Seeing Huangfu Buyue before him, Ye Jingyu felt a surge of surprise. Just moments ago, consumed by grief and rage over his brother's death, his entire focus had been on Xuanyuan Ruoxing, and he hadn't even noticed Huangfu Buyue. Now, looking closely, it was undeniably the Huangfu Buyue he knew.

But why did his eyes look so utterly unfamiliar?

"What did you do to him?" Ye Jingyu roared.

"What did I do? He nearly had his soul scattered that day; not only did I save him, but I also helped him advance to the ninth level of the Martial God realm. What do you think I did to him?" Xuanyuan Ruoxing sneered, his face full of mockery.

Ye Jingyu let out a cold snort. The Samsara Eye on his brow shot out streaks of silver light, enveloping Huangfu Buyue. Immediately, a strange sensation flowed into his mind.

"You... you actually erased his memories and implanted new ones that don't belong to him..." Ye Jingyu’s expression suddenly changed drastically.

When Huangfu Buyue died that day, only a remnant soul was saved by the Heavenly Dragon. However, once revived, his soul would slowly mend itself; as long as the Three Souls and Seven Spirits were present, his original memories would eventually return. But now, even though Huangfu Buyue had recovered his Three Souls and Seven Spirits, Xuanyuan Ruoxing had tampered with the process, resulting in the man before him today.

The thought of Xuanyuan Ruoxing using his friend against him stoked the flames of fury in Ye Jingyu's heart even higher...

"Haha, it seems you do have some ability to see all this, but that's all you have. Buyue, what are you waiting for?" Xuanyuan Ruoxing laughed heartily, yet his expression remained utterly unconcerned.

"Swish..." As his words faded, Huangfu Buyue's body instantly materialized before Ye Jingyu, lunging directly for his heart.

"Sister Hanba, I’m counting on you..." Ye Jingyu flickered away, deftly dodging Huangfu Buyue’s grasp. He instantly summoned Hanba, while his own body shot towards Xuanyuan Ruoxing at high speed.

He genuinely did not wish to fight Huangfu Buyue. Letting Hanba handle him, given her current strength, capturing Huangfu Buyue alive should not be a problem.

The moment Hanba appeared, the dense blood mist hanging in the sky was instantly sucked dry by her. Furthermore, Huangfu Buyue's punch was effortlessly neutralized by her.

Xuanyuan Ruoxing was still marveling at why Ye Jingyu had suddenly summoned a beautiful woman—such a strikingly beautiful one, at that—when Ye Jingyu’s body was already upon him.

"If I don't kill you today, may I never be human again!" Ye Jingyu roared, smashing a direct punch toward Xuanyuan Ruoxing's sternum.

Seeing Ye Jingyu's rapidly approaching fist, Xuanyuan Ruoxing wore a look of disdain. "Just you? Do you think I am the same as I was before? I tell you, not only am I now in the Immortal Realm, but my physical body has also reached the Venerable standard. What can you use...?"

As Xuanyuan Ruoxing spoke, he simultaneously threw a punch toward Ye Jingyu. In his mind, even if Ye Jingyu had reached the ninth level of Martial God, he stood no chance against him.

But before he could finish speaking, Ye Jingyu’s fist slammed brutally into his own, delivering a colossal force that instantly shattered his fist, cutting his words short.

Xuanyuan Ruoxing was internally horrified. His body had been tempered by the Haotian Tower and the Haotian Orb; even an ordinary Venerable-level expert might not possess a physical body as powerful as his. How could this fellow shatter his fist with a single blow? Even if Ye Jingyu had reached the Martial Venerable realm, this was impossible?

While Xuanyuan Ruoxing was still stunned, Ye Jingyu had already surged forward, not employing any external mystical force, striking Xuanyuan Ruoxing with the purest physical power.

One punch landed on his lower abdomen, forcing a torrent of blood to spray from his mouth. Another punch struck his chest, shattering his sternum. A third punch slammed into his left ribs, which fractured into several pieces, followed by a blow to his shoulder that instantly caved inward...

His speed was so great it seemed to transcend the limits of time. To outside observers, every punch appeared crystal clear and solid...

Each strike contained nearly all of Ye Jingyu’s stored power, yet he controlled it so perfectly that not a single iota of force leaked outward.

The unfortunate Xuanyuan Ruoxing, barely having regained his senses, was beaten and kicked hundreds of kilometers away. Not a single part of his body remained intact.

The soldiers of the Tianyuan Empire below watched their god-like Emperor being thrashed so brutally, their faces contorted in shock. Could this devil actually be more powerful than their sovereign?

The Soul Immortals and True Immortals who had been preparing to rush forward immediately abandoned the thought. This was a joke; with Xuanyuan Ruoxing’s immense strength resulting in nothing but a beating, if they intervened, wouldn't they be killed with a mere flick of Ye Jingyu’s finger?

This level of battle was no longer something they could participate in.

Xuanyuan Ruoxing finally managed to clear his head. He had truly never imagined Ye Jingyu was powerful to such an extent. Spitting out the teeth that had been knocked loose, his figure flickered and vanished, reappearing a thousand zhang away.

The white Haotian Tower materialized above his head, enveloping and protecting him completely. Streams of white light spilled down, mending the body that Ye Jingyu had nearly pounded into rubble. The golden Haotian Orb hovered above the tower’s apex, continuously bolstering his strength.

Seeing the golden Haotian Orb, Ye Jingyu gasped aloud. "The Haotian Orb? How is that in your possession?"

"You know of the Haotian Orb? If so, then you must know of the Great Emperor Haotian. He is the supreme ruler of the Three Realms, and I am his successor. Hahaha, Ye Jingyu, so what if your physical strength surpasses mine now? Do you think you are still my opponent?" Xuanyuan Ruoxing, initially startled, burst into loud laughter.

"Hmph..." Ye Jingyu could no longer be bothered to exchange words with Xuanyuan Ruoxing. He charged directly toward him again.

Seeing Ye Jingyu rush him once more, despite having been beaten into something unrecognizable just moments ago, Xuanyuan Ruoxing’s face remained calm and composed. With the Haotian Tower protecting him, how could Ye Jingyu possibly harm him?

But just as Xuanyuan Ruoxing settled in to watch the show, he suddenly saw an ancient, cyan bell appear above Ye Jingyu's head, hurtling directly toward the Haotian Tower...