In front of the Infernal Demon Hall.
Three thousand Imperial Guards stood in perfect formation, every one of them at the Body Tempering Realm.
Beyond them, countless powerful cultivators were positioned in tight ranks, sealing off every path of escape for the master and disciple pair.
No way forward, no way back.
The sheer scale of the formation was nearly enough to be called a medium-scale war.
And all of this, just for one man.
A man bold enough to defy the entire world and force his way into the tenth level of the Infernal Demon Prison.
“Kill!”
Three thousand soldiers roared in unison.
The murderous aura radiating from their weapons surged forth, instantly coalescing into a fire dragon with fangs bared, charging toward Su Chen.
“Impressive momentum. Interesting.”
Su Chen halted his steps, his gaze flickering with a trace of curiosity.
In that instant, everything in heaven and earth froze.
The void trembled violently, spreading cracks through the air as if reality itself couldn’t withstand the pressure.
It was as if a force from the Primordial Era had descended—terrifying enough to pierce the heavens.
As for the fire dragon, it was already trembling, groveling at Su Chen’s feet.
“Urgh!”
The army’s formation collapsed.
Countless soldiers felt a bitter taste rise in their throats and vomited blood on the spot, all of them staring at Su Chen with wide-eyed terror.
“I don’t kill recklessly… as long as you don’t court death yourselves.”
Su Chen’s expression remained calm as he walked forward, holding Ruo Ximeng gently in his arms.
Each of his steps was steady and unhurried.
But—
With every step he took, the massive army involuntarily retreated.
Some even dropped to one knee, unable to stop themselves from kneeling.
***
A stunningly beautiful woman sat cross-legged in meditation.
Her long crimson hair cascaded over her shoulders like a waterfall.
Her bright eyes glowed with a faint red hue, as if capable of captivating souls with a single glance.
She wore a pale purple military robe adorned with intricate and mysterious patterns, each thread speaking of immense status and power.
She was the Flame Phoenix, War God of Great Yan.
A legendary general who had once single-handedly annihilated twelve barbarian armies.
In strategy, formation, and command, she was a peerless genius.
At this moment—
A chessboard floated before her, about ten inches wide.
Threads of spiritual energy acted as strands pulling across the board, which now displayed a live image of Infernal Demon Mountain.
“Does the War God have confidence in success?”
A eunuch in ornate robes asked in a soft, androgynous voice.
“A battle of slaughter… if I can calculate five parts of it, there’s already hope for victory. If I grasp eight parts, I can sweep the world.”
“But ten parts… how could that be possible?”
The Flame Phoenix let out a faint sigh, her gorgeous face tinged with wistfulness.
“I never thought… you’d return.”
“The Emperor has decreed. The War God must not let past feelings cloud judgment.”
“Understood.”
She gave a small nod.
Then, forming a hand seal, she summoned the world’s spiritual energy.
The chessboard before her began to radiate with a terrifying aura.
“With the heavens and earth as the cage—form the Tenfold Killing Array!”
***
At that very moment, in Infernal Demon Mountain—
The ground trembled violently.
Pillars of light shot up from the earth, and ancient runes and shackles surged from the depths of the prison, gathering in seven directions above.
Swords formed of killing intent, powered by earth-core strength and the laws of the world, descended from the heavens, slashing toward Su Chen.
The force was overwhelming.
Entire mountains nearby were instantly reduced to dust!
“The Tenfold Killing Array?! The War God has made her move!”
“As rumored, her power truly can shake the heavens. No matter how strong he is, can he really stand against the will of the world?”
“This… this is what happens when you defy Great Yan.”
The soldiers murmured in awe, clearly holding the War God in the highest reverence.
“Oh? Now this is the kind of power that piques my interest.”
Su Chen’s calm, mirror-like eyes finally showed a flicker of true excitement.
But that gaze—no matter how one looked at it—seemed more like he was admiring a novel toy, not sizing up a dangerous enemy.
***
The next second.
He gently placed Ruo Ximeng down, letting her lean against his shoulder.
With one hand now free, he slowly clenched his fist.
