"Who is it?!"
The Divine Nation's Ancestor coldly shouted, his gaze icy.
From the torn space, visible to the naked eye, a group of powerful figures slowly walked out, numbering in the hundreds.
Moreover, this was an astonishing lineup. Just super experts at the Heavenly King realm alone exceeded twenty, and the three leading them were all ancient Great Sages.
It had to be said this was a truly formidable force, enough to sweep through the Second Pass of the Ultimate Ancient Path.
Yet no one could have imagined that such a group of experts would suddenly appear.
"People from the Soul-Restraining Hall!"
Almost everyone present changed color.
The aura of Soul-Restraining Hall experts was distinctive, and those crisscrossing divine chains in the sky were none other than Soul Shackles and Spirit-Devouring Chains, representing a sinister force opposed to the Ultimate Ancient Path.
The Soul-Restraining Hall often entered the Ultimate Ancient Path to capture trial-takers, especially young supremes and even Emperor Sons from various ancient universes, making them a terrifying faction opposed by the Ultimate Ancient Path.
However, generally speaking, although the Soul-Restraining Hall was powerful, they wouldn't dare appear so brazenly on the Ultimate Ancient Path. For there existed true invincible Ancient Sovereigns on the Path who had sternly warned that any Soul-Restraining Hall expert daring to enter would be killed.
Even with their covetous eyes on the trial-takers, the Soul-Restraining Hall wouldn't normally enter so openly. Yet today they had barged in, and among them were several of the most terrifying ancient Great Sages, their might descending to oppress the heavens, unbelievably powerful.
This made all the Ancient Path Trial-Takers pale. On this side were only trial-takers, with no true ancient Great Sages present. How could they possibly resist?
"Quick, send a message to the Guardian Great Power of the Second Pass! The Soul-Restraining Hall has invaded!"
A trial-taker, face changed, wanted to send a message. Before entering the Second Pass, the Guardians had secretly warned everyone that if Soul-Restraining Hall experts appeared, they could send messages via a special divine soul transmission method.
But now it was useless, for this Secret Treasure Heaven and Earth was sealed. Divine soul transmissions couldn't be sent out.
This immediately made almost everyone pale. Unable to send divine soul messages? Didn't that mean they couldn't call for the Ultimate Ancient Path's Guardian Great Powers? Wouldn't all the trial-takers in this secret realm be in danger?
Just thinking of the consequence—facing so many Soul-Restraining Hall experts including ancient Great Sages—made their hearts tremble. With the trial-takers present, even with Ye Chen, the Eight Blood Desolation Riders, the Blood-Robed Tower Master, Nine Swords King, and Ancient King Boulders, how could they possibly hold them off?
Was everyone today going to fall into the Soul-Restraining Hall's clutches?
"Hahaha—useless! This realm has been sealed by us. Even if you want to send divine soul messages, you can't." The three ancient Great Sages of the Soul-Restraining Hall laughed heartily, filled with coldness. Their gazes fell upon all the trial-takers, burning with a strange heat. "To think we can catch so many trial-takers in one net this time, basically making up for the losses in Cosmic Heaven City."
The one who spoke was none other than Jiu Ruo Great Power, the ancient Great Sage who guarded the Soul-Restraining Hall in Cosmic Heaven City. Who would have thought he'd come here now.
"Indeed. This plan has been years in the making. Just in time to catch all the trial-takers from the first ten passes of the Ultimate Ancient Path in one sweep. They are all genuine trial-takers, including the strongest prodigies and talents from various universes. This is absolutely a huge harvest for our Soul-Restraining Hall and will greatly aid that plan's progress." Another Soul-Restraining Hall Great Power also spoke, his voice sinister and cold as his eerie gaze swept over the many trial-takers on the Ancient Battlefield, revealing a fervent light.
It was like a hunter spotting prey.
What?!
Everyone's faces changed. The Soul-Restraining Hall wasn't just targeting the Second Pass? They wanted to sweep up the first ten passes of the Ultimate Ancient Path? What a grand scheme! And it was practically insane!
Wouldn't the Ultimate Ancient Path fall? Be forcibly interrupted?
"So it's the Soul-Restraining Hall. But barging into my Divine Kingdom without prior notice is going a bit too far." The Divine Nation's Ancestor spoke, his words icy, filled with cold anger. Did they really think they could just enter his Divine Kingdom's territory as they pleased?
"Heh, to think the Divine Nation's Ancestor has also achieved the ancient Great Sage realm. What a pleasant surprise for us. Perhaps the greatest harvest from coming here this time."
