Heaven-Surpassing Divine Emperor

’How is this possible? How could this be? I actually lost in a contest of strength?’

Zhao Qiankun raised his hand to the bloody scratch on his face. Staring at the blood on his fingertips, his expression turned ghastly, his complexion pale and ashen.

A terrifying, blood-red light began to fill his eyes.

Strength!

This was the very strength that Zhao Qiankun prided himself on!

Since birth, he had been showered with honors: Innate Divine Strength, boundless power, the king of strength among his peers. These titles had surrounded him like halos. Even after entering the Saint Martial Sword Sect, a gathering place for countless geniuses, he, Zhao Qiankun, had never met his match in a battle of pure power.

But now...

Jiang Chen, someone he had never given a second thought, someone he had considered laughably weak, had defeated him in the one area where he took the most pride.

This filled Zhao Qiankun with rage, disbelief, and a burgeoning hysteria.

His entire body trembled. A complex mix of fury and murderous intent coalesced, burning like a raging inferno in his heart. A terrifying killing intent erupted from him. He extended his crimson tongue, licking the blood from his fingertip. His bloodshot eyes fixed on Jiang Chen, his expression as dark as thunderclouds gathering in the sky. Through gritted teeth, he spat out each word, "Good. Very good. Since the day I was born, you are the first Martial Artist of the same tier to make me bleed. You’ve earned the right to die by my hands!"

"No... I won’t kill you so easily. I’m going to slowly crush you, torture you, and make you beg for both life and death, but receive neither..."

Zhao Qiankun let out a series of venomous roars.

BOOM—

A ball of silver light emerged from the center of his forehead.

Like a drop of liquid mercury, it pulsed gently before rapidly spreading across his entire body!

KRAK! KRAK! KRAK!

A silver metal covered his body. Even his eyes shimmered with a silver light. Only his black hair billowed in a nonexistent wind, making him look like a silver metal War God!

"The Silver Qilin Treasure Body? Zhao Qiankun actually cultivated the *Silver Qilin Body Refining Technique* to the Realm of Perfection and can use the Silver Qilin Treasure Body? This is bad... Jiang Chen is in danger." Yulan Tianpeng’s eyes widened and his body trembled as an undeniable fear spread through his heart.

The *Silver Qilin Body Refining Technique* was a Profound Tier High-level Technique!

It had three layers: the Copper Armor Spirit Body, the Iron Armor Spirit Body, and the Silver Qilin Treasure Body!

Each advancing layer multiplied the user’s physical strength and defense. The Silver Qilin Treasure Body, in particular, when cultivated to the Realm of Perfection, could render one impervious to fire and water, impenetrable to any blade or spear—a truly invincible body among those of the same tier.

There was no shortage of experts in the Saint Martial Sword Sect who cultivated the *Silver Qilin Body Refining Technique*, but to master it to the Perfection Realm while still in the True Martial Realm...

...was an achievement as rare as a phoenix feather in the entire history of the Sword Sect!

Si Xiaosheng’s face paled. "Damn it... Zhao Qiankun actually used the Silver Qilin Treasure Body. He’s dead set on killing Jiang Chen!"

"With our combined strength, we couldn’t even break his defense if he just stood there and let us hit him. Our only hope is Jiang Chen. Let’s pray he can pull off another miracle," Yulan Tianpeng said with a sigh of resignation. His throat felt dry, and a bitter taste filled his mouth.

They both turned to look at Jiang Chen.

’The Silver Qilin Treasure Body? So this is what Zhao Qiankun was relying on. A Profound Tier Body Refining Technique is certainly something to be coveted. The resources of the Saint Martial Sword Sect are truly immense!’ Jiang Chen took a deep breath, a hint of gravity in his expression.

"Jiang Chen, die!"

The silver light around Zhao Qiankun flared. With a vicious stomp, the ground beneath him boomed and shattered, leaving a half-meter-deep crater.

He shot forward like a silver cannonball.

In his wake...

...sand and stone flew, and dust choked the air. The gale he created tore grass and trees from the ground, even flipping stones that weighed hundreds of pounds.

A ferocious power gathered in his fists. Each punch whistled through the air with unparalleled might!

SWOOSH—

Jiang Chen’s feet slid across the ground. With a flick of his wrist, he swung the Cyan Blade Sword through the air, sending ripples of Wind Fluctuation emanating from the blade.

