Limitless Ascension: Strength Amid Adversity

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The Human Sovereign Banner was specially left behind by Ye Junlin for his doppelganger.

It’s worth mentioning that every time a battle ended, he arranged for his doppelganger to secretly summon souls, collecting the deceased opponents’ souls into the banner.

Facing Emperor Tian’s full-strength punch, Ye Junlin decisively activated the power of the Human Sovereign Banner.

Boom~!!!

The domineering bronze fist imprint shattered, and the turbulent shockwave surged, sending Ye Junlin stumbling back over ten feet before he barely stabilized himself.

“Hmm?”

Emperor Tian’s gaze fell on the banner that was billowing with dark energy, and his expression changed slightly as he asked, “What kind of magical treasure is this?”

To withstand a punch from him at full force was no ordinary Saint Ancestor-level artifact.

Such destructive power would, at best, turn even a top-quality Saint Ancestor artifact into scrap metal with a single blow!

Only a supreme-quality Saint Ancestor artifact could be qualified to withstand it, but the user must also be a peak expert; otherwise, it wouldn’t hold up against that punch!

So for Ye Junlin to block his punch with this bizarre banner was quite surprising to Emperor Tian.

“Hehe, the best surprises are still to come,” Ye Junlin said slyly.

“Hmph, playing tricks, are we? Let’s see how I can smash your worthless banner!”

The blood energy within Emperor Tian surged like a raging sea, his voice profoundly resonating, and his imposing aura climbed to unprecedented heights.

Swish~

Emperor Tian swung his fist again, striking fiercely.

At the same time, Ye Junlin, holding the Human Sovereign Banner, swung it forcefully, sending out a powerful, blurry figure towards Emperor Tian’s punch.

Boom!!!

The underground world trembled violently.

As Emperor Tian focused his gaze, his pupils constricted in disbelief, “This is…?”

A robed figure shrouded in chaos appeared, wearing a crown of purple gold lotus. It should appear ethereal, but its eyes were blood-red, and its aura felt strangely eerie—less like a living being, more like a soul from the underworld.

Before Emperor Tian stood the ruler of the Boundless Realm, also the Dao Lord!

After the Dao Lord’s death, his soul was summoned into the Human Sovereign Banner, tirelessly influenced overnight by the power within it, and had completely turned into a soul slave!

“And there’s more, don’t rush,” Ye Junlin chuckled, releasing all the Saint Ancestor souls he had collected before.

These were all his loyal enforcers!

Swoosh swoosh swoosh~

One after another, powerful soul slaves emerged from the banner, their eyes blood-red like beasts, dressed in various outfits but all familiar—giants of the Saint Ancestor realm who fell in that battle.

Among them were the Buddha Emperor from the Western Sky Realm, the Lord of Ten Thousand Swords from the Ten Thousand Swords Realm, and even the Titan Clan Ancestor killed by Emperor Tian.

Dozens of Saint Ancestor-level powerhouses—this lineup was nothing short of tremendous!

“Holy crap…” Emperor Tian stared wide-eyed, his mouth agape.

This was a scene he had never anticipated!

This was utterly ridiculous!

Watching the army of Saint Ancestor soul slaves emerge, Ye Junlin wore a satisfied expression, reveling in the look on Emperor Tian’s face.

“What kind of magical treasure is this? It’s so wicked! It can actually capture the souls of the dead and use them, while retaining their former strength…” Emperor Tian’s mind buzzed, unable to articulate his feelings.

The thought that the Dao Lords and others would still have to be dispatched after death sent a chill down his spine.

Cruel, too cruel!

Ye Junlin smirked, “Now, do you want us to take you on one-on-one, or shall we all gang up on you?”

Hearing this, Emperor Tian was nearly infuriated to the point of spitting blood.

Is there even a difference?!

Are you just bullying me?

Ye Junlin stated, “If you won’t speak up, I’ll take it as a yes. Everyone, charge in and smash him!”

With a shout, the soul slaves swarmed in to attack.

Emperor Tian gritted his teeth, feeling an overwhelming pressure increase suddenly.

Boom boom boom~

Facing the relentless onslaught from the Dao Lord and Buddha Emperor, Emperor Tian felt like he was sinking deeper into a quagmire.

His strength was formidable, but among the peak experts, he could only be considered average. So under the dual restraint of the Dao Lord and Buddha Emperor, his power was hard to unleash.

Fortunately, Emperor Tian’s greatest strength was not his attack, but his almost freakish physical defense!

That meant even while besieged, he could still withstand the pressure with his incredible resilience, remaining undefeated.

