Chapter 1552: Wind and Waves

Ye Fan's right hand was like a monumental stele, covered in golden runes. This was his ancient and profound Dao, an eternal and unchanging principle that resonated with a deep rumble.

Mountains crumbled, the earth shattered, oceans dried, and rocks decayed. Under the palm of this golden heavenly stele, everything would be annihilated, nothing would remain. The void transformed into black holes, and chaotic light erupted, as if recreating the heavens and earth.

This area was on the verge of complete destruction. Had it not been for the Ji family's imprinted emperor patterns, which instantly spread out, the boundless wilderness ahead, and even the celestial bodies of the sun and moon, could have faced catastrophic consequences.

A hazy mist diffused as Ye Fan's golden palm transformed into an ancient stele tens of thousands of feet tall, densely covered with patterns, suppressing the sun, moon, rivers, and mountains of this realm.

Shen Ming's expression was grave, and he had already acted without hesitation. His divine robe, translucent and luminous, cast a halo around him, making him appear like an ancient deity stepping forth from primordial times, exuding overwhelming power.

"Boom!" He slammed a palm forward. Vermillion Birds soared, true dragons traversed, and White Tigers tore through the sky—all manner of celestial spirits appeared simultaneously, terrifying beyond compare. It was as if a supreme overlord was enraged, or the Heavenly Emperor himself had struck!

Shen Ming's aura was incredibly powerful, exuding an air of supreme confidence. He possessed the authority to utter such words, resembling a supreme deity descending from the heavenly realms.

Everyone present trembled. Such immense pressure made them feel as if the apocalypse had arrived, as if they were facing a supreme ruler, compelled to kneel, worship, and submit.

People were already mentally prepared for Ye Fan's display of power. However, Shen Ming, whose origins were mysterious, proved equally formidable. His sudden emergence today shocked the world, naturally causing widespread trepidation.

With a resounding thud, the two collided violently. Runes spun and rapidly disintegrated as the heavenly stele countered the various celestial spirits, emitting immortal light that swept across all directions. Their power engulfed a hundred thousand li!

This was an intensely fierce confrontation, terrifying to the extreme. It seemed capable of shattering the nine heavens, causing the firmament to tremble and threaten to collapse.

No one had anticipated that their very first strike would be so incredibly powerful. This was a clash between young, supreme prodigies, a sight not witnessed for many years.

Within the Ji family compound, spatial array patterns continuously spread out, stabilizing the earth and water, protecting the world's mountains and rivers, and reinforcing the heavens and earth. Without them, the Southern Domain might truly have faced a catastrophe.

After all, these were Great Saint-level Emperor's sons locked in combat, capable of destroying heaven and earth with every move. Shattering an ancient life-bearing star would be trivial for them.

The only reassuring fact was that the Beidou star was truly extraordinary; attempting to fundamentally harm it would be extremely difficult.

Ye Fan forcefully pressed his palm into the void. Although it appeared to be a casual strike, it unleashed infinite palm power that descended, ultimately transforming into countless sword lights that filled every corner of heaven and earth.

Some burst forth from underground, others cleaved down from the nine heavens, and some even materialized within the void itself.

Each massive sword beam was like a sky-supporting pillar, immense and boundless, emanating a chilling killing intent that caused all living beings across the myriad heavens and domains to tremble!

This was an exceptionally terrifying secret art: a speck of dust could fill the sea, and a blade of grass could shatter all stars in the heavens. It was incomparably sharp, resonating through the heavens and overwhelming the mortal world.

Everyone was horrified. Even though they had retreated to a safe distance, they were still terrified to the bone, a chill running through them, leaving them shivering with profound fear.

Shen Ming's expression was solemn, devoid of any carelessness. Although he had been arrogant and assertive earlier, he fought with exceptional seriousness, confident but never conceited.

His body shuddered, and an ancient imprint emerged on his back. It resembled a divine form, or perhaps an ethereal vision, or even a unique law condensed into a Dao diagram.

A fiery red Vermillion Bird soared into the sky, traversing three thousand realms and shattering vast expanses of the void. It carried a wild, primeval aura and endless immortal flames, scorching heaven and earth.

It was utterly terrifying!

