Boom—
Gu Changsheng was sent flying backward like a kite with its string cut, coughing up great mouthfuls of blood. Even his indestructible black battle armor was now covered in numerous fine cracks, its halo significantly dimmed.
"What? Just a light strike, yet it possesses such power?!"
At this moment, the entire world was shaken. This outcome was simply unbelievable.
All because this scene was far too astonishing!
The invincible successor of the Ancient Divine Palace, stronger than even a Saint Lord, had unleashed a peerless strike infused with his entire essence, energy, and spirit—a blow that could slay a Saint Lord if they were even slightly careless. Yet, not only had it failed to take effect, but he himself had been sent flying.
Countless people watched as that figure was hurled away, landing awkwardly on the sandy expanse of the Heaven and Earth Battle Stage.
The entire city seemed to have suffered a collective stroke, motionless and utterly silent, so quiet one could hear a pin drop.
Those strongest Heaven's Pride who were positioned far away yet still within the small world of the battle stage all widened their eyes in shock. Li Xuan was no better, his pupils contracting repeatedly.
Clearly, the development of events had far exceeded his imagination.
In the shadows, several obscure auras rippled with subtle fluctuations, evidently startled as well.
On the Heaven and Earth Battle Stage, only Ye Chen stood alone. Clad in snow-white robes, his dense black hair fluttering in the wind, he appeared calm and composed. Not a trace of killing intent or battle aura remained on him, like a tranquil observer, calmly watching the workings of the world with detached indifference.
Yet it was precisely this Ye Chen who, with a casual gesture, had sent Gu Changsheng—who had just unleashed his strongest attack—flying, crushing him like rotten wood, sweeping all before him.
This was the true manifestation of Ye Chen's combat power. Even without erupting in full force, at his level of cultivation, he had long since attained the state where the Great Dao returns to simplicity. Thus, every action could harness the most abundant and majestic power of heaven and earth.
Back then, even Saint Lords were like chicks to him, easily crushed to death.
Was Gu Changsheng strong?
At best, he was somewhat stronger than a Saint Lord. But could he achieve the level of instantly slaying a Saint Lord?
No!
Far from it. Yet, Ye Chen after completing his body and Dao tempering could do just that. Even earlier, Ye Chen found it not difficult to kill Saint Lords; otherwise, he wouldn't have achieved the glorious feat of single-handedly slaying three Saint Lords beyond the domain.
Gu Changsheng wanted to kill Ye Chen?
Ridiculous. No matter how powerful he was, he was merely at the True King level. Facing the invincible young generation's supreme, the Battle Saint King, he was but a flickering firefly, how could it contend with the Bright Moon!
When Ye Chen revealed his true invincibility, such a figure was far from sufficient.
Among his generation, unless one reached the realm of the Tenth Heaven of myth, one could not truly contend with him.
Even True Kings were destined to lag behind, to gaze up at his existence.
Only the offspring of Supremes had the qualification to vie with him.
The experts from the Nine Great Imperial Dynasties watched this scene with the greatest composure. They were far calmer than the others, just as they had been puzzled from the start that the Battle Saint King's strength was not as formidable as imagined. They knew he had been concealing his power from beginning to end.
Though they did not know his purpose, it did not hinder their understanding.
On the battle stage, Gu Changsheng coughed up great mouthfuls of blood, staining the sand around him crimson.
Were it not for the protection of the black battle armor, he believed that even someone as powerful as himself would have been cleaved in two by that previous strike, his blood splattering without a doubt.
He raised his eyes, looking at the Battle Saint King in disbelief, even feeling his Dao heart crumbling, roaring, screaming, filled with a profound sense of loss as if he had fallen from an unreachable paradise, and brimming with humiliation that left him deeply resentful.
Who was he? The successor of the Ancient Divine Palace, the greatest prodigy in the history of the Ancient Divine Continent, bar none. He could suppress even the strongest Heaven's Pride of the current era with a raised hand. He should have been invincible in the mortal world, advancing triumphantly to the pinnacle of the Great Dao, presiding over the rise and fall of the world.
But now, under the gaze of all, he had been cast into the abyss in an instant, seemingly doomed to eternal damnation.
He could not accept this reality.
Ye Chen watched him quietly, his eyes as still as an ancient well, everything appearing utterly unperturbed, as if nothing in the world could startle him anymore. He spoke calmly, "Do you still wish to continue this battle?"
Gu Changsheng, his hair disheveled, blood continuously trickling from the corner of his mouth and staining his black battle attire, did not wipe it away. The vigorous blood energy within his body autonomously circulated, producing rumbling sounds like roaring tidal waves, incessant to the ear.
He was filled with unwillingness, filled with rage. He dared not admit that this was the Battle Saint King's true combat power, far surpassing his own to the point of inducing despair. He would rather believe that the other had employed some unknown heritage or foundation to achieve this.
He had to prove it, defeat the other, and reclaim his supreme glory.
"I don't believe it. There cannot possibly be anyone stronger than me in this world. It must be an illusion. I will shatter this illusion here."
Gu Changsheng roared, his hair falling over his chest, shoulders, and back. His eyes shone like divine lamps, radiating a will of great terror that spread and surged as he glared furiously at Ye Chen ahead. His essence, energy, and spirit rapidly climbed, elevating to their absolute peak.
Boom—
Finally, a terrifying blood energy dragon soared out, piercing through the heavens, accompanied by billowing blood energy.
His entire being radiated an unprecedented martial will that seemed to lord over all heavens, unleashing his most powerful strength limitlessly, shaking the very cosmos.
Moreover, the Divine Phoenix Wings behind him spread open once more, even larger than before, enough to blot out the sky and sun, spanning the nine heavens.
Each strand of flame was woven from runes, communicating with heaven and earth, continuously drawing upon vast cosmic power as a conduit to replenish his expended energy, keeping him perpetually in optimal condition.
Hum—
From between Gu Changsheng's brows, a point of crimson radiance flashed, and then a crimson blood divine spear appeared. It was almost identical to the previous blood spear, but now adorned with numerous golden mysterious patterns interwoven across its entire length, making it appear even more eerie.
On the black battle armor, halos diffused, and countless runes flew forth. Ultimately, that infinitely profound Emperor character reappeared, each stroke containing the ultimate principles of the Great Dao of heaven and earth, something even a Heavenly King would contemplate for a lifetime, gaining boundless benefits.
This Emperor character, forged as if from Chaos Immortal Gold, flew out and finally settled on the tip of the crimson blood spear, becoming a point of sharp radiance, shining with the most brilliant light.
Gu Changsheng took a great stride forward. Behind him, with a thunderous roar, a vast phantom of the Ancient Divine Palace materialized, overflowing with a Great Dao pressure capable of crushing all heavens, empowering Gu Changsheng. Moreover, Kunpengs danced, Phoenixes spread their wings, True Dragons crossed the sky, Divine Tigers roared... one astonishing scene after another manifested upon him.
"You will still be defeated. Let it go," Ye Chen said, his tone still calm and unruffled.