Chapter 336: Gathering of Heroes, Challenging Across Realms

Beneath the Ascending Immortal Platform.

Hundreds of thousands of Cultivators gathered here, a dense, black mass stretching beyond the horizon.

In the sky, experts from various forces floated in mid-air, occupying the best vantage points to watch the battle.

There were green-robed scholars from Jixia Academy, white-robed Sword Cultivators from the Ji Family of the Sword Clan, purple-robed experts from the Dan Clan, and many top-tier forces whose names ordinary Cultivators could not even call out in their lifetime.

Everyone's gaze was focused on the arena stage at the top of the Ascending Immortal Platform.

“He's here!”

Someone shouted out.

On the horizon, a golden stream of light sped toward them at extreme speed.

The light stopped above the Ascending Immortal Platform, revealing a young man wearing golden battle armor.

It was precisely the Ancient Prodigy of the Jiang Family, Jiang Beichen.

He floated in the air, a phantom of a golden blazing sun appearing behind him, radiating a terrifying pressure.

The Aura of the Fifth Layer of the Emperor Realm was released without reservation, pressing down so hard that the hundreds of thousands of Cultivators below could hardly breathe.

“What a strong Aura!”

“As expected of an Ancient Prodigy, this pressure is far stronger than an ordinary Fifth Layer of the Emperor Realm!”

“Is that treasure in Jiang Beichen's hand the legendary haotian mirror?”

Bursts of exclamations came from the crowd.

In Jiang Beichen's hand, he held an ancient mirror the size of a palm.

The ancient mirror was entirely golden, its surface covered in dense runes, emitting a scorching light.

Just by quietly floating there, it caused the surrounding Void Realm to distort.

The Emperor Rank High Grade emperor weapon, haotian mirror.

This was one of the Jiang Family's clan-protecting treasures, its power earth-shattering.

Back then, Jiang Beichen relied on this emperor weapon to sweep through his generation, invincible.

Standing on the Ascending Immortal Platform, Jiang Beichen's gaze swept around, finally landing in the direction of the Taichu Holy Land.

“Zhou Chen, get out here and meet your death!”

His voice was not loud, but it clearly spread throughout the entire Ascending Immortal Platform.

The voice contained imperial dao pressure, causing countless Cultivators' faces to turn pale.

In the direction of the Taichu Holy Land's pavilion.

Zhou Chen slowly opened his eyes.

He stood up from his meditation mat, straightened his robes, and walked out of the pavilion.

Holy Lord Dao Xuan and several Elders were already waiting outside.

“Saint, be careful in everything,” Dao Xuan said in a heavy voice.

“Remember, if you can't win, run. Protecting your life is most important,” the Taichu Old Ancestor also spoke up to remind him.

Zhou Chen nodded without saying much.

He stepped forward toward the Ascending Immortal Platform.

With every step he took, the Aura on his body grew a fraction stronger.

By the time he reached the base of the Ascending Immortal Platform, the pressure of the Third Layer of the Emperor Realm was fully released.

Although he was two Realms weaker than Jiang Beichen, his Aura was not the least bit inferior.

“He's here!”

The crowd became restless again.

Everyone's eyes were fixed on Zhou Chen.

White robes, black hair, a calm expression.

He looked just like an ordinary young Cultivator.

But everyone knew that this seemingly ordinary young man was the same Zhou Chen who had killed the Jiang Family Head with a single sword strike and swept through thousands of enemy troops.

Zhou Chen looked up at Jiang Beichen at the top of the Ascending Immortal Platform.

Their gazes collided in the Void Realm, as if producing physical sparks.

Zhou Chen did not fly up; instead, he walked up the steps one by one.

Nine thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine steps, every single one carved with ancient runes.

These runes would apply different levels of pressure based on the Cultivator's Realm.

The higher the Realm, the greater the pressure.

With every step Zhou Chen took, the runes beneath his feet lit up with a glow.

That was the steps testing his strength.

One step, two steps, three steps…

Zhou Chen's pace was steady, without the slightest pause.

