Supreme of the Heavenly Realm
Chapter 435 - 432 Catastrophe

Chapter 435: Chapter 432 Catastrophe

The conclusion of the battle between Ye Xuan and Dugu Hao marked the end of this session of the Quad-Sect Supremacy Tournament. This tournament could be called the most spectacular one in the last century, and many martial artists departed with a lingering shock and a sense of longing.

The tournament was full of twists and turns, where two top masters from the Master List, Demon Sword Jue Wuchen and Liu Qinghe of the Sword Sect, both were defeated. Dugu Hao, dazzling everyone with his performance, seemed poised to claim the championship, but just as everyone thought he would ascend smoothly, Ye Xuan came as a surprise. Amidst countless disbelieving stares, he defeated Dugu Hao and emerged as the most dazzling figure in the tournament.

The unexpected changes during the tournament caught everyone off guard and also elevated their excitement. The remarkable battle between Ye Xuan and Dugu Hao was tingling to the scalp yet irresistibly thrilling.

Without a doubt, this battle would be remembered as a classic in the history of the tournaments.

After all disciples from the seven Sects made their selections, Ye Xuan talked with Elder Jin and decided he would journey to the Spirit Martial Continent with him in a month.

Before that, Ye Xuan planned to return to the Tiannan Region first. Considering he was about to head to the Spirit Martial Continent and wasn’t sure when he might return, he wanted to visit the Ye family first.

Elder Jin readily agreed to his request. For others, he might not have agreed to a delay, but Ye Xuan, in his eyes, could potentially be a pillar of the Sect, so such a small matter was insignificant.

For this trip back to the Tiannan Region, Ye Xuan was accompanied by Ling Qianxue and Nangong Yao. Ling Qianxue had been away from the Tiannan Region for some time and had been seeking information on Ye Xuan. As for Nangong Yao, her departure from the Nangong family had been even longer than Ye Xuan’s; upon hearing that Ye Xuan planned a visit, she immediately insisted on joining him.

Before setting off, Ye Xuan also communicated with Su Ying in the Demon Beast World, informing her of his plans to go to the Spirit Martial Continent.

With limited time, he could only afford a short visit to the Tiannan Region; a trip to the Demon Beast World was likely out of the question.

However, giving Su Ying’s strength, and with some time spent cultivating in the Chaotic Sea Domain, advancing to the middle-tier of the Demon Venerable Realm would pose no problem. Once there, she could find her way to the Spirit Martial Continent easily, as such strength would likely make the journey less challenging.

After some rest, the trio set off.

They traveled on a flying puppet lent to them by Elder Jin, a device unheard of in the Chaotic Sea Domain but not too uncommon in the Spirit Martial Continent. Using a flying puppet was much more convenient than using flying beasts, as it could be stored in the Qiankun Ring, whereas flying beasts couldn’t be carried around and required rest.

Moreover, the flying puppet was much faster.

Sitting on the flying puppet, Ye Xuan and the two women were already on their way back.

With the speed of the flying puppet, reaching the Tiannan Region would take about four to five days. Although it was a lengthy period, it was much faster compared to Ye Xuan’s journey to the tournament.

On the back of the flying puppet, Ye Xuan was meditating with his eyes closed, holding a black pearl in his hand. Streams of pure energy constantly emanated from it, which Ye Xuan slowly absorbed.

This pearl was the Thunder Spirit Pearl that he had received from Elder Jin.

Now, three days into their journey on the back of the flying puppet, Ye Xuan’s state, who had still been at the Fifth Grade Martial Sect level, started to show signs of loosening.

At the same time, the True Qi in his body began to become unstable. This change was noticed by Ling Qianxue and Nangong Yao.

"He’s advancing."

Surprise appeared on both women’s faces, but after thinking about it, they found it normal. Ye Xuan was currently at the Fifth Grade Martial Sect level, lower than both of them. With his current strength, it was time for him to advance; even without advancing, he could easily defeat a First Grade Martial Venerate.

This advancement was a result of accumulation and a sudden breakthrough. Just after several minutes, Ye Xuan’s aura underwent a transformation.

Externally, as his aura transformed, inside his Dantian, the Martial Arts Golden Core also expanded further, its golden glow becoming more condensed.

Cultivation at the Martial Sect level involved continually strengthening the Martial Arts Golden Core until it could break and foster the Martial Soul, which would replace the Martial Arts Golden Core.

The Martial Soul, along with True Yuan, marked the distinction between a Martial Artist and a Martial Sect Master.

With Ye Xuan’s current power, advancing to the Martial Venerate Realm was a certainty. However, Ye Xuan needed to solidly lay his foundations, not just focusing on advancing but considering further future goals—after all, becoming merely a Martial Venerate was not his ultimate aim.

