These were also supreme powerhouses who perished in that era, all having awakened the death flame, encircling the periphery of the Five Sovereign Tombs like guardians. Anyone who dared to profane the majesty of the Ancient Sovereigns would be utterly annihilated.
"So what if they were supreme powerhouses back then, or even Kings of the Gods? They are merely the departed. Even alive they would struggle to contend, let alone having only recovered a portion of their former power. They should remain buried deep within the earth!"
The gazes of the various Heavenly Emperor sons and daughters, and the immortal path descendants, were icy cold. At this point, nothing could stop them from contending for the Ancient Sovereign inheritance.
Gods blocking their path would be slain, Buddhas blocking their path would be slain!
Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!
The Rotten Gods and Demons awakened from the Bloody Plains were powerful, but this obviously could not serve as a reason to stop the various major forces. The strongest among these Rotten Gods and Demons were only at the Five Tribulation Divine King level, with only a little over thirty at the Divine King level. The majority were at the Great Power level. After a battle that could be considered somewhat intense, all the Rotten Gods and Demons were swept away by the various major forces, vanishing into smoke.
Finally, all forces smoothly arrived before the Five Sovereign Tombs, each having to look up at them.
Only when truly approaching the tombs did they realize they were far, far more magnificent and vast than imagined—many times over. They were practically five majestic continents, each no smaller than a great domain. What manifested in the outside world was merely a corner.
Truly speaking, each Sovereign Tomb existed within a unique space-time, majestic and grand, untouchable.
The Five Sovereign Tombs represented five separate space-times.
The Five Sovereign Tombs were arranged in a pentagonal formation, situated in five directions, with equal distances between them.
Moreover, although the Five Sovereign Tombs were independent and separate from each other, they also shared a convergence point—the highest point at the very center of the five tombs. That place was lofty and unattainable, seemingly the highest point between heaven and earth, a commanding height surpassing all else.
The powerhouses gazed into the distance. The convergence point was blurry, as if it had fused the space-time rules of the Five Sovereign Tombs, invisible to the world. Yet, it clearly emanated an aura of peerless supremacy, as if a living Ancient Sovereign existed there, impossible to look upon directly.
In a daze, it seemed as if an immortal divine altar floated there, or as if a supreme, peerless Imperial Shadow sat cross-legged, looking down upon past and present with arrogance.
But upon closer inspection, it also seemed like there was nothing, a very special, peculiar place.
"Will the Formless Ancient Ancestor be here?" The Divine Kings of the Imperial Clan Qin Family revealed fervent light in their eyes, earnestly hoping to truly find the sacred remains of the Formless Monarch. That was their clan's supreme ancient ancestor, second only to the First Emperor of Qin from ancient times. He could not be left to wander outside; he must be buried within the ancestral lands of the Imperial Clan Qin Family.
However, Ye Chen's expression was also grave. He had never seen any trace of the Heavenly Sovereign, nor the traces of the other surviving Five Domain Masters. He similarly suspected they were all within the Five Sovereign Tombs.
He informed the human powerhouses of this, making them all nod with much heavier expressions. Even though their overall strength was great, they could not afford to be careless.
At the same time, within the Battle Saint Hall at the center of the Ten Domains, the Great Emperor's reincarnation body sat upon the imperial throne, a vast pressure slowly overflowing. He looked towards the Fallen Heaven Mausoleum, ready to rush to support at the first sign of trouble.
Far away in the Heavenly Sovereign Realm, even outside the Emperor War Domain, within the vast ancient world of the Imperial Clan Qin Family inside the Tenth Heavenly Pass.
Within the Ninth Heavenly Pass territory existed a Death World, specially opened by Monarch Wushi for the Rotten Gods and Demons originating from outside the Mythical Ruins to reside.
There, endless death energy surged, with only a Life Source at the center possessing boundless vitality. A special ancient coffin usually floated there, seemingly constantly devouring life force.
But on this day, the usually inactive Rotten Gods and Demons suddenly stirred. The eight leading supreme Rotten Gods and Demons were all startled, looking towards the outside world with inexplicable expressions, as if words echoed: "The moment awaited for countless ages has finally arrived. Is it coming?"
Boom—
On this day, the Ninth Heavenly Pass territory was greatly shaken, for countless Rotten Gods and Demons broke out of the Death World. However, they were not to bring calamity to the world, but rather charged out of the Tenth Heavenly Pass, rushing towards the direction of the Emperor War Domain...
"Enter the Sovereign Tombs! Contest for the Ancient Sovereign inheritance!"
The various major forces charged towards the Five Sovereign Tombs, quickly descending into each tomb.
Called tombs, they were actually continents of Sovereign Tombs, astonishingly vast, each with its own independent starry sky dotted with real stars, which was startling.
On the continents, there were also boundless mountain forests, green hills and clear waters, as well as numerous sacred and supreme cultivation holy lands, etc., no different from the outside world, with quite rich spiritual energy.
The only difference was that at the center of each of the five Sovereign Tomb continents stood a towering divine peak, soaring straight into the sky. Countless stars orbited them, emanating supreme majesty that shook the vast heavens through the ages—these were the Ancient Sovereign Tombs!
What was seen on the Bloody Plains was precisely a corner of the divine peaks of the Five Sovereign Tombs, not the full view. One couldn't even see the Sovereign Tomb continents below, all hidden by space-time. Only by entering the tomb lands could one truly see the full picture.
