Heaven-Surpassing Divine Emperor

"Jiang... Chen..."

Jiang Ziyou’s eyes glinted like icy stars. She ground her teeth, forcing the young man’s name out, one syllable at a time.

The sword in her hand radiated a frigid light as its Sword Qi pulsed. A formidable killing intent coalesced in her eyes, which were locked on Jiang Chen as he leaned against the Beast Egg of the Green Water Golden-eyed Beast. She was itching to cut him down in a single blow.

Lin Yu, Chen Fan, and Xu Qilin hurried over as well. 𝕗𝐫𝚎𝗲𝘄𝐞𝕓𝐧𝕠𝘃𝕖𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝚖

The three exchanged glances, looks of horror crossing their faces. ’How is he here?’

All eyes turned to Xu Qilin.

After all, it was Xu Qilin who had pounded his chest and guaranteed that the trap in the training grounds would easily eliminate Jiang Chen. It was supposed to be foolproof!

But now...

Jiang Chen was standing right before them, alive and well. Worse, he was occupying the very Beast Nest they had found after so much hardship. This made the self-important geniuses feel profoundly humiliated.

Xu Qilin clenched his fists, his expression turning grim. He gritted his teeth and said, "How should I know why he’s here? You all know the lengths I went to on the training grounds. If any of us had fallen into that trap, we’d have been dead for sure. Who knows how Jiang Chen is still alive..."

Chen Fan and Lin Yu fell silent.

They knew exactly how terrifying the trap in the training grounds was. Until now, they had all been certain that Jiang Chen’s death was guaranteed.

And yet... Jiang Chen had appeared before them, alive and well. What in the world was going on?

"Maybe he realized it was a trap and never went in!"

"Yes, that has to be it. What a lucky bastard..."

The group exchanged glances, deciding this must be the explanation.

Jiang Ziyou’s face was grim, her icy gaze fixed on Jiang Chen. She sneered, "To think that even the trap on the training grounds couldn’t kill you. You’re quite the lucky one. However, if I were you, having cheated death, I’d have tucked my tail between my legs and found some remote corner to hide in. But you, you just had to show your face to me again. It seems you’re eager to walk into your own grave!"

"Heh, so you’re saying you think you’ve got me cornered?" Jiang Chen said with a grin, casually cleaning out his ear.

"Don’t tell me you think you still have a chance of leaving here alive?" Jiang Ziyou sneered.

Chen Fan’s face was full of scorn. "What a brat, he doesn’t know his own limits."

"He has no idea how powerful Miss Ziyou is..." Xu Qilin’s lips curled into a sneer. "Even the three of us combined are no match for her. What chance do you have, you piece of trash with a mere Yellow Tier First Grade Martial Soul?"

Lin Yu looked on with indifference, his chin held high as he spoke in a commanding tone, "Jiang Chen, I advise you to get away from that Beast Egg right now. Kowtow and beg for our forgiveness, and we might grant you a quick death. If you don’t know what’s good for you, then I have plenty of ways to make you wish you were dead!"

Ever since Jiang Chen had shattered all records at the Zhenjiang Stele, becoming the most dazzling star of their generation.

Lin Yu, Chen Fan, and Xu Qilin, who were supposed to be the ones enjoying the glory and admiration, were reduced to mere foils for his brilliance. This enraged them and fueled their hatred for Jiang Chen.

In their eyes, Jiang Chen was nothing but a waste with a Yellow Tier First Grade Martial Soul, someone unworthy of even carrying their shoes.

But now...

This waste was trampling all over them.

How could the proud and arrogant Lin Yu and his companions possibly tolerate this? Each of them was itching to dispose of Jiang Chen as quickly as possible!

Jiang Chen narrowed his eyes at Lin Yu, a cold light flashing within them as he sneered, "I wonder which idiot forgot to zip up his fly and let a little prick like you fall out. If I were you, I would’ve asked my mother to stuff me back in and try again, just to spare the world this embarrassing display."

"You... what did you just say?" Lin Yu’s eyes widened in disbelief as he stared at Jiang Chen.

Blinking, Chen Fan chimed in from the side, "Young Master Lin, I think he just called you the little prick that fell out of someone’s pants!"

