Countless disciples were sent flying by the shockwaves. Although the ancient grand formation repelled wave after wave of attacks, a dense web of cracks now fractured its surface.

Seeing this spiderweb of fractures, Lin Shuwang knew that if she did not act soon, it would truly be too late.

"You forced my hand. If you refuse to stop, then I will strike."

"You are not the only one with the Divine Phoenix Ancient Zither. I, too, possess an Extreme Dao Imperial Weapon."

Lin Shuwang stared at Feng Tianxiang, her gaze turning utterly cold.

"Good, let me see it!"

"You should know full well the sheer devastation that will be unleashed if two Extreme Dao Imperial Weapons clash."

"The entire Sacred Flame Imperial Palace will be reduced to ash!"

Feng Tianxiang laughed with unhinged madness.

Lin Shuwang forcibly summoned the Divine Flame Nine Heavens Palace.

It rose to resist the terrifying Pressure radiating from Feng Tianxiang's Extreme Dao Imperial Weapon.

The two mighty artifacts met in a glancing strike.

Yet, the resulting shockwave possessed monstrous power, tearing a massive fissure straight through the plaza before the palace.

Under such a catastrophic bombardment, how much longer could the Sacred Flame Imperial Palace hold on?

Allowing the devastation to continue was unthinkable. Watching the great plaza choke under rolling clouds of dust, Lin Shuwang's heart warred with itself. What could she do?

Just as hesitation seized her, a blistering streak of light tore across the horizon, speeding directly toward her.

She looked up into the firmament. It was Chu Chen, charging into the fray with murderous intent.

"How can it be him?"

Utter disbelief warped Feng Tianxiang's face the moment his eyes landed on Chu Chen.

Aided by Lord Tun, Chu Chen had forcefully torn the void apart, employing the Minor Spatiotemporal Heaven-Piercing Art to cross the distance to the Sacred Flame Imperial Palace.

Upon arrival, he was immediately met with the blinding clash of two Extreme Dao Imperial Weapons, their combined radiance threatening to rip the entire palace apart.

"Wu Qi... to think a rat like you actually managed to show up."

Feng Tianxiang fixed a glacial glare upon him.

"Drop the act," Chu Chen replied. "Haven't you already guessed my true identity?"

"There's no point in playing dumb any longer."

Chu Chen's gaze darkened as he locked eyes with Feng Tianxiang.

"Hmph. So what if I did? I still played you for a fool."

"What difference does it make that you managed to drag yourself back here?"

"The Sacred Flame Imperial Palace will still be crushed beneath my heel. Can you comprehend that?"

"Be a good boy. Convince Lin Shuwang to come with me, and I just might spare your miserable life."

Even on the precipice of absolute destruction, Feng Tianxiang's twisted obsession with Lin Shuwang consumed his thoughts.

"Look around you. Instead of remaining in your God Phoenix Valley, you dare to covet my wife."

"Today, you will pay for your delusions."

"Die!"

Simply looking at Feng Tianxiang filled Chu Chen with cold, murderous fury.

He struck out with a single palm.

A torrential surge of Qi swept across the firmament, crashing down toward Feng Tianxiang like a heavenly flood.

With an earth-shattering boom, the sky changed color. The overwhelming force of the palm strike instantly blasted Feng Tianxiang hundreds of zhang away.

Unwilling to yield, Feng Tianxiang forcibly pushed his Extreme Dao Imperial Weapon. Thundering zither notes manifested as thick pillars of radiant light, plummeting toward the Sacred Flame Imperial Palace below.

Seeing this, Chu Chen knew his immediate priority was to shift the battlefield. Engaging in a protracted duel here was out of the question.

If this continued, the Sacred Flame Imperial Palace would be reduced to a crater.

He had to lure Feng Tianxiang away.

"Lord Tun, how do I lock down the power of that ancient zither?"

Chu Chen sent the urgent mental transmission.

A victory would be hollow if his wife's sect was destroyed in the process.

"Summon the Heaven-Swallowing Magic Jar," Lord Tun's voice echoed. "I can forcibly siphon its resonance, stifling the Extreme Dao Imperial Weapon's Pressure. Once it's suppressed, lead him away from the palace."

