Ye Wen’s eyes, naturally, held no dominion over others. Whether they truly possessed such power, Ye Wen himself was uncertain. But in this moment, he certainly could not wield it.

He found it rather strange himself—why would that man commit suicide upon merely gazing into his eyes? Were his eyes that terrifying?

However, he remained silent now, his gaze shifting slightly. The Northern River Hermit actually flinched slightly at Ye Wen’s look, his eyes darting away. Was he perhaps afraid Ye Wen would employ some unique attack method?

But then the Northern River Hermit was seen muttering a few words under his breath, his hands forming several hand seals. The God-Beating Whip instantly shot toward Ye Wen once more. Ye Wen, having no time to ponder the reasons, waved both hands repeatedly. There was a chorus of bangs, and in mere moments, Ye Wen’s palms had clashed back and forth with the God-Beating Whip several times.

These initial impacts were inconspicuous, but as the frequency increased, the sound grew louder, eventually transforming into the ringing collision of metal striking metal—clangs and pings echoing as if two formidable weapons were locked in endless combat.

The onlookers initially paid little heed, only marveling that someone could actually parry the treasured artifact of the Kunlun Sect Master with bare palms! Many present had witnessed the destructive power of the God-Beating Whip; facing it head-on, let alone with hands, even an armed warrior would be instantly annihilated.

Yet now, they were witnessing something that seemed utterly impossible with their own eyes.

It wasn't until the sound of clashing metal rang out that everyone suddenly noticed Ye Wen’s palms faintly taking on an iron hue, as if they were coated in a layer of steel plating.

The Northern River Hermit grew increasingly alarmed the more he watched. By this point, he could no longer afford to be wary of Ye Wen’s strange eyes. He changed the hand seals, and in a flash, a bolt of lightning coalesced in his palm, which he flung toward Ye Wen with a sweep of his hand.

This lightning was no ordinary discharge; it was condensed from the power of the Five Elements. The lightning was black as ink, seeming as if it would absorb everything upon a single glance.

This was an extremely profound technique of the Kunlun Sect, known only to the elders. As the Kunlun Sect Master, the Northern River Hermit naturally understood it, and he wielded it better than anyone else. What would ordinarily require half a day of preparation for others, he could unleash with a mere wave of his hand.

Seeing the dark lightning fly toward him, Ye Wen dared not underestimate it. He channeled the Indigo Sea Qi Force from the Cosmic Treasure Codex. A surge of energy, like ocean tides, enveloped his iron-like palms. He then used a maneuver from his Iron Palm technique to parry the incoming God-Beating Whip, immediately following up by striking the flying bolt of lightning with both palms, one preceding the other.

There followed a deafening boom. The black light exploded violently, creating not only a stunning display but also kicking up masses of dust and smoke. The crowd could only see swirling gray haze, unable to discern any figures within.

But a moment later, a figure shot backward out of the thick smoke. Ye Wen’s palms were pressed together, his left palm resting against the back of his right, maintaining the posture of his outgoing strike. Yet, his retreat was utterly unhesitant, his feet gouging two long trenches into the ground.

“...Completely unharmed…” Although Ye Wen had been thrown back violently, there was not a mark on his palms; they had reverted to their natural flesh, the iron color gone.

Little did they know, Ye Wen also let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding: “To think that mastering the Iron Palm leads to such a transformation—being able to render the palms as hard as metal through the exertion of True Qi!”

What astonished Ye Wen even more was that the metallic transformation did not impede his use of other True Qi. Just now, while employing the Indigo Sea Qi Force, the peculiar change in his palms persisted. This meant one move encompassed two distinct types of Qi Force—the martial art’s power was even greater than he had anticipated.

As for the metal-like quality, Ye Wen suddenly recalled the change that occurred when he condensed his energy like in the Eighteen Dragon-Subduing Palms. It appeared the Iron Palm was meant to be used in this manner. Previously, his attempts to use it for long-range palm strikes, like the Dragon Subduing Palm, had been misplaced efforts.

