Today will bring four, perhaps even five, updates, until my strength is completely depleted. ... Following the battle, Ye Chen paid no mind to the outside commotion, returning alone to Villa No. 18, nestled halfway up the mountain where he resided. From a distance, he spotted a small, dark silhouette sitting near the entrance. He narrowed his gaze, realizing it was Mickey, and immediately moved, rushing towards him.

Ye Chen drifted down before Mickey, blocking the sunlight and casting his shadow over the boy.

Mickey seemed lost in thought until Ye Chen stood before him, startling him awake. Looking up, Mickey’s face lit up with joy. “Brother Ye!”

Ye Chen smiled faintly. “What are you doing out here? Why not go inside?”

Mickey scratched his head, a slight blush coloring his cheeks. “I’m fine out here. I don’t want to trouble them.”

Ye Chen gently patted his head. “Come inside and talk.” With that, he led the way into the villa. Butler 007 emerged from the small pavilion on the lawn, greeting him respectfully. “Master, you have returned.”

Ye Chen instructed, “Go prepare some snacks and tea.”

007 glanced at Mickey, immediately understanding the situation, and nodded respectfully before turning to carry out the order.

Mickey mumbled, “Brother Ye, n-no need to be so polite.”

Ye Chen paid him no mind, pushing open the door and entering the villa casually. “Wait here for a moment, I’m going to take a shower.” He proceeded into the bathing chamber, washing his body. Using the “Hundred Flower Star Water” shower gel, he scrubbed himself clean, instantly washing away the blood from his hands and completely eradicating the scent of gore.

Changing into a fresh set of clothes, Ye Chen returned to the reception hall. He found Mickey sitting stiffly on the sofa, while two maids stood nearby, smiling. Though highly conscious of their service duties, they couldn't help but steal glances at the little boy. It was truly hard to imagine that a prodigy from the Apex Genius Hall could be such an adorable and earnest child.

Ye Chen walked over and sat down casually. “What is it?”

Seeing Ye Chen, Mickey seemed to breathe a sigh of relief and immediately relaxed considerably. His dark eyes sparkled as he watched Ye Chen without blinking, concern etched on his face. “Brother Ye, I heard you fought Nan Dou today. I’ve heard of that Nan Dou; he’s very famous in the Apex Genius Hall and lives at the summit. The air up there is nourished by the mineral spring energy, making the environment much more serene. Only those with significant strength are qualified to live there. I didn’t manage to rush to the arena to cheer you on. Did you just get back from the platform? Are you hurt?”

Ye Chen smiled slightly. “I’m fine.”

Mickey scrutinized his body suspiciously. Seeing that he was indeed unharmed, he finally relaxed, relieved. “That’s good. Brother Ye, if that Nan Dou bothers you in the future, wait until I master my secret manual and advance to the Blazing Dragon Hall—then I’ll teach him a lesson for you!” He puffed up his small fists, looking fiercely determined.

Ye Chen couldn't help but smile faintly, waving his hand. “There’s no need. He won’t bother me again.”

Mickey made an “Oh” sound and nodded. “That’s good! Brother Ye, I came today for another reason too.”

Ye Chen raised his eyes to him. “Just say it.”

Mickey lowered his head and reached into his pocket, fumbling around for a moment before slowly pulling something out. He opened his small palm to reveal a small, drippingly scarlet stone, blood-red in color, shaped like a smooth, round pebble—beautiful and endearing.

“This was left to me by my father. I have two of them, and they can sense each other. I want to give you one. Wherever Brother Ye goes in the future, I will go too!” Mickey blinked his eyes, speaking with utmost sincerity.

The lights illuminated the hall, quiet and warm.

Ye Chen looked at the little boy for a moment, the corner of his mouth curving slightly. He shook his head. “This was left by your father; you should keep it safe. If you need to see me in the future, you can use the communicator.”

Mickey stood up and walked over to Ye Chen. Suddenly, he grinned widely, revealing two rows of white teeth. “Brother Ye, you are my best friend. This is the most precious thing I own. Although it doesn't have much use, I want to give it to you!” He then spread his palm flat and held it out before Ye Chen.

The crystal-clear blood-red stone reflected the light under the lamps.

Ye Chen’s eyes mirrored the reflection of the stone. After a moment of silence, the corner of his mouth lifted slightly. He reached out and accepted the scarlet stone, grasping it in his palm. Feeling the faint warmth emanating from it, he spoke in a slightly rough but casual and easy tone. “I will treasure it!”

Mickey grinned—a smile that came from the bottom of his heart.

After giving him the blood-colored stone, the two chatted for a while before Mickey took his leave. Escorted by Butler 007, he returned to his own residence.

Ye Chen looked at the blood-colored stone in his hand, immediately sensing that it felt as if it were being summoned—as if, the moment he let go, it would automatically float in the direction of that call. And the location of that call was Mickey’s dwelling.

Ye Chen held up the scarlet stone, gazing at it for a moment before clenching his fist and storing it within the inner layer of his armor. Then, he rose and went to the cultivation room, settling into a cross-legged meditative posture to begin training.

