The crowd was terrified, hearts pounding as they stared at Ye Junlin like he was a madman.
Even the Saint Son of the Yuhua Sect? Was he tired of living?
Prince Zhen Nan was stunned, but then an idea struck him. He eagerly stepped forward and volunteered, "Saint Son Chen, allow me to capture this ignorant fool for you!"
He was hoping to earn some favor by pleasing the strongest prodigy of the Yuhua Sect.
Suddenly—
A fierce gust split the air as Ye Junlin dashed forward, his expression twisted with fury. "You're dead meat, kid!"
Swish!
Just then, a tall figure in fiery red descended, and the surrounding temperature surged.
Hong Qianye appeared, face cold and expressionless, stepping in front of Prince Zhen Nan.
"Oh? Where did this beauty come from?" Prince Zhen Nan stared, dazed, eyes lighting up with desire.
"Die."
Hong Qianye raised his hand with disdain, casting a fire-element Divine Ability.
Whoosh!
A sea of flames blazed forth, warping the air as if the sun itself had descended.
Prince Zhen Nan's expression changed drastically. He summoned all his strength to resist—but even his Hunyuan Hammer was incinerated. The mysterious fire consumed his body entirely.
"AAAHHH!!"
A blood-curdling scream echoed across the sky.
Before the horrified eyes of the crowd, Prince Zhen Nan turned to ashes on the spot, leaving not a trace behind.
"A Transformation Stage cultivator… died just like that?!"
"Who did that?!"
Shocked gasps spread like wildfire.
All eyes turned to the man in red.
"When did the Arid Province produce such a terrifying expert?" Ouyang Feng was dumbstruck, overwhelmed by complicated emotions.
He thought back to his past boasts about being the strongest in Arid Province and now wanted nothing more than to crawl into a hole.
There's always someone stronger out there!
"Fellow Daoist, may I ask your name?" Ouyang Feng called out loudly.
But to his surprise—
Hong Qianye didn't even glance at him. After eliminating Prince Zhen Nan, he appeared beside Ye Junlin and cupped his fists. "Master."
That one word nearly sent everyone into shock.
"That elder… is actually Peak Master Ye's disciple?!"
"Holy crap! A Transformation Stage expert! Since when did Xuantian Sect have one of those?!"
"Who the hell claimed Peak Master Ye was just Nascent Soul? Step forward—I promise I won't kill you!"
Cheers erupted from the cultivators of Arid Province. This was a massive win for them.
"Since when was Xuantian Sect this powerful?!" Ouyang Feng exclaimed.
In his memory, they were the weakest of the six great sects in Arid Province.
Just what happened while he was in seclusion?
"Little Derzi, you'd better explain yourself," he snapped at the Banshan Sect Master.
Had he known Xuantian Sect had this kind of backing, he would never have run his mouth earlier.
But the Banshan Sect Master looked just as clueless. "Patriarch, I… really have no idea!"
Boom!
At that moment, Xu Yonian and the other Xuantian Sect elders finally arrived on the scene.
"Master, you're finally here. I was just about to summon you," Ye Junlin said with a smile.
"Y-Ye Shizi, do you realize what you're doing?!" Xu Yonian asked anxiously. "That's someone from the Yuhua Sect! You must run—we'll hold them off as long as we can!"
"Yes. As long as you live, Xuantian Sect still has hope. You must not fall here," said the Cangjian Peak Master gravely.
Ye Junlin smiled, understanding their good intentions.
Instead of replying, he raised his hand. In the distance, a wisp of cloud floated over, revealing a young girl standing atop it. She bowed nervously.
"Zhao Ling'er greets all the seniors."
Everyone was caught off guard.
"After I resolved matters in Wei Kingdom, I found this promising girl. She's the Wei Emperor's daughter and has a top-tier water spirit root. I believe she'll be perfect for Tianxiang Peak."
Ye Junlin said calmly.
The Tianxiang Peak Master's eyes sparkled. The more he looked, the more satisfied he became.
"Zhao Ling'er, from now on, you'll be part of Tianxiang Peak. Call me your Master."
"Master!" she replied respectfully, performing a formal apprentice ceremony.
"This girl's got a good head on her shoulders!" the Tianxiang Peak Master beamed.
"Congratulations on accepting such an outstanding disciple," other peak masters chimed in.
