The nine Grand Masters performed their divinations, yet what they divined was a thing of true, great terror.
Countless fearsome phenomena continuously manifested—green fur fluttering, vengeful ghosts descending upon the world, and a rain of corpses falling.
By the end of the divination, it even triggered a heavenly tribulation of great terror, a calamity from the heavens punishing those who dared to pry into the secrets of the Heavenly Dao. To call it world-destroying would be an understatement, for when that level of tribulation descended, it seemed intent on annihilating everything in existence, slaying gods and buddhas alike, nearly eradicating all.
The entire Birth Emperor Star trembled, and all living beings felt a surge of terror, its sheer horror beyond description.
Fortunately, an Ancient Monarch intervened to protect them, warding off this great tribulation. Otherwise, these Grand Masters would likely have perished.
Yet even one as powerful as an Ancient Monarch was wounded; the hand that struck out was pierced by a bloody hole, shedding streams of Great Dao blood, accompanied by terrifying visions that struck fear into the hearts of all.
Because the Fiftieth Trial Pass was special and extraordinary, involving the Great Emperor Reincarnation Body—a former Sovereign Emperor—it was a forbidden domain. Anything related to that level became extraordinary, which was why the tribulation that descended was excessively terrifying.
The final piece of information divined was that the Fiftieth Trial Pass would emerge three months later.
Once this news spread, it thoroughly shook the entire Ancient Universe, drawing the attention of the myriad races and their powerhouses.
It was precisely for this reason that the commencement of the Myriad Ages Grand Assembly attracted an unknown number of powerhouses. Races from across the cosmos would gather, assembling in one place, making it even more grand than the Dan Ceremony. Countless experts would converge here.
There would be reclusive powerhouses of the older generation, ancient fossils who had lived for many years without perishing. Many prodigies from the Ultimate Ancient Path had also not departed; some renowned supreme prodigies were certain to return. There were even rumors that some of the Nine Ancient Path Overlords would defy the heavens to return, and the Ultimate Ancient Path seemed inclined not to intervene, turning a blind eye.
In short, this Myriad Ages Grand Assembly involved significant matters and far-reaching implications because it concerned the Great Emperor Reincarnation Body.
Undoubtedly, the Emperor's Dao Imperial Foundation possessed by the Great Emperor Reincarnation Body held an incomparably immense allure. No one in this era had yet become an Emperor, whether in this Ancient Universe or the various ancient universes of the Chaotic Sea. This was precisely what made it most attractive. It was likely that even Ancient Monarchs would appear.
And this would not be the minor skirmishes of the past; once Ancient Monarchs appeared, they would undoubtedly stir up a storm.
"Ancient Monarchs are coming too?" Ye Chen frowned. Such existences were second only to Sovereign Emperors, and their cultivation was far too profound, their Dao techniques immeasurable. With a mere gesture, they could shatter stars. Once they descended, who could contend with them?
City Lord Jingtian said, "There's no need to worry too much. Even if Ancient Monarchs come, there will be many restrictions and checks and balances among the various parties. They cannot act without restraint. Moreover, this is the Birth Emperor Star, where the Emperor's aura of the Eternal Great Emperor endures, difficult to decay. Furthermore, the Eternal Great Emperor's imperial clan is also on the Birth Emperor Star, not inferior to the Flame Emperor Clan. Perhaps they are only slightly weaker than the current Dan Emperor Clan, and they also have an Ancient Monarch overseeing them. Precisely because of this, pursuing the Great Emperor Reincarnation Body this time will be somewhat difficult."
Yet Ye Chen was puzzled: "Won't the imperial clan try to stop the Myriad Ages Grand Assembly from taking place?"
That was their Imperial Ancestor. How could they not stop others from holding a Myriad Ages Grand Assembly to pursue the Great Emperor Reincarnation Body?
But soon, City Lord Jingtian revealed the truth.
It wasn't that the imperial clan didn't want to stop it, but the stated goal of the Myriad Ages Grand Assembly was merely for the Fiftieth Trial Pass, not explicitly for the Great Emperor Reincarnation Body—though everyone understood in their hearts that it was indeed held for that purpose.
Moreover, even an imperial clan could not be invincible. After all, there was only one, and this time, the forces participating in the Myriad Ages Grand Assembly were simply too numerous—not just one imperial clan, but at least three, with countless other powerful races or major forces besides.
An imperial clan could not single-handedly block the forces of the entire Ancient Universe. Only the Eternal Great Emperor could sweep across the great cosmos, reigning supreme and invincible.
For all these reasons, the imperial clan on the Birth Emperor Star could only sigh in helplessness, powerless to act.
After learning enough secrets, Ye Chen finally emerged from the City Lord's mansion, letting out a soft sigh.
Although the Great Emperor Reincarnation Body was merely a rumor, not necessarily real, for such an Eternal Great Emperor, who had once rendered immense service to the entire Ancient Universe, to finally achieve nirvana and reincarnation, living a second life—only to be eyed covetously by countless beings of the very cosmos he had once protected, all scheming to obtain the Emperor's Dao Imperial Foundation on his body—was undeniably a tragedy.
Though the Emperor's Dao Imperial Foundation was important, had it not been for the Great Emperor's protection in the past, how could the entire Ancient Universe have developed so peacefully?
It was truly chilling.
Such was the nature of people's hearts, unchangeable by anyone. This was the most lamentable point.
The 49th Pass was bustling and prosperous, exceptionally lively with heroes from all sides coming and going, powerhouses gathering in great numbers.
During this period, the trial prodigies of the Ultimate Ancient Path did not remain long at the 49th Pass. Due to the Myriad Ages Grand Assembly, they had all left one by one, entering the Birth Emperor Star. Perhaps they were exploring, undergoing trials, and preparing for the Myriad Ages Grand Assembly and the Fiftieth Trial Pass set to emerge in three months.
Undercurrents surged. The appearance of the Great Emperor Reincarnation Body held even greater allure than an Emperor's tomb.
Because it was a living Great Emperor, a living future Emperor, the Emperor's Dao Imperial Foundation for attaining the Dao—no one could ignore it.
Ye Chen took Jiu She, who had been waiting for some time, and also left the 49th Pass, truly entering the Birth Emperor Star for the first time.
The Birth Emperor Star was immense, one of the top-ranked strongest life-bearing ancient stars in the entire Ancient Universe. The Eternal Great Emperor had been born here in the past, imbuing it with extraordinary imperial majesty. It had undergone heaven-and-earth transformations, possessing a uniquely favorable cultivation environment. Everyone cultivated and revered martial arts, making it an exceptionally powerful life-bearing ancient star.
On the ancient star, the land was vast and expansive, not much inferior to an Emperor Realm. It consisted of five giant continents, each vast and boundless, spanning hundreds of millions of miles. Countless ancient kingdoms or various forces existed here, along with innumerable races living on it. Myriad races stood side by side, constructing an unprecedentedly prosperous ancient star.
The 49th Pass was located on the Central Continent, the central and most prosperous of the five continents, more flourishing than the other four.
Looking across the Central Continent, royal capitals stood like a forest, with large and small kingdoms too numerous to count. The population numbered far beyond hundreds of millions.
To say a hundred billion would be an underestimate.
The myriad schools and sects were rooted here, along with countless races. Generally speaking, a powerful race capable of producing a Heavenly King was considered an upper-tier powerful race on the Central Continent. There were also some powerful races possessing Great Powers, standing at the pinnacle of the pyramid on the Central Continent, and even the Birth Emperor Star.