Meanwhile, the outside world was in an absolute uproar.

Explosive news resonated across the headlines of the Yan God Empire, titled: “Nan Dou of the Apex Genius Hall Tragically Killed in Combat!”

And beneath this headline, the article read: On October 16th of the 9901st Year of the 9999th Era of the Ancient Calendar, within the Apex Genius Hall, the renowned super-genius Nan Dou, due to a verbal dispute with another newly promoted member, Ye Chen, agreed to a real-arena battle, ultimately succumbing to exhaustion and meeting his end!

Following this summary were detailed explanations and other editorial commentary.

Upon hearing this news, numerous factions throughout the Yan God Empire were deeply affected. To think that a member of the Apex Genius Hall would die in a mere brawl was an occurrence that, while not unprecedented in history, was exceedingly rare.

In the Imperial City of the Yan God Empire, outside the city lay a stretch of towering mountains. Within a narrow spatial passage carved through these mountains was a vast and boundless world.

The blue sky in this world was perpetually clear, never marred by haze, opening up into an immense starry expanse where countless stars glittered. On most of these planets stood exquisite villas and jade-paved towers, with numerous servants meticulously trimming the flora.

At this moment, atop the majestic solitary peak of a crimson planet, two figures were seated opposite each other. Between them lay a chessboard carved from stone, displaying an intricate game where the black and white pieces were locked in relentless struggle.

The crimson-robed youth on the left gazed at the board with an impassive expression, remaining silent for a long time before waving his hand. “I’m not playing anymore.”

The figure on the right was a fair-faced, refined youth in white robes who chuckled. With a wave of his hand, the stone board vanished, replaced by a wine jug and two cups.

“Come!” The white-robed youth poured two cups, suspended the jug in mid-air, and offered one to the crimson-robed youth with a gentle smile. “I hear the brat who challenged you yesterday killed Nan Dou in the Apex Genius Hall. Nan Dou was quite talented; in a few hundred years, he would have become a member of the Blazing Dragon Hall. What a shame he perished halfway.”

“Hmph!” The crimson-robed youth snorted, his expression cold. “A mere insignificant insect. No matter how much it struggles, it can’t stir up any major waves!”

“They say this person killed Nan Dou in a single move. It’s likely he wasn’t even using his full strength,” the white-robed youth chuckled, looking at the crimson youth with hidden meaning. “Are you confident?”

The crimson-robed youth downed the wine in his cup, tossed the empty vessel aside, and stood up. His imposing figure radiated power. “I can wipe him out with a mere flip of my hand! The Apex Genius Hall, after all, consists only of geniuses. The gap between them and the Blazing Dragon Hall—you know that well! Moreover, among all thirty-two Hall Masters of the Blazing Dragon Hall, only a handful of monsters could defeat me. Killing this person would be as easy as crushing an ant!”

The white-robed youth smiled. “Naturally. Come, let’s have another drink.”

“No more,” the crimson-robed youth waved his hand. “I have matters to attend to.” With that, his figure blurred, transforming into a streak of light that shot toward the distant sky, vanishing swiftly. ... In a great hall within the Apex Genius Hall, the doors were sealed shut. The floor inside was dotted with starlight, making it seem as though they were seated in the vast expanse of the cosmos. Twelve ancient thrones were arranged, occupied by the senior leadership of the Genius Hall.

“Two outstanding geniuses have perished recently. Does anyone have an opinion on this matter?” Sitting on the foremost throne was a blurred, dark silhouette, towering about six zhang tall, resembling a robust giant. Clad in a black robe, it exuded an aura of mystery and sinister power.

The hall fell silent.

After a pause, a soft, insidious voice from a lower throne sneered, “I hear the one who killed these two is named Ye Chen. Rumor has it this person is the disciple of Elder Bai Ya. Perhaps Elder Bai Ya should be asked about this matter!”

To the left of the presiding throne sat a figure resembling black mist, from which an aged voice emerged. “Asking me is pointless. Their battles were mutually agreed upon. The victor takes all. While I deeply regret the loss of two talents, there is nothing anyone can do about this. Competition is inherent in the Genius Hall; this was fair competition, and casualties are unavoidable.”

The previous insidious voice sneered coldly, “That is true, but recently, Zi Shen and Chi Yan seem rather agitated. Nan Dou was Chi Yan’s favored disciple; his death so ambiguously like this will not be easy to smooth over.”

The aged voice replied calmly, “Do not worry about this, Venerable Han Shuang. I will handle it.”

“Heh heh…” The insidious voice chuckled coldly and remained silent. ... At that exact moment, inside his cultivation chamber, Ye Chen was wearing a virtual helmet, repeatedly practicing the combat techniques of the Blind Sky in the arena.

Once the first stage of the Blind Sky technique was fully mastered, it could amplify combat power by fifty times!

After furiously practicing more than ten times, Ye Chen resurrected and returned to the hall. Catching his breath, he walked into the adjacent resting room. As soon as he left the combat zone, he heard the incessant sound of email notifications.

Beep, beep, beep, beep...

The mailbox blinked continuously, indicating an overwhelming number of incoming messages.