Immortal Martial Emperor

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

Seventeen muffled cracks echoed in quick succession.

Though the Guiyuan Demon Guards’ physical defenses were formidable, Hong Yu targeted their weakness. He used the Vibrating Power of his Vibrating Rune Technique to penetrate their bodies and destroy the meridians that channeled their Primordial Energy.

With that, they were like marionettes with their strings cut, collapsing one by one behind Hong Yu.

BANG!

Even the black Exotic Beast connected to them exploded violently and vanished.

HISS!

A series of sharp gasps swept through the Guiyuan Hall.

This was especially true for those who had just confidently declared that Hong Yu was courting death and would surely perish at the hands of the Guiyuan Demon Guards.

But now...

Hong Yu was completely unscathed, without so much as a single hair out of place.

In contrast, the Guiyuan Demon Guards, who should have been invincible, were all lying motionless on the ground.

How utterly bizarre!

It was only at this moment that the experts from outside the Qin Kingdom, and even from outside Qin Royal City, truly began to take Hong Yu seriously.

Following this, the experts began to exchange information and intel about Hong Yu...

"Who on earth is this young man?"

"I think his name is Hong Yu. He’s from some remote little town in the Fengyue Kingdom!"

"I heard he once caused a huge stir in the Cyan Nether Sword Sect, which led to the earth-shattering changes in the Guiyuan Sect over the past year. Rumor has it he even had a chance to become the master of the Cyan Nether Sword Sect, but for some reason, he gave it up!"

"Gold shines wherever it is. He left the Fengyue Kingdom, and now he’s making a name for himself in the Qin Kingdom just fine!"

"Hong Yu? This kid needs to be watched closely!"

A smug smile spread across Old Sir Tie’s face as he looked at the ashen-faced Wang Ba and chuckled. "Elder Wang, not even your Eighteen Guiyuan Demon Guards were a match for that little fellow. They couldn’t even slow him down. Looks like I’m about to win our bet!"

Wang Ba’s expression flickered, and he ground his teeth viciously. "My disciple, Zheng Tian, hasn’t even used his full strength yet," he growled. "Isn’t it a bit too soon for you to be drawing conclusions?"

Old Sir Tie laughed heartily. "Zheng Tian? Didn’t he just fight Hong Yu?"

"Hmph, that was just him warming up. In the Valley of the Dead, my disciple had another great fortuitous encounter!" Wang Ba said coldly.

"Oh?"

Old Sir Tie paused, frowning slightly. ’From the look on Wang Ba’s face, it seems Zheng Tian really does have an ace up his sleeve!’

’Hong Yu, oh, Hong Yu... considering you’re someone who could produce a treasure like the Array Dao Supreme Treasure Scripture, I’m not at all surprised you could break the Mountain Protection Array.’

’I’m not even shocked that you saw the Guiyuan Demon Guards’ weakness was inside their bodies! But...’

A glimmer of hope flickered in Old Sir Tie’s eyes. ’When you face Zheng Tian again, will you be able to defeat him once more?’

...

CLAP! CLAP! CLAP!

Hong Yu dusted off his hands, slowly rose to his feet, and grinned at the silent Zheng Tian. "Now, it’s your turn!"

SSHHH!

Their eyes met.

Two torrents of scorching battle intent erupted from them, colliding in the air and coalescing into a terrifying storm of momentum.

These two represented the pinnacle of combat prowess for the younger generation of the Qin Kingdom, and perhaps even the entire Southern Ten Nations. They were genius-level experts of the highest caliber!

One was Zheng Tian, who had broken through to the Primordial Core Realm at the age of twenty-five, forcefully reclaiming his throne as the number one genius of the Qin Kingdom!

The other was Hong Yu, a young underdog from a humble background in a remote town, who, through his own hard work and unyielding spirit, was slowly climbing the peaks of the martial world and ascending the ivory tower of power!

These two men were destined to be archenemies from before they ever met.

Their first meeting...

At the entrance to the Celestial Essence Secret Realm, Zheng Tian had possessed the strength to kill Hong Yu in an instant.

Hong Yu had no choice but to rely on his wits and a reckless, death-defying ferocity to finally force Zheng Tian to retreat.

Their second meeting...

Through the schemes and conspiracies of Zheng Tian and Qin Mutian, Hong Yu nearly ended up in the belly of a Desolate Beast. Fortunately for him, fortune favors the blessed; having survived a great catastrophe, a great fortune was sure to follow!

Their third meeting...

Atop the massive Championship Platform.

In the contest on the Celestial Ladder, Hong Yu had started from behind but finished first, snatching the top spot that should have belonged to Zheng Tian.

This was the first time Hong Yu had gained the upper hand in the struggle between the two, despite the vast disparity in their strength and status.

In the great battle in the Championship Arena that followed, Hong Yu displayed formidable combat power, forcing the former number one genius, Zheng Tian, to team up with three assassins from the Blood Killing Tower to besiege him.

In the end, the three from the Blood Killing Tower died at Hong Yu’s hands, while Zheng Tian retreated at the last moment, stealing the victory of the Championship Arena battle.

But in his heart, Zheng Tian knew very well that in his struggle against Hong Yu, he had lost!

And...

He had lost so completely, so utterly.

