Chapter 554: Chief Director Zhang, do you have an opinion on me cultivating here?

A long time later.

"Looking at it this way, there are no problems." Xia Hanzhou spoke, his eyes bursting with a look of pleasant surprise:

"The Chen Clan wants to hinder you, but in my eyes, a mere forty-fold difficulty cannot stop you!"

Hearing this, a hint of a smile appeared in Chen Yan's eyes: "That would be best."

Immediately following, Chen Yan said:

"As I am now, how much am I still lacking to deal with an early-stage Eighth Rank?"

Xia Hanzhou opened his mouth:

"The Eighth Rank can no longer be considered a martial artist; in this world, no one at the Creation Realm has ever been able to defeat an Eighth Rank.

You are still far off."

He smiled, though his head still felt somewhat dizzy.

After all, that move of Chen Yan's had directly attacked his will.

Xia Hanzhou would never admit it—could this even be considered being injured?

How could that be?

Xia Hanzhou smiled and left directly.

He only breathed a sigh of relief once he had flown above the sea area.

"Damn it, what exactly is the Path of Will? In that instant, even my own defensive will was suppressed for a moment."

Fortunately, Chen Yan hadn't noticed.

Otherwise, he really would have lost face.

Inside the Huo Yu.

Crack, crack, crack.

The sound of bones popping rang out.

Chen Yan twisted his neck.

"Eighth Rank, is it still that far from me?"

Chen Yan murmured:

"But if others at the Creation Realm cannot fight the Eighth Rank, why can't I?"

His eyes were bright, carrying a trace of fighting spirit.

A jade tablet appeared before him.

It was the one Xia Hanzhou had given him earlier, engraved with the complete 【Phantom Slaughter Dragon-Culling Style】.

Since there was still time, Chen Yan would not let a single second go to waste.

"Now even the pressure from cultivation has vanished," Chen Yan murmured.

After consuming the True Dragon Flame Marrow, there was naturally no more pressure for body tempering.

"I can finally go on a complete rampage."

Chen Yan murmured, a strong desire for battle erupting from the bottom of his heart.

The next instant, Chen Yan flew toward the edge of the Huo Yu, using the waterfalls of fire to fly layer by layer into the deepest part.

Extreme high temperatures struck instantly, and Chen Yan's physical body immediately began to split and tear.

"This feeling is better."

Chen Yan stepped within the blinding, scorching white world, unleashing his Immortal Will to begin repairing his physical body.

【Forging the Expansion of the Firmament】, activate.

Chen Yan stepped into the sea of fire.

Within it, the auras of powerful fire beasts had completely locked onto Chen Yan.

This was the one-hundredth layer of the Huo Yu!

Extreme pressure!

"What defeats me is never the pressure itself, but my heart's attitude toward that pressure!"

Chen Yan murmured:

"And the more I destroy that pressure, the more infinitely powerful my heart will become!"

The fire filling the sky sought to incinerate everything of Chen Yan's physical body, but that immortal radiance extended everything about Chen Yan infinitely.

Here, everything was evaporating and vanishing; everything was being burned and destroyed.

This was the deep core of the earth!

Roar, roar, roar!!!

Terrifying fire beasts erupted with endless shrieks.

"Good, good, good. To think there's an idiot who delivered himself to my door." A low roar resounded, and a pair of beast eyes that pierced through the Huo Yu locked onto Chen Yan:

"Die!"

Following this, the terrifying roar echoed out.

The entire one-hundredth layer began to shake.

A massive creature a thousand meters tall stood up in the depths of the endless sea of fire.

Its thousand-meter-tall body crushed layers of magma and fire; wherever its feet stepped, the temperature of the scorching flames rose sharply.

Following this, the fire giant smashed toward Chen Yan, its lethal temperature nearly obliterating every trace of Chen Yan's existence.

The fire firmament collapsed, and flames surged across the sky.

At the same time, Chen Yan's momentum changed instantly.

