Chapter 101 The Prodigies Are Shocked!

On the Sword Asking Square, waves of heat rolled forth; the air seemed to be ignited by the divine weapon that had just emerged into the world, twisting like water ripples.

Ye Haocheng took a step forward, his figure landing gracefully in the very center of the square, directly facing the heaven-burning sword that hovered above the magma, exhaling an aura of destruction.

The moment his feet touched the ground, "Thump!" A muffled heartbeat, like the beating of a war drum, suddenly emanated from the blood-red crystal on the hilt of the heaven-burning sword.

Seemingly sensing the Chaos Spiritual Energy within Ye Haocheng—energy that was restrained yet extremely noble—this half-step Sovereign Weapon, which had not yet fully developed sentience and possessed only an instinctive desire for slaughter, instantly became enraged.

The terrifying pressure that had previously targeted the entire venue now, at this moment, acted like a provoked beast king; it rapidly contracted and condensed, finally transforming into a tangible, crimson pillar of light. Carrying a terrifying gravity capable of crushing mountains, it fiercely bore down upon Ye Haocheng alone!

"Boom!" The white jade ground beneath Ye Haocheng's feet instantly shattered, and countless fragments turned into powder.

The strength of that pressure was such that the surrounding space even emitted groans of being unable to bear the weight. If it were an ordinary cultivator at the early stage of the Martial King Realm, they would likely have had their bones crushed and been forced to their knees to beg for mercy in that very instant.

However, Ye Haocheng, who was at the center of the storm, stood straight, not even a corner of his clothes ruffled.

He slowly raised his head, his deep eyes reflecting the arrogant divine weapon before him, and a sneer of extreme contempt curled at the corners of his mouth: "It is merely a piece of scrap metal forged by someone. No matter how precious the materials used, it is ultimately just a dead object."

"Since it is a dead object, it is a tool for people to use. Now that I am standing here, not only do you not think of submitting, but you actually dare to attempt to suppress me?"

"You are courting death!"

The moment his words fell, Ye Haocheng's previously calm aura suddenly erupted.

Within his dantian, the vast, ocean-like sea of gray energy instantly boiled.

A wave of Chaos Spiritual Energy—vicissitudinous, ancient, and seemingly existing since the dawn of the world—surged out along his meridians and instantly burst through the surface of his body.

Hum—! Golden-gray light soared into the sky, faintly condensing into a blurred phantom of a god and demon behind him.

The crimson pressure that had been weighing down on him, upon encountering this Chaos Spiritual Energy, seemed to meet its natural predator; it instantly dissolved and dissipated!

"Come here!" Ye Haocheng did not give this sword a chance to catch its breath. He reached out with one hand, his five fingers spread wide. A chaotic vortex spun rapidly in his palm, transforming into a giant hand of chaos that was a hundred zhang in size. With the domineering aura of capturing the sun and moon, he reached out and grabbed the heaven-burning sword!

Sizzle, sizzle, sizzle! The giant hand of chaos collided fiercely with the flame shield surrounding the heaven-burning sword, erupting with a teeth-gritting friction sound. But no matter how violent the flames were, under the erosion of the Chaos Spiritual Energy, they were extinguished at a speed visible to the naked eye.

This scene left the tens of thousands of cultivators in the audience dumbfounded.

Is this the strength of Ye Haocheng?

Facing the full resistance of a half-step Sovereign Weapon, he did not choose to defend, but instead directly chose the most forceful suppression!

On the high platform.

The important figure from the Great Chu Dynasty was staring fixedly at the figure bathed in golden light below. His originally majestic face had now become exceptionally gloomy, and his palm, resting on the armrest, gripped it with such force that he left finger indentations in the hard, thousand-year-old rosewood.

This person was named Xiang Lie, a prince of the Great Chu Dynasty, and one of the masterminds who had participated in the destruction of the Zhenbei Prefecture back then.

