The Supreme Martial King Shocking All Realms Chapter 3232 - 3227: Weak Strength?_1

"So, the Lord of the Underworld intends to step in himself. Given your techniques, my lord, those four won't even grasp how they perish." The snake folk groveled and simpered with ingratiating grins.

Huan Ye Ming Wang replied in a frigid tone, "You're overestimating things. I merely stated I would intervene, but not that I'd handle it alone. Those four snake beings were dispatched to probe their skills, to evaluate their true potential. Right now, when pitted against the Grand Abyss Palace contingent, these four humans fall way short and hardly deserve my undivided focus."

The remaining snake folk gazed at the image too, observing the four humans clashing with the snake beings while echoing Huan Ye Ming Wang’s assessment.

"True enough, these four humans' power pales in comparison to the Grand Abyss Palace's. Just that elder in the Taoist robe appears to possess decent might. It looks like subduing him might require two or three snake folk at least."

Huan Ye Ming Wang scoffed, "That fellow is Broken River of Heavenly Melody Mountain. He gained fame in his younger days. Facing him with your snake folk's battle prowess, even two or three experts at the Heaven-separated Realm might fail to overpower him."

"It's truly Broken River!" The snake folk paled at the mention of this renowned name.

"Why panic over a single Broken River? Are you lot nothing but worthless scum?" The King of Hell demanded coldly.

Rebuked by Huan Ye Ming Wang, the snake folk bunch fell silent, not daring to utter a word.

Huan Ye Ming Wang declared flatly, "While these four hold some power, they remain inferior to Fairy Moon Fu and her party of six. I possess strategies to counter those six, rendering these four no real danger. Your sole duty is to monitor the Jiuyou Emperor Grass. Leave these four to me."

"Understood, Lord Huan Ye..."

...

Little did Broken River and his allies realize they were falling straight into the foes' schemes. Convinced it was just a routine assault, they poured every ounce of their strength into the fray.

In contrast to the others, Broken River handled his opponent with ease, dispatching a snake being without much fuss. Prolonged combat could even let him slay a Heaven-separated Realm snake being.

Dao Guangwang and Madame Autumn Plum each held their own against a Heaven-separated Realm snake being, ensuring triumph would come soon enough.

Yang Chen alone faced severe hardship battling the Heaven-separated Realm snake being, his face flushed and energy nearly spent. Despite unleashing his strongest techniques, he couldn't gain the upper hand over his adversary.

This spectacle caught the eyes of the other three, who were managing far more smoothly, and their views of Yang Chen shifted abruptly.

Earlier, witnessing Yang Chen effortlessly craft the Poison Concealing Pill had boosted their regard for him, affirming the tales about him.

Yet now, seeing him falter against a single snake being, they all shook their heads in dismay.

From the start, doubts lingered that Yang Chen's fame exceeded his actual deeds. After all, soloing twenty-eight Heavenly Leaving Realm masters sounded overly fantastical.

Lacking solid proof, they withheld firm conclusions.

Observing Yang Chen's genuine capabilities now, the legends appeared overstated. His real talents weren't all that remarkable. At minimum, while grappling with a Heaven-separated Realm snake being, he lagged well behind typical Heavenly Melody Mountain elites.

Measured against Broken River, a top-tier Heaven-separated Realm master, the disparity grew even wider.

Broken River knit his brows at Yang Chen's lackluster showing, irritation rising as he recalled Yang Chen's claim of handling two or three Heaven-separated Realm foes solo.

Yang Chen had pushed for this mission despite its perils, leaving Broken River irked. Still, should Yang Chen face peril, he'd step in to aid.

Though engaged with his own snake being, Broken River spared a moment to assist. With a swift wrist motion, he unleashed a strike toward the snake being opposing Yang Chen.

The snake being battling Yang Chen had been reveling in dominance, but Broken River's surprise palm attack, infused with Law remnants, threw it into chaos and disarray.

Noticing the tide turning against them, the other three snake beings yelled, "These four prove tougher than anticipated. Fall back for now!"

With that, the four snake beings shared looks and swiftly dove into the earth, vanishing beneath the surface.

Dao Guangwang, assessing the turn, issued a sharp cry and slammed his palm into the ground.

Law energies swirled, shaking the terrain and triggering a terrifying quake.

"What's going on?" Broken River inquired, eyeing Dao Guangwang's chase.

Dao Guangwang gave a faint headshake, "The four snake beings got away."

At those words, the trio couldn't suppress sighs of frustration and dejection.

Yang Chen approached then, bowing as he spoke, "My thanks, Brother Gu, for your aid earlier."

Broken River felt no joy at Yang Chen's thanks, instead furrowing his brow.

The vast gap between Yang Chen's displayed might and prior expectations left them unsatisfied. At best, he hadn't dragged them down too badly this time.

Unlike the cool detachment from Dao Guangwang and Madame Autumn Plum, Broken River merely shook his head. Considering the Poison Concealing Pill came from Yang Chen's hands, he remarked, "No trouble at all. Just a minor assist. That said, Yang Chen, you need to work on your growth. The path forward brims with peril, and we might not bail you out against such formidable foes next time."

Dao Guangwang chimed in despite himself, "Brother Yang Chen, when you claimed to match two or three Heaven-separated Realm experts, you meant with backup, didn't you?"

"Dao Guang!" Broken River snapped, halting any further cutting remarks.

Yang Chen smirked inwardly, aware his prior act had flipped the trio's opinions of him.

He paid it no mind, though. Their regard meant little. What mattered was the reaction from his hidden watcher.

A subtle smile tugged at Yang Chen's lips, reflecting on his ploy of masking the truth amid deception.

"I appreciate the guidance. I'll proceed with greater caution henceforth!" Yang Chen replied.

Reined in by Broken River, Dao Guangwang held back barbs but remained unimpressed. Strength couldn't bloom from mere vigilance, after all.

Had Yang Chen's power fallen short, he ought not to have demanded this assignment back then. Dragging a liability through their trek left no one thrilled.