On the ship, although Abenue, Mo Haishen, and Luo Guyun were in human form, they were not of the human race. They only stood on the deck because of Ye Chen, but their expressions were cold and arrogant, as if covered in ice, appearing unapproachable. This made the other tribesmen on the ship dare not easily approach them, and they inwardly shook their heads.
After all, it was their tribesmen who had rescued them. Who would have thought these young masters and ladies from great families would be so ungrateful, appearing so arrogant and haughty? Moreover, they didn't seem to emit any powerful aura, probably just ordinary cultivators. Yet they dared to come play in the Primordial Divine Sea—simply seeking death.
Unfortunately, they didn't know that the four of them had cultivation levels too high, their auras restrained. How could ordinary people see through their true cultivation? Only those of nearly the same realm or stronger could truly sense their levels.
Therefore, even though they weren't human, these tribesmen were unaware.
If they knew their cultivation levels, they certainly wouldn't think this way.
Ye Chen actively walked toward the bow of the ship. Along the way, he looked at the tribesmen with a kind and courteous expression, which won him considerable favor from many.
Seeing Ye Chen appear, the tribal elder steering the ship showed a hint of surprise. "Young Master Ye, what brings you here?"
From their previous exchange, they had gotten to know each other and were clear on names.
Ye Chen nodded. "Elder Xia, I heard that the Yellow Sea Seven Devils pirates are chasing from behind. Could you tell me about it?"
Elder Xia was stunned, then frowned. He hadn't expected Ye Chen to know about this. He just smiled and said, "Young Master Ye, you needn't worry too much. Those pirates are just passing by. I believe they'll leave soon. In a few days, as long as we sail out of this sea area, we can safely reach the Ancestral God Pass. Everyone will be safe."
Seeing this, Ye Chen understood that the other party probably didn't know their cultivation levels, merely thinking they were young masters and ladies from ordinary great families out for fun, stranded on an island. Even if told, they couldn't help, and knowing might cause more panic and trouble.
Therefore, Ye Chen just nodded slightly and left.
Since the other party was unwilling to say more, he wouldn't easily reveal his true cultivation. His goal was only to enter the mysterious pass. If they encountered these matters, it wouldn't be too late to resolve them then.
When Ye Chen returned to the room prepared for them by Elder Xia on the ship, it was inscribed with spatial dao patterns. Even though the suppression of the Emperor Dao couldn't be as vast as the outside world, it was still quite spacious, enough for Ye Chen and the others to rest comfortably.
At this time, Elder Xia's granddaughter, Mu'er, and several other young juniors from the ship had somehow come over. Especially Xia Mu'er, who actively walked to Abenue's side, not at all intimidated by her cold beauty. Instead, she propped her pink chin with her small hands, opened her dark, large eyes, and looked at Abenue with innocent purity. "Sister, you're really pretty. But why is your hair golden?"
To this, Abenue remained silent, appearing quite haughty and cold, like an icy beauty.
"Sister, how old are you this year?"
"Sister, why is your figure so good?"
"Sister, what's your name?"
"Sister, why aren't you talking? Do you hate me?"
Xia Mu'er was like a lively little elf, constantly spouting questions one after another, overwhelming to handle. When Ye Chen returned, he saw Abenue had already turned her head away, looking somewhat helpless.
If anyone else dared act like this, she would have long since slapped them dead. But it was Xia Mu'er. Even if she didn't understand worldly affairs well, she knew not to harm people on the ship.
Moreover, she could sense that this Xia Mu'er only harbored goodwill. For such an innocent and pure little sister, she was unwilling to easily harm her.
Seeing Ye Chen return, Abenue didn't speak, but her gaze toward him held a hint of pleading.
Ye Chen also smiled slightly, came to Abenue's side, pulled her away, and said to Xia Mu'er, "Miss Mu'er, don't worry. She doesn't hate you; she's just always been taciturn and somewhat unaccustomed to facing others."
Xia Mu'er nodded like a chick pecking rice, appearing very innocent and cute. She looked to be only around sixteen years old. Though not as bewitching and world-toppling as Abenue, she was still a pure little beauty with delicate features, her childishness not yet faded. If she grew up, she would likely become even more graceful and beautiful.
Ye Chen smiled before speaking, appearing as refreshing as a spring breeze. "Miss Mu'er, actually, the few of us were taken by our master to a secret realm for cultivation since childhood and have never left until now. Now our master has sent us out to gain experience, and we unintentionally stumbled into this place. There are many things we don't understand. I wonder if you could explain them to us."
Xia Mu'er immediately nodded. "Brother Ye, just ask. Mu'er will tell you everything I know, holding nothing back."
Unlike others who called Ye Chen 'young master,' she called him 'brother.' This natural, naive affection wasn't deliberate, making people feel fond of her.
Ye Chen got straight to the point. "Where are you from? What is the Primordial Divine Sea? What is the 'pass'? And why do you say our human race is weak? And what exactly is this world?"
