The White Demon Emperor gritted his teeth and snorted coldly, "Though you are powerful, do you truly believe you alone can claim the Tian Dao Jing? Remember, every soul in the entire Ancient Continent covets the Tian Dao Jing. Even the formidable Heavenly Dao of yore failed to safeguard it, falling in a bloody battle against the combined might of the continent's God Emperor powerhouses."

"Wuwang Demon!" the white-haired elder said with an icy expression, "I advise you to share this person with us. Should the Lord of the Ten Halls or one of the Ten Kings arrive shortly, neither of us will be a match for them."

The dishevelled Wuwang Demon’s eyes flickered as he cast a cold glance at the two, sneering, "Once this venerable self secures the Tian Dao Jing for the God Emperors of the Hell Civilization to study, conquering the Ancient Continent together will be effortless. Why should I fear them coming to seize it?"

The white-haired elder’s expression darkened slightly, and he let out a cold laugh. "If that is your decision, then congratulations!" Saying this, he raised his wine gourd, turned, and shot away into the distance.

The White Demon Emperor remaining on the spot clenched his fists, his heart boiling with furious humiliation. He longed to tear Wuwang Demon into a thousand pieces, but the gulf in strength was too vast. He immediately gritted his teeth and spat out, "You will fail!" With that, his figure blurred, rocketing away. In the blink of an eye, he vanished. Clearly understanding he had no share in the Tian Dao Jing, lingering would only draw him into this quagmire, so he wisely chose to depart.

At that moment, the trillions of beings gathered atop Genius Peak erupted in a deafening clamor, churning the very clouds in the sky into a boiling tempest. Everyone had witnessed the entire battle from start to finish, especially Ye Chen’s effortless slaughter of eighteen peak God Emperors and the execution of one full God Emperor, which sent a profound shockwave through the assembly.

The most stunned were undoubtedly the Feng Wutian and Feng Wuji brothers on the combat stage. They stared blankly at the white-haired figure in the sky, their minds seemingly seizing up. It was utterly inconceivable that this person, without deploying any Dao-grade weaponry, merely through his innate power amplified by secret techniques, could annihilate God Emperor-level experts!

They knew, deep down, that with their own strength, they could at best barely escape from an ordinary initial-stage Spirit, which in itself was remarkable, given they were only demigods, and Spirits benefited from technique amplification.

Yet, the gap between a Spirit and a God Emperor was an impassable chasm!

Even though Ye Chen had reached the Pseudo-God realm, to slay an actual God Emperor remained an earth-shattering feat, utterly defying logic!

How many multiples of secret technique amplification would be required to leapfrog the Spirit realm entirely and directly execute a God Emperor?

Within the Central Committee Chamber, the organizers of the Genius Battle, several figures stood: a green-robed elder, a burly, broad-shouldered man, and a seductive woman in red. The green-robed elder’s eyes were as sharp as a hawk's, fixed on the distant sky, his gaze seeming to pierce through layers of architecture to witness the scene above. Upon seeing the emergence of Wuwang Demon and the departure of the White Demon Emperor and the other, his brow slowly furrowed.

"Notify everyone," the green-robed elder commanded with solemn authority. "This session of the Genius War is temporarily suspended. Evacuate all spectators swiftly from the peak; a major conflict is imminent here."

"Yes!" The alluring woman nodded seriously, her soft voice retaining a hint of seductiveness that made one’s bones tingle.

The burly man beside her gazed skyward and murmured to himself, "The long-lost Tian Dao Jing has resurfaced. This child is the successor of the Heavenly Dao. Carrying this scripture, he is guaranteed to face the pursuit of everyone on this continent. Any powerhouse who has reached the God Emperor level will crave it!"

"It is likely that those who have long resided deep within the Ancient Continent—unless they are at the Ancient Realm Peak and unable to move quickly—will all be rushing over."

"A terrifying catastrophe is brewing. I wonder how many God Emperors will perish this time..."

A mix of dread and an inextinguishable spark of avarice shone in his eyes as he stared fixedly at the sky, his fists clenching and releasing several times.

Without turning, the green-robed elder seemed to sense the burly man's thoughts. His voice was placid but carried an unsettling power: "Do not harbor greedy thoughts. While the Tian Dao Jing is a priceless treasure that promises dominance over the Ancient Continent, even the Heavenly Dao who once dominated the continent perished. This manual is a curse to whomever possesses it!"

The burly man shuddered internally. Facing the aged back before him, he showed immense respect, and his eyes cleared considerably. "Master is correct. Your disciple remembers your teaching!" He understood that this seemingly ordinary old man was a figure of terrifying stature. Though his power might not equal the Lords of the Ten Halls, in terms of mental fortitude, he was surely among the continent's elite, standing shoulder-to-shoulder with Moral Sages of the spiritual civilization.

