In the initial clash, Ye Chen successively defeated the Second Hall Master and Third Hall Master of Earth Hall, both Great Perfection Quasi-Monarchs, fully displaying the invincible might of a Chaos Great Perfection Quasi-Monarch.
This was the heaven-defying strength born from mastering three hundred Monarch Rules!
Naturally, it was also because Ye Chen had unleashed his strongest combat power at the extreme sublimation level, instantly elevating his essence, energy, and spirit to their utmost limit. Otherwise, even dealing with the Third Hall Master of Earth Hall would have required over a hundred moves to achieve this outcome; it wouldn't have been simple at all.
To prevent any further unexpected occurrences, Ye Chen did not hesitate to expend a tremendous amount of divine power, accomplishing this step in an instant.
With one hand grasping the divine soul of the Third Hall Master of Earth Hall, Ye Chen stood atop the cauldron, reversed time, and arrived before the Second Hall Master of Earth Hall in the blink of an eye, condensing three hundred Monarch Rules into a single fist.
Forbidden Divine Ability—Universe Creation!
This move was even more real than the Universe Style. A surge of universe power erupted from within his body, descending like a true ancient universe.
At the critical moment, the Second Hall Master of Earth Hall let out a great shout, releasing his own Origin World Heaven and Earth. Over ninety percent of his transformed world's origin heaven and earth manifested, infinite power of the Origin World Heaven and Earth surged forth, instantly elevating his strength to a level comparable to three hundred and sixty Monarch Rules—a powerful amplification from the Origin World Heaven and Earth's power.
He had already fully mobilized all the power of his Origin World Heaven and Earth. Doing so would absolutely cause immense damage to his Origin World Heaven and Earth, even requiring a tremendous price to truly heal.
But the Second Hall Master of Earth Hall could not afford to care about all that, for he distinctly sensed the lethal sense of crisis emanating from that universe phantom.
Boom—
The phantom of the Origin World Heaven and Earth was utterly shattered under the bombardment of Universe Creation. Furthermore, a force akin to the destruction of a universe rampaged forth, making the Second Hall Master's thousand-tempered, hundred-refined supreme physique seem as if it had been sliced by a thousand blades. Covered in blood, his body continuously exploded, and his divine soul also suffered a terrifying heavy blow, directly weakening by a large margin.
The small universe phantom of Universe Creation also dissipated with the wind.
Ye Chen looked at the Second Hall Master of Earth Hall, seeing the complete shattering of the Origin World Heaven and Earth within him, and couldn't help but sigh. "You were indeed decisive, and also fortunate, to block this strike even at the cost of sacrificing your Origin World Heaven and Earth. Otherwise, you would have undoubtedly died."
The Second Hall Master of Earth Hall narrowly escaped death, but the consequences were unthinkable. He paid an extremely enormous price: his Origin World Heaven and Earth was completely shattered, with no possibility of repair, also signifying that he could never become an Ancient Monarch in the future.
Because the Origin World is the foundation of an Ancient Monarch.
The Second Hall Master of Earth Hall plummeted to the earth, smashing out a ten-thousand-li crater. Covered in blood and continuously bleeding, he transformed the ten-thousand-li giant crater into a lake of blood, a testament to the sheer potency of his blood energy.
At this moment, his aura was extremely feeble. Now, even a Great Power would likely be able to kill him.
Ye Chen descended from the sky, looking at the Second Hall Master who was breathing more out than in. He naturally knew he wasn't dead yet, but he also deeply understood the need to nip all dangers in the bud early.
With a grasp through the void, the Second Hall Master of Earth Hall rose from the blood lake. Then, opening the Five Elements Metal Realm, Ye Chen retrieved a peerless war sword from within.
He imbued the war sword with two Monarch Rules—the Metal Monarch Rule and the Sword Dao Monarch Rule—making it no less formidable than a Quasi-Monarch war weapon. With a light flick of his finger, this peerless war sword shot directly toward the Second Hall Master's glabella, aiming to completely annihilate his divine soul.
