The grand ancient hall stood half-ruined and dilapidated, with tall stone pillars rising one after another, carved with ancient patterns that exuded an aura of immense antiquity.
However, within this mysterious ancient hall, there were nine Dao platforms arranged in a ring, surrounding a half-collapsed divine throne at the very center.
On six of these Dao platforms, figures sat cross-legged, each shrouded by the Dao Rhyme drawn in by the platforms, appearing transcendent and ethereal, carrying a hint of the Great Dao's charm. They were actually in the midst of comprehending the Dao.
It could be said that comprehending the Dao was far more precious than any Heaven and Earth Treasures within this small world. Because the Dao could only be comprehended after reaching the Martial God realm and condensing a Primordial Spirit, and even then, only the most rudimentary aspects could be grasped.
Yet now, the Dao Rhyme drawn in by these six Dao platforms clearly surpassed ordinary Martial God-level Dao comprehension. Especially for these super-powerful individuals with the qualification to delay claiming kingship, although they were considered peerlessly powerful among the younger generation, they were not yet true Martial Gods. Comprehending the Dao in this manner held ineffable and extraordinary benefits.
In the future, once they stepped into the Martial God realm, they would gain immense, indescribable advantages.
No wonder the six of them had never appeared, not even to clear the trials. With such ineffable and immense benefits, no one was willing to leave.
The six figures on the Dao platforms sensed the arrival of the numerous trialists and abruptly opened their eyes. Cold lightning seemed to flash within, immediately drawing the attention of the many trialists.
"It's them, those super-powerful individuals with the qualification to delay claiming kingship who disappeared. So they were all here."
"They're actually... comprehending the Dao. No wonder they never showed up."
"What exactly is this ancient hall? It seems quite extraordinary."
Everyone looked over, and the super-powerful individuals on the Dao platforms cast their gazes downward. They were clearly surprised that so many people had managed to pass through the passage and enter, but upon seeing the Martial God Dao Weapons floating above the heads of the princes and princesses, they understood.
However, almost all of them frowned, obviously not wanting these newcomers to disrupt the original tranquility.
Crown Prince Xia Yang looked towards the Thirteenth Prince and the others. He first showed a flicker of surprise at the Scaled Golden Lion, then nodded. "You've all arrived. It's good you weren't eliminated."
Clearly, Crown Prince Xia Yang had known all along about the Thirteenth Prince and his group being pursued, but he hadn't come to their aid, perhaps because he was unable to move.
The other super-powerful individuals also spoke up one after another. Although they were comprehending the Dao, they could still speak briefly. Seeing the trialists from their own sides, their expressions softened slightly as they nodded, showing no excessive joy.
Only the Second Prince of the Tianqi Empire, Yang Shaoqi, frowned sharply when he saw only the Sixth Princess, Yang Miaoxue. "Where are Yang Jun and the others?"
Yang Miaoxue's face was expressionless as she spoke truthfully. "Yang Jun is dead. The others were eliminated."
Hearing this, the other super-powerful individuals were greatly shocked. Who dared to make a move? Were they truly unafraid of offending the Tianqi Empire?
Being within this mysterious world, they couldn't communicate with the outside, so they didn't yet know it was Ye Chen who had acted.
Yang Shaoqi was even more furious. A powerful fluctuation emanated from his body, causing others to pale. Even the Hundred Strong Trialists felt pressured. Yet, he still didn't leave the Dao platform. Everyone could sense the overwhelming rage in his cold voice. "Who? Who dares to kill my Eighth Imperial Brother?"
"It was Ye Chen!"
A trialist spoke up, uttering Ye Chen's name.
"Ye Chen! He's here too!" Xia Yang's eyes erupted with clusters of brilliant light, making him extremely conspicuous.
For him, Ye Chen was also a formidable rival. Although Ye Chen had missed entering the Trial Path due to seclusion back then, Xia Yang had always believed Ye Chen would eventually enter. Now, seeing it was indeed so.
The other super-powerful individuals frowned. They had long heard Xia Yang mention Ye Chen's name—a young prodigy capable of rivaling Xia Yang, someone who could be ranked among the super-powerful with the qualification to delay claiming kingship.
"Ye Chen?" Yang Shaoqi's voice turned icy. "That kid whose dantian was crippled by Huang Tianqin in the past, but who rebuilt himself afterward. Seems his strength is decent, capable of fighting Xia Yang. But that was all in the past. Killing him now shouldn't be too difficult for me. And he dares to kill my Eighth Imperial Brother? Tell me where he is. After I leave seclusion, this prince will tear him to pieces."
