The Emperor Son Feast, though ostensibly a grand banquet aimed solely at the Emperor Sons and Daughters, Immortal Dao Descendants, and other supreme talents of the youngest generation, could be considered the most top-tier, peerless feast currently taking place within the Ten Heavenly Realms Ancient Domain. It attracted countless gazes from across the heavens.
Within the lands of the Ten Heavenly Realms Ancient Domain, it was known to all, understood by all.
The Emperor Sons and Daughters, Immortal Dao Descendants, and other strongest young supremes were the most powerful figures of the current younger generation in the Ten Heavenly Realms Ancient Domain, rarely seen on ordinary days.
Now that they were gathering in the Ascension Ancient Capital, with at least over a third in attendance, it was a spectacle worthy of countless observers.
However, many heavyweight major powers understood in their hearts that the so-called Emperor Son Feast was nothing more than a Hongmen Feast set up by the alien race and some Imperial Clans and Immortal Clans specifically targeting the human Emperor Sons and Daughters.
Behind the facade of flourishing prosperity often lurked unimaginable killing intent.
Similarly, unprecedented, massive waves were bound to occur.
The present moment was merely the eve before the storm. Once that day arrived, the entire landscape of the Ten Heavenly Realms Ancient Domain would undergo a tremendous change.
Over the next half-month, the Ascension Ancient Capital grew increasingly lively.
This eternal divine city, ranked among the Seven Ancient Capitals of the Ten Heavenly Realms Ancient Domain, saw countless streams of light converging from all directions each day.
Numerous Royal Clans arrived, and Imperial Clans and Immortal Clans came one after another, as if gathering all the powerhouses of the heavens.
From within his heavenly palace, Ye Chen distinctly sensed a suffocating pressure, the feeling of an impending storm.
Just from observing the arriving alien Imperial Clans, he knew at least eight had come.
Other Imperial Clans, Immortal Clans, and the like numbered at least thirty or more combined.
And as the day of the Emperor Son Feast approached, more and more Imperial Clans and Immortal Clans were bound to arrive.
Ye Chen guessed that possibly over half of all the Imperial Clans and Immortal Clans from the entire Ten Heavenly Realms Ancient Domain might come.
Without a doubt, this Emperor Son Feast was unprecedentedly grand.
During this period, Ye Chen naturally couldn't remain secluded within the heavenly palace the entire time. He continuously observed the various happenings in the outside world, gathering intelligence.
The Emperor Son Feast posed a danger to the human Emperor Sons and Daughters. Ye Chen needed to understand much, to know both himself and the enemy, in order to make better decisions.
Moreover, he very much wanted to know exactly how many Emperor Sons and Daughters and Immortal Dao Descendants had come, and how many were truly hostile.
From his vantage point in the heavenly palace, he surveyed the vast expanse of the Ascension Ancient Capital—myriad towers standing tall, heavenly palaces floating, divine islands never falling.
Ye Chen's gaze was profound and far-reaching.
No one could know what he was thinking within his heart, yet he seemed to be watching the figures of the Emperor Sons and Daughters and Immortal Dao Descendants from across the heavens.
"Yue, what are you thinking?"
A fragrant scent wafted to him as Abenue arrived by his side.
Since becoming Ye Chen's wife, though no wedding ceremony had been held, she was recognized as such. She had learned many of his previously unknown secrets from the past and knew his former name was Qian Yue.
Only those closest to him would address him thus, naturally calling him by the name Yue, which felt even more intimate.
She gently extended her slender arms from behind, encircling her husband's waist. Standing on tiptoe—despite her tall stature, she still needed to do so to rest her head on Ye Chen's tall and broad shoulder.
Though she was now one of the strongest young supremes, when it came down to it, wasn't she still just a little woman before her own husband?
Ye Chen's gaze looked into the distance. "The Emperor Son Feast is also a Hongmen Feast, involving many parties. I worry about the human race's situation."
Currently, the human race suffered suppression from the alien race. Though both were major contemporary races, the humans were clearly in a weaker position.
