Time flowed on, and all things would eventually come to an end.
The plundering of the Primordial Beginning Imperial Clan had finally concluded, leaving the Birth Emperor Star in ruins, with countless casualties and widespread suffering among the people.
As for the whereabouts of the several large fragments of the incomplete Emperor Body that had been torn apart, outsiders had no way of knowing; only the various great powers who had participated in the struggle for them were aware.
However, everyone knew that the Battle Saint King had seized the lion's share during the contest, obtaining a portion of the incomplete Emperor Body which also contained fragments of the Emperor's Dao and Imperial Foundation. This made him an obvious target of envy, coveted by many, including Ancient Monarchs.
Whether it was the several Ancient Monarchs, the Soul-Sealing Hall, alien powerhouses, or even most of the Ancient Universe, all were pursuing the Battle Saint King's trail, hoping to seize the portion of the Emperor Body he possessed.
Yet, after the battle that day, Ye Chen had fled to distant starry domains, evading the pursuit of the great Ancient Monarchs. He had even slain three super great powers within the endless spatial turbulence before completely vanishing without a trace.
Even beings as powerful as Ancient Monarchs, whose thoughts could pierce through the vast heavens, were unable to locate him immediately. Gradually, all traces of the Battle Saint King were lost.
Although the Ancient Monarchs considered learning of his whereabouts through those close to him on the Ultimate Ancient Path—such as the young Heaven's Pride talents from the Sealed Boundary Universe or his wife and children in the Moon Palace—the several invincible Monarchs of the Ultimate Ancient Path intervened, strictly forbidding external interference in the Heaven's Pride competition on the Path.
Upon learning of everything that had happened at the Fiftieth Trial Pass, the Goddess of the Moon Palace flew into a towering rage. Her divine might shook the starry skies, and she nearly turned back from the rear sections of the Ultimate Ancient Path to avenge her husband, causing a great upheaval.
Unfortunately, due to other reasons, she was ultimately unable to truly turn back and return.
However, she later issued a vow: if anything untoward happened to her husband, the Battle Saint King, she would spare no effort to pursue everyone involved in the hunt to the end—even if they were Imperial Clans or Ancient Monarchs.
If she ever attained the Emperor realm in the future, she would exterminate their entire clans!
The issuance of such a vow undoubtedly provoked killing intent from the several Ancient Monarchs, the various Imperial Clans, and numerous other forces. They were all aware of the terrifying potential of this Goddess, one of the nine Ancient Path Overlords, who had hope of proving her Dao and becoming an Emperor in the future. These Ancient Monarchs and countless forces were unwilling to let the Goddess grow, for she would undoubtedly become a peerless great enemy.
It could be said that Ancient Monarchs like the Donglin Monarch and the Hongxu Monarch intended to re-enter the Ultimate Ancient Path to kill the Goddess.
Even if invincible Monarchs of the Ultimate Ancient Path like the Xuelan Monarch intervened, it would be of no avail.
It was at this time that a most terrifying and mysterious existence appeared. Legend said he was a being from the Mythical Era, sealed away and having lived for countless years. Named Cang Xiong, his mere appearance caused the various Ancient Monarchs to retreat, not daring to provoke him.
Rumors said this was an invincible one who had once contended with the Formless Monarch and had nearly proved his Dao to become an Emperor—a truly terrifying, peerless figure of the extreme.
Even in his aged state, he possessed unparalleled deterrence. With his emergence, no one dared to interfere with the Ultimate Ancient Path any longer.
Time passed leisurely, and in the blink of an eye, another three years had gone by in the world.
During this period, although the various major forces in the universe persistently pursued the Battle Saint King's trail, also sought the Primordial Beginning Imperial Son's whereabouts, and even kept an eye on the traces of the Fiftieth Trial Pass—for that pass was sinister and strange, having produced a being suspected to be an Emperor or Sovereign, wrapped in burial cloth, who had shattered half an Ancient Monarch's body with a single slap, demonstrating its true terror—after the three vanished three years ago, it was as if they had completely disappeared from the world. Countless forces across most of the Ancient Universe searched but found not a single trace, causing astonishment and suspicion.
