The engagement banquet served as Ye Chen's formal acknowledgment of the Three Immortal Maidens as his fiancées, now truly betrothed, with only the final step of marriage remaining.
At the banquet, the Three Immortal Maidens wept tears of joy, their beauty truly breathtaking as they made lifelong vows with Ye Chen.
During this period, Ye Chen prepared for his final matters. He needed to return to the myriad realms and search for his parents and clansmen.
Not long after, Ye Chen left the Ancient Emperor Continent, heading for the Ancient Divine Continent to resolve some lingering causality.
Originally, the Heavenly Gate's Gate Lord and several other ancient Great Sages had offered to cross the Chaotic Sea with Ye Chen, but he refused. Now that his power rivaled that of the ancient Great Sages, what did he have to fear?
Even if he encountered a monarch, he would not fear. At worst, he could sacrifice the divine stone coffin to resolve any crisis.
However, the nine Heavenly Kings of the imperial dynasty and some other imperial dynasty experts followed him, hoping to return to the imperial dynasty to see how the nine great imperial dynasties were faring, as they were somewhat concerned.
Ye Chen agreed, allowing them to follow. He summoned the Great Power-level divine ship obtained from the Ancient Divine Palace.
The Chaotic Sea, once utterly chaotic, required a Great Power-level ancient ship and the overcoming of numerous dangers to finally cross. But after Ye Chen's power reached the level of the ancient Great Sages, he could traverse it with ease.
He personally piloted the Great Power-level divine ship, charging directly into the Chaotic Sea. Endless chaotic storms assailed their faces, incredibly violent, accompanied by pitch-black lightning, yin evil energy, and more. Even a Heavenly King would find it difficult to enter.
Otherwise, it would not have blocked countless strong experts from the Ancient Divine Continent throughout history from crossing.
Before Ye Chen, surging world power manifested, spreading out to stabilize the void, causing all chaotic storms to dissipate on their own.
The Great Power-level divine ship sailed swiftly, covering dozens of li in a single breath. Soon, it had penetrated tens of thousands of li into the Chaotic Sea.
Here, the divine ship halted because Ye Chen saw an acquaintance.
It was a Guardian Knight, riding a pure-blooded Purple Qilin, patrolling the Chaotic Sea, always guarding this sea area to prevent anyone from crossing from the Ancient Divine Continent to the Ancient Emperor Continent.
"Who goes there? Show yourself!"
The other party also sensed the newcomer's presence, naturally because Ye Chen allowed it. Otherwise, if he intended to hide, the other party would never have been able to detect him.
The Guardian Knight immediately turned around, shouting at Ye Chen.
"Long time no see."
Ye Chen revealed himself without any concealment.
"It's you!" The Guardian Knight was also greatly surprised.
Ye Chen smiled slightly. Decades had passed, and the Guardian Knight's cultivation remained at the peak of the Saint Vault realm.
Generally speaking, reaching this level meant the next step was to struggle through the crossing of Samsara and break into the Heavenly King realm. Undoubtedly, this would be very difficult, often requiring centuries to cycle through Samsara.
After all, people like Ye Chen were truly monstrous and could not be measured by common sense.
"Decades have passed. I never imagined that you, who were only at the fifth level of the Saint Vault realm back then, would also reach this step. It's unbelievable."
The Guardian Knight looked at Ye Chen with a complex gaze, filled with an indescribable sigh.
Clearly, the Guardian Knight had also learned of Ye Chen's news over the years: suppressing and killing Samsara supreme experts, establishing the peerless Holy Domain, becoming revered under heaven, battling Great Powers, fearing no imperial clan...
Each piece of news was more shocking than the last. The young genius who was once only at the Saint Treasury Realm had now become a giant in the Ancient Emperor World that could not be ignored, revered from all directions, dominating the Ancient Emperor Continent, making even the most ancient and powerful imperial clans extremely wary.
Ye Chen smiled slightly and said, "I wish to meet your leader."
Upon hearing this, the Guardian Knight was not surprised, only sighing softly before actively leading Ye Chen deep into the Chaotic Sea.
There lay an immortal island that even the chaotic storms could not completely destroy. It was the Guardian Knights' base of operations over the years.
It was very peaceful here, with several palaces and special formations that could convert chaotic storms into gentle heaven and earth spiritual energy, nurturing Heaven and Earth Treasures, spirit fruits, and more, also giving rise to several blessed lands of caves and heavens.
Among them were sufficiently powerful cultivators stationed here, including Heavenly Kings, guarding this place.
"Lord of the Holy Domain!"
An aged voice came from within the palaces. Several Guardian Knights awakened, along with some young cultivators whose cultivation had not reached the Saint Treasury Realm. Seeing Ye Chen, they appeared restrained and unsure of what to do.
Among them was a very aged elder, with withered yellow hair and a gaunt form, sealed within half a World Heart, accompanied by some precious divine spirit sources, preserved in this state.
However, he had also awakened. The previous call had come from this elder.
"Divine King Yun Tian." Ye Chen sighed, never expecting to see this ancient Great Power who was suspected to have passed away many years ago.
He was one of the Divine Kings from the Divine World during the Age of Gods. After the great war of the gods, he disappeared, not appearing even during the Eternal Chess Game. The world thought he had passed away, but he was still alive, together with the Guardian Knights.
However, he was clearly well-informed about the various news from the Ancient Emperor Continent; otherwise, he would not have known Ye Chen's current identity.
There were also some World's Heart fragments sealing Heavenly Kings from the Age of Gods, all hidden on this island, not emerging to contend.
When Ye Chen crossed the Chaotic Sea back then, he was very curious why these Guardian Knights blocked experts from the other side of the Ancient Divine Continent from crossing. But now, standing in a high position, he naturally understood many things.
This was actually another form of protection. It must be known that the Ancient Emperor Continent was truly much more powerful than the Ancient Divine Continent, with truly great terrors existing. If these people learned that beyond the Chaotic Sea lay another vast continent, unaffected by the rules, where Heavenly Kings could exist, it would inevitably attract those hidden terrifying existences.
"Why does the Divine King not contend for opportunities?" Ye Chen asked.
Divine King Yun Tian shook his head: "What is there to contend for? You've seen the results—basically, it's all in vain. Only some people are qualified to enter the Primordial Immortal Realm, not even Great Powers. Moreover, this old man's lifespan is nearly exhausted. It's better to continue sealing myself, waiting for the day when this world needs me to break the seal. Wouldn't that be better?"
"The Divine King's righteousness is admirable!" Ye Chen said with solemn respect. Such a person was truly worthy of respect. Although he did not appear during the battle against the peerless great evil, Ye Chen had sensed a powerful aura hidden in the shadows. Without a doubt, it was Divine King Yun Tian, about to choose to emerge, but he withdrew after seeing Ye Chen and the other Great Powers of the myriad realms turning the tide.
After some conversation, Ye Chen stood up, presented some precious elixirs, bid farewell, and departed.