Ye Chen gazed deeply at the seven secret markings etched into his body, drew a long breath, and then abruptly threw open his eyes. A strange, blood-red light burned in his pupils, his unbound hair whipping wildly as he gripped the ancient war-hammer, staring with savage intensity at the sturdy dwarf before him, letting out a fierce roar before suddenly lunging forward.

RUMBLE~~~

The surrounding heavens and earth began to seethe with energy, coiling around Ye Chen’s form. The nine guardian beasts of the Jiu Gong Mi Ji violently burst forth, surging energy rushing toward him, amplifying the power channeled into the ancient war-hammer.

A world-shaking aura erupted from Ye Chen, the very void around him fracturing inch by inch. The terrifying might stunned everyone present; they could not fathom how a junior at the Pseudo-God realm could unleash such dreadful power!

“Die!” Ye Chen was like a ferocious beast from the desolate wilds, his eyes filled with chilling murder. The ancient war-hammer in his hand swung out with brutal force, tearing through the void as it descended upon the dwarf’s crown!

A sharp glint flashed in the sturdy dwarf’s eyes. With a great shout, he raised the war-hammer in his grip to meet the incoming blow. The seven different-colored secret markings on his dark war-hammer suddenly blazed with light, unleashing a cataclysmic aura and radiating fearsome energy.

The two war-hammers, one large and one small, collided with a resounding crash!

The spectators felt suffocated, as if the entire universe was about to be crushed into dust by the impact of those two hammers. Innumerable threads of lightning and ribbons of light whipped out from the point of contact, while streaks of black fissures spread outward, tearing apart the very fabric of space in this ancient world.

Ye Chen felt the muscles in his arms tremble, sensing the terrible force bearing down on his Yan Shen Hammer. There was a faint urge to be thrown backward, and he was secretly shocked—this sturdy dwarf was far more formidable than that burly fellow he faced before, by hundreds of times!

“Blood God, full activation!”

Ye Chen gritted his teeth, his eyes turning frenzied and bloodthirsty as he locked onto the dwarf. The vital blood energy in his arms boiled wildly. His ninety trillion years of lifespan exploded outwards, transforming into an almost berserk torrent of energy that surged through his meridians. His blood vessels and bones felt as if they were on the verge of melting!

Hah! Hah!

Ye Chen gasped for breath, the hot air he exhaled seeming capable of incinerating the world. His eyes bloodshot, he stared fixedly at the dwarf, his fingers tightening around the hammer haft. The energy swelling inside him seemed to find an outlet through his palms and roared out!

BOOM!!!

The entire Yan Shen Hammer suddenly unleashed a sky-piercing crimson light, painting the world in a hideous, blood-red hue. The massive hammerhead slammed down onto the small, dark hammer. The dwarf shuddered, his hand gripping the handle going instantly numb, his very bones vibrating with agonizing shock.

Disbelief radiated from his eyes. He spat out a mouthful of blood and, along with his hammer, was sent flying backward.

“Return!” Ye Chen’s icy voice cut through the air like an emperor’s decree. A streak of blood-red light flashed in his eyes, and a surge of spatial force from the void yanked the dwarf’s body toward him, depositing him squarely in his palm, along with the small, seven-colored, dark hammer.

The dwarf was now unconscious, his hand still clutching the dark hammer twitching slightly, a clear sign of severe exhaustion from overdrawing his power.

An indescribable agitation filled Ye Chen’s heart, a wave of bloodlust and brutality flooding his mind. He stared savagely at the dwarf in his grip, letting out a low growl. The Devouring Power in his palm spun frantically, latching onto the dwarf’s skin along his back, greedily sucking torrents of life force into his own body, rapidly replenishing the lifespan that had been expended.

The dwarf in his palm seemed to sense the intrusion and awoke from his stupor, realizing with horror the anomaly within his body. He immediately tried to break free, but that single clash had utterly depleted his internal energy; not a trace remained in his meridians. Moreover, he was physically restrained by Ye Chen. Though he flailed wildly, he could not escape Ye Chen’s grasp.

“No, don’t…” The dwarf’s voice was horrifying, like a ghost sighting.

“This is the price you must pay!” Ye Chen’s voice was utterly ferocious and chilling, sending cold dread straight to the core of the listeners, while the dwarf’s screams made scalps crawl.

The onlookers exchanged nervous glances, their hearts filled with profound shock. The great Elder of the Dwarf Civilization, who had roamed the ancient world for countless years, had now fallen openly into the hands of a junior Pseudo-God—it was a scenario beyond belief.

Watching the dwarf scream relentlessly in Ye Chen’s grip, some of the onlookers could not bear it.

“Boy, stop this now!”

“Release him! What kind of trickery is this!”

“I knew this man was wicked! Look how fast the Dwarf King’s vitality is draining!”

The surrounding crowd glared menacingly, yet no one dared to make the first move. That preceding battle had made everyone regard Ye Chen with newfound respect. Even the renowned Dwarf King had been defeated by him, and that was without even deploying the Heavenly Dao Divine Boat. If that vessel were to be used, perhaps only the Hall Masters and the Patriarchs of the Nine Great Families could contend!

