Chapter 223

Upon seeing the burly man who emerged from the Heaven's Edge Sea Pavilion, like a martial dao heavenly god, the powerhouses watching the battle across the Cultivation World couldn't help but cry out in shock.

Even the second-ranked Yuanwang City, third-ranked Rongzhou, and fourth-ranked Baguan Observatory, among other merchant associations, saw all the great Void Immortals and True Immortals trembling inside.

Because that man's name is Juewu Shen, he is a Supreme Grand Elder of the Heaven's Edge Sect, and also one of the founders whom the Heaven's Edge Sect sent long ago to the Cultivation World to establish the Heaven's Edge Sea Pavilion, to do business and earn resources for the sect.

There are only three Heavenly Immortals in the Cultivation World.

One is the Treasure Master of Treasure Sharing Cliff.

The second is the Pavilion Master of the Heaven's Edge Sea Pavilion, Ya Wuben.

The third is this Juewu Shen, truly deserving of the title of third strongest.

And being the third strongest, superior to everyone except the top two, naturally fills everyone with dread.

Even the atmosphere in Treasure Sharing Cliff has become oppressive.

"Father, do you say Chen Zheng can resist Juewu Shen? Should you personally intervene to help him? Moreover, Chen Zheng captured Ya Shao, which might provoke the Pavilion Master of the Heaven's Edge Sea Pavilion to act, making it unlikely he can leave the Cultivation World today."

Inside an ancient palace formed from condensed primordial chaos, Miss Mi Bao wore a solemn expression and asked the Treasure Master beside her.

Although she had just learned Chen Zheng's true identity through the Treasure Master, and also heard of his various legendary deeds, even his astonishing feat of single-handedly overturning the Ultimate Star Palace, she felt shocked, yet still could not say for sure whether he could oppose Juewu Shen.

After all, despite Chen Zheng's brilliant battle record, he seems never to have fought a Heavenly Immortal before.

Especially Juewu Shen, a Heavenly Immortal of this caliber, his body is filled with terrifying martial dao true intent; one can tell he fought his way up from the Mortal Secret Realm all the way to the Immortal Secret Realm, utterly different from those cultivators who merely contemplate the Dao and know only bitter cultivation, and his combat power is incomparable.

This person is utterly an existence born for battle!

The Treasure Master slightly shook his head: "No problem, Chen Zheng is not as simple as you imagine; what we see is merely one of his avatars, his true form is stronger and should be in the Profound Yellow Great World. However, with his strength he could arrive in a few breaths, making dealing with that Juewu Shen no trouble. As for Ya Wuben, he is not currently in the Cultivation World, having returned to the Heaven's Edge Sect."

"What? The Chen Zheng here is merely an avatar?" Miss Mi Bao felt horrified.

If even his avatar can effortlessly capture a True Immortal like Ya Shao, just how strong must his true form be?

"Keep watching; perhaps soon you will witness Chen Zheng's true form." The Treasure Master said calmly.

"Also, once this is over, you must immediately liquidate all of Treasure Sharing Cliff's industries, treasures, materials, ore veins, etc., as well as our businesses in other great worlds, and find a way to sell them quickly, even at a loss, converting everything into Pure Yang Pills or Nine Yang Holy Water; soon these resources will be of great use to you." The Treasure Master added solemnly.

"This... Father, why must you do this?"

Miss Mi Bao looked at the Treasure Master, both shocked and puzzled, completely unable to understand why he would suddenly make such a decision.

Treasure Sharing Cliff is the Treasure Master's lifeblood.

Back then, the Cultivation World was in utter chaos, with warlords carving out territories and flames of war spreading everywhere; it was only after the Treasure Master arrived here that order was stabilized.

He also founded Treasure Sharing Cliff, painstakingly operating it for hundreds of thousands of years to reach this scale, and opened channels to hundreds of great worlds to conduct business.

Today, calling Treasure Sharing Cliff the greatest merchant association of all heavens is no exaggeration, yet now the Treasure Master says he wants to sell off all his businesses at once—a move she cannot comprehend.

Moreover, the large amounts of Nine Yang Holy Water and Pure Yang Pills obtained from selling them would be of little use to a cultivator of the Treasure Master's stature; what would they be for?

For Heavenly Immortals and above, one needs Primordial Qi or exceedingly rare precious treasures to advance cultivation.

