The Eighteenth Divine Elder of the Martial God Hall, Zhang Bailong, performed a reverent bow toward the ancient hall with utmost respect, not daring to show the slightest negligence.
Just from the etiquette, Ye Chen's expression changed. To make a Heavenly God expert show such deference, the existence within the ancient hall must surely surpass the Heavenly God realm.
Could it be that the Beast God had truly transcended above, achieving the Divine Spirit realm!?
However, the words spoken by Zhang Bailong caused both Ye Chen and Old Yan's expressions to shift.
"The Eighteenth Divine Elder of the Martial God Hall, Zhang Bailong, requests an audience with the Vast Heaven Great Sage! The Hall Master sends his greetings and wishes to discuss the matter of Slaying Heaven together!"
Slaying Heaven!?
What is Heaven? That which is lofty and supreme, that is Heaven.
Regarding the understanding of 'Heaven,' probably few in this world knew more clearly than he did, because in his previous life, he had once fought against 'Heaven'!
Although he didn't believe anyone on this Tian Du Continent could truly slay Heaven, the 'Heaven' referred to here was likely something else. Yet, daring to use such a term was enough to prove the immense importance of this matter.
The ancient hall was silent and empty. For a long time, not a single sound came out. Only the deep, dark hall entrance resembled a bottomless abyss, abruptly swallowing the river of blood and the points of spiritual power light, never to return, filled with terror.
From within the ancient hall, an intangible aura spread out, even more terrifying, making even the Eighteenth Divine Elder feel suffocated.
"Vast Heaven Great Sage!"
Zhang Bailong transmitted his voice once more, but the ancient hall remained completely unresponsive, making him grit his teeth, feeling an impulse to charge inside.
At this moment, a vast demonic aura suddenly appeared above the mountain range, causing the void to tremble and scattering much of the clouds over the peaks.
If not for the extraordinary nature of this place, the myriad mountains and valleys would likely have quaked, and the earth would have cracked, for this was undoubtedly a terrifying existence.
Immediately, silver light flashed, and before the ancient hall appeared a silver-furred Ape King, standing ten zhang tall. Its entire body was covered in shimmering silver fur, its aura intimidating—it was an Ape King at the Heavenly God realm.
To Ye Chen, it even felt stronger than the Academy Head of Xia Feng Academy.
Ye Chen narrowed his eyes slightly, a vague guess forming in his heart. Then, the Eighteenth Divine Elder's words confirmed his suspicion. Zhang Bailong cupped his fists toward the Ape King and said, "Long time no see, Beast God, Silver Ape King!"
So it was. Ye Chen now knew this Silver Ape King was the legendary Beast God.
The Silver Ape King stood upright on its hind legs and said coldly, "How dare you people from the Martial God Hall show your faces here? Stealing the divine bone fragment from our Demonic Beast Mountain Range and framing Xia Feng Kingdom—how despicable."
The Eighteenth Divine Elder shook his head in denial. "Silver Ape King, you misunderstand. Although another faction within my Martial God Hall coveted the divine bone fragment of the Demonic Beast Mountain Range, it is not in the hands of the Martial God Hall. I can swear this to Heaven."
"If not you, then who? Xia Feng Kingdom? They wouldn't dare steal the divine bone fragment from our mountain range even with ten times their courage," the Silver Ape King retorted coldly.
Zhang Bailong sighed. "Silver Ape King, I know you likely don't believe me. Although the divine bone fragment is of utmost importance, my Martial God Hall would not offend your Demonic Beast Mountain Range and the Vast Heaven Great Sage for the sake of a single bone fragment. Isn't that right?"
The Silver Ape King's expression softened slightly. It nodded slightly toward the Eighteenth Divine Elder. "My master has not yet reached the time of awakening. He is still in deep slumber and cannot respond."
Hearing this, a glint flashed in Ye Chen's eyes. If even the Silver Ape King was merely the spiritual pet of the Vast Heaven Great Sage, then this Vast Heaven Great Sage was likely a Divine Spirit expert.