One of the three Soul-Restraining Hall Great Powers, a withered, skeletal elder, spoke thus. His cold, eerie gaze fell upon the Divine Nation's Ancestor, glowing with an indescribable, sinister heat, appearing exceptionally fervent and greedy.
"After all, he's a spirit born from the fusion of several ancient Great Sage essences within a book, naturally nurtured by heaven and earth, and now he's reached the Great Power realm. That effect is beyond imagination, even more helpful for the plan's progress. Truly something to look forward to." Jiu Ruo Great Power also sneered.
"What?!" The Divine Nation's Ancestor's expression suddenly darkened. Did they mean to treat him as prey too?
"Soul-Restraining Hall, your tone is quite big. You even think to hunt this venerable one as if I were prey?" The Divine Nation's Ancestor snorted coldly. With a flick of his sleeve, numerous experts from the Divine Kingdom rushed out, each one powerful, super experts from different races, all gathered together now.
"Hahaha, even if you've become an ancient Great Sage, so what? Today you can only become prey for our Soul-Restraining Hall. All of you, move out! Capture everyone in this realm!" Jiu Ruo Great Power and the Withered Great Power commanded.
The three ancient Great Sages waved their hands, ordering their Soul-Restraining Hall experts to charge out and attack, sealing heaven and locking earth, aiming to capture all the trial-takers.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Figures shot out, charging toward the trial-takers.
Naturally, the many trial-takers wouldn't just surrender. Many had long heard of the Soul-Restraining Hall's evil deeds and certainly couldn't be captured. They all rose up in resistance.
"At this point, do you people still think you can resist? Heh."
The three ancient Great Sages sneered coldly, not attacking themselves. But the supreme aura of ancient Great Sages emanated from them, oppressing this Sovereign's Secret Treasure Heaven and Earth, causing all the trial-takers to suffer immense impact, many plummeting down, unable to withstand such powerful suppression.
However, the Divine Nation's Ancestor suddenly erupted with supreme Dao aura. Also at the Great Power realm, his aura swept out, flooding forth to block the auras of the three ancient Great Sages.
Several Great Power-level auras collided head-on. Even without truly attacking, they shattered the heavens, causing the void to collapse completely.
Although moments ago the Divine Nation's Ancestor had spoken of fighting, even slaughtering, these trial-takers, now he needed to join forces with them. Otherwise, the Soul-Restraining Hall forces with their three ancient Great Sages were not something any single side could withstand.
"I'll hold off two of them. You all deal with the other one." The Divine Nation's Ancestor spoke to the several Strongest Prodigies.
"Agreed!"
The Eight Blood Desolation Riders, the Blood-Robed Tower Master, and the other Strongest Prodigies didn't object. In this situation, this was the only way. Everyone needed to unite against these Soul-Restraining Hall experts.
"Good. When I get a chance, I'll tear open the realm's seal. You can seize the moment to message the Guardian Great Power and summon him here." The Divine Nation's Ancestor secretly transmitted his voice, formulating a battle plan. He didn't fantasize about defeating these Soul-Restraining Hall experts; they needed powerful external aid.
Boom—
Great battle erupted. The Divine Nation's Ancestor took the initiative to attack. His entire body radiated a powerful Great Power-level aura, and the various Great Power-level origin forces within him boiled. At his core was even Sovereign origin force, making him inherently extraordinary. Clad in Great Power-level battle armor, a divine sword appeared in his hand. He strode forward, taking the initiative to advance to the front, charging toward two ancient Great Sages.
It had to be said the Divine Nation's Ancestor was indeed powerful. Although newly stepped into the Great Power realm, he was born from the fusion of several Great Power-level essences and Sovereign essence, inherently extraordinary, containing the mysteries of several ancient Great Sages and an Ancient Sovereign. Thus, his combat power was extraordinary. He fully unleashed the Sovereign-level origin force at his core, brandished the Nine Heavens Divine Sword, and actively engaged Jiu Ruo Great Power and the Withered Great Power.
"Divine Nation's Ancestor, you think you can intercept the two of us alone?" Jiu Ruo Great Power sneered coldly, a hint of mockery in his tone.
The Withered Great Power resembled a skeleton, seemingly frail. Yet between his brows pulsed a far more powerful divine soul fluctuation, clearly having walked the cultivation path focusing on the divine soul with the physical body as secondary. As an ancient Great Sage, he had walked far on this path.
The two Soul-Restraining Hall Great Sages strode toward the Divine Nation's Ancestor. The moment they attacked, wind and clouds changed color. Vast, heaven-overturning divine might surged, shaking the Nine Heavens as it blasted toward the Divine Nation's Ancestor, displaying the majestic divine might of the Great Power level.
