576: Chapter 576 The Sword, Give It To Me!

Ye Chen smiled. "Isn't that thing of yours just a knockoff? It's full of holes; I can break it at will."

"You!!!"

Bai Yujing was furious. He came to a sudden halt and drew an imaginary circle in front of him with both hands.

The golden light on his palms intensified, forming a golden light screen around his body.

Runes faintly flowed across the screen, emitting an ancient and mysterious aura.

"I didn't want to use this move."

"But you have forced me to take this seriously."

Bai Yujing's voice was as cold as ice as he suddenly pushed his hands forward.

The golden light screen transformed into a torrent, sweeping toward Ye Chen.

Wherever the torrent passed, the ground was plowed into a deep trench, with rubble flying and dust filling the air.

The air was torn apart, producing an ear-piercing sonic boom.

This move was the Bai family's ultimate clan technique, the [Great Nirvanic Palm]!

Rumor had it that when mastered to its limit, this palm could shatter a mountain peak with a single strike.

Although Bai Yujing had not mastered it to the limit, the power of this palm was still enough to level a small hill.

Looking at the incoming golden torrent, Ye Chen finally pulled his hand out of his pocket.

And then.

He clenched his fist.

And threw a punch.

There were no fancy moves, no dazzling special effects.

It was just a simple punch.

Plain and unadorned.

Yet, it was this very punch that collided with Bai Yujing's [Great Nirvanic Palm].

"Boom!!!"

A world-shaking explosion erupted over Hakata Port.

The shockwave spread in all directions like a nuclear explosion.

Containers within a hundred-meter radius were overturned, and a crater several meters wide was blasted into the bluestone pavement.

Dust flew, and rubble scattered everywhere!

Yan Qingwu and the others were pushed back repeatedly by the shockwave. Shen Qingyi almost fell, but fortunately, Shu Yuan was quick enough to steady her.

"My God..."

Shu Yuan's eyes widened as he stared at the crater, his voice trembling.

"Is this... is this power even humanly possible?"

Jiang Daoxuan swallowed hard and said nothing.

Because he no longer knew what to say.

The dust and smoke gradually cleared.

Ye Chen stood where he was, completely motionless.

On the other side, Bai Yujing had retreated three steps.

Each step had left a deep footprint in the ground, and the stone slabs around them had crumbled into powder.

His expression changed completely as he looked down at his hands.

His palms were bright red, the webs of his thumbs were torn, and blood dripped through his fingers.

His [Great Nirvanic Palm] had been broken by Ye Chen's single punch.

Bai Yujing looked up at Ye Chen, his eyes filled with wariness.

"You... what exactly is your cultivation level?"

Ye Chen withdrew his fist and spoke calmly.

"I told you, I don't know either."

"However..."

He paused, his lips curling slightly. "You're a bit stronger than those guys just now. At least you weren't sent flying by a single slap."

Bai Yujing's face darkened even further.

Damn it!

Was Ye Chen praising him or mocking him?

Or perhaps... insulting him?

Bai Yujing took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down.

"Ye Chen, I admit you are very strong."

"Stronger than I expected."

"But if you think you've won just like this, you are sorely mistaken."

He raised his right hand and unfastened the Black Jade Belt from his waist.

With a gentle shake, the Black Jade Belt transformed into a pitch-black longsword.

Faint ink-colored patterns flowed along the blade, resembling twisting flood dragons.

"This sword is called [Ink Flood Dragon]."

"I have nurtured it for seventy years, and it has never been unsheathed in public."

"Today, you are the first."

Ye Chen glanced at the sword. The blade was as black as ink, with ink-colored patterns flowing along the edge like twisting flood dragons moving across the surface.

Even before it was fully unsheathed, the sword qi was already leaking out, carrying a chilling intent that sent shivers down one's spine.

"Interesting."

Ye Chen raised an eyebrow, his lips curling up. "I'll take this sword. It'll be perfect for Qingwu."

Standing behind him, Yan Qingwu's eyes lit up upon hearing this.

She used swords.

But she had never been able to find a good one.

Because the sword she needed had very high requirements.

It needed to be not only sharp but also a soft sword that could be used as a belt...

And the sword in front of her seemed to fit all those criteria!

Yan Qingwu couldn't help but ask, "Really? That weapon looks like a masterpiece."

Without looking back, Ye Chen said flatly.

"If I say I'll give it to you, I'll give it to you."

Yan Qingwu's lips curled up, and a flash of joy appeared in her eyes.

Good!

Great!

If she could really get the Ink Flood Dragon to go with her current Heaven Realm strength, her combat power would increase by at least thirty percent!