“Thirty percent strength… is that enough?”
In an instant, his punch erupted.
Before everyone’s stunned eyes, his fist collided violently with the sword of killing intent.
Under Su Chen’s terrifying power, the sword shattered inch by inch before dispersing entirely!
The sky-shattering might of the punch seemed to tear through the heavens themselves.
Even the entire Demon Prison Mountain trembled faintly from the impact!
Su Chen stood with his hands behind his back, eyes calm, exuding a dominating presence over the world.
[Credit where it’s due—Host has truly mastered the art of dramatic flair.]
The system’s mini avatar shut its eyes, as if unable to bear watching.
[So damn cool… it’s painful.]
Below, the experts of the Yan Empire were struck with fear.
That Tenfold Killing Array—infamous for annihilating multiple Ninth Heaven cultivators who had tried to seize the mountain—was destroyed just like that?
***
War God Manor.
Yan Phoenix tapped her finger rhythmically against the table, her gaze locked on the chessboard.
Suddenly, her expression changed.
The blood-colored sword piece on the board wavered, as if under immense pressure.
At that moment, a soldier rushed in, panic etched across his face.
“Report! Reporting to the War—War God!”
“We lost,” Yan Phoenix calmly announced before the soldier could finish.
The soldier immediately followed up, “The—The Sevenfold Killing Array… it’s broken!”
As soon as the words landed, the crimson sword piece on the board cracked violently.
Delicate runes across the board fractured as well.
“Such overwhelming brute strength… how can this be possible?”
Doubt flickered across Yan Phoenix’s exquisite face.
Her phoenix-like eyes soon hardened with resolution.
“This man is beyond any of them… inform everyone to—”
But a eunuch interrupted her mid-sentence.
“Kill him. At any cost.”
“Chief Eunuch?”
“His Majesty’s command. I cannot disobey.”
“…”
***
Demon Prison Hall.
Beyond the 3,000 Royal Guards, dozens more figures appeared—each wearing Flame Dragon garb and bearing command tokens at their waists.
The Flame Sovereign Guards!
Elite warriors personally handpicked and trained by the emperor—each one a peak martial artist.
The leading general of the Yan Empire narrowed his eyes, his footsteps thudding heavily as a vast aura belonging to the Divided Spirit Realm burst forth.
“Form the array! Kill the traitor!”
As his command echoed through the hall, thirty-six warriors moved into position, forming the Celestial Dipper Star Formation that sealed off Su Chen and his disciple completely.
So what if Su Chen had destroyed the Tenfold Killing Array?
They existed precisely as the empire’s final safeguard!
***
“Master…”
A soft, mosquito-like voice called out.
Ruo Ximeng slowly opened her eyes, clearly exhausted, yet filled with worry from the overwhelming pressure around them.
She hesitated for a moment, then bit her lip and whispered, “Master… if it comes to it, you can hand me over…”
Smack!
Su Chen flicked her forehead without hesitation, causing tears to well in her eyes from the unexpected pain.
“Idiot. Didn’t I tell you? With me here, you should walk with your head held high.”
“You can’t even handle a little turbulence. How can you call yourself my disciple?”
“Understand?”
“…Okay.”
Ruo Ximeng blinked her big, confused eyes, but still nodded obediently.
Even if she didn’t fully understand his words, the warmth and care in them were unmistakable.
***
“Celestial Dipper Demon-Slaying Formation!!”
The formation began to rotate rapidly, drawing in massive amounts of spiritual energy from the heavens and earth—so much so that even the aura of mountains and rivers nearby was being siphoned away.
Then came a wave of terrifying power, spreading through the heavens like ripples across a vast lake.
The earth trembled beneath it.
“Are you afraid?”
Su Chen’s voice remained calm as he gently pulled his disciple into his arms, shielding her from the storm.
Though her face was pale, Ruo Ximeng nestled into his chest and shook her head earnestly.
Su Chen smiled in satisfaction.
Then he softly said, “Always remember—so long as I’m here, no one in heaven or earth can harm you.”
BOOM!!