Chen Kai was in his early fifties, clearly not an ordinary person. Though he tried to keep a low profile, beams of light flickered in and out of his eyes, almost palpable. "Is there no room for negotiation?" Chen Kai asked.

Old Chen had known him since his youth; he had once been part of an exploration team but had disappeared into the New Star realm for nearly thirty years. Undoubtedly, in those thirty years, he had been delving into and perfecting the New Technique in a mysterious place, ultimately becoming a Grandmaster.

"What do you think?" Old Chen coldly retorted.

Chen Kai sighed. They had triggered Old Chen's internal issues, expecting him to be on the verge of death. But now it seemed he still had the strength to fight.

"Then there's nothing more to say!" Chen Kai replied straightforwardly.

Suddenly, Old Chen retreated in an instant, leaving a residual shadow behind. With a loud thud, a massive pit was created where he had stood, even causing some earth and stone to melt!

Old Chen had already formed a rare spiritual domain, sensing the danger beforehand, allowing him to evade.

In that moment, silver light surged behind him as if a pair of silver wings unfolded, a propulsion device developed by the Wu family enabling him to shoot forward at high speed. His target was a mech that had just attacked him with an energy cannon.

The mech opened fire frantically, trying to stop him, but it was too late. Old Chen, with silver light sparkling behind him, deftly changed directions and closed in.

"Crack!"

He swung his 1.5-meter black sword down, slicing the mech apart, blood gushing out as the mech shattered on the ground.

Next, Old Chen quickly repositioned himself, showing no mercy, slicing through the other three mechs entirely, sparks flying and blood spilling. Once Old Chen got close, the mech squad was utterly defenseless against his rampage.

This mech squad had four pilots controlling the latest mechs, and none survived; all were destroyed alongside their machines. He spared no one because the other three mechs had also lit up when he approached, attempting to lock onto him. Since that was the case, he cut them all down in one breath.

Everyone was in shock; those on the Old Technique path had reached such a level that it was almost divine!

Old Chen walked back, holding the black sword, his breath a bit ragged, yet he still exuded an overwhelming presence that made everyone feel anxious. Even the sound of his footsteps on the ground triggered intense unease among those in the New Technique realm.

Grandmaster Chen Kai sighed deeply; this Chen Yongjie was indeed unpredictable. He had feared that once Old Chen resolved his physical issues, no one would be able to counter him.

At this point, he felt quite troubled. What condition was Old Chen really in?

Old Chen spoke in a low voice, "If you hadn't come looking for me, I would have been unable to suppress my internal issues in a few years. But since you fear my breakthrough and want to deal with me first, then I'm sorry, but today I will go on a killing spree!"

As he finished, Old Chen roared, shaking the entire plateau, his terrifying shout echoing through the nearby mountains.

Qingmu's face turned pale; he clearly noticed something was off with his master and felt immense worry.

Wang Xuan sighed, "It's fine; Old Chen is tough!"

Qingmu wished fervently that Wang Xuan's mouth would truly "open," ensuring his master's safety and that he wouldn't die in the Green Ridge!

Boom!

The battle erupted, and Chen Kai took the initiative to attack first. A dazzling beam of light emanated from his forehead, warping the surrounding space into a haze.

"Ah…"

Many nearby screamed, clutching their heads in excruciating pain, quickly retreating. Some with weaker wills were knocked unconscious by a mysterious energy, swaying unsteadily.

What kind of sorcery is this? Many were taken aback, all stepping back.

Wu Yin felt a headache and profound discomfort as she was close to Old Chen, just behind the battlefield.

In comparison, her reaction was relatively better; some had already fainted from the pain.

"Fall back!" Qingmu shouted, helping his unconscious companions away from the battlefield.

The New Technique faction was in a similar state, many collapsing to the ground.

"That's a form of mental impact accompanied by hallucinations; just stay a bit farther away, and you'll be fine!" Wang Xuan discerned, supporting Wu Yin as they retreated.

Old Wu shot a glare at Wang Xuan, but Wang Xuan ignored him, casting a calm glance his way while pulling Wu Yin's arm to move further away.

"Is Old Chen going to be okay?" Some people's faces were pale, their heads spinning.

Even Old Wu couldn't focus on glaring at Wang Xuan anymore; he stared at the battlefield, sensing that area was terrifying, capable of killing with a mental force field. If Chen Kai got close, he could likely kill many in an instant!

Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

Many were uneasy, worried for Old Chen.

Old Chen stood there, black sword raised, unmoving, unable to take a step forward or swing his sword.

Only Wang Xuan remained calm; he completely set his mind at ease. Comparing mental strength with Old Chen? Wasn't that suicidal?

Who was Old Chen? A powerhouse who had formed a spiritual domain, with solid "battle records" in this regard; he had once provoked a high monk from the Buddhist sect and had been fine after being tormented in the spiritual realm for an entire night, still able to find Little Wang the next day to settle scores.

Qingmu was also very calm; he knew his master had possessed a spiritual domain many years ago.

Indeed, as the practitioners of the Old Technique worried, those in the New Technique were astonished and elated when a sudden change occurred. Grandmaster Chen Kai screamed in agony, his mind seemingly in disarray, shaking his head violently before charging at Old Chen in madness.

In the clash of spiritual domains, Chen Kai was clearly outmatched; in an instant, Old Chen's spiritual field tore apart the white light on his forehead, leading to severe injury.

Old Chen raised his long sword, behind the cold silver mask, his eyes devoid of mercy, and with a hiss, the dark sword light flashed, instantly causing blood to spray.

Chen Kai was once a master of the Old Technique, but he could not compare to Old Chen, especially now that his spirit had been shattered, making the gap even wider.**

The dark blade fell like lightning, and cracks appeared on Grandmaster Chen Kai's forehead, spreading downward until he was suddenly split in half!

