Chapter 1057: Worry Becomes Reality

A divine demon stood tall, manifesting between heaven and earth. It appeared capable of touching the Celestial Court above and trampling the Underworld below, making the Nine Heavens and Ten Lands tremble with its mere presence. Its powerful aura was suffocating. Its black hair cascaded like ink waterfalls, and its gaze was profound. With a single gulp, it swallowed the Half-Saint, leaving the world in stunned silence.

“Ah…” the Half-Saint roared, struggling within the belly of this divine demon apparition, desperate to break free. Astonished, enraged, terrified, and filled with dread, his heart turned cold. He opened his mouth and spat out an iron halberd, which he swung with all his might. Simultaneously, he unleashed his domain, and Half-Saint radiance surged forth, attempting to cleave open his dire predicament and escape.

However, reality was cruel. His domain apparition was completely suppressed, utterly useless. Once the Human Sacred Body's apparition manifested, almost no other apparition could rival it; all would be rendered ineffective. The iron halberd crisscrossed, attempting to pierce the divine demon's abdomen. However, what awaited him was a giant millstone, crushing down upon him. Within the divine demon's abdomen, at the location of the Wheel Sea, the Sea of Bitterness and the Wheel of Life merged, transforming into a World-Grinding Plate that pulverized the iron halberd inch by inch.

The Half-Saint screamed, his entire body bristling with dread. In that instant, he felt a unique primordial power and, through this divine demon apparition, realized Ye Fan's identity. However, he couldn't utter a sound, his divine sense suppressed. As the World-Grinding Plate descended, he, filled with unwillingness, indignation, and terror, was crushed into a bloody pulp. This Half-Saint of the Ancient Race, his divine consciousness contorted with terror, struggled in vain. His primordial spirit extinguished, completely dispersing.

With a soft sound, the divine demon apparition, which had stood between heaven and earth, also exploded, completely vanishing and leaving the area in dead silence. A Half-Saint had died just like that, swallowed whole and perishing violently. At the spot where the divine demon vanished, a large swathe of blood mist drifted, the only remains.

“Let's see who dares to take another step!” Ye Fan's true body roared. This shout reverberated under the vast sky, like a peal of thunder, causing pain in people's ears. Many swayed, almost falling on the spot.

Several Half-Saints, who had been contemplating interfering with the battle and aiding the Heavenly Sovereign's Son, turned incredibly pale. At the same time, chills ran down their spines; a companion had just died! At this moment, they were caught between a rock and a hard place. They had already made a decision, and many bystanders were watching, but the horrific scene unfolding before their eyes made them all shudder. One step forward could mean death! Yet, to stand still would be a loss of face and dignity, leaving them feeling aggrieved.

Others dared not even breathe, feeling that the mysterious Human Race cultivator was too powerful. With a single roar, he had suppressed several Half-Saints, exhibiting the bearing of a ruler. “Cross this line, and die!” Ye Fan's true body roared. Engaged in the battle, he was unable to move freely, so he could only do his best to unleash such an overbearing strike to deter them.

Ultimately, the Half-Saints turned pale. Not one of them dared to take a step, all petrified in place, not daring to act rashly. For them, survival was paramount. A wind began to blow through the Great Wilderness, and people felt a chill. No one spoke; there was a complete silence, all stunned into silence. Especially those Ancient Race members who had recently whispered about not letting Ye Fan live, they felt a shiver of fear. At that moment, they distinctly felt a pair of eyes sweep over them, like a knife scraping bone.

In the arena, the battle continued. The Heavenly Sovereign's Son, witnessing all this, found his Dao heart further destabilized. A single sweep of the Monkey's staff shattered his divine gold crown, turning his immortal hairpin to dust, and his black hair instantly scattered. Driven by rage and anxiety, he wielded the Undying Heavenly Blade, its gleaming light piercing the sky as he fought back desperately.

