That desolate intent drew everyone in, as if they were placed upon the river of time, walking until the end of heaven and earth, buried within the passage of years.
"Awaken!"
Several Divine Kings among them immediately shouted, their voices imbued with Divine King majesty, startling the other prodigies and talents awake. One by one, they jolted back to awareness, but when they truly realized what had happened, a chill ran down their spines, and cold sweat broke out.
Just moments ago, their thoughts had been led astray, their minds seemingly out of control, their own Daos on the verge of stepping into desolate decline and extinction. It was undoubtedly a negative influence, yet few had been able to react in time.
Such a method was truly terrifying and peerless.
However, the Divine Kings from the imperial clans, immortal clans, and Mythical Emperor Domain all wore grave expressions, even tinged with threads of horror.
"That's the Conceptual Realm! Divine King Cang Qingyang has mastered the Conceptual Realm!"
"Even if he is not an Imperial Son, this youth possesses a peerless, monstrous talent. His future achievements are limitless."
"He's only a One-Tribulation Divine King, yet he has already comprehended the higher-level Conceptual Realm."
Even powerful Divine Kings couldn't help but speak this way, their words full of admiration, all from the heart.
Even someone as formidable as the Cangtian Imperial Son revealed a trace of astonishment, with deep appreciation and satisfaction.
Behind him, the imperial clan Divine Kings were even more pleasantly surprised, and the many prodigies and talents of the Cangtian Imperial Clan were all invigorated.
The Conceptual Realm was as extraordinary as the Divine King Great Dao Origin, yet it was an immensely illusory power.
This illusory power was elusive, profound and mysterious.
If the laws of the Great Dao could be considered tangible, something that could be perceived, then the Conceptual Realm was something illusory, like air—unseen and difficult to perceive.
Many people, even Great Powers, might not necessarily know of the Conceptual Realm's existence.
However, once one mastered the Conceptual Realm, it was as if the laws of the Great Dao were sublimated, gaining vitality, becoming far more terrifying and peerless.
Yet, the Conceptual Realm could also be said to be exceedingly difficult to master, even for Divine Kings. Many Divine Kings might spend their entire lives without being able to master it—something that could be encountered but not sought.
It was precisely for this reason that it was so shocking.
Not only had Cang Qingyang condensed the embryonic form of the Divine King Great Dao Origin before achieving Divine Kinghood, but now he had also mastered the Conceptual Realm. Even if this Conceptual Realm power wasn't much, likely only an initial grasp with just a thread, it was still terrifying enough, capable of greatly enhancing his abilities.
A cold sneer curled at the corner of Cang Qingyang's mouth. "Battle Saint King, you are indeed powerful, but I have already comprehended a thread of the Conceptual Realm. Adding it to this Imperial Art divine ability, how will you withstand it?"
The elusive power of the Conceptual Realm spread. The world scene of the vast, desolate Cang Tian collided with the illusory black hole. However, while the illusory power of the black hole could make even Divine Kings pale, it was completely unable to do anything to the world scene. On the contrary, threads of desolate power were instead gradually eroding the illusory black hole, desolating it, silently causing it to fall into self-annihilation. It was a sight that struck fear into the heart.
The Conceptual Realm, like the Divine King Great Dao Origin power, once this illusory power was added, divine abilities and spells would immediately become much more powerful.
Moreover, the Conceptual Realm was unseen and intangible, completely impossible to withstand.
Before them, even Ye Chen's second form of the Chaos Three Styles could not endure it. Within the desolate Conceptual Realm power of Cang Tian, it was being eroded inch by inch, gradually assimilated.
Many people sighed. It wasn't that the Battle Saint King wasn't powerful enough. On the contrary, being able to confront the newly-achieved Divine King Cang Qingyang head-on at the late Tenth Heaven stage displayed his peerless talent without reserve.
Unfortunately, Cang Qingyang was also a peerless individual. Even if he wasn't the strongest young Supreme One, his talent was nearly on par.
Comprehending the Conceptual Realm was equivalent to possessing the cornerstone for higher achievements.
The desolate world scene even enveloped this stretch of the heavens, encompassing Ye Chen as well. The Cang Tian Conceptual Realm sought to completely reduce Ye Chen to ashes.
Ye Chen felt how insignificant he was within this Cang Tian Conceptual Realm. That vast, desolate intent felt as if billions of years had passed in an instant. His prime Chaos Saint Body gradually developed many wrinkles, even began to lose much of its vitality, slowly aging.
He was to cross infinite years in a short time, stepping from his youthful, vigorous era into the twilight of life.
Too terrifying!
Even Ye Chen felt a sliver of dread. He immediately enveloped himself with the illusory black hole, desperately operating the Form of Illusion, releasing rings of illusory power in an attempt to offset all the desolate power, reduce the flow of years, and preserve his own eternity.
But the power of the Cang Tian Conceptual Realm was too fearsome. It represented desolation, penetrating everywhere, invading everything. The envelopment of the illusory black hole could not completely block it; it was still being eroded. Threads of desolate power also acted upon Ye Chen's body. Though much reduced, they still existed, causing Ye Chen's aging to continue.
Gradually, Ye Chen continued to age, still unable to stop the flow of years. His hair began to turn gray, his flesh no longer full, beginning to step into the age of decline, growing older and more bewildered.
