...

In less than a day, the news had spread throughout the Celestial Emperor's Mansion.

After a hundred years, the Battle Platform was about to open again, a message that undoubtedly startled everyone.

But upon learning that there was a significant difference in cultivation between the two contestants, many were very puzzled by this.

They couldn't understand why Ji Chen dared to be so confident.

Even some of the older disciples who had been in closed-door cultivation for years were startled out.

"Ji Chen? The one who defeated Sword Wushuang with a cultivation at the Ninth Layer of the Celestial Essence Realm?"

"It seems he is indeed a person of stature, but against Shen Yan, he surely stands no chance of winning."

"Drew the Nine Dragon True Tribulation? His talent and potential are immense, but unfortunately, he might meet his end on the Battle Platform."

"Being too rigid leads to breaking, he dares to challenge Shen Yan with a cultivation at the First Layer of the Void Realm, isn't it a bit too arrogant?"

Many of the older disciples who had been in the mansion for years were startled, some having just exited seclusion and learned about this. Although they were a bit surprised, overall, they were not optimistic about Ji Chen, believing that Shen Yan would easily crush the opponent in this Battle Platform duel.

After all, in everyone's eyes, the gap between the two was indeed too large.

Against a master at the Eighth or Ninth Layer of the Void Realm, Ji Chen might possibly win with ease, but facing an opponent who had reached the Half-Saint Realm, which is close to the realm of Saints, detached from the Great Dao, crushing Ji Chen would be a simple task.

...

But in the face of all types of outside opinions, Ji Chen paid no heed.

He was cultivating in Qixian Residence, improving himself while also contemplating the Profound Spirit Scripture, hoping to comprehend this secret technique to a higher realm before his duel with Shen Yan.

In the blink of an eye, three days passed.

On this day, within a square in the Celestial Emperor's Mansion.

Early in the morning, it was already crowded with countless figures, all disciples from the various peaks of the Celestial Emperor's Mansion.

Not only the newly entered ones, but many older disciples also appeared, gathering on the square.

Even some elder-level figures showed up, indicating the importance attached to this duel.

After all, both contestants are rare talents for the Celestial Emperor's Mansion; whether it's Ji Chen or Shen Yan, whoever falls on the platform today will be a tremendous loss.

Somewhere in the city, a few Saint Venerables were also drawn over, currently standing atop a pavilion, able to view the entire square through the window.

"Does Ji Chen have a chance of winning?" asked Saint Venerable Zixia.

When she learned of the news, she was exceptionally shocked and grew worried for Ji Chen.

"This child's strength is indeed remarkable, and now having broken through to the Void Realm, his combat power has taken another step up. If he wasn't confident, how would he dare challenge Shen Yan?" Saint Venerable Mu Yun opened his mouth; he was the one who personally went to Daoxuan to bring Ji Chen and others to the Celestial Emperor's Mansion.

Saint Venerable Huanglong also said, "He is not the reckless type. At this point, all we can do is wait and see."

Nearby, Saint Venerable Lu Lin, the master of Dao Peak, couldn't help but complain, "Why do all of you seem to support Ji Chen? If he truly wins this battle, wouldn't our Dao Peak have lost a talent like Shen Yan?"

"Compared to Ji Chen's potential, Shen Yan is no big deal, but after all, he is also a disciple of our Celestial Emperor's Mansion. If he truly falls on the Battle Platform, it would indeed be regrettable," said Saint Venerable Xuanyuan, the master of Sword Peak.

"Speaking of which, although Shen Yan has a decent reputation among the disciples, he also has his share of criticism. Every time new disciples enter the mansion, it is his Cyan Gate that oppresses them the most."

...

The few Saint Venerables discussed the battle of the day with great interest.

As time passed, more and more people gathered in the square.

The Nine Peaks had over ten thousand disciples, and today, at least more than half of them were here to watch the duel, showing how much attention this battle had drawn.

"I wonder how confident Brother Ji is in defeating Shen Yan today?"

In a corner of the square, Gu Hao and a group of people from the Dao Dust Pavilion also arrived, all standing together.

The battle hadn't started yet, but they were already worried for Ji Chen.

After all, no matter what is said, his opponent is Shen Yan, a powerhouse who has stepped into the Half-Saint Realm!

Such a character would be considered a formidable hero even in the Daoxuan Star Realm, not to be underestimated.

"Shen Yan is already here, so why hasn't Ji Chen appeared yet?"

In the middle of the square, there was a high platform, where Shen Yan was seen sitting cross-legged with closed eyes. He had been here for quite a while, but there was still no sign of Ji Chen.

"Could it be he's afraid? That would be a big joke."

"Once you're on the Battle Platform, life and death are not considered. I think that Ji Chen probably doesn't have the guts to come; otherwise, he would surely die at the hands of Shen Yan."

"Ha, I was thinking of joining the Dao Dust Pavilion, but who knew that its Pavilion Master would be such a coward?"

Many were discussing, and as time went by, the crowd onsite seemed to grow a bit anxious.

Some even urged Gu Hao and the others from the Dao Dust Pavilion to quickly call Ji Chen over.

To this, Gu Hao and the others naturally couldn't be bothered to respond.

They knew that since Ji Chen had challenged Shen Yan, there was no way he would back down.

Gradually, time passed.

Finally, at noon, the scorching sun was high in the sky over Celestial Emperor City.

"Shua!"

From the distant sky, there was suddenly a sound of wind breaking, heard by everyone.

No one needed to be reminded; everyone's eyes looked over at the first moment.

And then they saw, in the void not far away, a white-clothed figure flying in.

He stepped through the air, as if shrinking the ground into inches, reaching the sky above the square in just a few breaths.

"He's here!"

"Is that person Ji Chen?"

"He looks much younger than expected."

Some disciples who had just exited seclusion discussed.

Apparently, because they had been in seclusion before, they didn't come out when Ji Chen underwent the Nine Dragon True Tribulation, so today was the first time they saw him.

"Judging from the aura, his cultivation has just broken through to the First Layer of the Void Realm. It's indeed incredible that he could defeat a Seventh Layer expert like Sword Wushuang, but against Shen Yan, he is bound to lose."

Someone spoke, and from the cultivation gap between the two, they simply could not find any possibility that Ji Chen could take down Shen Yan.

Even the slightest chance of victory, they couldn't see it.

"It's said that he possesses some kind of special physique. Someone has inquired with disciples from Daoxuan, and it seems to be called the Hongmeng Body, and it's already in Great Success, Body Sanctification. This might be his greatest trump card, but if that's all, it's still very difficult to defeat Shen Yan."

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