Within the Central Heavenly Palace.
Ye Chen sat upon the Divine Throne, silent, looking down from on high at the Primordial Spirit avatar of the black-and-white-haired supreme powerhouse. An intangible influence released a torrential, invincible might that annihilated space and time.
If not for the letter flowing with wisps of seven-colored radiant light protecting the black-and-white supreme powerhouse, even his remaining Primordial Spirit would have shattered.
Now, Ye Chen's might was far greater than before. The flow of his gaze held terrifying scenes of sun and moon sinking, space and time collapsing.
The Battle Saint Soul had grown increasingly powerful; meeting his gaze would tear apart one's Primordial Spirit.
The black-and-white-haired supreme powerhouse was terrified. He had overestimated the prestige of the imperial clan and underestimated Ye Chen's domineering nature.
This Ye Chen before him was simply domineering to the point of fearing nothing.
"Ye Chen, I'm sorry, it was my fault. Please spare me."
At this point, he could only choose to lower his head and admit his mistake, for he feared death. However, a trace of resentment flickered in the eyes of his Primordial Spirit avatar, and a killing intent swept over the others as well.
If he returned to the imperial clan, he would surely have the clan's terrifying figures appear to repay today's humiliation.
Yet, the void suddenly grew heavy and still. His resentment could not escape Ye Chen's keen perception. Still silent, Ye Chen raised his hand and pressed down. Everything was about to crumble and perish.
The black-and-white-haired supreme powerhouse discovered this in horror and hurriedly said, "Ye Chen, don't kill me! It was my fault, I shouldn't have said such things."
Moreover, he desperately urged the letter, releasing several strands of ancient might at the Great Power level to resist.
But primordial Chaos Qi appeared in Ye Chen's hand, along with a mysterious aura, suppressing those few strands of Great Power-level ancient might, annihilating them as he pressed down. The void shattered inch by inch.
"Ye Chen, you can't kill me! Otherwise, my imperial clan will surely come to punish you!" Feeling Ye Chen's killing intent, the black-and-white-haired supreme powerhouse roared urgently, still using the imperial clan as a threat at this moment.
"If the imperial clan personally comes to punish me, I will naturally accept it."
Ye Chen spoke calmly, very peacefully, yet containing a world-shaking, peerless arrogance.
In this great era, who dared to face the expedition of a supreme imperial clan head-on?
Ye Chen dared. He would be the master of the world's rise and fall, fearing nothing.
Boom—
Ye Chen's great hand pressed down. With a final shrill scream, the Primordial Spirit avatar of the black-and-white-haired supreme powerhouse exploded, its Primordial Spirit annihilated, completely annihilated in both body and spirit from this world.
The messenger supreme powerhouse had perished, body and Dao extinguished, but the letter remained in the void, glowing brilliantly, dazzling and resplendent, with auspicious rays strand by strand, as if an ancient Great Power lay dormant within. Almost no one dared approach.
The nine great imperial dynasties' Heavenly Kings were wary. At this point, they all understood that the one who wrote this letter was very likely a peerless Great Power, a hegemon who reigned supreme even in the Age of Gods. They just didn't know if it was written by that mysterious, peerless Imperial Son.
This was cause for caution. Killing the other party's messenger was equivalent to severing ties, offending the entire supreme imperial clan.
But the messenger daring to covet the Three Immortal Maidens, provoking Ye Chen's bottom line, was also something that could not be tolerated.
Just as Ye Chen said, even if the imperial clan came to punish him, he feared not. He would simply accept it.
Upon the Divine Throne, Ye Chen retrieved the letter, pinching it in his hand. His fingers and palm shone with golden radiance. Opening it, even more powerful, vast light and majesty emanated, pressing down on others until they could barely breathe.
Primordial Chaos Qi surged in Ye Chen's hand, displaying his peerless cultivation, suppressing the letter's aura as he carefully read it.
The contents of the letter were not particularly forceful, nor did they use power to pressure or threaten. It showed respect, inviting Ye Chen to attend a rare grand feast, treating him with courtesy, and discussing some future topics together, involving the grand chessboard of heaven and earth.
The host was very polite, showing respect for Ye Chen, not using power to pressure him. It was just the messenger who looked down on the world, believing the imperial clan stood high above, revered by all living beings.
Moreover, Ye Chen's recent prestige had been too overwhelming, possessing the might of the world's number one, overshadowing the imperial clan. The messenger wanted to suppress Ye Chen, make him lower his head, thereby displaying the imperial clan's lofty status.
But the messenger never expected Ye Chen to be so domineering and arrogant, fearing nothing, directly killing him.
Ye Chen revealed the letter's contents. However, whether it was the Three Immortal Maidens, the Peacock King, or the nine Heavenly Kings, they all believed going was too dangerous, for he had just slain the imperial clan's messenger, incurring immense causality.
And what was the imperial clan? A supreme great clan left behind by a true mythical Emperor, with world-shaking heritage. Thinking of those Emperor and Sovereign clans across the myriad realms, even the peerless Human Sovereign, Supreme One of the Myriad Domains, respected and feared these Emperor and Sovereign clans.
Moreover, these Emperor and Sovereign clans surely possessed figures capable of shaking the world. They all disapproved of attending the feast, feeling it was a trap, worried danger would arise.
Even though Ye Chen had reached the level where he could defy immortals and slay Heavenly Kings.
The so-called slaying Heavenly Kings referred to ordinary Heavenly Kings. Heavenly Kings also had nine heavens. No matter how powerful Ye Chen was, he could not be completely invincible within the Heavenly King realm, let alone the possibility of the imperial clan having ancient Great Sages.
"It's fine. I have means to protect myself."
Ye Chen said. This matter related to the grand chessboard of heaven and earth this time, making it especially important. He must go to understand some great secrets.
Moreover, as he said, he feared nothing. He had sufficient means for self-protection: the Primordial Battle Body halberd that could be activated twice, the Divine Feather Sword bestowed by the Holy Feather Venerable One, the Flame God Token bestowed by the Flame God Venerable One, or even the protective treasure from the Heavenly Gate's Gate Lord obtained when entering the Purple Mansion—all were still with him.
He even had a mysterious divine stone coffin within his body, burying a supreme existence.
If provoked, he could simply open it, capable of burying everything.
This was his true confidence.
Seeing this, the others could not refuse, knowing Ye Chen did not act without certainty.
In the end, the Peacock King, the Three Immortal Maidens, as well as Yiyi and the little divine dragon followed him. The nine great imperial dynasties' Heavenly Kings remained to guard the Central Heavenly Palace.
Moreover, the repaired Great Power-level divine ship was brought out.
Over the years, as Ye Chen's cultivation continuously progressed, aside from being unable to lay down true Great Power-level divine patterns, everything had been completely and perfectly repaired. He even supplemented it with some of the nine great imperial dynasties' Heavenly Kings' laws, making it even more powerful.
All the Great Power-level array patterns from back then had been repaired by him.
Although he had not reached the ancient Great Sage realm, not all ancient Great Sages were proficient in formations. They merely arranged them based on their own Dao comprehension. Ye Chen's attainment in formations far surpassed ordinary people's; he deduced parts of the Great Power-level array patterns and supplemented them.
Thus, the Great Power-level divine ship was even more powerful, not much inferior to its former state.
Half a month later, Ye Chen descended from the Divine Throne, leading the Three Immortal Maidens, the Peacock King, and the two little beasts onto the Great Power-level divine ship. They set off, heading for the imperial clan.