"Greetings, Great Emperor!" Ye Chen saluted earnestly. This was an ancient Great Emperor, a being of the utmost venerable status, worthy of his respect.
Then he said, "Wei'er is my sworn brother. While the Emperor's Dao inheritance is important, brotherhood is even more important."
"Well said, 'brotherhood is even more important'." The Great Emperor laughed heartily. "In my life, I too had many brothers who went through life and death with me. It's just a pity that, in the end, none could achieve immortality. They all perished in the river of time. Even those few brothers who managed to become Ancient Monarchs ultimately fell in battle during the final war."
Recalling his brothers from those perilous days, even a lofty existence like an ancient Great Emperor felt sorrow. They were all brothers who had shared life and death, fought side by side countless times, forging an indelible, profound bond.
Yet, in the end, they all faded away with the passage of time.
Even those who became Ancient Monarchs, gaining far longer lifespans, could not escape the fate of dying in battle.
Powerful as he was—an ancient Great Emperor, even one like the Han Tian Great Emperor, ranked among the strongest Emperors in the Chaos Sea—ultimately fell in battle. How could his brothers, who were not as strong as him, possibly avoid the calamity of life and death?
The ancient Great Emperor sighed softly, a trace of sorrow in his voice. But he was, after all, a Great Emperor. He internalized the sorrow, regaining his wisdom, and looked at Ye Chen. "Young man, I believe you witnessed the scenes from before."
Ye Chen nodded, his expression incomparably grave. Because the alien race was also a Great Emperor he would have to face.
Especially that Shidai located in the Universe Origin Ancient Temple, who caused the burial of the entire Eight Desolations Ancient Universe and also brought about the downfall of the most glorious Mythical Epoch of the Sealed World Universe.
If he wanted to reverse the future, he had to face this most terrifying mastermind in history.
Now, having witnessed the fearsomeness of Shidai, who could turn all the powerhouses of the Eight Desolations Ancient Universe into pawns to attack the Primordial Immortal Realm, his heart grew even heavier.
Facing such a terrifyingly powerful enemy, the pressure on him was immense.
The ancient Great Emperor said, "Youngster, Shidai is a truly terrifying figure. Our Eight Desolations Ancient Universe, though not comparable to the alien Ancient Universe, still had Emperors and Sovereigns. The Han Tian Great Emperor was the strongest Emperor. Our overall strength wasn't exactly weak. But Shidai was terrifying. Back then, he persuaded the Han Tian Great Emperor and threatened our Eight Desolations Ancient Universe, ultimately forcing us to dispatch troops to conquer the Primordial Immortal Realm."
"In truth, it was a decision filled with regret. As you saw, the final result was the complete destruction of our entire Eight Desolations Ancient Universe."
"The Immortal-Slaying Ship, originally prepared to slay immortals, ended up burying our entire Ancient Universe instead."
One could hear the deep regret in this ancient Great Emperor's voice regarding the cosmic war of that era. If not for the events of that time, the Eight Desolations Ancient Universe might still be flourishing today.
However, there were no 'ifs' in this world.
Ye Chen remained silent. The pressure from Shidai was unprecedented, making even him feel somewhat breathless at this moment.
The ancient Great Emperor looked at Ye Chen. His gaze was wise, capable of piercing through all illusions. At this moment, it burned brightly and profoundly, as if intending to completely see through Ye Chen.
Just as the ancient Great Emperor's gaze was about to penetrate Ye Chen's body to see the Chaos Small Universe...
Suddenly, the most mysterious Moon Mark between Ye Chen's eyebrows trembled slightly. An indescribable, unfathomable power surged forth, enveloping the Chaos Small Universe, including the World Tree Burial Coffin, the Great Emperor's Reincarnation Body, and everything else within, rendering it all invisible.
"Hmm?" The ancient Great Emperor let out a soft sound of surprise. He sensed a mysterious and unfathomable power emerging from within this youngster's body, concealing much. His gaze was actually blocked, unable to penetrate.
Although he was looking from the past, separated by time and space, he was still peerless and invincible. His gaze could pierce through almost anything, yet it was blocked here.
Ye Chen was also inwardly shocked. The Moon Mark, accompanying him through past and present lives, rarely manifested such phenomena. He never expected it could even block the gaze of an ancient Great Emperor, making him increasingly suspicious about the true origin of the Moon Mark.
The ancient Great Emperor looked deeply at Ye Chen. He did not speak, nor did he continue his investigation. He understood that this junior likely harbored mysteries even he could not comprehend.
Only after a moment did he let out a sigh of admiration. "So you are a Chaos young Supreme One. You have just begun cultivating the Chaos Great Dao, attempting to walk an impossible path to the ultimate peak?"
Ye Chen knew he couldn't hide it and replied truthfully, "This junior is indeed cultivating the Chaos Great Dao. It is the only path to reverse the Blood-stained Future."
"The Blood-stained Future?" A trace of daze appeared in the ancient Great Emperor's eyes. Though a phantom, he was truly conversing with Ye Chen across time and space. He said, "Back in my day, I also tried to peer into the future, wanting to understand what it held. But the future is difficult to see. Tremendous causal forces block the way. Even for those who become Emperors or Sovereigns, it is impossible to see clearly."
"However, I did catch a glimpse of a corner of the future. It was indeed a Blood-stained Future—a sky stained with blood, countless living beings buried, even the Chaos Ancient Universe shattered. Neither Emperors nor Supreme Immortals could escape."
