ISWI Chapter 856-857 (Patreon)

Chapter 856: Prodigy? Merely the Threshold for Meeting Me!

Ling Yu threw a single punch. A hundred majestic dragon-elephant divine forms erupted from his fist shadow in a torrent.

Each dragon-elephant carried an overwhelming presence and boundless strength. The sheer momentum of a hundred of them charging together made the power of this strike self-evident. Within a hundred li around them, the void was nearly shattered into black holes by that one blow.

Yet directly facing it, Ye Chen remained utterly calm. He even had the leisure to nod slightly and offer a casual remark: "Not bad."

In the next instant, Ye Chen extended a single finger. He neither dodged nor evaded—he simply pointed straight toward the oncoming fist.

Ling Yu narrowed his eyes. He did not feel belittled by Ye Chen's gesture. Because the moment that finger extended, something deep within his bloodline began to tremble. When he had first sensed Ye Chen earlier, his hair had stood on end—he had thought he already understood the danger.

But now, truly clashing with him, Ling Yu finally grasped just how terrifying Ye Chen was. So this was the caliber of a top prodigy in the cultivation world? At the Half-Saint realm, he could unleash such horrifying power.

Still, Ling Yu clenched his teeth. His vital energy surged even more violently. Beyond cultivating the Martial Ancestor's immortal scripture, he had also mastered the supreme Buddhist body-tempering scripture of the Extreme Martial Realm: the Dragon-Elephant Prison-Suppressing Sutra!

Every bone in his body had been tempered to near dao-weapon hardness. His physical strength had reached the level of a hundred dragon-elephants. All of it had come at the cost of his family's endless effort and resources. He had to become an immortal and repay them. How could he lose here!

Ling Yu let out a roar that shook the nine heavens. His blood energy boiled so fiercely that its golden hue even shifted toward crimson. The hundred dragon-elephants grew more solid, joining his roar—their momentum surging another thirty percent stronger than before. He was certain: this punch could fell most saints, let alone a mere Half-Saint.

Yet in the following moment—Ye Chen's finger collided with Ling Yu's fist. For a single breath, the world seemed to fall eerily silent. Then, endless chaotic currents erupted.

From fist to forearm, Ling Yu's arm exploded outward. Revealing golden bones beneath, gleaming like divine metal—unbreakable. Yet even those bones now bore countless fine cracks. His entire body shot backward like a cannonball, smashing into the distant earth and kicking up endless dust clouds.

Yan Qingcheng watched the scene and raised an eyebrow in surprise. A flicker of shock passed through her pupils. She had seen recordings of Ye Chen's previous battles. From the scale of destruction, she had assumed his combat power might surpass hers slightly, but only by a limited margin. Whatever he could do, she believed she could match—perhaps not quite as cleanly, but close enough.

Yet, witnessing it firsthand today, Yan Qingcheng realized the truth. She likely possessed only seventy percent of Ye Chen's strength. The realization stirred a trace of unwillingness in her heart. Though she felt deep guilt toward him, her competitive spirit burned just as fiercely. In the future, she must surpass Ye Chen!

Still, that ambition did not waver her resolve to return the Heavenly Emperor Hall to him. The path of the Heavenly Emperor was not suited to a Chaos Body. She had her own road to walk.

Meanwhile, Dantai Xuan—who had been rejected by Ye Chen earlier—watched the exchange with calm, narrowed eyes, studying his back as though lost in thought.

…

When the dust finally settled, Ling Yu slowly rose from the massive crater. The cracks on his golden bones were rapidly mending. New flesh regrew in the blink of an eye. His vigorous blood energy showed no sign of weakening. His eyes were filled with sheer disbelief.

In the Extreme Martial Realm, he had always crushed opponents with raw power—even slaying across realms. Yet today, a cultivator of the same realm had sent him flying with a single finger? If word of this reached the Extreme Martial Realm, it would shake the entire place to its core. An opponent like this was simply despair-inducing.

