The First Great Bandit made his move. An endless expanse of immortal fire suddenly surged from behind him, flooding everything in sight and transforming into a blazing sea of flames that directly enveloped the entire Dark Night Ancient Hall.
He stood within it, his figure blurred, as Dao marks surged forth.
Clearly, he intended to block all the prodigies single-handedly.
Any prodigy who wished to enter the ancient hall would have to brave this sea of immortal fire—a terrifying expanse formed from endless Dao mark runes. The void itself burned and collapsed incessantly. Several Saint weapons, before even getting close, were directly reduced to ashes, leaving nothing behind.
When a Heavenly King makes a move, it is indeed extraordinary.
This caused everyone's expressions to change. How could one possibly traverse such a sea of immortal fire?
Before the ancient hall, the Twelve Zodiac Generals appeared, each possessing strength comparable to a Saint realm overlord, their treasure bodies no weaker than a Saint Lord's, their blood energy vast like an ocean, their roars shaking mountains and rivers.
All prodigies wanting to charge into the hall would face their obstruction. Forget about bullying prodigies; even those Demi-Saint kings would be utterly weak, easily torn apart in battle.
Only True Kings and Saint realm kings would possess the power to fight them.
Just as now, on Ye Chen's path forward, he inevitably faced a fearsome Ox God General.
Though only five zhang tall—not very large compared to those demon saints who were often as huge as mountains, even appearing quite small—this made it all the more terrifying. Its blood energy was like a deep ocean, its essence surging.
Moreover, the Twelve Zodiac Generals were all battle souls obtained by the First Great Bandit from slaying his opponents in his past rampages across the world. Even after refinement, they retained their combat experience from life.
Like this Ox God General before him: two zhang tall, five zhang long, clad in clanging battle armor, its pair of ox horns seemingly capable of piercing the heavens. It roared as it charged out with astonishing speed.
Ye Chen's black hair fluttered, making him appear heroic and vigorous, possessing an indescribable majesty and charm, his eyes profound.
"Twelve Zodiac Generals? Merely imitations of my lineage's ancient ancestor. What is there to fear?"
As he spoke, he made his move. His hands traced arcs as he slowly pushed forward. Vast, majestic power followed his hands, and traces of divine marks appeared. Behind him, a magnificent starry Dao diagram emerged, as if piercing through the nine heavens.
One massive meteor after another flew out from the starry Dao diagram, trailing fiery tails dozens of li long as they streaked across the sky. This heaven and earth trembled, capable of destroying a region.
Without further ado, Ye Chen directly displayed a world-shaking method.
But the Ox God General was also extraordinary. After a roar, a vast expanse of earth appeared below, with towering volcanoes rising from the ground, rumbling as they spewed lava solutions carrying endless fiery light toward the ancient stars in the sky.
Everyone could sense these were no ordinary volcanoes; they carried potent divine might of flame. Even Saint weapons might shatter under the volcanic flames and lava, and a Demi-Saint struck by a single stream would likely perish.
Undoubtedly, these were the fearsome methods of both the Ox God General and the Battle Saint King.
The two powerful divine abilities collided abruptly.
Boom—
The countless meteors descending from the ninth heaven strangely exploded in mid-air, igniting into one dazzling, eye-catching spark after another, like fireworks being set off.
The dozens of towering, massive volcanoes on the ground also continuously exploded until they vanished and were annihilated.
Such methods profoundly shocked the hearts of everyone present.
But clearly, such methods caused little harm to either side, for they were both true super-powerful beings.
Boom—
As the main combatant, Ye Chen closed in for an attack, suddenly swinging his immortal sacred fist, carrying boundless golden radiance. His entire body continuously overflowed with golden light and saintly radiance, resembling an ancient golden war god.
Engaging in close-quarters combat with the Ox God General, they collided time and again, sending out flying meteors and sparks, their combat power astonishing.
It must be said, this Ox God General was truly powerful, with extraordinary combat experience and great agility. Every part of its body could be used in battle, and its battle armor was exceptional, inscribed with Heavenly King Dao marks. Though not many, they could unleash fearsome power that would make even a Saint Lord avoid its edge.
Strands of it erupted, causing even Ye Chen's Battle Sacred Body to clang metallically, with droplets of saintly blood seeping out.
Were it not for the exceptional nature of his Battle Sacred Body, even the treasure body of an Immortal True King would be slashed open with wounds deep enough to see bone, blood splattering in all directions.
But as the contemporary Battle Saint King, how could Ye Chen be ordinary?
He directly manifested the Ten Heavens divine nature halo, enveloping himself in immortality, perfection in all ten aspects, with immortal mist flowing, neither born nor perishing, his divine nature immortal.
This was absolute defense; even the Ox God General's attacks failed to breach it.
Moreover, his attacks could be described as grand and sweeping. He did not display the Battle Saint Art, but instead executed the Heavenly Roc King's Heavenly Roc Dragon-Slaying Technique.
That's right, the Heavenly Roc Dragon-Slaying Technique!
He had already fully mastered it during his month of seclusion. Operating its supreme profundities, he advanced dominantly, actually shattering the sky in all directions and directly striking the Ox God General, the clanging sounds unceasing.
Clearly visible, he seemed to have transformed into the Heavenly Roc King himself—supreme and invincible, his entire body clad in golden divine feather battle armor that clanged and resonated, Dao marks flowing with radiance, truly fearsome.
With the Dragon-Slaying Technique unleashed, he directly sent the Ox God General flying, sparks scattering.
Furthermore, he directly executed several of the profound meanings from the Eighteen Roc Forms. Thirty-six thousand swords appeared—one golden roc feather divine sword after another slashing out, cleaving heaven and earth, shattering the firmament.
Even on the Ox God General's body, he forcibly carved out wounds deep enough to see bone, blood spurting forth—all transformed from the essence of the Great Dao, its divine energy vast and potent.
Ye Chen was peerlessly forceful. What kind of figure was he? A generation's Battle Saint King, an invincible warrior, moreover a Battle Saint. How powerful was he in close combat? Even a demon king like the Heavenly Roc King would suffer greatly at his hands.
He attacked forcefully, every part of his body the ultimate weapon of war, striking continuously, assaulting relentlessly.
The Mountain Embracing Seal, Four Extremities Connecting to Sage Style, Human King Seal, and other divine abilities were displayed. Finally, he swept through the air, directly shattering the Ox God General's battle armor and soaring skyward.
In the end, he even wielded the Heaven-Shaking Palm, Severing Heaven Finger, Heaven-Suppressing Seal, and other Battle Saint Arts, erupting with boundless columns of light, peerlessly terrifying.
Boom—
The Ox God General was forcibly split into two halves, flesh and blood flying in all directions, an utterly gruesome scene.
After slaying one of the Twelve Zodiac Generals, Ye Chen, bathed in blood and frenzied, his head full of black hair stained with blood, immediately enveloped himself in the Ten Heavens divine nature halo and charged toward the sea of immortal fire, aiming to rush into it and enter the Ancient Divine Domain.