Chapter 24: Defeated in One Move

"After today, there will be no more Ye Long among the Three Heroes of the Imperial City."

Watching as Ye Long dove towards him, Ye Chen remained unperturbed, calmly speaking.

In his calm voice, there was an unparalleled confidence.

But to others, this wasn't confidence, but ignorance.

Why were there only three heroes in the Imperial City, and not four or five?

Simply because the power of the three heroes was terrifying, undefeated even in battles against peers. And how could Ye Chen, with a lower cultivation level, be a match for Ye Long?

It was hard to imagine where Ye Chen's confidence came from, daring to utter such arrogant words at this moment.

After today, there will be no more Ye Long among the Three Heroes of the Imperial City.

Could he really defeat Ye Long?

"You are arrogant, and you have the qualifications to be so. I admire that. But, you have gone too far with your arrogance," Ye Long shook his head, sneering coldly.

Honestly speaking, in terms of talent alone, Ye Long had to admit that Ye Chen's talent was very strong, even surpassing his own. But arrogance to the point of not knowing one's place, even without today's encounter, would not lead far.

In this world, it's not about talent. No matter how strong one's talent is, it only represents potential and cannot equate to strength.

In an instant, Ye Long appeared in front of Ye Chen. Sword light scattered, chilling as ice. Within the grand hall, it seemed as if snow and ice were blooming, with a brilliant white radiance.

"The Frost Sword! Ye Long actually directly used his mastery technique, sealing off all of Ye Chen's space and placing him within the domain of sword qi and slaughter," someone exclaimed from the crowd.

Beside him were several people, including Ye Zhen, Ye Chen's siblings.

This person was Ye Qian, second only to Ye Long in the main family and equally qualified to inherit the position of the next family head.

"It's worthy of being one of the Three Heroes. This sword, I cannot deflect," someone else said from the sidelines, none other than Ye Dong, one of the three outstanding talents of the Ye family.

The words of the two talents who were just below Ye Long made the crowd understand.

Even these two acknowledged that they were not Ye Long's match and couldn't deflect this sword. Then Ye Chen, afraid he couldn't deflect it either.

Ye Long, it seemed, was intending to crush Ye Chen with his overwhelming strength in one move.

The reputation of the Three Heroes of the Imperial City was well-known. Those who bore such a title had already proven their strength.

This sword was indeed formidable, at least among the opponents Ye Chen had encountered so far, it was the strongest.

But even so, in Ye Chen's eyes, it was nothing more than an ant.

Ye Chen didn't move, standing like a rock, as if the approaching thing was not a sword of death. This situation made the crowd outside the hall sneer repeatedly.

Facing death, yet still so calm. Was it confidence or arrogance?

"Do you want to die?"

Seeing Ye Chen unmoved, Ye Long's eyes turned cold and murderous. Was he being scorned?

"Seeking death? You're not even worthy."

Ye Chen sneered, and suddenly, his eyes became eerie. Two strange rays of light whistled out, entering Ye Long's eyes.

In an instant, Ye Long's body trembled, his eyes somewhat absent, and the world before him became somewhat illusory.

"Illusion technique?"

Ye Long's heart trembled violently. He quickly retreated, realizing that Ye Chen had cultivated the power of illusion.

In fact, this wasn't an illusion, but rather Ye Chen's soul force attack, affecting Ye Long's will.

"What's going on? Why did Ye Long retreat?"

"Could it be that Ye Long has taken pity on Ye Chen again and wants to give him a chance?"

Voices of confusion came from outside the hall. In their eyes, Ye Chen remained unmoved, seemingly passive and waiting for death, while Ye Long held absolute dominance, as if one sword strike could crush Ye Chen.

But just as Ye Long was about to seize the advantage, he retreated.

This puzzled them.

And just as they speculated, Ye Chen's body moved. He stepped forward, using his elusive figure to dodge the dense snowflake sword qi.

The sharp and terrifying sword qi appeared behind him, gradually dissipating, unable to harm him in the slightest.

"Is that... footwork? He actually dodged Ye Long's Frost Sword qi head-on!" Ye Qian and Ye Dong's expressions changed dramatically.

Ye Chen actually dodged Ye Long's Frost Sword qi head-on. That was a power even they found difficult to deflect. Yet he effortlessly avoided it.

Doesn't that mean Ye Chen's strength surpasses theirs?

"Frost Sword!"

In the grand hall, Ye Long regained his composure. Seeing Ye Chen approaching, he hastily unleashed his sword technique.

But Ye Chen was too fast. In the blink of an eye, he was in front of Ye Long. The terrifying speed left Ye Long unable to adapt, feeling a sense of unreality.

However, his instinct in battle led Ye Long to make a wise move—abandoning his sword.

He shook his arm, sending his long sword flying, while simultaneously forming a fist with his right hand, attacking Ye Chen like a mountain. If it landed, even those below the realm of True Martial might fall.

However, whether it was the sword qi or the fist imprint, none could hit Ye Chen, all falling into empty air.

Ye Chen's speed was too fast, so fast that even Ye Long couldn't lock on, let alone catch up.

"Crack!"

Suddenly, a crisp sound rang out, accompanied by blossoming blood. Ye Long's expression changed drastically.

The next moment, in the grand hall, Ye Chen's figure stood firm. Facing him were two figures.

Ye Long's complexion was as pale as snow, his hands tightly covering his throat. Blood dripped through his fingers, his gaze filled with shock and disbelief as he looked at Ye Chen.

Beside him stood a middle-aged man, who, at the moment Ye Chen attempted to pierce Ye Long's throat, forcefully pulled Ye Long back, saving his life.

Yet even so, this scene was enough to send shivers down one's spine.

Ye Long, one of the Three Heroes of the Imperial City and the pinnacle of Spiritual Martial Realm, had been effortlessly defeated by Ye Chen in one move. If it weren't for the intervention of the family head, Ye Long would probably be a lifeless corpse by now.

How could Ye Chen be so powerful?

If he were in the Imperial City, even the Three Heroes would pale in comparison.

He alone dared to challenge the geniuses of the Imperial City, making them all pale in comparison.

"So these are the Three Heroes of the Imperial City?"

"So this is the number one of the Ye family in this generation?"

"Such trash, yet they dare to make me a martial attendant?"

"Are you worthy, Ye Long?"

Ye Chen glanced at the middle-aged man, then turned to mock Ye Long. He didn't say much, just wore a sneer on his face, a smile that deeply pierced Ye Long.

He was defeated.

And he was defeated thoroughly.

With just one collision, he was nearly slashed open at the throat, on the verge of death.

As the strongest of the Ye family in this generation, he felt such humiliation and helplessness for the first time.

"So strong."

Outside the hall, Ye Qian and Ye Dong exchanged glances, both seeing profound fear in each other's eyes.

Too strong.

To be able to defeat the pinnacle of Spiritual Martial Realm with just one move, Ye Chen was too terrifying.

"If he had the status of the main family, he would probably be the number one of the Ye family," Ye Xiang couldn't help but murmur among the crowd.

Before this, both she and Ye Zhen believed that Ye Chen had no qualifications to challenge the geniuses of the main family, otherwise, he would undoubtedly die.

But the scene before them was too shocking.

The number one genius of the Ye family was defeated in one move!

"Not just the number one of the main family, with him around, even the geniuses of the Imperial City would have to lower their heads," a member of the main family spoke up.

These words spread through everyone's minds.

It was eerie how they could make everyone believe.

However, Ye Chen didn't have the status of the main family.

Even Ye Long's father intervened, and the current family head also intervened.

How could he not die?