Hidden in the shadows, he continued watching.
The Eighteenth Divine Elder said solemnly, "Silver Ape King, do not worry. This time, the Hall Master sent me here fully prepared. I have brought a Divine Spirit Decree that can communicate with the slumbering Vast Heaven Great Sage to discuss the matter of Slaying Heaven together!"
The Silver Ape King nodded, not stopping him. This matter was of great importance, planned for many years, and could not afford any mistakes. It believed even the slumbering Vast Heaven Great Sage would not refuse.
Zhang Bailong took out a decree made of brocade silk, inscribed with mysterious Dao patterns. He opened it now, letting it hang in the void, unfurling with a rustle.
The decree fluttered loudly, bursting forth with boundless radiance. Even more, profound and infinite Great Dao divine patterns appeared, shimmering brilliantly in the void.
Boom—
The decree instantly erupted with unparalleled Great Dao pressure, overwhelming and filling the vast mountain range. The mountains themselves seemed to tremble before this presence.
Vaguely, a blurred human-shaped light cluster materialized, standing in the void like a supreme Divine Spirit descending from the Nine Heavens. Its majesty suppressed the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths, capable of making all living beings in the myriad realms submit.
Divine Spirit!
At this moment, the Eighteenth Divine Elder Zhang Bailong immediately knelt down in worship. Even the Silver Ape King was subdued under this pressure, not daring to look up directly, feeling reverence born from the pressure of a higher life form upon a lower one.
The might of a Divine Spirit was unfathomable!
It also made others' hearts tremble. If a mere decree written by a Divine Spirit was already this terrifying, how much more powerful would the true form be if it descended?
The human-shaped light cluster only had a human form, its divine light blurred, making its features indistinct. Surging divine light enveloped its body, making it appear supremely transcendent and sacred. It now faced the ancient hall, its divine majesty overwhelming the world, its Dao voice shaking the heavens: "Fellow Daoist Vast Heaven, why are you still unwilling to awaken? The war to Slay Heaven is imminent. The layout of ten thousand years awaits this very moment. We need your assistance, to lend us your strength!"
The war to Slay Heaven—were they truly going to wage war against Heaven?
Did the 'Heaven' here refer to a different understanding of 'Heaven'?
All of this filled Ye Chen and even Old Yan with curiosity, wanting to understand the secrets behind it all.
The ancient hall was grand and silent, but its act of devouring the countless points of spiritual power light and the essence blood of innumerable living beings had now slowed. After a long while, a voice finally came from within, sounding aged: "Hall Master of the Martial God Hall, I must apologize, but I find it difficult to participate in this war to Slay Heaven!"
"Why?"
Boundless pressure erupted from the human-shaped light cluster of the Martial God Hall Master. Both Zhang Bailong and the Silver Ape King felt their bodies on the verge of splitting under the strain. The dark mountains and even the mountain range itself trembled, fully displaying the might of a Divine Spirit as it pressed the question: "Fellow Daoist Vast Heaven, you are one of the Divine Spirits of Tian Du. You should understand how immensely significant this war to Slay Heaven is—a battle planned for ten thousand years by successive generations of predecessors. Now, we have finally reached the decisive stage, an era with the possibility of success left behind through the painstaking efforts of past sages."
"The power of every Divine Spirit is crucial, indispensable. Your existence plays an extremely important role in this war. Do you still wish to see the billions of living beings of Tian Du Continent imprisoned forever in a cage!?"
A cage? Ye Chen deeply noted this keyword, his eyes flickering incessantly. After a moment, his expression changed slightly; he already had a partial guess in his heart.
But all of this needed verification.
"Hall Master of the Martial God Hall, you misunderstand. It is not that I do not wish to fight, but that my spirit is willing while my strength is insufficient," the Divine Spirit within the ancient hall replied to the Martial God Hall Master's questioning, revealing a trace of weariness and helplessness.
