Invincible Soul Emperor

Chapter 473: Battle Against the 8th Layer of the Martial King Realm

Wu Zhengyang wore a lecherous smile. It seemed he’d already spent quite some time fantasizing about how he would bed Xue Zhao. He hadn’t expected that attending the Sect’s tournament for new disciples in Eternal City would lead to such a fortuitous encounter.

Wu Zhengyang was obsessed with the joys of the flesh. Combined with his status as a Core Disciple of the Divine Sword Sect, it meant the female disciples within the sect practically threw themselves at him. But compared to Xue Zhao, those other disciples were nothing but common, vulgar girls, unbearable to look at. Wu Zhengyang even felt it was a shame he hadn’t met a peerless beauty like her sooner.

The other disciples from the Divine Sword Sect stood with their arms crossed, ready to enjoy the show. Although Wu Zhengyang’s personality was such that he would never share his women, even after he grew tired of them, getting to watch a live show starring such a stunning beauty would still be one of life’s great pleasures.

Ye Qingchen also stood up. Having taken the Spirit Pill he gave her, Xue Zhao had become much quieter. It was a pill Ye Qingchen had specifically chosen for her. Although it was only a second-rank pill, it had a miraculous effect on protecting one’s mind. Since Xue Zhao was just an ordinary person, a higher-grade Spirit Pill might have actually harmed her meridians.

Xue Zhao, of course, had seen everything Ye Qingchen did for her. A peculiar glint appeared in her eyes, especially seeing Ye Qingchen—only at the third layer of the Martial King Realm—resolutely step in front of Wu Zhengyang, who was at the eighth layer.

Seeing Ye Qingchen dare to block his path, Wu Zhengyang’s eyes filled with disdain. "Kid, do you really think a third-layer Martial King like you can stop me, an eighth-layer Martial King? If you know what’s good for you, get lost. When I’m having my fun later, I might even reward you by letting you watch. Hahaha!"

Ye Qingchen snorted coldly. "And what if I don’t?"

Wu Zhengyang roared with laughter. "You don’t? Then I’ll just kill you first before enjoying this beauty right here."

After speaking, he turned his lustful gaze back to Xue Zhao and said, "Don’t you worry, little miss. Big brother will be here to take good care of you soon. I’ll show you what true ecstasy feels like. Judging by your looks, you’re still a virgin, aren’t you? But that’s alright. Big brother will be gentle. Hahahahaha!"

Xue Zhao put on a terrified expression and said to Ye Qingchen in a dainty, trembling voice, "Big Brother, you have to protect me!"

What Wu Zhengyang failed to notice was that his crude rant had caused the eyes of Qi Sheng and Qi Tian, who were watching from a distance, to turn icy cold. If Xue Zhao hadn’t shot them a look, the two brothers probably would have lost their patience and attacked him already.

In response to Xue Zhao’s plea, Ye Qingchen didn’t turn around. He simply gave a firm nod and drew the Double Pupil Sword from his back.

Wu Zhengyang was slightly surprised to see Ye Qingchen not only stand his ground but also dare to draw his sword, though his disdain remained. "Still want to resist?" he scoffed. "Kid, do you know why we’re called the Divine Sword Sect? Daring to draw your sword before the Divine Sword Sect is like an apprentice trying to teach a master carpenter how to use an axe!"

With that, Wu Zhengyang drew his own sword. "Kid, I’ll be merciful this once and let you witness what true, unbeatable power looks like before you die."

Ye Qingchen didn’t reply. Instead, he summoned his Willow Wood Martial Soul and began to merge it with his body. A continuous stream of life force flowed into him, and even the Double Pupil Sword in his hand became enveloped in a faint green glow.

This was the Earth Rank Martial Technique that Ye Qingchen had copied from the Willow Soul Tree Demon: Willow Soul’s Brilliance!

Previously, when applied to the Flowing Cloud Sword, Willow Soul’s Brilliance could only amplify his Spiritual Energy by a few times. Now, however, applied to the Double Pupil Sword, it provided a tenfold amplification. Ye Qingchen even felt that when he wielded the Double Pupil Sword, it was like an extension of his own body.

Wu Zhengyang truly lived up to his title as a Core Disciple of the Divine Sword Sect. The moment he drew his sword, his previously lewd demeanor vanished. His hair fluttered though there was no wind, making him look like a Sword Immortal had descended. Behind him, the phantom image of his Martial Soul appeared—an eight-star Spirit Sword Martial Soul. In his hand, he held his low-grade treasured weapon, the Spring Breeze Sword, which he wielded as if it were an extension of his own arm.

"Brat, one move is all I need to finish you! Feel this invincible Sword Intent!"

After he spoke, Wu Zhengyang’s aura changed once more. He swung the Spring Breeze Sword, tracing a beautiful flower of light in the air. With a flick, the sword-flower trembled and then hurtled toward Ye Qingchen. It started as a palm-sized bloom, but as it drifted through the air, it grew continuously, expanding to a meter wide by the time it reached Ye Qingchen.

Ye Qingchen watched the sword-flower in astonishment. Through his Dual Pupil Martial Soul, he could clearly see it was absorbing nature’s spiritual energy from the air, which caused it to expand. Wu Zhengyang was merely at the eighth layer of the Martial King Realm, yet he could so skillfully manipulate nature’s spiritual energy. This was not something an ordinary Martial King could accomplish. He was truly worthy of being a Core Disciple from a major sect.

Surprised but unfazed, Ye Qingchen swung the Double Pupil Sword at an uncanny angle, unleashing three streams of Sword Qi at once. The three streams instantly split the flower into four pieces. However, it didn’t dissipate completely and continued to hurtle toward Ye Qingchen.

Wu Zhengyang sneered, "This is an Earth Rank Swordsmanship technique. Even if you cut the flower, the Spiritual Energy within it remains. You..."

He was about to continue speaking when his expression suddenly changed, as if facing a grave enemy. He began to twist and flip through the air, frantically swinging his Spring Breeze Sword to defend himself.

It turned out Ye Qingchen had just used the high-grade Earth Rank Martial Technique he had acquired from Elder Yang: the Shadow-extinction Sword Technique. The Shadow-extinction Sword Technique was not just fearsome in its attack power. Its most terrifying aspect was its ability to conceal its Sword Qi, allowing it to strike an opponent by surprise and inflict heavy damage.

Ye Qingchen had used this exact feature. While he cut the sword-flower, he simultaneously hid the aura of his attack. Wu Zhengyang mistakenly believed his sword-flower had dissipated Ye Qingchen’s Sword Qi, but he never expected those three streams of Sword Qi to suddenly appear right before him.

At that same moment, the remnants of Wu Zhengyang’s sword-flower reached Ye Qingchen.

Ye Qingchen held the Double Pupil Sword horizontally to block. The sword-flower crashed against the blade, creating a loud metallic boom, but that was all.

Although the Double Pupil Sword was currently only a low-grade treasured weapon, its materials were so durable that not even an expert at the high levels of the Martial Emperor Realm could damage it in the slightest. The Double Pupil Sword nullified eighty to ninety percent of the rebounding force from the sword-flower, so Ye Qingchen only had to take a single step back, leaving him standing there completely unharmed.

Seeing Ye Qingchen’s combat prowess, the beautiful eyes of Xue Zhao, who was secretly watching from a corner of the ruined temple, couldn’t help but light up.