Chapter 286 - The Touch of the Inner Heart

Chapter 286: Chapter 285: The Touch of the Inner HeartGolden light flickered, and Ye Tianchen let out a roar; a massive gold brick descended, crushing towards Asura. This was one of Ye Tianchen’s Gold Element Superpower Skills called "Golden Divine Shield," which he had used before in the battle against Wang Jie. However, back then, Ye Tianchen had focused on defense, whereas now he employed it for offense—essentially different concepts, its power unknowably many times greater.

As he watched the enormous gold brick bear down on him, with Ye Tianchen stepping firmly on top of it as if to trample him beneath his foot, a surge of anger welled up from within Asura. In this life, he too was a powerhouse within the King-level Superpower Realm, not invincible, yet tough to find an equal. No one had ever dared to trample him beneath their foot.

Thud!

The Azure Dragon Blade pinned Ye Tianchen into a tree. At that moment, the Ye Tianchen, who had been pierced through his entire left chest, dripping with fresh blood, suddenly vanished into dust. Asura was not surprised, still focusing on the Golden Divine Shield descending above him. He knew the moment Ye Tianchen roared and stomped his foot to summon the Shield, that the figure pierced by the Azure Dragon Blade and gruesomely nailed to the tree was but a substitute—a Superpower Substitute Skill.

What surprised Asura was that Ye Tianchen managed to deploy the Superpower Substitute Skill so quickly, evading a lethal strike from his Azure Dragon Blade’s Sky Shattering Strike that Ye Tianchen’s earthly barrier walls had barely held at bay for half a second.

So-called Superpower Substitute Skill involved using some material to rapidly infuse with Superpower energy at a critical moment, creating a fake self to receive the Slaughter Skill and taking the true body to assail the enemy. Not many employed this Superpower Skill, just like the Clone Skill, as it would dissipate your Superpower energy, squandering a vast amount of it. This would be a fatal flaw during a life-and-death battle against an absolute expert; with your Superpower energy already weaker than your opponent’s, it almost guaranteed instant defeat. Hence, using a Substitute Skill or Clone Skill against a real expert was tantamount to suicide.

But at this very moment, Asura couldn’t feel any weakening of Ye Tianchen’s Superpower energy. On the contrary, it felt impressively strong. As a Gold Element Superpower User also within the King-level Superpower Realm, Asura sensed that Ye Tianchen’s Superpower Skill "Golden Divine Shield" thunderously crushing down was definitely no weaker than his own "Sky Shattering Strike," and the Substitute Skill Ye Tianchen used was of the Earth Element, which was quite a surprise to Asura.

Whoosh!

With a summon from his right hand, Asura’s Azure Dragon Blade returned to his grasp. He had already unleashed his mightiest blow, and the Superpower energy left in him wasn’t as potent. Despite that, Asura had no other choice. Ye Tianchen, standing on the golden brick "Golden Divine Shield" pressing down, left no room to dodge, and it was then that Asura understood the extent of Ye Tianchen’s power, perhaps as formidable as the rumors suggested.

Bang!

Ye Tianchen’s foot bore down with the Golden Divine Shield, and Asura desperately swung his blade, causing a thunderous noise that seemed to crack the entire desolate island apart. Despite Ye Tianchen’s Superpower Isolation Net containing the entire island, the impact still whipped up waves in the sea surrounding the island, the noise piercing through the Isolation Net and escaping into the distance, testifying to the colossal strength of the strike.

Whoosh!

Asura was the first to burst out from the thick smoke and dust, covered in blood but heedlessly slashing forward. At that moment, Ye Tianchen, too, had blood dripping down his entire right arm. As the "Golden Divine Shield" descended crushing Asura, Ye Tianchen, determined to deliver a killing blow, had slapped down with his right hand at the crucial moment, causing a monumental collision that nearly crippled his entire arm.

The blade moved swiftly, Asura’s final desperate effort as he strove to block Ye Tianchen’s "Golden Divine Shield" with his Azure Dragon Blade. In the moment when he shattered the Shield, the backlash had him drenched in blood, the severity of his wounds unknown, yet he still relentlessly pursued Ye Tianchen, fighting to protect the Xuanyuan family, knowing well that if Ye Tianchen lived, the Xuanyuan family would surely be obliterated that very night.

Spurt!

Ye Tianchen’s left shoulder was cleaved by the Azure Dragon Blade. This time, it was a true and direct hit, and he no longer had the strength to use the Superpower Substitute Skill. His right hand grabbed the blade’s back, with blood dripping down his left arm. He stared intently at Asura.

"It seems I was wrong, you don’t need three years; you’ve already surpassed me now!" Asura said calmly, gazing at Ye Tianchen as if he had come to a realization. Between experts, many words weren’t needed—the outcome had already been decided.