As blood gushed out, everyone was dumbfounded; a Grandmaster had been cleaved in two in an instant!

Old Chen stood in the center, holding the dripping black sword, surrounded by the corpses of Grandmasters. His gaze was cold, resembling a demonic figure, intimidating everyone.

Shock swept across the crowd; Old Chen's speed in slaying a Grandmaster was astonishingly fast. Even Zhong Yong, a representative from a major conglomerate aboard a super battleship, trembled, dropping a precious beast hide onto the ground.

"This is brutal! I had hoped the two factions would keep each other in check. But now, all three Grandmasters have fallen, and even Chen Kai has been killed. I'll have to send some funds to Chen Kai's organization later, just to express something," he mused.

Zhong Yong sighed again, "What a pity for Xiao Chen, Chen Yongjie. According to Chen Kai, Xiao Chen's internal organs are damaged, and he's bound to die. Please arrange for a wreath for him later. I'll personally write a condolence note."

Clearly, Old Chen's overwhelming display had shocked everyone. Key figures from major institutions, organizations, and conglomerates felt their hearts racing, leading to new decisions.

"The New Technique faction has been very active lately; we should've pressured them, but given the circumstances, it's better to hold off for now. They've suffered significant losses."

"As for the Old Technique faction, let's tilt some resources their way; we still need to support them."

"Old Chen is really fierce!" Wang Xuan exclaimed. Killing a Grandmaster with a single sword strike was an impressive feat.

Wu Yin sighed, "Such a devastating performance by Grandmaster Chen will benefit those on the Old Technique path since the conglomerates and organizations will likely redirect resources back to them."

"What resources?" Wang Xuan asked, surprised.

"There was a plan in place to expand support for the Old Technique starting from several experimental classes. A batch of potent medicinal herbs was prepared for the students there. However, just as that was happening, the New Technique faction suddenly announced a groundbreaking discovery that could prolong life. At the last moment, that batch of herbs was sent their way instead."

At that moment, Wang Xuan was lost in thought, his anger surging. Had he just been completely sidelined by the New Technique faction without even knowing?

Wu Yin elaborated on a secret: The conglomerates, research institutes, and other organizations had jointly opened a relic underground, uncovering some still viable seeds which they attempted to cultivate, all of which successfully sprouted.

According to the records found in that relic, these herbs were once classified as secret medicines of the major sects, specifically intended for cultivating young disciples, significantly enhancing their physiques and shortening their cultivation times.

After successful cultivation, they confirmed that these were indeed the potent herbs, extremely strong and unbearable for ordinary people, yet invaluable for practitioners of the Old Technique, offering remarkable effects.

"The people of the New Technique realm definitely leaked this information intentionally at a critical moment, aiming to cut us off!" Wang Xuan concluded.

The battle was nearing its end.

Old Chen, wielding the black sword, approached Mo Hai and Xia Qing.

The two Grandmasters of the New Technique stood up, realizing they had no choice but to fight their way out; they felt that Old Chen was in an unusual state and was simply beyond their capability to contend with.

Boom!

A blinding white light surged as Mo Hai took the initiative, shooting a beam at Old Chen and using the distraction to flee rapidly.

Xia Qing also fled, feeling no shame in survival; as long as she was alive, there were still possibilities—dying here would be utterly meaningless.

Old Chen swung the mysterious black sword, dispersing the white light while simultaneously delivering a punch to Xia Qing.

Both of Xia Qing's arms were broken; she struggled to lift one but couldn't defend herself at all.

During this exchange, one of her arms exploded, and old injuries resurfaced, causing numerous tears in her body, with blood oozing through both front and back. Even so, she didn't die; after being knocked back, she turned and fled.

Not far away, Mo Hai was caught up with. He sighed heavily, turning back to fight, but it was futile; Old Chen beheaded him with a single strike, his head flying six or seven meters away, dying a tragic death.

As Old Chen turned to pursue Xia Qing, he felt a wave of pain erupt in his chest, as if boiling, causing him to instinctively slow down and clutch his chest.

Wang Xuan noticed this and dashed forward first, filled with intense worry for Old Chen.

"Master!" Qingmu shouted as well.

Then a crowd surged forward.

Wang Xuan sprinted furiously, inevitably encountering the fleeing Grandmaster Xia Qing.

Her gaze was icy; she clearly misunderstood, thinking a young brat dared to obstruct her—was he tired of living?!

She had already lost one arm, and her other arm was broken and unusable. With a forceful push against the ground, she prepared to leap into the air and kick Wang Xuan.

Wang Xuan's pupils contracted; facing such a Grandmaster, he felt every hair on his body stand on end, sensing he couldn't escape. But since he had encountered her, there was no other choice; he could only muster all his strength to the limit!

Without hesitation, he activated the martial arts technique left by Zhang Daoling, using the initial form recorded in the Five Pages of Golden Books!

Fearing he might be instantly killed by the Grandmaster, his internal organs roared, and his entire power surged to its peak. He leaped into the air, aiming a kick at her.

Xia Qing was too severely injured; her foot pushed hard against the ground but didn't take off. Instead, the deep wound in her chest was further torn by the violent movement.

She groaned in pain, unable to endure; her heart had already been partially shattered by Old Chen. Now, things were worse; she couldn't successfully take off, stumbling instead and almost collapsing.

Seizing the rare opportunity, Wang Xuan's gaze intensified as he kicked forcefully, striking the gaping wound in her chest.

The power of that kick exploded within the bloodied hole; even just the first form of Zhang Daoling's technique was terrifyingly powerful.

Xia Qing screamed, her organs collapsing as she was hurled backward, rolling violently on the ground before finally falling still.

The scene was devastating; yet another Grandmaster had fallen!