"Master..." The burly man pondered for a moment, then couldn't resist asking, "The others surely understand, so why would some still risk everything to obtain the Tian Dao Jing? They must not have allowed the greed for continental dominion to eclipse all reason."

The green-robed elder sighed faintly, his gaze fixed on the sky with regret. "The Tian Dao Jing carries immense repercussions. You will understand when you reach my level. Though I forbid greed, truth be told, your master also desires to acquire the Tian Dao Jing."

The burly man was slightly taken aback, rendered speechless.

The green-robed elder waved his sleeve. "Let us go. If we can reap benefits later by observing from the sidelines, that would be ideal. If we are forced to fight head-on, I fear this old frame will fall apart."

The burly man and the seductive woman exchanged wry glances, then followed the green-robed elder out with bitter smiles.

Simultaneously, Genius Peak descended into chaos. The trillions of spectators in the viewing stands erupted into pandemonium, streaming out of the security and evacuation channels in massive waves. Under the guidance of the guards, no large-scale casualties occurred.

Furthermore, the summit of the peak was vast, easily accommodating trillions, and the evacuation routes were immense. Combined with clever architectural design, the dispersal of people was swift.

The support groups from various nations on the combat stage exchanged helpless smiles before also entering the refuge tunnels.

Feng Wutian, the Feng brothers, Xue Nü, and the other geniuses stared at the white-haired figure in the sky, unable to determine if their feelings were admiration, jealousy, or pure awe. Finally, led by their respective elders, they rapidly withdrew, each one tasting a bitter helplessness. They were the rising stars of the younger generation, having passed layers of rigorous selection to reach this stage.

To have drawn the attention of the entire Ancient Continent—that honor was unimaginable. Yet, a young contemporary was now slaying God Emperors, stirring forces from every direction!

As the crowds dispersed, some reporters remained, retreating to discreet positions while continuing their live broadcasts. Intense light burned in the reporters’ eyes; their hearts pounded with excitement. If they could capture the ensuing battle, the rewards awaiting them would be beyond measure!

At this juncture, Wuwang Demon had driven off the White Demon Emperor and the other two, slowly turning to face Ye Chen. He stated coldly, "Hand over the Tian Dao Divine Ark and the Tian Dao Jing!"

Ye Chen remained composed, meeting his gaze calmly. "Is he also an enemy of my teacher?"

Wuwang Demon’s eyes turned chillingly cold. "That wretch once cast me into the Nine-Layered Heaven, sealing me there to suffer for a million years. Had my kin not accidentally discovered me, I would have been scorched into mere vapor! Tell me, how do you settle such a score?"

Ye Chen nodded seriously, as if addressing an old friend. "It is indeed a grave one!"

Wuwang Demon frowned slightly and snorted. "It’s too late to discuss that now. Out of consideration for your ignorance, I shall spare your lowly life today. Will you hand over the Tian Dao Jing willingly, or must I take it?"

Ye Chen seemed not to hear him, continuing his own line of thought. "Though the grudge is deep, you are incapable of repaying it. Moreover, if you hadn't provoked my master, why would he have dealt with an insignificant creature like you?"

Wuwang Demon’s mouth twitched violently, his face turning ashen. The rage in his heart transmuted into sky-rending killing intent, causing the surrounding environment to turn icy cold. "You are courting death!"

Boom!

The entire sky trembled slightly. Both Wuwang Demon and Ye Chen staggered, followed immediately by the sound of two rushing air-splitting screeches from a distance. They fell into the surrounding space, lying limp in the void like two dead snakes.

Ye Chen stared, his expression shifting slightly. The two figures on the ground were none other than the White Demon Emperor and the white-bearded elder who had just departed!

However, the two lay motionless, completely devoid of any vital signs or response. The gourd that the white-bearded elder sat upon was smashed flat, and a broken sword protruded from the chest of the White Demon Emperor. Golden blood spilled from his body, staining his white robes in a gruesome display.

Despite their demise, the cellular energy within their corpses was so potent that their bodies inexplicably remained suspended in the air, defying gravity!

"God Emperor corpses are truly formidable," Ye Chen mused internally. He instinctively glanced at himself, wondering how many millennia it would take for his body, retaining over a hundred trillion points of life force, to finally decay to dust if he were to die.

As he pondered, Wuwang Demon opposite him turned pale, his pupils constricting as he looked toward the southeast. Just as he turned, a black speck appeared there, initially seeming miles away, but in an instant, it materialized before Ye Chen and himself.

"A brat from the Hell Civilization? Interesting. Is the Tian Dao Jing something you have the right to touch? Out of consideration for the friendship I share with your Hell Civilization's Ninth Yama, get aside!"

A casual voice stated indifferently.