Chapter 534: Demonic Might Sweeping the Heavens

"Peacock King, what is the meaning of this? You caused such an uproar at the Jade Pool Peach Banquet; do you truly believe we fear you? If you wish to fight, I am prepared to face you!" Among the Sacred Lands, there were many hot-tempered individuals. A powerful figure from Wanchu immediately rose to his feet. Their Saint Lord had perished in the Myriad Dragon's Nest, and the sect's experts were seething with suppressed anger.

"Then what are we waiting for? Let's meet on the Jade Pool Life-and-Death Battle Stage!" Although the Peacock King appeared to be a refined young man, he had always been formidable; otherwise, he wouldn't have dared to target the Yaoguang Saint Lord.

"Very well, let's meet on the Life-and-Death Battle Stage to determine the victor!" The formidable expert from Wanchu was the deceased Saint Lord's junior brother, a truly stubborn and resolute individual.

A rumble shook the Heavenly Palace, and everyone rose to their feet. An unparalleled Demon King was about to engage in battle with a Saint Lord-level figure; this was undeniably the main event.

This grand event, held only once every five hundred years, was immensely influential. It was no secret that such decisive battles almost always took place during each session.

"Saint Lord-level figures are about to clash; this trip was truly worthwhile!" some powerful rogue cultivators murmured.

"A Demon King has appeared, and supreme experts are vying for dominance. This time, the skies might truly be stained with blood, with a battle so fierce it reaches a boiling point." In front of the main hall, many Holy Sons and Holy Maidens blanched, and the strongest successors of the great sects were equally agitated.

"I wonder which major figures will take action; it won't be a world-shattering battle, will it?" The younger generation was greatly unsettled, as this conflict directly impacted their sects.

"Old Daoist Red Dragon and Daoist Crow are both peerless ancient demon monarchs who can traverse the Eastern Wasteland unchecked. Who can possibly contend with them?" "You underestimate the Sacred Lands too much. There are certainly one or two living fossils capable of battling Old Daoist Red Dragon, and they will undoubtedly emerge."

Inside and outside the Heavenly Palace, both the elder generation and the younger generation were abuzz with discussion. Everyone was restless, and many were extremely excited.

When the Holy Sons and Holy Maidens looked at Ye Fan, their expressions were quite complex. Among the younger generation, only he was capable of standing in the Heavenly Palace and confronting the elders; indeed, everything had been instigated by him.

Killing intent permeated the Heavenly Palace. This battle was simply unavoidable, and the eyes of many gleamed with a cold light.

As powerful leaders, once they made a decision, it was difficult to reverse. They were destined to face each other on the Jade Pool Life-and-Death Battle Stage.

"Please ask the Queen Mother of the West to preside over this battle and activate the ancient battle stage," one Saint Lord proposed.

The Jade Pool Life-and-Death Battle Stage was situated among the clouds, rumored never to fall. Vast and boundless, solid and indestructible, it was capable of sustaining battles between Saint Lords without fear of catastrophic destruction.

The Queen Mother of the West sighed softly, knowing it was futile to intervene now. The animosity between the two sides had long festered, and this eruption was merely a matter of circumstances. Only a battle could resolve the issue.

"I hope everyone will show restraint."

"Please, Queen Mother of the West, activate the battle stage!" a powerful expert from Zifu also loudly urged, stepping forward as if preparing for combat.

"Activate the Jade Pool Life-and-Death Battle Stage!" the Queen Mother of the West declared, her voice reverberating softly through the magnificent palace and across the clouds.

Simultaneously, everyone moved outside, their battle intent surging like a vast ocean. Figures swarmed, and powerful lords from all sides stood outside the celestial palace like gods and demons, their formidable vital energy erupting like savage dragons.

It was an extraordinary sight: from the crown of each person's head, a thick, mountain-like beam of crimson light shot forth, piercing the sky like a great dragon, its momentum terrifying.

The younger generation was filled with awe and terror. This was the chasm, an unbridgeable gulf like a natural moat. Such surging vital essence was like a raging sea, capable of engulfing millions of living beings.