Even as the pressure from the steps grew greater and greater, his expression remained unchanged.

“What a strong Physical Body!”

“He's only at the Third Layer of the Emperor Realm, yet he can walk up the Ascending Immortal Platform so easily. This physical strength is probably not inferior to the Fifth Layer of the Emperor Realm!”

Bursts of amazement came from the crowd.

On the Ascending Immortal Platform.

Watching Zhou Chen walk up step by step, a hint of coldness flashed in Jiang Beichen's eyes.

“Putting on an act.”

He snorted coldly, and the haotian mirror in his hand suddenly shone brilliantly.

A golden pillar of light shot out from the mirror's surface, heading straight for Zhou Chen.

This pillar of light contained terrifying imperial dao power; wherever it passed, the Void Realm was pierced through.

When enemies meet, their eyes blaze with hatred; neither side offered any pleasantries, going for the kill right from the start.

Zhou Chen narrowed his eyes slightly.

He did not dodge; instead, he raised his right hand and pressed forward.

A strand of green Sword Qi flew out from his palm, colliding with the golden pillar of light.

Boom!

A massive explosion rang out.

The Sword Qi and the light pillar dissipated simultaneously, turning into a sky full of light specks.

Zhou Chen's pace did not falter as he continued walking upward.

Jiang Beichen's expression changed slightly.

Though that strike just now was just a casual move, it still had the power of the Fourth Layer of the Emperor Realm.

Zhou Chen had actually neutralized it so easily?

“Somewhat interesting.”

A hint of Battle Intent flashed in Jiang Beichen's eyes.

“However, that is all.”

The haotian mirror in his hand shone brilliantly once more.

This time, it wasn't one pillar of light, but hundreds of pillars shooting out simultaneously.

Each pillar of light contained terrifying power, weaving into a massive net of light that enveloped Zhou Chen.

Zhou Chen looked up at the net of light.

A cold smile curled at the corner of his mouth.

“Trivial tricks.”

As soon as he spoke, a terrifying Sword Intent suddenly erupted from his body.

A green sword light surged out from within him, shooting straight into the clouds.

The sword light transformed in mid-air into the phantom of a ten-thousand-foot giant sword, slashing downward.

imperial dao imprint—qingping sword, Strike!

Wherever the giant sword passed, that net of light was easily torn apart like paper.

Not only that, the giant sword's momentum did not decrease as it headed straight for Jiang Beichen.

Jiang Beichen's face changed, and he hurriedly activated the haotian mirror.

The ancient mirror spun before him, its surface projecting a golden screen of light to block his front.

The giant sword slashed against the light screen, producing an ear-piercing sound of clashing metal.

The light screen trembled violently, but in the end, it managed to block the sword strike.

Jiang Beichen breathed a sigh of relief.

But in the next second, his expression turned ugly.

The distance between the two was less than a hundred feet.

Standing at the edge of the arena stage, Zhou Chen looked at Jiang Beichen and said indifferently: “Is this all the skill you have?”

A flash of fury appeared in Jiang Beichen's eyes.

“Courting death!”

He took a step forward, and his Aura suddenly surged.

The pressure of the Fifth Layer of the Emperor Realm was released without reservation, making the entire arena stage tremble.

At the same time, the haotian mirror in his hand flew above his head, its surface facing downward.

A thick golden pillar of light shot out from the mirror, enveloping Jiang Beichen.

Under the illumination of the light pillar, Jiang Beichen's body began to undergo a transformation.

His body began to expand, and in the blink of an eye, he turned into a ten-thousand-foot tall giant.

The giant was entirely golden, as if cast from blazing flames, radiating a terrifying high temperature.

It was precisely the Jiang Family's forbidden technique—Venerable Rank Low Grade—Flame Emperor True Body!

“Zhou Chen, today I will let you witness what a true Prodigy is!”

Jiang Beichen's voice was like thunder, echoing throughout the entire Ascending Immortal Platform.

He raised a massive phantom of a fiery fist and smashed it toward Zhou Chen.

Wherever the fiery fist passed, the Void Realm was burned into nothingness.