Seeing the God-Beating Whip attack again, Ye Wen channeled his palm force, and his palms once more displayed their metallic sheen. Then, his left palm channeled Dark Chaos, while his right employed White Cloud Smoke. With Yin and Yang separated, the True Qi within his body experienced a sudden surge. Not only did the Cosmic Treasure Codex Qi Force flow, but the Primordial Violet Qi also began circulating rapidly. He intended to unleash his full arsenal against the relentlessly pursuing God-Beating Whip.

Ye Wen focused all his attention on the God-Beating Whip, ignoring the Northern River Hermit. He had noticed his junior brother had snatched up his longsword and charged forward. Xu Xian, utilizing his movement technique, now appeared as countless shadows dancing across the area. The Northern River Hermit was struggling to contend with these myriad images of Xu Xian and couldn't spare much attention for Ye Wen in the short term.

However, he overlooked one factor: while Xu Xian was occupied attacking the Northern River Hermit, Ye Wen’s current appearance seemed somewhat disheveled, and the surrounding crowd of onlookers acted like sharks smelling blood, suddenly surging forward to gain some advantage.

In their view, Ye Wen was constrained by the God-Beating Whip and surely wouldn't have the capacity to deal with them. They could advance calmly, and if lucky, perhaps seize an opportunity while he was fully engaged with the Whip.

Noticing the surging crowd, Ye Wen paid them no mind, merely shaking his body once. A flash of violet light erupted, and the onlookers suddenly felt as if they had been transported into a space bathed in purple.

Looking around, they were all startled to find themselves enclosed within a thin, violet energy barrier. Yet, feeling no immediate danger, they averted their gaze and continued their charge toward Ye Wen.

But immediately following, they discovered they could no longer move, frozen in mid-air as if anchored. One man, with his saber raised high, was suspended just behind Ye Wen’s head. The look of triumphant glee on his face instantly dissolved into sheer terror!

Just then, the God-Beating Whip arrived. Ye Wen’s Heaven's Net Field seemed ineffective against it; the Whip almost ignored the layers of intertwining violet Qi of the Heaven's Net Force and smashed directly toward Ye Wen’s brow. Fortunately, Ye Wen was prepared. He swung his left hand, striking the side of the just-arrived God-Beating Whip. A vibration from the Dark Chaos Qi Force on his arm dissolved a significant portion of the Whip's massive momentum.

Even with the aid of Dark Chaos, Ye Wen felt a numbing jolt run up his arm from the fierce force. Thankfully, having cultivated the Immortal Everlasting Body, the residual Qi swirled and diverted through his meridians to his right hand. Ye Wen’s right palm followed closely behind. The White Cloud Smoke Qi Force was inherently Yang; now augmented by much of the energy from the God-Beating Whip, it became considerably more vigorous, and its speed dramatically increased. Bang! He struck the tail end of the God-Beating Whip just as it rotated back around.

Both strikes landed solidly. Ye Wen slammed the God-Beating Whip into the earth with one palm, leaving behind a small, cup-sized black pit.

Only then could Ye Wen shift his attention to the surrounding mob. However, he suddenly leaped forward, narrowly dodging an extremely bizarre attack.

An ordinary person would see nothing unusual, but Ye Wen’s pupils allowed him to perceive a strange energy striking the spot where he had just stood. What surprised Ye Wen was that this energy did not dissipate upon missing him; instead, it reversed direction and pursued him again.

As Ye Wen considered whether to deploy the Glazed Fire, he suddenly recalled the marvelous properties of the Cosmic Treasure Codex. His palms immediately formed a suitable position before his chest, then separated slightly, and an ice crystal sphere materialized between them.

Pushing forward, a surge of cold air erupted, and the sphere of strange energy was indeed annihilated by the blast of cold.

“The Jade Snow Ice symbolizes death. It seems this death is not limited only to living beings…”

With this sudden realization, Ye Wen punched sharply toward the ground. The earth-yellow Qi Force filling his fist generated a rumbling sound like massive stones rolling. The many individuals suspended in the air were utterly confused, but when Ye Wen’s fist struck the earth, the astonishing force left no mark on the ground, not even kicking up a speck of dust.

