"Young Friend Ye, you've finally arrived." Elder Ouyang was the first to step forward, leading the other Martial God realm elders, greeting Ye Chen with a smile.
"Greetings, Supreme Elder." Ye Chen bowed respectfully.
"You are too courteous, young friend."
After a brief exchange of pleasantries, Elder Ouyang expressed great welcome for Ye Chen's arrival. This was a young prodigy no weaker than the Ancient Talents, yet even younger and more monstrous, with boundless prospects.
As long as he didn't perish prematurely, he would undoubtedly become another Supreme Divine Spirit in the future, with even the hope of surpassing Divine Spirits.
Ye Chen was someone accustomed to grand scenes and naturally didn't feel intimidated. He chatted amiably with Elder Ouyang, their conversation causing both new and old students to watch with immense envy. In the entire venue, only a handful of people had the qualification to speak so equally with the lofty Supreme Elder.
"According to the rules, all new students who have passed Trial Gates of different levels are eligible to receive corresponding Sacred Land cultivation time. These rewards will be delivered to you tonight."
The Supreme Elder looked towards the few new students who had passed the fourth-level Trial Gate, fulfilling his promise, which delighted those who had pushed open the fourth-level gate, while the old students watched with gazes full of envy and jealousy.
Then Elder Ouyang turned his gaze to the several Ancient Talents and Ye Chen, saying, "Young Friend Ye Chen, your Sacred Land cultivation qualification reward will be delivered along with the reward for three hundred points on the Trial Path. As for you few young Ancient Talents, since you are not new students of our Tian Du Academy, I apologize, but this cannot be granted to you. Yuan Jiu, however, is qualified to enter."
Yang Wushuang, Long Gu'ao, and the others showed no surprise or regret. They also understood that with the Slaying the Heavens war imminent, Tian Du Academy would open its doors to them even if it were selfish, but the Sacred Land cultivation resources likely couldn't be too abundant. Probably allocating them to these few would completely deplete it, hence these words.
They all understood. Moreover, as the key young generation nurtured by their respective super forces, even their Divine Spirit ancient ancestors would expend great effort to cultivate them, so they naturally weren't lacking in cultivation treasures similar to Tian Du Academy's Sacred Land.
"Elder Ouyang, you are too courteous. We all understand. This time was merely to verify our respective strengths," Yang Wushuang said with a light laugh, not particularly concerned. The other three Ancient Talents felt the same.
In fact, pushing open the Trial Gate this time, especially the Primordial Spirit spiritual energy, had benefited them immensely. Their Primordial Spirit light had grown much stronger, already enough to satisfy them fully.
"Brother Ye, Brother Yuan Jiu, we shall meet again another day!"
Finally, the several great Ancient Talents drifted away gracefully, making an appointment with Ye Chen and Yuan Jiu to meet and spar again in the future.
They had all witnessed the mysterious primordial world beyond the Trial Gate. This was something they absolutely had to report to the Divine Spirit ancient ancestors of their respective super forces, as it was a matter of great importance.
"Brother Ye, I am within the academy. Feel free to find me anytime you're free. We can spar and study together," Yuan Jiu also left an address before similarly drifting away gracefully.
Ye Chen gathered briefly with Xia Teng and the others before parting, as Xia Teng and his group still had some matters to handle. Ye Chen stated that as long as there was any need, they could come find him.
In the evening, Tian Du Academy arranged a manor for Ye Chen, located in the deepest part of the academy, adjacent to the most spiritually rich cave paradise, named Bright Moon Pavilion.
That place was also only eligible for academy elder-level figures to reside in. Within the entire Tian Du Academy, only a handful of students received such treatment, each one being the most monstrous figure within the Heaven-tier Academy.
This clearly demonstrated Tian Du Academy's regard for Ye Chen.
The manor was vast, covering extensive grounds. Dao marks were even engraved in the void, making the interior far more spacious and grand. Within the courtyard, there was even a jade-green lake with rolling waves, a small bridge over flowing water, possessing a uniquely serene and elegant charm.
The bright moon hung high, the azure sky clear as if washed, a brilliant Milky Way spanning the firmament, starlight shimmering.
Within the manor, Ye Chen sat cross-legged above the jade-green lake in the courtyard, seated in the void, quietly meditating. His black hair naturally draped over his shoulders and back, his entire being flowing with a mysterious Dao Rhyme that resonated with heaven and earth.
Visible to the naked eye, abundant heaven and earth spiritual energy descended from all directions, transforming into a long river of spiritual energy, misty and surging, illuminating the entire Bright Moon Pavilion, dreamlike and enchanting.
He floated and sank within it, all thirty-six thousand pores on his body opening wide. Divine radiance and starlight rose from his entire form, absorbing the essence from all directions.
This stream of pure heaven and earth spiritual energy was swallowed by Ye Chen, turning into strands of azure brilliance that he absorbed, then continuously washed over his body, cleansing impurities. Moreover, he was operating a supreme profound art, the Divine King Rebirth Art.
This peerless divine technique obtained from the ancient Human King possessed extraordinary and profound mysteries, said to be capable of reviving and rebirthing from a single drop of blood, defying the heavens and overshadowing the world.
Ye Chen was using the Divine King Rebirth Art to cleanse his physical body, eliminating all hidden injuries and latent dangers, making it completely flawless and free of impurities.
