ISWI Chapter 693-695

Chapter 693: So What?

After sweeping the crowd once more, the system pinged three or four more times—female cultivators in the two-to-three-thousand range. Anything below two thousand was now automatically filtered out. Present-day Ye Chen had little interest in anything under two thousand.

"Aren't you getting off?" he asked, lazily twisting the gemstone piercing at Luo Bingling's navel. "I'm about to fight the Holy Prince to the death. Careful, or the myriad races might revoke your bloodline."

Luo Bingling glanced around at his words. It was true. Countless cultivators from the myriad races were glaring at her with open displeasure. She was, after all, a princess of the exalted War God Clan, one of the top bloodlines among the myriad races, with countless admirers.

Yet here she was, eagerly clinging to a human's side, letting him toy with her waist—and now her navel gem—in front of the entire world. While that human was about to duel their Holy Prince. Many among the myriad races felt deeply humiliated and burned with anger because of it.

Yet Luo Bingling merely swept her disdainful gaze across the crowds and lifted her chin proudly. "A bunch of trash, that's all!"

Then, as if suddenly remembering something, she turned to Ye Chen and spoke in the most tender, lovorn tone she could muster. "What do I care about the myriad races? You are the man I, Luo Bingling, have chosen. Let alone one Holy Prince—even if you wanted to make an enemy of the entire cultivation world, I would stand firmly by your side!"

Ye Chen's mouth twitched the moment he heard her. There was really no need! Why on earth would he pick a fight with the whole world just because he had nothing better to do? And forcing those corny lines out of this little succubus's mouth must have taken heroic effort. He could feel goosebumps rising on the smooth, taut skin of her waist beneath his palm.

Still, in front of so many people, Ye Chen decided to give her face. Especially since half the males from the myriad races looked ready to spit fire, he gently lifted her chin with a fingertip and dropped a light kiss on her lips.

"I know your heart, and I'm truly touched. But this is my battle. Do not interfere."

Luo Bingling had long since tasted everything there was to taste; a little kiss meant nothing to her now. Seeing the determination in Ye Chen's eyes, she nodded. Yet she still added seriously, "If anyone else jumps in midway, I will enter the field without a second's hesitation." She was treating this entire showdown like a favorability-grinding instance.

Ye Chen only smiled. After Luo Bingling stepped down, he rose gracefully into the air. The bronze chariot vanished beneath him as he flew toward the sky battlefield.

Yao Yuekong's expression turned grave. "Back when Ye Chen fought us, he never even left his chariot. It seems the Holy Prince really is strong enough to make the Heavenly Emperor heir feel threatened…"

Beside him, however, Yao Yuezhi had no interest in chatting with her brother. She kept that same shy, timid demeanor, cheeks faintly flushed. Yet beneath those willow-leaf brows, her beautiful eyes quietly studied Luo Bingling. They flickered with lively thoughts, turning over some unknown scheme…

Yao Yuekong spoke, but his sister ignored him completely. He turned to look at her. Her cheeks were still flushed pink. He couldn't help but marvel at her acting skills. Still, he lowered his voice and pressed on. "Little sister, you saw it yourself. Even if Ye Chen is willing to share the Stasis Secret and bear the future wrath of the Celestial Prince for you. That man has far too many women around him. He's utterly addicted to them. Just now, I watched his gaze linger on every famous female heaven's chosen in the crowd. He really isn't the right match for you."

Yao Yuezhi's lips curved into a faint, playful smile. "So what? Only the strong deserve beautiful women. The stronger the man, the more he should have. Brother, what I'm curious about right now is why Luo Bingling is clinging to Ye Chen like that. If she had truly fallen in love, with the War God Clan's temperament, she would have offered herself long ago.

"If she has no interest, then why stay by his side for years, letting him wrap his arm around her waist and kiss her whenever he feels like it? So I suspect… Luo Bingling has ulterior motives toward Ye Chen. And what does the War God Clan value most? Cultivation speed. So tell me—could the War God Clan's Dao Cauldron be in Ye Chen's hands?"

Yao Yuezhi knew Luo Bingling well. She knew the princess was an extreme hardliner among the myriad races, someone who looked at other races the way humans looked at dogs. Yet now she was letting Ye Chen kiss her in public? Something was definitely wrong.

Yao Yuekong froze, stunned. Was it real? The Dao Cauldron was in Ye Chen's possession too?

