Chapter 772: The Martial Emperor's Pursuit

‘Impossible. How did he find me?’

Ye Xuan was astonished. His Qi Concealment Skill was of an extremely high grade; an ordinary Martial Emperor shouldn’t have been able to detect him, not even one at the Tier Nine Second Layer.

The aura of this Nine Heavens Martial Emperor before him was as deep and vast as an abyss, profound and immense. He seemed stronger than a typical Martial Emperor, but he was definitely still a ways off from the Tier Nine Second Layer. ‘So how did he find me?’

What Ye Xuan found even stranger was that after the Martial Emperor had shattered his cave with a single punch, his gaze locked onto him, and a thick killing intent gradually rose in his eyes.

‘This is bad.’

Ye Xuan’s heart sank. He had already thought of a very grim possibility.

BOOM!

At that moment, the Nine Heavens Martial Emperor’s eyes turned cold. Without a single word, he raised his hand and reached to grab Ye Xuan.

Boundless Profound energy condensed in his right hand, then formed a giant Profound energy palm that sealed the space around Ye Xuan.

An intense pressure, suffused with a monstrous killing intent, bore down on Ye Xuan, nearly suffocating him.

‘What terrifying power.’

The fact that this Nine Heavens Martial Emperor attacked to kill without a word only further confirmed Ye Xuan’s suspicions.

His gaze turned cold. ‘If my guess is right, I’m in grave danger today.’ At this thought, Ye Xuan didn’t dare hesitate. He instantly activated the strange Stone Bead treasure. At the same time, his Sword of Judgment unsheathed from his back, and he immediately unleashed the Starlit River Sword technique.

Simultaneously, Ye Xuan brought out the Zhenyuan Stone, sending it to suppress his opponent instantly.

From the very first move, Ye Xuan went all out, holding nothing back.

The Space-Stabilizing Bead in his hand immediately released a light even more terrifying than when it was in Emperor Dingkong’s possession. Mysterious patterns flickered, accompanied by a myriad of radiant wisps, instantly forcing their way into the domain the enemy had deployed.

CRACK! CRACK! CRACK! CRACK!

The Space-Stabilizing Bead glowed brilliantly. Its terrifying spatial power instantly tore apart the enemy’s casually released domain. Amidst the shattering domain, the Sword of Judgment erupted with countless bolts of lightning, which converged into a starlit river of sword light dozens of yards long, slashing through the void.

In that near-instant, the Nine Heavens Martial Emperor knew he had underestimated his opponent.

PFFT—

The torrential river of sword light struck the Nine Heavens Martial Emperor’s Profound energy palm. After a violent roar, the entire Profound energy palm shattered into pieces. The sharp, lightning-infused Sword Qi followed the disintegrating palm and instantly struck the Nine Heavens Martial Emperor’s real hand.

However, the Nine Heavens Martial Emperor’s physical body was far tougher than the Profound energy palm. The lightning from Ye Xuan’s Sword of Judgment shattered on impact, transforming into countless electric serpents that writhed through the air before gradually dissipating.

But at this moment, Ye Xuan’s Zhenyuan Stone descended.

DONG!

Caught off guard, the Nine Heavens Martial Emperor only had time to erect a Profound energy shield before he was sent flying back wretchedly. He only managed to stabilize himself after being knocked back over ten meters, his face already ashen.

“Impressive indeed. No wonder you were able to kill Emperor Dingkong of my Wukong Mountain Villa.”

The sinister Nine Heavens Martial Emperor spoke with an icy gaze, his expression utterly foul. A dignified Peak of Tier Nine First Layer Martial Emperor like him had actually been knocked back by a Tier Eight Martial Emperor.

After saying this, his eyes filled with rage. As his Profound energy circulated, a black iron ruler suddenly appeared in his hand, and he whipped it toward Ye Xuan.

BOOM!

As the black ruler lashed out, the very void seemed to explode. A tremendous roar echoed as the entire space rippled violently like a disturbed water surface. The black ruler was like a sharp arrow skimming across that water, arriving before Ye Xuan in an instant.

“Zhenyuan Stone, block!”

Ye Xuan’s face fell in alarm as he hastily threw the Zhenyuan Stone in front of him.

BOOM! BANG!

The Zhenyuan Stone, struck by the black ruler, trembled violently. The black brilliance it emanated instantly dimmed, and the whole stone was sent flying like an extinguished oil lamp.

The powerful force of the Profound energy backlash surged through him. Ye Xuan coughed up a mouthful of blood and hastily recalled the Zhenyuan Stone.

At that moment, the Nine Heavens Martial Emperor’s domain formed once again. This time, the Martial Emperor’s domain was far stronger than before, trapping Ye Xuan as if he were mired in a swamp.

Ye Xuan knew that even if his strength were doubled, he still couldn’t defeat the Nine Heavens Martial Emperor before him. The gap between them was a qualitative difference.

‘A Nine Heavens Martial Emperor is a Nine Heavens Martial Emperor. He can’t be overcome with just one or two Profound Treasures.’

CRACK… CRACK…

Though fearful, Ye Xuan was not panicked. He frantically channeled the Profound energy in his body, pouring it into the Space-Stabilizing Bead. The bead instantly erupted with brilliant light as if reactivated, releasing terrifying streams of spatial power.

The Martial Emperor’s domain imprisoning Ye Xuan immediately began to crackle. In just a short time, the terrifying spatial force binding him weakened significantly.

‘Since when was Wukong Mountain Villa’s Space-Stabilizing Bead this strong? It can even break through my domain?’