"Boom... boom..." The swirling clouds, thick and heavy as mountains, pressed down, making it difficult to breathe.

Thick grey clouds hung low, almost touching the ground. An ancient aura emanated, accompanied by a potent sense of killing intent.

The Jade Pool Life-and-Death Battle Stage was a vast training ground, constructed from cliff stones, each potentially holding a unique story.

The stage bore myriad sword marks, arrow holes, and mottled bloodstains, silent testaments to the countless peerless masters who had once stood upon it, engaging in sky-rending battles that determined life or death.

The vast training ground stretched endlessly, with many stones carved with the names of powerful individuals. Cracks were visible everywhere, making it resemble an ancient battlefield.

Although no corpses lay strewn about, the indelible aura of fallen mighty figures permeated the air, penetrating deep into one's bones.

Anyone who came to this place couldn't help but feel a profound sense, as if they had, in an instant, experienced thousands of battles and sensed the very essence of the departed peerless masters.

"It truly lives up to its reputation as one of the most renowned training grounds in the Eastern Wasteland. Today, I wonder which powerful experts will stain its sands with their blood."

"I still clearly remember the Jade Pool Grand Event from a thousand years ago. Old Saint Lord Lin Tianchong of Zifu was incredibly mighty, his spirit encompassing mountains and rivers. In his final battle, he consecutively slew powerful beings, yet ultimately, his lifespan withered, and he passed away right here."

"I also recall that fifteen hundred years ago, the peerless Demon King Chi Cangqiong, clad in snow-white robes, possessed astonishing talent and fought alone against many heroes. With a single step, he could have extended his life for another generation, but sadly, his body eventually cracked, and his efforts were in vain, leaving his blood staining the ancient battlefield."

Many elders recalled all the events of the past. So many great battles had unfolded here, and it felt as if those people and events had only just occurred, their echoes still present.

The Jade Pool training ground was indeed a very special place. During the Peach Banquet, held once every five hundred years, earth-shattering duels inevitably occurred.

It was unknown how many brilliant, great figures had fallen here, leaving behind an endless string of eternal legends that evoked sighs of emotion from those who witnessed them.

The Peacock King let out a long cry, transforming into a five-colored divine light. He descended onto the Life-and-Death Battle Stage, standing with his hands clasped behind his back. Sweeping his gaze across the assembled multitude, he declared, "Whoever is not convinced, step forward!" These words were utterly arrogant, as he looked down upon the lords from all sides, challenging the entire world.

"Don't be so arrogant! Others may fear you, but I, Ouye Tian, do not!" The junior brother of Wanchu's deceased Saint Lord, who had been waiting for a long time, transformed into a streak of green light and charged forward.

"Boom!" He attacked immediately, without a single wasted word. From between his five fingers, ten thousand strands of chaotic energy shot forth, transforming into a sea of swords.

"Clang, clang, clang..."

The ringing of swords shook the heavens. The ten thousand chaotic swords were peerlessly sharp; each strike carved out a Dao mark, as if the Heavenly Dao itself were descending!

"I had long heard that Ouye Tian refined a strand of chaotic energy; it's truly real. No wonder he's so confident!"

Everyone was astonished. Once that chaotic energy was refined, its power became unimaginably formidable; each sword strike and each mark shattered the void.

A total of ten thousand strands of Dao marks descended, each capable of obliterating an ancient divine mountain. The shock permeated deep into people's bones, and many souls outside the training ground began to tremble.

"Terrifying! Absolutely terrifying! He has been in seclusion for five hundred years and has reached such a realm—a supreme expert!"

People were deeply shaken, and many cried out in alarm.

The ten thousand chaotic sword lights evolved into ten thousand Dao marks, which then astonishingly linked together, forming the true oppressive might of the Heavenly Dao!

"Boom!" It descended, covering heaven and earth, crushing all tangible beings and striking terror into every heart!

Ouye Tian immediately unleashed a decisive strike, having no desire for the battle to drag on for hundreds or thousands of rounds. He activated his strongest offensive holy art, intending to destroy the Demon King of this generation.

