Heaven-Surpassing Divine Emperor

”Pfft... Cough, cough, cough...”

Nearly every bone in Zhao Qiankun’s body was broken. He lay like a heap of mud at the bottom of the hill as blood gushed from his eyes, ears, nose, and mouth.

Every breath felt like it was tearing him apart, the pain unbearable.

His eyes lost focus as his mind went blank. ’Defeated? I was actually defeated... by an ant? And so completely?’

Ever since he was born...

He had been surrounded by nothing but praise. He possessed Innate Divine Strength, had awakened the Profound Tier Titan Divine Ape Martial Soul, entered the Saint Martial Sword Sect, and displayed heaven-defying talent for Body Refining by cultivating the Silver Qilin Body Refining Technique. He had even earned the favor of a Sword Sect Elder, who intended to take him as a disciple.

He had never known defeat among his peers!

In his eyes, even in the Saint Martial Sword Sect, a place teeming with geniuses, he felt he could compete with the most favored prodigies and ultimately stand above all others.

He hadn’t even given a second thought to Yulan Tianpeng and Si Xiaosheng, his fellow members of the Three Heroes of Yulan.

The first time he met Jiang Chen, he’d seen him as nothing more than an ant he could crush at will.

But now...

This very ant he had dismissed had defeated him in a crushing display, leaving him utterly broken!

His pride, his strength, had been shattered by Jiang Chen’s fist.

His supposedly indestructible Silver Qilin Treasure Body had an arm severed by Jiang Chen’s sword.

Even his invincible Martial Soul Talent had been instantly defeated at Jiang Chen’s hands.

A complete and utter blowout!

He had been humiliated beyond recognition!

Not far away, Yulan Tianpeng and Si Xiaosheng stared at each other, their wavering gazes unable to conceal the shock in their hearts. ”Holy shit... Jiang Chen actually won? That’s Zhao Qiankun we’re talking about, and he just lost to Jiang Chen in a completely one-sided fight...”

Jiang Chen strode through the air, walking step by step toward Zhao Qiankun. He pressed the cold edge of his Profound Ice Sword against Zhao Qiankun’s neck and said flatly, ”From start to finish, I never once provoked your Qinghuo Gang. It was you who hounded me, again and again, trying to kill me. I was forced to fight back. Zhao Qiankun, if there is a next life, remember to not always push things to the extreme. He who kills will himself be killed!”

”Heh heh...”

Zhao Qiankun let out a cold laugh. His eyes slowly regained focus, and he fixed Jiang Chen with a venomous stare, grinding his teeth. ”A fine ’he who kills will himself be killed.’ Jiang Chen, I admit I underestimated you. I accept my defeat at your hands. But... do you really think you’ve won?”

”Haven’t I?” Jiang Chen retorted.

Zhao Qiankun struggled to shake his head. ”No, you haven’t won yet.”

”Hm?”

Jiang Chen’s brow furrowed slightly.

Suddenly, his expression changed. The temperature between heaven and earth plummeted as an icy wind swept through the air.

The gale came out of nowhere, biting and fierce, carrying flurries of soft, white snow.

Under the clear sky, with the Blazing Sun still hanging high, a sudden snowstorm descended—it was almost impossible to imagine!

ROAR—

A deafening roar rode in on the wind, a sound that shook the very air like a clap of thunder. A black cloud drifted over from the distance, wreathed in storm and rain, with purple lightning rumbling within it. A massive figure darted through the clouds, flying toward them at incredible speed.

For miles around, every Demon Beast prostrated itself, trembling on the ground in submission.

”Hehehe... Jiang Chen, you’re dead!” Zhao Qiankun sneered.

Jiang Chen’s gaze darkened as he softly identified the massive figure in the black cloud. ”A Tier Two Medium Demon Beast? Is this your trump card?”

”That’s right. This is the Dragon-Horned Demon Flood Dragon my father brought into the Celestial Demon Ancient Realm fifty years ago. Why do you think I was able to find that treasure and create ten True Martial Realm experts as soon as I entered? It was all thanks to the Dragon-Horned Demon Flood Dragon! With it here, the Celestial Demon Ancient Realm is the Qinghuo Gang’s personal backyard. Jiang Chen, you’re dead! And you too, Yulan Tianpeng and Si Xiaosheng! Anyone who dares to oppose me is dead! Gahaha...!”

