Chương 552: Chapter 551: Where's My Big Protector?

As a Mahayana elder of the Devouring Lineage, Fang Qing had seen it all. No grand scene fazed him. But entering Ye Chen's small world left him utterly shocked, his eyes questioning reality itself. Immortal roots—everywhere! True Dragon Undying Herb, True Phoenix Undying Herb, Qilin Undying Herb, Sacred Peach Tree, Enlightenment Tea, Moon Laurel Immortal Tree… The more he saw, the wider his eyes grew, his excitement soaring. But at the center, his fervor froze.

A golden divine tree, radiant like a sun, each branch gleaming like molten gold. Another immortal root, but its aura was terrifying, making even a Mahayana cultivator like him tremble, feeling insignificant. The Fusang Divine Tree! Fang Qing nearly roared, overwhelmed by its legendary aura. Glancing at Ye Chen, smiling atop the sun-like tree, Fang Qing instinctively looked back, hoping for an escape. Futile. Looking up, he spotted more.

A massive bronze coffin, exuding an ancient aura, floated in the sky, as if an ancient god slumbered within. Below it, a blood-red saber radiated terrifying immortal killing intent. An immortal weapon! Ye Chen had an immortal weapon? Beneath it, a sword and a golden staff, both exuding fearsome auras. Extreme Dao Weapons! Many Mahayana cultivators lacked even one, yet Ye Chen had two. With his experience, Fang Qing recognized them instantly: The Heavenly Emperor Sword, the Compliant Golden-Hooped Rod!

Both top-tier Extreme Dao Weapons. His mouth twitched. This small world was absurd, its value surpassing most holy lands. Turning back, his eyes cleared as he looked at Ye Chen.

"Fellow Daoist Ye, let's resolve this peacefully…" But Ye Chen was tired of such nonsense. Without giving Fang Qing a chance to ramble, a branch of the Fusang Divine Tree whipped through the air. An indescribable force filled the world. In an instant, Fang Qing let out a horrified wail. Then, with a boom, his body exploded… … Outside, the sudden Mahayana cultivator startled Elder Mo and the Holy Master. They rushed forward. Though they trusted Ye Chen, the gap between Unity and Mahayana was vast.

They needed to rescue him immediately, hoping he could hold out briefly. Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. But then they were stunned—Ye Chen had a small world? He vanished into it in a flash. They sighed in relief, only to frown again as Fang Qing slipped inside. Yet when the small world's entrance vanished, they relaxed once more. They knew Ye Chen too well. He wasn't foolish enough to trap himself.

If he lacked confidence, he'd have left the entrance open for their aid. Closing it meant he feared Fang Qing escaping. Exchanging glances, they scanned Ying Tiansheng and Holy Maiden of Heavenly Intention, then returned to the sky. They watched the Central Continent Nether God elders pummel Heavenly Intention's "bumpkin" elders. Ying Tiansheng was stunned. Two Mahayana cultivators arrived, and he'd braced for self-destruction to escape. Yet they glanced and left? Such confidence?

Did Ye Chen have another trump card? But Fang Qing was Mahayana—a different level of existence. No matter Ye Chen's cards, he should be dead. The bizarre scene made Ying Tiansheng, once certain of victory, worry again. Beside him, the concern in Yi Qingwu's eyes eased slightly. In the next instant, the void rippled, a portal appearing. Ye Chen stepped out calmly, unchanged from when he entered. Ying Tiansheng's pupils shrank, locking onto Ye Chen's right hand. He was holding half a corpse!

And that face—wasn't it Fang Qing, who'd followed him in? How long had it been? Twenty breaths? How did this happen? Seeing Fang Qing's body, devoid of soul but still biologically active, Ying Tiansheng felt a chill. Where's my Mahayana protector? Ruined in such a short time? His gaze on Ye Chen held only terror. This was too absurd. Ye Chen smirked, tossing Fang Qing's soulless body—now in the Human Emperor Banner—toward Ying Tiansheng.

"Here, devour this too." Ying Tiansheng's face flushed with rage. Humiliation—utter humiliation. But Ye Chen was too terrifying. He grabbed the body without hesitation, instantly refining its origin. Despair drove him to seize any chance to turn the tables. He didn't know how Fang Qing was ruined—likely not Ye Chen's own power, perhaps a supreme killing array in the small world. He might not die yet.

Fang Qing's King Body wasn't top-tier, but as a Mahayana cultivator, its development was advanced, granting Ying Tiansheng a massive boost, nearly breaking through to the late Unity realm. He glared at Ye Chen, unfolding his domain. Countless petals appeared, brimming with lethal force, aiming to overwhelm Ye Chen. Ye Chen watched calmly, activating his own domain. In Unity realm battles, domains were essential—being trapped in an enemy's domain meant suppression and potential defeat.

Cultivators typically maintained their domains, clashing remotely with techniques. But as Ye Chen's domain expanded like a tide toward Ying Tiansheng, despite the latter's strong domain, it couldn't resist. It was pushed back, compressed relentlessly. In the next moment, Ying Tiansheng realized in horror he was engulfed in Ye Chen's domain. How vast was Ye Chen's yin-yang foundation in Deity Transformation to produce such a terrifying domain right after breaking through to Unity? Ying Tiansheng questioned reality.

Last time he was cleaved, he thought the gap with Ye Chen would shrink. Now, he saw it had only widened. He activated the Myriad Transformations Holy Art, bracing himself. Ye Chen ignored the countless petals assaulting him, speaking calmly, "Two lives as one!" As he spoke, his domain's power surged. Ying Tiansheng's eyes widened, filled with terror and disbelief. Because he, truly, was splitting apart again!