As his arms danced like a long dragon surging, a pitch-black point of light condensed beside Chen Yan.

The will surged, cleansing like the sea!

The next instant.

Boom!

Chen Yan transformed into a streak of light and crashed toward that flame giant.

Boom, boom, boom!!!

Flames and fist shadows collided with one another.

The entire one-hundredth layer of the Huo Yu was stirred into layers of terrifying fire waves.

…………

Time passed slowly.

Only two days remained until the Five Clans Struggle!

"The fire beasts are getting fewer and fewer; it couldn't really be Zhang Ting, could it?"

"It is him; who else could it be besides him?"

"His strength is actually this formidable."

"Never mind whether he's strong or not, the fact that he won't admit it is the most ridiculous part; what is there to hide?"

Sounds of discussion rang out within the Huo Yu.

Beside Shen Yiwei, Li Mushen and Wang Dao were talking.

Shen Yiwei's expression, however, sank; Zhang Ting was becoming stronger and stronger.

It was also at this moment.

A figure appeared not far from Shen Yiwei.

Shen Xin.

Shen Xin looked at Shen Yiwei indifferently, but upon recalling the other's experiences over these past few years, his attitude softened significantly, and he said:

"Little Shen, I have something to tell you."

Shen Yiwei stood up:

"Director Shen."

He and Shen Xin had almost no interaction, and he did not know why the other had come to find him.

Shen Xin gave a bitter laugh, and only after walking a distance away with Shen Yiwei did he say:

"Little Shen, you discovered Chen Yan; for the Great Xia, your contribution is immeasurable."

Shen Yiwei's brows furrowed slightly:

"Director Shen, please speak directly."

"It is like this." Shen Xin gritted his teeth; there were some things he absolutely could not say.

But if he were to let himself not strive for something at this moment, he could not do that either.

"I want you to persuade Chen Yan to give up on the Five Clans Struggle."

Shen Yiwei's expression changed slightly:

"Have you told King Xiayue?"

"I have, but King Xiayue trusts Chen Yan too much." Shen Xin sighed in distress.

"Since King Xiayue hasn't said anything, there is nothing I can do."

Shen Yiwei pushed the matter away.

"You...!" Shen Xin frowned:

"What if I told you that Chen Yan definitely cannot enter the Five Clans Struggle?"

Shen Yiwei narrowed his eyes:

"Then it is useless for you to tell me."

Shen Xin's expression changed slightly, and he looked at Shen Yiwei carefully:

"Shen Yiwei, I am painstakingly trying to persuade you; how can you..."

"Director Shen!" Shen Yiwei spoke solemnly:

"Do you think King Xiayue is a fool?"

"Naturally not!" Shen Xin gritted his teeth:

"But it is too risky!"

"Risky?" Shen Yiwei revealed a smile that was both bitter and cold:

"Back then, I exhausted everything to deal with a Gong Clan, the Gong Clan!"

"An existence I could now wipe out with a single finger, yet I fought them for five years!

I could not sleep peacefully day or night; I struggled every single day. I wanted to charge into the Gong Clan and exterminate everything.

But I hesitated; I felt it was risky. I still had the New Dragon Guard under my command. I was going crazy—what would happen to the New Dragon Guard? What would happen to the Military Martial Guard?!

At that time, I didn't dare!"

Shen Yiwei shouted in a low voice:

"What restrained me was never the Gong Clan!

It was I, Shen Yiwei, myself!

The risk you see is merely what you yourself feel; the more you are like this, the more you lose!"

Shen Xin was stunned; he looked at Shen Yiwei and suddenly could not speak.

He also hoped that Chen Yan could enter the Five Clans Struggle.

He even hoped that he himself had not told that news to the Great Xia.

Because if he told Great Xia, his subordinates would meet with disaster.

They had spent days and nights enduring hardship and sharpening their resolve, yet in the end, they were met with such an outcome.