“?” The crowd looked perplexed, but then the ground began to tremble. Suddenly, within the confines of the Heaven's Net Field, numerous sharp stone pillars shot upward. The locations where these pillars emerged were precisely beneath each immobilized person. Consequently, a sudden forest of stone instantly turned the poor, fixed targets into skewers of meat.

Seeing this scene, Ye Wen felt satisfied: “In this Immortal Realm, the power of the Cosmic Treasure Codex is indeed far greater than outside. Furthermore, as my skill deepens, the Codex is gradually revealing its true nature: it can not only summon the powers found in nature but also mobilize energies based on elemental affinity!” This forest of stone was created by Ye Wen manipulating the Earth element combined with Kunlun power. In the secular world, Ye Wen might not have been able to summon such a terrifying stone formation, but here in the Immortal Realm, he discovered he didn't have to rely solely on his personal cultivation as he did in the mortal sphere.

Ye Wen hadn't initially noticed this because he lacked prior combat experience in the Immortal Realm. Not until today! When he used the Indigo Sea technique, he perceived it. The Indigo Sea Qi condensed faster than usual—which was expected given the abundant spiritual energy! But when he channeled techniques with a power level comparable to his usual strength, they erupted with far greater force. This anomaly alerted him.

Since this group of people had conveniently delivered themselves, Ye Wen seized the chance to test his hypothesis. It proved true.

“If that’s the case, coordinating with the surrounding environment allows the Cosmic Treasure Codex to unleash even greater might!” He had originally considered using this opportunity to slip away, but now he changed his mind. He intended to eliminate every single one of these assailants, and the Northern River Hermit, who had been concealing his identity, must absolutely not be spared.

The Heaven's Net Field dissipated. Those who hadn't been enveloped by the field and managed to halt their momentum immediately retreated backward. It was clear to them that Ye Wen was not someone they could afford to provoke. Even the idea of taking advantage of the situation was an utterly foolish notion.

However, retreating required Ye Wen to grant them permission. With a sweep of his hand, the flying swords—which had vanished after executing the attack against Mai Shiranui—had somehow circled around behind this group. By the time they realized it, it was too late. At a thought from Ye Wen, the two Purple Swords suddenly exploded.

The sudden burst of sword energy inflicted considerable damage among the unprepared crowd. Many standing close by were instantly shredded into mince by the infinite sword light. Those slightly farther away were also dispatched instantly by piercing sword energy.

Only a handful, those with better luck, managed to cling to life, but every one of them was wounded.

Ye Wen certainly would not let those injured assailants go. These were the ones who had just tried to take his life moments ago. He had no reason to spare them.

He flicked his fingers repeatedly, launching streams of sword energy. After almost every stream, a life was extinguished. Coupled with Ye Wen’s lightning speed, the faint groans and whimpers soon vanished entirely.

Turning his attention back, he saw that Xu Xian was already locked in a bitter struggle. The myriad illusions had long since vanished. The Northern River Hermit was rapidly cycling through hand seals, unleashing an almost overwhelming barrage of spells toward Xu Xian.

Xu Xian could only continuously swing his sword for defense or evade using his movement skills. The most noteworthy objects to Ye Wen were five crystal beads, each the size of a fist, revolving around the Northern River Hermit.

These five beads faintly displayed the colors of the Five Elements: red, white, cyan, yellow, and black—the colors corresponding exactly to the Five Elements, and their utilization indeed carried the associated attributes.

The Northern River Hermit seemed unwilling to unleash all five beads at once, releasing only one at a time. The other four orbited him constantly. Whether this was due to an inability to control more simultaneously or simply extreme caution, Ye Wen couldn't tell.

Just then, the Northern River Hermit glanced over in Ye Wen’s direction and immediately understood that his contingent of subordinates had just been eliminated by the Shushan Sect Master.

Although he hadn't expected these men to kill Ye Wen, he was still stunned by Ye Wen’s terrifying strength and the speed with which he had slain so many. A headache began to form. Furthermore, as he was controlling the five divine beads, he couldn't even manipulate the God-Beating Whip. Seeing Ye Wen charging toward him, he felt a sliver of relief that he still had four divine beads for protection. Simultaneously, he tapped the bead that happened to be rotating in front of him.

