The super-powerful experts from the Imperial Clan and the three Sacred Lands, seeing the vast fortune, Faith Power, and willpower gathered within the Central Heavenly Palace of the Imperial City from afar, all wore gloomy expressions. They even strongly desired to take action, to topple the Heavenly Palace and deal a severe blow to the Holy Domain.
"Shall we act? Destroy the palace of the Holy Domain's hall, teach Qian a lesson."
A super-powerful expert spoke coldly, his tone merciless.
"We should act. Qian is too despicable. While our four major forces were waiting for the replies from the leaders of those factions, he took action, establishing this so-called Holy Domain Great Sect, gathering the willpower, Faith Power, and fortune power of the Ancient Emperor Continent," another spoke up.
"It was our miscalculation. We shouldn't have given Qian enough time to establish this so-called Holy Domain. It has already gained a certain momentum and should be eradicated early."
The super-powerful experts of the four major forces reached a unanimous agreement to take action against the Holy Domain and deliver an unforgettable lesson.
But at that moment, they suddenly felt a bone-chilling cold surge from the depths of their hearts, because a pair of icy eyes had turned to look in their direction.
The Holy Domain's Master—Ye Chen!
He sat upon the Divine Throne in the Central Heavenly Palace, having never left, yet descended like a deity from the Nine Heavens, indifferently gazing their way as if looking at ants.
Though he did not take action, they all felt a fatal crisis emerging, shivering with fear and filled with terror.
"Go!"
The super-powerful experts of the four major forces immediately turned and fled. They all sensed Ye Chen's peerless fearsomeness; the combined strength of the four of them was likely far from being a match.
Upon the Divine Throne, Ye Chen did not move. As his gaze shifted, his right hand extended, striking four consecutive palm strikes into the void, creating four palm-shaped black holes.
Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!
The four mighty palm forces vanished into the endless void, then flashed through thousands of li, directly catching up to the super-powerful experts of the four major forces and shattering the void as they descended.
Boom!
In the distant horizon, four areas of heaven and earth were shattered. Four figures tumbled down in disarray, bloodied and covered in wounds, many deep enough to reveal bone, appearing utterly miserable and wretched. Though severely injured, they were not dead, which only heightened their panic. Disregarding everything, they fled rapidly.
Ye Chen paid them no further mind. His earlier action was merely to teach them a lesson, to display the Holy Domain's invincible might and ensure the four major forces did not think the Holy Domain was easy to bully.
This scene was also witnessed by many experts within the Central Imperial City. Looking towards the Central Heavenly Palace, their reverence for the Holy Domain's Master Qian grew even deeper.
Afterwards, neither the Imperial Clan nor the three Sacred Lands took action again.
Day after day, month after month...
Time passed, years flowed by.
Soon, twelve years had passed.
This year marked the nineteenth year since Ye Chen had become the revered master of the Ancient Emperor Continent.
Over these years, Ye Chen had overlooked the vast Ancient Emperor Continent for nineteen years, sweeping through the world with no match. With the experts of the Imperial Clan and the three Sacred Lands not emerging, who could contend with him?
But he was not arrogant, not haughty, always maintaining a calm heart, knowing that terrifying figures still lurked in the shadows, not yet emerged.
Ye Chen still sat upon that lofty, supreme Divine Throne in the Central Heavenly Palace, motionless day after day, submerged by the Great Dao, constantly in a state of enlightenment.
The fusion of the Ancient Orchid Great World and the Tian Du Continent had entered its final stages over a decade ago, yet it progressed slowly, repeatedly exceeding the imagined timeframe, never truly merging completely.
However, it was at a critical juncture. Almost every moment, insights into the Great Dao continuously emerged, allowing Ye Chen's Dao attainment to quietly advance once more.
Originally, his Dao attainment was at a critical point. Without the suppression of the Human Sovereign Pagoda, he could break through at any time.
Now, it was even more so. His Dao attainment continuously progressed, the Great Dao within his body increasingly unable to be suppressed.
Originally, the Human Sovereign Pagoda was only controlled by him for suppression, not autonomously reviving to suppress—these were two different concepts. The former was far less perfect than the Pagoda's autonomous revival and sealing.
Now, Ye Chen even dared not utilize his own Dao attainment, avoiding the Great Dao within his body from bursting forth and directly erupting.
Moreover, he had reached a point of no alternative. He activated a secret technique, condensed that single Emperor character obtained from Gu Changsheng, and even used the only drop of Chaos true blood within his body to manifest a Chaos cauldron, sealing the Battle Saint Soul and sealing his own Great Dao.