He threw out many questions at once, but the true core revolved around one place.
Just what kind of place was the Ten Heavens Realm?
And why was the human race weak?
Regarding this, having heard earlier that Ye Chen and the others were taken by their master to a secret realm for cultivation since childhood and thus unaware of worldly affairs, Xia Mu'er and the others saw that Ye Chen and his group didn't seem to be pretending and accepted it. Moreover, these matters weren't secrets, so they told them.
The Ten Heavens Realm was a common term, whether for beings inside or outside the Ten Heavens.
Here, there were distant ancient legends. In the boundless ages past, it was an immortal ancient domain created by the supreme gods through Heaven and Earth Creation, vast and boundless, unimaginably large.
At the very least, these people from small human tribes didn't know how big the Ten Heavens Realm was.
But the current Ten Heavens ancient domain was divided into ten vast ancient domains, each ancient domain being one heaven.
On the other side of the Primordial Divine Sea's end was the first heaven of the Ten Heavens Realm, also called the Primordial Ancient Domain, a land where countless primordial ancient beasts, fierce beasts, and exotic beasts coexisted, also the most dangerous place.
That was the habitat of the primordial ancient beasts that dominated the Ten Heavens Realm in the boundless ages past.
The Primordial Divine Sea was the boundary between the first and second heavens. The other end naturally was the second heaven.
On the edge of the second heaven, near the coastline of the Primordial Divine Sea, stood the most magnificent immortal fortress in this world—the Ancestral God Pass!
Crossing the Ancestral God Pass led to the second heaven ancient domain, and further in were the other heaven ancient domains.
Starting from the second heaven ancient domain, it was the land of the Myriad Races, where countless ancient clans, large and small, from antiquity to the present lived. Their numbers naturally far exceeded ten thousand, but they were collectively called the Myriad Races.
The Myriad Races ruled the second to ninth heaven ancient domains inside the Ancestral God Pass, vast and boundless, unimaginably large.
Not to mention mortals, even the top experts emerging from the Myriad Races might not be able to cross the entire vast ancient domain of the Ten Heavens in their lifetime.
And the Myriad Races had also established countless religions, kingdoms, and other forces, large and small, in the Ten Heavens ancient domain, endless like grains of sand, located in the boundless heaven ancient domains.
Just the outermost second and third heaven ancient domains had hundreds to thousands of kingdoms. Other religions and small forces were too numerous to count, let alone the stronger, more inner heaven ancient domains, which were even more countless.
However, above the countless forces, large and small, like grains of sand, there also existed some undisputed overlord-level forces, completely towering above the Myriad Races' forces.
Those were the Nine Clans and Eighteen Kingdoms located at the very center of the Ten Heavens!
The Nine Clans and Eighteen Kingdoms were supreme forces standing at the pinnacle above the Myriad Races. Any single clan or kingdom emerging from them possessed terrifying power capable of easily annihilating any major ancient clan among the Myriad Races.
They could be called the rulers of the Ten Heavens ancient domain, with profound foundations, overwhelmingly powerful.
It was said that the Nine Clans and Eighteen Kingdoms were forces left behind by the gods who created heaven and earth in the past, rapidly rising at the beginning of the Dark Blood Era to dominate the Ten Heavens ancient domain.
Below the Nine Clans and Eighteen Kingdoms, there were also slightly inferior Eight Hundred Royal Clans.
The Nine Clans, Eighteen Kingdoms, and Eight Hundred Royal Clans were the strongest clans at the very top of the pyramid in the entire Ten Heavens ancient domain, also the most powerful among the Myriad Races.
Hearing this, Ye Chen understood. If, as they said, the Nine Clans and Eighteen Kingdoms were racial forces left by the gods, then the so-called gods who created heaven and earth were the Emperors who created the Ten Heavens in the past. And the Nine Clans and Eighteen Kingdoms were the imperial clans left by the Emperors, just called by another name in the Ten Heavens.
Ye Chen hadn't expected there to be imperial clans in the Ten Heavens Realm. Could they be the imperial clans left by the Emperors who created the Ten Heavens in the past?
But he was also puzzled because the Emperors not only created the Ten Heavens but also created the Supreme Ancient Path, leaving various Supreme trials on the path and secret treasures for later generations. Only later generations could obtain these secret treasures from the Supreme trials.
Now, the secret treasures from the Supreme trials on the Supreme Ancient Path had been almost completely taken.
If so, then were the so-called Nine Clans and Eighteen Kingdoms truly imperial clans?
This point, even the current Ye Chen, didn't know.
"Of course, the Nine Clans and Eighteen Kingdoms are only the former overlords of the Ten Heavens Realm. Now, a great era has long since changed. The current overlord ancient clans aren't just these Nine Clans and Eighteen Kingdoms, but the One Hundred and Eight Ancient God Clans!" Suddenly, Xia Mu'er spoke these words, making Ye Chen and the others' hearts tremble.