"What a Ye Haocheng... What a remnant of the Zhenbei Prefecture!"

Murderous intent surged in Xiang Lie's eyes, and his heart was in turmoil. "I thought that after that fire at the Ye family, the one who survived was merely a piece of trash clinging to life. I never expected that in just a few short years, this child would have grown to such a state!"

Chaos Spiritual Energy! That is a power that only a legendary constitution can cultivate!

If this child is allowed to continue growing, he will surely become a major threat to the Great Chu Dynasty in the future, and may even shake the foundation of the dynasty!

"This child must not be allowed to live!" Xiang Lie instantly made up his mind to kill him.

Just then, Sect Master Zhang Baizong of the Sword Burial Mound Sect, who was sitting in the main seat, had his gaze flicker slightly.

As the leader of a top power in the Eastern Continent, his judgment was naturally sharp.

The talent and the special energy that Ye Haocheng displayed made him feel a trace of unease.

More importantly, he had some unknown dealings with the Great Chu Dynasty.

Sect Master Zhang Baizong turned his head calmly and looked at a young man sitting at the lower position beside him.

"Saint Son Wang Shan."

Sect Master Zhang Baizong's voice was very soft, yet it clearly reached Saint Son Wang Shan's ears, "You should also go down and try. The spirit of the heaven-burning sword is unruly; it is likely difficult for one person to subdue it alone. You go... and help him."

Sect Master Zhang Baizong said the word "help" with profound meaning, and his tone carried a cold chill.

Saint Son Wang Shan, whose eyes had been half-closed, instantly opened them. He did not speak, just nodded slightly, and then slowly stood up.

The next moment.

"Swish!"

Saint Son Wang Shan's figure vanished from his seat into thin air.

When he appeared again, he was hovering in the sky above the square like a ghost, no more than a hundred zhang away from Ye Haocheng.

In the center of the square.

Ye Haocheng was concentrating fully on controlling the giant hand of chaos, grinding away the heaven-burning sword's will to resist bit by bit.

Just then, an extremely obscure yet fatal murderous intent suddenly struck from the side and behind!

"Hmm?"

Ye Haocheng frowned slightly. Even without turning his head, his powerful divine sense had already locked onto the incoming person.

It was Saint Son Wang Shan!

Saint Son Wang Shan was expressionless, and the unsheathed iron sword in his hand had already been drawn at some unknown moment.

There were no fancy sword moves, nor any earth-shattering momentum; there was only extreme speed and extreme sharpness!

This sword strike was aimed directly at the fatal point of Ye Haocheng's back!

How could this be coming to compete for a divine weapon? This was clearly an attempt to kill with one strike while Ye Haocheng was suppressing the divine weapon!

Just as the tip of Saint Son Wang Shan's sword was about to pierce his protective spiritual energy, Ye Haocheng's left hand, which had been hanging at his side, swung backward violently.

"Get lost!"

Boom!

A golden fist imprint of chaos exploded out of thin air, striking the tip of Saint Son Wang Shan's sword with supreme precision.

"Clang!"

The sound of metal clashing rang throughout the entire venue.

Saint Son Wang Shan only felt a vast and irresistible force coming through the sword blade, numbing the web between his thumb and index finger, and he was forced to retreat dozens of steps in the air before he could stabilize his figure.

As for Ye Haocheng, his body merely swayed slightly. He did not even turn his head to look at him, and his right hand was still gripping the heaven-burning sword tightly.

"What?!"

Prince Cao Fen, Qin Wushuang, and the others watching from the sidelines had their pupils shrink slightly upon seeing this.

Not only could he suppress a half-step Sovereign Weapon, but he could also, while distracted, repel a prodigy of Saint Son Wang Shan's level with a single punch?

Just how deep was this Ye Haocheng's strength?

However, shock was shock, but the situation before them forced them to make a choice.

Saint Son Wang Shan's attack seemed to be a signal that broke the originally delicate balance.