The Island Master of Queguang frowned slightly. "His physique suddenly became extremely weak, completely incompatible. Because of long-term training, he knew his strength too well, was too accustomed to and reliant on it, which conversely meant that when the physique changed, he couldn't exert his full strength."
The Island Master of Tiangong nodded. "That is one reason. The other is that the guardian of the third level is too terrifying; if a real fight were to occur, it would still be a draw."
The old man in the white robe smiled. "This old fellow shall try as well." Saying this, he stepped forward.
Ye Chen stood to one side, watching quietly.
Not long after, the old man in the white robe broke through obstacles like chopping bamboo, clearing two levels straight away. He held on for a while in the third level before finally being defeated. He stroked his white beard, sighing helplessly, "Too bizarre!"
"I'll go next!" The Island Master of Ziyun's eyes flashed with brilliant light as he strode out.
Passed!
Passed!
Among the major Island Masters, the strongest, the Island Master of Ziyun, also fell at the third level. Following that, the elder in the purple robe and the rest of the elders also tried one after another, but all returned unsuccessful.
"I didn't expect to encounter such opponents here," the Island Master of Ziyun praised.
Ye Chen nodded. "Once this palace is secured, the martial arts manuals inside can be distributed. Bring them back to your clans for future generations to cultivate."
The eyes of the old man in the white robe lit up. "Really?"
Ye Chen said plainly, "Of course."
The old man in the white robe’s palm trembled slightly. He was overcome with excitement; without needing to be told, if even the guardians were this formidable, the martial arts manuals inside, if cultivated to the highest degree, would certainly be no less than these guardians!
And such martial arts manuals...
Within the Xuanyuan Clan, these would be of the most precious tier, not to be given for cultivation unless one possessed extraordinarily high innate talent.
If Ye Chen bestowed these manuals, the entire Xuanyuan Clan’s strength would rise a level within the next decade, especially the new generation!
Ye Chen saw the expression of the old man in the white robe. The corner of his mouth lifted slightly, and then he walked slowly out, arriving before the black stone stele.
Everyone present seemed to hold their breath, staring intently at Ye Chen's figure.
Originally, the martial arts masters and cold-blooded assassins among these people held no great affection for those who had long occupied high positions with powerful physiques. They believed that given the same physique, they could completely defeat those people!
However, in Guangming Base City, not only had Bai Long and others opened their eyes, but even these several powerful figures of unknown origin before them had passed the levels they once looked up to, one after the other.
Their combat skills had completely crushed the arrogance in their hearts.
Everyone knew Ye Chen was strong, but they didn't know how formidable his battle techniques were.
Just as everyone waited with excited anticipation, Ye Chen had already reached out and placed his hand on the stele. A faint electrical wave connected to his brain waves, plunging him into a illusory world where a divine mountain stood before him, soaring into the clouds.
Ye Chen was extremely familiar with this scene and proceeded with practiced ease.
"Current physique is level 10. Hmm, relatively adapted."
Soon, Ye Chen arrived at the foot of the mountain and saw a guardian—a man nine feet tall with faint golden skin, exceedingly robust, wearing a helmet that obscured his features.
"Greetings, please select your weapon!"
"Saber," Ye Chen uttered casually. Immediately, a saber appeared in his hand, possessing the most standard length and width for a blade. Given Ye Chen’s high level of martial arts, although he specialized in sabers, all martial arts traced back to a single origin, so he could utilize other weapons, especially after recently cultivating the Xuanyuan Thirteen Forms!
This sword technique was that of the founding ancestor, the Yellow Emperor; it was profoundly mysterious and esoteric. It was not mastered through day and night of grueling practice, but rather like an understanding of a principle—once grasped, it was understood. As long as one grasped that subtle essence, success would follow quickly; otherwise, even cultivating for ten thousand years would only increase hand strength.
Therefore, Ye Chen’s current combat skills in swordsmanship actually surpassed his mastery of the saber. In his previous life, his most proficient technique, the Limitless Saber, was somewhat inferior compared to the Xuanyuan Thirteen Swords.
"Show your move," the golden-skinned man said coldly.
Ye Chen showed no courtesy, charging forward with the battle saber in hand!
Hooosh!
The saber light sliced through the void, vanishing in an instant!
Limitless Saber, First Form: Nothingness!
This strike was as fast as lightning, like a dancing spirit, flickering at the points where light refracted in space, confusing the viewer’s gaze so completely that the blade itself could not be seen.
The eyes beneath the golden-skinned man's helmet were icy. His body moved abruptly, raising a hand to parry. A "clang" rang out, sending sparks flying. Immediately, Ye Chen's saber materialized.
"He actually blocked it!" A strange light flickered in Ye Chen's eyes. He moved his arm, increasing the vibration frequency. The saber leaped up, merging into the air, disappearing once more.
Limitless Saber, Second Form: Nothingness!
This saber technique comprised three forms, all named Nothingness! However, their true essence was only known to those who comprehended them.
This time, the golden-skinned man hesitated significantly. He swung his saber a few times toward Ye Chen, but each strike was deflected by a subtle, clever force, as if an invisible pair of hands operated in the void.
Puff!
Ye Chen narrowed his eyes. The battle saber shot out abruptly, piercing the golden-skinned man's throat—a decisive blow in one strike!
First level passed!
The saber vanished from Ye Chen’s hand. With his hands clasped behind his back, he turned and walked toward the mountainside where another golden-skinned man stood waiting.
"Please select your weapon."
"Saber!"
Ye Chen spoke coldly. A Berserker Saber appeared in his hand. Without another word, he charged forward to attack.
