In truth, based solely on Chen Yan's current cultivation level, he couldn't have stopped a cultivator in the Divine Ability Realm from using their spiritual sense to annihilate a cultivator in the Martial Spring Realm.
However, he had now mastered the Emptiness Annihilation Art.
The Emptiness Annihilation Art was incredibly profound—in fact, Chen Yan only knew that this technique was heavily linked to cause and effect, but he didn't yet understand its specific uses.
It was just like when he first grasped the Hidden Immortal Art and could only use it to conceal his own cultivation level.
And just now, Chen Yan had used the Emptiness Annihilation Art to sever the causal connection between the ferry carrying Su Hongzhen and the rest of the world.
Given Chen Yan's current level of mastery over the Emptiness Annihilation Art and his cultivation level, this severing of cause and effect could only last for less than half a breath.
But during that half-breath, nothing in the world could affect that ferry in any way; at the same time, nothing on the ferry could affect the outside world either.
This meant that the wisp of spiritual sense that Divine Ability Realm cultivator had intended to use to obliterate Su Hongzhen vanished into thin air the moment it struck the ferry, like a stone sinking into the vast ocean.
But they had no idea what had actually happened.
However, more than Chen Yan's cultivation level, what truly made the four Upper Three Realm cultivators hovering in the air wary was the extremely violent and sharp killing intent radiating from him.
Because the killing intent flowing naturally from the young man in the plain white daoist robe wasn't the kind that came from crushing mere mortals or low-level cultivators like ants. In fact, those who crushed ants barely emitted any killing intent at all.
But this man before them was different.
The violent killing intent that naturally emanated from him was as if he had just crawled out of a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood after an unimaginably brutal, bloody battle.
It was worth noting that on the Chenping Continent, let alone cultivators in the Upper Three Realms.
Even cultivators in the Spirit Connection Realm or the Qi Sea Realm held certain status and standing in the cultivation world and wouldn't easily engage in combat.
Therefore, these four great powers from the Upper Three Realms, each representing one of the Four Great Sects, had long grown accustomed to a life of comfort and had almost no real experience in actual duels with opponents.
But the young man in the plain white daoist robe before them was different.
Under these circumstances, the several Upper Three Realm cultivators of the Four Great Sects had already realized that even if all four of them were combined, they might not be a match for this young man in the plain white daoist robe.
Yet they were unwilling to give up their mission so easily.
"Your Excellency."
Among the four, the cultivator with the highest cultivation, the one in the Divine Ability Realm, spoke in Chen Yan's direction:
"Why must Your Excellency interfere in this matter? This child concerns the future landscape of the Chenping Continent's cultivation world—this is not a personal grudge. We hope Your Excellency will also consider the future of Chenping Continent and not intervene in this matter."
"Oh?"
Chen Yan wore an expression that suggested he found this amusing:
"Well then, explain to me—for the sake of the Chenping Continent's future, why does it absolutely have to cost this junior's life?"
"Your Excellency's abilities are vast, so you must naturally know everything that happened at this Heavenly Summit Mountain Dao Inquiry. This child is quite close to the Mirage Palace. If he is allowed to grow and become the Mirage Palace's backing, then I'm afraid the Chenping Continent's cultivation world will suffer a considerable disaster."
The cultivator at the mid-stage of the Divine Ability Realm continued.
"In your eyes, is the Mirage Palace really so unbearable?"
Chen Yan asked.
"The illusion arts of the Weaving Dreams Tower are unpredictable and their uses are sinister. For the sake of the overall situation of the Chenping Continent's cultivation world, we must remain vigilant."
The other party replied.
On this point, Chen Yan actually agreed.
"How the Mirage Palace is doesn't concern me."
Then, Chen Yan only said lightly:
"But as for Su Hongzhen's life, I'm determined to protect it."
When the four figures in the air heard the words of the young man in the plain white daoist robe standing between them and the ferry, their expressions all shifted slightly.
If the other party was determined to protect Su Hongzhen, then they indeed had no way to proceed.
Come to think of it, it made sense—it would be strange if the Mirage Palace would dare to let Su Hongzhen travel alone on the ferry to Liaolong without a great power backing him behind the scenes.
These four Upper Three Realm cultivators from the Four Great Sects knew clearly that there was no way to advance their operation further.
Of course, they also had no intention of starting a fight with Chen Yan—after all, as long as the green hills remain, there's no shortage of firewood.
"Since Your Excellency is so resolute, then we have nothing more to say. Farewell."
The leading cultivator at the mid-stage of the Divine Ability Realm spoke in Chen Yan's direction, raising both hands before him in a bow toward Chen Yan. Then, these four Upper Three Realm cultivators prepared to leave this place.
"Stop."
But in the next instant, an icy voice came from the young man in the plain white daoist robe:
"It seems I haven't allowed you all to leave here."
Upon hearing this, the cultivator at the mid-stage of the Divine Ability Realm flashed a hint of anger in his eyes:
"What does Your Excellency mean by this? Do not push too far."
As a Grand Elder in the Divine Ability Realm from Lingxiao Temple, he had already given plenty of face to this cultivator of unknown origin before him.
"Nothing else—it's just that I have ties with the Kongshan Sect, and I'd like to know which of you here is the Grand Elder of the Kongshan Sect."
Chen Yan said slowly.
The four Upper Three Realm cultivators were slightly stunned for a moment, and then the one standing slightly to the left—the cultivator at the peak of the Unity Realm who had first launched an attack on Su Hongzhen—responded:
"I am."
"Good."
Chen Yan nodded toward the Kongshan Sect's Grand Elder:
"You may return alive to the Kongshan Sect."
"What does Your Excellency mean by this?"
The expressions of the other three Upper Three Realm cultivators froze as they braced for an attack.
"Is it not easy to understand?"
Chen Yan said flatly:
"Aside from him, all three of you must die."
"Presumptuous!"
That cultivator in the Divine Ability Realm from Lingxiao Temple immediately let out a sharp shout. Without holding back in the slightest, he instantly unleashed a full-powered strike toward Chen Yan.
It was as if the very air was being torn apart. A massive concentration of power gathered around him, and a bolt of purple lightning, hundreds of zhang thick and stretching nearly ten thousand zhang, split the heavens, carrying a terrifying might capable of destroying everything.
The Thunder Techniques of Lingxiao Temple truly lived up to their reputation!
Chen Yan looked up at the overwhelmingly terrifying bolt of lightning hurtling toward him. He knew that with his current cultivation level, he couldn't dodge this colossal surge of lightning.
He was also well aware that if this lightning bolt struck him, he would undoubtedly die.
But still, he didn't move at all—
The Emptiness Annihilation Art!
The blinding lightning completely engulfed his figure.
Several breaths later, the lightning fully dissipated, and the young man in the plain white daoist robe still stood there completely unharmed, not even a speck of dust upon him.
"My turn."
Chen Yan said flatly as he raised his hand. In his palm, a low, ethereal resonance like an immortal chant began to ring. A foot-long bamboo flute, green throughout, quietly materialized.
The flute's body was engraved with intricate dao patterns, and a lingering resonance of the immortal path flowed around it.
Then he raised the bamboo flute and, with just his breath, gently blew out a single note.
In an instant, heaven and earth changed color.