He even imitated the method of being shackled by laws in the past to seal his own Great Dao, not hesitating to venture far into the Divine Battlefield to gather many Heavenly King law remnants. He also used the nine great imperial dynasties' Heavenly Kings to manifest chains of order, and even the tenfold divine halos transformed into absolute divine rings, binding his own Dao.
Thus, he restrained his own Dao. Even though his Dao attainment quietly progressed continuously during this period, he would not break through.
Ye Chen had to wait until the moment the two great worlds completely merged, to comprehend the endless insights and achieve a limit breakthrough.
During this time, Ye Chen constantly sat upon the Divine Throne, eyes closed, ignoring worldly affairs, motionless, as if achieving eternity, never moving.
If not for being able to sense the strong, powerful heartbeat within his body, the Three Immortal Maidens would have worried something had happened to him.
Similarly, due to the restraint of his own Great Dao, over these twelve years, Ye Chen not only focused on the fusion of the Ancient Orchid Great World and the Tian Du Continent but also contemplated the five major realms: Postnatal, Innate, Demigod, God Transformation, and Saint Vault.
He reconsolidated each previous major realm, achieving tenfold perfection in each step, all flawless.
Especially for the Saint Vault realm, which involved excavating the treasures of the human body. As his cultivation level increased, his body's treasures continuously opened, continuously inspiring more potential. Every inch of his muscles and skin glowed with radiant light, divine power surging like an endless vast sea.
Intangibly, he felt his Battle Sacred Body had advanced yet another step.
More importantly, he was contemplating Samsara, recalling past lives and the present, various cycles revolving within his heart.
Twelve years of cultivation seemed like experiencing a thousand years. The divine power within his body grew increasingly vigorous. Even while completely still, one could sense the rumbling, roaring divine power of his Great Dao within.
He carried the vicissitudes of time, reaping considerable gains. His understanding of Samsara grew increasingly profound.
The Chaos Dao was also being deduced. Although no particularly major step was taken over the twelve years, it similarly grew more profound, continuously progressing, continuously perfecting the initial chapter of the Chaos Dao.
He contemplated heaven and earth, contemplated Samsara, contemplated past lives and the present, contemplated Chaos, contemplated the Tenth Heaven...
Although Ye Chen had not truly taken the final step to immediately achieve Heavenly King status, he grew increasingly powerful. His Battle Saint Soul was far stronger than the divine souls of ordinary Heavenly Kings. Moreover, to a certain extent, he could already be considered an alternative Heavenly King.
Because his comprehension and understanding of the Great Dao had long reached this level, even surpassing many Heavenly Kings.
His Dao attainment continuously progressed. Once he took that final step one day, there would be a substantial leap. Ye Chen always believed this.
As time passed, Ye Chen appeared increasingly unfathomable. Even standing beside him, the nine great imperial dynasties' Heavenly Kings felt Ye Chen was as deep as an abyss or an ocean, unfathomable, unable to perceive his depths, unable to gauge his strength.
His eyes carried the vicissitudes of time, the decline of sun and moon. He did not resemble a youth but more like a supreme existence, his gaze profound and far-reaching, capable of piercing through all matters of the world, understanding them clearly.
The Great Dao rumbled. Ye Chen saw through eternity, cycling through past and present.
He was incomparably powerful, having stood at the critical point for many years, restraining his own Great Dao for many years, yet continuously progressing.
The might of his cultivation already crowned him peerless among his generation. Moreover, he had a premonition that the Heavenly King tribulation he would soon face would be terrifying beyond measure, far more fearsome than before, truly capable of destroying heaven and earth.
But he still suppressed it, still progressed.
Day and night, he sat upon the Divine King Hall, overlooking the vast Ancient Emperor Continent, his gaze sweeping across the world, truly standing at the absolute peak. In all the world, few could be found to battle him.
Ye Chen's majesty grew even greater. Clearly still just a youth, with two lifetimes combined barely over a hundred years old, yet he resembled a venerable giant of antiquity, capable of seeing through all things in the world.
Occasionally, he would gaze at the moon and sigh softly, murmuring to himself, "If this continues, perhaps one day, I might directly break into the Great Power realm?"
He did not know, did not understand. He only knew that his current self was stronger than many Heavenly Kings.
Continuing like this, perhaps after another few hundred or thousand years, he might truly reach that realm.
Because the insights from the fusion of the two worlds were equivalent to truly creating heaven and earth. Especially since the Ancient Orchid Great World was an inner world opened by a Sovereign of the Mythical Era, carrying the Great Dao insights of the Sovereign realm.
This was particularly important for Ye Chen's Great Dao insights, making his Dao attainment increasingly unfathomable.
Simultaneously, the Holy Domain had also been established as a sect for twelve years.
