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Chapter 872: The Enigmatic Emperor

Zhong Shan's Demonic Body Tempering, Seventh Level! Eightfold power erupted explosively.

In an instant, the power of the Sky-Opening Palm surged eightfold, and Zhong Shan's form swelled to twice its size. In the void, a massive hand collided with a smaller one, akin to an adult's hand meeting an infant's.

"Boom!"

A thunderous explosion shattered Cheng Baiyi's white palm, sending towering waves surging across the sea.

At that precise moment, the golden arrow pierced Zhong Shan's back.

Zhong Shan's instincts screamed danger, and his back hairs stood on end. He was ready to activate his Eight Extreme Demon Tail, but the speed of the great immortal artifact was too incredible. Just as death loomed over him, another treasure within Zhong Shan activated.

"Boom!"

From Zhong Shan's back, a burst of white light erupted, and a ten-foot-square painting unfolded, shielding his back.

The painting, mostly white with countless clouds, seemed to contain endless mountains and rivers. At its center was a striking black dot.

The golden arrow shot into the painting and vanished within its depths.

The painting acted like a spatial treasure, absorbing the golden arrow.

In an astonishing twist, the arrow reemerged from the black dot, now turned around, heading back the way it came at the same speed.

"Whoosh!"

The transformation happened in a blink. The arrow, painting, and its reemergence all occurred within a fleeting instant.

The golden arrow, following its original path, shot back with incredible speed.

Everyone was stunned. What kind of treasure was this? Reflection? No, the arrowhead had turned around. A spatial world within the painting?

What kind of treasure was this? Everyone looked at Zhong Shan with shock.

An immortal artifact? More than that—it was miraculous! What kind of treasure was this?

In that brief moment, the painting returned to Zhong Shan's body.

The crowd erupted. What kind of treasure was that? So mysterious and wondrous? Zhong Shan had just opened the heavens, so where did he get such a treasure?

It was an artifact crafted by Zhong Shan himself, a primal chaos treasure—the Emperor's Painting!

As Zhong Shan's palm defeated Cheng Baiyi, he turned to look back at the direction from which the golden arrow had come.

A sneak attack? In front of so many people, someone dared to attack?

On the distant island peak, Sima Qianjun had shot the arrow, a great immortal artifact. This sneak attack, even ancient immortals might struggle to intercept. Zhong Shan was surely doomed.

With the arrow released, Sima Qianjun felt an immense sense of satisfaction, as if the resentment he'd harbored towards Zhong Shan was being fully unleashed. There was no time; Zhong Shan couldn't possibly dodge it. The Soul-Destroying Arrow, once piercing the body, would annihilate the soul, ensuring instantaneous death.

Sima Qianjun prepared to leave immediately after witnessing Zhong Shan's death.

However, what Sima Qianjun saw in his pupils was the golden arrow speeding back towards him, the arrowhead aimed straight at him. How could this be?

"Thud!"

The arrow pierced Sima Qianjun. Until his dying breath, he couldn't understand how the arrow he shot suddenly turned back on him. How could this happen?

Filled with intense unwillingness, Sima Qianjun died instantly.

"Young master, young master!" his attendants screamed in terror.

A large group of Sima family subordinates rushed over, but it was too late for Sima Qianjun.

"Hurry, hurry, the elixir, the great elixir, save the young master!" the attendants shouted in panic.

But Sima Qianjun hadn't used an ordinary arrow. His scheme to kill Zhong Shan ended up backfiring, and there was no cure for his self-inflicted demise.

Zhong Shan turned his head just in time to witness Sima Qianjun's self-destruction.

With a cold glance, Zhong Shan dismissed it.

"Was it Sima Qianjun? That scoundrel!" A-Fo exclaimed.

"Hong Xiao, capture everyone on that island and detain them!" Nine-Tailed Princess ordered angrily.

"Yes!" Hong Xiao responded immediately.

At this moment, the onlookers were all in shock.

The Saint King of Daeng? This was the Saint King of Daeng? He was terrifyingly powerful.

He had faced an 'ancient immortal' with the strength of a heavenly immortal and forced his opponent back. He even dealt with a sneak attack from behind. Was he even human?

No one doubted Zhong Shan's strength anymore. Weak? Try pushing back an ancient immortal's palm while fending off a great immortal artifact's sneak attack.

Those who had supported Zhong Shan felt a surge of exhilaration and excitement. The image of the Saint King of Daeng soared in their minds.

Second level of heavenly immortality? What a joke. Could Zhong Shan really be at the second level of heavenly immortality?

The rumors about Zhong Shan would spread throughout the Fengzhong Domain after today's battle.

Cheng Baiyi hadn't expected the sneak attack on Zhong Shan but was more shocked by Zhong Shan's palm strike. He was a peak great immortal with extraordinarily powerful hands. Why? Why was Zhong Shan's palm so formidable?