If those successive defeats had fostered more resentment and defiance than devastation in Zheng Tian, then the news that soon followed—that Hong Yu had defeated Blood the First with a single glance—was what finally sobered him up and made him recognize his own shortcomings.

Thus, he resolutely chose to enter the highly lethal Valley of the Dead to undergo a life-and-death trial.

It was this trial that brought about a fundamental change in Zheng Tian, a qualitative transformation. In a single leap, he became a Primordial Core Realm expert.

And now, the two of them were meeting once again!

This time, who would come out on top?

Would it be Zheng Tian, who had been tempered in the Valley of the Dead and mastered mysterious techniques?

Or would it be Hong Yu, who had fought his way here on his own, surviving countless dangers, struggling between life and death, and climbing step by step toward the peak?

"Hong Yu, I have to admit, you really are strong!"

As Zheng Tian spoke, he once again began to remove his clothes.

Hong Yu frowned slightly. "Are you still wearing those weighted restraints?"

"No, no, no!"

Zheng Tian shook his head, a strange smile on his face.

As the corners of his lips pulled up, the teeth inside his mouth slowly sharpened. Between his brows, a blood-red Rune silently began to spread and grow, coiling around his body like a hideous tattoo.

Except, this tattoo was a ghastly, blood-red color.

Upon closer inspection, it seemed to be a blood-colored Demon, baring its teeth and revealing its ferocious, bloody, and cruel nature!

Zheng Tian finished taking off his clothes. This time, it wasn’t heavy restraints, but light, ordinary garments.

Once he was bare, the blood-red Rune had completely encircled his body.

Zheng Tian took a deep breath. As his muscles rippled, a chilling energy began to emanate from him.

SHIING!

Two beams of blood-red light suddenly shot out from his eyes.

Zheng Tian’s pupils dilated abruptly, turning a solid, terrifying blood-red.

He swiveled his blood-red eyes to stare at Hong Yu, licked the corner of his mouth, and revealed a savage expression. "Hong Yu, I’ve given up so, so much to defeat you. In the Valley of the Dead, I didn’t hesitate to turn myself into this, all for the sake of tearing you apart with my own hands!"

"When I first returned, I heard you had been killed by the Thousand-Year Tai Sui. I was so disappointed, so furious!"

Zheng Tian’s eyes darted about like two rolling, blood-red pearls, devoid of any emotion, like those of a merciless Demon.

He stared intently at Hong Yu, tilting his head with a crack. His voice was raspy. "I’m so happy today, so very happy! GAGAGA, you know? When I heard you came back alive, the blood in my veins started to boil! I can barely stop myself from grabbing you right now, biting through your neck, and sucking you dry!"

As he spoke, Zheng Tian stuck out his scarlet tongue and licked his lips.

He looked utterly Bloodthirsty and cruel.

Hong Yu frowned. "This is the power you were seeking?"

"That’s right! You can feel my power, can’t you? Your heart must be trembling! GAGAGA..."

Zheng Tian’s throat bobbed, and his laughter sounded like the clattering of bones.

Hong Yu took a deep breath. "My heart isn’t trembling, no. But I have to admit, you have indeed become very powerful. It’s just..."

"It’s just what?"

"You really want to know?"

A flash of red crossed Zheng Tian’s eyes. He snarled through clenched teeth, "Speak. Or I’ll tear you to shreds!"

"Since you asked so sincerely, I’ll tell you how I feel right now!"

Hong Yu shrugged, his face a mask of innocence. "I just wanted to say, the you right now... you’re so fucking ugly. Just ugly. Way too damn hideous!"

The corner of Zheng Tian’s eye twitched. "..."

He then exploded in fury. "You bastard! I’ll fucking kill you!"

As Zheng Tian roared, a bloody light erupted from his body, emanating from the blood-red Runes covering him.

The bloody light clung to his body, coalescing into several blood-red arms.

In the blink of an eye, Zheng Tian had transformed into a six-armed monster.

His six arms waved wildly as he charged at Hong Yu, flailing and baring his fangs.

"What kind of strange Martial Skill is this?"

Hong Yu frowned.

With his left Cyan Eye, he could clearly see that only two of the six arms were real. The other four were somewhere between energy and solid flesh.

Moreover...

From these six arms, Hong Yu felt an intense threat to his life.

Apparently, the transformed Zheng Tian truly had the capital to be proud, and the power to threaten his life!

’It doesn’t matter what kind of monstrosity you’ve become. If I could beat you once, I can beat you a second time.’

Hong Yu also charged forward, bare-fisted.

It wasn’t that Hong Yu was being arrogant or reckless.

His Eight Desolates Saint Slaying Technique had already advanced to the Seventh Transformation Realm, achieving the Golden Body Dominator. He now had the power to challenge any expert at the same rank!

Zheng Tian may have reached the Primordial Core Realm.

But so what?

Although the current Hong Yu was only at the Peak of the Celestial Soul Realm, his combat strength could no longer be measured by his cultivation realm alone.

Watching the two of them crash together and begin their bloody slaughter, the entire Guiyuan Sect fell silent.

Everyone waited with bated breath, wondering who would have the last laugh in this clash between the peak geniuses of the Southern Ten Nations’ younger generation!

Would it be Zheng Tian, who had received a mysterious inheritance in the Valley of the Dead and become like one possessed by a Blood Demon?

Or would it be the one who constantly created miracles, who had clawed his way here one step at a time...

Hong Yu?!