"Could it be that the Sovereign Tomb space-times are the Origin Imperial Worlds of the five Ancient Sovereigns? No, even if incomplete, they shouldn't be this small."
The powerhouses frowned. Although each Sovereign Tomb space-time was large, compared to a true Origin Imperial World, it seemed much smaller, only about one-third the size.
Even an incomplete Emperor World wouldn't be this small, as the incomplete Origin Imperial Worlds or Immortal Worlds of other Great Emperors or Supreme Immortals were still more than twice as vast.
Overall, the Five Sovereign Tombs held too many strange aspects, feeling very unusual.
However, the various major forces paid no heed, each charging down to their chosen Sovereign Tomb continent. Their main goal was to contend for the Ancient Sovereign inheritance; whether this was an Origin Imperial World was a secondary consideration.
Overall, with five Sovereign Tombs, many powerful competitors could be dispersed.
Otherwise, if all forces contended for the same Sovereign Tomb, the hope would truly be slim.
Naturally, the five Ancient Sovereign Clans of the Chaos Burial Ground chose the tombs of their respective Ancient Sovereigns, descending into the various tomb lands.
When they gazed at the Ancient Sovereign Tombs floating at the highest point of the central sky above the continents, any clansmen felt a pull within their blood, causing it to boil as if the Ancient Sovereigns were calling, making the five Sovereign Clans' expressions excited.
Especially the princes and princesses, who felt it most deeply—the call of their parents' bloodline, as if they were calling to them. Their supreme Imperial Dao bloodlines boiled all over their bodies, vast blood energy steaming and transforming into dragons of blood energy soaring into the sky.
The Ancient Sovereign Tombs, eternal and unmoving, even began to flow with faint radiance, actually resonating.
The various major forces changed expressions. Once these princes and princesses obtained it first, they would have no hope, for as the children of the Ancient Sovereigns, they were more qualified than anyone else and could more easily obtain this Imperial Dao inheritance.
Only by striking first could they seize this Ancient Sovereign inheritance.
"Prepare to contend!"
The various Heavenly Emperor sons and daughters, and immortal path descendants, all had icy expressions. At this point, even if these princes and princesses were the true inheritors of the Imperial Dao, for the sake of becoming stronger, they would show no mercy.
Behind them stood the Divine Kings of the imperial clans and immortal clans, either from the older generation or newly advanced young Divine Kings.
"Do you intend to contend for the inheritance belonging to our Sovereign Clan's Ancient Sovereign?"
The powerhouses of the five Sovereign Clans all had cold expressions, especially the princes and princesses, filled with ruthless killing intent. Quasi-Monarchs appeared behind them. Although they hadn't fully released all their auras, a wisp of Monarch Heavenly Might surpassing the Divine King level slowly bloomed, intimidating the powerhouses and making them change expressions, aware of their strength.
Within the Bone Devil Sovereign Clan, the clan's Quasi-Monarch was especially so. His devil body was massive and huge, with a dharma form slowly manifesting, making the stars in the Sovereign Tomb space-time tremble, about to dim at this moment.
"Quasi-Monarchs!"
The various major forces all changed expressions.
The human side was the same, but they had not chosen the Bone Devil Ancient Sovereign's tomb continent; otherwise, they would face the most terrifying pursuit from this clan's Quasi-Monarch.
Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!
Suddenly, above the five Sovereign Tomb continents, numerous powerful auras bloomed, and one Divine City after another rose.
Called Divine Cities, they were more accurately War Fortresses, each only several dozen li in radius, far smaller than normal Divine Cities. However, they could hover in the air, all emanating terrifying divine light, with supreme runes reviving.
The various major forces watched in surprise as these War Fortresses hovered in the air. They also saw pitch-black, gleaming divine cannons aimed at the powerhouses. Although resembling the so-called cannons of the mundane world, they gave the powerhouses a sense of threat.
Behind them, numerous divine ships appeared, fully armored from head to toe, called warships. They actually extended terrifying cannons, inscribed with extremely profound Dao divine marks.
A powerful army suddenly appeared above the five Sovereign Tomb continents, aiming at all the major forces that had descended upon the tomb continents.
"This is the forbidden land of the Sovereign Tombs. Do not tread here. Retreat quickly, or do not blame us for being ruthless!"
On the Sovereign Tomb continent where the humans were, from within a ferocious War Fortress, a powerful Divine King appeared, his body wreathed in blazing light, extremely powerful, his true appearance unclear. Only a pair of purple eyes were revealed, coldly sweeping over the various major forces before issuing a majestic shout.
"There are Divine Kings, and extraordinary fortresses, warships... It seems this army is extraordinary, even worthy of being called powerful."
The various major forces all wore grave expressions, not daring to be careless.
Under the aim of those densely packed divine cannons, even powerful Divine Kings felt their hearts pounding.
Naturally, the various major forces could not easily leave. Even though the suddenly appearing army was fearsome, possessing terrifying foundation, they were no ordinary individuals. Their goal was the Sovereign Tombs; no one would leave easily.
Ye Chen narrowed his eyes slightly, the divine power around his body quietly beginning to boil. He said softly, "Begin preparations. Breaking through this barrier might be somewhat difficult, requiring a major effort."