BANG! BANG! BANG!

But the silver fist was ferociously powerful and utterly unstoppable, a perfect example of one force breaking all techniques. The fist tore forward, mercilessly shredding the layers of Wind Fluctuation before smashing heavily into the Cyan Blade Sword that Jiang Chen held up to block!

CLANG—

The sharp, ear-splitting sound of the impact was like a thunderclap on a clear day.

The punch collided with the Yellow-tier Profound Weapon, the Cyan Blade Sword, erupting in a blinding shower of sparks. The entire Cyan Blade Sword snapped, sending shards of metal flying. The force of the punch continued unabated, a wave of pressure slamming into Jiang Chen’s chest. The shockwave alone made the blood in his veins roil like boiling water.

"Let go!"

Zhao Qiankun roared. In one smooth motion, he opened his fist, grabbed the broken half of the Cyan Blade Sword, and yanked it away.

The Cyan Blade Sword was ripped from Jiang Chen’s grasp.

Jiang Chen used the moment to push off the ground, shooting backward more than ten meters. He stomped his feet hard, transferring the terrifying force of the blow into the earth. With a BOOM, the ground behind him exploded.

Dust flew, and a pillar of earth erupted ten meters into the air!

’Such terrifying power. It even shattered the Cyan Blade Sword.’ Jiang Chen glanced at the broken sword on the ground, his pupils contracting slightly.

Zhao Qiankun stood more than ten meters away, his expression frigid.

He sneered, raised the broken sword, and stabbed it at his own chest. With a SNAP, the blade broke again on his skin. Zhao Qiankun smirked coldly. "As a Swordsman, you’ve lost your sword. What do you have left to fight me with?"

"It’s over. Not even a Yellow-tier Profound Weapon can get through his defense. Jiang Chen has lost for sure."

"His only option is to run..."

Yulan Tianpeng and Si Xiaosheng exchanged a look of helplessness.

Right now, Zhao Qiankun was impeccable in both offense and defense. Even with the Cyan Blade Sword, Jiang Chen couldn’t breach his armor. Having lost his Profound Weapon, what could Jiang Chen possibly do now?

"Haaa..."

Jiang Chen slowly exhaled. A faint golden light, devoid of joy or sorrow, flickered in his eyes. "The *Silver Qilin Body Refining Technique* is truly profound, allowing you to condense such a powerful Silver Qilin Armor to cover your entire body... However, no Cultivation Technique is without its flaws. Your *Silver Qilin Body Refining Technique* is no exception."

"What? You dare say my *Silver Qilin Body Refining Technique* has a flaw? HAHAHA! That’s absurd! Truly absurd! If it really had a flaw, don’t you think the generations of masters in the Saint Martial Sword Sect would have noticed? Jiang Chen, don’t even try to mess with my mind. Right now, I am invincible! You can’t possibly break my defense!" Zhao Qiankun sneered with contempt.

Si Xiaosheng gave a bitter smile. "Jiang Chen must be at his wit’s end. What kind of flaw could the *Silver Qilin Body Refining Technique* possibly have?"

Yulan Tianpeng shook his head slightly. He, too, felt that Jiang Chen had no answer for the Silver Qilin Treasure Body.

However...

But Jiang Chen just smiled faintly and said, "I can’t break your defense? I admit, I can’t break it from the outside. But your current state is nothing more than a strong exterior hiding a weak interior. What if I were to attack you from the *inside*? Are your bones, your meridians, your organs also protected by the Silver Qilin Treasure Body?"

"Huh?"

Zhao Qiankun’s expression changed abruptly.

’Just as Jiang Chen said, his external defense was invincible among his peers, but the inside of his body... Even an Earth-tier Technique couldn’t possibly temper one’s internal organs to be invincible. It’s just... if you can’t even break through the external defense, how could you possibly attack the inside?’

Realizing this, Zhao Qiankun sneered, "You’re just grasping at straws!"

"We’ll see who’s really grasping at straws in just a moment," Jiang Chen replied.

’During that last exchange, I already activated my Ten Thousand Laws Golden Pupil and saw through Zhao Qiankun’s technique. Everything is just as I said. An expert of the same tier can’t break his external defense, but his insides are still fragile. Other experts might not be able to bypass his external defense to harm him internally...’

’But I can.’