If this continued, he would completely turn into a pile of dry bones within the flow of desolate years!
"Husband!"
Abenue was worried, very much wanting to rush over, but Yu Qing stopped her. Though equally concerned, she said firmly, "Believe in our husband. He is the man we chose, and the strongest man. He has a way to handle this."
In fact, Yu Qing was also prepared. Once Ye Chen's life was threatened, she would immediately act to rescue him at all costs.
"Battle Saint King, you are indeed dazzlingly brilliant, able to comprehend and condense the embryonic form of the Divine King Great Dao Origin in a short time. If not unique throughout the ages, you are absolutely among the countable peerless individuals. But this time, even if you had mastered the complete Divine King Great Dao Origin, it could not save you!"
Cang Qingyang's voice rang in Ye Chen's mind, carrying a peculiar, eerie power. "Although you have mastered Chaos, throughout history, no one has been able to transcend, no one has been able to achieve Eternity. Emperors cannot, supreme immortals cannot, and you cannot either. Just vanish forever within those desolate years."
"Is it truly impossible to transcend, to achieve that Eternity?"
Ye Chen's Dao heart was shaken, affected. He also questioned himself. Was it really impossible to transcend, to achieve Eternity?
Would everything in the world ultimately vanish within those vast, desolate years?
He looked towards Yu Qing and Abenue in the distant sky. Under that Conceptual Realm, within that field of vision, they were rapidly aging, beauty fading, turning into pink skeletons, completely vanishing.
Finally, he seemed to see the river of time again, and also saw his future self, supremely supreme and unparalleled, the one peerless in the world yet utterly alone in the world. The years flowed, yet could not take away even a sliver of his time, as if eternal, as if frozen, unchangeable.
His future supremely supreme and unparalleled self was looking at him, without that invincible, world-shaking domineering aura, only desolation and an unspeakable sorrow, softly saying, "The passage of years can take away everything, but it cannot take away the Eternity of heaven and earth. Only by transcending can you change everything buried beneath destruction, reverse that blood-stained future, and save all those who are buried."
Boom—
A sound like the great explosion of the world's creation seemed to erupt in his mind, jolting Ye Chen completely awake. He then said solemnly, "If even this flow of years cannot be stopped, what talk is there of transcending, what talk of Eternity?"
At this moment, Ye Chen gained enlightenment. Chaotic light surged from his body. Even with withered white hair, the aging ceased. The power of the desolate Conceptual Realm could no longer affect him.
"Hmm?"
Cang Qingyang was startled, discovering that the desolate Conceptual Realm power was actually unable to affect the other party. He was suspicious.
Naturally, he didn't believe the other could withstand it. The vast, desolate power of Cang Tian grew even more vigorous. That vanishing illusory power also became more terrifying, capable of making mortals vanish into dust in an instant, ceasing to exist.
"This Cang Qingyang is indeed a figure. This desolate Conceptual Realm is extraordinary, but now it holds little use against me."
With a thought from Ye Chen, light suddenly burst forth from his aged body. Then, threads of grayish, desolate power rapidly rushed out from thirty-six thousand tiny pores—they were being expelled.
The aging on his body was receding. Brilliant light shone from him, light that seemed like time itself, flowing against the years, rapidly restoring his youth. White hair turned into thick black locks, his physique becoming tall and slender, strong and powerful, handsome and divinely majestic, peerless and extraordinary.
"How is this possible? My desolate Conceptual Realm... you actually broke it?"
This time, the shock on Cang Qingyang's face was even many times greater than when Ye Chen had condensed the embryonic form of the Divine King Great Dao Origin in a short time. Because this time, he had actually broken the invasion of his desolate Conceptual Realm.
Even a true Divine King, even a Three-Tribulation Divine King, would most likely succumb and vanish under this desolate Conceptual Realm. But now it had been broken. He discovered that his desolate Conceptual Realm power had also been expelled, unable to invade.
All of this was so shocking.
Not only Cang Qingyang, but others were also immensely astonished, as if hearing a tall tale. Only Yu Qing and Abenue remained unwavering in their belief.
"Vast heavens, boundless wilds, vanish!"
Cang Qingyang shouted once more. The desolate world scene attacked again, even more turbulent and surging. The power of the desolate Conceptual Realm once again assailed the other, seeking to age Ye Chen once more, even cause him to vanish with the years.
"The Conceptual Realm... is it something only you have comprehended?"
From within the illusory black hole, Ye Chen spoke lightly, yet his words were like a thunderclap on a clear day, deafening to all.
Especially Cang Qingyang, whose eyes widened with threads of horror. "Could it be that you also..."
He dared not speak further, afraid it might all become true.
"That's right. The Conceptual Realm... I can use it too!"
With that, the illusory black hole slowly rose, emitting threads of illusory, insubstantial intent of illusion, containing a special power that seemed capable of turning everything in the world into nothingness—it was the Conceptual Realm of Illusion. Similarly, not much, just a thread.
Yet, the moment this thread of Conceptual Realm power of Illusion appeared, it shook space-time, astonishing the entire world!
The Conceptual Realm—Cang Qingyang had mastered it, but Ye Chen had also mastered it!