I picked up skill fragments in the demon world.

Chapter 981 The Terrifying Great Victory of the King

The old man stared at Zhang Chen with eyes full of horror and shock.

They were all utterly humiliated by that monster, beaten so badly they were practically crawling on their hands and knees, and half their lives were gone. Yet, this terrifying monster was instantly killed in a single encounter with Zhang Chen. Just how terrifying was Zhang Chen's strength?
What terrifying methods does this grandson have up his sleeve?

Not only could the Great Master understand the reasoning behind it, but the three twelfth-rank deities beside him could also comprehend it.

Meanwhile, the Third Prince and Zhang Gaoqiu, who were watching from a distance, were dumbfounded. The two were not fools and naturally knew what the scene before them meant, so they turned around and ran without saying a word.

Zhang Chen looked at the approaching Master and a handsome smile appeared on his lips: "It's just a mere old corpse. I saw you guys were having a hard time fighting it, so I just took it for you. You won't blame me for meddling, will you?"

"We dare not! That monster committed numerous evils in the capital and caused immense disaster. We are grateful that you were able to suppress it, and we would never dare to blame you." A twelfth-order deity flew over and landed in front of Zhang Chen, bowing respectfully.

Previously, they had been repeatedly defeated by that monster, but after encountering Zhang Chen, the monster was directly suppressed by Zhang Chen, which shows that the gap between the two sides is huge and there is no comparison at all.

Zhang Chen nodded: "I'm glad you all don't blame me, otherwise I'd be worried about causing more trouble. Since that's the case, let's part ways here. The king wants to bring my Zhang clan to the palace for questioning, so I shouldn't waste any more time. Let's say goodbye here."

After speaking, Zhang Chen walked onto the prison cart, then slowly hung the chains around his neck, bound his hands, and turned to Dugu Qiu, who was standing there in a daze, and said, "Chief Steward, the trouble has been resolved. Let's continue on our way."

Upon hearing this, Dugu Qiu seemed to wake from a dream, and subconsciously nodded in response, "Oh, okay!" He then called out to the caravan, "Let's continue on our way." He then bowed to the Great Master and the three deities, saying, "Gentlemen, see you later."

The carriage slowly drove away, leaving one man and three gods standing there dumbfounded, staring blankly at the departing convoy.

"I mean... did I hear that right? Dugu Qiu is going to escort Zhang Chen into the palace? The king is going to punish Zhang Chen?" One of the twelfth-level gods came to his senses, seemingly unable to believe his ears. He turned to look at the Great Master and asked to confirm.

“I don’t think I misheard! That’s what I heard too!” the man replied.

"Oh no! Something terrible is about to happen! Zhang Chen possesses such immense and unbelievable strength. If His Majesty were to question Zhang Chen and punish the Zhang family, would Zhang Chen simply surrender? Even the royal aura of the capital couldn't suppress Zhang Chen. Just how heaven-defying must this kid's strength be? He suppressed that monster with a flick of his finger; he must at least be a being who has attained 'fruition'!" A deity's expression immediately changed: "Quickly go to the palace and report to His Majesty that Zhang Chen is not to be trifled with."

Imperial Palace
The Great Victory King, embracing the woman who was actually Bai Cang, looked at the terrifying fluctuations that had stopped on the horizon. Suddenly, a loud laugh broke out as he exclaimed, "Hahaha! Hahaha!"

"Why is Your Majesty laughing?" Bai Cang asked, somewhat puzzled, when he saw the Great Victory King suddenly laughing.

"Having witnessed the great battle before, the aura of all the ancestors surpasses that of the past. They must have broken through their former shackles and reached the legendary Fruit Realm. Their lifespans will surely be extended. My Great Victory Royal Family has gained several invincible powerhouses at the Fruit Realm. Shaking the world with our might is nothing more than a matter of course. Who will dare to oppose my Great Victory Royal Family in the future? Those mere demon beasts can be wiped out with a flick of the finger! I will not only counterattack the demon race, but also conquer their territory and make it my human race's land. I will expand the territory of the human race and eliminate hidden dangers. I am a great hero of the human race for all time." The Great Victory King's voice resounded.

Upon hearing this, Bai Cang glanced at the Great Victory King, her eyes filled with a deep gloom. The fact that an old immortal in the Great Victory royal family had broken through to the legendary Fruit Realm was a bolt from the blue for the demon race. But at this moment, Bai Cang could only force a smile and say, "This concubine wishes Your Majesty a resounding victory and that you will sweep away the demon race and become invincible!"

"Hahaha! Hahaha!" The Great Victory King threw his head back and laughed wildly. Just as he was about to say something more, a stream of light suddenly transformed into divine light and landed in front of him.

After Zhang Chen left, one of the twelfth-order gods transformed into a stream of light and disappeared into the distance. In the blink of an eye, he arrived at the Imperial Palace, where he saw the Great Victory King standing on a high building, overlooking the chaotic situation in the entire capital.

"Your Excellency!" Upon seeing the arrival of the twelfth-tier deity, the Great Victory King hurriedly bowed and anxiously inquired, "How is that monster?"

"The monster has been slain, Your Majesty, you can rest assured," the twelfth-tier deity replied.

"They've been executed? That's good! That's good!" King Dasheng breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing this, then asked again, "What about the casualties?"

"All our ancestors have been killed or injured!" said the twelfth-order deity.

Upon hearing this, the Great Victory King's pupils contracted, his eyes filled with disbelief: "How is this possible! Didn't all the ancestors have already broken through their realms and shattered their shackles with such imposing auras? How could they still be dead?"