Xu Yonian smiled but quickly grew anxious again. "Ye Shizi! Do you understand what's happening right now?! This is no time for casual matters!"
Just as Ye Junlin was about to speak, a dreadful killing intent swept over the area, sending chills down the spines of Xuantian Sect cultivators.
"You! And all of you! Must die for my father!"
Chen Xiao's golden pupils flared as he hovered in mid-air, radiating a golden glow like a blazing sun.
"Elder Yan, should we intervene?" an elder asked the man standing at the lead.
Among them, Elder Yan had the highest cultivation and held overall command of the expedition.
"No need," Elder Yan replied calmly. "This is the Saint Son's personal matter. That ragtag bunch is no match for him anyway."
The Saint Son of Yuhua Sect—destined to reign over the Eastern Domain's younger generation—would sweep through this barren land with ease.
"Ye Junlin! Accept your fate!" Chen Xiao roared, voice shaking the heavens.
Ye Junlin sneered. "You? Challenge me? You're not even worthy."
"Little Hong, go. Teach him a lesson."
Hearing that, Hong Qianye's lips twitched, feeling like a hunting dog being sicced on prey.
But having witnessed Ye Junlin's methods firsthand, he didn't dare disobey.
Whoosh!
He rocketed into the sky, trailing brilliant flames like a phoenix soaring to the heavens.
"Heh, coward." Chen Xiao sneered.
"My Master doesn't need to deal with the likes of you."
Hong Qianye said coldly.
Even Chen Xiao—who had seen countless beauties in the Yuhua Sect—found himself momentarily captivated by the red-robed youth's beautiful features and fiery aura.
A strange thought arose, and he spoke solemnly, "With your strength, why stay in a small sect waiting to die? Pledge yourself to Yuhua Sect, and I'll ensure you're treated with the highest honor!"
The surrounding cultivators exchanged amused looks. Clearly, Chen Xiao had taken a liking to Hong Qianye.
But his offer was indeed tempting. With Xuantian Sect on the brink of destruction, seeking a way out was only logical.
"Not interested."
Hong Qianye replied flatly.
"You're really not going to reconsider?" Chen Xiao's face darkened. He hadn't expected such blunt refusal.
Hearing the way he was addressed, Hong Qianye's eyes gleamed with disdain. He sneered, "My Master was right. Your father was a fool… and so are you."
That hit a nerve.
Chen Xiao's face twisted with fury. Killing intent erupted from him like a tidal wave.
"Fine, then you all die!"
Boom!
Golden light exploded from his fist as it tore through space, a magical force forming a golden dragon coiling around him.
Hong Qianye formed a seal with one hand. With a flick of his sleeve, fire rained down like a meteor shower across the sky.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
The golden fist imprint shattered instantly.
"Huh?"
Chen Xiao's eyes narrowed. His technique… was crushed?
"That's it?" Hong Qianye scoffed.
"Don't get cocky. I'm just getting started!"
Chen Xiao roared, his body blazing like the sun as he fully unleashed his power.
The peak of the Transformation Stage revealed itself without question.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Golden fists filled the sky like a thousand suns, exerting a suffocating pressure.
"Powerful!" Ouyang Feng gasped, realizing he'd be vaporized in the first exchange.
Even other Transformation Stage experts from outside forces were horrified.
"The Saint Son is truly terrifying! This Heavenly-Level Solar Fist, paired with the Solar Immortal Body… even Unity Stage cultivators would struggle to survive!"
Elder Yan chuckled.
A thunderous explosion split the sky for miles around.
"Hmph! You forced my hand!" Chen Xiao sneered—only for his smile to freeze.
A flaming lotus of multicolored light appeared in the air, its petals blooming around a single figure.
Hong Qianye stood at its center, untouched, staring at Chen Xiao with mocking eyes.
"How… how is this possible?!"
Chen Xiao's confidence wavered.
This was the move he used to crush True Inheritance Disciples—he was considered invincible among his peers.
Yet this person had blocked it like it was nothing?!
"I don't believe it! I possess Immortal aura! I am invincible!!"
Chen Xiao screamed, pushing his Solar Immortal Body to its limits. A terrifying might erupted once again.
He tore open the sky as he charged down like a blazing comet.
Hong Qianye grinned. "Croaker, I'll show you what it really means to be invincible at the same level."
An evil glint flashed through his eyes.
He was going to destroy Chen Xiao's pride—completely.
---