Chapter 43: I Am Someone You Can't Afford to Offend

With a single word falling, Li Tianyuan flicked his finger, and a majestic surge of spiritual energy shot through the void, instantly colliding with the gigantic hand that reached for the heavens.

With a muffled explosion, the colossal hand shattered and vanished into thin air.

This sudden turn of events did nothing to slow down the descending speed of Ye Chen’s fist.

Emitting a terrifying might of the stars, his fist slammed toward Song Xuanyuan like a falling meteor.

"No..."

Song Xuanyuan’s pupils constricted, and an expression of utter terror consumed his entire being.

Bang!

Ye Chen’s full-force punch landed squarely on Song Xuanyuan’s chest, causing it to cave inward. A mouthful of crimson blood mixed with shattered internal organs immediately spewed wildly into the air.

Song Xuanyuan’s eyes bulged wide and bloodshot, his pupils gradually expanding and losing focus.

Then, with another muffled thud, his corpse crashed onto the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust.

"Hiss!"

Ye Chen’s actions sent a deep chill through everyone present.

A cultivator at the Profound Entry Realm had actually slain Song Xuanyuan, a powerhouse at the Great Circle of the Yin-Yang Realm, with a single punch.

Simply ferocious, terrifyingly so!

"My son!"

Watching Song Xuanyuan being executed on the spot by Ye Chen, Song Tianhao wailed in agony, before erupting into a heart-rending roar: "Elder Wu! Quick, kill this beast Ye Chen and avenge Xuanyuan!"

"Vile creature, how dare you murder a direct disciple of my Demonic Sword Sect! I shall flay you, pull out your tendons, and grind your bones to dust!"

Amidst the furious roar, an old man swept out from the void, radiating a terrifying wave of pressure that surged forward like a monstrous flood, stunning the very mind of Ye Chen.

This old man was none other than Wu Tianxiong, an elder of the Demonic Sword Sect, whose cultivation had reached the mid-stage of the Divine Transformation Grotto Realm.

Never in their wildest dreams had they imagined that Ye Chen would dare to slaughter Song Xuanyuan right under his nose.

What was even more infuriating was that his palm strike just moments ago had failed to save Song Xuanyuan.

His wrath and murderous intent surged forward like endless, roaring rivers, seemingly threatening to drown the entire sky.

As a grand elder of the Demonic Sword Sect, he had actually failed to stop an ant from killing Song Xuanyuan. If the Sect Master were to find out, he would surely accuse him of incompetence.

"Is this the power of a Divine Transformation Grotto expert?"

Enveloped by the terrifying pressure, Ye Chen felt a suffocating sensation wash over him.

Only now did he truly and deeply experience the horror of a Divine Transformation Grotto powerhouse.

Even with the blessing of the Universal Astral Divine Body, he still felt a chill running down his spine, as if he had plunged into an icy cavern.

"Isn't he just a disciple of the Demonic Sword Sect? What is there not to dare kill?"

At that moment, a lazy voice came from nearby.

Seeing that the Demonic Sword Sect elder, who had been lurking in the shadows, had finally emerged, Li Tianyuan slowly stood up, patted the non-existent dust off his clothes, and walked over to Ye Chen's side.

Ye Chen instantly felt his entire body lighten, and the terrifying pressure that had brought his breathing to a halt finally vanished.

"It seems you were the one who shattered my Demon-Slaying Hand earlier!"

Gazing at the suddenly appearing Li Tianyuan, Wu Tianxiong narrowed his eyes, sized him up, and then said coldly:

"No wonder the little Ye family was so emboldened; it turns out they hired a helper!"

"State your name before you die; my sword never slays nameless nobodies."

Li Tianyuan cast a disdainful glance at Wu Tianxiong and said indifferently, "Heh, you aren't qualified to know my name."

Although his tone was calm, the overbearing confidence exuding from his words made Wu Tianxiong’s expression extremely unsightly.

Although he could not discern the cultivation level of the person before him, for a mere young punk to claim he was not qualified to know his name was not just a slap to his own face, but a humiliation to the Demonic Sword Sect as well.

"Good, good, good! I’d like to see what kind of skills you possess to act so arrogant before me!"

Wu Tianxiong laughed out of sheer fury.

With a wave of his large hand, a long sword gleaming with a chilling light appeared in his grip.

Immediately, he slashed forward with a single sword stroke!