On the other side, Huo Linzi's expression turned much colder as he stared at Ye Fan's true body and clone. He boosted his combat power further, blocking Ye Fan's path and preventing him from making any more external attacks. Ye Fan also ceased his attacks. Under these circumstances, he only needed to hold off the three individuals for half an hour, and the Saint Sovereign's Son would surely win, as the Heavenly Sovereign's Son's Dao heart was unstable, and his defeat was inevitable.

The iron staff in the Monkey's hand hummed. With each descent, black cracks spread in all directions, and dazzling sparks erupted from its collision with the Undying Heavenly Blade. Many eagerly anticipated this battle, their hearts stirred with excitement. Even in the glorious Primordial Era, people had never witnessed a direct confrontation between Emperors, making the clash between their strongest descendants an undeniable comparison.

“Puff.” The Heavenly Sovereign's Son, his mind unsettled, took another blow and spat out a mouthful of blood. For the first time, fear arose within him. He was afraid of losing, having never been caught in such a bitter struggle, feeling completely out of his depth. Even when he had faced the young Undying Heavenly Emperor, he hadn't been afraid, knowing his father's Dao traces wouldn't truly kill him. He could fight to his heart's content, unlike his current state of worry.

Who was the Saint Sovereign's Son? For years, he had hovered between life and death, growing stronger through countless battles. Having fought against the Heavenly Sovereign's Son's protectors for so many years, he was richly experienced, his gaze turning into tangible torches, making him even more formidable. He attacked with broad, sweeping movements, pressing relentlessly, making the Heavenly Sovereign's Son increasingly uneasy. Several times, the latter narrowly escaped disaster, coughing up blood occasionally under the might of the black iron staff.

In truth, the Heavenly Sovereign's Son's physique was indeed unparalleled throughout history, and the divine abilities he cultivated were also awe-inspiring. His personal strength was beyond question; otherwise, he wouldn't have heavily wounded the Monkey. However, at this moment, he lacked a certain aura: the truly indomitable will to advance without fear of death, to perish with his enemy, was absent in him.

By this point in the battle, the Monkey was also covered in wounds, perhaps even more severe ones. He possessed no undying immortal treasures or enlightenment tea; he had reached this point entirely on his own. Even though he had an uncle, the uncle paid him no mind, letting him fend for himself, allowing him to fight for his place in the world alone, remaining on Mount Sumeru as if he had forgotten him. Yet, his fighting spirit was harder than iron, making the Heavenly Sovereign's Son tremble with fear and his Dao heart completely unbalanced. At this moment, the Heavenly Sovereign's Son began to retreat steadily, narrowly escaping death multiple times.

“Monkey, don't push me. At worst, I'll cripple half my cultivation and use immortal treasures to destroy your soul bones. You don't have these things; you can't resist me!” the Heavenly Sovereign's Son said grimly.

The Saint Sovereign's Son attacked with broad, sweeping movements, growing increasingly calm and composed, his gaze filled with confidence. He pressed forward relentlessly, almost overwhelming him, saying, “Aside from what your father left you, what do you have yourself? Today, I shall surely slay you!”

“Clang!” The dark iron staff struck down, sparks flying everywhere. The Undying Heavenly Blade trembled repeatedly, and the Heavenly Sovereign's Son's arms went numb. His mind was uneasy, and he became even more passive.

“Boom!” The Saint Sovereign's Son unleashed a punch, aiming for the Heavenly Sovereign's Son's head. The punch aura was limitlessly domineering, carrying thousands of threads of Dao trajectories, engulfing the area ahead. The Heavenly Sovereign's Son roared, blocking and retreating simultaneously. He was in a sorry state; anyone could see he was on the verge of defeat.

In the distance, many renowned figures of the Ancient Race watched everything clearly. They exchanged glances, and then some couldn't help but sigh softly. “The Heavenly Sovereign's Son's bloodline and innate bone structure are arguably unmatched in the world. In fact, his cultivation seems to be a step stronger than the Saint Sovereign's Son, yet he is still going to lose.” “The Ancient Heavenly Emperor did leave behind some unparalleled immortal treasures, which indeed helped the Heavenly Sovereign's Son to rise above and become unstoppable. But precisely because of this, he lacked the necessary tempering and a resilient disposition.” “The Saint Sovereign's Son's innate bone structure is no less than anyone's. He climbed up step by step, his foundation solid. At the same cultivation level, his disposition far surpasses the Heavenly Sovereign's Son's. This battle is sure to be his victory!”

