After obtaining the Yin-Yang inheritance, I became invincible.

The hearts of hundreds of thousands of people present were in their throats, and they were all worried for Yun Chen.

Those were the pinnacle of the Great Xia's fighting strength, three powerful experts at the ninth-rank Martial Venerable level.

"kill!"

Wen Huacheng took the initiative, his boundless true energy transforming into a gigantic azure hand that blotted out the sky, and he slammed down with the ultimate technique of the Qingyun Sect.

Gu Qingchen drew his longsword, and countless sword energies poured down like a silver river, blocking all of Yun Chen's escape routes.

Lu Buhuan then waved his folding fan, and a swirling miasma mixed with fierce winds swept in from the flanks.

All three were eager to kill Yun Chen, so they used their ultimate killing moves without any intention of testing him.

The combined attack of the three ninth-rank martial masters caused the heavens and earth to change color, and the hundreds of thousands of people below the stage almost suffocated.

"Well done!"

Yun Chen's eyes surged with fighting spirit, and his aura as a seventh-grade Martial Venerable erupted without reservation.

"roar--!"

The dragon's roar, which resounded throughout the heavens and the earth, shocked the surrounding area!

As golden light emanated from Yun Chen's left chest, the five-clawed golden dragon Dharma image, which was ten zhang tall, shone with boundless brilliance, suddenly illuminating the night sky.

"Defying the Heavens—Slay!"

With a clear and melodious sword cry, the Saint-level divine weapon, the Heaven-Defying Sword, erupted with dazzling crimson flames.

Yun Chen swung his sword, and the sword light transformed into a roaring crimson fire dragon, instantly tearing apart the poisonous miasma and sword energy that filled the sky.

"boom--!"

The giant blue hand crumbled like paper before the fire dragon.

Wen Huacheng groaned, his hands split open at the base of his thumbs, and he flew backward, spitting out blood.

Gu Qingchen's longsword clashed with the Heaven-Defying Sword. With a "crack," the Heaven-Rank Divine Weapon that had accompanied him for decades was directly severed. The terrifying aftershocks of the sword intent caused him to bleed from all seven orifices and crash heavily onto the edge of the arena.

Lu Buhuan was terrified at the sight and was about to retreat when Yun Chen appeared in front of him like a ghost.

"It's too late to leave now."

Yun Chen's left palm, imbued with scorching pure Yang energy, lightly touched Lü Buhuan's chest.

"Extreme Yang transforms into Yin!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the scorching yang energy instantly turned icy cold, freezing Lü Buhuan's protective qi.

Lu Buhuan's face turned deathly pale. He felt as if his meridians were frozen by an eternal ice, and he fell straight to the ground.

The three outstanding figures in the martial arts world of Great Xia—utterly defeated!

Everyone could see that the martial arts foundation of these three heroes was probably completely destroyed.

The entire room was deathly silent; you could hear a pin drop.

Yun Chen glanced at the three heroes lying on the ground. "I'm in a pretty good mood today. You guys, get out of here!"

As if granted a pardon, the three staggered to their feet, ran a few steps before falling down, but stubbornly got up again and continued running.

His disheveled appearance evoked a wave of emotions among the audience.

However, the smile on Yan Ruyu's lips never faded.

"As expected of a pure yang body that integrates various constitutions. You also benefited a lot from the qi within Xiangxiang and Ningning's bodies."

Yun Chen turned around and looked at her.

"Aren't you afraid?"

Yan Ruyu smiled gently, remaining calm as ever.

"You are indeed a martial arts prodigy that has been seen only once in the past hundred years in the Great Xia Dynasty. You reached the level of a seventh-grade Martial Venerable at the age of twenty-four. Moreover, every breakthrough you have made is perfect. Therefore, fighting against opponents of higher levels is as easy as eating and drinking for you."

"Those three good-for-nothings, who have been pampered for years, have no interest in improving their martial arts skills whatsoever, except for fame and fortune. Their defeat to you was inevitable."

Yun Chen stared at Yan Ruyu with considerable surprise.

"So, you're saying you're better than them?"

Yan Ruyu lowered her eyes and smiled softly.

"I'll kill them like dogs!"

As she finished speaking, a gentle aura flowed slowly around her, as if moonlight were flowing over her.

Unlike ordinary martial artists, the aura she exuded inspired a sense of longing in others.

The combined power of the three heroes just now couldn't compare to even a fraction of what she was feeling now.

"Martial Saint!"

As Tantai Yin exclaimed those two words, he involuntarily took two steps back.

