In Ye Chen’s perception, deep within the nameless cavern in the distant White Lotus Divine Land, upon the majestic Heavenly Dao Mountain, a figure stood precariously balanced on the very apex of the third tier of stone steps. This silhouette was drenched in blood, one arm snapped at an unnatural angle, the crimson fluid dripping from the broken limb to the fingertips, falling rhythmically onto the stone floor below.
He stood at the summit of the steps, as if a colossal boulder rested on his shoulders, gasping for breath, sweat pouring from him in sheets. Hunched over, he stood exhausted on the stair’s peak, gazing toward the crystal sphere not far off, his eyes betraying an undisguised, fierce joy mingled with unyielding resolve.
“Finally, I’ve reached it…”
This clone of Ye Chen managed a weary smile, then summoned every reserve of strength, biting his lip until it nearly bled, clenching his fists, and lifting his foot to step toward the crystal sphere hovering in the mid-air.
Step by agonizing step…
With every stride, a fresh, vivid crimson footprint bloomed on the pristine white ground, a shocking testament to the journey.
The clone Ye Chen wheezed and swayed, yet finally arrived before the crystal sphere. Slowly, he extended his palm and laid it flat upon the cold surface.
The touch was icy.
Immediately, a surge of profound, powerful energy flowed from the sphere, pouring into the clone Ye Chen’s body through his palm. His weakened, fatigued frame was instantly infused with vitality, miraculously feeling several shades better.
From the crystal sphere, a spectral image began to drift outward, hanging suspended in the void. It was the hazy outline of a magnificent, towering being whose features remained indistinct. Yet, the aura emanating from it—a spirit capable of crushing heaven and earth, seemingly looking down upon all creation, standing proudly amidst the world—was an image no one could ever forget.
“You have come…” the figure said, its resonant voice carrying a touch of unexpected gentleness upon seeing Ye Chen. “To arrive here through your own strength is no small feat. This contains the secrets of the third layer of the Heavenly Dao Scripture cultivation. Study it well at your leisure!” As he spoke, he flicked a finger, and a profound, esoteric rune spun forth, branding itself onto the clone Ye Chen’s brow, piercing straight into the depths of his soul.
The instant the brand was set, a vast, overwhelming torrent of information flooded his consciousness, filling every memory cell in his brain. It took a long while before the clone Ye Chen could process and organize this sheer volume of data.
Because they shared a single soul, Ye Chen, residing far away in the villa at the headquarters of the Elite Genius Hall of the Blazing God Empire, experienced a momentary blankness in his own mind before quickly regaining composure. He then rapidly sorted through the complex thoughts to begin cultivating the secrets of the Heavenly Dao Scripture.
In the Heavenly Dao Mountain, once the instruction was imparted with that single gesture, the illusory figure shimmered faintly and dissolved, offering no further words.
Having received the manual, the clone Ye Chen sighed in relief, collapsing backward onto the floor in an ungraceful sprawl, gazing up at the grayish-white sky, his chest heaving, a wide, relieved smile splitting his face.
“So this is the third level!” In Villa Number 18 halfway up the mountain, Ye Chen reviewed the secrets of the Heavenly Dao Scripture's third layer that now resided in his mind. He found the explanations utterly marvelous—millions of characters detailing the vast and profound concepts, the underlying principles of every stage, the precise cultivation methods, and even the optimal environmental conditions and best locations for practice—all detailed with painstaking accuracy.
Ye Chen’s brainwaves were immensely powerful; with just a cursory sweep, he absorbed the entire multi-million-word manual. Every critical secret settled within his heart, and he swiftly initiated the cultivation sequence.
“Cultivating the Heavenly Dao Scripture isn’t inherently difficult. It’s not like Blind Heaven or Nine Palaces, where you need to grasp the subtle key to every single step. Here, in the Heavenly Dao Scripture, every subtle technique is explained in meticulous detail; there is no need for personal epiphany—one simply follows the instructions.”
“When I obtained the first and second layers, I learned them almost instantaneously.”
“This third layer is slightly more complex, but I should be able to master it completely within a few days.”
Ye Chen’s eyes shone with excitement; his heart surged. Once he successfully mastered the third layer of the Heavenly Dao Scripture, the amplification of his own secret techniques would increase tenfold again!
What a terrifying level of power that represented!
He tapped his finger, coaxing forth the Source Crystal Grass that had been residing within his body. This grass, obtained long ago from the Xuanyuan God Tomb, had been hidden internally, constantly devouring the demigod power generated by his second-layer cultivation of the Heavenly Dao Scripture. This demigod power, compressed a hundredfold, was far superior to ordinary demigod power; consequently, the Source Crystal Grass had grown exceptionally fast, rapidly achieving the Pseudo-God Realm, capable of storing an astonishing amount of energy.
With a thought, Ye Chen commanded the Source Crystal Grass to begin slowly and methodically injecting the vast stores of compressed demigod power back into his system.
Cultivating the Heavenly Dao Scripture required colossal amounts of demigod power to serve as raw material for compression and refinement.
The Source Crystal Grass extended a small, tentacle-like vine from Ye Chen’s skin, touching his chest. The tip of this vine, shimmering with faint crimson light, began to channel the pure demigod power into Ye Chen’s body at an accelerated rate, where it was constantly absorbed and compressed under the cyclic operation of the Heavenly Dao Scripture.