Wasn't this Emperor Son Feast precisely a Hongmen Feast deliberately set up by the alien race to target the human race?
Abenue was puzzled. "I've never understood. Since they know in their hearts it's a Hongmen Feast, why would the human Emperor Sons and Daughters still participate? It's clearly walking to their deaths. If they refused to attend, the alien race's goal would fail, wouldn't it?"
"Abenue, you're thinking too simply," Ye Chen shook his head. "It's not that the human race doesn't want to refuse, but that they cannot refuse."
"Why?" she asked, even more confused.
"The contention for the Emperor's Path requires advancing courageously without looking back," Ye Chen said. "To become an Emperor, one must possess a Dao heart that charges forward fearlessly, undaunted by anything. Even knowing the path ahead is filled with countless thorns, one must cut through them and continue onward."
"The Emperor Sons and Daughters fear nothing. To prove their Dao and achieve Emperorhood, they naturally charge forward courageously."
"Moreover, the alien race setting up this Hongmen Feast makes their intention clear. They mean to suppress the human race."
"The human Emperor Sons could avoid it and not go, but that would give the alien race a better excuse. They would claim the human race are cowards, that even their Emperor Sons and Daughters are, not daring to participate in the Emperor Son Feast. The alien race would grow even more arrogant, pushing their advantage. The human race would suffer greater suppression, becoming even more dispirited."
"With one side waning and the other waxing, the human race would appear even weaker."
"Furthermore, the alien race's ambitions are not small. They would inevitably provoke and sow discord, inciting the human race's anger."
"After years of suppression, the human race, though weakened, has accumulated considerable resentment. Once it reaches a critical point, it will erupt, and they will strike against the alien race."
"Naturally, the alien race also needs such an excuse. If the human race erupts, they will have reason to launch a full-scale assault on the human race, suppressing them completely, even slaughtering the human race to extinction."
"At that point, the human Imperial Clans would have no choice but to act. The Emperor Sons and Daughters would be forced to fight as well, and a great battle would likewise erupt."
"At such a time, involving a war between two great races, the Ancient Monarchs would certainly take action. The number of alien Imperial Clans surpasses that of the human Imperial Clans. If Monarchs go to war, the alien race holds the advantage."
"Moreover, in such a racial war, I'm afraid even the Ten Heavenly Emperor Halls would not intervene."
Ye Chen explained all this methodically. The more Abenue listened by his side, the more shocked she became.
She hadn't imagined that a mere Emperor Son Feast could implicate so much behind the scenes.
The so-called butterfly effect was precisely this.
But it was also for this reason that the human Emperor Sons and Daughters had no choice but to come.
Abenue frowned slightly. "From what you say, the human race is truly in great danger. But in this Emperor Son Feast, the situation for the human Emperor Sons is perilous. The alien race has more Emperor Sons and Daughters. If an Emperor Son-level war erupts, the consequences would be unthinkable."
Indeed, as Abenue thought, the alien race held the numerical advantage in Emperor Sons and Daughters.
Furthermore, rumors said other Imperial Clans and Immortal Clans were on good terms with the alien race. If the Emperor Sons and Daughters and Immortal Dao Descendants of these clans also intervened, the situation for the human Emperor Sons and Daughters would be extremely dangerous.
More importantly, at that point, she believed Ye Chen would certainly not stand idly by. He would step forward.
"You don't need to worry too much. Don't forget, if a true war breaks out, the human race's strength is not lacking in the slightest."
Ye Chen firmly squeezed her delicate hand.
Abenue felt relieved. As the saying goes, concern leads to confusion. She had forgotten that she herself had become one of the strongest young supremes. Ye Chen was one, the Corpse Devouring Insect Emperor was one, and Will, who would soon arrive, was also one.
Just their side alone had four powerhouse-level figures at the strongest young supreme level.
There were also some hidden forces.
Overall, the human race's Emperor Son-level combat power was still quite formidable.
Of course, all this remained hidden until a great battle erupted at the Emperor Son Feast.
But Abenue also felt some worry in her heart. If the human race had hidden strength, perhaps the alien race had hidden some as well.