, with long hair tied in a crown at the back of his head. His purple-gold robes made him appear majestic and dignified. A hazy, radiant light flowed around his body, as if clad in divine garments, inviolable.
He stood with his hands behind his back, exuding an oppressive kingly pressure.
Donghua Haoyi, the genius Young King of the Donghua Clan from the Donghua Domain.
This famous Young King of the Donghua Clan, renowned across the Five Domains, stood just like that on the Ancient Battle Stage, looking down upon the world with his hands behind his back. Facing the hundreds of thousands, even millions, of spectators in the battle arena, he remained calm and composed, unperturbed.
Although no one had seen Donghua Haoyi make a move, his aura alone was enough to intimidate many.
Moreover, rumors said that Donghua Haoyi, as one of the foremost among the current younger generation of the Five Domains, was said to be on the verge of stepping into the Divine Transformation realm, entering another domain. He was extremely powerful, currently the strongest of the contemporary younger generation, with monstrous, world-shocking talent. He was also being groomed as the next clan leader.
He stood at the center, his momentum mighty and vast, his majestic aura blooming, making it impossible for anyone to ignore his presence. No one dared claim they could easily defeat him.
Donghua Haoyi's gaze swept across the hundreds of thousands of spectators. His eyes shone brilliantly, as if substantial, forcing many to close their eyes, unable to look directly.
His voice resonated throughout the venue: "Today, I, Donghua Haoyi, stand here wishing to face the young geniuses of the Five Great Domains, contending for the title of number one among our generation. I ask but one thing: Is there anyone who dares to come forth and fight?"
Is there anyone who dares to come forth and fight!
His voice rolled like thunder, deafening, causing an uproar among the entire crowd.
These words were both domineering and arrogant. Standing alone here, facing the younger generation of the Five Domains in battle, he sought to prove himself the number one among the younger generation of the Five Domains.
He feared nothing, standing here, waiting for others to come and challenge him.
Donghua Haoyi's aura was peerlessly powerful. Merely standing there, he was like an immortal demonic mountain, radiating a terrifying pressure of the Great Dao that spread far and wide, causing many to pale.
Even the older generation felt a chill, let alone the younger generation. Facing such pressure, they simply could not withstand it, trembling and almost kneeling in submission.
"What a powerful aura! Is this the Young King of the Donghua Clan for this generation? Although born several decades later than that generation, his potential is immense, enough to rival Liu Mingwang of decades ago at this realm," an elder remarked, marveling at Donghua Haoyi's fearsome potential.
One could easily sense that Donghua Haoyi, standing there, exuded a surging, powerful aura and a heaven-shakingly vigorous blood energy. Even elders who had stepped into the Divine Transformation realm felt threatened, perceiving he could harm figures like them.
This was a true Young King.
What was a Young King? A king among his generation, a king within his realm, representing someone whose strength in all aspects had reached the extreme, hence worthy of the title 'King'. It wasn't simply about having a high cultivation realm.
Such individuals could be said to be invincible within the same realm, even capable of fighting across major realms, even killing enemies. They were terrifying figures with immense potential, able to contend with or even slay members of the older generation.
Such figures could not exist in great numbers. Often, not even a single great domain could give birth to one. It required several great domains, gathering the fortune of multiple domains to give birth to someone with such peerless, fearsome potential, capable of achieving world-shocking feats in the future.
Looking around the entire venue, not a single person dared to step onto the stage to fight. Donghua Haoyi stood alone here, looking down with disdain.
Was there truly no one who could oppose him?
Many were disappointed. They had originally thought many young talents would come to challenge, but in the end, not a single person stepped up.
Was it disdain, or was it fear?
No one answered. The scene was silent.
Donghua Haoyi's gaze swept in all directions, carrying immense pressure. His faint voice shook the entire venue: "Could it be that among the Five Domains, there is truly no one who dares to fight me?"
These words caused many of the younger generation to change color. However, facing the opponent's mountain-like, immense pressure, many were intimidated. It was clearly an unwinnable fight; stepping up would only bring humiliation upon themselves.
"I'll come—"
A loud shout exploded. From the crowd, a young talent leaped onto the Ancient Battle Stage. He wore a set of pitch-black battle armor and held a war spear. Though still young, his entire being exuded a fearsome aura of bloodlust that coiled around him, forming a terrifying scene of mountains of corpses and seas of blood behind him, shaking the mind.
His appearance caused many exclamations and drew numerous gazes.
"I never expected even him to come—" someone sighed.
"Who is this person?" Others nearby didn't know but also sensed this young man's fearsomeness.
"This is the Blood-Robed Young Marshal, Zhang Tianyi."
The Blood-Robed Young Marshal, Zhang Tianyi, was a representative figure of the younger generation from the Xiangyang Domain among the Five Domains.
This person's cultivation was extremely formidable. Young, just thirty years old, he had already reached the Semi-Divine Dao Valley realm years ago, his strength equally terrifyingly powerful. Three years ago, he had single-handedly challenged and slain three super Semi-Divine experts, making his name known across a great domain.
In recent years, he had been tempering himself in the fearsome inter-domain wars conducted between the various great domains, serving as a military commander, earning the title Blood-Robed Young Marshal. He once led a force of three hundred thousand troops to annihilate a million-strong army from another domain, burying countless soldiers. During the great war, he successively beheaded several powerful enemy generals, establishing glorious military achievements.
