Chapter 854: The Old Man

Night was about to fall. However, the land of Bei Chu, which should have been quiet and still, was buzzing with even more activity, all because someone was demanding ransom from the Shixue Dian.

From a bird's-eye view, streams of people were converging on a towering mountain peak, as nearly everyone wanted to catch a glimpse of the kidnapper. It had been years since anyone dared to abduct a disciple of the Shixue Dian.

At that moment, Ye Chen's clone was casually sitting on a rock with one leg crossed over the other, completely ignoring the astonished stares from the onlookers.

Beside him was Xue Lin, tied up tightly with ropes, a smelly sock stuffed in his mouth, and tears welling in his eyes. He looked nothing like the fourth true disciple of the Shixue Dian, leaving everyone who saw him sighing in disbelief.

Suddenly, the wind shifted dramatically. Clouds churned in the southwest, filled with murderous intent, accompanied by flashes of lightning and thunder as powerful experts from the Shixue Dian swarmed in from all directions.

While that scene was heating up elsewhere, Ye Chen had already stopped at the entrance of a mountain valley.

The valley was strangely ominous, with a massive stele standing at its mouth, its surface seeping with fresh blood and bearing no inscriptions.

"What a powerful seal."

Ye Chen's Xianlun Eye faintly activated, allowing him to discern the stele's true nature. It was the central array of a comprehensive sealing formation that combined offense and defense, making even him hesitant to step inside lightly.

"Si Tu Ming, you certainly know how to pick a spot."

Ye Chen narrowed his eyes as he gazed into the valley, but his vision was obscured by swirling mists.

The Si Tu Ming he referred to was the second true disciple of the Shixue Dian. According to intelligence from Ren Huang, Si Tu Ming was undergoing trials in this very valley—a hidden location known to few in Da Chu. Without Ren Huang's extensive network, it would have been nearly impossible to find.

"To enter the valley, I must first break this stele."

Ye Chen withdrew his gaze and focused back on the stele.

But as he moved to approach, the stele trembled violently.

In an instant, a peerless divine light shot out from the stele, carrying devastating piercing force straight toward Ye Chen.

Reacting swiftly, Ye Chen flipped his hand and drew a heavy sword to block in front of him.

Boom! Crack! Thud!

These sounds echoed in rapid succession within a fraction of a second. The divine light struck the heavy sword dead-on, shattering it instantly and piercing a bloody hole through Ye Chen's shoulder.

Damn it! A mistake!

Ye Chen cursed inwardly, having forgotten that the Tianque Sword had been taken by Long Teng, which led to this careless hit.

"This isn't a place for you. Get out!"

The stele shook again, and a cold, lifeless voice emanated from within. Clearly, the one hidden inside was an extraordinarily powerful expert.

"You think poking a hole in me makes you unbeatable?"

Ye Chen sneered, casually tossing aside the broken heavy sword.

In the past, he might have been startled and retreated, but now, with his genuine Quasi-Tianjing cultivation, he feared no one in single combat except those at the level of the Eight Kings.

"This is on your own head."

Once more, that cold and lifeless voice rang out, and from the stele emerged an old man in hemp robes.

From a distance, the old man looked eerie, shrouded in deathly aura, with dust on his shoulders, wrinkled skin, and an extremely frail appearance, as if he had just crawled out of a grave.

Notably, his eyes were unusually murky, almost completely clouded.

"This old guy must be at least eight hundred years old."

Ye Chen mused to himself, "He seems to be from a generation even higher than Dao Huang and the others."

"No wonder there are no other guards here."

Ye Chen glanced around quickly before fixing his eyes on the hemp-robed old man in the distance. "With him around, few could challenge the sealing formation here."

"What pure blood."

As Ye Chen pondered, the hemp-robed old man spoke, his voice cold, lifeless, and raspy, with a rare glint of sharp light in his murky eyes.

"You look like you want to devour me."

Ye Chen cracked his neck and pulled out a golden broken blade.

"Do you think you can escape?"

The hemp-robed old man chuckled coldly and vanished in an instant, reappearing right in front of Ye Chen. His withered hand lunged forward, fingers tracing ancient seal scripts, the strike as heavy as a great mountain, capable of shaking the heavens.

"I've battled the Nine Emperors; you underestimate my combat skills."

Ye Chen smiled faintly, stepping back to evade the attack.

"What speed."

The hemp-robed old man's eyes narrowed slightly.

"Take this blade."

Ye Chen had already soared into the sky, his golden blade light overwhelmingly dominant, splitting the heavens.

The hemp-robed old man frowned and drew a rusted iron sword, sweeping it upward to deflect Ye Chen's Ba Huang Zhan strike.

Not so fast! There's more!

Ye Chen bared his white teeth as his nine Ba Huang Zhan strikes merged into one, crashing down from the heavens.

Even the hemp-robed old man dared not meet it head-on, sidestepping just in time to dodge.

"With such power, you're no ordinary fighter. State your name."

The hemp-robed old man snorted coldly, his murky eyes clearing as he stared intently at Ye Chen, finally taking him seriously.

"Guess."

