Upon the Ninth Celestial Palace.
The agonized screams of Snow Vajra echoed, making every expert present turn to look.
Previously, Snow Vajra had been relying on his Ancient Snow Ape bloodline. With his immensely powerful physical body, he had maintained a commanding lead on the Ninth Celestial Palace.
Second only to the Emperor Realm experts!
He was on the verge of ascending to the Sixth Celestial Palace and becoming an Inner Sect Disciple of the Mystic Sect.
But just as he was about to succeed, Jiang Chen had thrown him from the Sixth Celestial Palace, and he'd crashed down at the First Celestial Palace.
He was now lying on the ground, howling in agony.
Everyone couldn't help but gasp.
"This Jiang Chen is so damn domineering, isn't he?"
"How can he be that fast? Look, he's already reached the Sixth Celestial Palace!"
"Didn't the Mystic Sect Spirit say he could only reach the Fourth Celestial Palace at most? How is he this fast?"
At the very peak of the Ninth Celestial Palace.
The Mystic Sect Spirit looked at Jiang Chen, who had already entered the Sixth Celestial Palace and was still sprinting upward. A trace of shock appeared on its face, which had remained impassive for millennia. 'This little fellow actually managed to reach the Sixth Celestial Palace? Sigh, it seems I'm really getting old to have misjudged him so badly. Not bad, not bad at all. It looks like my Mystic Sect is about to gain another Inner Sect Disciple!'
Even back in the Ancient Era, geniuses who could ascend to the Sixth Celestial Palace and directly become an Inner Sect Disciple of the Mystic Sect were rare.
Now that the Ancestral Vein of the Eastern Continent had been severed, the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi was far less abundant than in the Ancient Era.
The fact that a genius like Jiang Chen could emerge in this age was indeed a source of great comfort for the Mystic Sect Spirit.
However…
It glanced down at the Ninth Celestial Palace below, shaking its head and sighing. 'What a pity… If the Mystic Sect is to reclaim its former glory, we need a peerless genius capable of ascending the Ninth Celestial Palace. Otherwise, we can never return to the heights of the Ancient Era. But… a genius of that caliber isn't so easily born. Unless, perhaps, those few little ones can take another step…'
Its gaze fell upon the eight Emperor Realm experts, a group that included the Asura Blood Emperor.
They had already charged past the Seventh Celestial Palace and were now advancing toward the Eighth.
Of the eight, the Celestial Secret Elder was the slowest. But his heart didn't seem to be in the race; he wore a constant, calm smile, moving as if on a leisurely stroll.
The strongest were the Asura Blood Emperor and the Dragon Emperor.
These two arch-rivals had been at each other's throats back in their Mystic Sect days, and now, they were just as unwilling to show any weakness!
Thanks to his True Dragon Bloodline, the Dragon Emperor's physical body was immensely powerful. Pulling slightly ahead of the Asura Blood Emperor, he laughed boisterously. "Asura, it looks like I'll be the one to have the last laugh this time!"
"Hmph!"
The Asura Blood Emperor snorted, his expression dark. "Don't celebrate too early. I may have spent most of the last hundred thousand years slumbering, but that doesn't mean my power hasn't grown!"
BOOM…
A Blood Cloud suddenly erupted from the Asura Blood Emperor's body.
This was his Martial Soul—the Hell Asura!
A terrifying Evil God that personified slaughter!
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
After unleashing his Martial God, the Asura Blood Emperor's speed doubled, and he caught up to the Dragon Emperor.
A flash of surprise crossed the Dragon Emperor's eyes as he sneered, "I didn't expect you to have already entered this Realm. It seems you really haven't wasted the last hundred thousand years. But do you think you're the only one who's improved? Behold my True Dragon Body!"
ROAR!
A resounding dragon's cry erupted from within the Dragon Emperor, its sound shaking the sky and echoing for thousands of miles.
A Five-Clawed Golden Dragon flew out from within him, bathed in brilliant golden light. Glistening Dragon Scales appeared on the Dragon Emperor's body as he strode forward, continuing his mad dash up the Ninth Celestial Palace.
Just as he and the Asura Blood Emperor were locked in a desperate race against each other,
a figure shot past like a gale-force wind, sprinting furiously up the Ninth Celestial Palace and steadily catching up to them!