Ye Chen looked at Ling Yu with a touch of genuine surprise. "Your physique is quite impressive… but that's enough. Stand down."

Toward someone who had shown proper courtesy, Ye Chen had no intention of pursuing a kill. When Yan Qingcheng saw this, it only confirmed her belief: all the rumors of Ye Chen being a ruthless murderer were lies. If he could so easily spare an opponent, how could he possibly be the treacherous, bloodthirsty killer the stories painted? It must all have been schemes and slander spread by her father.

…

Ling Yu did not retreat a single step. The battle intent in his eyes burned like divine flames, growing fiercer, more solemn, and utterly serious.

"Thank you for your kindness, Fellow Daoist! But I, Ling Yu, have reached this point today only after surviving countless life-and-death perils. In the Unity realm, I was once hunted relentlessly. In the First Heaven, ambushed by a King. In the Third Heaven, besieged by Half-Saints and trapped in a killing array. So I must fight again!"

"In the battle to come, I will unleash everything I have. I ask that you hold nothing back either. If I cannot become an immortal, what meaning is there in lingering as a quasi-immortal for a few extra millennia? Martial Dao Sacred Embryo—open! Mark of Martial—activate!"

Ye Chen listened quietly, and a trace of genuine respect appeared in his gaze. A cultivator who pursued the Dao with single-minded devotion yet still preserved his original heart was exceedingly rare.

In that instant, two overwhelming auras erupted. A profound Martial character imprint rose from between Ling Yu's brows, illuminating his body and bringing about mysterious, unfathomable transformations.

From his chest, endless golden light poured forth. Through the radiance, one could faintly make out a seated figure within his torso. An aura of supreme holiness and divinity surged outward, blanketing Ling Yu entirely in boundless saintly light.

In this moment, with the Martial imprint crowning his head and a sacred spirit seated in his chest, Ling Yu's black hair cascaded like a waterfall, his eyes shone like stars—he resembled a war god revived from ancient times. His entire presence had climbed several levels higher than before.

"Fellow Daoist, I'm coming!"

With those words, Ling Yu exploded into motion. Countless divine techniques from the Martial Ancestor Immortal Scripture poured forth in a torrent.

"Heaven and Earth Great Millstone…"

"Oracle Bone Diagram…"

"Eternal Divine Fist…"

"Demonic Gods Annihilated…"

"Dragon-Exterminating Hand…"

Each technique, in Ling Yu's hands, carried heaven-shaking, earth-destroying momentum.

Yet Ye Chen simply stood there calmly. No matter how the sky collapsed or the earth shattered, he remained unmoved and unshaken. He merely extended a single finger again and again.

No matter how dazzling or terrifying the divine techniques, they all fell silent the instant Ye Chen's finger touched them. And Ling Yu's ever-growing ferocity in battle was met, with every point of Ye Chen's finger, by explosive retreat. His body even detonated outright.

Finally, after the last Heaven and Earth Great Millstone was shattered by a single poke of Ye Chen's finger, Ling Yu reached his absolute limit.

The Martial imprint dimmed. The figure in his chest grew illusory, as though on the verge of falling back into slumber. He stopped struggling. The earlier vigor and confidence had vanished from his face.

He knew Ye Chen had no intention of killing him. But this defeat meant he was severed from the path to immortality. All the effort poured into him from the moment of his birth—by everyone around him—had turned to nothing. He had failed every expectation placed upon him.

As for those two top female prodigies of the cultivation world, he no longer even dared to think of them. He simply stared at Ye Chen in utter despair, forcing the words out with difficulty: "Why…? I am the greatest prodigy in the history of the Extreme Martial Realm, second only to the Martial Ancestor himself… I have created countless impossible records. Why, at the same realm as you, can I not even withstand a single one of your fingers? What meaning does the title of number one prodigy in the Extreme Martial Realm hold now?"

Ling Yu's Dao Heart was on the verge of collapse.

Ye Chen smiled at his words.

