Dare to Reach Out, Dare to Pay the Price

If there was one person who had been the talk of Shuntian City lately, it was undoubtedly Ye Chen.

First, the Ninth Princess had pleaded for him, saving his life. Then he had returned like a king and defeated the Second Prince at the Rune Assembly.

Now that he was about to take the stage for a match, his aura had unexpectedly reached the Qi Refining Sixth Layer. It seemed he intended to forge another glorious feat.

"Ye Chen truly is someone remarkable. Not only are his rune arts outstanding, but his cultivation is no less impressive."

"The Ninth Princess is known as the greatest beauty in Great Zhou. Even Shangguan Dongjun admires her. If you ask me, Ye Chen's luck with Peach Blossoms is far stronger than his talent."

"A spell battle is not rune arts in the end. No matter how exceptional Ye Chen's talent is, he cannot possibly defeat Shangguan Mo across realms."

"..."

Hearing the various discussions, Ye Chen's expression did not change in the slightest. He remained absolutely calm, and there was a strange charm to his resolute face.

Shangguan Mo folded his arms across his chest, his smile brimming with Pride. The Seven-Story Pagoda rose and fell above his head, displaying all the bearing of a genius.

"You kid are quite the character. Unfortunately, you ran into me."

Shangguan Mo's voice was deep and powerful, his momentum unstoppable.

"I didn't expect this man to be such an old master of acting."

Shen Yun's gaze was strange as he recalled the sight of Shangguan Mo groveling on the ground and begging for mercy.

Ye Chen ignored Shangguan Mo's words. His figure flashed like Fleeting Light and Shadow as he charged fiercely at him.

"The kid actually dares to attack first? What nerve!"

Shangguan Mo gave a cold shout. The Seven-Story Pagoda blazed with light as layer upon layer of Earth Spiritual Power surged forth.

"Shuji Tower, suppress him!"

At the command, everything within ten meters seemed to freeze solid. The jade bricks beneath them let out crisp grinding sounds.

Ye Chen's movements seemed to jam. His speed slowed severalfold, and every step required immense strength.

The Shuji Tower can draw upon the power of earth veins and form a Fivefold Gravity Space. Today is this kid's day of death.

Though Shangguan Mo appeared arrogantly contemptuous, he never fought a battle without preparation.

He had long investigated Ye Chen and learned that his Physical Body was formidable and that he excelled at close combat. The Shuji Tower was the perfect counter to this kind of Body Cultivator.

"Stone Spear Technique, kill!"

Shangguan Mo pointed two fingers at the ground. Every time Ye Chen took a step, several stone spears besieged him.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

The stone spears stabbed in rapid succession. Ye Chen was injured in an instant, his black robe torn apart to reveal a Bronze body. Four crisscrossing bloody gashes covered it, so deep that bone could be seen.

A bloodthirsty smile appeared on Shangguan Mo's face. His Dao techniques became even sharper, like a violent storm, determined to cut Ye Chen down.

A smile curled Zhou Xingyu's lips, as though he could already see Ye Chen being crippled.

"The gap is simply too great. There is an absolute suppression in cultivation, and Shangguan Mo is an outstanding expert at the Seventh Layer of Qi Refining."

The spectators could not help shaking their heads. They were already certain that Ye Chen would lose.

Zhou Ziyou withdrew his gaze and sighed. "What a pity. Shangguan Mo's techniques restrain Ye Chen too severely. The overall situation has been decided."

Zhou Ziyou had also heard of many matters. Ye Chen's experiences were indeed pitiful, but the Ye Family lacked sufficient strength. Their defeat and destruction were the General trend.

The strong were revered. That was the rule of the Cultivation World.

It looked like a spell battle without suspense, yet Shen Yun's mind was more focused than ever before.

He pushed the Qi Observation Method to its utmost limit, nearly breaking beyond the shackles of the perfect realm and reaching an entirely new domain.

Just as Zhou Ziyou was about to say something, he suddenly noticed Shen Yun's state, and his heart trembled.

Neither joyful nor sorrowful, free of the six worldly desires, his gaze was tranquil and profound. He was like an ancient deity, observing the changes of the mortal world.

Brother Yun has entered Enlightenment?

Zhou Ziyou let out a long breath, gaining an even deeper understanding of Shen Yun's talent.

The world in Shen Yun's eyes changed drastically. All things vanished, heaven and earth lost their color, and all he could see was hazy cloud-like qi.

At this moment, Ye Chen had fallen into a desperate situation and seemed powerless to turn things around. Yet in Shen Yun's eyes, a thread of Golden Light strangely shimmered from his body.

Is this Fortune?

With a thought, Shen Yun withdrew from his state of Enlightenment.

Once his mind settled, his Divine Sense had unexpectedly surged by a great deal, and the world before his eyes became even clearer.

The situation in the arena changed abruptly. Ye Chen was like a spring compressed to its limit, suddenly launching himself off the ground.

He brought his palms together and formed a mysterious hand seal, disrupting the operation of his opponent's Magic Tool.

The Shuji Tower instantly lost its luster, and its suppressive force vanished without a trace.

"How is this possible?! What demonic technique did you use?!"

Shangguan Mo only felt his vision blur before Ye Chen's huge hand arrived in the Blink of an eye. The piercing shriek of it tearing through the air made his scalp go numb.

"How could a Frog at the Bottom of a Well know the Vast Sea's immensity!"

Ye Chen's Whole body was drenched in blood, and his ribs were broken. If anyone else had suffered such injuries, they would have already lost their fighting strength.

Yet he only became more valiant with every setback. His agile body was like a Roc spreading its wings, and his iron claw fiercely seized toward Shangguan Mo's Sea of Qi.

Rip!

