Heaven-Surpassing Divine Emperor

Jiang Chen walked on air, his black battle robes rustling in the wind and his long hair fluttering behind him.

His eyes were as profound as the cosmos, with specks of brilliant light that shone like stars in the night, exceptionally deep and dazzling.

With every step he took upward, his aura grew stronger, making him resemble a black-armored War God! 𝒻𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝘯𝘰𝑣ℯ𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝘮

"This fight between Jiang Chen and Luo Qing is going to be good!"

"Who do you think has a better chance of winning?"

"It has to be Luo Qing! He once killed a Heavenly Destiny Realm Second Stage master with a single strike. His combat power is off the charts! He’s third on the Spirit List; there’s no way Jiang Chen is his match!"

"That’s not necessarily true. After all, Jiang Chen took a sword strike from Li Yunlong and survived!"

"But Luo Qing was able to withstand several moves from Senior Brother Li Yunlong!"

Of the two about to clash, one was a true Son of Heaven—third on the Spirit List and third among the ten great prodigies of the Outer Sect.

The other was the super dark horse, Jiang Chen, who was currently in the spotlight for having withstood a strike from the number one on the Spirit List without being defeated.

Everyone watched intently, wondering what kind of sparks would fly from their collision.

On the high platform...

Prince Gong sat up straight, his sharp eyes fixed on Jiang Chen, a flicker of astonishment in their depths. ’This kid is even stronger than he was at the Martial Arts Arena. How much time has passed? He’s already strong enough to fight one of the top three on the Spirit List. His talent is terrifying. Thankfully, I didn’t offend him too grievously back then. That old dog Zong Rui is almost certainly going to move against him. I’ll have to step in later to stop it. I must leave a good impression on Jiang Chen!’

The Saint Martial Dynasty was the dynasty of the Yuwen Clan, the Royal Family.

But in recent years, the Celestial Alliance faction within the Saint Martial Sword Sect had grown ever stronger, to the point where they subtly defied the Royal Family’s commands.

How could they let another sleep beside their own bed?

The Yuwen Clan had been trying to win over the top prodigies within the Saint Martial Sword Sect, even forming the Crown Prince Faction under the Crown Prince’s leadership to contend with the Celestial Alliance.

In Prince Gong’s eyes, Jiang Chen was absolutely a target worth recruiting!

Zong Rui was also squinting at Jiang Chen. However, there wasn’t a trace of appreciation in his eyes—only boundless coldness and chilling killing intent. He secretly sent a transmission to Third Elder Zong Han, ’This boy is the target of the Blood-colored Killing Order. He absolutely cannot be allowed to leave here alive. When the fight begins, I will keep an eye on Prince Gong, and you will watch the Tower Guardian Elder. There can be no mistakes, understand?’

"Don’t worry, big brother. That old geezer might be stronger than me, but I can definitely keep him occupied for a while!" Zong Han nodded, his gaze cold and filled with venomous hatred. ’Jiang Chen, you made me publicly swallow a stone table and stool, turning me into a laughingstock. I will make sure you die!’

「At the same time.」

On the Blood Battle Arena, Luo Qing and Jiang Chen had already begun their first clash, an invisible one.

Gale-force waves of True Essence erupted from both of them, colliding in the air above the arena. The two completely different powers exploded on impact, unleashing a violent shockwave.

Luo Qing’s expression was cold as he said flatly, "Jiang Chen, do you remember Luo Ben and Luo Hao?"

"Of course, I remember," Jiang Chen nodded, then sneered. "Just a couple of rabid dogs who’d bite anyone they saw."

"Rabid dogs?"

Luo Qing froze for a moment, a cold light flickering in his eyes. "Good, good. Even if they were just two rabid dogs, as the saying goes, you have to consider the owner before you beat a dog. By doing what you did, aren’t you showing a little too much disrespect for my Luo Family?"

Jiang Chen glanced at him, his expression indifferent, as if looking at an idiot. "Does your family know you’re such a poser? With the Luo Family’s power, you must have investigated me thoroughly by now. It’s not like I’ve only killed one or two of your family members. As for why they died at my hands, I’m sure you know the reason perfectly well. Enough with the pointless talk. If you want to fight, then let’s fight!"

