"Everyone in the passage must surrender! Do not resist, or you will be killed without mercy!"
A fierce shout suddenly rang out.
It originated from the three divine ships, where genuine Heavenly Kings were speaking. Their voices were so loud they directly shook the entire passage space, deafening and terrifying all who heard.
Everyone trembled.
"Damn, it's the Space Pirates!"
"We've actually been intercepted by Space Pirates!"
"These Space Pirates specialize in robbing and killing trial-takers on the ancient paths, all to seize the secret treasures carried by trial-takers from various Ancient Universes. They even abduct exceptionally beautiful women to take back as their 'mountain stronghold wives'."
In the passage, many people paled, for the three divine ships before them were indeed the notorious Space Pirates. As the name implied, they were true pirates who roamed the starry skies. Moreover, they dared to rob and kill trial-takers on the Ultimate Ancient Path, which undoubtedly meant they were powerful. Otherwise, how would they have the audacity to commit such acts?
More importantly, the law enforcers and Guardians of the Ultimate Ancient Path paid them no mind, as this was considered another form of trial for the path's participants.
Even if someone died because of it, it could only be blamed on their lack of strength, not on the Ultimate Ancient Path's law enforcers for failing to provide complete protection.
One must understand that this was the Ultimate Ancient Path, a path for contending for the power to become an Emperor, not an ordinary trial. Unless it was an organization like the Soul-Restraining Hall that posed a great threat to the entire Ultimate Ancient Path, the Guardians of the Ultimate Ancient Path simply would not intervene.
Three powerful Space Pirate ships appeared, blocking the passage leading to the second checkpoint. From the pirate ships emerged a full seven powerful Heavenly Kings, each quite formidable.
Heading to the second checkpoint, there were only six Heavenly King prodigies: Mo Fei, Gai Lun, Feng Wang, Qing Gu Wang, and Lan Cang Sword Saint. Ye Chen, however, had been concealing his strength all along, hiding among the many trial-takers, not uttering a word, merely looking after the few trial-takers from the Sealed Universe.
"All of you, surrender! Hand over all the treasures on your persons and become hostages of our Sky-Stealing Star."
On one of the three divine ships, a Pirate King spoke. And he was no ordinary Heavenly King; he was at least a powerful fifth-level Heavenly King, quite formidable. Standing at the ship's bow, he looked down upon all the trial-takers from a commanding height. Even among the nine Pirate Kings, he was one of the top-ranked Heavenly Kings.
He had a scar on his face, making him appear fierce and terrifying. Especially when his gaze fell upon Mo Fei, his eyes suddenly turned much more eerie and sinister. He chuckled, "I never expected there'd be such a bewitchingly beautiful great beauty among the trial-takers. Perfect. This king happens to lack a 'mountain stronghold wife'. You'll do."
As his words fell, the many Space Pirates on the three pirate ships looked at Mo Fei with ill intentions, wearing sinister grins, their eyes as eerie as could be.
Hearing this, the great beauty Mo Fei's expression instantly turned cold. Who was she? She was one of the Strongest Prodigies from a great Ancient Universe. How could she tolerate such insult, especially from a despicable Pirate King?
Without another word, she shot into the sky, her bearing peerless, her allure stunning the world. Yet, once she made a move, she was utterly terrifying. With a mere raise of her hand, a brilliant divine light swept out.
It contained the power of the Great Dao Laws from her Ancient Universe, extraordinary indeed. Dark light surged forth—not the Great Dao Laws of an alien race's Ancient Universe, but something more sacred. Within it, crystalline black lotuses, like dark jade, shot out. Each lotus was covered with countless Great Dao runes, sweeping forward.
Crack—
Silently, wherever these black lotuses passed, the starry sky quietly annihilated, rushing toward the three pirate ships.
"Indeed, a cold beauty with remarkable cultivation. But this king likes you even more." The scar-faced Pirate King revealed a cold smile. A three-zhang-long great blade appeared in his hand. With a fierce slash, a terrifying blade aura instantly split the passage and even shot toward the many trial-takers present, initiating a fierce battle.
This was a slash from a fifth-level Heavenly King, naturally extremely fearsome. The entire starry sky seemed about to be completely severed.
Along its path, the black lotuses Mo Fei had unleashed were all split in two by the blade aura, silently beginning to annihilate.
Naturally, Qing Gu Wang, Feng Wang, and the Golden Giant Gai Lun could not stand idly by. Not because of Mo Fei, but because splitting up would only lead to being defeated one by one. Thus, they all charged forward, engaging in fierce combat with these Space Pirates.
Boom—
A great battle erupted. Trial-takers on the ancient path clashed with the intercepting, robbing Space Pirates, instantly plunging into the most fearsome of fights.
The initial six Strongest Prodigies among the trial-takers battled the seven Pirate Kings—a Heavenly King-level conflict, quite intense.
Moreover, those Pirate Kings were truly powerful; each was at least a powerful Heavenly King above the third level. Among the many trial-takers, only six were Heavenly Kings, and none were exceptionally strong. They were still young, not yet comparable to that group of Strongest Prodigies who had entered the Ultimate Ancient Path many years ago. They were still catching up.
From beginning to end, Ye Chen had not truly revealed his strength, for he wished to continue hiding, not wanting his arrival known to those great enemies ahead on the Ultimate Ancient Path—especially the young generation's supremes and Emperor's sons from the alien race's Ancient Universes. He intended to appear at a critical moment to deliver the most terrifying blow.
Yes, that was his plan now.
A true expert did not display invincible might from the start but lurked in the shadows. That was the most fearsome hunter.
Moreover, this was also a form of trial for these trial-takers.
"You all deal with these Strongest Prodigies. I'll handle the other trial-takers!"
At that moment, a Three-eyed Pirate King left the Heavenly King battlefield, circled around, and charged toward the location of the other trial-takers.
Undoubtedly, every Pirate King was powerful, and this Three-eyed Pirate King was no exception. With a mere wave of his hand, he sent five trial-takers coughing up great mouthfuls of blood, severely wounded. However, he did not kill them, intentionally aiming to capture them alive.
To some extent, they were in cahoots with the Soul-Restraining Hall on the Ultimate Ancient Path. Capturing these trial-takers alive would surely fetch a good price.
Now, he had already reached Ye Chen, arriving in the blink of an eye. Seeing Ye Chen, he slapped out without a second thought.
Under this slap, even if it didn't kill Ye Chen, it would definitely shatter the bones and tendons of an ordinary trial-taker, greatly shaking their primordial spirit or soul, rendering them combat-ineffective.
Yet, in that very instant, Ye Chen's gaze suddenly turned icy cold. He met the slap with one of his own: "If you wish to die, I'll grant your wish!"