Chapter 686: Return of Divine Sorrow

Boom!

As the Da Luo Shen Ding unleashed its divine power, its confrontation with the Jiu Zhou Xuan Tian Tu erupted in a world-shaking roar.

Buzz!

The Da Luo Shen Ding hummed and trembled, actually being pushed back by the Jiu Zhou Xuan Tian Tu, its divine light dimming slightly. Consequently, Ye Chen let out a muffled groan as the Da Luo Shen Ding was suppressed.

Perhaps Ji Ning Shuang was right—together, they could hold off the Jiu Zhou Xuan Tian Tu, but if Ye Chen were alone, it would be a different story.

Although the Da Luo Shen Ding was forged from Da Luo Shen Tie, it had been refined for only a short time.

In comparison, the renowned Jiu Zhou Xuan Tian Tu of Da Chu was a ritual artifact created by the ancient Chen Huang. Even though it was damaged, the passage of time had honed its power to an extraordinary level.

Thus, the Da Luo Shen Ding was immediately at a disadvantage.

"Ye Chen, I must admit, I'm a bit reluctant to kill you now."

High in the void, Yin Zhi Ping leisurely inhaled the bloody aura, his laughter mocking yet as sinister and terrifying as ever.

"With you?"

Ye Chen snorted coldly, a golden divine rainbow shooting up from his head, carrying the essence and sacred blood of his Saint Body into the Da Luo Shen Ding.

Buzz!

The Da Luo Shen Ding vibrated with a hum, its divine light blazing brightly as its form expanded instantly. The Dun Jia Tian Zi runes spun rapidly, combining on their own, as if the sacred blood had awakened its latent power. The sounds of the Great Dao echoed like massive bells, filling the sky, while various visions intertwined around it—divine dragons coiled, phoenixes cried out, white tigers roared, Xuan Wu forged paths, and Qilin howled.

In that moment, the Da Luo Shen Ding erupted with divine might, barely managing to withstand the pressure.

"Now that's interesting."

Yin Zhi Ping bared two rows of stark white teeth, his laughter growing even more mocking.

Then, he suddenly raised a hand and grabbed fiercely.

Immediately, the void trembled as a massive black vortex appeared, blotting out the sky and spinning rapidly. Its terrifying devouring force was enough to make anyone pale—it swallowed everything in its path, as if intent on devouring the entire world.

Tun Tian Mo Gong!

Ye Chen furrowed his brow, having witnessed the ferocity of this Tun Tian Mo Gong during his joint battle with Ji Ning Shuang against Yin Zhi Ping.

Now, enhanced by the Tai Xu Ancient Dragon Soul and demonic forces, its power was overwhelming. In just a second, Ye Chen felt his essence rapidly being drained, and the rate was accelerating.

"Try to outdo me!"

Ye Chen's eyes gleamed with sharp golden light, and his brow flickered with golden radiance.

Buzz! Buzz! Buzz!

Soon, a series of hums rang out as various divine lights shot from his brow toward the sky, transforming into numerous spiritual artifacts—killing swords, golden blades, bronze bells, war drums, spirit mirrors, treasure towers, and more, all present.

Most notably, the number of spiritual artifacts Ye Chen summoned was extraordinarily vast—over a thousand of them, each glowing with different divine lights, like stars adorning the void.

I... I can't believe it!

The spectators around were stunned, their eyes wide. Even an ordinary cultivator at the Empty Nether Realm Level One could be considered impressive for summoning ten spiritual artifacts at once, but Ye Chen had unleashed over a thousand. What else could this be but monstrous?

Boom! Boom! Rumble! Rumble!

In the midst of the turbulent waves, the void thundered as if thunderbolts had merged into one, the entire sky engulfed in dazzling light. The combined momentum was world-shaking.

"Seal it for me!"

Ye Chen roared, his vital energy surging and burning wildly, channeling the immense spiritual power into the various spiritual artifacts.

As an Ancient Saint Body—though incomplete—his vital energy was extraordinarily abundant. More importantly, Ye Chen was going all out, drawing from the very source of his Ancient Saint Body to sustain this massive output of essence for the thousand-plus artifacts.

Boom!

With another thunderous explosion in the void, the over a thousand spiritual artifacts erupted with divine power simultaneously, forcibly locking down the still-spinning Tun Tian Mo Gong vortex.