The Divine Nation's Ancestor naturally didn't back down. Swinging his divine sword, he actively met their attacks, beginning a Great Power-level battle of one against two.
The third Soul-Restraining Hall Great Power didn't join this Great Power-level battle. He was the most mysterious of the three who had come, with a full eighteen divine halos floating around him. Each halo seemed to connect to a great world, emanating powerful great world might, making this mysterious ancient Great Sage appear even more immortal and extraordinary.
White hair draped over his shoulders, his imposing stature awe-inspiring. His eyes were completely pitch-black, without a trace of white. Without a word, an ancient Doomsday War Halberd appeared in his hand. With a boom, it instantly expanded a thousandfold, reaching a length of a hundred thousand zhang. It erupted with shocking Great Power-level might, tore through the sky, and mercilessly blasted toward the many Divine Kingdom Experts and Ancient Path Trial-Takers on the Ancient Battlefield.
"So strong!"
The Eight Blood Desolation Riders, the Blood-Robed Tower Master, Ancient King Boulders, Nine Swords King, and even the most powerful super experts of the Divine Kingdom, not inferior to Strongest Prodigies, all paled in that instant. They could feel the destructive power on that hundred-thousand-zhang-long Doomsday War Halberd, stronger than an ordinary Great Power's. This was a supreme Great Power, not to be taken lightly.
Although they were Strongest Prodigies, they hadn't yet reached the peak of the Heavenly King realm. The gap to an ancient Great Sage was immense, let alone now. Each felt an overwhelming sense of impossibility to resist, instantly retreating rapidly and transmitting to others to retreat, absolutely not to resist.
A Great Power's strike could destroy heaven and earth!
Boom—
The Ancient Battlefield collapsed. In that instant, countless trial-takers and Divine Kingdom Experts were annihilated, unable to even utter a scream, a tragic sight.
Among them were not only nearly a hundred trial-takers, but also many experts from the Divine Kingdom perished. Even several powerful Divine Kingdom Heavenly Kings fell, blood splattering the sky, their bodies and souls destroyed.
Too strong. Just a casual strike was terrifying to this degree, a power not possessed by ordinary ancient Great Sages.
"Bastards!"
Seeing this, the Divine Nation's Ancestor roared in fury. That third Soul-Restraining Hall Great Power was continuously slaughtering experts from both sides on the Ancient Battlefield, especially the Divine Kingdom Experts, many of whom had died, making his heart ache. He desperately wanted to charge over and block.
Boom—
A vast divine soul force spread out, containing lethal attacks, forcing the Divine Nation's Ancestor to hurriedly block. Looking back, it was the Withered Great Power attacking, sneering, "Divine Nation's Ancestor, your opponents now are us, not him. Better focus."
"Indeed. You're not strong enough to take on the three of us alone." Jiu Ruo Great Power manifested his Heaven and Earth Dharma Idol, his figure towering to the heavens, reaching a hundred thousand zhang. Above his head hung a resplendent great bell, leaking eerie divine soul fluctuations. It struck out, blasting toward the Divine Nation's Ancestor.
Facing the attacks of two ancient Great Sages, already outnumbered, and as powerful as he was, he had only just stepped into the Great Power realm. How could he dare be careless now? He hurriedly moved to block.
Great Power-level battle, and the situation was one-sided. This was pre-planned by the Soul-Restraining Hall side, a long-laid scheme, sealing the entire incomplete Sovereign world, leaving the Divine Kingdom Experts and trial-takers isolated and unaided.
"Jiu Ruo, Withered, dealing with him only requires one person. The other should come hunt these trial-takers. I've learned the Sovereign's Secret Treasure Heaven and Earth has appeared. Perhaps we can obtain that Sovereign's legacy from back then." The Soul-Restraining Hall Great Power surrounded by eighteen divine halos spoke.
Hearing this, the two Great Sages originally jointly fighting the Divine Nation's Ancestor separated, one coming to the side of the Eighteen-Halo Great Power, his attitude even seeming somewhat deferential.
Clearly, this Soul-Restraining Hall Great Power's status was higher than Jiu Ruo Great Power and the Withered Great Power.
The Divine Nation's Ancestor desperately wanted to stop them, but was powerless. In the end, he was only a newly-advanced Great Power, far from able to deal with two ancient Great Sages simultaneously.
"Hahahaha, today we can finally sweep up all the trial-takers in the Second Pass. Absolutely a great harvest." The Withered Great Power laughed coldly and sinisterly.