Among those people were his daughter and his younger brother.

He did not want them to die!

But there was no other way.

What Great Xia had taken out was the Soul of the Life Chapter!

Great Xia was crazy enough to use the Soul of the Life Chapter as a wager; what could he do?

Everything had gone mad, everything had changed.

And those who should not die would die.

He was begging Great Xia to let his subordinates die, to let his family die.

Great Xia would not even agree to that.

This was the most desperate, the most desperate thing!

"You don't understand."

Shen Xin said, his Adam's apple bobbing in his pale throat like he was swallowing broken glass; he wanted to blurt out every secret.

To tell this foolish Shen Yiwei.

Do you fucking know what I am talking about?

Your confidence is stupid to the extreme!

But in the end, Shen Xin still held back; he was the one who unearthed secrets, and also the one who guarded them.

He even wanted to kneel, but felt everything becoming infinitely blurred.

And it was at this moment.

Boom—!

A violent tremor spread from beneath the Huo Yu.

Boom—!

The increasingly terrifying riot made Shen Yiwei knit his brows.

"Something has gone wrong below."

Shen Yiwei knitted his brows, layers of Sword Soul wrapping around his body.

"Director Shen, shall we go down together?" Shen Yiwei looked at Shen Xin.

"You!" Shen Xin gritted his teeth; he was telling Shen Yiwei about matters concerning Great Xia, and what was Shen Yiwei doing?

"Director Shen, perhaps there are some secrets I do not know; I will go find King Xia Yue later to clarify." Shen Yiwei noticed that Shen Xin's state was not quite right.

Shen Xin was stunned:

"You are going to ask Xia Hanzhou?"

"Yes, if there are secrets, I will go ask; I believe I should be qualified to know." Shen Yiwei nodded.

"Good!" Shen Xin nodded; if Shen Yiwei knew what Chen Zhou was about to do, he would likely be the same as him.

Shen Yiwei could go and persuade Chen Yan; after all, Shen Yiwei was different.

Shen Xin took out a large bronze tripod, and the next instant, the tripod transformed into a massive phantom, enveloping Shen Yiwei and himself.

In an instant, the surrounding flames were blocked by the tripod's phantom.

"Let's go down together." Shen Xin spoke.

Shen Yiwei nodded.

Boom—!

Increasingly terrifying explosions reverberated throughout the entire Huo Yu.

Figure after figure flew from the upper Huo Yu toward the lower Huo Yu.

"Who is in trouble?"

"Zhang Ting or Li Xuanxiao, perhaps."

Li Mushen and Wang Dao entered the tripod phantom that Shen Xin had manifested.

"Shen Yiwei, you promised me!" Shen Xin spoke, his expression solemn.

"Director Shen, rest assured." Shen Yiwei spoke.

Shen Xin transmitted his voice:

"I know Chen Yan is formidable, peerless in his generation, but he is still young, and since he is young, there is still a chance.

Tell him, do not gamble, and even if he gambles, do not use the life of Great Xia to do it!

Even if he is a Divine General, even if his status is higher than mine, he cannot shoulder this responsibility!"

Shen Xin's voice was heavy.

Shen Yiwei's expression was grave; Shen Xin must have learned something.

At the same time.

Within the eighty-ninth layer of the Huo Yu, a figure flew over; it was Li Xuanxiao.

"The source of the tremor is below!"

Li Xuanxiao narrowed his eyes:

"Besides Zhang Ting, I cannot think of anyone else it could be."

Shen Yiwei, inside the tripod phantom, looked at Li Mushen:

"Contact King Changsheng."

Li Mushen nodded and took out a communication array disk.

"Damn Zhang Ting, to actually do something so superfluous, who exactly is he guarding against?" Li Xuanxiao sneered:

"He's nothing like Lu Xunyang; a person like this couldn't possibly have teammates."

Rumble!

The sound of the tremors was becoming increasingly terrifying.

