A scene that shook the very soul unfolded completely before their eyes.
One figure was the invincible Blood-Robed Heavenly King, renowned since ancient times, wielding a crimson scythe that severed stars in an instant, causing them to explode in the starry sky. Behind him, a corner of the Blood Realm manifested, with countless streaks of crimson lightning crisscrossing and surging. A vast sea of blood flooded the cosmos, and terrifying blood-souls formed armies that charged forth, stirring the starry expanse and causing even the ancient recluses to feel a pang of dread. This was the most fearsome power of the Heavenly King level, sweeping aside all in its path, a force that made even other Heavenly Kings wary.
Yet, the one confronting him was none other than the Battle Saint King, whom everyone had believed to be dead.
At this moment, the Battle Saint King appeared mysterious and transcendent, standing alone in the starry void. Wisps of primordial Chaos Qi coiled around his body, hazy yet radiating a world-shaking aura. In his hand, he held the Primordial Battle Body's great halberd, around which stars materialized and orbited. A resplendent river of stars extended beneath his feet. He struck like a Chaos Sovereign, akin to a mythical Emperor or Sovereign descending, his might peerless. Before him, the four holy spirits of creation—the Azure Dragon, White Tiger, Vermilion Bird, and Black Tortoise—manifested and charged toward the Blood-Robed Heavenly King, accompanied by the display of various astonishing divine abilities that shook the heavens.
Wherever he passed, everything was shattered and swept aside.
Who in all the heavens could block him!
Some powerhouses from the Ancient Divine Palace were horrified to discover a startling fact: the divine abilities the Battle Saint King was unleashing were none other than the martial arts and techniques that numerous Saints throughout the ages had inscribed within the Martial Arts Divine Stone's space. Among them were even Demi-Saint level arts, none of which were considered particularly powerful—at least in the eyes of the ancient recluses, only the martial arts left by the nine Samsara-level powerhouses stood out.
But now, as these Saint-level divine abilities were executed by the Battle Saint King, each one surpassed comprehension in power, more perfected and overwhelmingly potent, capable of splitting heaven and earth, shattering the void.
This level of might was something the powerhouses of the Ancient Divine Palace had never witnessed before, an eruption that surpassed all limits!
Visibly, as the Battle Saint King charged forth, several stars along his path exploded, transforming into the most brilliantly tragic fireworks that soared into the sky, sweeping through the starry expanse.
Boom—
Such majestic power seemed utterly unlike anything mortals could wield, stirring the boundless starry void as the most terrifying battle unfolded within that vast, empty region.
The vast destructive fluctuations, even though separated by an infinite distance and occurring within another virtual space conjured by the Martial Arts Divine Stone, were still clearly felt by the powerhouses within the Martial Arts Divine Stone's space, allowing them to indirectly experience the fearsome battle at the Heavenly King level.
At this moment, even Saints understood that a single one of those fluctuations could easily crush them, leading to the complete annihilation of both body and spirit.
But what puzzled and astonished them most was how the Battle Saint King possessed such formidable combat power, surpassing all understanding, capable of causing stars to explode.
Even an ancient Heavenly King like the Blood-Robed Heavenly King was forced to wield his crimson scythe—his Heavenly King Dao weapon—which he hadn't even used when dealing with Ye Chen earlier.
Not to mention them, even Immortal True Kings like Yuan Yao Divine King felt waves of shock surging within their hearts, clearly unable to believe this scene.
Although they all knew Ye Chen possessed an ocean of Faith Power for augmentation, making him no weaker than a Heavenly King, and could also draw upon the power of the Ancient Lan World to suppress a Heavenly King...
For some reason, they felt the Battle Saint King currently in battle wasn't utilizing these external forces, but rather an intrinsic power.
Was that even possible?
Boom! Boom! Boom!—
In the starry sky, the two Heavenly Kings engaged in a large-scale battle. Stars were shattered one after another under their clash, their overwhelming, majestic destructive divine might sweeping through the heavens, causing all the powerhouses to pale.
The world only knew this battle was intense, but few understood just how intense it truly was.
Because it was too distant, and the Heavenly King-level dao power interfered with the Heavenly Secrets. Aside from Heavenly Kings themselves, no one could peer through to see exactly how fierce the battle was.
The breach torn open in the martial arts Imprint light sphere was forcibly sealed shut. In a fleeting moment, they glimpsed the Battle Saint King and the Blood-Robed Heavenly King clashing palms, exploding a thousand-mile-wide belt of shattered stars before the Battle Saint King suddenly turned his gaze toward them.
He seemed able to see the outside world through that breach. His profound gaze carried endless, emotionless indifference, devoid of any fluctuation, capable of annihilating everything. Those whose eyes met his felt their bodies and minds tremble with fear—even the Immortal True Kings were no exception.
"The Battle Saint King is too powerful. He's merely of the younger generation, not a Heavenly King. How can he contend with a Heavenly King?" The powerhouses were deeply puzzled. Previously, they had clearly seen the Battle Saint King being powerful, yet still crushed by the Blood-Robed Heavenly King.
But now, from the corner they glimpsed, the power displayed by the Battle Saint King was overwhelmingly formidable, stirring awe from the depths of their hearts.
Had the Battle Saint King already achieved the Heavenly King realm long ago?
Even the various True Kings were puzzled and shocked. Could the Battle Saint King truly have ascended to that level within a mere two years? Or had he reached this step by leveraging the mysteries of Faith Power?
They couldn't discern the truth from that fleeting glimpse.
"Should we take action again to see what's truly happening inside?" someone suggested, gaining approval from many. Even the True Kings were tempted and unanimously agreed, for they all desperately wanted to understand the source of the Battle Saint King's power.
Boom—
The martial arts Imprint was torn open once more. Just as they strained to see, a violent force suddenly erupted, sweeping through the Martial Arts Divine Stone's space and spreading outward, carrying faint wisps of primordial Chaos Qi that made their hearts tremble.
It was Heavenly King-level power.
The powerhouses retreated immediately, but many were still struck. One after another, they were sent flying, coughing blood. Their Primordial Spirit-formed bodies flickered and grew faint, forced to exit the Martial Arts Divine Stone's space and return to their true forms.
But their Primordial Spirits had suffered real injuries that would take years to recover from.
And this was only because the other party had held back; otherwise, killing them wouldn't have been difficult.
"It was the Battle Saint King who struck!"
The True Kings all understood—primordial Chaos Qi was unique to the Battle Saint King. Had he truly reached that realm?
No one knew, but it made them pale and tremble.
Within the starry battlefield, the Blood-Robed Heavenly King stood alone, clad in blood-red robes with blood-red hair, holding the crimson death scythe. On his demonically handsome face was a grave expression, with a trace of blood seeping from the corner of his mouth. "What you feared has happened. A pity. I didn't expect them to join forces to tear open the martial arts Imprint."
Ye Chen, wreathed in primordial Chaos Qi, gave a faint smile. "It doesn't matter. They didn't see it directly, didn't perceive the truth clearly."
The Blood-Robed Heavenly King shook his head, sighing lightly. "You brat are truly too monstrous. If I weren't already dead, I wouldn't dare take you as a disciple, but being your friend would surely be a joy."
"I think you'd find more tragedy than joy in that. After all, I'm too monstrous. Being my friend might make you feel inferior," Ye Chen laughed, but the primordial Chaos Qi radiating from his body grew even more turbulent and terrifying, peerless and sweeping through the starry sky.
"Let's fight!"
"Fight, fight, fight!"