Cheng Baiyi couldn't believe it. It was impossible. How could he be pushed back by Zhong Shan?

Cheng Baiyi didn't know that this wasn't Zhong Shan's strongest palm. Zhong Shan's most powerful technique was the "First Form of Sky-Opening." In a past battle with Kong Xuan, even Kong Xuan's formidable eighteen-armed golden body couldn't withstand it. Of course, the requirements for the "First Form of Sky-Opening" were high, and Zhong Shan couldn't use it in his current state.

"Let's go again!" Cheng Baiyi shouted in frustration.

"Daoist Cheng Baiyi, what's the point?" Zhong Shan sneered.

This was a direct slap to Cheng Baiyi's face. The message was clear: Cheng Baiyi couldn't accept defeat. Despite the sneak attack, Zhong Shan had still defeated him with one palm, and he refused to acknowledge it?

Cheng Baiyi's face turned red with shame. Instead of humiliating Zhong Shan as intended, the failed sneak attack left him feeling humiliated in front of the crowd. The frustration was enough to make him want to vomit blood.

Staring at Zhong Shan, Cheng Baiyi's face was extremely grim, and his eyes radiated a chilling coldness.

"Daoist Cheng Baiyi? It's just a spar. Why take it so seriously? The outcome is clear. Why can't you let it go?" A calm voice suddenly resonated from the void.

As the voice spoke, a figure slowly materialized beside Zhong Shan. It was the Demon Chess Saint of the fox clan.

Cheng Baiyi's eyes narrowed.

"What, you want to interfere in my matters with Zhong Shan?" Cheng Baiyi said coldly.

"Your matters with Zhong Shan? You wanted to spar with him, lost, and now you want to force another match?" the Demon Chess Saint said with a faint smile.

"So what?" Cheng Baiyi's eyes turned colder.

"Well, I've been rather idle lately and often feel like stretching my bones. Seeing Daoist Cheng Baiyi today, how about you and I spar a bit? I think my status wouldn't insult you. How about right here?" the Demon Chess Saint suggested with a casual smile.

Cheng Baiyi's face grew even darker.

The surrounding onlookers, having just witnessed a spectacular battle, were now eager for an even more exciting one. Each one watched with great interest.

"Who is this person? Challenging Daoist Cheng Baiyi? Doesn't this tone sound just like Cheng Baiyi's when he was speaking to Zhong Shan?"

"You don't know this person? The top chess master of the Fengzhong Domain. But I heard he was defeated by Zhong Shan in a game of chess!"

"The Demon Chess Saint? No way, beaten by Zhong Shan in chess? Isn't Zhong Shan known for his imperial path?"

"Are you from the underworld? Don't you know? Where did the treasure from the Aolai Sea Saint come from? It was an ancient immortal's tomb that several generations of the Demon Chess Saint's family couldn't open, but Zhong Shan did!"

"Is Zhong Shan really that powerful? Is Daeng really as weak as the rumors say?"

"Weak? It seems the rumors aren't true at all. Daeng? Daeng?"

...

As people talked, they deeply remembered the name 'Daeng'.

"Yes, the Demon Chess Saint. Duel him. People like him are shameless, challenging weaker cultivators and even getting others to launch sneak attacks," Nine-Tailed Princess suddenly jumped in.

"The one who launched the sneak attack wasn't my man; it was someone from your Taichu!" Cheng Baiyi's face turned green with anger.

Sima Qianjun's sneak attack had nothing to do with Cheng Baiyi, but Nine-Tailed Princess's accusation immediately made everyone think otherwise. Indeed, this was disgraceful.

"Someone from Taichu? What does that prove? Zhong Shan saved your Zixiao Saintess earlier, and now you want to embarrass him in front of everyone? Couldn't that archer have been colluding with you to plot against Zhong Shan? One palm exchange followed by a sneak attack—if we go again, who knows how many more sneak attacks you'll plan!" Nine-Tailed Princess mocked.

When had Cheng Baiyi ever been so humiliated? Despite his cultivation, he felt an overwhelming urge to vomit blood from the anger and shame.

"You're courting death!" Cheng Baiyi's tone was chilling as he glared at Nine-Tailed Princess.

The Demon Chess Saint immediately stepped in front of Nine-Tailed Princess, his tone equally cold. "Cheng Baiyi, if you dare disrespect Nine-Tailed Princess, don't blame me for being impolite."

"Why are you being polite to him? People like him just love showing off, especially in front of a crowd, by challenging weaker cultivators to display their 'strength.' Disgraceful!" Nine-Tailed Princess added fuel to the fire.

Cheng Baiyi wasn't the type to challenge weaker cultivators, but the current situation painted him as such, leaving him feeling utterly frustrated and close to spitting blood.