"You are indeed extraordinary. Even in the cultivation world, you would rank among the absolute top. And precisely because of that, you qualify to stand before me. Prodigy? It is merely the threshold required to meet me!"

Chapter 857: Alkaid Self-Severed?

The words landed, and Ling Yu—whose Dao Heart had teetered on the verge of collapse—finally fell silent. A wry, bitter smile crossed his lips.

Yes… he truly was not weak. He could defeat ten Violet Radiance Holy Sons without breaking a sweat. His defeat had nothing to do with his own shortcomings. It was simply that Ye Chen was too strong.

For someone of Ye Chen's caliber, the mere fact that he had been granted the chance to stand before him and exchange blows was already something to take pride in.

Dantai Xuan remained expressionless as ever. But Yan Qingcheng's eyes lit up. From that single sentence, she sensed the boundless arrogance and grand spirit that defined Ye Chen.

A man like this would never care about bearing false blame or playing the role of a fake heir. A man like this could never be the loathsome figure painted by the rumors. Her father had truly gone too far.

…

"Thank you, Fellow Daoist Ye, for showing mercy! I will leave shortly. Please accept this as a parting gift—in gratitude for teaching me that there are always people beyond people, heavens beyond heavens…"

Back in the Extreme Martial Realm, Ling Yu had stood invincible, yet a subtle arrogance had taken root in his heart. He had come to the cultivation world dreaming of rising in a single leap, suppressing every prodigy here and proving to the entire cultivation world that the Extreme Martial Realm's geniuses were second to none.

Now that faint trace of conceit had completely vanished. And true to his forthright nature, Ling Yu offered a gift without hesitation. He understood Ye Chen's terror better than anyone—he knew the other could have ended his life with ease.

Ye Chen, seeing how sensible the young man was, gave a satisfied nod. He had little interest in the gift, though. In the entire cultivation world, very few things could still catch his eye.

"This jade slip contains the Reverse Severing of the Great Dao technique created by the Martial Ancestor. When paired with the Heavenly Will Dao-Entrust Jade, the boost upon becoming a saint is far more astonishing!"

Ye Chen's heart jolted.

Reverse Severing of the Great Dao?

He had heard of it before but had never laid eyes on the actual method. Was this guy really so generous?

Little brother, you've earned my recognition. From now on, if anyone on the Immortal Path looks down on you, just drop my name.

Sensing the sudden heat in Ye Chen's gaze, Ling Yu realized the misunderstanding. He was honest to a fault—never one to deceive in his entire life. Though letting Ye Chen keep the misconception would benefit him greatly—after all, Ye Chen's talent was truly monstrous, almost preordained for immortality—Ling Yu still couldn't hold back.

He shook his head and spoke plainly.

"Fellow Daoist Ye, you've misunderstood. The Martial Ancestor's Reverse Severing of the Great Dao technique has spread throughout the entire Extreme Martial Realm. Almost every major sect, every technique or dao-arts shop carries copies. When the Martial Ancestor created it, he never kept it secret.

"However, the difficulty is extreme. Without a Dao-Entrust Treasure, it's perilous. And even with one, the risks remain immense. After all, it involves placing one's Dao body above the Great Dao itself. In the Extreme Martial Realm, several peak Half-Saints die every year attempting this technique. Its actual value isn't particularly high!"

Ye Chen was stunned by the young man's candor. The favor he owed now was beyond measure—truly priceless. But then he laughed.

Ling Yu had become the supreme prodigy of an entire realm for good reason. If every cultivator in the world were only capable of petty scheming and backstabbing, life would be far too dull.

Ye Chen said nothing more. He simply accepted the jade slip and gave Ling Yu a nod of acknowledgment. This young man had earned his respect. Among the younger generation of male cultivators, Ling Yu was now the second—after his senior brother—to receive such recognition from him.

Ling Yu returned the nod. Having given the jade slip and with no hope left for the Dao-Entrust Treasure, he turned decisively to leave. Even without the jade, he would still attempt Reverse Severing of the Great Dao.

