"Pfft..." A mouthful of blood sprayed from within his robes, shattering the black garment into countless fragments that dispersed into the air, revealing his true appearance to the onlookers.

He possessed a tall, slender physique, his complexion shockingly pale, as if he hadn't seen the sun in ages. He looked like a centuries-old zombie. Another human? When did the Earth Alliance amass so many human masters? This was the collective thought of the demons. However, when Ye Jingyu saw this figure, his eyebrows instantly jumped, a flash of killing intent flickering briefly in his eyes.

Gui Jian Chou. How did he arrive at the Earth Alliance? And why participate in such a duel? Furthermore, his demeanor suggested an intent to kill him outright. Logically, he shouldn't recognize Ye Jingyu. Could it be that merely discovering his name was enough to deduce his identity? Was that why he sought to annihilate him completely?

But that felt wrong. Judging by the look in his eyes, it didn't seem like recognition. The desire to kill him appeared to stem from some other reason entirely.

Forcing down the shock surging in his heart, Ye Jingyu's expression quickly returned to composure. Regardless, his true identity could not be exposed. As long as he denied it, no one else could possibly guess. Millennia had passed; how many people still remembered events from thousands of years ago? Perhaps, in their minds, he was long dead.

Now, aside from Mu, the City Lord of Tianman City, no one else knew his real name. Even Yuan probably didn't know it.

"Since you managed to withstand one strike, you can both stay here. Remember my name—Jue. Attack together!" Jue, having failed his initial strike, felt too embarrassed to attack again immediately. He spoke coldly, and the iron chains draped around him seemed to come alive, coiling around his body. From a distance, they looked like his own appendages.

Ye Jingyu took a deep breath, glancing back at Gui Jian Chou standing by the edge of the arena. He forcefully suppressed the killing intent in his heart and began mobilizing his Ba Yuan power, working to expel the dark energy that Shen had left in his arm.

Beams of golden light ignited, and his exposed, bone-white arm began to gradually restore itself. Gui Jian Chou on the other side also showed no immediate intent to attack. Although Jue’s initial blow hadn't knocked him off the stage, the immense force left him severely discomforted. His right hand, the one gripping his blade, remained numb, and the blood within him churned violently. It had only just now managed to suppress that incoming force.

Seeing that neither of them intended to strike, Jue let out a cold snort. Immediately, the iron chains on his body lashed out, reaching Ye Jingyu and Gui Jian Chou almost instantaneously. Like divine dragons, they swept toward the pair.

Facing the hurtling chains, both Ye Jingyu and Gui Jian Chou leaped simultaneously. Their feet moved, dodging the lightning-fast metal, but more and more chains erupted from Jue’s body, constantly sweeping at them.

Whether intentionally or not, as the chains multiplied, even though Ye Jingyu and Gui Jian Chou were formidable, they were being beaten into a miserable state. Gui Jian Chou finally drew his blood-red scimitar, desperately fending off the barrage, but every impact sent a surge through his bloodline.

Ye Jingyu fared no better. He even took a few hits directly with his body, but the sheer power of the impact sent agonizing jolts through him, even snapping several of his bones. If not for the extraordinary regenerative capacity of his Chaos Physique, he might have already been smashed into dust.

Slowly, under the interference of the chains, the two men’s bodies involuntarily drifted toward each other. Jue seemed to abandon the chain assault, instead transforming into a blur of motion, instantly appearing before Ye Jingyu and Gui Jian Chou. Like an eagle seizing chicks, he extended both claws, aiming directly for them.

His hands were recognizably human palms, yet in the eyes of Ye Jingyu and Gui Jian Chou, they looked like forged steel. They both had the illusion that under such a claw strike, their heads would shatter like tofu.

Gui Jian Chou dared not block directly. His body flickered, and a blood-shadow materialized before him as he darted away. Ye Jingyu, however, had no room to evade, nor did he have a blood-shadow substitute like Gui Jian Chou. He could only meet the incoming grab with the full force of his effort.

With a sharp "Crack..." the blood-shadow conjured by Gui Jian Chou was instantly pulverized. Having already put some distance between himself and the attack, Gui Jian Chou choked, spitting out another mouthful of blood.

Ye Jingyu’s punch slammed heavily into the claw, but he felt as if he had struck a steel mountain. His knuckles ached instantly, and Jue’s claw seized his wrist, then, without giving him any chance to react, struck directly at his sternum...

Another resounding "Crack," and Ye Jingyu's body shot backward like a cannonball, blood erupting from his mouth like a fountain, accompanied by the distinct sound of bones fracturing.

Witnessing this scene, the previously boisterous venue fell utterly silent. Everyone stared dumbfounded at what had just transpired. Even on the viewing platform, people like Ni Bo showed expressions of profound worry. This monster was too strong; his power level surely surpassed the Zhou level.

Yuan’s face registered surprise. He truly hadn't expected that after so many years, Jue’s strength would have increased rather than diminished. Although he was currently sealed and unable to utilize the power of the Rules—thus unable to manifest his own domain—his sheer level of power had definitely reached the Yu level.

Unless the opponent could glimpse the power of the Rules, they stood no chance against him. Yuan could only hope this guy wouldn't be too ruthless and kill the person recommended by Mu. Such a powerfully talented individual was a rare find.

Beside him, Ling’s face turned deathly pale upon seeing the event unfold. Sweat beaded on her forehead, and her hands clenched tightly, her eyes filled with anxiety. She didn't even understand why she worried so much, feeling such a sharp pain in her heart. Why? Why do I still have this feeling?

At that moment, Ye Jingyu, flying backward, felt an unbearable agony. His ribs were completely shattered, and the blood he spewed contained significant fragments of flesh. The power within him was chaotic, leaving him entirely unable to control his trajectory...