"You are unworthy!"

The icy voice boomed like a clap of thunder, followed immediately by a ripple of blue energy.

It was a single finger.

Blue light coiled around the finger, incredibly condensed, as it smashed directly into the Dustfall Sword.

You have to understand...

The Dustfall Sword was a proper Earth Tier High-level Profound Weapon—impossibly hard and peerlessly sharp, having tasted the blood of tens of thousands. Yet now, upon touching that blue finger, it let out a sharp *CLANG* and was immediately sent flying, torn from Jiang Chen’s hand.

The Dustfall Sword spun more than thirty times in midair, flying several hundred meters before finally landing.

With a *SHINK*, its blade plunged into the ground.

Only the hilt remained visible, humming above the earth.

Jiang Chen’s pupils contracted. He tapped his foot and shot backward, glancing down at his numb hand. A grave expression filled his eyes as he looked ahead.

There stood the figure of a young man in a blue robe.

With sword-like brows, star-like eyes, and a face as fine as jade, he possessed an imposing, heroic aura.

The moment he appeared, he was like a monarch ruling over the world, naturally drawing everyone’s gaze. It was as if he were the supreme king beneath the Celestial Vault.

This man...

...was none other than the Saint Martial Sword Sect’s number one prodigy, the Saint Child—Lan Haichen! 𝕗𝕣𝐞𝐞𝘄𝐞𝚋𝚗𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹.𝚌𝕠𝚖

"Senior Brother Lan, help me kill him! Kill this piece of trash!" The pleading look on Jiang Ziyou’s face vanished, replaced by a savage expression as she shrieked hysterically.

Lan Haichen nodded.

"A year ago, you were an ant, not even qualified to make me act—only able to grovel and struggle on the ground. I never expected that in a mere year, you could grow to such a level. It truly surprises me. With your talent, your future should have been limitless. A pity you had to offend Ziyou!"

His icy gaze swept over Jiang Chen, his eyes devoid of any emotion as he spoke indifferently, "I will give you two choices. First, cripple your own cultivation. Whether you live or die will be decided by Ziyou. Second, I will act, cripple your cultivation, break all four of your limbs, and then hand you over to Ziyou. Your life and death will still be her decision. You may choose!"

Brazen, arrogant, and utterly domineering!

He had offered Jiang Chen two choices, and both were dead ends.

He left no way out!

Jiang Chen sneered, "Lan Haichen, do you think the man standing before you is the same one from a year ago?"

’A year ago, when I faced Lan Haichen, I was utterly helpless. I couldn’t even withstand a single glance from him!’

’But now...’

’I’m strong enough to stand before him, backed by my own strength and confidence.’

Lan Haichen’s eyes narrowed. "Whether it was a year ago or a year from now," he said indifferently, "in my eyes, you are nothing but an ant. I can crush you with a flick of my hand. There is no difference!"

"Then let’s see you try!"

Jiang Chen said, his voice level. He made a grasping motion with his hand, and the Dustfall Sword, hundreds of meters away, *hummed* as it flew back and landed in his palm.

"Fine. If you can survive one attack from me, I’ll leave your corpse intact!" Lan Haichen’s expression was icy.

He spread his five fingers, which resembled a giant tiger’s claw, as he slammed his palm down toward Jiang Chen.

VMMMMM—

As the palm descended from the sky, each finger was like a sky-propping pillar, carrying a terrifying power as it bore down to crush Jiang Chen.

Jiang Chen stood his ground with his sword, thrusting it proudly toward the sky-blotting palm that descended from the Celestial Vault. "Cyan Lotus Sword Song—Nine Heavens Milky Way!"

ROAR—

The Sword Qi converged into a silver river, like an enraged silver dragon charging toward the giant palm.

"Perish!"

Lan Haichen snorted coldly.

His palm clenched. The sky-blotting hand seized the silver dragon and squeezed. *BOOM!* With a massive explosion, the silver river of sword light burst apart. Lan Haichen’s palm then opened, its momentum unbroken as it continued hurtling toward Jiang Chen.

Jiang Chen continuously activated his Sword Technique to defend himself, but he couldn’t keep up with the palm’s speed.

BAM—

He was sent flying, hurtling back a full hundred meters before he managed to steady himself.

The blood in his body roiled violently. If not for his Divine Demon Tyrant Body having reached the Late Stage of the Third Stage, making his physical body comparable to a High-grade Earth Tier Profound Weapon, that single impact would have shattered more than half the bones in his body.

