Within the Scarlet God Furnace replica, a majestic figure appeared, possessing the authority to rule over all under heaven. Who else could command such presence, save for the masters of the great Immortal Sacred Lands?
Without a doubt, it was the supreme Saint Lord of the Scarlet God Valley who had arrived.
Divine might surged forth. How could anyone have imagined that the Saint Lord of the Scarlet God Valley would appear so suddenly at this critical moment, looking down upon the world with disdain.
That overwhelming divine might of the Great Dao caused everyone to tremble, not daring to move recklessly.
"The Valley Master of the Scarlet God Valley!?"
The entire city was shaken. No one had expected the Saint Lord of this Immortal Sacred Land to personally descend upon Black Sky City. Was he not afraid of provoking the wrath of the Eight Great Bandits of Black Sky and drawing their attack?
"Valley Master!" The Seventeenth Elder, now only a severed head, wept tears that mingled with blood on his aged face. He spoke with immense shame, "This subordinate deserves death for failing to fully protect the King's safety, allowing him to be killed by a treacherous sneak attack. I beg the Valley Master to punish me."
Countless people within Black Sky City were astonished.
It was widely rumored throughout the world that this generation of the Scarlet God Valley was extraordinary, having produced an outstanding young prodigy of unparalleled talent. This genius had embarked on the path of the Human Sovereign and, since his debut, had swept through numerous peers of his generation, ultimately stepping over the corpses of others to earn the title of King, hailed as the Scarlet Scale King.
Furthermore, it was said that the Scarlet Scale King was not merely a King; he also possessed the ancestral blood of the Scarlet God Valley's first ancient ancestor, the Scarlet Qilin. He could awaken this ancestral blood within his body, achieving a level of power never seen before. He was considered a rare matchless opponent across the myriad realms, entrusted with the Scarlet God Valley's grand ambitions, hoping that one day he would campaign on the Human Sovereign's path and ascend to that supreme, unparalleled throne above all the myriad realms.
Yet now, it was said he had been slain. This matter was too shocking for many to process immediately.
However, the crowd then looked towards Ye Chen. The Seventeenth Elder had also pursued Ye Chen relentlessly. Could it be that this youth was the one who had killed the Scarlet Scale King?
Recalling how Ye Chen, with his Demigod body, had just forcefully resisted the Seventeenth Elder's peak combat power, a chill ran through everyone. This young prodigy indeed possessed the ultimate combat strength capable of slaying a King.
But now, the enmity had grown immense. The young one was killed, the old one crippled, and now the most terrifying figure had appeared, descending upon Black Sky City.
"Your matter will be discussed upon returning to the valley," the Scarlet God Valley's Saint Lord said coldly, sweeping a glance at the Seventeenth Elder. Then he looked towards Ye Chen, his slender, stern eyes narrowing slightly, flashing with dangerous killing intent. The very heavens and earth seemed to grow much colder as he slowly spoke, "So it was you who killed my clan's King? Indeed, you are extraordinary. But today, you must die regardless!"
Whoosh—
His eyes instantly condensed and shot forth two beams of solidified, brilliant light, like two Great Dao Heavenly Swords cleaving through the air. The vast sky trembled, and everyone felt a heart-shaking chill as they slashed towards Ye Chen.
It is often said that if eyes could kill... there is no 'if' about it. Once one reaches a profound realm, a gaze can truly slay enemies, just like the Scarlet God Valley's Saint Lord before them. As a Saint Lord, his gaze had long been capable of solidifying into a substance to kill.
Moreover, these were the Saint Lord's killing-intent Heavenly Swords, formless yet tangible. Even a Demi-Saint would be severely wounded, let alone a mere junior. It seemed a certain death.
"Wang Shan," Chen Ruo called out softly.
"Understood!"
Wang Shan made his move, raising a hand to block the two gaze-formed Heavenly Swords. A vast Saint might swirled and rippled in his palm, like a blazing heavenly sun, ultimately annihilating the killing-intent swords. He sneered coldly, "For someone who is a Saint Lord of a generation, to bully the young with your seniority, dealing with a junior like this... truly shameless."
The Scarlet God Valley's Saint Lord looked at Wang Shan, his hands clasped behind his back, appearing lofty and aloof as he looked down upon him, speaking with immense authority, "Do you intend to obstruct this lord from teaching this junior who killed my Scarlet God Valley's King? Who gave you the audacity?"
