"Rat of the Immortal Death lineage, just how long do you plan to hide?"
Battle Saint King slapped out with his palm. Heaven and earth churned, golden light erupted through the nine layers of the heavens, terrifying and boundless, capable of pulverizing dozens of mountain peaks and flattening them into level ground.
From that patch of void, a sinister, sneering voice emerged: "Truly worthy of being the Battle Saint King of the Forbidden lineage. Truly remarkable, to actually be able to detect this old man's presence."
A mass of icy, pitch-black Death Energy manifested, churning skyward and sweeping across the firmament. A pale, withered, skeletal hand also slapped out, colliding with that palm.
Golden Light and black mist collided, hissing and transforming into a blanket of white fog that shrouded heaven and earth.
However, everyone's expressions changed, because this was an expert from the Immortal Death lineage, and a powerful one at that. That icy aura affected the world, causing the temperature in this area to plummet many times over.
From within, a withered old man walked out. He was truly ancient, his hair dry and yellowed. He walked out leaning on a cane, trembling and unsteady, but everyone knew the true terror of this old man. He was absolutely a figure at the level of an ancient recluse.
"Elder Han."
The many powerhouses of the five Immortal Forces all looked towards this sinister old man.
The ancient recluse of the Immortal Death lineage swept a cold gaze over the five Immortal Forces and snorted: "Hmph, truly a bunch of trash, unable to accomplish even this little thing."
The expressions of the Immortal Forces' powerholders turned extremely ugly, but facing the ancient recluse of the Immortal Death lineage, they dared not speak further. At this moment, they still needed his intervention to save them.
Ye Chen said indifferently: "Since you've come, you might as well stay. The scenery of these mountains and rivers is quite nice. A living dead like you is the most unbearable. Better to die a clean death."
Boom—
He struck directly. Golden light blazed, endless divine radiance surged forth, blood energy like a prison filled the four directions. A vast, golden expanse blotted out the sky and earth, sweeping over to strike the ancient recluse of the Immortal Death lineage.
Everyone was stunned. Although they knew Battle Saint King was forceful, wasn't this a bit too excessive? He was only a half-Saint, yet he dared to challenge an ancient recluse at the peak of the Saint Realm.
However, the ancient recluse of the Immortal Sacred Land completely paled. Perhaps his realm was higher than Battle Saint King's, but the Immortal Death lineage was Yin and cold, while blood energy was precisely the most vigorous, capable of restraining Death Energy.
Ordinary Saint Lords' blood energy held no fear, but the blood energy of the Battle Saint lineage was the most terrifying, the most vigorous, and the most restraining against the Immortal Death lineage.
Moreover, the two lineages were mortal enemies; their very blood held a targeted animosity.
Even if Elder Han was sufficiently powerful, with the restraint of the golden blood energy, his strength would drop by at least half.
Boom—
The two collided. That patch of heaven and earth directly disintegrated and shattered. The earth cracked, and dozens of divine peaks were uprooted and blown away, flattened into level ground.
Ye Chen's figure was sent flying back a full hundred zhang. His fist was stained with pitch-black Death Energy, but under the supreme and flourishing blood energy of his Saint Body, everything was utterly annihilated.
Although he was sufficiently powerful, there was still a large gap in realm. He had not yet fully recovered to his past life's strength, not like during his time in the Starry Sky Land. Otherwise, how could it be like this?
But the ancient recluse of the Immortal Death lineage was also forced back. His withered hand had collided, eroded by the golden blood energy. Over half of his entire hand had been corroded before being blocked by chains of order.
The ancient recluse was shocked. No wonder the Ancient Ancestor Immortal Death of old wanted to exterminate this Forbidden inheritance. The harm it inflicted upon the Immortal Death lineage was indeed terrifying enough.
He tore through the void and turned to leave, leaving behind sinister words: "Battle Saint King, I'll allow you to live a few more days. Sooner or later, you will be killed once more by my Immortal Death lineage."
Ye Chen remained motionless, speaking indifferently: "Let's see if you, this ancient recluse, can escape smoothly first."
Boom—
From within the torn void, an extremely terrifying fluctuation suddenly spread out, accompanied by the ancient recluse's exclamation of shock: "It's a Heavenly King! You actually dared to violate the rules of the Myriad Domains to strike... Ah—"
After a single scream, there was nothing. Everyone was shocked and shaken. Clearly, a Heavenly King had struck, directly suppressing and killing the ancient recluse.
The only Heavenly King who could strike was...
Everyone couldn't help but look towards the depths of the Heavenly Gate, their hearts filled with dread.
The Heavenly Gate's majesty was indeed not to be provoked.
Immediately, Battle Saint King looked towards the five Immortal Forces and said: "Then... what do you plan to do now? Still hoping for that old ghost of the Immortal Death lineage to help you?"
The five Immortal Forces all wore extremely ugly expressions. Naturally, they no longer harbored any extravagant hopes for the Immortal Sacred Land to intervene. They all gritted their teeth and said: "Battle Saint King, what do you want?"
"Actually, my demand is very simple. I just want you to compensate with some things," Battle Saint King spoke.
"Compensate with things?" Everyone was puzzled. The disciples of the Heavenly Gate, however, jumped up and urgently said: "Your Highness Battle Saint King, we can't just let them off like this..."
Before the words were finished, they were stopped by a Heavenly Gate elder at the side, who shouted: "His Highness Battle Saint King will handle everything appropriately. Do not interrupt!"
"Actually, it's just fifteen million jin of spirit stones per force, two Ten-Thousand-Year Medicine Treasures, a hundred jin of Reflecting Snow Silver Essence, three fifth-grade pills..." Battle Saint King listed his demands. However, with each requirement he mentioned, the expressions of the five Immortal Forces grew uglier.
In the end, they were about to jump up and curse. This was anything but simple! Every single item was incomparably precious. Combined, even an Immortal Sacred Land would suffer a massive loss.
Everyone listened, dumbfounded, chilled to the bone.
Battle Saint King was not only terrifying in strength, his demands were terrifying enough too.
The Heavenly Gate disciples finally understood, feeling genuine admiration for Battle Saint King from the bottom of their hearts.
The five Immortal Forces couldn't help but say: "Battle Saint King, your demands are far too excessive."
But Battle Saint King merely pointed towards the lofty, unreachable peak of the Heavenly Gate's main peak. They all broke out in a cold sweat, for that was the direction of the Heavenly Gate's Gate Lord.
That single gesture caused everyone's expressions to change drastically. No matter what, they dared not offend the Heavenly Gate's Gate Lord. Without the backing of the Ancient Ancestor Immortal Death, how could they dare to challenge an ancient Great Sage?
Unless they were seeking death.
In the end, the five Immortal Forces all signed the unequal treaty. Only after swearing a Heavenly Dao oath were they allowed to leave.
And so, everything finally came to an end.
However, at this moment, Battle Saint King suddenly spoke up: "All of you, quickly retreat back into the Heavenly Gate."
These words caused everyone to be stunned. What was about to happen now?
Right at this moment, suddenly, the originally clear and bright sky was abruptly filled with endless dark clouds, layer upon layer, shrouding this stretch of heaven and earth.
And faintly, a sky-blotting, terrifying pressure began to spread out, permeating the world, making hearts tremble.
Everyone was shocked. Just what was about to happen?
Simultaneously, at this moment, an unprecedented aura of great terror erupted from Battle Saint King's body, unleashed without reservation, blotting out the sky and earth, causing all living beings to submit and all heavens to tremble.
At this moment, everyone understood.
Battle Saint King was undergoing a tribulation!