Indeed, this guy was a master in physical cultivation!

No wonder he was hailed as the strongest body cultivator!

But even so, Emperor Tian was feeling overwhelmed by the beating and found himself gradually falling into a disadvantage.

Ye Junlin clicked his tongue, “Can you still hold on?”

“I can’t hold on, but I will!”

Emperor Tian roared, his eyes slowly turning blood-red, the muscular surface of his body began to glimmer with a dark golden sheen, like unbreakable armor, the sound of his heartbeat echoing like thunder, clearly audible from miles away.

This was a unique protective divine ability of his, meant to enhance his defense across the board.

At this moment, he was more defensively powerful than in his initial state—he had become tougher!

Emperor Tian gritted his teeth, and a series of metallic clanging sounds echoed from his body as he began to withstand the soul slaves’ attacks, vaguely showing signs of moving closer to the Star Core…

Seeing this, Ye Junlin couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow.

Good lord, is he that fierce?

“Hit him like there’s no tomorrow! Don’t hold back!” To prevent Emperor Tian from succeeding, Ye Junlin commanded.

“Yes, master!”

Now, every Saint Ancestor soul slave unleashed even stronger attacks, each displaying their most terrifying killing moves.

“Damn…” Emperor Tian felt the resistance surge instantly, forcing him to retreat while the distance to the Star Core was growing further.

His eyes brimmed with unwillingness and anger!

Seeing Emperor Tian so desperate, Ye Junlin couldn’t help but wonder, “I’m curious, what conditions did Nine Nether offer you to make you willing to lay waste to your home star?”

After all, at this peak level, were there still any other temptations?

Ye Junlin just couldn’t fathom why Emperor Tian would betray his homeland, eagerly serving Nine Nether!

That question was like a sharp sword, piercing deep into Emperor Tian’s heart and causing him to yell emotionally at Ye Junlin:

“You have no idea! What we are doing is saving the Kunlun Realm! Even the entire universe!”

“Now you want to obstruct us? You are the real sinner!!!”

“What the hell?” Ye Junlin was dumbfounded upon hearing that.

So I’m wrong for safeguarding the Star Core of the Kunlun Realm, while you, traitor, are in the right?

That’s complete nonsense!!

Ye Junlin immediately decided that Emperor Tian had probably been brainwashed after being imprisoned for so long, which explained his utterly unimaginable behavior.

The source of all evil had to be that Nine Nether Lord!

No wonder Ye Junlin thought this way. If it were anyone else, they’d likely believe Emperor Tian was enchanted by the Nine Nether Lord.

After all, he was clearly set on destroying the Kunlun Realm yet insisted he was saving it and even the entire universe.

Anyone would find that utterly absurd!

“Beat him out of here! Don’t let him get near the Star Core!” Ye Junlin commanded sternly.

As long as he was there, he absolutely wouldn’t let Emperor Tian succeed.

Boom boom boom…

The Saint Ancestor powerhouses attacked fiercely, with the Dao Lord and Buddha Emperor putting in the most effort, using their strongest moves at will, causing Emperor Tian to spurt blood from his mouth and steadily retreat.

“You sinner, sinner!!!”

His hair was disheveled as he hoarsely yelled, filled with disdain.

The shockwaves from the battle below caused the entire Kunlun Realm to tremble violently, with fissures appearing in the five great domains and buildings collapsing, the landscape altering.

“What’s going on?!”

Kunlun Realm cultivators were stunned, not knowing what was happening!

In the Celestial Court.

Empress Fuyao’s complexion changed drastically as she realized the disturbance was coming from deep underground.

This was the location of the Star Core!

They had learned their lesson from earlier, which made them particularly sensitive to this situation.

“Damn it, someone must be trying to make a move on the Star Core!”

Empress Fuyao exclaimed angrily.

Then, leading many powerful beings from the Celestial Court, she prepared to head underground to investigate.

At that moment, a powerful aura descended upon the Kunlun Realm, a cold voice resounding through the heavens and earth:

“You’re not allowed to go anywhere!”

It was a figure shrouded in black robes, wielding a scythe like a reaper; under the hood was a pale face, eyes icy and sharp, staring directly at Empress Fuyao and the others.

Boom!

Empress Fuyao felt as if struck by lightning, disbelievingly locking her gaze on the black-robed man, and then an overwhelming sense of hatred and fury surged within her, “You traitor, how dare you show your face?!”

The traitor she mentioned was none other than Luan, who had polluted the Star Core in ancient times, leading to the decline of the Kunlun Realm…!