Nine Star Hegemon Body Arts

After returning to the Cloud Chasing Heaven Swallowing Sparrow race, everyone, including Long Chen, entered seclusion. Liu Ruyan activated her Yin Yang energy, unleashing rays of light that enveloped the Dragonblood warriors.

Within that divine light, they were able to sense the transformations of Yin and Yang, which embodied the cycle of life and death.

This battle had been extremely dangerous. They had been right on the line between life and death. However, because of it, all their accumulated comprehension grew, and this seed began to sprout thanks to Liu Ruyan's help.

It was as Long Chen had predicted. The reason that most people didn't manage to reach the necessary level of comprehension was because they lacked that true feeling of being right next to death.

However, all their previous comprehension was just as important. Comprehending life and death could be likened to growing a plant. Their previous comprehension was plowing and fertilizing the earth as a foundation.

Then, their life and death battle against the Blood race had become the spark that allowed the dormant seed to grow. With more nourishment, it began to sprout.

Of course, those were all things that Meng Qi, Chu Yao, Gu Yang, and the others felt. Long Chen didn't feel any such thing.

Long Chen found that the Nine Star Hegemon Body Art was completely different from all the continent's cultivation techniques. It was also different from the Dragon Blood Body Tempering Art.

The Dragonblood Legion's Dragon Blood Body Tempering Art caused the Dragonblood warriors' original cultivation techniques to be wiped away. That aspect was something that shocked even Long Chen. The Dragon Blood Body Tempering Art was extremely domineering.

For the Martial Heaven Continent's experts, switching out cultivation techniques was a very normal thing. Those cultivation techniques were like fertile soil, while magical arts were various vegetation. The stronger the cultivation technique, the greater the potential of the magical arts.

Many cultivators first started out with lower quality cultivation techniques due to their own limited circumstances. The best cultivation techniques were within the hands of the large powers.

As a result, as disciples climbed up, they constantly switched out their cultivation techniques for better ones.

Normally, every switch would take a few months to get used to. However, the Dragon Blood Body Tempering Art had essentially erased the Dragonblood warriors' old cultivation techniques. There was no remnant of them.

From that, it could only be said that the Dragon Blood Body Tempering Art was far stronger than any of their cultivation techniques. It was like a beggar had been brought into the royal family; while the beggar had wanted to bring some of its old things, the royal family had forcibly thrown them all out, down to the beggar's very clothes.

That was an indication to the Dragon Blood Body Tempering Art's class. This was a cultivation technique that came from a mysterious dragon expert. It had wiped away the old Heaven-class cultivation techniques of the Dragonblood warriors, leaving not even a trace of them.

However, this terrifying cultivation technique still required comprehending life and death to advance to the Netherpassage realm, just like all other cultivation techniques.

Only the Nine Star Hegemon Body Art was completely unaffected by it. When Long Chen reached the twelfth Heavenstage of Life Star, he could already feel the next level.

He didn't need to comprehend anything. He could just accumulate energy through eating pills and directly break through.

Although the Nine Star Hegemon Body Art took up a ridiculous amount of resources, in the same vein, it had its own heaven-defying abilities. Long Chen didn't encounter bottlenecks like other people.

As everyone else focused on comprehending life and death, Long Chen busied himself with eating pills. After reaching the twelfth Heavenstage during the qi flow eruption, he hadn't consumed more pills.

He had even stopped eating the Nethergate Pills. That was because after the star had formed, no matter how many pills he ate, he was unable to undergo the first star transformation.

Once the Nethergate Star had reached a certain level, it was like a cup of water that was full, and no matter how he tried to add to it, it simply overflowed.

This was something he had never encountered before with the Nine Star Hegemon Body Art. The only thing he could do was conclude that it had something to do with his current realm.

Of course, this was just a guess. He would have to test out this theory when he advanced. Since he couldn't undergo the nine star transformations now, he had to wait until he advanced into the Netherpassage realm.

As he consumed Life Star Pills, he got closer and closer to the peak of twelfth Heavenstage. The majority of the Dragonblood warriors had also touched the barrier and were ready to make their breakthrough.

However, Long Chen wanted everyone to advance together, so they were still waiting for some warriors that hadn't felt the barrier yet.

After considering all his options, Long Chen decided to take a trip to the Yin Yang World. That made Meng Qi and the others jump.

