The Grand Commander wore a purple-gold crown on his head, bore a dragon-and-serpent shears on his back, and held a great golden banner in hand. The entire figure emanated battle energy like a surging sea, rolling and tumbling outward.

He pointed at Ye Fan and said coldly: “You used your techniques to fabricate illusions, presenting what you claim to be the truth and deceiving the gathered heroes. This is despicable beyond measure — such tricks cannot be brought to the light of day. Capture you, and it will be immediately exposed.”

“Do you think you can deceive everyone? It’s already this obvious, and yet you’re still making excuses — trying to cover up the truth with even more lies, without a shred of shame!” Ye Fan rebuked him.

To the gathered people of the city, this was like a thunderclap shattering the world. As Grand Commander, he was one of the most powerful figures in the ancient city aside from the guidance official — who had ever dared to defy him in ordinary times?

“Seize this villain and restore our names!” The remaining soldiers bellowed, every one of them seething with killing intent, each gripping their weapon again, blood and energy roiling, prepared to fight to the death.

They had no way out. Only by killing Ye Fan could there be any possibility of turning the tide. Otherwise, today’s matter could not possibly end well.

“To live as shameless as you have is itself a kind of achievement. Do you feel no pang of conscience when you say these things? You are all truly wolf-hearted and dog-lunged!” Ye Fan said coldly, the long spear in his hand pointing toward them from a distance.

“You slander our names, and now rely on your power and arts to fabricate a so-called divine sense — deceiving the gathered heroes. Only by killing your true body and examining your primal spirit can we wash away our grievance. Everyone — what are you waiting for? Kill!”

A group surged forward to attack. This time, naturally, they dared not clash head-on — they had deployed an ancient formation, with the Grand Commander as the vanguard, fighting at the very front.

“Boom!”

The great golden banner unfurled and swept downward, its holy might surging to the heavens. The banner face was vast enough to cover the sky, and within it lay the sun, moon, and star rivers — as though a true piece of cosmic sky was pressing down.

This was a golden sacred banner. The materials used for it were enough to make even a great saint envious — it was forged from stellar river divine sand. It had been for exactly this sort of extraordinary material — ten thousand pounds of divine sand — that Grand Commander Yu Han had once tried to exchange for a Source of the Dao.

Such materials were extraordinarily difficult to gather. Vast and endless as the cosmic star rivers were, one could never know how many star domains would need to be traversed before collecting even a single tael of divine sand — for this was a substance formed from the condensation of starlight.

The golden sacred banner snapped and billowed. Not all of it was forged from this material — other substances were incorporated as well. Wisps of energy seeped outward, heavy as a hundred million pounds, and its weight bore down so heavily that the entire ancient city seemed as though it might collapse.

Ye Fan smiled coldly. He raised a single arm to the sky, reaching out with a bare hand to seize the great banner, undaunted by the all-encompassing stellar power it unleashed — his hand alone shielding the heavens.

All holy energy was scattered and dispersed, surging in reverse back into the banner — into the vast star domain contained within it. Inside was a world without boundary: all manner of auspicious energy bursting with vitality, ten thousand streams of rosy light shining like the rays of soaring immortals, so brilliant that no one could keep their eyes open.

“Void Confinement!” The Grand Commander shouted.

Within the banner was a stellar world — formed naturally from star river divine sand, it had evolved this wondrous trait, becoming a world unto itself, and now sought to confine Ye Fan within the banner.

Yet no matter how many divine abilities and Dao arts were unleashed, Ye Fan simply struck with a single fist. Power upon power and art upon art shattered before him without end. What they called “confinement” could only halt the world within the banner — it could not truly freeze Ye Fan. He was like a primordial savage dragon taking human form, valiant and unstoppable.

The Grand Commander was alarmed. He murmured a shout and shook the banner violently — an even more terrifying scene unfolded.

“Boom!”

Within the golden banner surface, ancient stars appeared one after another, then burst outward. Slowly rotating, they pressed down upon Ye Fan from above, rumbling and thundering.

The onlookers were aghast — in that instant, ancient stars filled the sky in overwhelming abundance, pressing against the vault of heaven, so close that they were nearly within reach.

A vast and crushing oppressive force descended upon everyone’s hearts, impossible to resist. This was the might of the ancient stars erupting from the golden banner!