"Why?"
"Because the Dao injury on my body is almost impossible to suppress and is on the verge of erupting," the Divine Spirit in the ancient hall transmitted a bitter laugh. "You should also understand. In that battle back then, fighting against those Outer Realm Demons, I suffered a terrible Dao injury. Originally, I intended to use deep slumber over these years to delay the onset of that old injury. However, the Outer Realm Demon responsible for the suppression has been struggling and resisting all these years, causing my Dao injury to nearly erupt several times. Now, I am merely suppressing it with great effort. Over these years, Little Ape, to prevent my injury from recurring, had no choice but to instigate turmoil, devouring the essence blood and spiritual power of countless living beings to delay it. Otherwise, if the Dao injury erupts, I might cease to exist in this world."
The Martial God Hall Master's expression changed slightly. "Such a thing has happened!?"
He also seemed aware of the Dao injury on the Vast Heaven Great Sage's body. "What about that Outer Realm Demon now?"
"I suppressed it beneath Vast Heaven Mountain. I originally intended to use the power of time to wear it away. But now, for some reason, that Outer Realm Demon's power seems to have recovered, struggling more fiercely. Sooner or later, it will cause my Dao injury to erupt completely. In the end, I might perish, body and soul extinguished, due to this Dao injury."
This was bad news. Even the Martial God Hall Master's expression changed drastically at this moment, filled with deep shock. He had not expected the Vast Heaven Great Sage's situation to have deteriorated to such an extent.
This was a Divine Spirit regarded by mortals as an invincible existence standing atop the Nine Heavens, peerless in the world, who should have been able to dictate the rise and fall of the entire Tian Du Continent. Yet now, he had fallen into such a state.
The Martial God Hall Master remained silent for a long time before finally saying, "Fellow Daoist Vast Heaven, you know the war to Slay Heaven is of even greater importance. It is the effort of successive generations of predecessors, a battle planned for ten thousand years that cannot afford failure. Your existence is indispensable. Regarding the Dao injury on your body, do not worry. I and the other Fellow Daoists will do our utmost to find a way to help you recover."
The Vast Heaven Great Sage within the ancient hall also took a long time to reply: "Very well. Since the Hall Master of the Martial God Hall has spoken, it is my duty to oblige."
"Good. Now, to delay your Dao injury." The Martial God Hall Master said this, and then the entire human-shaped light cluster exploded apart. Boundless divine light poured into the ancient hall. After a long while, the voice of the Vast Heaven Great Sage came out: "Zhang Bailong, convey my thanks to the Hall Master of the Martial God Hall on my behalf. My Dao injury has been somewhat delayed. If I survive until then, I will certainly join the battle."
"This one will certainly convey the Great Sage's words to the Hall Master. Forgive this one for disturbing you. I shall take my leave!" After performing a grand bow, Zhang Bailong turned and left. The Silver Ape King saw him off.
Beneath Vast Heaven Mountain, silence no longer reigned. Only the towering mountains stood here, eternal and unyielding since ancient times!
"Little Chen, are you really going to do this?" Old Yan asked.
Ye Chen slowly let out a breath, his gaze firm. "Old Yan, you need to understand that some things must be done. Moreover, I am also very curious about this world and need to ask for clarity. Don't you want to know as well?"
Old Yan fell silent, clearly also wanting to know the answer.
The Silver Ape King, having returned, suddenly sensed an unusual aura, startling it. When had a mysterious being arrived? It had been completely unaware. It hurriedly shouted, "Who is there? Show yourself immediately!"
Boom—
A terrifying pressure suddenly erupted, causing the entire deepest region to tremble. The Silver Ape King's figure was sent flying backward, landing before the ancient hall. A tall, slender figure clad in black robes walked forth, its pressure overwhelming the heavens, its voice booming through the myriad mountains and valleys: "Vast Heaven Great Sage, what is this Slaying of Heaven!?"