Layers upon layers of stone powder were shaved off, continuously drifting into the air.
Everyone watched closely, not daring to blink for a moment, afraid to miss a single detail.
Soon, more than half of the Chaos Primordial Stone had been cut away, yet there was still nothing inside. However, no one was disappointed or shaking their heads. After all, the last time the Battle Saint King had cut one, he was left with only a tenth of the stone, and within another Chaos Primordial Stone, hadn't he cut out a peerlessly priceless Chaos Immortal Egg?
The stone-cutting continued, with everyone paying close attention.
Soon, only three-tenths remained, yet still no unusual phenomena appeared.
The cutting continued.
Finally, when only a tenth was left, everyone began to feel anxious. Dan Chen couldn't help but glance at Ye Chen. Had he made a mistake this time?
Ye Chen also slightly furrowed his brows but said nothing. "Senior Dan Chen, please continue."
"Alright!"
Dan Chen's movements became much gentler, perhaps worried about damaging a potential Supreme Treasure within, or perhaps fearing that in the end, it would all be for nothing.
Half of the remaining tenth of the Chaos Primordial Stone was gone, yet there was still nothing.
*Crack—*
At that moment, the tiny remaining piece of Chaos Primordial Stone split open. Wisps of primordial Chaos Qi surged out, scattering in all directions, drawing the attention of everyone present. Many were filled with anticipation—could there truly be a heaven-defying Supreme Treasure inside?
However, everyone was soon disappointed, for there was nothing within the Chaos Primordial Stone, only a stream of primordial Chaos Qi that shot into the sky.
Ye Chen caught this stream of primordial Chaos Qi, stared at it strangely for a long time, and shook his head as if muttering to himself, "This shouldn't be."
Many were puzzled. Even the Battle Saint King's judgment had been off. How could one possibly determine whether these Chaos Primordial Stones truly concealed great Dao Supreme Treasures?
It was difficult to judge!
After frowning deeply for a long while, Ye Chen seemed to understand something. He soon looked at the next Chaos Primordial Stone and said, "Senior, do you trust me?"
Hearing this, Dan Chen was slightly taken aback. After the first misjudgment, he was now somewhat hesitant, but he still nodded. "Battle Saint King, please speak. They all need to be cut open anyway, and the order doesn't matter."
His words were meant to comfort Ye Chen.
Hearing this, Ye Chen nodded, his confidence unwavering. "Trust me this time. We will definitely cut out something real—this Chaos Primordial Stone right here!"
Following the direction pointed by the Battle Saint King, everyone looked at that particular Chaos Primordial Stone and were immediately stunned.
Because that stone was not like the Soaring Immortal, the True Dragon, or the Undying Immortal Phoenix—stones that appeared peerless and matchless. On the contrary, its overall appearance was extremely ferocious, shaped like a malevolent ghost, utterly evil and ferocious. It resembled a great terror of the world, suppressed for endless eons, on the verge of breaking free. Its malevolence was indescribable, enough to make anyone who saw it tremble with fear.
"This is—"
The Heavenly Mighty Figures were all quite puzzled. Why had the Battle Saint King pointed to this particular stone, of all the Chaos Primordial Stones, causing suspicion and confusion?
"There is a saying in the world: things reverse at their extremes. Great terror must be great goodness; great goodness must be great terror. The two are opposites, but when they reach their ultimate extremes, are they not one and the same?" An ancient Great Power spoke up. He was very old, far more ancient than many other Great Powers, a relic nearing the end of his lifespan.
Yet no one dared to look down on him, for this ancient recluse Great Power had once stepped into the supreme realm of the Ancient Monarch, if only briefly. In the end, due to his great age and dried-up vitality, he had only remained in that realm for three months before helplessly withdrawing.
However, having once stepped into the supreme realm of the Ancient Monarch, his entire being had undergone a transcendent transformation. He saw higher, looked farther, touched upon deeper mysteries of the Great Dao, and possessed more terrifying Dao insights. Who would dare look down on him?
Even peak Great Powers like Dan Chen and Qin Jiuyou, who were just a step away from that realm, did not dare to underestimate him.
Although they were at the peak, just a step away, everyone understood how vast a chasm that single step represented. To call it a world of difference or the gap between clouds and mud would be an understatement.
It was precisely because of this immense gap that they truly understood how terrifyingly formidable this ancient recluse Great Power, who had once stepped into the Ancient Monarch realm, truly was. At the very least, the Dao laws he could unleash contained the level of a Monarch, far beyond imagination in their unmatched fearsomeness.
The words of this ancient recluse Great Power were heeded by all the Heavenly Mighty Figures, and they regarded them with gravity. Could it be that within this ghost-shaped Chaos Primordial Stone, there truly existed a peerlessly rare, priceless treasure?
Ye Chen nodded. "Yes, what this senior says is correct. I suspect this Chaos Primordial Stone has developed sentience and intentionally misleads others' senses. Even I, a chaos cultivator, was deceived. The one truly hiding a secret treasure should be this Chaos Primordial Stone. Moreover, according to the principle of things reversing at their extremes, this Ghost Stone must contain something of immeasurable value inside. However, whether it is a great terror or a Supreme Treasure, I cannot guarantee."