Having entered this small world, his gains were clearly substantial, otherwise he wouldn't be so arrogant, looking down upon Ye Chen whom Xia Yang spoke of as being on par with him.
But the others fell silent, a hush descending over them.
Want to kill Ye Chen? Even if this person was a super-powerful individual with the qualification to delay claiming kingship, no one felt it was possible.
Yang Shaoqi's face darkened. He was just about to ask more when suddenly, a terrifying shriek echoed, accompanied by several miserable screams.
Everyone looked over. Seven or eight trialists had taken the opportunity to rush into the jungle, intending to pluck the thousand-year-old Heaven and Earth Treasures. But at that moment, a massive Golden Crimson Sand Scorpion King, large enough to be a house, appeared. Its several sharp claws directly pierced through the bodies of these trialists, who were then devoured into its stomach, leaving a bloody, mangled mess too gruesome to behold.
Moreover, spirit talisman ghostly light had even appeared around these few, but it still couldn't block the attack. Clearly, this was a Martial God realm Crimson Sand Scorpion King, terrifyingly formidable. The spirit talismans were utterly ineffective.
Everyone recalled the terrifying shriek from earlier that morning and felt a surge of horror and fear. It was very likely caused by this very Golden Crimson Sand Scorpion King. No one had expected this Golden Crimson Sand Scorpion King to actually be within this small world.
A tiger's roar echoed. In another direction, a Silver-Horned White Tiger, as large as a small hill, appeared. Its demonic might suppressed the mountain forest as it opened its mouth and swallowed the six trialists in that direction.
In another spot, a slender, sinuous shadow flashed—it was a giant centipede, even sporting transparent wings. In the blink of an eye, it pierced through the bodies of eight trialists.
The mountains shook. A massive Crocodile Dragon appeared, with the head of a flood dragon but the body of a crocodile. It was enormous and equally terrifying.
Four terrifying demonic beasts appeared in succession, each extremely massive. Moreover, their bodies radiated fearsome auras, causing this very world to seem to tremble. The few awakened Martial God Dao Weapons were subjected to intense pressure, their fluorescent light dissipating, about to lose their potency, unable to resist.
This scene made everyone's hearts pound with fear.
This was no so-called land of immortals, but a land of demons. It was too terrifying, actually inhabited by four such fearsome Martial God demonic beasts. Even with so many trialists present, it wasn't certain they could overcome them.
The Martial God realm surpassed the Xiantian realm, undergoing a qualitative change. Moreover, as demonic beasts, they were even stronger than ordinary Martial God experts.
The four terrifying demonic beasts positioned themselves from all directions, surrounding the crowd. They revealed greedy gazes, clearly treating these trialists as food.
Beneath the wide black robe, the demonic flood dragon stared from afar at the Golden Crimson Sand Scorpion King with anger. If not for Ye Chen suppressing it, it would have certainly charged out.
Boom—
The four Martial God demonic beasts went berserk, all charging towards the crowd at the same time, opening their bloody maws. Before everyone could fully react, over forty people were immediately devoured, buried in the bellies of the beasts, leaving a bloody, mangled scene of horrific carnage that sent chills down the spine.
It was too fast. There was simply no time to react. A batch of trialists was killed instantly, over forty people. All the trialists panicked, because this was simply a terrifying one-sided slaughter.
The several princes and princesses, wielding Martial God Dao Weapons, had awakened them partially. Fluctuations rippled out, but they didn't confront these Martial God demonic beasts. Instead, they quickly retreated, rushing towards the ancient hall. Clearly, they had received hints from the super-powerful individuals with the qualification to delay claiming kingship on the Dao platforms—the ancient hall was the true safe zone, where Martial God demonic beasts couldn't invade.
The Thirteenth Prince, Princess Hong Rong, Vivian, and the others also urged the Scaled Golden Lion to swiftly fly there.
But at that moment, the Silver-Horned White Tiger flashed into view. Its massive, hill-like demonic body blocked the path of the three humans and one beast. Its demonic might surged to the heavens. The Scaled Golden Lion trembled violently, unable to move, watching helplessly as the Silver-Horned White Tiger opened its bloody maw to bite down on the three.