When Yao Yuezhi thought of the Dao Cauldron's effects and compared it to Ye Chen's current terrifying cultivation base, her eyes sparkled brighter than ever, curiosity burning hotter within them…

…

Among the onlookers, the crowd had first been thrown into chaos by Ye Chen's casual kiss before the battle. The human side felt exhilarated; the myriad races gnashed their teeth harder. But now, as the shock from the kiss faded, everyone noticed the change in Ye Chen's aura. A collective uproar swept through the ships.

The Heavenly Emperor heir had already reached the late stage of the Second Heaven of the Mahayana Realm! It had only been a few years! How could the Heir's breakthrough speed be this insane? His talent was simply too monstrous!

Killing intent blazed even fiercer in Prince Lu Ya's eyes. The Little Peacock King stared at Ye Chen, remembering how this man had dared covet his aunt. He narrowed his eyes, body tensing like a peacock about to spread its deadly feathers…

…

Chapter 694: Oscar-worthy Acting

Ye Chen had already stepped into the vast sky battlefield. A majestic voice boomed across the heavens. "Will the two of you completely seal the grand array, or permit entry to all cultivators at or below the Third Heaven of the Mahayana Realm?"

The Holy Prince had risen to his full height, the massive black iron staff now gripped loosely in one hand. He did not deign to speak. Clearly, he cared nothing about the prospect of being swarmed.

Ye Chen shook his head at once. "No need to seal it. Allow entry…" If the array were fully sealed, how were the Holy Prince's good friends supposed to come deliver their gifts?

At his word, experts from both the Victorious Fighting Ape clan and the Heavenly Evolution Holy Land stepped forward. Each side held half of the array discs. Together they activated the formation.

In an instant, the entire sky battlefield erupted in gentle azure radiance. Countless divine runes flowed like living rivers within the blue light. This was an absolute world-severing array. No expert above the Third Heaven of the Mahayana could interfere. Short of a Quasi-Immortal making a move, the duel was untouchable.

Once everything was ready, every spectator's pupils contracted. No one dared blink.

The Heavenly Emperor heir had entered alone this time, without even bringing a woman. Evidently, he regarded the Holy Prince as a true rival. This might be the most evenly matched battle since Ye Chen had risen to prominence.

Inside the array.

The Holy Prince stared impassively at Ye Chen. "Did you bring my Compliant Golden-Hooped Rod?" His voice rang like a great bronze bell, vast and domineering, carrying the unmistakable flavor of "none can stand before me."

Ye Chen smiled. His gaze drifted to the stone stele still hovering above the monkey's head. The Holy Prince was a man of honor; he had openly revealed the stele bearing the Stasis Secret.

Naturally, Ye Chen couldn't be stingy. With a casual wave, the Compliant Golden-Hooped Rod appeared in his palm. A supreme Extreme Dao Weapon possessed its own spirit and will. The instant it sensed the Holy Prince's aura, the staff vibrated violently, as though eager to fly back to its true master.

Ye Chen immediately struck it with the Armament Secret. The staff instantly calmed. The Holy Prince paid it no mind. To him, merely seeing it meant the clan's sacred weapon had been returned. He only gazed coolly at Ye Chen. "I had intended to spare your life, since you are merely the Heavenly Emperor's descendant. It is a pity I could not live in the same era as the Heavenly Emperor himself. But no matter. Once I ascend to the Immortal Realm, should he still live, I shall surpass him all the same…"

The moment those words left his mouth, expressions across the watching ships turned strange. The Holy Prince actually regretted not being born in the wrong generation to fight the Heavenly Emperor? Even many among the myriad races thought the monkey was getting a little too full of himself. The Heavenly Emperor was an eternal trauma etched into the bones of every non-human clan! Yet this calm, almost casual arrogance was still shocking enough to make hearts tremble.

Ye Chen's lip twitched. He almost couldn't hold back his laughter. Who the hell are you posturing for?

However, Ye Chen's true goal in this battle was to appear strong—just strong enough to awe the world, but not so overwhelmingly strong that no one would dare come knocking again. So letting the Holy Prince posture a little was perfectly fine.

With that in mind, Ye Chen gave a thumbs-up as earnestly as he could manage. "You're absolutely right. Even if the Heavenly Emperor were reborn at the same realm, he'd be inferior to you!"

The moment the words left his mouth, every spectator's eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets. Everyone knew the Heavenly Emperor heir never wasted breath in battle—unless he was facing a female cultivator. Take the Firmament Overlord Body, for example. They had clashed twice, yet Ye Chen had spoken fewer than ten sentences combined. Now he was openly mocking his opponent? Clearly, the Holy Prince had truly made him feel threatened.

The Holy Prince's face darkened at once. He wasn't one for idle talk either. He had only spoken out of faint regret because of Ye Chen's lineage. Since the man insisted on courting death, then death it would be!