"Hahaha, Jiang Chen, you really are arrogant. You’re right, I’ve investigated the matter with Luo Meng and Luo Zhen completely. Those who offend my Luo Family have only one path: death. Today, this Blood Battle Arena will be your graveyard!"

Luo Qing’s face twisted into a ferocious snarl as he spoke, enunciating every word.

Before his voice had even faded, he raised both his arms.

Between his hands, a crimson fireball materialized out of thin air.

"Silent Extinction Fire Dragon Shell!"

Luo Qing shoved his hands forward. The crimson fireball radiated a terrifying, searing heat. As it spun, it formed rings of crimson fire that swirled around it.

The very air began to boil.

HISS—

The fireball shot forward like a Blazing Sun chasing across the sky, bearing down on Jiang Chen.

"Great Sun Without Limits!"

Jiang Chen let out a cold shout and raised his longsword high. A blade of light condensed, bright as a Blazing Sun. He slashed down, and the two suns collided violently.

The two massive spheres, filled with terrifying True Essence, smashed into each other in mid-air.

BOOM—

From the center of the collision, a destructive force blasted out in all directions.

On the floor of the Blood Battle Arena, the solid rock was blasted to smithereens, and dark fissures spread out in every direction. The arena floor was covered in a spiderweb of cracks, and the rock melted under the intense heat, turning into a surging, crimson river of magma.

HISSS!

The high temperature scorched the arena, sending up billows of steam. More than half of the Blood Battle Arena now resembled a lake of lava in a volcano.

Luo Qing rose into the air, his feet planted in the void. A massive, blood-red saber appeared in his hand.

He swung the saber through the air. As its brilliant edge swept down into the lava, it let out a series of rumbles. Luo Qing’s eyes were icy as he roared, "Die—Two Dragons Fighting for the Pearl!"

The veins on his arms bulged as he gripped the saber’s hilt tightly, swinging it violently in an upward arc.

SWOOSH—

The entire Blood Battle Arena had become a great lake of roiling magma, and under the influence of his saber, it began to boil violently. Torrents of scalding lava erupted like geysers, converging into a Flame Dragon with sword-like horns, a ferocious head, and a body covered in shield-like scales that gleamed with a blinding red light.

The temperature of this lava was in the tens of thousands of degrees; even a block of iron would instantly vaporize if it fell in.

"ROAR!"

The lava dragon let out a low roar, soared into the air, and then plunged back into the lake of lava.

RUMBLE—

The lake of lava churned violently. Bubbles the size of small houses rose to the crimson surface and burst, flinging sparks everywhere.

BOOM—

This time, two colossal crimson lava dragons erupted from the depths, charging at Jiang Chen like two dragons fighting for a pearl.

A wave of searing heat rolled toward him, and before it even reached him, Jiang Chen’s black battle robes burst into flames.

"Jiang Chen, you’re dead!"

A grim light flickered in Luo Qing’s eyes. He looked like an unrivaled Fire God, manipulating two world-destroying fire dragons, intent on burning Jiang Chen to ashes!

However, facing these two ferocious and terrifying fire dragons, Jiang Chen simply tossed his longsword into the sky and struck out with his bare hands. His claws formed into luminous palms the size of mountains, which clamped down hard on one of the fire dragons. The dragon twisted and roared, but it was completely unable to break free from Jiang Chen’s grip.

"A mere lava dragon. What can it do to me?"

Jiang Chen sneered and clenched his fists. With a loud BANG, the lava dragon was crushed, dissolving into a shower of fiery rain.

Immediately after, Jiang Chen lifted his foot and stomped down through the air.

A massive Palm Seal materialized under his foot, slamming into the other lava dragon’s head. With a deafening BOOM, the dragon’s sharp horns shattered, and then its enormous head was crushed by the force. Jiang Chen drove its entire body down into the roiling lava, where it exploded and dissolved back into the molten lake.

...

Before the entire Earth Martial Hall, there was dead silence. You could have heard a pin drop.

Such a tyrannical and searingly hot lava dragon was actually stomped to pieces by Jiang Chen with a single kick?

What kind of terrifying power was this?

「At that moment...」

The powerful experts who had witnessed this scene were all completely and utterly shaken!