He used this to counter the ubiquitous sword qi and block Ye Fan's unparalleled assault. Furthermore, his defense contained an offense: a brilliant light flashed at his brow, condensing into a fearsome talisman that transformed into an ancient character, indecipherable to mortals, which then pressed down.

This character rapidly expanded, each stroke appearing to be forged from immortal gold—dazzling, brilliant, translucent, and gleaming. It exuded a cold metallic texture and weighed hundreds of millions of jun.

This was a manifestation of the Dao, a Heavenly Immortal Text!

The moment it appeared, a few individuals recognized it, all of them utterly shocked. It was rumored to be a Dao of killing, a law once employed by ancient supremes to forge a path to immortality and assault the Immortal Realm.

The offensive power of this character was unparalleled; how else could it have broken through the barrier between the immortal and mortal realms? It was truly terrifying!

Ye Fan's palm descended, shaking with the force of his physical body. His golden fingers continuously flicked, conjuring one rune after another, all striking the character. Amidst the brilliant immortal light, the area exploded.

It was an earth-shattering and world-shaking sight!

How incredibly powerful must the Human Sacred Body's physical form be to dare engage in such an attack, directly striking with palm and fingers? It was truly horrifying.

If it were any other Great Saint, a mere touch would have caused not just their fingers, but their entire arm and half their body to rot away, turning into bloody mud and bone fragments.

With a thunderous boom, the two passed each other, marking the end of their first confrontation.

In truth, there were only two strikes, both occurring in the blink of an eye. They were so swift that many people didn't even react, let alone see them clearly.

While the destructive power was enough to shock the world, it wasn't yet a life-or-death duel. These were merely probing attacks, with both parties holding back their most powerful trump cards.

A more intense and climactic confrontation was about to begin—a battle of life and death, truly unparalleled!

However, at that very moment, both the Saint Prince and An Pu suddenly moved, interposing themselves and blocking simultaneously.

The Saint Prince intended to fight on Ye Fan's behalf, not wanting him to make another move, as it was his auspicious wedding day. The Monkey (Saint Prince) wished to engage Shen Ming in a life-or-death battle in his stead.

An Pu, too, moved to the center, temporarily separating the two, as he did not wish for the battle to continue.

Almost simultaneously, the void silently parted, and Ji Zi appeared, quietly arriving at the center of the arena. It was clear he intended to intervene; regardless of his relationship with Ye Fan, this was the Ji family's territory, and he could not simply stand by.

However, the moment he revealed himself, An Pu's body trembled, unleashing an incomparable aura, even more terrifying than before, that swept across heaven and earth!

"Void Emperor!" he exclaimed in shock, losing his composure for the first time.

The moment these four words were uttered, everyone was stunned. That name was too ancient. How could it be spoken aloud in such a setting, even right before the Ji family's gates? It simply shouldn't be.

Everyone's expressions changed dramatically as they looked forward.

At that moment, an incomprehensible look of shock appeared on An Pu's pale, somewhat sickly face. He stared fixedly at Ji Zi, his eyes unblinking, as if he had witnessed the most incredible sight.

Everyone was bewildered. What was happening?

"Are you speaking of my father?" Ji Zi asked calmly.

"You're not him? You're too alike!" An Pu said, shaking his head. If it were truly the Void Emperor, how could there be no imperial might? Even if restrained, it would be enough to make all beings tremble, and even more so when facing their lineage from the Undying Mountain.

At this point, everyone realized that Ji Zi bore an exact resemblance to the Void Emperor. All present showed expressions of surprise. Such an uncanny likeness between father and son was truly rare.

"Descendant of the Battle Saint Emperor, what is your intention? Do you wish to fight me? You can stand aside for now and come forth after my battle with him concludes. I will take on anyone who comes today, no matter how many!" Shen Ming declared, still as arrogant as before, much to the irritation of Li Heishui and others. Nevertheless, they had to admit he possessed absolute and formidable power.

"I'll just send you on your way with one swing of my staff, saving myself from your incessant babbling!" the Monkey (Saint Prince) retorted fiercely, disinclined to waste any more words. He even stepped forward, positioning himself in front of Ye Fan, ready to confront Shen Ming.

When the Saint Prince and Shen Ming met, a life-and-death battle was inevitable, as both were boundlessly powerful.

