Boom—
A fierce battle erupted directly outside the Central Imperial City.
Led by the Ancient Divine Palace Master, there were the five Heavenly King Xuan Elders who had emerged from the seals, plus the two surviving First and Fourth Heavenly King Xuan Elders, making a total of eight Heavenly Kings.
On the surface, this number seemed inferior to the nine Heavenly Kings of the Holy Domain within the Imperial City. However, the Ancient Divine Palace Master was a figure virtually invincible even among Heavenly Kings, capable of matching several opponents alone. The First Heavenly King Xuan Elder was also an extraordinary powerhouse among Heavenly Kings. While the Holy Domain side appeared to have a numerical advantage, in actual combat, the situation could very well be reversed.
"Everyone, guard the Imperial City! The Battle Saint King is breaking through to the Heavenly King realm. We cannot allow any mishaps," the Ancient Hua Heavenly King transmitted via voice transmission. The situation was tense, and the Battle Saint King was at the most critical moment of his breakthrough. He must not be disturbed. Failing the breakthrough was one thing, but more importantly, he risked Qi deviation or even damage to his Dao foundation.
Boom—
The great battle erupted. This was a Heavenly King-level clash. Though not as vast and world-shaking as the battles of Great Powers in the Divine Realm or the starry skies, it was still terrifying. Moreover, this was not a duel between two Heavenly Kings, but over a dozen, engaging in a massive confrontation within the Imperial City, the location of the Holy Domain.
The nine Heavenly Kings of the imperial dynasties attacked, jointly battling the eight Heavenly Kings of the Ancient Divine Palace. Knowing the strength of the Ancient Divine Palace Master, they directly summoned a vast, abyssal sea of Faith Power from the Imperial City, striking towards the heavens and sweeping towards the Ancient Divine Palace powerhouses.
"Faith Power!?"
The Ancient Divine Palace powerhouses changed color, showing apprehension.
The Faith Power within the Imperial City was absolutely vast and astonishing, overwhelmingly powerful. Even the accumulation of the Ancient Divine Palace over so many years was comparable, but they could not transmit it across the Chaotic Sea.
The nine imperial dynasty Heavenly Kings were all Divine Kings of the Holy Domain, each capable of controlling a portion of the Faith Power. This was enough to boost their strength significantly as they charged at the Ancient Divine Palace Heavenly Kings.
"Hmph, so what if you have Faith Power?"
The Ancient Divine Palace Master snorted coldly, his eyes gleaming with icy light. He raised his hand and struck out, containing vast law power, clashing head-on with an imperial dynasty Heavenly King. The sky shattered and the earth cracked, that patch of vacuum exploding.
The Ancient Divine Palace Master's figure remained unmoved, but the opposing imperial dynasty Heavenly King was sent tumbling, the Faith Power around him boiling and nearly dispersing as he coughed up blood continuously.
The difference in strength was immediately apparent, fully showcasing the Ancient Divine Palace Master's peerless might.
However, the other imperial dynasty Heavenly Kings also arrived. Moreover, they combined to form a fearsome grand formation. Each of the nine imperial dynasty Heavenly Kings controlled a formation node, merging nine stars into one, temporarily blocking the eight Ancient Divine Palace Heavenly Kings, leaving them unable to advance or retreat.
This was a formation Ye Chen had constructed during these thirty-three years—a combined battle formation that could concentrate the power of all nine imperial dynasty Heavenly Kings, unleashing extraordinary combat strength.
"Seeking death!"
Though furious and immensely powerful, the Ancient Divine Palace Master found it difficult to break through the battle formation and charge into the Imperial City in a short time.
Were they to just allow the Battle Saint King to successfully break through to the Heavenly King realm?
"Everyone, the Battle Saint King is breaking through to the Heavenly King realm. I believe none of you wish to see him fully mature and achieve the Heavenly King realm," the First Heavenly King Xuan Elder transmitted to the other Heavenly Kings observing from the horizon, trying to rally them to jointly deal with the Battle Saint King and interfere with his breakthrough.
The other Heavenly Kings were also somewhat moved, especially those from the imperial clan and the three Sacred Lands, feeling a stirring urge.