"Hm?"
The leisurely Celestial Secret Elder paused his steps. He glanced back out of the corner of his eye and saw Jiang Chen, whose expression was firm as he pressed forward like an unstoppable Divine Sword. The corner of the elder's mouth curved into a smile. 'This boy, he really didn't disappoint me! I just wonder, which stage can he actually reach? The Eighth? The Ninth? Or perhaps that mysterious tenth stage?'
While the Celestial Secret Elder was lost in thought,
Jiang Chen had already caught up to him. He grinned. "Elder Celestial Secret, this junior will be going on ahead!"
"Haha, you little rascal, go on! Let them see your true talent, Jiang Chen!" the Celestial Secret Elder laughed warmly.
"Alright!"
Jiang Chen nodded.
He surged forward, and in no time, he had already caught up with the Witch Emperor.
'Could that be that old coot, Celestial Secret? Damn it, am I really going to be the last among the Emperor Realm experts?' the Witch Emperor thought, his face a mask of indignation.
SWOOSH!
A fierce wind blew past, making the Witch Emperor's body shudder. His eyes widened as he stared at Jiang Chen's rapidly shrinking back. "H-How could it be that kid?"
Emperor Ping Shan!
Emperor Feixue!
The Demon Emperor!
Jiang Chen charged onward, surpassing one Emperor Realm expert after another until he reached the Eighth Celestial Palace. Now, only three Emperor Realm experts remained ahead of him: the Sword Emperor, the Asura Blood Emperor, and the Dragon Emperor. He was rapidly closing the distance to the Sword Emperor, who sensed his approach and glanced back.
'It's him?'
The Sword Emperor's body trembled, and an icy glint flashed in his eyes. 'How is this little bastard so fast? I've only managed to endure this long because of my Sword Heart, and yet he's already caught up? Hmph, you want to surpass me? Dream on!'
SWISH!
A heaven-piercing Sword Aura erupted from the Sword Emperor's body, shooting straight toward Jiang Chen.
The corner of his mouth curled. "So what if your talent is high? A genius who has yet to mature is just an ant. I can kill you with a single thought!"
Just as the Sword Emperor was reveling in his smug satisfaction,
he felt a sharp, cold light sweeping toward him from behind. The Sword Emperor froze and glanced to the side, his pupils shrinking violently. An peerless Sword Aura was hurtling toward him with a SWISH. The Sword Emperor snorted. "A parlor trick!"
He spun around and jabbed a finger forward.
It was a casual finger jab from an Emperor Realm expert, but it was enough to grievously wound any ordinary expert at the Peak of Human Emperor Realm. His opponent today, however, was Jiang Chen!
BANG!
The peerless Sword Aura shattered the light from his finger and struck the completely unguarded Sword Emperor.
"H-How is this possible?" The Sword Emperor trembled. He felt his body suddenly halt, as if everything around him had frozen in place.
Against an Emperor Realm expert, Jiang Chen's time-stop ability could only be maintained for a tenth of a breath.
But that was more than enough time for Jiang Chen to surpass the Sword Emperor and raise his foot!
"You little bastard, how dare you…" The Sword Emperor was a mixture of shock and fury.
Shocked that Jiang Chen could actually immobilize him, and furious that Jiang Chen would dare to attack.
He was a mighty Emperor Realm expert!
Unfortunately for him…
None of this could stop Jiang Chen's kick. The Sword Emperor felt a sharp pain in his abdomen as he was sent flying high into the air. The last thing he saw was Jiang Chen's ice-cold face. "I never provoked you, but you tried to kill me. Sword Emperor? Get the hell down!"
"No—!"
Flight was impossible on the Ninth Celestial Palace. Thrown high into the air, the Sword Emperor was unable to stabilize his body and plummeted all the way back to the entrance.
Beside him lay the sprawled, pained figure of Snow Vajra.
The two of them locked eyes and let out a furious roar in unison, "Jiang Chen, may you die a horrible death!"
The entire Ninth Celestial Palace fell silent. Everyone was utterly aghast.
As for Jiang Chen…
He paid no mind to their furious roars. He was already right behind the Dragon Emperor and the Asura Blood Emperor, becoming the third expert to set foot on the Ninth Celestial Palace!