Although there is only a fine line between Martial Venerable and Martial Saint, once one becomes a Martial Saint, the aura around them is no longer within the scope of worldly understanding.

Legend has it that the Martial Saint realm is the state closest to that of an immortal in a world where spiritual energy has become scarce, the laws of the Great Dao are lost, and humans can no longer cultivate immortality.

Ancient texts record that if a Martial Saint reaches his peak, he will be able to fully comprehend the missing Great Dao Laws.

At this moment, what flowed around Yan Ruyu was no longer true energy, but a form similar to spiritual energy.

No one expected that the leader of the Holy Sect had reached such a level.

Upon seeing this, Chu Meiniang was overjoyed.

"Sister Yu, kill Yun Chen! I guarantee that the position of Grand Preceptor of Great Xia and the leader of the Martial Arts Alliance will be yours!"

Yan Ruyu flipped her palm, and a cold, ethereal moon slowly condensed in her palm.

That seemingly gentle moonlight contained a terrifying pressure that distorted the entire space.

"Yun Chen, it is indeed amazing that you were able to defeat those three trash with your seventh-grade Martial Venerable realm. But in front of a true Martial Saint, you are still just an ant."

Yan Ruyu's voice was soft, yet it clearly reached the ears of everyone present.

The next second, without her moving, the illusory moon transformed into a silver pillar of light that pierced through the heavens and earth, crashing down upon Yun Chen.

This attack, without a deafening explosion, carried an aura of despair and annihilation, as if even the surrounding light was being swallowed up by this power.

A fierce glint flashed in Yun Chen's eyes, and the pure Yang fire within his body surged wildly. The golden dragon dharma form let out a high-pitched dragon roar.

He gripped the Heaven-Defying Sword tightly with both hands, and crimson flames shot into the sky, transforming into a fire dragon tens of feet long, roaring as it charged towards the silver pillar of light.

"boom--!"

Crimson and silver collided violently in mid-air, and a violent energy ripple instantly swept across the entire plaza.

However, the anticipated evenly matched contest did not materialize.

The seemingly indestructible pure yang fire dragon melted away as quickly as ice and snow meeting the blazing sun the moment it came into contact with the silver pillar of light.

The vast gap between the realms of Martial Saint and Martial Venerable was vividly displayed at this moment.

"Click..."

Fine cracks appeared on the surface of the ten-zhang-tall five-clawed golden dragon statue, and then it shattered in the horrified gazes of the crowd, turning into golden light that dissipated into the sky.

"puff!"

Yun Chen was struck as if by lightning, spitting out a mouthful of blood. The Heaven-Defying Sword in his hand was also shaken and flew out of his hand, the blade emitting a mournful tremor.

His clothes were torn to shreds, and on his bare chest, a deep, bone-revealing silver palm print emanated a chilling aura, constantly eroding his pure yang energy.

He knelt on one knee, supporting himself on the ground with both hands, his body swaying precariously.

On the Dragon Alliance viewing platform, Qiao Zhiyao, Luo Yuning, Han Ziyan and other women were filled with rage upon seeing this, and desperately wanted to rush onto the stage.

"Don't move!"

Yun Chen wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, forced himself to stand up with one hand, and sternly stopped everyone.

He took a deep breath, and the Yin-Yang Dragon Transformation Technique within his body circulated wildly, barely suppressing the chaotic Moon Essence True Qi within him, but his face remained as pale as paper.

"Is this... the power of a Martial Saint?"

Yun Chen stared at Yan Ruyu.

On the high platform, Chu Meiniang trembled with excitement and burst into laughter:

"Yun Chen, this is the consequence of opposing the royal family!"

Tantai Zhaoting also shouted excitedly, "Master, kill him!"

Tantai Yin frowned, looking at Yun Chen, whose face was pale on the arena. A complex look flashed in his eyes, but he ultimately did not speak.

Yan Ruyu slowly withdrew her jade hand, looking down at Yun Chen as if she were looking at a struggling prey.

"Your pure Yang body is indeed domineering. If I had another three years, perhaps I really wouldn't have been able to suppress you. But unfortunately, you no longer have that chance."

She raised her hand, and an even more dazzling moonlight gathered in her palm once more.

Yun Chen wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, slowly straightened up, and with a backhand inhale, the Heaven-Defying Sword transformed into a red light and fell back into his hand.

"You...can still move?"

Yan Ruyu's stunningly beautiful face was filled with shock.

"If I had used your pure Yang blood back then, I might have already comprehended all the laws by now."

Her brows furrowed, and her tone became sharp.