His eyes were filled with incomprehension. His ancestor had already stepped into the legendary realm of fruition, so how could he still die?
The Great Victory King's cultivation was insufficient; he was unaware of the differences between realms above the Fruit stage. He had previously observed from a high tower, only feeling the terrifying pressure emanating from the battlefield—a power far beyond what a twelfth-tier cultivator could possess. As for the difference between the various ancestors and the Corpse Ancestor, he couldn't discern it. The twelfth-tier deity smiled bitterly upon hearing this: "The enemy is too powerful, truly terrifying. The ancestors had no choice but to risk their lives to preserve the royal family's foundation and protect the capital."

The Great Victory King was stunned and lost in thought. Before he could recover from his shock, the twelfth-order god spoke up with a wry smile: "Our ancestors were devoured by that monster. We were overwhelmed and unable to resist it. It was only thanks to the immortality of the gods that we were able to survive. At the critical moment, Zhang Chen made a move and suppressed the monster with one strike, thus averting the disaster in the capital."

"What? Zhang Chen subdued a monster that even the ancestors couldn't subdue in one move? Does he really have such strength? Is the Venerable God joking?" Upon hearing this, the Great Victory King was shocked and stared at Zhang Chen with horror in his eyes.

“Zhang Chen’s strength is unfathomable. He must have already surpassed the twelfth rank and reached the Dao Fruit realm. The defeat of the Pingbian Prince’s Mansion back then was not unjust; we all underestimated him. I urge Your Majesty to issue a decree immediately to pardon the Zhang clan’s crimes, lest they cause even greater chaos. Zhang Chen’s strength is unfathomable; if he were to cause trouble, no one in the capital would be able to stop him. I urge Your Majesty to issue the decree quickly.” The twelfth-rank deity urged.

Upon hearing the words of the twelfth-tier deity, the Great Victory King could hardly believe his ears. He stood there dumbfounded, his eyes filled with disbelief. Bai Cang, standing beside him, was even more stunned, muttering to himself, "Is the Zhang Chen they're talking about the Zhang Chen I know? The Zhang Chen I know couldn't possibly be this powerful, could he? That kid used to be chased and beaten by the Pingbian Prince's Mansion in the North, how could he possess such terrifying strength?"

Upon hearing this, the Great Victory King snapped out of his daze, solemnly bowed to the twelfth-tier deity, and said with a hint of sorrow on his face, "I understand."

Then, with a look of resentment, he asked again, "Even with the combined power of the three venerable gods, is it really impossible to defeat Zhang Chen?"

The twelfth-level deity shook his head: "Compared to Zhang Chen, we are like fireflies compared to the vast moon; there is simply no comparison between us."

The Great Victory King stood there blankly, his eyes filled with anxiety and unease: "Zhang Chen is so powerful, is he invincible? If he were to seize my kingdom, wouldn't I be forced to hand it over? The safety and survival of my Great Victory Dynasty rests on this man's every thought?"

"No! How can the continuation of my Great Victory Dynasty be entrusted to one person!" The Great Victory King's voice was filled with horror.

"Zhang Chen's strength is so formidable, so what can he do?" The twelfth-order god smiled bitterly.

"I don't believe he's truly invincible. There will always be someone in this world who can defeat him! I can join forces with the Pingbian Royal Palace and with the demon race. I refuse to believe that all the major powers in the world, even if they joined forces, couldn't defeat Zhang Chen. This world cannot allow such a powerful person to exist. The human race cannot tolerate him, the demon race cannot tolerate him, and all the races in the world cannot tolerate him! This world cannot allow such a powerful person to exist!" said the Great Victory King.

"But that guy is too strong, so strong that it makes people despair!" A shadow appeared in the eyes of the twelfth-order god. No one who has never fought against the Corpse Ancestor would ever imagine how strong the Corpse Ancestor was. It was the kind of strength that made everyone despair. The three gods even felt that they would be worn down to death by that monster.

"No matter how strong they are, they will always have a chance." The Great Victory King's eyes were filled with coldness: "I can't just sit and wait to die, can I? How can the future of Great Victory be pinned on someone else?"

"If you want to make a move, you only have one chance! If you miss, Dasheng will change the dynasty." A serious look appeared in the eyes of the twelfth-order god.

Upon hearing the words of the twelfth-order deity, the Great Victory King solemnly replied, "Of course I know!"

As they were talking, footsteps sounded, and Chu Mingyue, dressed in eunuch's robes, came up from downstairs: "Your Majesty, Dugu Qiu has escorted Zhang Chen into the palace, awaiting Your Majesty's summons."

Upon hearing this, the Great Victory King raised an eyebrow: "Summon him to an audience!"

Meanwhile, Zhang Chen was slowly making his way to the inner palace in his carriage when he saw Dugu Qiu following behind, looking at him with a complicated expression.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" Zhang Chen asked.

"You possess such terrifying strength that you kept everyone in the dark and deceived everyone." Dugu Qiu said with a wry smile, "No wonder you were so calm and collected; it turns out you already had victory in your grasp and everything was under control."

"The reason I was so careful to hide before was because I was afraid that the royal family had some old fogies. But who knew that the experts who defeated the royal family would be so weak?" Zhang Chen smiled and said with a hint of amusement, "I thought these old guys were all incredibly powerful and that I needed to be careful. But who knew that they were all just paper tigers with great power, and that they were no match for me at all."

Dugu Qiu fell silent upon hearing this. Zhang Chen's words were too provocative. Such a powerful ancestor was merely a paper tiger in Zhang Chen's eyes? Then what was he? After a long while, he said, "The news should have already reached the palace by now. What do you think our King will do later?"

(End of this chapter)