Ye Chen smiled leisurely and advanced, each step summoning a Yi Qi Hua San Qing clone. The clone wielded the Chixiao Sword, and together they marched, every step making the earth tremble.

"Yi Qi Hua San Qing."

The hemp-robed old man's eyes narrowed again.

"You know quite a bit."

Ye Chen didn't slow down, taking another step to summon his Xianhuo clone, armed with the Wuhuang War Spear. On the fourth step, his Tianlei clone emerged, gripping the God-Striking Whip.

"True Fire, Tianlei."

Now, the hemp-robed old man's eyes were nearly slits.

"Old Ancestor, he's Ye Chen."

A voice echoed from the valley—it was Si Tu Ming, likely roused from seclusion, recognizing Ye Chen from the secret techniques displayed.

"Ye Chen?"

To Ye Chen's surprise, the hemp-robed old man had never heard of him.

"This guy must not have stepped out in ages; he's the first in Da Chu not to know my name."

Ye Chen grumbled internally.

"No matter who you are, none shall leave today."

The hemp-robed old man's voice boomed with authority, as if sentencing Ye Chen to death.

With that, the ground quaked. Centered on the hemp-robed old man's feet, a blood-red array spread out, engulfing Ye Chen as he approached.

Clang! Clang!

Soon, the sound of chains clashing rang out. Blood-red rune chains emerged from the array, binding Ye Chen's legs and arms, holding him in place.

Bloody runes crawled up his body, carrying sealing and devouring forces.

"Thinking one person controlling the array can seal me? You're dreaming."

Ye Chen smirked playfully.

Before his words faded, a divine light flew from his brow, hovering above his head and expanding like a heavenly river, radiating brilliant glory.

"Jiuzhou Xuan Tian Tu."

The hemp-robed old man paled for the first time, recognizing the treasure.

"Break!"

Ye Chen shouted lightly, and the Jiuzhou Divine Diagram shook, unleashing waves of divine light that shattered the rune chains and cracked the blood-red array beneath his feet.

In response, the hemp-robed old man hastily spat out nine blood-red killing swords.

These swords were eerie, arranging themselves into a sword array that boldly withstood the Jiuzhou Divine Diagram's assault.

Additionally, he sliced his finger and smeared blood on his brow.

Instantly, his aura transformed. His aged face youthened visibly, his white hair turned black, and his hunched form straightened. His murky eyes became vast and profound.

In just three seconds, he changed from an elderly man to a youth, his body exploding with divine light and light rain, his vital energy surging, and various visions manifesting behind him.

Most importantly, his momentum soared, drawing even Ye Chen's attention.

"This eight-hundred-year-old guy isn't messing around."

Ye Chen sighed while channeling his demonic powers, aiming for a quick finish.

At the same time, both moved without delay—one like a god-king, the other like a war god, unleashing world-shaking divine techniques.

Boom! Bang! Rumble!

Their clash caused mountains to collapse and the earth to split. Even the valley's protective array trembled and buzzed.

"How could he become so strong?"

In the valley, Si Tu Ming watched the sky in shock, his gaze settling on Ye Chen.

He had fought Ye Chen before, and though the nine true disciples of the Shixue Dian had all lost to him back then, Ye Chen hadn't been this terrifyingly suffocating.

How much time had passed? This young man now matched his own ancestor in power, delivering a harsh blow to Si Tu Ming's pride. In this era, he was destined to be merely a supporting figure.

The one feeling it most deeply, however, was the hemp-robed old man.

He grew increasingly alarmed with each exchange; Ye Chen's strength far exceeded his expectations, making him feel as if he were fighting not a man, but a dragon—his vital energy was overwhelmingly vast.

"Have I been asleep too long?"

The hemp-robed old man's face twisted ferociously. "How could such a powerhouse emerge in later generations?"

"Fighting me and getting distracted? Are you eager to meet your end?"

Ye Chen charged forward, sweeping in with the Chaotic Divine Sea, wielding the Ba Long Blade. He embodied saint, demon, and buddha all at once, his attacks earth-shattering and boundless.

While he led the assault, his three clones provided support, forcing the hemp-robed old man to retreat steadily.

"Arrogant fool."

The hemp-robed old man roared in fury. Though shocked by Ye Chen's power, he wouldn't tolerate this affront to his dignity.

He moved his hands along mysterious paths, forming a Yin-Yang Taiji, with a blood sea manifesting behind him. The sea echoed with pitiful wails, as if it had buried countless lives, even making Ye Chen's scalp tingle.

"Yin-Yang Reversal!"

With his bellow, the blood sea was refined into Taiji by Yin-Yang, then reversed back into Yin-Yang, neutralizing Ye Chen's techniques one by one.

"Chaos Reversal!"

Ye Chen unleashed his own ultimate move. Where the old man turned the blood sea into Yin-Yang Taiji, Ye Chen transformed the star sea into Chaotic Kunlun. The two supreme secrets clashed in the sky.

Immediately, the vast heavens divided into two worlds—one radiant with golden light like the Nine Heavens Palace, the other a rampaging blood sea like the endless hell, creating a stark contrast.