"Do as I say." The Treasure Master gazed at Miss Mi Bao, his small eyes holding an unprecedented solemnity, and handed her a token—exactly the message token Chen Zheng had previously left for him: "You will understand later."

"All right." Miss Mi Bao hesitated a moment, took the message token, and nodded.

Outside.

"Supreme Grand Elder, quickly, quickly save me, crush this damned brat—I want him to regret ever being born!" Ya Shao, like clutching a lifeline, snarled fiercely at the Juewu Shen standing in the void.

Juewu Shen glanced at Ya Shao, held in Chen Zheng's hand, already scorched by true fire until his flesh and blood were blackened, and if roasted further he would surely die; a flash of anger crossed his eyes.

But he feared hurting the hostage, so he did not rashly attack to rescue Ya Shao; instead he advised Chen Zheng: "Young man, do you know who you hold in your hand? He is the son of the Heaven's Edge Sea Pavilion's Pavilion Master, and also the beloved nephew of the Heaven's Edge Sect's Sect Leader; no matter your background or cultivation, you cannot afford to offend him. So do not err—release him, and then, before all the heroes of the world, apologize to him, and I can promise to spare your life."

"Make me apologize? Fine, you're excellent—you're the first person to make me apologize. From now on, you and the Heaven's Edge Sea Pavilion have no reason to exist."

Chen Zheng leisurely increased the fire in his hand, making Ya Shao unable to bear it any longer; he let out a startled scream, "You really dare to kill me?" and his entire body instantly turned to nothing.

"Ya Shao was actually killed by that young man? His courage is truly excessive—does he really not fear the Heaven's Edge Sea Pavilion?" The watching powerhouses felt their scalps tingle, all sensing impending doom.

With Ya Shao dead, Juewu Shen will surely be utterly enraged, with no more restraint, and Chen Zheng will suffer.

As expected.

Seeing Ya Shao dead, Juewu Shen first found it hard to believe, as if he couldn't believe Chen Zheng would go mad to this extent, daring to kill someone before his very eyes; then his expression turned icy: "You're courting death!"

With a booming boom that shook heaven and earth, he went berserk, his aura like an abyss and sea, pressing down on the vast earth, shaking the boundless starry heavens beyond; one hand pointed to the sky, the other clenched into a fist, like an ancient warlord's fist that seals mountains and rivers, he blasted a killing strike toward Chen Zheng.

The huge fist swept across the sky, clouds stirred in all directions, boundless battle intent instantly gathered, forming towering shadows, each enacting an unparalleled martial dao, fighting heaven and earth, turning the vast Cultivation World into a warring domain.

"Hiss... Juewu Shen unleashed the Heaven's Edge Sect's ultimate art, Heaven and Earth Martial Soul; this move possesses unfathomable power, enough to overturn the heavens and sink the universe!"

"Is Juewu Shen really going to smash the Cultivation World into ruin!"

Countless powerhouses were chilled to the bone by Juewu Shen's world-shaking divine fist, feeling their fate was not their own, able only to be slaughtered.

Slightly stronger Void Immortal and True Immortal-level figures then had their faces change drastically, no longer daring to watch, they risked everything to shuttle through spacetime to Treasure Sharing Cliff, hoping to gain the Treasure Master's protection and avoid dying at the hands of the enraged Juewu Shen.

They did not know whether Chen Zheng could withstand Juewu Shen, but they knew that a Heavenly Immortal-level battle, even if only its afterglow scattered afar, could shatter thousands upon thousands of True Immortals to dust, never to be reborn.

But just then, Chen Zheng's calm voice came from the firmament above, like the golden words of a celestial emperor: "Kneel."

Kneel?

Who should kneel?

Many of the fleeing powerhouses felt doubtful, not understanding its meaning.

Many of those who mustered courage and still watched felt their pupils quake, as if seeing something unimaginable, and all cried out in disbelief: "How is that possible?"

Even the many venerables within Treasure Sharing Cliff, including Miss Mi Bao in her heart, were overcome with shock and turmoil.

Because in their sight, Juewu Shen's body, like a rainbow aura, suddenly collapsed a thousand miles, his knees like ancient divine mountains crashing down, and he knelt before Chen Zheng.

A Heavenly Immortal of such stature, yet he knelt.

Who would dare believe it?

"Father, you said that was merely an avatar of Chen Zheng, so how could he be this strong? And what sort of divine ability is he using, with hardly any spiritual power fluctuation, that a single word can make people kneel?" Miss Mi Bao exclaimed in terror.