In the next instant, the Victorious Fighting Ape blood in his veins boiled. Battle intent detonated like a volcano, soaring into the heavens. His golden fur stood on end, crackling with threads of lightning—terrifying beyond words!

Despite his towering, muscular frame, the Holy Prince's speed was blinding. In the blink of an eye, he appeared directly before Ye Chen. The massive black iron staff whistled through the air, smashing down toward Ye Chen's skull with mountain-splitting force.

The moment the strike landed, the heavens themselves seemed to crack. Even the space reinforced by the grand array tore open with mournful wails. That extreme destructive power turned countless onlookers pale in an instant.

Clearly, the Holy Prince had never gone all-out in his previous battle. This—this was his true strength. Under this one staff strike, the vast majority of Third Heaven kings would be pulverized. Even Extreme Dao weapons might shatter.

Ye Chen watched the golden-furred, lightning-wreathed monkey charge at him like a Super Saiyan, his expression perfectly calm. He activated the Battle Secret and met the attack with a single staff of his own. He deliberately held back the Multiplier Secret. If he accidentally smashed the Holy Prince to death in one blow, Prince Lu Ya and the Little Peacock King might lose their nerve and refuse to enter.

When the two staffs collided, a deafening boom shook the battlefield. The Holy Prince's expression changed. The rebound force sent him staggering back a full hundred meters. Golden blood dripped from the torn webbing between his thumb and forefinger. His stern, thunderous face turned grim. His physique—how terrifyingly domineering it was! Yet in that pure clash of flesh and strength, he had actually come up short by three points?

The watching crowds erupted into uproar. In a direct contest of physical power, the Holy Prince had actually lost ground? How was that possible?

As for Ye Chen, one collision felt like nothing at all. But he absolutely could not let that show. This had to look like a struggle.

With what he believed was Oscar-worthy acting, Ye Chen allowed himself to be hurled backward two hundred meters. Then he turned a solemn, admiring gaze on the Holy Prince and sighed dramatically. "The Victorious Fighting Ape clan's physique truly is astonishing. Even my sacred body falls slightly short…"

Ye Chen felt he had delivered the praise with perfect sincerity. Yet the moment his words faded, every spectator's expression turned strange.

The Holy Prince's sharp fangs ground together audibly. His physical strength surged another level higher. Roaring with murderous fury, he swung the great black staff and charged once more…

Chapter 695: Why Is Your Head So Pointy?

Mocked again and again by Ye Chen, golden light exploded from the Holy Prince's eyes. His Victorious Fighting Ape blood burned even fiercer, battle intent soaring to the heavens, aura vast as the seas.

The black iron staff in his hands whipped through the air, forcing the void itself to wail. His combat skill was at the absolute pinnacle—he could seize any flaw the instant it appeared.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The entire battlefield quaked. Azure light flared endlessly. Chaotic radiance flickered in Ye Chen's eyes as well. Each time their staffs clashed, divine beams shot from his pupils, meeting the Holy Prince blow for blow. Both had mastered the Battle Secret to an astonishing degree. This was a duel of pure, ultimate offense. Every onlooker watched with grave expressions, eyes filled with awe.

Clang!

Another collision.

The Holy Prince's body shuddered. Golden blood trickled from the corner of his mouth.

Ye Chen saw it instantly. His reaction was lightning-fast. He staggered dramatically, threw his head back, and sprayed a massive mouthful of blood, painting a crimson mist across the sky. Then he fixed the Holy Prince with a solemn, wary look. "As expected of the Victorious Fighting Ape…"

The Holy Prince's golden eyes flushed red with rage. He couldn't hold back a furious roar.

"I'm going to kill you…"

Golden blood streamed from his lips. His face twisted into something demonic. Eight profound runes ignited around his body, ripping space apart as he charged once more.

The spectators' expressions grew even stranger. Something was off—the Heavenly Emperor heir was talking way too much today. In the past, he never wasted words on anyone except women. He just slapped them dead. Today, though, he was deliberately spitting blood just to taunt the Holy Prince?

"Does the Holy Prince have history with him besides trash-talking? Did he mess with one of the Heir's women or something?"

"I'm pretty sure that's it. If it was just insults, the Heir wouldn't be acting like this!"

"Don't you guys know? One of the geniuses the Holy Prince swallowed alive last time was from the Lan family…"

"Ah, that explains everything. The Heir definitely has feelings for Immortal Maiden Lan Nuo. Even against an enemy, he's getting revenge for her…"

The crowd finally pieced it together.

The human spectators all relaxed. Right now, the Heir clearly held the upper hand—he could even afford to mock his opponent.