Wang Shan snorted coldly. "Who gave me the audacity? Ridiculous. So what if you're the Scarlet God Valley's Saint Lord? You dare appear without your true body present? Do you truly believe a Saint Lord is invincible under heaven?"
He continued to act, having discerned that the figure emerging from the Scarlet God Furnace could not possibly be the Saint Lord's true body. Such a figure would not deign to reside within a Dao weapon carried by a mere Demi-Saint. Moreover, as a Saint Lord, how could he move about so casually? At most, this was merely a projected avatar, and no matter how powerful, it had its limits.
The people in the city finally understood. So that was the case.
"You are correct. It is indeed merely a projected avatar. But it is still not something a junior like you, who has only just stepped into the Saint Treasury Realm, can withstand."
The Scarlet God Valley's Saint Lord spoke with authority and indifference. With a mere wave of his hand, he unleashed a vast attack that shook the entire city, making heaven and earth tremble and causing the winds and clouds to change color. Wang Shan's attack was shattered, and even his burly frame was sent staggering back several small steps.
Behind him, entire swathes of buildings and structures were reduced to dust.
The onlookers couldn't help but suck in cold breaths. This was the invincible might of a Saint Lord-level figure. Though both were supreme powerhouses of the Saint Treasury Realm, any Saint Lord-level figure had walked too far on this path, far surpassing Wang Shan in strength, also due to their longer cultivation lifespans, often spanning over a thousand years.
The fact that Saint Lord-level figures could become masters of great Immortal Sacred Lands, presiding over the rise and fall of vast domains, was testament to their true power.
"Indeed, you are powerful. But in the end, it is merely a projected avatar. It cannot be too powerful, nor can it last too long. Let me see just how long this projected avatar of yours can persist." Wang Shan's eyes flashed. A wolf-tooth club appeared in his hand, its entire body snow-white and crystalline, inscribed and interwoven with various supreme Saint Realm Dao marks and divine principles—it was his Saint weapon.
The Bone Wolf-Tooth Club swelled with the wind, transforming in an instant into an immensely thick pillar that reached for the heavens, spanning the sky and blotting out the sun. It could be thousands of zhang long. Wang Shan tightly gripped the club and directly swept it towards the Scarlet God Valley's Saint Lord, bringing with it the vast, world-destroying might.
If not for his concern for Black Sky City, this single strike would have surely swept away and collapsed nearly half of the city, leveling it to the ground.
"Though you are a Saint, you are far from being a Saint Lord!"
The Scarlet God Valley's Saint Lord's expression remained unchanged. Even as a projected avatar, he was still peerlessly extraordinary.
The Scarlet God Furnace Saint weapon began to awaken. This replica of an immortal ancient weapon erupted with unprecedented, supreme, overwhelming Saint might in his hand. Strands of Order Divine Chains interwove and flew out, piercing through the void. Saint Realm Dao marks erupted. The entire Scarlet God Furnace glowed with a scarlet-gold radiance like rosy clouds, releasing boundless Saint might.
Its awakened power was completely incomparable to when it was in the hands of a Demi-Saint like the Seventeenth Elder.
At this moment, it was as if it had transformed into a heavenly divine sun, even more like a terrifying Scarlet Qilin emerging into the world, its ferocious might matchless.
With a deafening roar that shook heaven and earth, divine light exploded across the vast sky, affecting a wide area and nearly destroying half of Black Sky City.
Fortunately, at the critical moment, a mysterious, mighty force appeared within Black Sky City, protecting the entire ancient city. Otherwise, who knows how many casualties there would have been.
However, during the clash, Wang Shan was sent flying. Powerful as he was, he was swept away. His burly, hill-like frame was forced back a full thirty-seven steps, blood continuously trickling from the corner of his mouth. The wolf-tooth club dimmed, no longer radiating its brilliant, crystalline white divine glow.
His expression showed shock. The Scarlet God Valley's Saint Lord before him was unbelievably powerful, not like an ordinary projected avatar. He actually possessed the invincible might to sweep away Saints, making him fundamentally impossible to contend against.