"It is a terrifying future, perhaps the most chaotic era in history, unimaginable."
"In that era, gods and demons run rampant, Emperors emerge, Supreme Immortals appear across the sky. It is the most chaotic era, an era that buries everything. No one can truly be spared."
"To call it a Blood-stained Future is no exaggeration."
"You are correct. The only key to reversing the Blood-stained Future is to transcend Eternity."
"Yet, to transcend Eternity, one can only glimpse a sliver of hope through the Chaos Great Dao."
"But achieving perfection in the Chaos Dao, how easy is that? Throughout the ages, across endless years, how many dazzling, peerless Heaven's Prides and talents have emerged? Yet, who among them succeeded?"
The ancient Great Emperor sighed softly. Regarding that Blood-stained Future, even someone as powerful as him, an Emperor and Sovereign, could not fully penetrate it. He could only glimpse a corner, yet it still evoked heartfelt awe from him.
Because in that Blood-stained Future, no hope could be seen. It was too tragic. Emperors and Supreme Immortals were not spared, dragged into that most terrifying era of chaos.
Yet, achieving the Great Perfection of the Chaos Great Dao—how easy was that?
"The path of Chaos is too difficult to tread. Countless dazzling talents are blocked before its barriers, unable to cross them in their entire lifetimes. There are even some peerless Heaven's Prides with the potential to become invincible Emperors and Sovereigns who still meet the same fate. A lifetime of lament, glimpsing the realm of Emperors, yet ultimately failing to take that final step."
"That is the Emperor's Barrier, the Heavenly Barrier—the obstacle on the path to proving the Dao!"
The ancient Great Emperor looked at Ye Chen. "Young friend, though you have reached the Great Power realm, you have not yet taken the final step. As long as you pay a certain price, you can sever the Chaos path and walk another."
"Your aptitude is extraordinary. You have the hope to Prove the Dao and Become Emperor."
"It's still not too late to give up now, choose another path. In the future, why couldn't you become a supreme Great Emperor who stands proudly across the ages?"
He could see that Ye Chen's potential was extremely high, transcending the ordinary and entering the sacred. In this shattered Emperor Realm, he was the true master. He had witnessed everything that happened before—how Ye Chen successively suppressed the alien Emperor's Son and Emperor's Daughter. It wasn't a crushing victory, because no one at this level could achieve such a sweeping dominance against the strongest young Supreme One.
But he still suppressed them forcefully, which speaks volumes about Ye Chen's astonishing, unimaginably supreme and invincible combat power. Even an ancient Great Emperor reincarnated and reborn, at the same realm, likely couldn't have done better than Ye Chen.
Such an extraordinary Supreme Heaven's Pride, even if he changed his path now, though he wouldn't have the hope of transcending like the Chaos Great Dao offered—that sliver of hope to achieve Eternity—he still had great hope of Proving the Dao and Becoming Emperor in the future. Why couldn't he become a supreme Great Emperor who shakes the heavens?
Throughout his endless lifetime, the ancient Great Emperor had seen far too many extraordinary Supreme Heaven's Prides, including those who walked the Chaos Great Dao. He had also heard of similar figures in history. Which one wasn't truly dazzling across the ages? Perhaps only a few emerge in an entire epoch, but didn't they all ultimately stumble at the final barrier?
Achieving Great Perfection in the Chaos Great Dao to become Emperor?
Too difficult!
So difficult that there seemed to be no hope, not even the faintest, most minuscule trace visible.
He truly didn't want a strongest young Supreme One like Ye Chen to waste time and fall on this path.
Yet, Ye Chen's gaze remained firm. "This junior understands the Great Emperor's meaning. But this junior has no choice. Even if this path is arduous, even if it's difficult to tread, I must continue forward. I don't want to regret it, nor do I have the right to regret. I can only march forward resolutely on this path, walking it to the very end."
The ancient Great Emperor could see the unwavering, immovable firmness in Ye Chen's eyes. He seemed to see a reflection of his younger self when he was Proving the Dao and Becoming Emperor, encountering countless difficulties blocking his path, some even nearly costing him his life.
Yet, none could shake his determination to become an Emperor and Sovereign. He pressed forward steadfastly, which later led to his glorious reign as a Great Emperor.
He saw the shadow of his younger self in Ye Chen.
The ancient Great Emperor sighed softly. He knew Ye Chen's resolve was unshakable. His gaze then turned serious. "Young friend, you should also know that in my life, though I was infinitely glorious, I did not die well in the end. I was used by others, dying miserably before the Immortal Heavenly Pass of the Primordial Immortal Realm. Although the possibility of you achieving Chaos Emperorhood is infinitely close to zero, you might also become the first in all of history."
"I don't have much left. The Emperor Realm is shattered. Only the Emperor's Dao inheritance remains, which I can pass on to you."
"As long as, in the future when you achieve Chaos Emperorhood and transcend Eternity, you avenge me and kill Shidai!"
When he uttered the name "Shidai" at the end, the ancient Great Emperor was filled with an intense hatred.
This hatred was simply unprecedented. Ye Chen had never felt such hatred from any other Emperor, Sovereign, or Supreme Immortal—not even from the Qing Gu Great Emperor of the alien race who was suppressed by the Alchemy Emperor in the Fallen Emperor Battlefield.