"I wish to enter the Empire Ancient Ruins for three days. I ask that Your Majesty grant this request."
Ye Chen came straight to the point.
However, as soon as his words fell, the expressions of everyone else in the Imperial Hall changed instantly.
Even the majestic Emperor seated upon the central throne, who wielded the power of an entire nation, had a shift in his expression, his long sword-like eyebrows rising slightly.
The Empire Ancient Ruins—to an outsider, it might sound like just a set of ruins, albeit ancient ones.
But the Empire Ancient Ruins of the Augustus Empire were extraordinary, no ordinary place. It was the most ancient site of the Augustus Empire, even considered the founding ground of the vast empire itself, a place renowned throughout the entire Birth Emperor Star.
The Augustus Empire, which once dominated the Birth Emperor Star in ancient times, first rose from within these Empire Ancient Ruins. It had now become one of the empire's most important locations, housing too many ancient artifacts of the Augustus Empire, as well as numerous historical relics and antiquities from the Birth Emperor Star. It even contained records of how the Augustus Empire carved out its domain, became the hegemon of the Birth Emperor Star, and persisted until the present day.
Within it were hidden many secrets of the Augustus Empire unknown to the outside world, secrets that even a power as formidable as the Primordial Imperial Clan did not know.
It could be said that the Empire Ancient Ruins were a place of immense importance to the entire Augustus Empire, off-limits to outsiders.
Even the Primordial Imperial Clan had once wished to enter but were refused by the Augustus Empire, turned away at the gates.
"Battle Saint King, you go too far. That is an important place of our Augustus Empire. How can an outsider like you simply enter just because you wish to?"
In the Imperial Hall, a prince of the Augustus Empire spoke up. He was tall and imposing, a powerful young genius on the Birth Emperor Star who had reached the Great Power level, qualified to contend for the future throne. His words now carried a certain authority.
Even though the man before him was the renowned Battle Saint King, he showed no fear and directly refused.
"I only wish to enter for three days. I will not linger a moment longer. I ask for your permission," Ye Chen persisted.
If he could enter the Empire Ancient Ruins, he might be able to uncover some of the most crucial secrets, secrets that might even relate to the Myriad Ancient Assembly, which was especially important.
Particularly now, as he had discovered some rather significant secrets, simply visiting various ancient sites and ruins might not reveal the true inside story. Perhaps only from the Augustus Empire, the most ancient empire on the Birth Emperor Star, could he find a clue or two.
Moreover, he truly only had three days. Because three days later was when the Myriad Ancient Assembly would begin. Even if he wanted to stay longer, he could not.
"No!"
Not to mention the Augustus Emperor, even the other important royal family experts in the Imperial Hall would not allow an outsider to enter.
Although he was the world-famous Battle Saint King, peerlessly powerful, sweeping through his generation without equal, capable of battling the Primordial Imperial Son to a standstill, the Augustus Empire was never a weak place. On the contrary, its ability to dominate the Western Desolate Continent and become the top power spoke volumes.
Even a power as formidable as the Primordial Imperial Clan had been refused entry by the Augustus Empire without fear, let alone now.
Ye Chen's expression remained unchanged. "For this, I can pay a price."
But the others simply refused to listen, rejecting him outright.
Ye Chen remained calm, yet he looked past everyone, his gaze settling on the Augustus Emperor seated upon the central throne. "And Your Majesty? Are you willing?"
If the Emperor agreed, the others, even if they wished to oppose, would find it difficult.
The Augustus Emperor chuckled lightly. "Saint King Fellow Daoist, you understand yourself. Although I am the ruler of this nation, wielding power over the entire empire, I must consider too many factors. The Empire Ancient Ruins are an extremely important place for our Augustus Empire. Outsiders may not enter. I must regretfully decline. Please leave, Saint King Fellow Daoist."
The implication was clear: refusal!
Ye Chen did not give up. Instead, he suddenly said, "I wonder if Your Majesty has ever considered expanding into the Star Sky, developing the Augustus Empire into other domains of the cosmos?"
Upon hearing this, not only did the eyes of the other royal family members in the Imperial Hall shine with intense light, but even the Emperor's eyes flickered briefly before calming again, as if with interest. "Oh? What does Saint King Fellow Daoist mean by these words?"