Crack—
A sudden change occurred once more. A pitch-black lightning bolt appeared out of thin air, and in the next moment, a spatial rift was seen spreading open.
From within the spatial rift, a pitch-black arm slowly extended—seemingly slow but actually fast, covered with strange patterns that seemed capable of devouring the souls of mortals.
The moment this arm extended, it collided with the peerless war sword. There was none of the imagined sharpness that could cleave through everything, only a metallic clang that resounded.
The pitch-black arm was extremely hard and indestructible. Even the peerless war sword, forged from the fusion of the sharp Metal Monarch Rule and Sword Dao Monarch Rule, could not pierce it in the slightest.
Looking at the suddenly appearing pitch-black arm, a sense of crisis abruptly arose in Ye Chen's heart. This sense of crisis was something even the combined threat of the Second and Third Hall Masters had never given him.
Clearly, the master of this pitch-black arm was far more powerful than the two Hall Masters.
Seeming to understand something, Ye Chen moved. Instead of retreating, he advanced, arriving before the pitch-black arm. Swinging his Chaos Sacred Fist, carrying the phantoms of ten thousand worlds and heavens and earths, he coldly stated, "For the First Hall Master of Earth Hall to come personally, yet still act so sneakily and covertly—truly fitting the style of the Soul Forbidden Hall."
Facing Ye Chen's fierce assault, the pitch-black arm seemed to possess intelligence, emitting a faint sound of surprise. Then, its five fingers transformed into claws, viciously grabbing toward the Chaos Sacred Fist.
Boom—
The Chaos Sacred Fist and the pitch-black arm collided once. Instantly, the heavens collapsed and the earth split. A radius of several hundred thousand li fell into annihilation.
Countless experts from Moon Hall and the three Ancient Path Overlord forces were sent flying, unable to withstand the shockwave of such might.
Even the Quasi-Monarchs from both sides were sent tumbling backward, watching this scene with grave expressions.
After the collision, Ye Chen's figure trembled, dispersing the force of the pitch-black claw. However, at this moment, he also rarely revealed a look of gravity. That single collision had caused his Chaos Sacred Fist pain, actually leaving five small bloody gashes where Chaos Sacred Blood faintly seeped out.
It must be known that his Chaos Sacred Body's toughness surpassed even that of Quasi-Monarch war weapons; it could shatter them.
Yet the master of this pitch-black arm could injure him, showing how terrifying it was.
However, it was also clear that the other party did not fare well after receiving this blow from Ye Chen's Chaos Sacred Fist. The pitch-black arm had retreated half the distance, its five fingers slightly twisted.
"Hmph!"
At this moment, a cold snort came from within the pitch-black rift. A pitch-black figure emerged, its true features unclear, only surrounded by infinite wraiths like ghosts and deities, with endless wails of wraiths echoing incessantly.
Yet the moment he appeared, he brought with him an extremely fearsome oppressive aura, even more terrifying than that of the Second Hall Master of Earth Hall.
The First Hall Master of Earth Hall, the number one Quasi-Monarch of the Soul Forbidden Hall!
Seeing the appearance of this notoriously ferocious First Hall Master of Earth Hall, everyone present changed expressions. This First Hall Master was far more fearsome than the Second and Third Hall Masters, even having slain a Great Perfection Quasi-Monarch.
Rumors suggested that the First Hall Master of Earth Hall was very likely a universe overlord at the Ancient Monarch level.
There were far too many legends about the First Hall Master of Earth Hall on the Ultimate Ancient Path.
Only Ye Chen knew that the First Hall Master of Earth Hall before him was at the Inverse Heaven Quasi-Monarch level, with an aura similar to that of the War God Haotian, the Blood Empress, and the Ancient Dao Elder.
But faintly, Ye Chen sensed a difference, as if he was somewhat lacking. This made him feel a trace of suspicion.