Zhao Qiankun’s hysterical sneer pulled at his wounds, causing him to spit out two more mouthfuls of blood.

His face grew paler, but the ferocity of his expression and the chilling killing intent in his eyes didn’t diminish in the slightest.

”Who dares harm my young master? I will tear you to a million pieces!” The black cloud arrived, and a deep voice like rolling thunder boomed from within. The snowstorm raging between heaven and earth grew even more violent. Trees froze solid, and the ground and rocks were veiled in a layer of pristine white snow.

BOOM—

The black cloud dispersed, and a hundred-meter-long figure poked its head out. It was a massive head, as large as a water buffalo’s.

Its entire body was jet black, covered in dark Scale Armor that resembled a suit of heavy plate. A single, spiraling horn grew from the top of its head, radiating a cold light. Its two emerald eyes glinted with cruelty and savagery. Beneath its serpentine body were four menacing and sharp claws, hooked like an eagle’s talons. A single swipe could pulverize a massive, multi-ton boulder.

The Dragon-Horned Demon Flood Dragon’s cold eyes locked onto Jiang Chen. ”Human whelp, release my master at once and kneel before Lord Flood Dragon Demon to beg for your life!”

”Flood Dragon Demon, why are you wasting time talking to him? I command you, kill this whelp for me!” Zhao Qiankun roared.

”As you command, my master!”

The Dragon-Horned Demon Flood Dragon’s expression changed instantly. It had been enslaved by Zhao Qinghuo since it was young and was unconditionally obedient to the Zhao Family. Its cold gaze swept over Jiang Chen. ”Human, if my master wants you dead by midnight, you won’t live to see the morning! Now, die...”

FWOOSH!

The Dragon-Horned Demon Flood Dragon opened its mouth and spat a cloud of white mist that surged toward Jiang Chen.

The white mist was unbelievably cold.

An ordinary expert at the Martial Arts Ninth Stage would be frozen into an ice sculpture upon the slightest contact. Even a True Martial Realm Powerhouse wouldn’t dare touch it lightly.

Jiang Chen’s pupils constricted. He tapped his foot against the ground and shot backward.

Almost at the exact moment he moved, the spot where he had been standing—and everything around it, except for Zhao Qiankun—was coated in a thick layer of ice.

If Jiang Chen hadn’t dodged in time, he too would have been turned into an ice sculpture.

Jiang Chen hovered in midair, his eyes shining with a blue-gold light. The edge of the Profound Ice Sword in his hand was sharp and menacing. With a flick of his finger, he made the sword hum and cried out, ”A fine Dragon-Horned Demon Flood Dragon, worthy of being a Tier Two Medium Demon Beast. But if you think you can take my life with this, you’re not nearly strong enough!”

”You’re courting death!”

The Dragon-Horned Demon Flood Dragon snorted coldly. Its hundred-meter-long body tumbled through the air, whipping up a tornado of snow and wind.

As it spun, the flying snow condensed into ice, forming a ten-meter-long blue Ice Cone. The Ice Cone tore through the air, rushing toward Jiang Chen. The wind it generated was like a blade, stinging his face.

Killing intent flashed in Jiang Chen’s eyes. His longsword danced, and golden Sword Qi shot through the air. Layer upon layer of Storm Sword Qi formed a raging gale of sword waves.

Each wave of the Sword Qi Storm crashed against the Ice Cone like a tidal wave against a cliff, shearing off a layer with every impact and sending shards of ice flying.

By the time it reached Jiang Chen, the Ice Cone had been whittled down to the thickness of an arm. He shattered it with a single finger poke!

Jiang Chen stood poised in midair, his sword in hand. His robes fluttered loudly in the wind, his black hair whipping about wildly. The Profound Ice Sword in his grip pulsed with a sharp Sword Aura. Like a War God in black armor, his blue-gold eyes stared down the massive Demon Flood Dragon as he spoke calmly, ”So this is all a Tier Two Medium Demon Beast amounts to!”