Crack!

Cracking sounds rang out one after another. Ye Fan swung his fists, shattering every ancient star — blasting them apart in the void. The entire golden banner shuddered as though it were about to disintegrate.

Grand Commander Yu Han’s expression shifted. He had carefully looked into Ye Fan before — prior to entering the primordial training ground, he had been only a half-saint. How could he be this powerful now?

He was certain that no one had crossed their tribulation within the training ground, because he controlled a Dao Mirror born of the space in that area, capable of sensing everything within. His opponent should not have broken through — and yet, the person before him was this terrifying.

In the fierce great collision, the golden banner crackled with lightning and thunder, cascading down ten thousand rivers of stars — vast as waterfalls, majestic as the primordial nine heavens — sending every person’s blood and energy surging, as though the entire area were about to be submerged.

This was a heavenly and earthly spectacle that shook hearts and souls.

And yet, even such a sacred banner could not erase that great hand. It was clearly visible — river after river of stars was shattered before Ye Fan’s palm, dissolving into brilliant starlight.

With a sharp, crumbling sound, Ye Fan tore away half the banner with one hand. All the wondrous signs in the sky vanished, and calm was restored.

The Grand Commander’s face cycled through shades of pale and green. He held a tattered half-banner in hand — Ye Fan had torn away more than half of it with his bare hands. It was beyond imagination.

“A pack of shameless scoundrels. I will send you all to your end, one by one.” Ye Fan said coldly. The divine light in his eyes blazed brightly. In an instant, he activated the Soldier-Word Secret. The great banner in the Grand Commander’s hand reversed direction, nearly wounding the man himself.

“Clang, clang…”

Behind the Grand Commander, the soldiers who had set up the ancient killing formation all felt a tremor in their hearts. Each of their weapons reversed direction, ringing and clanging — resonating and crying out.

Pff! A scream of agony rang out. One man’s bronze sword swung back and lopped off his own head, cutting through his primal spirit as well.

Another man’s ancient pagoda, which had been hovering above his head, came crashing down, pulverizing his own bones and crushing him into a pool of bloody pulp.

“Dong!”

A great bell tolled. One veteran soldier had achieved sainthood many years ago, and the great bell hovering above his head rang out in a slow, profound tone. The bell waves struck and dissolved everyone nearby into a mist of blood. They all died violently.

Ye Fan’s killing intent was unleashed. In almost an instant, he wiped out every one of those soldiers — only two survived, seized by the Grand Commander and pulled back as he retreated.

Yet it would only delay their death by a brief moment. Ye Fan let out a light, sharp shout and employed the Dao Shout technique. The two men dissolved into two masses of rotten mud right in the Grand Commander’s grasp — their bones and flesh both melting simultaneously.

“You are running rampant in the Sacred City of the Human Race — are you not afraid that the enforcers of the ancient road will descend and cut you down?!” Grand Commander Yu Han shouted.

“When you dispatched those soldiers into the primordial training ground to kill me and plunder my Source of the Dao — were you not afraid then?” Ye Fan asked.

“Ask the guidance official to personally move and execute this villain!” The Grand Commander called out at full volume. His voice was enormous, making the walls of the ancient city hum and vibrate.

At this moment, people were filled with awe. Ye Fan had killed people in open daylight, cutting down every one of the more than ten soldiers guarding this city, and had forced the Grand Commander to this point.

Yet people were also astonished — things had escalated to this degree, and the guidance official had still not appeared. Forced into it by the Grand Commander, the man had no choice but to call out directly, begging for intervention.

“Grand Commander Yu Han achieved ancient sainthood two thousand four hundred years ago — and yet today he has suffered defeat. It is said that he may be poised to step into the ranks of the Immortal Five Saint King tier. Was that all rumor?”

Someone spoke in discussion, and every person present was moved.

“I swear on my honor — every word is true. The Grand Commander has nearly reached the Immortal Five Saint King realm. Even if he hasn’t quite arrived, he’s got at least one foot in the door.”

Everyone was stirred. What level of combat power did Ye Fan possess, to be able to fight an opponent at such a realm and force him to retreat? It was truly earth-shattering!

“He’s killing people — the cultivator named Ye Fan has turned against us! Everyone, join together and kill him! Ask the guidance official to personally move and execute him!” Someone shouted from the shadows, attempting to stir the crowd.