In the distant sky, the few Immortal True Kings standing at the horizon were the most intimidating. Each had perfected their Supreme Law, reaching the Tenth Heaven, and had become Heavenly Kings—unprecedentedly powerful, far surpassing ordinary Heavenly Kings. The powerful aura of the Tenth Heaven emanated from them, boiling and spreading.
Their presence was even more terrifying than that of the other Heavenly Kings.
This caused the nine imperial dynasty Heavenly Kings to pale. If these Immortal True Kings took action, it would be the most fearsome threat.
Swish, swish, swish—
At this moment, three graceful and peerlessly beautiful figures shot out from the Imperial City—the Three Immortal Maidens.
They had also achieved the Heavenly King realm, each with an overwhelmingly powerful aura. They surveyed their surroundings, guarding Ye Chen who was breaking through within the Imperial City. Moreover, they could utilize the vast Faith Power, further deterring the various Heavenly Kings around them, making them dare not act rashly.
Beside them were the Golden Little Divine Dragon and Yiyi. Almost all of the Holy Domain's most powerful combat forces were deployed.
Boom—
Suddenly, a dull, thunderous roar emanated from within the Imperial City, accompanied by an increasingly terrifying Great Dao aura slowly spreading out. It felt as if the myriad Daos of heaven and earth were being suppressed, causing everyone to change color.
Because that dreadful sense of oppression originated precisely from the Imperial City, making even the various Heavenly Kings pale.
Under this aura, almost everyone felt a terrifying sense of suffocation.
Even those Immortal True Kings who had achieved the Heavenly King realm showed slight changes in expression.
This was undoubtedly the Battle Saint King breaking through. He was too powerful, his accumulation too profound. Once he stepped into the Heavenly King realm, he would undoubtedly become an invincible figure of an extremely high level.
Now, he had reached the most critical moment, about to transform into a peerless Heavenly King of the mortal world.
"Attack! We absolutely cannot let the Battle Saint King advance!"
The Ancient Divine Palace powerhouses roared with immense apprehension. The Heavenly Kings from the imperial clan and the three Sacred Lands charged over. The other Immortal True Kings also showed signs of movement, almost ready to strike.
"Whoever dares take one step forward, I will kill them!"
Above the Imperial City, Zhao Jingruo was incomparably forceful. She was as serene as a Goddess, yet her aura was terrifying. Her black hair danced, accompanied by strands of immortal light, possessing an invincible demeanor that overlooked all heavens.
A Heavenly King charged forward first. He was from an imperial clan, dissatisfied with Ye Chen's attitude at the previous Imperial Son Feast. He struck now, with killing intent, aiming to slay Ye Chen the moment he successfully broke through, sending him from heaven to hell.
The Goddess forcefully attacked. Her slender jade fingers carried strands of flying immortal light as she also executed the Boundary-Traversing Secret Technique, appearing before that Heavenly King like lightning for a head-on clash.
Boom, boom, boom, boom—
The Goddess was peerlessly stunning through the ages, matchless in beauty, and also incomparably powerful. The moment she struck, it was with the most fearsome offensive power, like a female emperor attacking, drawing upon the Primordial Divine Guidance.
After over a dozen exchanges, that imperial clan Heavenly King's figure was sent flying backward, blood rain scattering.
It wasn't that he wasn't strong enough; on the contrary, the Goddess was too powerful. First, she had perfected her Supreme Law to achieve the Tenth Heaven, then became a Heavenly King. She was inherently superior to other Heavenly Kings in foundation, her starting point too high, her combat strength transcendently and terrifyingly formidable.
Boom—
The Goddess's willow-leaf eyebrows raised sharply. With a light shout, her jade hand swept out, executing the Great Dao Treasure Vessel Seal and unleashing a destructive beam of light that directly blasted that Heavenly King away, scattering a shower of blood rain across the sky.
In just over a dozen exchanges, a powerful Heavenly King was defeated. The Goddess stood gracefully in the void, divine radiance encircling her body, supremely divine and sacred, yet forceful and invincible. She swept her gaze over the various enemies and said, "Do you still wish to attack?"
"You are strong, but today, the Battle Saint King will not succeed in his breakthrough!"
The other Heavenly Kings from the distant horizon strode forward, pressing towards the Imperial City.