The Nine Heavens Martial Emperor’s face was filled with shock.

The Space-Stabilizing Bead was the treasure of his Wukong Mountain Villa’s Emperor Dingkong. He knew its power better than anyone; in Emperor Dingkong’s hands, it could form a domain, but that domain was far weaker than a true Martial Emperor’s. Even the weakest Martial Emperor could easily shatter it with their own domain.

But now, this kid was relying on the Space-Stabilizing Bead to nearly break through the domain of a Peak of First Layer Martial Emperor like himself. How could he not be shocked?

He immediately understood that they had likely underestimated the Space-Stabilizing Bead’s power.

Besides the Space-Stabilizing Bead, Ye Xuan’s own strength also left him deeply shocked.

He hadn’t even used his full strength yet; if he wished, killing the youth before him would be as easy as flipping his hand. But for a First Layer Martial Emperor to be this powerful was something he found hard to imagine.

‘When did such a terrifying Martial Emperor appear? Even the most heaven-defying geniuses from the top factions in the Profound Domain weren’t this powerful when they were First Layer Martial Emperors, were they?’

‘And this boy is so young; he has a very high chance of becoming a Nine Heavens Martial Emperor. Once he reaches that realm, what other Martial Emperor could possibly be his match?’

‘I must kill this person today. If he escapes, the future consequences will be endless.’

Thinking this, the Nine Heavens Martial Emperor’s black iron ruler transformed into an inky-black phantom that shot toward Ye Xuan.

BOOM!

The black ruler’s shadow entered the range of the Space-Stabilizing Bead, instantly tearing apart the domain it had formed. It was accompanied by a piercing wail that resounded throughout the heavens and earth.

Ye Xuan felt his mind roar. He only had enough time to activate his Earth Martial Soul to form the Rock Armor and swing his Sword of Judgment before his gaze went vacant.

The Nine Heavens Martial Emperor sneered.

His title was Ghost Ruler Emperor. The iron ruler in his hand was forged from the legendary Ghostly Demon Iron. When used with his Cultivation Technique, it produced the Ghost Nether Sound, which even ordinary Nine Heavens Martial Emperors found difficult to resist. ‘How could a mere First Layer Martial Emperor withstand it? The ruler’s physical attack probably isn’t even necessary. The Ghost Nether Sound alone should be enough to turn him into an imbecile and kill him on the spot.’

A cold smile played on the Ghost Ruler Emperor’s lips as he manipulated the black iron ruler to instantly strike Ye Xuan’s Sword of Judgment. Countless arcs of lightning shattered, and an immense impact force shot into Ye Xuan’s body.

BOOM! BANG!

In an instant, Ye Xuan was sent flying backward like a cannonball under the massive force. Simultaneously, the Rock Armor on his chest shattered, and a splash of blood appeared on his chest.

‘What?’ The Ghost Ruler Emperor was shocked. ‘The kid isn’t dead? He knew the power of his strike better than anyone. An ordinary Tier Eight Triple Peak Martial Emperor would be instantly turned to dust, and a regular Tier Nine First Layer Martial Emperor would have their body torn apart. Yet this Tier Eight First Layer Martial Emperor merely had a nearly foot-long gash ripped open on his chest? Isn’t this defense just too monstrous?’

The Ghost Ruler Emperor found it hard to believe that the defense of a Tier Eight First Layer Martial Emperor could actually compare to that of a Nine Heavens Martial Emperor-level expert.

But what the Ghost Ruler Emperor found even more unbelievable was yet to come. While flying backward at high speed, Ye Xuan, who had supposedly been struck by the Ghost Nether Sound, had his eyes instantly clear up. WHOOSH! He then used the immense backward momentum to transform into a distorted streak of light and, with another SWISH, vanished over the horizon.

“This…”

The Ghost Ruler Emperor’s eyes went wide. How could he not see it? Ye Xuan’s dazed appearance from the Ghost Nether Sound was a complete act! Once struck by the Ghost Nether Sound, the mind would be thrown into chaos. Even if one recovered, it would be a gradual process, absolutely not an instantaneous recovery like Ye Xuan’s.

‘Dammit!’

A Tier Eight First Layer Martial Emperor had not only escaped during their fight but had even played him for a fool right to his face. How could he tolerate that?

In the very next instant, he put away his iron ruler and gave chase.

How fast was a Nine Heavens Martial Emperor? In just a few breaths, he had already flown a distance of hundreds of kilometers along Ye Xuan’s escape path. Yet not only had he failed to catch up, but Ye Xuan’s aura was also gradually fading from his Profound Sense.

“Did you think you could escape from me, the Ghost Ruler Emperor?”

The Ghost Ruler Emperor’s face was ashen. He closed his eyes and activated the bloodline within him. A faint trace of Bloodline Power appeared in his mind. It was extremely blurry, but he could still sense it.

“There.”

Opening his eyes, the Ghost Ruler Emperor chased in the direction his Bloodline Power had sensed.

He wasn’t just avenging Emperor Dingkong; it was also because this First Layer Martial Emperor, Ye Xuan, felt far too strange. His astonishing defense and his ability to resist the Ghost Nether Sound all indicated that he was hiding some great secrets.

Although Ye Xuan had managed to shake off the Ghost Ruler Emperor, he was covered in a cold sweat.

Thankfully, his sharp reflexes and rich experience had told him he was no match for his opponent, allowing him to exploit the Ghost Ruler Emperor’s moment of carelessness to escape.