Under the gaze of that monstrous entity, Ye Chen felt as if an invisible force had locked him down, rendering him utterly immobile, the very flow of blood in his veins seeming to freeze.

Just as Ye Chen channeled the spectral energy within him, preparing to unleash the secrets of the Jiu Gong Mi Ji (Nine Palaces Secret Manual), the monster suddenly sprang violently from the ground, exhibiting a flicker of panic. The obsidian wings on its back whipped up a gale, sending sand and gravel churning and roaring all around them.

Then, in a swift shift of form, a ripple of distortion expanded around its body, and it vanished.

The oppressive, majestic pressure that had saturated the entire cavern dissipated with it. A trace of astonishment flickered in Ye Chen’s eyes as he turned to scan his surroundings; the vast, empty cave held nothing.

What was it afraid of?

Ye Chen remained momentarily stunned. After a moment, he shook his head, dismissing the thought, and drifted toward the spot where the monster had been coiled. He peered around but found nothing, a slight disappointment settling over him.

It was then that his gaze caught something tucked into the corner of a rock crevice: a single scale, about the size of his palm, intensely black and gleaming. He beckoned with his hand, and the scale floated over, landing in his palm with a chilling touch.

Ye Chen focused his sight upon it, finding nothing remarkable at first glance. He gathered his strength and gripped it, only to discover that this thin scale was as unyielding as tempered steel. Even with his immense grip, he could not bend it even slightly.

"This creature is clearly not of the Demigod Realm, much less the Pseudo-God Realm. How then is its spectral energy so dense? I estimate it to be as high as one hundred million points!"

"With all my strength, even multiplying my combat power by the Jiu Gong amplification blade, my destructive force only reaches forty thousand points of spectral energy. It's completely insufficient to harm it. I’d need to activate the Divine Flame Set!"

"If we gauge by genetic level, the Xuanyuan Clan’s genes are ten times that of ordinary humans, meaning they can store ten times the spectral energy. Island Master Ziyun and the like can reach a maximum storage of ten million points of spectral energy!"

Ye Chen pondered deeply. "This monster is far more terrifying; its genetic level must be several hundred, perhaps even a thousand times that of a normal human!"

"Why did it flee the moment it saw me?"

"Moreover... the sand in this Ghost Stone Mine is highly peculiar; it’s not common sediment. Even an expert in the Ghost God Realm, activating their Ghost God Mode... they couldn't pierce this Ghost Stone Mountain, yet this monster could!"

Ye Chen frowned, tucking the scale into his Rune Space. He surveyed the empty cavern for a while longer but found no trace of any Ghost Stone Ore. With a sense of resignation, he withdrew, left the Ghost Stone Cavern, and dug a new deep pit on another side.

At the end of the day, after passing security and retrieving his Boundary Suppressing Stone, Ye Chen boarded a transport ship and returned to the Crimson Annihilation Gate.

The moment he stepped off the vessel, Ye Chen sensed that the atmosphere was wrong. The gazes of those around him held a mix of unfamiliarity and strangeness. Some people stood at a distance, pointing and whispering amongst themselves, shielded by spectral energy barriers that made their conversations inaudible to outsiders.

Ye Chen's brow tightened, and he clenched his fist subtly.

Just then, a figure approached with the swiftness of an arrow. He was imposing in stature, possessing a pair of dark horns protruding from his head—a descendant of the Ox Demon Clan from the Demon Realm civilization. His expression was one of haughty arrogance as he looked down at Ye Chen. "You are Ye Chen? The Elder requests your presence."

Ye Chen took one look and recognized the man as the ninth-ranked among the outer disciples—an individual who appeared only once in tens of millions. That such a person would personally come to summon him was significant.

"They've arrived already..." Ye Chen murmured internally. Without another word, he followed the Ox Demon Clan man.

The Ox Demon Clan man led the way, his demeanor cold and proud. As they passed, everyone automatically parted ways, their faces showing reverence. To be ranked ninth among over a hundred million outer disciples spoke volumes about this young Ox Demon's influence.

He felt a surge of disdain, thinking to himself: The Elder told me to be polite. Hmph, just some nobody, yet they need to send me personally to fetch him. Wasting my cultivation time! What a thing!

This thought fueled his irritation. His figure flashed several times, streaking across the vast plaza and leaving behind afterimages before disappearing.

Whoosh!

Ye Chen followed at a measured pace, trailing the young Ox Demon. His expression was detached, his head slightly bowed, his eyes fixed on thoughts unknown.

The Ox Demon youth immediately noticed this situation, a slight surprise stirring within him. "I am Ghost God Invincible, an invincible Ghost God expert with a million spectral points, and my physique has reached level ninety thousand. How can I not shake him off?"

A spark of pride ignited in his heart. He shifted his body, his speed immediately skyrocketing, turning into a beam of light as he shot toward a cluster of buildings in the distance.

A cold light flashed in Ye Chen’s eyes. The spectral energy inside him surged and erupted spontaneously, causing his speed to boom, yet he remained consistently one step behind the Ox Demon youth, never falling behind.

"After all this time, the Heng Xing Sui Mie Ao Yi (Star Destruction Profundity), which was still imperfect, gradually refined itself during battles hunting demonic beasts on Star Continent. By violently exploding my own spectral energy, I can double my power output."

