Everyone was puzzled. What exactly did this mean? What was the relationship between these two people?
Even Ye Chen couldn't quite figure it out, merely staring intently at the two of them.
Imperial Wushuang looked at the Nameless Old Man, his expression turning cold once more. "You should know that Father is most likely on the River of Time. And she comes from the future, bearing traces brought by the River of Time. If possible, by using the imperial weapon Father left behind, we could resonate with the River of Time and thus search for Father's whereabouts."
The Nameless Old Man, however, shook his head. "Wushuang, you are mistaken. If she truly came from the future, do you think the present world can truly accommodate her existence? Wouldn't immense causality arise?"
Imperial Wushuang said, "I saw it with my own eyes back then. She traveled upstream from the lower reaches of the River of Time, coming from the future. Moreover, Father himself once said so. Do you think Father's words could be wrong?"
"Father is boundless and great, so of course he cannot be wrong," the Nameless Old Man replied. "But you have misunderstood. She is that person, yet she is also not that person."
Another riddle. But among those present, only Ye Chen truly understood. The Yi Wu he saw on the River of Time was likely Yi Wu's future self, sent back by his own future self.
She was Yi Wu, yet not entirely Yi Wu. That statement was absolutely correct.
Both Imperial Wushuang and Imperial Wuming frowned slightly, clearly not fully comprehending. But the Nameless Old Man shook his head. "Do not trouble them further. In the not-too-distant future, the great change in the heavens and earth will arrive. I too shall emerge from seclusion, joining others to open that gate. Over these years, after leaving the imperial clan, I have searched many ancient sites. I have long suspected that Father is not on the River of Time, but within the Profound Ancient Gate."
"What do you mean? Didn't Father personally seal the Profound Ancient Gate?" Imperial Wushuang exclaimed in surprise, and even Imperial Wuming's expression changed slightly.
The Yin-Yang Taiji Seal on the Profound Ancient Gate was clearly laid down by Tai Sheng Huang himself. How could he have entered it?
"Some of my memories have awakened," the Nameless Old Man said. "I remember that in the previous epoch, Father entered the Profound Ancient Gate to reverse fate and save the lives of his two senior brothers, Sun and Moon. That is why I suspect he is inside."
"You should all know that the Profound Ancient Gate connects to heaven, earth, immortals, spirits, and the past and present. It is said to possibly revive the dead and may contain immortal herbs of longevity. Back then, when Father entered the Profound Ancient Gate, it was most likely to obtain a method to revive his two senior brothers."
This news was clearly shocking. Neither Imperial Wushuang nor Imperial Wuming had ever guessed that Tai Sheng Huang might have entered the Profound Ancient Gate.
After a long silence, Imperial Wushuang looked at Yi Wu, then at Ye Chen and the others. "Very well. This time, I will listen to you. We will let them go and see if Father truly went to the Profound Ancient Gate."
"However, they may leave, and they may take the Primordial Battle Body Great Halberd. But the Human Sovereign Pagoda must stay behind." He paused, then made this demand.
Ye Chen's expression turned cold, and he was about to speak, but the Nameless Old Man spoke first. "Wushuang, you have gone too far. Moreover, I know better than you who that person is. How can our clan forcibly keep his belongings? Aren't you afraid of bringing immense causality upon our clan?"
Imperial Wushuang's expression changed slightly, and he said no more.
The Nameless Old Man then turned to Ye Chen and the others. He even reached out and gently patted Yiyi and the Golden Little Divine Dragon on the head a few times. "The imperial clan is not a place for you to linger. All of you, leave this place."
With a wave of his hand, he opened the ancient pass gate of the imperial clan's ancient realm. A divine radiance path stretched straight to the heavens, leading to the outside world.
"Step onto this path, and you can leave the imperial clan's ancient realm directly, without any hindrance."
"Old man, when will we see you again?" Yiyi and the Golden Little Divine Dragon were reluctant to part, blinking their bright big eyes as they asked.
The Nameless Old Man smiled gently. "In the not-too-distant future, we will meet again. Do not worry."
"Senior, thank you for your assistance," Ye Chen said, cupping his hands in thanks. Behind him, the Three Immortal Maidens and the Peacock King also expressed their gratitude.
The Nameless Old Man shook his head. "No need. This is only right. My imperial clan was excessive, and I do not wish for my clan to suffer calamity."
He looked at the Human Sovereign Pagoda, at the Primordial Battle Body Great Halberd, and then at Ye Chen's abdomen—the location of his dantian space—with deep meaning.
Then he looked at the Profound Heaven Saintess, the Sun King, and the Eternal Night Dark King. "You three should leave as well. This is not a suitable place for you to stay."
"Yes, Ancestor (Martial Uncle Ancestor)!"
The Nameless Old Man had indirectly issued an order for them to leave. The current masters of the three Sacred Lands naturally dared not resist. Together with Ye Chen and the others, they stepped onto the divine radiance path. With a whoosh, they left the imperial clan's ancient realm.
Looking back, the imperial clan's ancient realm had vanished, untraceable in heaven and earth. Only with the correct location and method could one enter.
The group found themselves in the endless starry sky. The Profound Heaven Saintess suddenly spoke. "Battle Saint King, can you tell me where you encountered our Ancestor?"
Not only her, but even the Sun King and the Eternal Night Dark King were curious and suspicious.
But instead of answering, Ye Chen asked a question in return. "Before that question, I would like to ask about the relationship between Tai Sheng Shang Gong and the imperial clan. I have long suspected that Tai Sheng Shang Gong was the imperial clan, but now it seems it is a force founded by an Imperial Son."
The Profound Heaven Saintess answered truthfully. "You are correct. Tai Sheng Shang Gong is a Sacred Land force founded by an Imperial Son—the one you call the Nameless Old Man. According to ancient records in my Tai Sheng Shang Gong, the Ancestor left the imperial clan in the past and founded Tai Sheng Shang Gong, standing alongside the Sun God Dynasty and the Eternal Night Ancient Hall. Moreover, the Ancestor is both an Imperial Son and, in a way, also one of Tai Sheng Huang's disciples. The Sun Sovereign and the Eternal Night Sovereign are both the Ancestor's senior brothers."
Ye Chen understood. So that was how it was.
Finally, Ye Chen truthfully told the Profound Heaven Saintess the location of the peaceful heaven and earth. This made her suspicious and surprised. After a moment of silence, she sighed softly. "So the Ancestor has been hiding in the deepest part of the Divine Battlefield all along. It's a pity that my Tai Sheng Shang Gong has been searching for the Ancestor's traces openly and covertly all these years, yet never detected anything."
"This matter must be discussed with the other ancestors in the palace to welcome the Ancestor's return."
But Ye Chen said, "You'd better not do that."
"Why?"
"Since Senior Nameless has remained in that peaceful heaven and earth, he naturally has his reasons. If you rashly go to receive him, it might not be his wish and could disturb him," Ye Chen explained. "Moreover, Senior Nameless will appear soon. That time will likely be when the great change in heaven and earth occurs. You will be able to see him then."
The Profound Heaven Saintess fell silent, feeling that Ye Chen's words made sense.
In the end, the group parted ways.