Whether it was Qin Lie, or Liu Qiuxue, or even Yuan Xiang, once they launched a full-force attack, changing their move was exceedingly difficult. Even if they could barely adjust their trajectory, it would certainly come at the cost of self-injury. Thus, even after witnessing Ye Jingyu actually drawing down heavenly thunder to strike at Yuan Xiang, despite the immense power, they showed no intention of halting their blows. They were utterly convinced that even if Ye Jingyu managed to kill Yuan Xiang, he would absolutely not escape death against the combined assault of the two of them.

The death of one Yuan Xiang was inconsequential; as long as Ye Jingyu died, anyone who went down with him was a worthy sacrifice.

But they had never anticipated that, against such a violent strike, Ye Jingyu could actually alter his move so casually. Did he not fear his meridians could not withstand the strain?

However, this was clearly not the time to contemplate whether Ye Jingyu could bear that power. Facing the howling blade light, wrapped in arcs of lightning, both Qin Lie and Liu Qiuxue ignored the potential damage to their meridians, forcefully retracting their offensive momentum and retreating backward. They pulled back with extreme speed, even daring to forcefully mobilize their True Essence Power...

"Pfft..." Qin Lie and Liu Qiuxue retreated several hundred meters in an instant, both spitting out a mouthful of blood—the backlash from forcibly recalling their attacks and over-utilizing their True Essence Power.

But Ye Jingyu's attack was not finished. The lightning had now condensed into a few meters in length, yet it was extremely thick. Countless strands of lightning converged, actually forming a massive sphere of electric light, easily tens of zhang in diameter. Intense electrical currents emitted a sizzling sound, a terrifying aura of annihilation emanating from within the orb.

"Raging Thunder Purgatory..." At this moment, Ye Jingyu shockingly unleashed the third move of the Startling Thunder Blade Art: Raging Thunder Purgatory...

Gripping the hilt tightly with both hands, he viciously slashed toward Qin Lie, who had retreated several hundred meters away...

With a "whoosh," the enormous electric light sphere shot out, hurtling rapidly toward Qin Lie. Qin Lie's heart seized in terror, and his body prepared to dart aside, but the light sphere suddenly exploded. Countless bolts of lightning roared outward, actually forming a massive electrical net that completely enveloped Qin Lie, creating a cage made of pure lightning...

From within the electric glare, sharp streaks of blade energy shot forth, slashing directly at Qin Lie trapped inside.

"Swish, swish, swish..."

"Sizzle, sizzle, sizzle..." The blade energy and the blue electrical light converged, surging toward the inescapable Qin Lie with world-destroying force...

Feeling that terrifying power, Qin Lie’s complexion shifted once more, turning ashen. A sense of crisis he had never known before flooded his heart...

Holding nothing back, the True Essence Power within his body gathered madly, and he slowly raised his right hand, seemingly preparing to unleash Heaven and Earth Collapse.

But the blade energy contained within the electrical currents had already struck him. It tore through his robes, his shoulder, his chest, his abdomen, his thigh—nearly every inch of his flesh was scored by the blade energy. Moreover, this was no ordinary blade energy; it carried the power of lightning. Every wound was scorched and blurred...

"Halt," Qin Lie didn't even have time to utter Heaven and Earth Collapse before Ye Jingyu let out a cold snort. The lightning cage instantly contracted. In the blink of an eye, the terrifying electrical glare submerged Qin Lie...

Immediately after, the entire structure detonated. Countless blade energies and electrical currents flew in every direction, the terrifying energy sweeping over everything nearby.

All this happened in a flash. When the electrical glare vanished, all that remained on the ground was a massive scorch mark over ten meters in diameter...

And Qin Lie was nowhere to be seen.

Everyone, including Ye Jingyu, sucked in a sharp breath. Was this the true might of the Startling Thunder Blade Art?

Since mastering this move, he had never truly executed it in its entirety. Only at this moment did Ye Jingyu truly understand: the real power of the Startling Thunder Blade Art required the presence of actual lightning to be wielded.

Lightning—that was a soul technique only a Soul Master could employ. Yet, the Startling Thunder Blade Art directly channeled heavenly thunder through martial arts, even transforming that thunder into one's own power. Such a method was unheard of.

Liu Qiuxue and Yuan Xiang stared blankly at the massive earth pit, momentarily forgetting how to think. A Grandmaster at the peak realm had simply vanished without a trace. This was too unbelievable! His cultivation hadn't even reached Martial Saint level; how could he be this powerful?

No one would believe that in a duel between two Grandmasters, the other Grandmaster could be slain so easily—not only slain, but utterly annihilated with no remains. This entirely exceeded the scope of martial prowess.

"Everyone, attack together and kill him!" Yuan Xiang was the first to react. Facing such a terrifying move, if Ye Jingyu were given even a sliver of opportunity, it was possible that they would all be buried here today. Only at this moment did Yuan Xiang and the others grasp why Ye Jingyu possessed such confidence.

Combining martial arts with soul techniques—he was absolutely the first person in history to achieve this.

How could they know that three hundred years prior, a powerhouse named Dugu Ba-chen had already managed to attract heavenly thunder through his formidable martial arts?

Of course, being able to use this move had nothing to do with Soul Force; it was entirely due to the Heavenly Sovereign Blade in Ye Jingyu's hand.

At this moment, the pitch-black long saber remained dull and lusterless, but Ye Jingyu noticed with surprise that hairline cracks were appearing in the rust covering it. It seemed the moment this rust completely shattered would be the moment the true form of the blade reappeared to the world.

"Kill..." Liu Qiuxue scoffed. Ignoring her own injuries, her feet moved, and her body floated upward, as if treading upon clouds. In the blink of an eye, she arrived before Ye Jingyu, deploying the Hundred Flowers Sect's ultimate skill, Drifting Flower Cloud Piercing Steps.

She gave Ye Jingyu no time to recall his blade, instantly extending a single finger—her delicate jade finger.

It was whiter than snow and smoother than jade, so exquisitely graceful, so captivating. Yet, this very gentle finger brought Ye Jingyu an indescribable pressure.

"Soul Shattering Finger!"

Liu Qiuxue softly breathed the name, and that single digit rapidly poked toward Ye Jingyu’s heart.

Ye Jingyu had just used the Startling Thunder Blade Art, and his True Essence Power had not yet recovered. Facing this incredibly fast strike, he couldn't completely evade it. He could only slightly shift his body, avoiding the vital point. The sharp fingertip struck his right chest. Instantly, a blossom of blood erupted. A gash opened on his sternum, and a subtle, yielding True Essence Power surged into his body.

But before this True Essence Power could wreak havoc on Ye Jingyu's physique, the ferocious and dominant Tyrant Essence Power, like a decades-old virgin suddenly encountering a completely nude young maiden, lunged forward and completely devoured it clean.