As Ye Chen followed the young Ox Demon, he pondered the developments ahead.

The Ox Demon youth’s astonishment deepened. To find that even using his full flight speed couldn't shake off Ye Chen, he glanced back more intently, his brow slowly furrowing. "So, he’s someone who hides his strength. He’s also an invincible Ghost God expert. I wonder who would be stronger after unleashing our ultimate techniques?"

Thinking of this, his heart burned with eagerness; he longed to spar right then and there. However, mindful of the Elder’s prior instructions, no matter how bold he was, he dared not act rashly.

Not long after, the two arrived at a lavish hall. Inside stood over a dozen figures, facing twenty to thirty thrones. Each throne was easily two or three zhang (about 6-10 meters) high, radiating golden light so intensely that the Dragon Thrones of ancient China would weep in shame before them.

Upon entering the hall, Ye Chen was immediately enveloped by an atmosphere thick with divine power—a faint majesty that commanded reverence, discouraging any thought of impudence. His expression remained composed as he walked slowly in behind the Ox Demon youth.

"Elder, Brother Ye Chen is brought," the Ox Demon youth announced, bowing respectfully towards the figure seated on the uppermost throne, now addressing Ye Chen as "Brother."

The figure was slender, clad in golden embroidery upon snow-white robes, holding a staff of petrified wood. His skin was finely smooth, pale yet rosy, utterly devoid of wrinkles. Only his long, snow-white hair, combined with the profound antiquity visible in his eyes, betrayed his true age.

"You may withdraw," the Elder waved his hand.

"Yes!" The Ox Demon youth bowed respectfully and turned to leave, but paused, catching sight of the young man standing calmly amidst the awe-inspiring grandeur of the hall. His gaze sharpened, tinged with newfound respect, before he finally departed.

Once the Ox Demon youth was gone, the massive iron doors of the hall slowly closed, seeming to seal them off entirely from the outside world.

Ye Chen showed no alarm; instead, he gazed calmly at the white-haired elder on the main Dragon Seat, remaining silent.

"Young man." The other Dragon Seats were occupied by elders, middle-aged powerhouses, and women of exceptional grace. At this moment, all eyes converged upon Ye Chen.

"You killed Young Master Feng Mo of the Fengyue Family?" a commanding middle-aged man asked in a deep voice. He was seated upon his throne like an ancient fossil, exuding a deep, enduring aura. Streams of divine power emanated from every pore, weaving around him as if he himself were shrouded in mist.

Ye Chen’s face remained impassive. "I did."

The hall fell into profound silence.

After a moment, an elegantly slender and beautiful woman scrutinized Ye Chen, a captivating smile curving her lips. "Do you realize that the head of the Fengyue Family is a late-stage Pseudo-God expert, and moreover, a descendant of the Ancient Cultivation Civilization? While they are only a second-tier power in the entire Azure Water City—inferior to our Crimson Annihilation Gate—no one dares casually provoke that family."

Ye Chen’s expression did not shift. "I am aware."

A burly man couldn't help but snap out in anger, "You knew, and yet you still did it?"

Ye Chen turned his gaze toward him, replying coldly, "If someone intended to kill you, would you simply let them strike you down?"

The burly man choked slightly, then offered a wry smile. "A fierce youth indeed!"

At this point, the white-robed Elder above the hall spoke slowly, his gaze fixed on Ye Chen. "As an expert in the Ghost God Realm, I estimate you’ve reached the Invincible Ghost God stage. However, the gap between the Ghost God Realm and a Martial Artist in the Demigod Realm is like a vast chasm. How did you manage to kill him?"

Ye Chen’s expression remained unchanged. He said softly, "Your disciple possesses a peak-grade ultimate attack talisman, obtained from some ruin or hidden abode. At the moment of mortal danger, I used it. I only intended to ward off the attack, but unexpectedly, it resulted in killing that person."

The atmosphere in the hall solidified momentarily. The white-robed Elder narrowed his eyes. "From which ruin or abode did you obtain it? Bring it out for inspection!"

Ye Chen calmly replied, "It was from a prehistoric ruin called the Tianque Cave Abode. I only had one, and it has already been used."

The white-robed Elder stared at Ye Chen for a long time, finding that he could not discern any hidden thoughts from the young man's face. He frowned slightly and said coldly, "As a Demigod expert, if he wanted to kill you, you wouldn't have had time to resist! Furthermore, according to the surveillance records from the shop, you used a set of high-level Demigod armor to withstand Young Master Feng’s attack at that time!"

"Now, the Fengyue Family has come to the sect demanding your surrender!"

The white-robed Elder looked at Ye Chen, his demeanor softening. "As a member of our Crimson Annihilation Gate, no matter what major incident occurs, the sect will shelter you. If the heavens fall, we will stand against them! Moreover, the fault lies with the other party. Hand over that armor set, and the sect will resolve this matter for you."

Ye Chen's expression slowly darkened.

Seeing Ye Chen’s change in mood, the burly man quickly interjected, "That set isn't for the sect; it must be handed over to the Fengyue Family. You killed their young master; without some compensation and concession, they will never let this go!"