A shocked look appeared in Jiang Chen’s eyes as he stared at Lan Haichen. ’As expected of the man hailed as the strongest genius in the history of the Saint Martial Sword Sect. I’ve already advanced to the Heavenly Destiny Realm Third Stage, yet the gap between us is still this huge?’

Although he was shocked, Jiang Chen was not discouraged.

’A year ago, I couldn’t even withstand a single glance from him. Now, I actually have the strength to face him head-on.’

’If I just had a little more time, surpassing Lan Haichen wouldn’t be impossible!’

A battle intent like raging flames surged in Jiang Chen’s eyes.

Lan Haichen let out a soft "Hm?" His frigid gaze landed on Jiang Chen, his expression thoughtful. "What a powerful physique. My last strike was strong enough to shatter an Earth Tier Medium-level Profound Weapon. It seems you’ve had quite a few fortuitous encounters this past year! But no matter how many encounters you’ve had, you won’t escape death today!"

With that, Lan Haichen prepared to strike again.

But just then...

A ray of light shot through the air and blocked his path. It was none other than the Grand Elder, Dai Zhenbang.

"Hm?"

Lan Haichen was taken aback. His brow furrowed, and he asked with an icy expression, "Grand Elder, are you trying to stop me from killing him?"

Dai Zhenbang looked at Lan Haichen and said in a deep voice, "Lan Haichen, I am, after all, the one presiding over this Celestial Fate Hunting. Earlier, when you wanted Jiang Ziyou and Jiang Chen to fight, I gave you enough face. Now that a winner has been decided between them, for you to attack Jiang Chen again is going a bit too far!"

"Hmph, so what if I’ve gone too far? I am going to kill him. Can you stop me?" Lan Haichen said disdainfully.

Dai Zhenbang’s face darkened, a flash of anger in his eyes. "Lan Haichen," he said in a low voice, "don’t push it."

"Hahaha..."

Lan Haichen suddenly let out a cold laugh. He looked at Dai Zhenbang with a smirk and said lightly, "Grand Elder, why so agitated? Fine. For your sake, I’ll spare his pathetic life for now. However..."

Lan Haichen casually waved his hand, sending out a burst of blue True Essence light.

From within the light, mysterious runes flew out and entered Jiang Ziyou’s body.

Inside Jiang Ziyou’s body, a white hexagram emitted a gentle white light, nourishing her injured body and healing all her broken bones. In just an instant, the critically injured and dying Jiang Ziyou was fully recovered. This was the power of the Profound Light Realm’s Core—it could bring the dead back to life and restore flesh to bone!

It was equivalent to having a second life!

Jiang Ziyou stood behind Lan Haichen, her expression icy as she glared at Jiang Chen, her hatred soaring. "Senior Brother Lan, I beg you to seek justice for Ziyou!"

Lan Haichen nodded, glanced at Jiang Chen with a smirk, and then swept his cold gaze over the hundred thousand Inner Sect experts. His calm voice boomed like thunder, deafening all who heard it. "Members of the Celestial Alliance, listen up! During this Celestial Fate Hunting, our Celestial Alliance’s primary target is to kill Jiang Chen!"

"Furthermore, any member of the Saint Martial Sword Sect participating in this Celestial Fate Hunting, regardless of affiliation, who manages to kill Jiang Chen will be rewarded. After the hunt concludes, I will personally bestow upon them the first-place prize as an encouragement."

As soon as these words were spoken, Martial Saint Peak fell deathly silent.

After a moment of stunned silence, countless fervent gazes all turned to land on Jiang Chen.

Like a pack of starving wolves staring at a delicious meal.

At that moment...

Jiang Chen could feel that he was trapped in a perilous situation, having become a thorn in the side of every Inner Sect Disciple of the Saint Martial Sword Sect. Besides the Celestial Alliance, he feared that even the other experts who held no grudge against him would now come for his life, tempted by the great reward Lan Haichen had promised.

’Just one sentence from Lan Haichen, and I’ve been cast into a situation where everyone is my enemy, besieged on all sides.’

Jiang Chen clenched his fists, a thick killing intent churning in his eyes as he met the countless gazes filled with greed and cold-blooded murderous intent...

’So all of you want to kill me? Fine, come then! Anyone who comes for my life, I will make sure you... WILL! NOT! RETURN!’