Pfft!

Ye Chen spat out a mouthful of fresh blood on the spot, having paid a significant price to seal the vortex.

Meanwhile, seeing Ye Chen seal the Tun Tian Mo Gong vortex, Yin Zhi Ping's face twisted into a grotesque expression. The fact that Ye Chen had countered so many of his techniques fueled the already demonic urges in his heart, making him even more bloodthirsty.

"You have it, and I have it too."

Yin Zhi Ping roared in anger, divine light blooming from his brow, as if he intended to summon his own spiritual artifacts to break Ye Chen's seal on the Tun Tian Mo Gong vortex.

"Do you think I'll give you a chance?"

Ye Chen snorted coldly, stepping forward and crossing over a hundred zhang in an instant. He then thrust a sword that pierced through the void, aiming straight for Yin Zhi Ping's brow.

In response, a red killing sword shot from Yin Zhi Ping's brow.

"Get lost!"

Ye Chen roared, unleashing a Mad Dragon Heavenly Fury that shattered the red killing sword with a thunderous crash.

Clang!

As the sword rang out, Ye Chen's domineering strike pierced through.

"Tai Xu Shifting!"

Yin Zhi Ping snorted coldly, attempting to use this secret technique to divert Ye Chen's lethal sword and buy time with his spiritual artifacts.

"You can shift the Feng Shen Jue sword, but I wonder if you can shift this one too."

Ye Chen smirked coldly, his brow glowing with golden light as a powerful force gathered rapidly.

"This feeling..."

Yin Zhi Ping's face changed, and he hastily retreated, sensing the overwhelming power of Ye Chen's technique.

Clang!

No sooner had Yin Zhi Ping pulled back than a peerless divine beam shot from Ye Chen's brow, entwined with thunder, bloodline, and immortal fire forces, its power unmatched and destructive.

This technique was none other than Huan Ni Shen Shang.

"How is that possible?"

These words came from the Tai Xu Ancient Dragon within Yin Zhi Ping, clearly shocked that Ye Chen also knew this secret technique.

If the dragon was shocked, Yin Zhi Ping was even more so.

Earlier, his own Shen Shang strike had nearly killed Ye Chen, so he knew all too well its dominance. Now, facing Ye Chen's Shen Shang, how could he not fear it? If it hit, the consequences would be dire.

"Seal!"

As Yin Zhi Ping rapidly retreated, Ye Chen formed a seal with one hand, invoking a technique to lock the void.

Instantly, Yin Zhi Ping's body halted for a fraction of a second.

In that brief moment, the Shen Shang divine beam pierced through, reaching within a zhang of him in an instant, making his face drain of color. Even before it struck, he felt a stinging pain in his brow.

"Tai Xu Cave!"

In his desperation, Yin Zhi Ping activated another secret technique of the Tai Xu Ancient Dragon clan.

"Offset it for me!"

Ye Chen had anticipated this and wouldn't let him succeed. The emerging Tai Xu Cave was immediately countered by the Xian Lun Heavenly Dao vortex, canceling it out. Without the Tai Xu Cave, Yin Zhi Ping was fully exposed to the Shen Shang divine beam, and even with his strength, he couldn't evade it.

Pfft!

Blood splattered as the soul-targeting Shen Shang divine beam pierced straight through Yin Zhi Ping's brow.

"Ah!"

Yin Zhi Ping let out a miserable scream, his body flying backward as he stumbled, the demonic light around him dimming. The roar in his divine sea made his head feel like it was about to burst.

Yet, he wasn't killed outright—Ye Chen knew that wouldn't happen. Shen Shang was powerful, but Yin Zhi Ping was protected by the Tai Xu Ancient Dragon Soul, so it could wound but not destroy him.

However, Ye Chen didn't press the attack. Instead, he summoned his Xian Huo Dao Shen, Tian Lei Dao Shen, and the Yi Qi Hua San Qing avatars.

Immediately, the four figures spread out, occupying the four directions of east, south, west, and north.

Beneath their feet, array patterns emerged and intertwined, forming a grand array—a sealing formation. Before Yin Zhi Ping could steady himself and react, he was trapped within it, his body bound by rune chains.

At once, Ye Chen and his avatars pressed their palms together.

Da Ri Ru Lai Jing Shi Mantra!