The Fiftieth Trial Pass and the Primordial Beginning Imperial Son were one thing—the former was sinister since ancient times, known as the Fiftieth, related to the escaped "One"; the latter was taken away by the Time Emperor Sword, with Emperor-Sovereign aura concealing everything, preventing even the Heaven's Secrets Master from divining his location.
But the Battle Saint King had clearly been pursued by several Ancient Monarchs and chased relentlessly by powerhouses from all realms. How could he have suddenly vanished?
This was perplexing.
During this time, the Ultimate Ancient Path and the various Ancient Universe Heaven's Pride talents continued their competition, with nothing particularly different.
However, the situation in the deepest parts of the Ancient Path grew increasingly tense, as the nine Ancient Path Overlords gradually began to clash, with the conflict spreading widely.
It could be said that the rearmost sections of the Ultimate Ancient Path had become the battleground for these Ancient Path Overlords.
Yet, during this period, several terrifying figures had also appeared on the Ultimate Ancient Path, suspected to be no weaker than the nine Ancient Path Overlords.
Although they had not fought, based on their battle records, they were hailed as beings qualified to contend with the Ancient Path Overlords.
Such as the mysterious Zhao Chen, the Divine Son Qian Xunyue, the Emperor Shakyamuni, and the Lin Overlord, among others.
Their emergence caused the situation on the Ultimate Ancient Path to become even more tense. The time for the various realm Overlords to contend for the "Ultimate" was fast approaching.
The entire Ultimate Ancient Path would become the battlefield for these Ancient Path Overlords.
Yet some sighed, feeling the absence of a powerful individual.
Although no one named him, everyone knew this person was the Battle Saint King.
Hailing from the incomplete Sealed Boundary Universe, he had burst onto the scene, proving himself the strongest young supreme, a Chaos Supreme Heaven's Pride. Without mishap, he would undoubtedly have become an Ancient Path Overlord, contending for the final "Ultimate."
Unfortunately, three years ago, after the struggle for the incomplete Emperor Body at the Fiftieth Trial Pass, he had vanished from the world.
Many speculated that the Battle Saint King might have already been killed. After all, countless powerful experts had pursued him that year, with several Ancient Monarchs projecting their avatars and wielding Monarch Immortal Weapons to attack. No matter how powerful the Battle Saint King was, he should not have been a match for an Ancient Monarch.
Some even suspected that an Ancient Monarch had personally intervened in true form, and the peerless monster that was the Battle Saint King had met his end just like that.
Even the several Ancient Monarchs suspected each other, wondering if one of them had secretly killed the Battle Saint King and monopolized that portion of the incomplete Emperor Body. Otherwise, how could he have disappeared so suddenly and inexplicably?
But no one knew, and no one admitted to it.
However, the search for the Battle Saint King never ceased.
The Chaos Ancient Universe was nearly boundless. Even supremely exalted beings like Emperors and Sovereigns might not be able to traverse every corner of the Ancient Universe in their lifetimes.
Yet it was not without boundaries; they were simply extremely distant relative to one another.
Moreover, in the Universe Border Wasteland, although spiritual energy was much scarcer compared to other regions, there were still life-bearing ancient stars and numerous living beings residing there. However, they were far fewer than in the central star domains of the universe's heart, and the number of powerful experts emerging was also much smaller.
Throughout history, the Universe Border Wasteland had always been relatively peaceful and stable. However, this situation had been broken in recent years.
Because over the past three years, cultivators located in the Universe Border Wasteland had discovered a mysterious coffin appearing in the starry skies. No one knew where it came from or where it went. They only knew that every time it appeared, vast swathes of stellar radiance would spontaneously rush toward it before pouring down and vanishing into the ancient coffin.
This sight was horrifying!