The danger would be far greater—nine chances of death for one of survival. Yet he brimmed with confidence, showing not the slightest fear!

Ye Chen held the jade slip in his hand, a surge of delight rising in his heart. What kind of feedback would this gift produce? Coming to the Immortal Path this time had truly been the right decision.

But just as he sank his mind into the jade slip, preparing to study the Reverse Severing of the Great Dao technique, Dantai Xuan—who had remained silent until now—suddenly moved.

In an instant, endless, chilling sword lights materialized around her. They surged from every direction with terrifying momentum. Each beam of sword light carried power equivalent to a peak Half-Saint wielding a lower-grade Extreme Dao weapon.

Utterly horrifying.

They appeared almost instantaneously—too fast to defend against, impossible to predict. Most peak Half-Saints would have fallen in that single breath.Yet Ye Chen's expression remained completely unruffled. He merely furrowed his brow slightly. Dantai Xuan had cultivated the Supreme Emotionless Scripture, but that didn't make her a brainless automaton. She still weighed gains and losses with perfect clarity—she had simply become an extreme egoist devoid of all emotion.

Seven thousand times was impressive, but it didn't necessarily surpass the strength Ling Yu had just displayed. If she intended to strike, she should have acted while he was fighting Ling Yu. Or simply given up. Her sudden attack now felt distinctly odd.

Ye Chen narrowed his eyes. The True Dragon Treasure Technique stirred within him. A true dragon coiled around his body and let out a deafening roar. The countless razor-sharp sword beams exploded apart in an instant.

But the moment Ye Chen neutralized them, Dantai Xuan had already condensed even more divine swords. They filled the sky like a torrential rain, encircling Ye Chen and blanketing every inch of space within a hundred li.

And these sword rains were no mere random barrage. They formed intricate divine patterns, weaving together into a vast sword array that radiated murderous intent. Dantai Xuan's physical body had somehow already retreated to an extreme distance. Clearly guarding against any close-range assault from him.

She stared at Ye Chen with icy indifference and spoke softly: "Emotionless Sword Array, fall!"

In the next breath, endless sword light descended like pouring rain, crashing toward Ye Chen. The power was even greater than before. Yet every time a beam was shattered or dispersed, another would instantly regenerate within the array—as though the assault were truly inexhaustible.

Tens of thousands of sword lights rained down in every fleeting instant. Against such an onslaught, even most saints would have despaired. Either they would be overwhelmed and annihilated body and soul by the endless blades, or they would be worn down until nothing remained, trapped in a hopeless deadlock.

Yet Ye Chen stood calmly at the very center. Chaos Qi swirled in his eyes as he gazed quietly at Dantai Xuan. Around him, a true dragon and true phoenix soared together in perfect harmony, their dance of scales and feathers blocking every attack.

The Supreme Emotionless Scripture indeed had some substance. This technique was genuinely terrifying. But to Ye Chen, it was still just that—terrifying, nothing more. If this was all she had, then after witnessing his battle with Ling Yu, Dantai Xuan should never have dared to strike at him.

And right at that moment, Ye Chen slowly lifted his head. High above in the sky, a corner of the array patterns had appeared at some unknown point. Those patterns emanated an extremely peculiar fluctuation.

In the next instant, an incomparably terrifying and unique power locked onto Ye Chen. The array patterns began to glow, gathering energy at astonishing speed.

Yan Qingcheng—who had been quietly puzzled by Dantai Xuan's overconfidence—saw the array patterns and her pupils contracted sharply.

"Ye Chen, dodge! That's a fragment of an incomplete quasi-immortal array…!"

But the array charged far too quickly. In the following moment, a massive pillar of white divine light—fully ten thousand meters wide—crashed down like a heavenly column.

Within the array patterns, a figure stared coldly at Ye Chen.

Ye Chen finally saw who it was, and a trace of genuine surprise flickered in his eyes.

Alkaid… here in the fourth realm? Had he deliberately severed his own cultivation just to catch him off guard with this ambush?