Dan Chen was about to step forward, but Ye Chen spoke up: "Senior, may I personally cut this one open this time?"
Hearing this, Dan Chen did not stop him and nodded. "Saint King, young friend, please!"
Ye Chen strode forward and began, slapping down with his palm. Primordial Chaos Qi surged as his hand rose and fell like a blade.
*Pfft—*
A large amount of stone powder flew everywhere.
Moreover, this ghost-shaped Chaos Primordial Stone was truly demonic and sinister. It actually emitted a piercing, shrill scream, as if a malevolent ghost were wailing in agony, utterly chilling and terrifying to hear.
Suddenly, the entire imperial clan's heavy hall underwent a dramatic change. Blood rain fell, bleak crimson mist spread and drifted, and streaks of bloody lightning struck down, causing shock.
What was buried within this Ghost Stone to cause such terrifying scenes?
However, all present were Heavenly Mighty Figures, existences standing at the pinnacle of the pyramid in the entire Ancient Universe. They feared none of this, especially Ye Chen. The power of his chaos bloodline surged violently within him, erupting with boundless divine light that directly dispersed all the terrifying phenomena.
Soon, he had cut the Ghost Stone in half, stone powder flying off in continuous layers.
*Crack—*
At that moment, Ye Chen stepped forward. His palm, accompanied by primordial Chaos Qi, slapped down with a thunderous *boom*, directly tearing the entire Ghost Stone apart.
*Roar—*
The most terrifying roar yet erupted from within—the agonized shriek of a malevolent ghost. The phenomena that had just dispersed suddenly reappeared, even more dense and terrifying than before, overwhelming everything, directly inundating this place.
It was as if thousands of malevolent ghosts were about to emerge, inundating this place with indescribable terror.
Screams continuously rang out, shattering the heavens. Among them, utterly chilling scenes manifested, as if the gates of hell had been opened. Countless hellish malevolent ghosts charged toward Ye Chen.
*Clang—*
Ye Chen directly summoned his Chaos Great Cauldron. Accompanied by primordial Chaos Qi, it *boomed* as it shot out. The cauldron's mouth transformed into an endless abyss, instantly swallowing down countless malevolent ghosts.
Moreover, Ye Chen let out a long roar. Primordial Chaos Qi directly exploded open, boundless primordial Chaos Qi surged forward, seeking to completely swallow down everything.
Finally, accompanied by a tremendous *boom*, the Chaos Great Cauldron swallowed down everything.
Simultaneously, Ye Chen completely cut open this Ghost Stone, drawing the instant attention of all the heavenly powerhouses. At the same time, Ye Chen had long since resonated with the Primordial Battle Body Great Halberd. Golden light bathed his Chaos Saint Body as he focused intently, gazing at everything within.
"Ah—"
Suddenly, a terrifying roar exploded open, its vastness and terror indescribable. The entire imperial clan's heavy hall actually began to shake violently. The Emperor marks arranged within autonomously revived, also beginning to glow.
*Boom—*
The Primordial Battle Body Great Halberd within Ye Chen's body also revived, continuously glowing, with Emperor's might blooming, inundating him.
However, all the Heavenly Mighty Figures suffered the most terrible impact. Several Great Powers felt their bodies on the verge of splitting apart, but they were all ancient Great Powers. Even the alchemy masters and grandmasters were shielded, preventing any mishap.
Simultaneously, the Dan Emperor Clan's Dan Emperor Cauldron descended at the first moment, blooming with boundless light that instantly inundated the divine platform, averting the most terrible crisis.
Indeed, this Ghost Stone contained a world-shaking secret treasure.
Ye Chen's eyes were interwoven with Great Dao runes, primordial Chaos Qi flowing within them. He stared unblinkingly at the split Ghost Stone. Within, boundless bloody light flew out, accompanied by the appearance of terrifying scenes of a blood sea and pagodas.
It was a universe dyed in blood, with heavenly stars disintegrating, vast continents shattering, billions of living beings withering away—a tragedy beyond description.
A True Dragon spanning the starry sky fell, its blood staining the stars.
An Ancient Monarch exploded open, annihilating vast star domains.
The most terrible mythical great terror exploded open, its body smashed to pieces.
A Supreme One also emerged, majestic and towering over past and present, leading an endless army to wage war across the heavens, killing toward the past and future...
What a tragic scene it was—a great universe collapsing, representing a sunken epoch of bygone eras.
Supreme Ones emerged, Emperors marched to war, supreme immortals manifested—scene after scene displayed the various aspects of the most powerful battles of the past.
But suddenly, Ye Chen's eyes widened. For within the blood-drenched heavens, amidst the shattered star sea, he saw an immensely majestic ancient ship slowly sailing forth. Its size was indescribable, carrying the heavens, enveloping the entire Ancient Universe, immense and peerless, making the heavens themselves seem insignificant—
The Immortal-Slaying Ship!