Though only twelve years, compared to other forces with histories spanning thousands or tens of thousands of years, it seemed very young, even no different from an infant. But this did not hinder the Holy Domain's flourishing prosperity, its fortune flourishing, even growing powerful to an unbelievable degree, long since becoming the most prominent behemoth of the current era.
Since its first day of establishment, almost daily, large numbers of cultivators wished to become members of the Holy Domain.
Because over these years, virtually all experts who joined the Holy Domain experienced a certain degree of growth in their cultivation.
It must be understood that not everyone was like Ye Chen, Imperial Sons, or Immortal True Kings, with monstrously frightening cultivation speeds. Most required decades or centuries to advance a single step.
This was the true speed of cultivation. Ye Chen, Imperial Sons, and True Kings were rare geniuses of antiquity; such astonishing speed was accidental, not replicable.
But due to the Martial Arts Divine Pavilion, also due to the Alchemy Hall, and the annual lectures by the nine great imperial dynasties' Heavenly Kings...
Even Ye Chen, as the Holy Domain's Master, had publicly lectured on the Dao several times. His comprehension of the Great Dao was deeper and more thorough than Heavenly Kings', progressing from shallow to deep, from simple to profound, often enlightening with a single point.
Even Heavenly Kings felt benefited, let alone others, each experiencing a certain degree of growth.
Some cultivators already at critical points even broke through minor realms because of this, many gaining considerable benefits.
Precisely because of this, countless people were willing to join the increasingly prosperous and flourishing Holy Domain.
However, the Holy Domain's recruitment of talents grew increasingly strict.
Moreover, the Holy Domain was so transcendent, using the Central Imperial City as its foundation, standing above the Nine Heavens, overlooking the vast Ancient Emperor Continent, revered as the master of the Great Era.
Over twelve years, the Holy Domain Great Sect remained supremely transcendent, unlike worldly great sects or dynasties. It only had the Holy Domain hall in the Central Imperial City as its true center, without territory. Yet Holy Domain experts were spread across every corner of the Ancient Emperor Continent. Whether human, beast, or demon race, the most top-tier experts were members of the Holy Domain.
Moreover, due to the Holy Domain's intervention, conflicts across the Ancient Emperor Continent grew fewer. The entire continent's three-race domains were in a state of stable development.
Similarly, under the jurisdiction of Holy Domain experts, Ye Chen's stone statues were also erected in increasingly more places, even in the most remote mountain villages, where they received the faith of the people.
He seemed to have transformed into the sole deity in the mortal world.
Now, Ye Chen sat upon the Divine Throne. The Faith Power condensed above his head had swelled considerably, vaster and more expansive than before, transforming into a true ocean of Faith Power. It was not within the Human Sovereign Pagoda but stored in another space specifically opened for Faith Power, connected to the Central Heavenly Palace.
Similarly, willpower continuously condensed, also appearing crystalline, stored in another space.
In the Mythical Era, the most powerful Emperors and Sovereigns had researched fortune, willpower, and Faith Power. Ye Chen had researched Faith Power and now began researching fortune power and willpower.
These three possessed infinite wondrous uses. Legends from the Mythical Era spoke of ancient Great Emperors who became immortal Great Emperors relying on Faith Power. But Ye Chen felt there might also be factors of willpower involved.
Willpower was very similar to Faith Power yet also transcended it. It was not faith but related to the wishes of all living beings, also capable of unleashing extraordinary power.
Over twelve years, although his research into the three had not yielded major results, in this aspect, he had gained considerable insight, understanding much.
Moreover, in the name of the Holy Domain deity, he had cast several divine statues within the Holy Domain hall, including Goddess, Chen'er, Yi Wu, and the Peacock King, allowing the world to also have faith in them, having discovered some wondrous uses therein.
Having Faith Power attached to one's body could, to a certain extent, reduce the traces of time's passage.
Especially for the Peacock King, who had previously failed in Samsara, his Samsara Dao foundation seemed as if slashed, bearing marks difficult to erase. But with the aid of Faith Power, his Dao foundation could slowly be repaired.
But Ye Chen did not recommend the several individuals to refine Faith Power for cultivation. It was always an external aid, not as substantial as one's own foundation. However, it could be used to enhance perception, accelerating progress in enlightenment.
As for Yiyi and the Golden Little Divine Dragon, these two were special, not needing Faith Power.
The nine great imperial dynasties' Heavenly Kings were also revered as the Holy Domain's Nine Divine Kings, representing the Holy Domain, guarding heaven and earth. They also began erecting divine statues, enjoying the Holy Domain's great fortune and Faith Power.
Their cultivation levels, without unsealing their restraints, also progressed.
"Has the change in heaven and earth not yet begun?"
Ye Chen murmured, looking towards the profound, endless starry sky, his gaze equally infinitely profound.