"Why do you defy the heavens? Wouldn't it be better to obediently become my food, just like your father?"

As she finished speaking, the illusory image of the moon in her palm slowly floated above Yun Chen's head.

The next second, Yun Chen's skin turned crimson, and his eyes became bloodshot.

Blood seeped from every pore of his body, only to be absorbed by the pale moon above his head.

"Yun Chen, when I ascend to immortality, it will be a karmic debt for your next life! I will accept your blood!"

At this point, many martial artists below the stage could no longer bear to watch.

"Damn it! That old hag is a man-eating monster!"

"We cannot let the Dragon Lord die!"

"Help!"

Chaos erupted as hundreds of martial artists leaped onto the stage, weapons in hand, and charged toward Yun Chen and Yan Ruyu.

"You old hag! Prepare to die!"

Hundreds of martial artists gathered their energy in one place.

"kill!"

A vast aura, like a river overflowing its banks, surged toward Yan Ruyu.

With a loud "boom".

No one expected that the immense power capable of flattening a small mountain would be blocked by an invisible barrier.

"This is... a Martial Saint's Barrier?"

After experiencing it firsthand, despair was written all over everyone's faces.

At this moment, Yun Chen inside the barrier was covered in blood.

The pale moon above his head was expanding and turning blood red.

However, everyone noticed that he seemed to be muttering something to himself.

"..."

"The Way of Heaven is flawed!"

"Yin and Yang as the guide... Dragon blood as the foundation..."

"Only by relying on predestined connections and cultivating one's character can one hope to rise to prominence!"

"..."

He remained kneeling on one knee, his eyes closed, and the muttering under his breath grew louder and louder.

In the vast square, it seemed that only his voice, which gradually grew stronger, could be heard.

Hundreds of thousands of eyes were fixed on Yun Chen, hoping for a miracle to happen.

As Yun Chen's voice grew stronger, everyone was surprised to find that the crimson moon above his head was slowly losing its crimson color.

The blood that Youyue had just absorbed was now starting to flow back into the body.

Yun Chen's blood energy became abundant again, and his body emitted a faint golden light.

"No...impossible!"

Yan Ruyu exclaimed in surprise.

"You're actually absorbing the spiritual energy of my Dharma form? Damn it!"

"Stop right there!"

Yan Ruyu's face contorted as she desperately tried to sever the connection by channeling her inner energy, only to find that the spiritual energy within her body was uncontrollably and wildly surging into Yun Chen's body.

"boom--!"

"boom--!"

Three breaths apart, Yun Chen broke through twice to the astonishment of the crowd, reaching the peak of the ninth-grade Martial Venerable.

Before the shock on everyone's faces could fade, a loud explosion shook the entire square.

"Martial... Martial Saint! Dragon Lord... he's also been called a Saint in martial arts!"

Just then, Yun Chen suddenly opened his eyes, and golden light burst forth from them.

He slowly rose, his blood and qi flowing like an abyss, and his originally shattered five-clawed golden dragon form surged in the wind!

"roar--!"

The dragon's roar, which shattered the heavens, resounded throughout the capital.

Amidst the dazzling golden light, a five-clawed golden dragon, hundreds of feet long, rose from the ground and coiled in the night sky.

The ethereal moon-shaped dharma image, with a diameter exceeding five zhang, was swallowed whole by the golden dragon.

The enormous dragon's body obscured the stars and moon, and its terrifying dragon might instantly crushed Yan Ruyu's Martial Saint Barrier into dust.

"This... how is this possible! You actually broke through to a higher realm at the last moment!" Yan Ruyu was horrified, and fear finally showed in her eyes.

Yun Chen held the Heaven-Defying Sword, its crimson flames perfectly blending with the pure Yang energy of the hundred-foot golden dragon.

He gripped the sword with both hands and swung it with all his might.

"Defying the Heavens—Slay!"

The hundred-foot-long golden dragon roared and swooped down, transforming into a crimson-gold sword beam that pierced through the heavens and earth.

Yan Ruyu screamed in despair, frantically gathering the light of the dark moon in an attempt to resist, but it was all in vain in the face of absolute power.

"boom!"

The crimson-gold sword light tore through the illusory moon with overwhelming force, striking Yan Ruyu squarely.

Her proud Martial Saint body crumbled inch by inch under the devouring of the golden dragon's raging flames. Before she could even let out a scream, she was reduced to ashes in this earth-shattering attack, turning into countless ashes that dissipated with the wind.