"You have tried your best to protect the Xuanyuan family. This is fate. Why not join us, the Thirteen Heavenly Kings, and showcase your strength?" Ye Tianchen, although also covered in wounds, with both his left and right hands nearly crippled, still invited Asura with a smile.

Asura was stunned for a moment, then also smiled. The Azure Dragon Blade in his right hand had disappeared, leaving only a blood-drenched Asura looking at Ye Tianchen and saying, "You are not only a young man with high expertise and inscrutable strength but also possess a great heart and magnanimity. The Xuanyuan family has reached its end; it’s time for it to cease. And I, who no longer have family ties or care in this world, can also depart!"

Ye Tianchen realized what was happening, but by the time he wanted to make a move, Asura had already seated himself on a nearby stone and had stopped breathing, taking Ye Tianchen by surprise. He had never expected that Asura, after being defeated, would make such a choice. A mighty fighter, almost unbeatable on Earth in this era, chose to perish along with the Xuanyuan family. It was not because the Xuanyuan family was so formidable, but because of Asura’s nobility and loyalty, which were admirable.

"Senior..." Ye Tianchen called out with a mix of regret and emotion.

This was the outcome of a fight between two masters. It was the first time Ye Tianchen had sustained such severe injuries, with both hands nearly disabled, which showed how powerful Asura was. However, Asura also saw that continuing the fight would only lead to mutual destruction, or rather, he had already been defeated. This twenty-year-old had not only surpassed himself at that age, but also the current him. Continuing the struggle would be meaningless. Two different people, without deep hatred for each other, were each serving their own master, each bound by their own fate. The world is full of such helplessness; nobody is truly in control of their life.

At this moment, Ye Tianchen didn’t know how to describe his feelings. Asura was so powerful, the strongest person he had encountered on Earth since his rebirth and the most severe injury he had ever sustained. He and Asura bore no deep grudge against each other; it was just that neither of them had a choice. In the end, Asura gave up the life-and-death struggle and passed away on a large rock, with the generosity of a predecessor and the demeanor of a sage—such a person shouldn’t have met death.

Especially Asura’s words, having no relatives, no friends, and therefore no attachments, struck a chord with Ye Tianchen. What difference did life or death make to him?

After rebirth on the post-apocalyptic star, Ye Tianchen was an orphan without any family, fighting and battling his way through life. He did not know how many times he had skirted the edge of death to finally gain a group of brothers-in-arms. Unfortunately, after the battle with the Supreme Demon Beast, they all died, every last one of them. Ye Tianchen almost nightly dreamt of that scene, unable to let go. If he didn’t avenge his loved ones, even in death, he would not rest at peace. A true man should stand tall and earn reputation, and protecting one’s family was the bare minimum. Thus, Ye Tianchen treasured this life’s loved ones—his parents and sister—more than anything.

The loneliness, the sorrow, and the existence of a supreme expert without a single family member by his side, unable to feel familial love or joy, moved Ye Tianchen. He became more determined to clear away any obstacles and to ensure the safety and happiness of his own family. His resolve in his heart grew even stronger, unshakable by anyone—not even by the Heavenly King himself.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

Wuxue, Wang Jie, and Bao Tianglong, all three of them, appeared behind Ye Tianchen, covered in blood. However, the blood was from the Xuanyuan family’s assassins. After a major battle, they had breached the Xuanyuan family’s estate and captured Xuanyuan Xuanyu and his son, Xuanyuan Qiu, alive. Upon hearing the earth-shattering noise, all were shocked and rushed over. Seeing their big brother Ye Tianchen with blood dripping from his arms, almost completely disabled, they all gasped in astonishment, imagining the incredible battle Ye Tianchen must have fought.

"Big brother... are you all right?" Wuxue regained his composure and asked in surprise.

"I’m fine," Ye Tianchen said calmly, looking at the silhouette of Asura sitting upright, deeply moved. He could say that he had defeated Asura, but also that he hadn’t, for the final life-and-death blow hadn’t happened. Asura had grasped life’s ephemeral nature and died on the rock without a trace of attachment, leaving Ye Tianchen profoundly shaken.

"This... this is... too incredible..." Wang Jie, looking at the sitting figure of Asura, was stunned, surprised beyond words. A confident and arrogant person, he seldom wore such an expression. However, he could feel the strong superpower energy emanating from the person in front of him, even in death. It was no wonder the inscrutable Ye Tianchen had sustained such injuries.

"Asura, a predecessor worthy of respect, let’s go!" Ye Tianchen sighed and said.

"What about Xuanyuan Xuanyu and his son, Xuanyuan Qiu?" Bao Tianglong asked.

"Kill them, and make sure to give Asura a proper burial on a deserted island!" Ye Tianchen said indifferently, then turned to leave. (To be continued. If you like this novel, you are welcome to come to Qidian to cast your vote of recommendation and monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation.)