"This..." The Treasure Master merely stared at Chen Zheng in astonishment, unable to answer his daughter's question.

Chen Zheng possesses the ability to make people kneel; he had long known of it, and even knew he had transmitted that ability to a young man named Fang Han, who uses it like a fish in water, causing enemies to kneel wherever he goes.

However, as he knows, Chen Zheng's kneeling ability does not mean invincibility; it also depends on one's own cultivation, and he guesses that those whose cultivation far exceeds his own will lose its effect.

But the Chen Zheng here is merely a clone; his cultivation is surely low, far inferior to his true body—how could he make the Absolute Martial God kneel?

"It seems I still underestimated him." The Treasure Master took a deep breath.

The outside world.

"Even if I kneel, I will not be defeated; I am invincible in the three thousand worlds! If you have the ability, don't use that kneeling evil art—take my strike head-on, the Battle War Heaven Hammer!" The Absolute Martial God's black hair stood on end as he arrogantly roared.

He is the overlord of the martial way, having fought heaven and earth his whole life, never suffering defeat, and he absolutely does not allow failure.

Boom—

After struggling in vain, he simply remained kneeling and struck again, his aura rising steadily; the azure sky above him turned into an endless night sky under his aura, and he became like a dark sovereign, his ancient god‑mountain‑like fist stance shifting into a massive, heavy hammer.

In an instant, heaven and earth grew hazy; all other sights vanished from everyone's eyes, leaving only the sight of the Absolute Martial God's huge hand like a hammer smashing through eternity, shattering the Great Dao, and violently hammering down toward Chen Zheng in the cold, dark cosmos.

"Invincible? Before me, who dares call themselves invincible, who dares claim undefeated? Let alone blocking one of your strikes—what about a thousand, ten thousand?"

Chen Zheng smiled faintly, standing still there, his robes fluttering, his bearing peerless, shaking the firmament, causing countless beings to lose their senses—even Miss Mi Bao was dazed.

He was too calm, terrifyingly so; even facing the terrifying, sky‑toppling Battle War Heaven Hammer, he showed not the slightest change.

"I don't believe it—I am the true invincible!" the Absolute Martial God roared, charging forward on his knees to Chen Zheng, the Battle War Heaven Hammer shattering the void, stirring the cosmos, aiming straight for his head.

"Defeat." Chen Zheng glanced askance at him, flipped his right hand and struck out; between the bending and extending of his fingers, he squarely hit the Battle War Heaven Hammer.

This palm looked light and insubstantial, with little force, yet myriad phenomena appeared—it was the Great Dao Golden Lotus withering, its former brilliance gone; countless gods, as numerous as the sands of the Ganges, hunched their broken bodies and knelt, weeping blood, as if lamenting the collapse of the Great Dao, the glorious ancient paradise falling.

The gods' sorrow rose as a mournful funeral song, echoing far and wide, making man, earth, and heaven grieve together; countless beings involuntarily shed tears, rivers of blood flowed across the land, and every law in the heavens fell into chaos.

True Demon Ten Styles, Second Style: Heaven-Man Eternal Decline!

"What kind of divine ability is this, so vicious! My law, my abilities, my body, my soul—all are rotting; how could this happen…" the Absolute Martial God shouted in terror.

The instant his palm touched Chen Zheng's, the Absolute Martial God saw black snowflakes drifting down from Chen Zheng's palm, landing on his own body and merging directly into it.

Instantly he lost all strength; the vast battle qi in his chest was sliced away out of nowhere, and his five viscera, bones, flesh, mana, abilities, skin, even his soul, all began to rot and decay for no apparent reason, turning into pitch‑black sludge.

Many looked over and saw the Absolute Martial God with disheveled hair, no longer bearing the air of a celestial immortal, his whole body shockingly black, exuding waves of nauseating stench that drifted in all directions.

"Ugh… so stinky, I'm going to die from the smell, ugh…"

Yuan Potian stood behind Chen Zheng, very close to the Absolute Martial God; upon smelling the opponent's odor he vomited outright, even throwing up the overnight pill.

"Oh my god, how can it be this foul? Isn't a celestial immortal's body supposed to be spotless? Why does it stink? It's worse than the feces in a mortal outhouse by ten thousand times, ugh…"

"It's too stinky—I'd rather eat dung than smell this; I can't take it, I'm going to die!"