Bai Yujing stood there, his face darkening completely as he listened to their conversation.

Wait...

They hadn't even fought yet!

These two bastards were actually discussing his treasure as if it were some street-side junk they could give away at will???

This was no longer just contempt; it was blatant humiliation.

"You are simply courting death!!!"

Bai Yujing roared. His right hand tightened around the hilt of the Ink Flood Dragon, and the ink-colored patterns on the blade suddenly lit up, their eerie black light swallowing the surrounding light like an abyss.

He stomped his foot, and his figure disappeared once more.

Shrinking Ground to an Inch.

This time, he didn't hold back.

He poured his entire Late Golden Core Stage cultivation into his movement technique, reaching the pinnacle of speed.

Not even an afterimage remained in the air, only a faint current of air weaving around Ye Chen.

Left.

Right.

Front.

Back.

Bai Yujing's figure flashed continuously around Ye Chen, each flash accompanied by a sharp sword light.

The sword lights crisscrossed, weaving an airtight sword net that enveloped Ye Chen.

The people around them retreated repeatedly, their faces pale.

"Terrifying! Is this the power of a Late Golden Core Stage expert going all out?"

"The Bai family's guest elder is as famous as his reputation! Who could possibly evade this sword net?"

"Ye Chen is finished! No matter how strong he is, he can't possibly escape unscathed from such a dense sword net!"

...

Hope was rekindled in the eyes of the few Tianyi Sect disciples.

The Japanese men were trembling with excitement, and some even began to cheer.

"baka! That guy Ye Chen is dead for sure!"

"Yoshi! Let that bastard Ye Chen know the consequences of offending the Yamaguchi-gumi!"

"Chinaman, drop dead!"

...

However.

Ye Chen stood there, looking at the sword lights coming from all directions, and suddenly smiled.

"Just in time."

"Let me teach you how Shrinking Ground to an Inch is truly used."

Before he had even finished speaking.

Ye Chen's figure disappeared.

It wasn't the kind of disappearance Bai Yujing performed; it was a true, absolute disappearance.

No air currents, no afterimages, no traces whatsoever.

He simply vanished into thin air before everyone's eyes.

Bai Yujing's sword net struck empty air. Dozens of sword qi crisscrossed, leaving deep trenches on the ground, but they didn't even touch the corner of Ye Chen's clothes.

"Where is he?"

Bai Yujing's pupils contracted sharply. He came to a sudden halt, his gaze scanning the surroundings like a blade.

Nothing.

Nothing.

Still nothing.

His perception was fully released, covering the entire port; every corner, every inch of space was clearly perceived.

But Ye Chen's aura seemed to have evaporated into thin air, completely vanishing from his perception.

"Impossible!"

Bai Yujing's expression changed completely, and a layer of cold sweat broke out on his forehead.

Shrinking Ground to an Inch!

He had practiced it for sixty years and believed he had reached a level of perfection.

But the Shrinking Ground to an Inch that Ye Chen performed was more than one level above his.

His version was moving rapidly across the ground, so fast that people couldn't see him clearly.

But Ye Chen's version was true shrinking of the ground; one step, and he was across the world.

Even...

Merging with heaven and earth, disappearing completely.

"Where are you looking?"

A nonchalant voice came from behind him.

Bai Yujing's body stiffened, and he instinctively tried to turn around.

But it was already too late.

A hand reached out from behind and lightly rested on his right shoulder.

The hand applied no force, just resting there lightly.

Yet with that light touch, Bai Yujing felt as if he were being crushed by a mountain, unable to muster any strength in his body.

The true qi in his body seemed frozen, no longer able to circulate.

"You..."

Bai Yujing's lips trembled, his eyes filled with terror.

Not late stage!

Not peak!

This kid's true strength surpassed the Golden Core stage!!!

No!

How is that possible?

How could he possibly surpass the Golden Core stage!?

At this moment, Bai Yujing fell into an unprecedented state of terror!

But before he could speak.

Ye Chen's voice continued.

"Shrinking Ground to an Inch isn't used the way you do."

"You focus too much on speed but ignore the essence of space."

"True Shrinking Ground to an Inch isn't about making yourself faster or shortening the distance, but..."

"Merging yourself with heaven and earth, becoming one with heaven and earth."

"Stepping out and being a hundred feet away as easily as eating a meal—that is true Shrinking Ground to an Inch."

"Yours, at most, can be called running fast."

Bai Yujing's face changed drastically.

He wanted to retort, but Ye Chen clearly gave him no chance, increasing the pressure slightly on his shoulder.

"The sword, hand it over."

"Otherwise..."

"Die."