Ye Chen's expression turned serious. He was about to make a move but stopped because, from within the ancient hall, Crown Prince Xia Yang actually flew out from the Dao platform. His entire body erupted with an unprecedented powerful aura fluctuation, causing the void to tremble.
A divine spear appeared in his hand. His eyes blazed with fury as he unleashed a supreme strike. Surprisingly, surging Heaven and Earth Power rippled forth, actually sending the Silver-Horned White Tiger flying backward, astonishing everyone.
"Xia Yang, are you trying to test your strength? Or are you seizing the chance to snatch those supreme treasures, aiming for the final inheritance? But I won't let you succeed."
The other five super-powerful individuals with the qualification to delay claiming kingship quickly detached from their Dao platforms. One by one, they erupted with unprecedented powerful aura fluctuations, their glabella shining with vast divine sense fluctuations.
"Primordial Spirit!?"
Everyone was shocked. These people had clearly condensed Primordial Spirits. Had they all reached the Martial God realm?
Boom—
As everyone anticipated, at this moment, the six super-powerful individuals with the qualification to delay claiming kingship displayed truly terrifying, supreme might. Each made their move, unleashing beams of rainbow light that illuminated this mysterious small world, striking towards the four fearsome Martial God realm great demons. Explosions of radiant light filled the sky, the world thrown into turmoil. The mountain forest was blasted apart, small hills shook and half-collapsed.
The four Martial God demonic beasts roared in fury, but they were all sent flying, drops of blood scattering.
Everyone gasped in shock. This was too powerful. Had they truly reached the Martial God realm?
The six super-powerful individuals with the qualification to delay claiming kingship each stood proudly in the void. Their entire bodies radiated unprecedented, powerful Great Dao auras, transcending the Xiantian realm. Above their heads, Heaven and Earth Power gathered into clouds, multicolored and dazzling, yet flickering with terrifying energy fluctuations.
"Imperial brothers and sisters, each of you ascend to a Dao platform. These are Dao platforms left behind by ancient Divine Spirits, where you can comprehend the Great Dao. Although you may not necessarily be able to comprehend it fully, sitting upon them allows you to sense the aura of the Dao. In the future, entering the Martial God realm will become much easier." The super-powerful individual from the Tenglong Empire, Li Sheng, spoke. He was heroic and spirited, with a tall, imposing stature and an awe-inspiring presence, extremely formidable.
His words made all the trialists' eyes turn red with envy. Dao platforms that allowed one to comprehend the Great Dao—even Martial Gods would covet them, Heavenly Gods would be moved. Left behind by ancient Divine Spirits, they were absolutely extraordinary.
At that moment, a prince from the Tenglong Empire was the first to fly onto a Dao platform and sit cross-legged. Instantly, Dao sounds seemed to chant around him. Mystical radiance flowed over his entire body, and he exuded an unprecedented Dao Rhyme, astonishing everyone.
In an instant, this prince's aura became many times more mysterious and powerful.
"Hurry up! There are only nine Dao platforms. Once one is used, it's gone."
At this moment, many people quickly rushed over. The Dao platforms possessed such mysterious and formidable power; no one could remain unmoved. This was the key to becoming powerful.
Immediately, the other princes and princesses rushed towards these Dao platforms one after another. The Hundred Strong Trialists did the same. In an instant, eight Dao platforms were occupied, all by princes and princesses from superpowers. The Thirteenth Prince and the Sixth Princess Yang Miaoxue also made their moves.
Apart from the Thirteenth Prince, each had a Martial God Dao Weapon floating above their heads, radiating terrifying supreme fluctuations that made everyone wary.
On the ninth Dao platform, a prince from a superpower also rushed up—the Seventeenth Prince of the Jiuhua Empire. At the same time, the Thirteenth Prince and Ye Chen also charged forward.
This prince made his move. His Martial God Dao Weapon shone with radiant light, Great Dao fluctuations emanating as he coldly shouted, "Get lost!"
"You get lost!"
Ye Chen's expression was icy, uttering only one word. But his fist shot out, instantly turning crystalline gold, like a War God descending to the mortal realm, directly clashing with this Martial God Dao Weapon.
Boom—
Under everyone's stunned gazes, the Martial God Dao Weapon was sent flying, its light completely dimming. The prince, affected by the backlash, coughed up blood and was sent flying backward. But when he saw the handsome, familiar face beneath the black robe, his expression instantly turned pale with horror. "Ye Chen!"