Even Li Xuanxiao's expression turned ugly:

"What on earth is going on, such a huge commotion!"

Shen Yiwei's expression sank:

"Within the Underground Huo Yu, our combat strength will be restricted; it would be best if an Eighth Rank came to handle this."

The expressions of the crowd also began to turn grave.

Continuing to descend.

The ninety-sixth level.

A figure covered in flames, looking extremely miserable, appeared before the crowd.

Zhang Ting.

At this moment, Zhang Ting's skin was torn and bleeding; seeing the crowd, he hurriedly flew toward them.

"Zhang Ting, it really is you. It is indeed impressive that you can cultivate at such a depth, but why must you hide it from us?!"

Li Xuanxiao spoke indifferently.

Zhang Ting, who was just about to fly over, froze, then immediately cursed loudly:

"Are your eyes blind? Do you see me cultivating?"

He spread his arms, his aura becoming increasingly violent:

"I came here precisely to find the person who truly annihilated the fire beasts!"

He was furious.

He was about to be roasted alive, yet this Li Xuanxiao was still trying to frame him.

His heart is truly punishable!

Rumble!!!

A violent roar resounded once again.

The ninety-fifth level of the Huo Yu shook instantly as if the firmament were collapsing.

"Do you see it now?!"

Zhang Ting laughed loudly, roaring angrily at the crowd:

"It wasn't me!

It has never been me all along!!!"

He felt as if a month's worth of pent-up rage was burning completely at this moment, his eyes almost spitting fire:

"Li Xuanxiao, you have repeatedly slandered and smeared me, what exactly are you trying to do?!"

Li Xuanxiao was also stunned.

It wasn't Zhang Ting?

He pulled the furious Zhang Ting into the phantom of the great cauldron.

The crowd looked at each other in dismay; the situation was becoming increasingly baffling.

Only Shen Xin did not care.

He was still thinking about the struggle of the Five Clans, still thinking about Xia Hanzhou's attitude at the time.

How could a mere communication from Chen Yan allow Xia Hanzhou to change his attitude?

In his, Xia Hanzhou's, heart.

What is the Great Xia?

Is Chen Yan really more important than the Great Xia?

That day, the tone and demeanor of his subordinate, who had almost risked everything, made it hard for him to forget.

Therefore, he was confused, perplexed, and even angry.

Rumble!!!

A terrifying giant wave of flames surged over; the scorching temperature was enough to almost devour and extinguish even the soul, and everything was collapsing.

Within the one-hundredth level.

Five thousand-meter-tall fire giants roared, shattering the void of the endless Huo Yu; that terrifying power of destruction made one's heart tremble.

At this moment, even Shen Xin could not help but frown as he looked over.

Everyone's expression was bewildered, somewhat unable to see clearly.

That terrifying scene of battle was shocking.

Just as everyone stood there in a daze.

A sun, its body bursting with golden light, swept across the endless sea of fire, instantly crashing into the body of one of the fire giants.

Roar!

An earth-shattering wail resounded.

Following that, the brilliant radiance of the sun surged toward the crowd.

"Damn it!"

"Enemy attack!"

"So fast!"

Li Xuanxiao roared violently.

After all this time, enemies had been infiltrating the Huo Yu, and they had been making a fool of themselves the whole while!

Boom!

Zhang Ting struck out in an instant, sweeping a leg horizontally, and a leg-shadow that tore through the void lunged toward that figure in a flash.

If not for this person, why would he have suffered such a grievance for so long?

"Die!" Zhang Ting shouted in a low voice.

Boom!

The golden sun collided with the leg-shadow, and the rolling golden light instantly swept past everyone.

A familiar figure appeared in the center of everyone's vision, causing their pupils to shrink abruptly.

Chen Yan waved a single hand, sending out a force that overturned and shattered a hundred miles of fire waves; he frowned as he looked at Zhang Ting:

"Acting Chief Zhang, do you have an issue with me cultivating here?"