"Long Chen, entering the Yin Yang World is too dangerous at this time. Without the protection of the Sovereign's will you won't be able to handle their fourth step Netherpassage experts," said Meng Qi.

"I know. It truly is very dangerous. But Little snow is still there. I want to see how Little Snow is," said Long Chen.

Hearing that, everyone fell silent. They all knew how Long Chen felt about Little Snow. No matter how they tried to advise him, he wouldn't change his mind over this.

"I'll go with big brother Long Chen," announced Dong Mingyu.

"Yes, that's good. Little sister Yu-er is an assassin with unparalleled aura-concealing arts. She's the best one to go with you." Meng Qi nodded.

Dong Mingyu was the most terrifying assassin of the Martial Heaven Continent. With her beside Long Chen, then even if they encountered a fourth step Netherpassage expert, they should be able to escape.

Furthermore, Dong Mingyu specialized in stealth. Perhaps the two of them really would be able to slip past the Blood race's army.

"Alright, then I'll go with Yu-er. Everyone, work hard. I hope that everyone will be touching the barrier when I get back. That way, we can all break through at the same time."

Long Chen left with Dong Mingyu, arriving at the Yin Yang World. When the Heavenly Dragon Legion's warriors saw him, they all greeted him.

Although Long Chen was just a Life Star expert, his combat prowess was outstanding. Adding on his domineering conduct, he had won their profound respect. Moreover, when he had killed Ye Benchang's deputy right in front of him, that had been especially amazing. Experts respected the strong.

"Where is commander Shen?" asked Long Chen.

Long Chen found that only Shen Chengfeng's warriors were present. He himself was gone.

"Commander Shen has returned to the Ancient Battlefield. To tell the truth, this current battle against the Blood race is child's play to us. We won't gain any merit fighting here, which signifies that we aren't getting any resources…" said one of the warriors directly.

One of the older warriors coughed, causing that first warrior to say, "Long Chen isn't an outsider, so these aren't secrets. If we don't do anything meritorious, we won't get paid. And without more resources, we can't strengthen the legion. As for those bastards from the seventh legion… cough, those fellows are still wracking up merit on their battlefield. In order to not let us fall behind, the commander has gone off with other brothers to the Ancient Battlefield, leaving us to guard here."

That made Long Chen realize that the interior of the Heavenly Dragon Legion was full of intense competition. By standing guard over here, the eighth legion was sacrificing their own precious time.

Seeing that there was no danger here, Shen Chengfeng had left to continue competing with the other legions, leaving behind only ten thousand people.

As for what those merits they were competing over were, Long Chen didn't ask too much about them. Using the heads of enemies to exchange for merits was quite common. Merit points could be exchanged for weapons, cultivation techniques, and other treasures that increased their power.

Ever since he had joined the Xuantian Monastery, he had come into contact with similar rules. They were very understandable. When reward and punishment were clear, they became the foundation on which any power could grow.

"It's been hard on you. The Dragonblood Legion will remember the eighth legion's favor," said Long Chen.

Long Chen said this favor was to the eighth legion, not the divine families. It was because he still wasn't familiar with their situation over there. Since the eighth legion was the one guarding them, he viewed it as a favor to them. The Martial Heaven Continent's geniuses all needed to thank them for ensuring that they could cultivate in peace.

The goal of the divine families was still unclear, but at least up to now, the Martial Heaven Continent had benefited immensely.

"Brother Long, you have come here to…?" asked one of the warriors.

"I want to enter the Yin Yang World and see if I can dredge up some useful information."

"That's too dangerous. There are fourth step Netherpassage experts inside. Only the commander is able to face them. As for the two of you…"

Long Chen's heart shook. Although he guessed that the likes of Shen Chengfeng and Ye Benchang had the power of fourth step Netherpassage experts, hearing it personally from this warrior was still shocking. It seemed that getting vengeance for that attack from Ye Benchang would be a bit troublesome.

"It's fine. We're just going to take a look. If it doesn't work out, we'll retreat. We definitely won't fight them head-on," said Long Chen.

Seeing how much Long Chen wished to enter, there was nothing that they could say. After a moment's hesitation, one of them took out an arrow.

"If brother Long Chen encounters any danger, unleash this arrow. If you are within a certain range, we will go all-out to save you. But if you're too far, we really won't be able to do anything.

Long Chen received the arrow and cupped his fists. "Many thanks."

After that, Long Chen and Dong Mingyu entered the Yin Yang World, slowly walking into its depths.