During today's battle, he hadn't truly emerged unscathed. He believed even the other Ancient Talents were the same. At their level of power, consecutive great battles, the execution of various divine techniques—every move and stance was powerful enough to kill ordinary Martial Gods. Naturally, they would also sustain a certain degree of injury, though not major, and could suppress it, hence not showing on the surface.
But if hidden injuries and latent dangers weren't eliminated early, they could very well develop into Dao injuries in the future. This was not something to be taken lightly.
Rumble—
Within his body's meridians, blood roared like a flood, deafening. His bloodline power was peerlessly powerful, continuously washing every inch of his body. With the restoration of the Divine King Rebirth Art and the self-restoration of his bloodline, under this dual effect, all injuries were eliminated, restoring him to peak condition.
Only after a full three hours did Ye Chen fully recover to his peak. His blood energy was abundant and pure, his Primordial Spirit blossoming with seven-colored radiance, his essence, energy, and spirit all restored to their optimal state.
The moment he opened his eyes, it seemed as if two streaks of lightning flashed past, illuminating heaven and earth.
His glabella was emitting wisps of seven-colored light. After absorbing sufficient Primordial Spirit spiritual energy, his Primordial Spirit power had grown substantially. It could be said his Primordial Spirit now appeared increasingly powerful, exuding an oppressive aura that could not be violated. Even a super Martial God would feel intimidated facing it.
However, all this was not important. What was important was still that primordial world beyond the Trial Gate. No matter what, Ye Chen never imagined it would be that world.
Though he didn't understand why September Great Power would leave a Trial Gate linking to that world as a passage, his intuition told him this was all not simple.
The next morning, a powerful Martial God realm elder descended, but did not directly enter Ye Chen's manor. Instead, he very politely stood before the manor's main gate, displaying a courtesy that only a peerless genius like Ye Chen was qualified to receive from an academy elder. Otherwise, for ordinary students, the elder would directly descend and speak.
Ye Chen was not arrogant. Instead, he very courteously welcomed this elder into the manor, which made the elder sigh with emotion. Ordinary geniuses who achieved what Ye Chen had would have long been sticking their tails up, appearing quite proud and arrogant. For someone like Ye Chen to still remain so humble was truly commendable.
Without unnecessary words, this elder stated his purpose, handing over two different jade talismans.
He stated that the black jade talisman was the reward for three hundred points on the Trial Path, allowing entry to the Elder Altar deep within the academy to listen to lectures. At the very least, Martial God realm elders would be explaining, and even Heavenly God realm Supreme Elders would appear, explaining some of the great Daos of heaven and earth, progressing from shallow to deep, providing precious cultivation experience, incomparably valuable.
Even occasionally, the academy's few most mysterious and ancient old monsters and the lofty Supreme Old Academy Head would suddenly appear to give lectures. This was an opportunity even Heavenly Gods would yearn for. It could be said this was an incomparably precious jade talisman.
Naturally, the jade talisman had a corresponding time limit, not permanent. It could only be used for half a year. To renew it, one must have sufficient contributions or use some particularly precious treasures to exchange for an extension at the academy's Elder Hall.
Ye Chen nodded. Regarding this Elder Altar, he didn't show the excessive interest that ordinary people would. Regarding true comprehension of the Daos of heaven and earth, he almost dared say no one on the Tian Du Continent could compare, even if several Divine Spirits were present. His comprehension of the Dao was too high; it could be said even Divine Spirits needed to listen to his explanations.
Moreover, by his side was the mysterious Old Yan, whose realm was enigmatic but at least surpassed Divine Spirits.
Seeing Ye Chen's expression, that elder sighed silently but didn't think he was being overly arrogant or careless. Rumors said this youth had a Supreme Divine Spirit as a master guiding him. That rumor was likely true, otherwise he wouldn't show such indifference.
After all, whether it was Heavenly Gods, or even the old monsters and Supreme Old Academy Head's lectures, they were all incomparably precious, especially the latter. Even the various Heavenly Gods under heaven didn't have many opportunities to listen to such lectures. Only a few Ancient Talents, like Ye Chen, who had Divine Spirits personally guiding them as peerless monsters, could be completely indifferent.
The second jade talisman was a golden one, the jade talisman for entering the Sacred Land, as a reward for pushing open the Trial Gate.
As long as one held the golden jade talisman, they could cultivate in the Sacred Land for half a year. That was a place countless geniuses within the entire academy eyed covetously. Cultivating there for one day could equal ten days or half a month outside, or even more.
Ye Chen sincerely thanked the elder and saw him off as he left the manor.
Regarding the so-called Elder Altar lectures, he naturally didn't care much. But Sacred Land cultivation—it was said that place not only had heaven and earth spiritual energy condensed into spiritual pools, but even other heaven and earth energies, divine energy abundant, providing immense help for cultivation.
Ye Chen was precisely worried about lacking sufficient energy assistance to charge into the Martial God realm and was also troubled by his Human Yuan Golden Body not having enough energy to reach perfection. He believed the Sacred Land would solve his problems very well.
However, he didn't immediately head to the Sacred Land to cultivate. Instead, based on the academy map provided by the elder, he flew through the air towards the Heaven-tier Academy.
He needed to find someone. That person who, back on the King's Ancient Path, had crippled his dantian, turning him into a waste from then on—Huang Tianqin!