The Heavenly Sovereign's Son advanced with his blade, simultaneously striking the Monkey with a palm-blade. The Saint Sovereign's Son blocked the Heavenly Blade with his iron staff, ignored the palm, and punched towards the Heavenly Sovereign's Son's head, battle aura and blood energy engulfing the Eastern Barrens. “You…” The Heavenly Sovereign's Son was terrified and enraged. The opponent was like a desperate madman, trying to trade lives with him. He didn't want to die like this, retreating amidst flashes of sparks, resisting with peerless secret techniques. The Saint Sovereign's Son certainly didn't wish for a mutual destruction; it was entirely a psychological tactic, having accurately perceived the Heavenly Sovereign's Son's disposition. He became even more valiant.

“Puff.” The iron staff swept horizontally, smashing into the Heavenly Sovereign's Son's shoulder. Flesh and blood flew, making him stumble, his bones creaking continuously, showing cracks, almost breaking. “Ah…” The Heavenly Sovereign's Son screamed, his hair disheveled, unleashing various profound arts, fighting the Monkey like a madman.

On the other side, Ye Fan felt increasingly strained. Huang Xudao, Huo Lin'er, and others intensified their attacks because Huo Linzi and his two companions had been fully committed to the battle, all having received immense benefits, and wouldn't truly watch the Heavenly Sovereign's Son fall. Ye Fan felt extreme danger. Firstly, the bloodline power within the three individuals had grown stronger. Secondly, they might possess some powerful killer weapons! He had some previous acquaintance with Huo Lin'er, but bringing it up now would surely be useless. In the face of true core interests, what did past acquaintances matter?

“Since we've come south, we cannot possibly watch the Heavenly Sovereign's Son fall. Dare to obstruct us again, and you'll die in vain!” Huo Linzi declared, his expression cold and ruthless. At this point, if he didn't give his all, the Heavenly Sovereign's Son might die, and it would be too late for anything.

“You'll have to get past me first!” Ye Fan said coldly.

“I don't want a meaningless fight; I'll just kill you directly!” Huo Linzi said chillingly, a wisp of terrifying aura spilling from his body, shooting directly towards Ye Fan.

“The might of an Imperial Weapon!” Ye Fan's expression changed. He had been worried about this powerful killer weapon, and it had actually materialized. He had long harbored a hidden concern: if these individuals were to bring Ancient Emperor Weapons south, it would be a colossal trouble. Hence, he had always been extremely wary.

“Boom!” Ye Fan performed the Soldier Character Secret, shaking the immortal cauldron within his body. It had been difficult to activate even when he possessed two pieces of green copper, and now he still couldn't actively unleash it, but he could use it for defense. Sensing a wisp of Imperial might shooting towards him, a layer of radiance enveloped his body's surface, blocking this killing aura and preventing it from entering his body.

“What?” Huo Linzi's expression changed for the first time. This situation indicated that the opponent must possess an Imperial Weapon; otherwise, how could he block his might?

“Hum.” Huo Linzi's body trembled, emitting a dazzling shower of light that all shot towards Ye Fan, as if an Ancient Emperor had descended, reappearing in the mortal world. In the sky, a giant azure Qilin appeared, emitting boundless light, its divine might vast, capable of swallowing mountains and rivers!

Ye Fan's eyes turned cold. His greatest fear had finally come true: the Ancient Sovereign's Son heading south, his terrifying power far exceeding ordinary imagination. If Huang Xudao also arrived with an Ancient Sovereign Immortal Weapon, it would be even more difficult! However, since the battle had reached this stage, with the Saint Sovereign's Son gaining the upper hand and about to slay the Heavenly Sovereign's Son, Ye Fan could not retreat no matter what. He had to stop these three.