"What divine ability did the Absolute Martial God suffer, turning him into this ghastly state? It's too terrifying…"

The Absolute Martial God was like a pollution source, similar to the tumor that emerges from the Gate of Eternal Life; his stench spread throughout the cultivation world, making the air reek everywhere, causing countless strongmen to feel dizzy and nauseous, vomiting and suffering diarrhea, with cries of misery rising and falling.

Some quickly sealed their sense of smell, some hid inside magical treasures to block the odor, and some even knocked themselves unconscious—but nothing worked; the stench clung like a shadow, seeping into the soul, making people wish to die.

Even Miss Mi Bao was nearly knocked over by the stench, covering her nose in disgust as she gazed at the Absolute Martial God.

The Treasure Master's face also turned green from the stench; regarding the odor emanating from the Absolute Martial God, he too had no recourse.

Fortunately, at that moment Chen Zheng on the firmament flicked his finger, sending forth a strand of "Refine" true fire that landed on the Absolute Martial God, blazing and refining him, which only slightly lessened the stench.

"I'll fight you to the death!"

The Absolute Martial God raved like a madman, intending to drag his foul‑smelling body into self‑detonation to blow up Chen Zheng.

Such a celestial immortal of his possesses vitality billions of times greater than that of a Longevity Secret Realm cultivator; even the most horrendous injury, after a slight recovery, would make him vigorous as a dragon and tiger.

Even if sealed within an ancient great formation, he could retain his vitality and not die for a million years.

But now, the realm, law, and mana he prided himself on have decayed like rotten wood.

He is literally worse than a lump of feces—feces can at least nourish plants, yet he can only be despised by everyone.

In such a predicament, he would rather die than accept it, hence his attempt at self‑detonation to drag Chen Zheng down with him.

But he obviously overestimated; one afflicted with Heaven-Man Eternal Decline cannot self‑detonate nor use any abilities, only able to lie there like a dying dog awaiting death.

"How can this be? I can't even self‑destruct? Ah… you wait for me! No matter who you are, the strongmen of my Heaven's Edge Sect will not let you off once they hear the news; sooner or later they will crush your bones and scatter your ashes."

The Absolute Martial God let out one final unwilling roar and died in the blazing true fire; the pervasive foul odor that had blanketed the cultivation world vanished with him.

Chen Zheng waved a hand, absorbing the essence refined from the Absolute Martial God into his body, increasing his mana to the power of two junior celestial immortals.

Such an amount cannot be described.

From then on, this celestial immortal Absolute Martial God no longer exists in the world; his lifetime of arduous cultivation and countless adventures have all become Chen Zheng's dowry.

"The Absolute Martial God has fallen just like that…" Upon seeing the stench dissipate, many strongmen breathed a sigh of relief, yet felt as if they had fallen into a dream, unable to believe what they had witnessed.

The peerless celestial immortal standing at the pinnacle of all heavens—how terrifying, how domineering, who could match him?

Yet a single move was enough to fell him at Chen Zheng's hands.

Who would not be shocked?

Moreover, many strongmen noticed something: Chen Zheng appears to be only at the Third Level of Longevity.

The Third Level of Longevity slays celestial immortals—who would believe that?

Chen Zheng couldn't care less whether anyone believed it; he thrust both hands forward, each capable of covering the sky—one grabbing the Heaven Earth Society Hall that had previously resisted conquest, the other reaching for the Heaven's Edge Sea Pavilion.

With two booming explosions, the two gargantuan chambers of commerce situated on the earth were seized in his hands and uprooted root and stem together with their foundations.

"Ah!"

"It was the Absolute Martial God and the Young Master of Tianya who offended you; it has nothing to do with us—you can't kill us!"

Chen Zheng pinched his fingers, and the two major chambers of commerce suffered a devastating blow; the numerous World Kings, Primordial Voids, Void Immortals, True Immortals and other experts inside instantly died in screams.

The large quantities of Pure Yang Pills and various treasures within the two chambers of commerce were also refined into essence by the true fire.

It is worth noting that Heaven's Edge Sea Pavilion, as the foremost chamber of commerce, has a medicinal stockpile far exceeding that of the Heaven Earth Society Hall by countless billions—amounting to ten trillion, three or four times the Pure Yang Hall of the Infinite Star Palace; after refinement, Chen Zheng absorbed it into his body, gaining considerable additional mana.

The power of two and a half half‑celestial immortals!

"Go."

Chen Zheng felt refreshed and clear‑minded, greeted Yuan Potian with a call, and strode away. (End of chapter)