"So powerful. Is this the might of a Saint Lord-level figure?" Numerous people in the city paled.
"So strong. It doesn't seem like an ordinary projected avatar. It's more like... I understand." Ye Chen murmured to himself. His eyes shone brilliantly, with runes and Dao marks interweaving as he stared intently at the Scarlet God Valley's Saint Lord, comprehending everything.
At the same time, Old Yan also understood, nodding slightly. Because they had both seen it. Within the Scarlet God Furnace, a drop of dazzling, radiant blood appeared, staining the inner wall of the furnace. Now it was fully awakening, releasing supreme Saint radiance.
It was precisely this drop of Great Dao Saint Blood that was erupting with supreme Great Dao Saint might. It was likely a drop of the Scarlet God Valley Saint Lord's essence blood. Combined with the Scarlet God Furnace, it was able to unleash such terrifying Saint Lord-level divine might.
Wang Shan also came to understand, snorting coldly. So that was it. But he showed no submission, continuing to resist and fight, brandishing the heaven-pillar-like wolf-tooth club to unleash strike after strike, as if the entire firmament was about to be smashed and collapse.
Boom—
The Scarlet God Valley's Saint Lord's expression remained unchanged throughout. The Scarlet God Furnace was fully awakened. The Scarlet Qilin phantom was almost manifesting in the mortal world, roaring to shake the ages.
The furnace lid flipped over, instantly transforming into a circle of an infinitely deep black hole that devoured heaven and earth, completely swallowing all Saint Realm divine power into the cauldron. Then, with another turn, endless scarlet divine flames surged and rolled, inundating the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths. The void itself burned and collapsed. The Black Sky City below was on the verge of being burned and melted, causing countless people to panic.
This was the might of a Saint Lord-level figure, capable of shattering the void across the myriad realms, terrifying and peerless.
Black Sky City still emanated a mighty force, resisting all of this. However, Wang Shan himself was blasted away, his entire body charred black like charcoal. Being at the very forefront, he had suffered severe burns. He finally landed before Ye Chen.
"Are you alright?"
Ye Chen inquired with concern, taking out a Ten-Thousand-Year Medicine Treasure, an immensely precious item, intending to give it to Wang Shan to consume.
Although injured, Wang Shan's eyes flashed at this moment. He laughed heartily and reached out to take it. "Many thanks, brother."
A Ten-Thousand-Year Medicine Treasure—even Saints could not resist its allure.
But Chen Ruo snatched it away, saying, "Don't bother with this guy. He's thick-skinned and rough-fleshed; he won't die. Giving him a Ten-Thousand-Year Medicine Treasure would just be a waste."
"Senior Sister, that's not fair," Wang Shan complained, but Chen Ruo slapped the back of his head. "Cut the act."
"..." Wang Shan was speechless. Watching his senior sister's endless kindness towards the youth and her constant belittling of him, he grew very curious. Who exactly was this person that his revered senior sister cared for so much? Could he be her lover?
Suddenly, he couldn't help but shudder. If that were really the case, it would be a huge deal.
"You still have time for idle chatter at a time like this?" At this moment, the Scarlet God Valley's Saint Lord reached out with a large hand towards them, specifically targeting Ye Chen and Chen Ruo—one had killed his clan's King, the other had stolen the Soul Stabilizing Pearl. Neither could be let off.
Wang Shan smiled bitterly, powerless to act. Chen Ruo muttered, "Useless fellow." Then her clear, melodious voice rang out across the sky, "Uncle Wang, are you really going to just watch your most adorable, innocent niece get captured here?"
As her words fell, a sound of bitter laughter arose. "You little lass, you clearly have the ability yourself... Ah, forget it, forget it."
Boom—
Heaven and earth trembled. A vast, ancient hand stretched out from the deepest depths and slapped against the Scarlet God Valley's Saint Lord's palm, directly shattering it.
"Who is it?" the Scarlet God Valley's Saint Lord coldly shouted.
A domineering, cold snort exploded between heaven and earth, deafening, carrying a vast, wild aura of the Great Dao, supremely forceful: "Scarlet God Valley people dare to make a move within Black Sky City? Seeking death!"
An immensely burly figure appeared, brimming with a wild, untamed aura that disrupted heaven and earth.
The Fourth Great Bandit, Wang Ming!