Swish!

A flash of cyan light materialized, sword radiance dazzling as an incomparably fierce blade aura tore through the void, carrying a piercing whistle of wind as it assailed Li Tianyuan.

The might of the sword aura was terrifying in the extreme, kicking up a horrific tempest of force that cleaved the surrounding air in two, leaving a clearly visible ravine in its wake.

Seeing this, the onlookers rapidly retreated, for they could sense the terror of the sword aura; a mere grazing contact could spell instant death.

Yet Li Tianyuan remained unruffled and calm, not even furrowing his brows.

As the sword aura closed in, he stretched out his right hand and gave a gentle grab. His five fingers, resembling pillars holding up the heavens, accurately and unerringly seized the incoming blade light.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

Sounds of metal clashing rang out as Li Tianyuan's large hand locked onto the blade edge, bringing the ferocious sword aura to a complete halt, unable to advance even half an inch further.

With merely flesh and blood, he met a hundred-foot sword aura head-on!

This scene carried an overwhelming sense of shock!

"This..."

"He caught the sword technique executed by a Divine Transformation Grotto cultivator with his bare hands? This is too terrifying!"

"Is this Chen'er's master? Is this the Peak Master of the soaring heavens Sacred Land?"

Witnessing this astonishing scene, the members of the Ye family were utterly dumbfounded.

If the strength Ye Chen had displayed earlier was already enough to shock them, then the formidable might Li Tianyuan exhibited at this moment completely shattered their worldview.

To withstand Wu Tianxiong's attack with physical flesh alone, and to block an exceptionally fierce sword dao divine ability with his bare hands—this level of power was far too monstrous, seeming completely like a dream.

"To pluck the heavens with a single hand—none other than this."

"It seems Master's strength is truly as Senior Sister guessed: at least the cultivation level of a Heavenly Monarch or above."

Watching his master unleash such divine might, Ye Chen's eyes were filled with profound shock and deep reverence.

"With just this kind of trash sword skill, you still want to hurt me?"

Li Tianyuan curled his lips in disdain.

His right hand suddenly exerted force, and with a crisp snap, the sword aura shattered into pieces, turning into specks of starlight that dissipated into nothingness.

Not to mention sword dao attainment, the sheer defense of Li Tianyuan's Heavenly Dao Creation Body alone was something Wu Tianxiong, who shared the same cultivation realm, could never hope to breach.

"How... how can this be?!"

Staring at the shattered sword aura, Wu Tianxiong turned pale, gripped by a terror as if he had seen a ghost.

He knew all too well the power of this divine sword technique, the Netherworld Soul-Extinguishing Slash; it was one of his ultimate trump cards.

Yet the opponent had shattered it simply with his bare hands—how could he not feel dread and fear?

"Who on earth are you?"

At this moment, Wu Tianxiong’s eyes held a few more traces of caution and awe.

"Heh, who am I?"

Li Tianyuan chuckled softly and said indifferently, "I am someone you cannot afford to provoke!"

"Hmph! Playing God!"

Wu Tianxiong let out an angry shout, brandishing the long sword in his hand as he charged rapidly toward Li Tianyuan.

Swish, swish, swish...

Sword radiance bloomed, and endless blade auras erupted from the sword's edge, illuminating the entire courtyard in a silvery glow that appeared exceptionally brilliant.

Watching the overwhelming torrent of sword aura rushing toward him, Li Tianyuan shook his head without the slightest concern. Instead, he raised his voice toward Ye Chen, who was watching from the sidelines:

"Watch closely, disciple! Master will demonstrate the Big Dipper Divine Fist for you once! See what you can learn from it!"

With that, he took a step forward.

The aura around him abruptly surged, steady and heavy as a mountain.

"Big Dipper Divine Fist, condense!"

With a single punch thrown outward, it felt as though the gathered power of myriad stars was converging within it, vast and majestic.

Wherever the fist radiance passed, space itself was crushed, producing tiny ripples.

Bang, bang, bang, bang, bang...

The torrent of sword auras collapsed instantly, turning into a drizzle of starlight that drifted downward.

Following that, the stellar fist radiance carried its terrifying residual might forward, slamming fiercely into Wu Tianxiong's chest.

With a muffled thud, Wu Tianxiong was blasted backward like a cannonball, crashing through dozens of walls before finally coming to a halt.