It could be said this was an extremely powerful young talent of the younger generation. Who would have thought this person would come today and even step onto the trial martial platform to challenge Donghua Haoyi? Many found it hard to believe.
"The Blood-Robed Young Marshal Zhang Tianyi, this person belongs among the ranks of the young talents of the Five Domains, listed among the Young Hundred Powerhouses."
Everyone nodded, feeling Donghua Haoyi had met his match. The name Blood-Robed Young Marshal Zhang Tianyi was famous across the Five Domains; he was an extremely powerful young talent. The number of strong individuals among the younger generation of the Five Domains was as numerous as carps crossing a river, uncountable. Yet, the Blood-Robed Young Marshal could steadily rank among the Young Hundred Powerhouses. Searching across the Five Domains, few would be a match for the Blood-Robed Young Marshal.
"Donghua Haoyi versus the Blood-Robed Young Marshal, who is stronger and who is weaker? I'm truly looking forward to it," someone exclaimed, also filled with anticipation.
"Indeed. Although we must admit Donghua Haoyi is powerful, hailed as a Young King of the younger generation, the Blood-Robed Young Marshal is no slouch either. If they meet, it will likely be a difficult battle between well-matched opponents," someone speculated. That was a youth, quite eager for such a great battle.
However, an elder beside him shook his head: "Child, you are still young, overthinking. This will not be a difficult battle. On the contrary, it will end very quickly."
"Why?" The youth was quite taken aback.
The elder sighed slightly: "Just watch, and you will understand."
The Blood-Robed Young Marshal stepped through the air onto the Ancient Battle Stage. He cupped his fists towards Donghua Haoyi and said, "Zhang Tianyi wishes to challenge Young Master Donghua today. I ask for your guidance."
"Young Marshal jests. We are both in the same boat," Donghua Haoyi nodded, raising a hand in a gesture of invitation.
"Please receive my move."
The Blood-Robed Young Marshal gave a light shout and suddenly made his move. Grasping a divine spear, his entire person shot forward like lightning. The divine spear directly pointed at Donghua Haoyi's throat, a vital spot, and thrust straight over.
Boom—
This was no ordinary thrust. From the very first move, he employed his true combat power. The blood-colored spear erupted with an eerie bloody light, rumbling. Behind him, a terrifying scene of mountains of corpses and seas of blood materialized—endless skeletons, the earth flowing with rivers of blood, the heavens collapsing and the earth splitting.
This was a fearsome divine ability the Blood-Robed Young Marshal had condensed from his battles in the domain wars, absorbing the blood energy and murderous aura of those he had slain to form this scene of mountains of corpses and seas of blood. It was extremely fearsome.
The crowd was shocked. They never expected the Blood-Robed Young Marshal to use such a powerful divine ability right from the start, employing his true strength.
The scene of mountains of corpses and seas of blood directly unfurled, enveloping the entire Ancient Battle Stage. Countless vengeful spirits pounced over, coiling around Donghua Haoyi.
"So strong! As expected of the Blood-Robed Young Marshal, even stronger than before," many paled, sensing the Blood-Robed Young Marshal's divine might. He was simply divinely brave and invincible. The moment he unfurled the scene of mountains of corpses and seas of blood, his divine spear also cleaved out layer upon layer of terrifying blood waves, like a sea of blood crashing over, directly enveloping this entire area and striking horizontally at the Donghua King.
This was a fearsome strike. Even a Divine Transformation expert encountering it would face danger. Without a doubt, the Blood-Robed Young Marshal's strength could already threaten Divine Transformation experts.
However, facing all this, Donghua Haoyi, as a generation's King, also made his move. Confronting the Blood-Robed Young Marshal's divine spear attack, his expression unchanged, he merely lightly slapped out with his palm. Yet, his divine power surged forth like raging waves.
Boom—
A fierce collision occurred between the two. Heaven and earth shook violently, wind and clouds swept through, fearsome and boundless.
The Ancient Battle Stage autonomously generated wisps of Dao marks, forming its own small world, preventing the force of the collision from leaking out. The power continuously collided and annihilated within this self-contained world, extremely fearsome.
However, when everything dissipated, what shocked everyone was that the Blood-Robed Young Marshal's full-force attack had actually been blocked by Donghua Haoyi with his bare hand. The latter's entire body was enveloped in dazzling divine light, like a divine being.
At this moment, an aura that would make even Heavenly God experts shudder and change color emanated from his body. An endless pressure spread out, far and wide. He even casually struck out with a sweep of brilliant radiant light, which actually carried swathes of Dao mark power. That space itself was shattering, unable to withstand this supremely powerful attack force.
Dao marks—only those at the Divine Transformation realm could grasp them. Could it be that Donghua Haoyi had achieved the Divine Transformation realm?
Boom—
The entire Ancient Battle Stage seemed about to explode, a brilliant expanse of divine light. Even with the Ancient Battle Stage's barrier and self-contained world, endless destructive might still radiated, shaking the battle stage's light barrier until it nearly shattered.
Finally, when everything settled, the Blood-Robed Young Marshal, his entire body covered in blood, was sent flying backwards, coughing up large mouthfuls of blood. He was defeated.
This scene stunned countless people. Was the Young King truly this powerful?