Even the Martial Saint Realm was not his final ambition. Although he had avenged his father by annihilating the Jun family and killing the Demon Dragon Venerable, his personal vendetta remain_unfulfilled.

To unveil the truth behind the attack he had suffered years ago, he had to return to the Heavenly Realm. However, ascending to the Heavenly Realm required at least reaching the Martial Emperor level.

Martial Emperor was just the beginning of transcending to the higher realms.

While Ye Xuan was deep in thought, the atmosphere aboard the flying puppet was somewhat awkward, with two women and one man. Ye Xuan was absorbed in his cultivation, while there was little conversation between Ling Qianxue and Nangong Yao, creating a tense atmosphere.

"Senior Sister Ling, have there been any changes in the Tiannan Region recently?"

Feeling the somewhat awkward atmosphere, Ye Xuan changed the subject and broke the stalemate.

"There haven’t been major changes, just that the Black Demon Sect, which had already been exterminated, seems to be showing signs of a resurgence. I don’t know who is behind it. When I left, some remnants of the Black Demon Sect had already started to stir," Ling Qianxue said with a slightly solemn expression.

"The Black Demon Sect has reemerged? Weren’t they completely wiped out?"

Ye Xuan was stunned for a moment, then also felt somewhat surprised. He remembered even the mastermind behind the Black Demon Sect, the Bright and Dark Ming King, and thought that the Black Demon Sect should have no foothold in the Tiannan Region by now.

"I’m not sure, it’s probably just some minor characters who won’t stir up much trouble."

Ling Qianxue shook her head gently.

Hearing this, Ye Xuan did not say more and continued to close his eyes and begin his cultivation.

After several days of flying on the puppet, the coastline slowly came into view from afar, and the long-lost Tiannan Region was finally reached.

"Heavenly Martial Hall, the Ye family, I’m back."

Ye Xuan looked at the slowly approaching continent, a glint of light flashing in his eyes—he was finally back.

Before long, in front of the trio, a large city appeared in their sight.

The three of them leapt down and landed within the city.

However, what met their eyes was a total absence of people but rather a scene of ruins everywhere with broken walls. Among these ruins lay decaying bodies, each disfigured and in grotesque death poses, the whole city permeated with a thick scent of blood.

"What happened here?"

Nangong Yao held back the nausea in her heart and looked shocked at the carnage within the city.

"How tragic, who could have done this?"

Ling Qianxue’s complexion also changed. When she had last left, this was still a thriving city, but now, it had turned into a city of death.

"It doesn’t seem human, more like the doing of some huge creature."

Ye Xuan observed the traces left around and showed a thoughtful expression. From the battle marks left here, it seemed like a massive creature had turned this city into a dead city.

"A huge creature? Could it be a Demon Beast?" Ling Qianxue still looked amazed.

"Let’s head to the Heavenly Martial Hall first."

Ye Xuan did not think further, as conjecture alone wouldn’t clarify anything. Given the scale of this incident, as the foremost sect of the Tiannan Region, the Heavenly Martial Hall must know something.

"Yes."

Ling Qianxue and Nangong Yao nodded, and both, with a swift movement, followed Ye Xuan onto the flying puppet and disappeared above the city.

After leaving that dead city, as Ye Xuan and his companions travelled, they discovered several other dead cities, and even some towns and villages had turned into the same condition, devoid of any human presence.

"It seems during the time we were away, a major catastrophe has unfolded in the Tiannan Region."

Along the way, Ye Xuan’s expression grew more solemn. The devastation had appeared in so many places; it seemed the entire Tiannan Region must have been plunged into some cataclysm.

Hearing this, Ling Qianxue and Nangong Yao’s faces also changed markedly, undoubtedly worried about the safety of the Heavenly Martial Hall and the Nangong family. With so many places attacked, it was hard to ensure that other areas were spared from a similar calamity.

Ye Xuan was also worried about the safety of the Ye family. Although he had left the Flood Dragon to protect the Ye family, the current crisis seemed far from simple, and even the Flood Dragon might not be able to ensure the Ye family’s safety.

The Heavenly Martial Mountain Range, vast and majestic, stretched thousands of miles, and the Heavenly Martial Hall was situated within these mountains.

In just over two hours, Ye Xuan and his companions arrived here on the flying puppet. Now that the prohibitions of the Heavenly Martial Hall posed no obstacle to them, they easily passed through and landed in the central square of the Heavenly Martial Hall.

Upon arriving, Ye Xuan finally took a slow breath, his mind slightly relieved. At least for now, the Heavenly Martial Hall was still intact, it seemed that the catastrophe had not yet swept through here.