The Peacock King let out a prolonged roar, causing mountains and rivers to tremble. If not for the protection of the training ground, many onlookers outside the arena would have been shattered, utterly unable to withstand such sound waves.

"Rumble!"

Stars manifested across the sky, each one more radiant than the sun, causing the ancient battlefield to almost ignite, filled with terrifying fluctuations as vast as an ocean.

"Stars Illuminate the Azure Sky!"

"One of the most terrifying ancient phenomena!"

Many exclaimed in surprise, recognizing this as one of the Peacock King's heaven-defying techniques. He had unleashed it immediately, intending to decide life and death in a single move, leaving no room for retreat.

"Clang, clang, clang..." Each star was as colossal as a mountain, pressing down upon the vast training ground and colliding with the ten thousand chaotic sword lights.

"Thump!"

The high heavens seemed to be crushed, turning the area into a land of destruction where nothing remained. The spectators could no longer see clearly.

"Bang!"

The myriad stars filling the sky vanished, leaving only chaos swirling. Everyone was surprised, wondering if the Peacock King had been slain.

"Whoosh!"

Ouye Tian burst forth, covered in blood, his body riddled with cracks. He had suffered unimaginably severe injuries and was moving with lightning speed, attempting to flee the ancient battlefield.

In the void, the Peacock King stood alone. With a mighty roar, the vast training ground seemed to nearly overturn, and the leaden clouds above shattered.

"Ah!" Ouye Tian screamed as his body ripped apart in the void, his head and limbs separating.

"Pfft!"

He exploded in the void. He had already been on the verge of collapse, and that final roar caused him to completely shatter, annihilating both his form and spirit.

Everyone stared in stunned silence. A powerful being of that generation had been vibrated to death by the Peacock King. In the center of the arena, he stood alone, his black hair wildly dancing, his demonic might overwhelming!

"I will protect Ye Fan. Whoever is not convinced, come up if you dare!" The Peacock King's voice resonated through the sky as he stood with his hands clasped behind his back.

Challenging all the heroes present, what courage this was! Few in the world dared to act with such audacity!

A great commotion erupted outside the arena. Wanchu Sacred Land had lost a supreme figure, which was a major event and truly stunned many people.

"The Peacock King is far too powerful. It is said he possesses even more formidable hidden techniques and numerous heaven-defying methods," everyone discussed in astonished whispers.

"Li Daoqing, do you dare to fight me?!" the Peacock King roared, challenging the Yaoguang Saint Lord.

Everyone was alarmed. Challenging someone in such a setting was clearly an attempt to slay a Saint Lord, causing everyone to draw in a sharp breath.

If the two were to engage in battle, it would undoubtedly be earth-shattering. Eight hundred prior, they had fought for three days and three nights without a decisive outcome, a fact known throughout the world that had shaken the Eastern Wasteland.

"Why would I not dare!" In this situation, the Yaoguang Saint Lord directly accepted the challenge, as it concerned the dignity of a great Sacred Land.

"Saint Lord, allow me to handle this minor demon." An aged voice resonated, stopping the Yaoguang Saint Lord Li Daoqing.

"Senior Brother..." Yaoguang Saint Lord Li Daoqing murmured.

"No need to say more, I will deal with him." This person was ancient and infirm; his skin was entirely slack, his flesh almost withered, and his hair sparse. Leaning on a cane, he slowly emerged from the crowd.

"The Sacred Lands truly have living fossils among them! This is Xu Chengkun, the Yaoguang Saint Lord's senior grand-brother, over three thousand years old, and he's actually still alive!"

"Fifteen hundred years ago, he was at his zenith, radiating brilliance here and defeating all his powerful enemies before retreating into seclusion. Now he has reappeared, but alas, he is in his twilight years."

"Clearly, he's at the end of his life and doesn't have much time left. He simply wishes to make use of his remaining energy."

The old man's appearance caused an uproar; everyone was greatly surprised and began to murmur among themselves.

"Whoosh!"

Like a phantom, he moved with extreme speed, silently appearing within the vast training ground. His murky eyes shot out two beams of vital essence, fixing their gaze upon the Peacock King.