Time flowed…
Five days elapsed. A tense atmosphere settled over the thousands of vassal states composing the entire Blazing God Empire. Everyone had concluded their work early, returned home, and settled before their large LCD screens, tuning into the dedicated broadcast division of the Blazing God Central Channel for the final decisive battle.
In another world, within the Blazing Dragon Hall, surrounded by a corona of stars, orbited a massive star—twice the volume of the Sun and possessing 180,000 times its mass!
This was Tianlong Star!
All the geniuses of the Blazing Dragon Hall conducted their duels here, on Tianlong Star!
At this moment, amidst a ring of towering peaks on Tianlong Star, a colossal battle platform had been constructed. It was vast beyond measure, stretching farther than the eye could see. The arena was guarded by eight massive stone pillars, each inscribed with mysterious runes that pulsed with arcane energy.
A crowd of figures now gathered around the platform—reporters and cameramen from major newspapers and news agencies. Only the most established, powerful media conglomerates, backed by ancient influence, had secured access. There was no clamor; everyone quietly filmed, the high-sensitivity cameras equipped with silencers that emitted no sound during operation.
Furthermore, seated on floating chairs suspended above the battle platform were some two to three dozen figures. They reclined casually, some appearing octogenarian, others possessing handsome features marred by a hunchback, still others short and wrinkled. They presented a collection of oddities, with only a few exhibiting conventionally normal appearances.
The national broadcast feed, captured by the cameras, focused intently on the battlefield.
As the minutes ticked by…
From the distant horizon, several figures roared into view. At the center was Ye Chen, clad in black robes and hair. Flanking him on either side were two Divine Guards clad in golden armor, radiating intense energy, escorting him onto the platform.
The moment Ye Chen’s feet touched the ground, he instantly seized the attention of everyone present. The multitude of cameras gathered immediately pivoted, capturing his every movement.
Ye Chen’s expression remained serene as he calmly walked toward the center of the stage, ignoring the surrounding reporters and even the gazes carrying palpable killing intent from the distance.
Reaching the platform, Ye Chen surveyed the entire venue. His indifferent gaze swept over the figures hovering in the sky, yet he paid no heed to the ill-intentioned stares directed his way.
These looks of animosity were familiar—the same cold scrutiny he had faced upon first entering the Elite Genius Hall: the icy contempt displayed by those accustomed to higher status toward perceived subordinates.
Upon Ye Chen’s arrival, the occupants of the floating chairs scrutinized him closely. Seeing his composed demeanor, they couldn't help but subtly frown, a wave of disdain rising within them.
“Tell me, when this kid fights Hua Zhan later, will he fall in one instant, or merely in a flicker?”
“He thinks killing that ant, Nan Dou, gives him the right to challenge the authority of the Blazing Dragon Hall!”
“Hua Zhan is no ordinary man; even I’m not confident I could defeat him. This brat is truly arrogant!”
Many muttered amongst themselves, cold smiles curling their lips in scorn.
Ye Chen’s expression never wavered. Thanks to his extraordinary hearing, he absorbed every word spoken, yet he displayed no anger. He understood clearly that while he was only dueling Hua Zhan, in essence, he was provoking the entire majesty of the Blazing Dragon Hall. If he were one of them, this animosity would not exist.
Not long after, as the appointed time approached, a sharp whistle suddenly shot from the distant sky. It was a bolt of purple lightning, crackling with electrical arcs, which descended and then dispersed, revealing the silhouette of a young man in scarlet robes.
Hua Zhan!
The crowd stirred with renewed energy, focusing intently.
“He’s finally here.”
“Let this brat see that the Blazing Dragon Hall is not so easily provoked.”
“Crush him!”
Above the stage, the figures in the floating chairs displayed a thirst for blood in their eyes, looking down upon Ye Chen. For them, this fight held little excitement beyond observing whether Ye Chen’s presence could compel Hua Zhan to reveal his true strength.
Hua Zhan turned casually, spotting Ye Chen standing opposite him, a slight curve playing on his lips. “I didn’t expect you to arrive quite so early.”
Ye Chen replied coolly, “You are not late either. Let’s begin!”
Hua Zhan offered a slight smile, his eyes turning as cold as blades. “Your humble existence ends today!”
Ye Chen gave a cold snort and offered no reply. Just then, the clock overhead—a massive metal apparatus—snapped shut. An invisible force enveloped the entire arena, and the eight surrounding stone pillars immediately emitted a soft light, flickering with strange markings.
Ye Chen felt an instantaneous severing of connection with his Spatial Folding Bag; the Demon Suppression Pagoda in his mind was also isolated. He did not panic, merely stared at Hua Zhan opposite him with the same composed gaze, as if looking at a corpse.
Far away, in a deep, winding tunnel, a grand figure was speeding along. He suddenly paused, performing a quick calculation, sensing something. He shot out of the tunnel, descending over a city below. With a movement, he bypassed the city’s microscopic surveillance grid and the protective shield enveloping it, effortlessly appearing above the city square.
No one could see him.
He looked at the massive screen in the square, which displayed the figures of Ye Chen and Hua Zhan. Light flickered in his eyes as he murmured to himself, “Good disciple, if you cannot win, remember to yield. A true man knows when to bend and when to stand firm; one must not be rash for the sake of a moment’s courage.”
…
My physical condition is poor; I have felt unwell for the past two days. This is the fourth update for today, and it will be postponed until tomorrow—no content will be cut. Furthermore, once my health recovers, I will add an extra update as penance.