The white light emanating from the crystal bead suddenly became intensely dazzling. When the light dispersed, numerous handleless white light swords appeared around the bead—these were the spiritual energy flying swords condensed from the Metal element’s power, just like the previous burst.

As soon as these five flying swords materialized, they instantly lunged toward Ye Wen, scattering mid-flight before stabbing toward Ye Wen’s five vital points from different directions: the crown of the head, the heart’s back, the kidney area, the throat, and the groin. Ye Wen, seeing this, immediately moved toward the fifth flying sword and simultaneously swung his right leg. A surging, torrential wave of Qi Force erupted from his leg, sending that single flying sword hurtling high into the sky.

“You despicable villain, aiming right for my vital spot!”

After this strike, Ye Wen did not pause. He activated his movement technique and charged toward the Northern River Hermit. He ignored the five white flying swords, fully aware of the principle: capture the leader first. Moreover, these five light swords were merely projections from that artifact. Unless he could defeat the Northern River Hermit and his controlling artifact, he would eventually be ground down by these spiritual light swords.

The Northern River Hermit immediately tapped another bead. The bead glowed intensely with cyan light, and five more cyan flying swords rushed toward Ye Wen. Ye Wen was already charging forward, and the swords seemed to be upon him the moment they materialized. However, Ye Wen remained calm. His right hand grasped the air, and with a turn of the Primordial Violet Qi, the Purple Sword materialized in his hand.

He then unleashed the Quanzhen Sword Style. He first flicked his sword upward at a slant—ding, ding, ding—and three cyan flying swords were immediately knocked soaring into the sky.

Then, leveraging the recoil, Ye Wen swung his wrist, the sword drawing a half-arc in the air before executing a horizontal sweep, followed instantly by an upward slash.

These two movements struck the remaining two cyan long swords, batting them away. The final upward slash managed to slice one cyan flying sword in half. This was because, after the continuous barrage of moves, Ye Wen had endured the recoil from several flying swords. A circulation of the Immortal Everlasting Body allowed the force of that final sword strike to carry the energy of the opponent's swords, erupting simultaneously and destroying one of them.

“These flying swords aren't very solid; they aren't even as substantial as the purple swords I once summoned!”

Ye Wen reached this conclusion just as he closed the distance with the Northern River Hermit. His sword point darted forward, the tip trembling like a viper striking, making it impossible to tell where the true thrust was aimed.

But the Northern River Hermit merely sneered and slapped two beads on his sides simultaneously. Four beads lit up with radiant light, and a multicolored energy wall materialized before the Northern River Hermit, blocking Ye Wen’s thrust.

Although the strike was immensely powerful, it failed to pierce the light wall. However, the five-colored light on the wall vibrated violently, causing the energy barrier to distort momentarily, startling the Northern River Hermit. He knew Ye Wen’s strike was overwhelmingly powerful and had nearly shattered his protective magic.

Fortunately, his artifact was resilient enough to ultimately withstand Ye Wen’s blow. After letting out a slight breath, he immediately shifted his focus elsewhere. With Ye Wen focused on him, the pressure on Xu Xian had greatly diminished. Xu Xian had already shattered the light swords released by the bead attacking him and was now thrusting his sword toward the bead’s core, seemingly intent on destroying the magical item itself.

“Hmph, naive!”

Seeing that he had stabilized the situation, the Northern River Hermit waved his hand. The God-Beating Whip, which had remained beneath the earth, burst forth with light once more, shooting up from the ground and aiming directly for Xu Xian’s back. He thought that after this strike, that fellow would surely die, allowing him to concentrate all his efforts on Ye Wen.

Unexpectedly, a voice rang out before him: “You are the naive one!”

Turning back, he saw Ye Wen gazing at him with those eyes. The light emanating from his bizarre pupils was so intense it was almost impossible to look at directly. The Northern River Hermit immediately felt an intense, searing heat as he realized he was somehow enveloped and consumed by a seven-colored flame.