A slight curve lifted the corner of Ye Chen's mouth. "Although the Augustus Empire is the foremost empire of the Western Desolate, even ranking among the top supreme powers on the Birth Emperor Star, from what I know, it seems limited only to the Birth Emperor Star. It has not left this star domain, nor has it developed outward. However, from my understanding, in your ancestors' generation, the Augustus Empire once produced a Sovereign of the Ancient Era, who for a time dominated the Birth Emperor Star, becoming the uncrowned king. It also extended formidable power into other star domains, covering several ancient star domains, becoming extremely powerful. That version of the Augustus Empire was likely a true hegemon-level great empire, a superpower that could rank among the top even when viewed across the entire cosmic Star Sky."
"Yet after so many tens of thousands of years, it has retreated significantly, ultimately returning to the Birth Emperor Star, only passing down its legacy on the Western Desolate Continent. Does Your Majesty the Emperor not wish to restore the Augustus Empire to its former peak?"
"Do you, the royal family of the Augustus Empire, truly only hope for the empire to exist solely on the Western Desolate Continent, rather than becoming a hegemon-level force like the Ultimate Ancient Path or the Soul Forbidden Hall, dominating the Star Sky?"
It must be said, Ye Chen's words possessed a certain persuasive power.
Those present were all important members of the Augustus Empire's royal family, aware of their ancestors' glorious history.
Back then, before the Birth Emperor Star was even called the Birth Emperor Star, the Augustus Empire had produced an invincible Sovereign of the Ancient Era.
That was a true cosmic hegemon, one who for a time dominated the ancient cosmos, making the Augustus Empire not merely a power dominating the Birth Emperor Star, but eventually spreading into other ancient and prosperous star domains.
For an era, the Augustus Empire was absolutely among the hegemon-level powers of the entire cosmos at that time, nearly on par with the Ultimate Ancient Path, the Soul Forbidden Hall, and other ancient imperial clans, dominating the myriad heavens, with all races bowing in submission.
Once upon a time, the Augustus Empire was so glorious and prosperous. If not the number one hegemon power under the entire Star Sky, it was certainly among the top, standing at the very apex of the cosmic pyramid.
But after that Sovereign ancestor was no more, the Augustus Empire began to decline slowly.
Furthermore, many tens of thousands of years ago, it participated in a terrifying cosmic war, causing heavy casualties within the empire. Countless experts fell, its foundations nearly shattered and dissipated. Its overall strength plummeted, and it faced oppression from several formidable hostile forces, forced to withdraw from many important Star Sky territories, falling from its divine pedestal.
In the end, it retreated back to the Birth Emperor Star.
Subsequently, following the Primordial Great Emperor's attainment of the Dao and ascension to Emperor, his descendants, the Primordial Imperial Clan, came to dominate the Birth Emperor Star. The Augustus Empire suffered another massive blow. Although still powerful, it was far from its former level of dominating the myriad heavens, now left with only this ancient territory of the Western Desolate Continent before them.
Many royal descendants deeply missed the empire's most prosperous era. However, the Star Sky territories it once occupied had either been swallowed by other superpowers or gradually taken over by later-rising powerful orthodoxies, many of which possessed Ancient Great Powers.
Although the current Augustus Empire was still powerful, it was far from its most glorious and prosperous period. It simply could not contend with so many orthodoxies. As a result, for many tens of thousands of years, the Augustus Empire could only remain on the Western Desolate Continent, gazing helplessly at the vast Star Sky territories it once occupied.
Hearing this now, the many royal family experts of the Augustus Empire all wore expressions of gloom and helplessness.
Though they all wished to restore the glorious prosperity of the past, they simply could not achieve it.
Even the Emperor seated upon the throne wore a trace of helplessness.
How could he not wish to lead the Augustus Empire back to its former glorious prosperity? But even with his power, he could not accomplish it.
He could dispatch troops to occupy a star domain, command a region of the Star Sky, but that would greatly disperse the empire's overall strength.
One must know that during the Augustus Empire's glorious peak, it was peerless, sweeping through many ancient star domains, which led to making many enemies and facing formidable adversaries, not just one.
The prosperous Augustus Empire of that era naturally feared nothing. But after its decline, these enemies had been watching covetously ever since.
If the Augustus Empire dispatched troops into the Star Sky, it wouldn't be long before these great enemies, once they learned of it, would surely come sweeping in, launching the most terrifying attacks against the Augustus Empire's forces in the Star Sky.
Such a price was not something the current Augustus Empire could afford.
