Yes, the savage hunger for battle flared in his tyrannical gaze at that moment, yet his body remained utterly still; only the iron chains binding him occasionally twitched, as if sensing the tempest of his mood...

At this juncture, the five demons dared not make any rash moves; they certainly had no desire to be unceremoniously hurled from the platform. Shen’s right hand had already morphed into razor-sharp claws, and in his grasp appeared a greatsword, jet-black and wreathed in dark flames. A chilling, potent aura subtly radiated from it. This blade was forged from the Sky-Yin Heart-Severing Iron, material he had gathered over centuries from the Nether Realm in the far North—a supreme demonic saber. Since its completion, he had only drawn it twice. The first time was when challenging Bing, the City Lord of Blood Fiend Citadel; on that occasion, he had pushed one of the Seven Fiends, Bing, to the brink using only the weapon in his hand, only to ultimately lose due to a disparity in raw power, subsequently becoming Bing’s most capable subordinate.

The second time was in the Savage Forest of the Celestial Realm, where he encountered a horde of the Jie—a species of exceptionally ferocious primordial beasts that even peak Cosmos-level masters dared not easily provoke. He had carved a path of survival entirely through the strength of this very sword.

Now, facing the formidable might of Ye Jingyu, Shen deployed the Heart-Severing Saber for the third time.

The blade shimmered with a faint, ghostly black light as his form shot forward, stepping onto nothingness until he hovered directly above Ye Jingyu. Raising the saber with both hands, he cleaved down towards his opponent...

A streak of obsidian blade-light seemed to shoot forth from the very void, instantly positioning itself above Ye Jingyu’s head.

Confronted by such an attack, Ye Jingyu appeared to have only one recourse: retreat. However, the other Cosmos-level experts had already converged, encircling him. Though they hadn't struck yet, they had completely sealed off any path of withdrawal. The moment Ye Jingyu retreated, they would undoubtedly unleash a tempest of retaliatory strikes.

In this precarious situation, Ye Jingyu seemed compelled to summon his weapon for defense. Even in that first instant, he intended to bring forth the Heavenly Venerate Saber, but he suddenly recalled that while his name might be common—too many people shared it—the moment he manifested the Heavenly Venerate Saber, he would be instantly recognized. He couldn't even risk unveiling the Eastern Emperor Bell or other Dharma treasures.

Seeing the blade-light that was now practically descending upon his skull, a fierce glint flashed in Ye Jingyu's eyes. All his Primordial Might instantly coalesced into his right fist, which he drove directly forward to smash against that brilliant arc of saber light...

Witnessing this action, utter horror contorted the faces of everyone watching. Even Ling, seated beside Yuan, involuntarily rose from her seat, clutching her mouth with both hands, her eyes filled with deep anxiety, as if watching her most beloved about to be beheaded.

Yuan glanced at Ling with slight surprise but thought nothing more of it, assuming she had simply become keenly interested in the duel's intensity and was naturally excited by the spectacular fight.

Meanwhile, in Mu's private box, Little Tao Tao continued to eat and drink with carefree abandon. Conversely, Ni Bo’s eyes blazed with sharp brilliance, clearly invigorated by the move Ye Jingyu had just made. Mu and his father, Zhong, exchanged looks of astonishment tinged with unmistakable concern—was he seeking death?

As for Xue Ling, sitting quietly beside him, her small hands were also clenched tightly. Though she couldn't clearly discern Ye Jingyu’s movements, she knew the gravity of the conflict raging on the stage. Yet, her face was alight with confidence—an absolute faith in Ye Jingyu. She believed this god-like man would inevitably claim victory.

Among the general audience, even those city lords who had previously rated Ye Jingyu highly now wore expressions of profound bewilderment. They genuinely couldn't fathom why this individual still refused to produce a weapon. Was he truly that confident in the strength of his own physique?

Of course, the lesser demons, those who couldn't grasp the subtlety of the situation, stared at Ye Jingyu advancing bare-fisted toward Shen’s demonic blade with the contempt reserved for idiots. Had the man’s mind finally snapped?

With a sharp crack, Ye Jingyu's fist slammed heavily into the streak of saber light. The brilliant energy shattered instantly, but Ye Jingyu's fist was simultaneously rent by a blood-gaping wound that reached the bone. Scarlet blood sprayed outward, yet he showed no sign of retracting his strike; his fist continued its trajectory straight toward the demonic blade held by Shen...

Streams of black and white light emanated continuously from his body—the power of Life and Death, the force of Annihilation and Creation. This energy originated from the lingering aftermath of that primordial explosion embedded within him. Only his Chaos Physique could withstand the infusion of these two forces; any other form, even immortal body cultivators or physically mighty demons, would be incapable of enduring the dual surge.

The two spheres of light rapidly merged, forming a striated pattern of black and white that resembled a gauntlet, which then smashed against the demonic saber...

Clang! A piercing, crisp sound echoed throughout the entire arena—the sound of breaking glass, the sound of shattering gems, the sound of tearing steel...

Under the horrified gaze of all spectators, Shen’s Heart-Severing Saber disintegrated completely. Jagged pieces of black metal scattered everywhere. The immense impact sent a jarring numbness up his arm, and the web of his hand split open, oozing dark-gold blood.

Hoo... Nearly every spectator gasped sharply. Most present were demons, whose physical bodies were their greatest asset and the source of their pride.

Yet, no matter how proud they were of their flesh, none dared pit their own bodies against such a peerless demonic blade. But here was this human—this man whose frame appeared so fragile—meeting Shen's saber with nothing but his own sinew and blood, and shattering the weapon in the process...

Was he truly human? How could the physical body of a mere human possess such terrible strength?

Everyone was stunned. Even though Ye Jingyu had presented countless shocks throughout the day, this display left them paralyzed with awe...

Undoubtedly, the most profoundly shaken was Shen. To refine that saber, he had ventured alone into the northern Nether Realm, expending unimaginable effort to gather the raw materials, and then spent centuries forging it. Now, it had been obliterated by a single punch from his opponent...

Shock. Absolute, paralyzing shock...

For a moment, Shen forgot he was even standing on the platform. He simply stared blankly at the broken hilt...