The entire arena fell silent. Hundreds of thousands of people stared blankly at the proud figure standing on the stage with a sword in hand, as if they were looking up at a true god.

Yun Chen's cold gaze fell on Chu Meiniang and Tantai Zhaoting, who seemed to have their souls emptied.

"No...don't kill me!"

"Don't kill Ting'er! You... whatever you want, I'll give you!"

Before Chu Meiniang and Tantai Zhaoting could finish speaking, Yun Chen casually waved his hand.

"puff--!"

"puff--!"

Two plumes of blood mist exploded.

The Empress and Crown Prince of the Great Xia Dynasty vanished into thin air.

Everyone stared at Yun Chen.

Although it was still the same person, they felt that Yun Chen seemed different.

That's the demeanor and aura that only those who stand at the pinnacle possess.

Without a trace of affectation, every gesture and movement gives one a sense of awe and admiration.

Yun Chen himself felt that many things that he couldn't understand before had become clear in that moment.

Even the perspective from which we see the world has changed.

"It turns out that the human body is a microcosm, and the Great Dao of Heaven and Earth has never truly been severed, but is hidden in the deepest part of the dust of the flesh."

"Even if the spiritual energy of the outside world is depleted, we can still generate endless spiritual power by seeking within ourselves and creating our own universe."

After talking to himself, Yun Chen shook his head with a wry smile.

"Even if you chase after something to the very end, it's just a new beginning!"

As Chu Meiniang and Tantai Zhaoting turned into a blood mist, Emperor Tantai Yin of the Great Xia Dynasty seemed to age ten years in an instant.

He looked at Yun Chen, who was like a god on the arena, sighed deeply, turned and left, his back view desolate.

Yun Chen stood with his hands behind his back, his gaze sweeping over the hundreds of thousands of martial artists below the stage, his voice calm yet awe-inspiring:

"The Martial Arts Alliance aims to protect the people of Great Xia, not to fight for power and profit. The position of Alliance Leader will be taken over by Xiao Ruolan of the Dragon Alliance."

"We humbly obey the Dragon Lord's decree!" Hundreds of thousands of people shouted in unison, their voices shaking the heavens.

……

The following morning, a major piece of news spread throughout the capital.

The Chu family was wiped out by angry Dragon Fans and members of the Martial Arts Alliance.

Three years later.

Canghai City, Wanghai Peak.

Nestled between mountains and the sea, this place became imbued with spiritual energy after Yun Chen moved there, becoming a sacred land revered by everyone in the Great Xia martial arts world, and also Yun Chen and his Red Beauty Group's paradise.

Under the afternoon sun, Yun Chen lay comfortably on the rosewood rocking chair in the courtyard, playing with the Heaven-Defying Sword that had lost its murderous aura.

"Honey, what are you daydreaming about? Are you still reminiscing about the old days of fighting and killing?"

Xiao Ruolan, Su Luowei, and Qian Jinyu, dressed in smart business attire, walked over with tablets, wanting to report on the recent developments of the Dragon Alliance and the Yun Clan Business Empire.

Before Yun Chen could speak, a fragrant breeze wafted over.

Qiao Zhiyao and Ding Xiang, dressed in revealing swimsuits, each hugged his arm from either side.

"Stop the meeting, hurry up and take off your clothes and go swimming together, Sister Yanyan is all ready."

"Yes, all that's missing is my husband, this human furnace, to help 'add fuel to the fire'."

"You bunch of demons, do you really think I'm made of iron?"

Yun Chen gave a wry smile. Although he complained, his eyes were full of doting affection.

Xiao Hanyi and Lin Ruoxi carried over freshly brewed spiritual tea, while Zou Lingshuang and Liu Piaopiao chatted and laughed as they trimmed potted plants. Luo Yuning, meanwhile, quietly wiped her longsword not far away, a faint smile on her lips.

Looking at the vibrant scene before him, Yun Chen picked up his spirit tea, took a sip, and gazed at the azure sea.

So what if he's a martial saint?

So what if you ascend to immortality?

The human body is a microcosm. While seeking within oneself can generate endless spiritual power, without the entanglements of the mortal world and the warmth of everyday life, the so-called "Great Dao" is nothing more than a cold prison.

The most difficult spiritual practice in this world is never about defying fate, but about guarding the gentleness around you.

He stood up, stretched, and a wicked yet blissful smile curled at the corners of his mouth.

"The weather's so nice today, let's all go to the beach and have a party!"

"Yay!"

The laughter startled the white gulls in the woods, which flew towards the boundless blue sea and sky, bathed in the bright sunshine.

(End of the book)