After An Pu regained his composure, he took another step, interposing himself between them once more and blocking Shen Ming. He declared, "If urgency is the measure, I am even more pressed than you. The grievances between my Undying Mountain and the Ji family are known throughout the world, and our ancient agreement is nearing its expiration. However, there's no immediate hurry. To have a decisive battle at this engagement ceremony would be excessive."

"Your words make me appear petty," Shen Ming said, withdrawing the foot he had stepped forward with. He continued, "As I've stated, I am a very direct person. What I think in my heart, I speak without falsehood. That is my true intention: I simply desire a battle."

The divine armored robe he wore shimmered with black light, and though the roaring flames within were contained, a halo still emanated, making him indistinguishable from a divine warrior.

"Very well, if not today, I will confront each of you individually," he said, his gaze intensely fiery. "Let there be no bloodshed today; let us have more celebration."

"You say 'very well' and that's it?!" the Saint Prince sneered, unwilling to let the matter drop.

Li Heishui, Dongfang Ye, and others were equally outraged. To think one could arrive and depart as they pleased in such a setting, causing a commotion and then expecting a single word to conclude the matter? Their fury was uncontainable.

"Fellow Daoist Hun Tuo, it's your turn to step forward!" A terrifyingly powerful figure from the distant horizon quipped.

"Precisely! Please ask Senior Hun Tuo to intervene and persuade them; it will undoubtedly ignite a fierce bloodbath." Some were even more direct, hoping the 'God of Misfortune' would step forward to escalate the battle. If an Emperor's son from a Life Restricted Zone truly fell, it would likely engulf Beidou, and a supreme being would undoubtedly emerge!

"Fellow Daoists, you jest. This old man is unwell today, so I shall not get involved," Hun Tuo stated.

"How can we do without you, Dao brother? That's a clash of prodigies; you ought to persuade them to stop. Your intervention is needed."

"Heaven cherishes life with its virtue of benevolence. This old man doesn't need to persuade them today; they will suffer no bloody disaster. Heaven would not allow it. All matters value harmony above all else. They will prioritize harmony for the next ten years," Hun Tuo stated very seriously.

Everyone was speechless. Even Hun Tuo retreated, seemingly afraid of hitting a 'steel plate' or damaging his 'golden signboard'—though, of course, that 'golden signboard' might need to be interpreted in reverse.

In front of the Ji family's gates, the Saint Prince demanded battle. Shen Ming's attitude was uncertain; while he longed for a fight, having just made a statement, he couldn't easily retract his words.

"The engagement is important; let's conclude here for today," both Ji Zi and An Pu stated.

Ye Fan's expression was cold as he stared at Shen Ming. He longed to strike him down with a single punch, but it was truly inappropriate for him to act again today, nor did he wish for the Monkey (Saint Prince) to fight on his behalf.

"The more I speak, the more I seem to be bullying others with my power. How about this: let's forgo a life-and-death confrontation today. Better to slay ten thousand than to disrupt a single marriage. So, let's have a civil contest today, leaving it to the younger generation to compete. Consider it my contribution to this engagement ceremony," Shen Ming proposed.

"Let it be so," the Divine King Jiang Taixu stated.

Ye Fan nodded in agreement upon hearing this. Since the White-Clad Divine King had spoken, he did not wish to defy him, and everything else could be discussed another day.

Indeed, had this duel continued, the consequences could have been terrifying: an Emperor's son might have fallen, blood staining the Southern Domain, and it might even have provoked ancient supremes from the restricted zones!

Shen Ming waved his hand, and several small figures emerged in the distance, peeking out curiously. Each was enveloped in chaotic energy, and each was extraordinary.

"Ming Ren, come here," he called to a child, who appeared to be only six or seven years old. The child possessed sharp features and extraordinary brows, with chaotic light subtly contained within, a sight that was quite startling.

"This is my child. If you can find someone of a similar age in this world and defeat him, then I will concede defeat," Shen Ming declared.

"What will you offer if you lose?" asked the Black Emperor, who had remained silent until now.

"Still need a gesture?" Shen Ming asked, his gaze fiery. "If I lose, I will slap myself, retract my previous words, and apologize to you! Furthermore, for ten years, if I encounter any of you, I will retreat three paces. Should we truly be compelled to meet, I will still offer an apology."