"FUCK! Jiang Chen, you worthless piece of shit! How dare you insult me! I’m going to tear you limb from limb!"

Lin Yu’s face went pale, his features twisting into a savage snarl as he roared, "Sky-Breaking Spear Technique—Hundred Shadows!"

The roar was deafening.

Lin Yu lunged forward, thrusting his Long Spear through the air and unleashing a torrent of phantom spear lights. A hundred brilliant beams shot forth, blanketing the area like a shower of blades, raining down to envelop Jiang Chen completely.

"Young Master Lin is truly furious! He used Hundred Shadows right off the bat. Jiang Chen’s a dead man!" Chen Fan remarked.

Xu Qilin sneered. "That waste Jiang Chen is just asking to die, provoking Lin Yu like that. When Lin Yu uses Hundred Shadows at full power, even I can’t be certain I could block it..."

Jiang Ziyou folded her arms, raising a delicate eyebrow. Her cold eyes, tinged with frost, remained fixed on Jiang Chen.

In their eyes, Lin Yu was a powerful genius who had awakened a Profound Tier First-Grade Martial Soul, possessed a cultivation base at the Peak of the Sixth Stage of Martial Arts, and was executing the formidable Sky-Breaking Spear Technique, a Yellow Tier High Level Spear Technique. He was more than capable of killing Jiang Chen in a single blow.

However...

The scene that unfolded next, however, caused the smug and nonchalant expressions on the faces of the three onlookers to crumble completely.

Facing the Hundred Shadows attack, a barrage of over a hundred spear lights, Jiang Chen didn’t move a muscle. He seemed to have been stunned into inaction by the dazzling and powerful assault.

Only when the spear lights were just about to pierce his body did Jiang Chen finally move.

"Is this all you’ve got?" Jiang Chen shook his head slightly, his words dripping with contempt and disdain. "If this is the extent of your abilities, you aren’t even worthy of forcing me to draw my sword."

As he spoke, Jiang Chen’s right hand shot forward.

His five fingers formed a claw. Like a Black Tiger Stealing Heart, his hand moved with unerring precision, instantly finding the one real spear shaft among the hundred illusions of light.

CLANG—

His fingers, seemingly forged from steel, clashed with the iron spear, erupting in a blinding shower of sparks.

"Let go!"

Jiang Chen’s brows shot up. A thunderous roar erupted from his lips as he violently twisted his wrist, unleashing an immense force from his body. With a twist of Jiang Chen’s wrist, the spear began to contort. A series of sharp CRACKS echoed as the metal shaft twisted and fractured, the destructive force traveling up the spear toward Lin Yu.

"ARGH..."

The twisting force traveled up into Lin Yu’s arm, contorting it like a piece of rope. His arm twisted into a grotesque shape, the bones within shattering completely.

Fragments of broken bone pierced through his skin, slick with fresh blood. It was a gruesome sight.

"A so-called ’chosen genius’?" Jiang Chen took a large stride, instantly appearing before Lin Yu. "You’re not even worthy of making me draw my sword. Now get the hell out of my sight!"

Their eyes met. The absolute horror in Lin Yu’s gaze was plain to see.

A corner of Jiang Chen’s mouth curled into a sneer as he threw a vicious punch.

BAM—

The punch smashed into Lin Yu’s face, caving in one side completely. He spat out a mouthful of blood and shattered teeth as his body flew backward, spinning like a top before crashing heavily to the ground with a sickening thud. The terrifying impact bounced his body high into the air before it slammed down again. His eyes rolled back in their sockets, and he passed out cold.

"H-h-how is this possible?"

"Oh my god, I have to be dreaming..."

"No... impossible... How could this waste be so strong...?"

Chen Fan, Xu Qilin, and Jiang Ziyou were all speechless, their faces a mask of horror and disbelief as they stared at the young man, who now stood with his hands clasped behind his back.

The young man’s disdainful words still echoed in their ears: "None of you are even worthy of making me draw my sword!"

Just moments before, they had been mocking him for his shameless boasting, for daring to make such an outrageous claim.

But now...

Those words landed with the weight of a mountain.