The golden-skinned man also held a battle saber. His movements were extremely swift, flashing left and right with great agility. His saber light flickered, slashing directly toward Ye Chen. An ordinary person would assume this was a direct overhead attack, but with Ye Chen’s vision, he saw that this seemingly fierce move was merely superficial, hiding a lethal strike behind it.
He made his saber light dance, meeting the attack head-on.
"Nothingness!"
"Nothingness!"
"Nothingness!"
Ye Chen unleashed the three forms of the Limitless Saber consecutively. The saber edges surged like ocean waves, smashing toward the opponent, his momentum overwhelming, forcing the golden-skinned man to retreat repeatedly.
Ye Chen was slightly surprised in his heart; he hadn't expected his strongest offensive saber technique wouldn't instantly defeat this golden-skinned man. He suddenly tightened his wrist, overlaying the Meteorite Profundity!
Lou!
The saber light's speed instantly doubled, piercing through the golden-skinned man.
Ye Chen eased his momentum, halting his advance. The battle saber in his hand disappeared, and he rushed toward the mountaintop.
Outside, the square filled with hundreds of people was dead silent. Everyone watched with full concentration, not daring to even breathe heavily, as if they had forgotten how to inhale. When they saw the two metal bars light up with connected lines, they were all shaken. Even the Island Master of Ziyun and the others were moved.
If Ye Chen’s raw strength was superior, they could accept that. But they hadn't expected that this young man, barely in his twenties, also possessed combat skills no less impressive than theirs, old veterans who had cultivated for hundreds of years!
By this time, Ye Chen had reached the summit.
"Please select your weapon."
Ye Chen pondered for a moment before stating, "Saber!" A battle saber immediately appeared in his hand. The two instantly engaged in combat. From the start, Ye Chen unleashed his full power!
"Triple Saber Technique!"
"Meteorite Profundity!"
Ye Chen, holding the battle saber, pounced like a wolf or a tiger.
The golden-skinned man opposite him, however, appeared completely at ease. Suddenly, he struck with a single blow that seemed to cleave the void, shattering the entire sky—a sight breathtakingly beautiful.
Puff!
Ye Chen's neck was severed!
Challenge Failed!
Ye Chen’s body dissolved into a crystalline white light and reformed nearby. After his body fully recovered, a look of shock surfaced in Ye Chen’s eyes. He hadn't expected the guardian of the third level to be this powerful. In that case, the person who obtained this ruin in his previous life must have been a true master of combat skills?
Could it be one of the top ten fighters in the Virtual Combat Tower?
Ye Chen dismissed his casual attitude, his expression growing solemn. He had originally thought that anyone could unlock this ruin after a few years, but now it seemed it wouldn't be that easy.
He walked up again.
"Please select your weapon."
"Sword!" Ye Chen said without hesitation. Immediately, a golden longsword appeared in his hand.
Hoo!
The two lunged forward and clashed. The opponent’s sword momentum pressed down like the sky, making it impossible for Ye Chen to breathe. He gripped his longsword tightly, suddenly let out a low roar, and counter-attacked, unleashing the Xuanyuan Thirteen Forms.
"Benevolence Character Sword Art!"
"Virtue Character Sword Art!"
"Meteorite Profundity!"
Ye Chen’s eyes, sharp amidst the cold, saw his saber's might surge dramatically. He instantly counter-attacked, shattering the incoming sword momentum, then plunged straight through, piercing the golden-skinned man’s throat. All of this happened within a few seconds; at their level, victory or defeat was often decided in an instant.
Victory!
Ye Chen heard a ding-dong sound, and then felt a massive segment of information flood his mind, introducing the culture, history, and characteristics of this civilization.
The Dou Tian Civilization was established by new humans born on Earth 320,000 years after the collapse of the Ancient Martial Civilization during the prehistoric era. In its early stages, remnants of dark creatures still infested the Earth, making the early days of the Dou Tian Civilization's ancestors miserable.
One day, the ancestors of the Dou Tian Civilization obtained a special metal plate sealed away in history and learned the martial arts manuals recorded upon it. This metal plate was a remnant of the Ancient Martial Civilization.
The founding ancestor of Dou Tian who learned the martial arts manuals experienced a massive surge in power through martial combat. He rallied his clansmen, extensively researching and inventing combat weapons—"This is a civilization powerful in battle techniques!"
Clarity dawned in Ye Chen’s eyes. He withdrew his hand from the black stone stele.
The surroundings were silent, then, led by Bai Long and the others, an earth-shattering cheer erupted. Everyone exchanged glances, shocked and thrilled; they hadn't expected Ye Chen to be able to pass the third level!
The Island Master of Ziyun and the others exchanged looks, offering wry smiles.
Ye Chen turned back, recounting the received information to Mo Feng. Seeing the ruin secured, he then turned to leave, taking Bai Long and the others with him, bidding farewell to everyone present, and setting off back to Guangming Base City.
As for the martial arts manuals?
Ye Chen already possessed the Xuanyuan Thirteen Swords, which was sufficient; he understood the principle of 'grasping too much leads to ruin.'
Later, Xu Tianguo sent people to inventory the contents and sent the best few martial arts manuals to the Xuanyuan Clan, causing the eyes of the old man in the white robe and the others to gleam with gratitude.
Since there were copied versions of the manuals, giving them away wouldn't diminish his own collection. Ye Chen was naturally happy to do such things.
Moreover, next, he needed to investigate the origin of the Dark Prince and others' arrival on Earth, for which he would require the assistance of the Island Master of Ziyun and the others.