Ye Chen increased the suction of the Devouring Power in his palm. The surging life force rapidly flowed into his body, repairing meridians that were on the verge of snapping. It was like pure seawater being poured into parched earth, nourishing every soil particle, swiftly restoring his vitality, revitalizing every cell, and increasing his lifespan…

Ten million years, twenty million years…

One trillion, five trillion…

“No… Ah…” The dwarf’s voice gradually faded. His skin lost all luster, appearing dehydrated and wrinkled. In an instant, his robust, powerful frame withered down to nothing but skin and bone, a horrifying sight that chilled the onlookers to the bone.

Once he felt that all the life force within the dwarf had been absorbed, Ye Chen finally let out a long breath. He released his hand, stuffing the dwarf’s corpse into the rune space. The skeleton and dried husk inside would be enough to forge a Dao Artifact—the finest possible raw material!

The crowd seemed to understand Ye Chen’s intentions. Their eyes turned cold, and the way they looked at the youth was filled with apprehension and solemnity; the previous contempt had vanished entirely.

Ye Chen turned, looking toward Bai Yijun, and said softly, “Let’s go!”

Astonishment still lingered on Bai Yijun’s delicate features. Clearly, she hadn't expected this man to become so powerful and terrifying after a century apart. Every time they parted and reunited, he brought her unimaginable surprises, ensuring she would never know the true extent of his future achievements.

Hearing her gentle voice, her cheeks flushed slightly, and she nodded softly, reaching out to take his broad, warm, and secure hand. Though his recent actions had worried her, hearing his tender tone dissolved all her lingering concerns. She knew that no matter how much this man changed, one thing would remain constant: his love for her.

That alone was enough, wasn’t it?

As Ye Chen held her small hand, the murderous intent in his heart completely receded like the tide, leaving his demeanor as calm as a mirror-like lake surface. He smiled, turned around, and began walking toward the distance.

A gentle breeze blew, his white hair fluttering, his white robes billowing—truly like a pair of immortal lovers.

The crowd stared at the departing pair with hostile expressions. They hesitated, wanting to intercept them, but the fate of the Dwarf King and the horrific manner of his death made their scalps tingle.

Just as Ye Chen and Bai Yijun were about to ascend into the sky, Emperor Jin Shan suddenly spoke with chilling indifference, “You two had best stay. If you do not leave the Heavenly Dao Scripture behind, you will not be leaving this place today!” As he spoke, his figure flashed, and he materialized before Ye Chen, looking down upon him from above.

The smile in Ye Chen’s eyes slowly faded as he regarded the Emperor coldly. “I dislike repeating myself. Please step aside!”

Emperor Jin Shan’s eyes narrowed, flashing with cold light. He sneered, “Such arrogance, young man! Today, I shall see just how capable you are to dare be so presumptuous. While you might have killed the Dwarf King, a figure of that caliber, I can destroy with a mere flip of my hand!”

Everyone fell silent, harboring no doubt about his claim.

Ye Chen let out a cold laugh. Holding Bai Yijun’s small hand, he flipped his palm, and a small, platinum-gold, pyramid-shaped mountain appeared. The miniature mountain looked ordinary, yet the moment it materialized, every single person present sucked in a sharp breath!

“The Heavenly Dao Divine Boat!”

“It really is the Heavenly Dao Divine Boat!”

“I can’t believe this brat can actually control such a terrifying object! Everyone, retreat quickly!”

The surrounding crowd scattered in terror, quickly dispersing and refusing to gather. Everyone present had witnessed the might of this pyramid-shaped vessel, their hearts filled with both inexpressible fear and excitement.

Emperor Jin Shan saw the Heavenly Dao Divine Boat and frowned slightly, though he maintained a cold smirk. “If the true Heavenly Dao were piloting this Heavenly Dao Divine Boat, I might feel a fraction of hesitation. But relying on you to threaten me with it? That is simply delusional folly!”

Ye Chen sneered. With a thought, the entire Heavenly Dao Divine Boat suddenly swelled a thousandfold, expanding to a diameter of nearly one kilometer. A beam of light shot out from the pyramid’s apex, enveloping Ye Chen and Bai Yijun, drawing them inside.

“Master,” the coldly beautiful Xiao Zhongsheng said, her voice flat.

Ye Chen was accustomed to her expressionless demeanor and waved it off, instructing, “Activate maximum combat mode. Tear open a channel, be ready to depart at any moment.”

“Understood,” Xiao Zhongsheng nodded.

To outside observers, the golden, mountain-like structure transformed rapidly, reconfiguring itself into an ancient, platinum-gold divine vessel. Its sails were magnificent, its railings rounded, free of the slightest hint of rust, and the entire hull radiated awe-inspiring energy.

There were no secondary cannons on the entire divine boat—only primary weaponry, rows of pitch-black muzzles that made one’s scalp tingle.

Ye Chen knew that the Heavenly Dao Divine Boat could freely adjust its size, capable of expanding to a diameter of ten light-years at its maximum. Combined with the vessel’s immense durability, a single collision would be enough to pulverize a place like the White Lotus Divine Continent!