The sound of flesh tearing rang out. Shangguan Mo's body dipped as a hole was torn through his lower dantian. He was like a deflated toad, his Aura plunging to the bottom.

"No!"

Shangguan Mo's face was ashen, as if his soul had been ripped away. There was not a trace of life left in him.

The Sea of Qi was a Cultivator's lifeline. Once damaged, it meant one's future was ruined. Even if he found heavenly treasures to restore it, his potential From now on would be greatly reduced.

It could be said that Shangguan Mo had become crippled. Breaking through to the Foundation Establishment Realm in the future would be nothing but a vain hope.

The turn of events came as swiftly as a hare rising and a falcon falling. Shangguan Mo, who had held every advantage, was defeated in an instant, leaving everyone dazzled.

"I truly have no choice but to admire him. Ye Chen can actually fight across realms and has created another miracle."

"I heard that those with towering Fortune can often turn danger into safety and reverse defeat into victory. I think Ye Chen is exactly that kind of person."

"It is hard to imagine what heights he will reach, but one thing is certain: Ye Chen is a Hidden Dragon in the Abyss, merely waiting for the right moment to soar into the heavens."

"..."

Ye Chen received countless praises, and his performance won unanimous recognition.

The Killing Intent in Zhou Xingyu's eyes was almost Substantial. This time, he had tried to steal a chicken only to lose the rice used to lure it—not only had Shangguan Mo become crippled, but Ye Chen's reputation had been made.

Unfortunately, eyes could not kill. Otherwise, Ye Chen would have long since been sliced into a thousand pieces.

The grand event came to an end, and those who had obtained places were invited to Go To the Dragon Blood Pool.

After crossing the Ninety-Nine White Jade Steps, a vast Secret Realm appeared before them.

Though the Dragon Blood Pool had "pool" in its name, it resembled a lake, its broad surface stretching beyond sight.

The water was as azure as the sky, gleaming with Five-Colored Treasure Light and shrouded in mist-like spiritual qi. It was quiet and mysterious.

"The Blood Dragon Pool is the life-bound Magic Tool of the Great Zhou Ancestor. It is said that the Ancestor's achievement of becoming a Nascent Soul True Lord was greatly connected to this treasure..."

The First Prince spoke of this secret, emphasizing both openly and subtly the preciousness of the Blood Dragon Pool.

This was precisely where his skill lay: without making it obvious, he made others realize Great Zhou's goodwill.

Had Zhou Xingyu been present, he would have understood that what he lacked was not merely discernment, but also a refined yet magnanimous way of handling affairs.

The First Prince stopped at the right point and took out a Nine Dragon Imperial Seal. Five rainbow bridges immediately appeared along the shore, extending directly into the Dragon Blood Pool.

"Fellow Daoists, you may enter."

As soon as the First Prince finished speaking, the Five people moved at once, carried by the rainbow bridges into the Dragon Blood Pool.

The moment he entered the pool, Shen Yun immediately felt the omnipresent pressure of the water. It was almost equivalent to the full-force strike of a Qi Refining First Layer cultivator.

He therefore began circulating the Five Elements Primordial Chaos Body. After being tempered by Five Elements Spiritual Power, fine wounds appeared across his Physical Body.

Like the sound of a clear spring flowing, ripples spread across the water. In the Blink of an eye, his injuries were healed.

As expected, it can accelerate the cultivation of the Five Elements Primordial Chaos Body.

Shen Yun's eyes lit up as he advanced deeper into the blood pool.

The farther they went, the greater the pressure became. The pain of flesh being torn apart was nearly unbearable, and everyone's steps began to slow.

Tantai Jing had cultivated the Indestructible Wind and Thunder Body. His Physical Body rivaled a first-grade Magic Tool, and he charged at the forefront.

Murong Xue Closely Followed. Her willow-like brows were tightly furrowed, and beads of sweat covered her fair face as she struggled to withstand the pain.

Ye Chen and Su Yu'er had fallen far behind, but the former's steps grew faster and faster. As time passed, he unexpectedly moved into the lead.

This is practically a sacred land tailor-made for me.

Ye Chen was full of ambition. The Dragon Blood Pool was frantically strengthening his bloodline, and there were no side effects whatsoever.

He gradually discovered that the Nameless Technique was undergoing a strange change. Several different kinds of power were being plundered toward him.

This is the Power of Wind and Lightning! And ice, mist spiritual qi!... The Nameless Technique actually has such miraculous effects.

Ye Chen's eyes widened. A Moment Later, he understood the entire chain of events.

Through the Dragon Blood Pool, he could plunder the bloodlines of others!

What does it matter if I must use every means necessary to reach the highest point? It is merely a little wind and frost.

A ruthless expression crossed Ye Chen's face as he began driving the Nameless Technique with all his strength. His blood qi immediately began rising at a tremendous rate, as though he had consumed an immortal pill.

Shen Yun's pace was neither hurried nor slow. He gradually adapted to the Dragon Blood Pool's pressure, while the Five Elements Primordial Chaos Body advanced by leaps and bounds through Tempering.

"Eh!? The rate at which my blood qi is increasing has suddenly slowed considerably."

He stopped. His powerful Divine Sense immediately caught a strand of strange Aura.

Mysterious and vast, carrying an artistic conception that was Profound and Mysterious, it was actually devouring his bloodline. He had sensed this Aura only moments ago.

"Ye Chen!"

Shen Yun narrowed his eyes and murmured, "We have kept to our own waters and could have lived in peace. But since you have Made a Move, I should return the courtesy."

Once the thought arose, Shen Yun broke through the waves toward Ye Chen.

He did not take some person of Fortune seriously at all. This trip would make the other party understand the price of making a move.