"The surrounding terrain is nothing but mountains and great marshes. Pick your killing ground."

Lord Tun advised.

With Lord Tun confirming his own tactical thoughts, Chu Chen didn't hesitate.

Several thousand zhang away lay a massive, desolate expanse-the perfect place to settle this grudge.

Chu Chen immediately summoned the Heaven-Swallowing Magic Jar. A terrifying devouring vortex erupted, instantly swallowing and neutralizing the destructive shockwaves of the zither.

Riding that momentum, Chu Chen used the spiritual arts jar's gravitational pull to forcefully drag the Divine Phoenix Ancient Zither into the sky.

"Return my Imperial Weapon!"

Enraged, Feng Tianxiang shot forward, giving chase as Chu Chen flew rapidly away from the palace.

He had vastly miscalculated; he never expected this ant to wield an Extreme Dao Imperial Weapon of his own.

Once they reached the desolate expanse, Feng Tianxiang managed to reclaim the Divine Phoenix Ancient Zither. His features twisted into a mask of bitter frost.

"Weren't you trapped in the secret realm?"

"How did you escape?"

"Where is my sister?"

He spat the questions out in rapid succession, almost raving in his madness.

For a moment, Chu Chen didn't even know which question to answer first.

"A mere secret realm could never hold me," Chu Chen sneered.

"If you retreat now and swear a blood oath to eternally submit to the Sacred Flame Imperial Palace, never to trespass on our lands again, I might spare your life. But make no mistake-that is only out of pity for your sister's tears."

"Refuse, and I will sever your path to reincarnation right here."

Chu Chen stared at him, his murderous aura as dark and bottomless as the abyss.

Feng Tianxiang's pride shattered against Chu Chen's absolute disdain.

"Who the hell do you think you are, demanding I swear an oath of submission to a wretch like you?"

"You are delusional!"

The insult fanned the flames of his obsession into pure, unadulterated madness.

"Then you court death," Chu Chen stated flatly.

"I offered you a way out because Miss Feng treated me well during my time in the God Phoenix Valley. You threw it away."

"Then we let our blades speak."

Chu Chen's eyes burned with cold killing intent.

Realizing the disadvantage, Feng Tianxiang stowed away his Extreme Dao Imperial Weapon.

He had realized that under the suppressive aura of Chu Chen's own artifact, he could not unleash the zither's true might.

Furthermore, forcibly channeling the Divine Phoenix Ancient Zither rapidly drained his spiritual reserves.

He opted for a different approach.

In his twisted arrogance, he still believed his victory over Chu Chen was inevitable.

"Hmph. What are you?"

"Just a jumped-up brat."

"Taste my true power!"

With a roar, Feng Tianxiang invoked his Saint King Artifact-the gleaming armor draped across his shoulders.

The armor flared to life, glittering with the cold light of countless stars.

The starlight projected into the heavens, blotting out the sun and dragging the entire battlefield-hundreds of zhang in diameter-into its suffocating domain.

Yet, facing this celestial envelopment, Chu Chen remained utterly composed.

Unleashing the Heaven-Swallowing Magic Jar could end this battle in an instant.

However, continuously driving an Extreme Dao Imperial Weapon demanded a colossal toll, even for someone who had just broken through to the first layer of the Saint King realm.

Conserving his spiritual power was the sensible course.

The sky-blotting streams of light condensed, plummeting toward Chu Chen like a dense shower of miniature meteors.

In the face of such a terrifying barrage, Chu Chen did not even flinch.

"This pathetic display can't even scratch me."

"You should just lay down your life now."

Standing amidst the starlight domain of the Saint King Artifact, Chu Chen's eyes blazed. With a sharp flick of his wrist, the Blood Dragon Spear shot forth.

A crimson shockwave ruptured the heavens, violently shattering the falling meteors into dust.

They hadn't even truly clashed yet, but the sheer, domineering might of the Blood Dragon Spear was already overwhelming.

"To think your Saint King Artifact possesses such tremendous power..."

Feng Tianxiang stared at Chu Chen, absolute shock fracturing his arrogant facade.