Ye Fan’s eyes flashed cold as lightning. He wheeled sharply and turned his head. Through row upon row of onlookers, his gaze — filled with the rising and setting of ten thousand ancient suns, moons, and stars, profound and boundless — pierced through everything in an instant.

Six figures stood together side by side, hidden within the crowd. But how could they escape Ye Fan’s perception now? They were none other than Emperor Tian’s six subordinates.

These six were not of the human race. They had ventured deep into the primordial training ground to surround and attack Ye Fan, seeking to seize his Source of the Dao. Each one of them was brimming with arrogance and spoke wildly, declaring that he could not achieve the Dao and should instead follow at Emperor Tian’s side. Now they were seizing the chaos to stir up trouble.

A cold, detached humph resonated in every person’s heart — the guidance official had emerged from seclusion. With so many calling out to him, it would have been unseemly not to appear.

Yet judging by his sluggish response, it was plain that he was displeased with the Grand Commander and the others — otherwise, he would not have sat by and watched more than ten soldiers be killed.

Ye Fan’s expression shifted slightly. The guidance official was indeed powerful — absolutely an Immortal Five at the peak, at the summit of the Saint King tier, nearly about to step into the Immortal Six Great Saint rank, on par with the Nine Phoenix King and the Qilin Heavenly King of the Northern Dipper.

“Wait for the guidance official to arrive — then see how you manage to run amok.” Grand Commander Yu Han said, feigning composure. He flicked his robe sleeve and turned to leave.

“Did I say you could go?” Ye Fan said, stepping forward in one stride to block his path.

Everyone was stunned. The guidance official was about to appear, and yet he still dared to act like this — truly audacious beyond measure.

A dragon’s cry rang out. The dragon-and-serpent shears on Grand Commander Yu Han’s back flew outward, transforming into a blazing flood of immortal light — a true dragon and a serpent dragon crossing together, bearing down to shear him apart.

Ye Fan reached out a hand. With a crash, he seized the brilliant Dao shears directly, seeking to subdue them. But the divine beings within the divine weapon refused to submit. He gripped with both hands, and with a crack, he snapped the sacred weapon in two by sheer force — without leaving so much as a scratch on his flesh.

Everyone was dumbstruck. What manner of terrifying physical body could create such a scene?!

Then, Ye Fan’s brow flickered — a small cauldron flew out, rapidly growing larger, with streams of primal energy cascading downward, and in a reversal of stars, instantly arrived above the Grand Commander’s head.

He had deployed the cauldron — not to block the dragon-and-serpent shears, but to kill his enemy, fearing that Yu Han might otherwise manage to escape.

Boom — crash!

Heaven and earth were torn apart. From within the Cauldron of All Creation poured down ten thousand rivers of stars, a hundred million threads of primal energy, and within it lay a cosmic sea of stars. A vermillion bird struck across three thousand worlds. Primal divine beings howled. In that instant, Yu Han was swallowed inside.

Within the cauldron, the star sea surged and churned. With a single light tremor, it overturned — the cauldron mouth angled downward — and a wisp of tribulation ash drifted out. Grand Commander Yu Han had died, reduced to a speck of dust!

“Grand Commander Yu Han, even if he hadn’t quite become a Saint King, was nearly there — and just like that, he’s dead. How powerful must this cultivator named Ye Fan be?!”

Everyone’s scalp went numb. Needless to say, from this day forward, all would know — among the trial contestants currently in the city, in all likelihood no one could contend with Ye Fan.

The Cauldron of All Creation flew back. Primal energy cascaded downward. Ten thousand spirits appeared amid the star rivers, guarding Ye Fan from below. He rose into the air and stepped through the void, heading straight in a particular direction.

Six figures were there — every one of them gone pale, not wanting to have been detected. In the first instant, they tore open the void to escape. Simultaneously, the celestial poem fairy appeared, seeking to block Ye Fan’s path.

“Boom!”

The Cauldron of All Creation flew out and collided with what lay ahead. The void collapsed utterly. Two of those figures were blasted out from within, their bodies a bloody mess. The cascading primal energy pressed down upon them, crushing their sinews and bones into pieces, and with a single cry, the two dissolved into two clouds of blood mist.