Precisely for this reason, despite being stronger than many orthodoxies and possessing more than one Great Power, the Augustus Empire could not venture into the Star Sky.
Sweeping his gaze over the expressions of the many royal family members in the Imperial Hall, Ye Chen took note of each one, then suddenly let out a light laugh. "What if I said I have the ability to help you step back into the Star Sky and occupy star domains? Would this condition be enough to exchange for three days within the Empire Ancient Ruins?"
As his voice fell, *swish*—all the royal family experts simultaneously looked at Ye Chen.
Intense beams of light shot from their eyes. Even the current Emperor was no exception, looking at Ye Chen with astonishment, somewhat dazed.
"Battle Saint King, what are you saying?"
The many royal family experts all widened their eyes, looking at Ye Chen with disbelief.
"What if I said I have the ability to help you step back into the Star Sky and occupy star domains? Would this condition be enough to exchange for three days within the Empire Ancient Ruins?"
Ye Chen repeated his earlier words, then calmly observed the many shocked royal family experts in the Imperial Hall, a faint smile on his lips.
However, soon, the many royal family experts suppressed their shock, looking at Ye Chen with suspicion.
A powerful Great Power-level prince among them spoke up, frowning. "Battle Saint King, you must know that although you are a Chaos Great Power, with cultivation rumored to rival a seventh-layer super Great Power, you must also understand that while you are powerful enough, you are ultimately just one person. You could occupy a star domain, but without any backing force, how could you hold it for long? Moreover, you will eventually return to the Ultimate Ancient Path. And given your potential, you will inevitably become one of the Overlords of the Ancient Path, contending with other Overlords for the final 'Ultimate.' How could you occupy a star domain for an extended period?"
"Furthermore, you might deter them for a time, but not for a lifetime. Perhaps not even for several decades or a century before those great enemies come sweeping back. In that case, all our Augustus Empire's efforts would be in vain."
The other royal family members also voiced their doubts.
"Who says I have no backing force?" Yet, Ye Chen merely smiled.
"Battle Saint King, haven't you always been a lone wolf?" the Crown Prince asked suspiciously.
"The Goddess. Do you know who she is?" Ye Chen countered with a question instead of answering.
"We know. She is one of the Nine Overlords of the Ancient Path, a female supreme genius powerful to the extreme, one of the most promising candidates to contend for the 'Ultimate' across the entire Ultimate Ancient Path. It is said her cultivation is peerless, capable of battling a Sovereign of the Ancient Era and retreating unscathed. The Moon Hall she established under her command is also a famous hegemon-level force, perhaps not inferior to our Augustus Empire, possibly even stronger."
Without a doubt, the royal family members of the Augustus Empire held the Goddess in extremely high regard, even evaluating her as potentially stronger than the Augustus Empire itself, which spoke volumes.
The other royal family members did not deny this.
An invincible Overlord of the Ancient Path, with unfathomable cultivation, among the most powerful individuals on the Ultimate Ancient Path, each possessing peerless divine grace, indescribably powerful, beings of immeasurable might.
Even when facing a cosmic hegemon-level Sovereign of the Ancient Era, they had the confidence to retreat unscathed.
Who else could accomplish that?
Moreover, barring accidents, such Overlords of the Ancient Path would inevitably become the most terrifying supreme existences in the future; attaining the Dao and becoming an Emperor was not out of the question.
Hearing this, the smile on Ye Chen's face deepened. "Do you know who the Goddess's husband is?"
"The Goddess has a husband?" Many of the Augustus Empire's royal family members wore expressions of suspicion, unaware.
Although it could be said the entire ancient cosmos paid some attention to the Ultimate Ancient Path, it was only general attention, not the detailed focus of the ancient path's geniuses. Therefore, while many knew who the Goddess was, few knew who her husband was.
Upon learning the Goddess had a husband, many royal family members in the Imperial Hall even wore looks of regret.
No matter how one looked at it, a genius like the Goddess, peerless, dominating the Ultimate Ancient Path, a woman of unparalleled beauty throughout the ages, was exceedingly rare. Who wouldn't hope to become her other half, her supreme Dao companion?
"What if I said... I am her husband? Would you still think I lack the qualifications to help the Augustus Empire break out of the Birth Emperor Star and reclaim star domains?"
As Ye Chen's light, almost casual words fell, the entire Imperial Hall fell into dead silence in an instant.