The myriad races, however, turned ashen. The Holy Prince—the quasi-immortal's own son, the one they had pinned all their hopes on… Was he really not measuring up? If even he lost… The myriad races would be utterly humiliated.

…

The Holy Prince activated the Nine Revolutions Mysterious Art. His physique instantly grew even more terrifying. The Nine Revolutions Mysterious Art was the supreme immortal scripture of the Victorious Fighting Ape clan for forging the body. It granted an indestructible fleshly form; as long as the primordial spirit endured, the body could not be destroyed. It contained countless profound techniques.

Ye Chen felt almost nothing as the monkey's physical aura skyrocketed. But since he needed to hype up his opponent, he figured he might as well say a few more lines.

So as the Holy Prince charged, Ye Chen raised a brow and exclaimed in open admiration, "So this is the Nine Revolutions Mysterious Art? Truly horrifying—worthy of being the number one body-tempering immortal scripture in the entire cultivation world…"

He paused, then added with innocent curiosity, "But… why is your head so pointy?"

The stronger the amplification from the Nine Revolutions Mysterious Art, the sharper and more conical the skull became. It was supposed to be a mark of power and attainment.

Yet the moment Ye Chen said it out loud, the whole thing sounded… off. Like pure mockery. Killing intent rolled off the Holy Prince in tangible waves.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The two iron staffs clashed again and again. Every impact sent shockwaves that made the onlookers outside the array clutch their chests, hearts nearly bursting from the pressure. One could only imagine the sheer ferocity inside.

The Holy Prince was a monster in close-quarters combat. But even for him, tens of thousands of earth-shattering collisions carried terrifying recoil. No matter how tyrannical his body, after so many exchanges, cracks spider-webbed across his golden-furred arms. He could no longer fully suppress the backlash.

Ye Chen noticed and inwardly sighed. This was getting hard to fake properly. So on the next clash, he deliberately yielded ground and allowed himself to be sent flying.

While soaring backward, he still remembered to shout in awe, "Your Highness's physique is the most terrifying I've ever seen!"

The Holy Prince's face turned pitch black. His arms were on the verge of exploding. Ye Chen hadn't a single hair out of place. And now the man voluntarily blasted himself away, as if graciously giving the monkey time to recover. If this wasn't humiliation, what was? It meant Ye Chen had never taken him seriously from the start—he was just toying with him.

The spectators shared the exact same thought. Especially that last line. It felt like a dagger straight to the heart. Quite a few empathetic souls were already cringing on the Holy Prince's behalf. The Heavenly Emperor heir really was a master of psychological warfare.

"How dare you look down on me… DIE!"

The Holy Prince roared. The wounds on his arms knit shut in an instant. The next moment, his bloodline power detonated. His body surged upward, expanding dramatically. From his original height of barely one meter sixty, he shot up to a full three meters tall. His already oppressive, power-packed frame became downright monstrous. But that was not the end of his transformation.

From the sides of his head, two more identical skulls forced their way out of his shoulders, each facing a different direction. Every head blazed with piercing golden light, eyes like burning suns. Then, from his torso, four additional arms erupted, joining the original pair, each one whipping through the air like a titan python.

At this moment, the Holy Prince looked like an ancient demon god awakened from primordial chaos. All three heads swiveled as one and locked onto Ye Chen with murderous fixation. The pressure was suffocating.

…

"Three Heads, Six Arms!"

"No wonder even Quasi-Immortals fear him. Fiery Golden Eyes and now Three Heads, Six Arms… this talent is practically on par with the greatest ancestor of the Victorious Fighting Apes, the Victorious Fighting Buddha!"

"That explains why he lamented not being born in the same era as the Heavenly Emperor."

"He's really been provoked by the Heir's taunting!"

The spectators exploded into discussion.

Prince Lu Ya's expression turned ugly. Even the Little Peacock King's usual arrogance faltered; his gaze grew solemn.

Yao Yuekong raised a brow. "This monkey's got some serious stuff. One punch from him now could probably kill me! But the Heir is still completely at ease. He hasn't even used the Multiplier Secret yet, and he's never once taken the initiative. So yeah, the Holy Prince has something, but… he still needs more training!"

Yao Yuekong was already certain the monkey was doomed.

Beside him, Yao Yuezhi's eyes sparkled as she stared at Ye Chen. "Three Heads, Six Arms is said to triple physical power. Offense and defense become one. Three heads and six arms can unleash completely different killing moves simultaneously. It's terrifying. If the Heir can still toy with him like this… then once his cultivation rises further, he really might not fear that Celestial Prince in the future."

…