The middle-aged man looked like an extremely ordinary mortal, without the slightest trace of oppressive aura.
Beside him sat a bottle of wine—a very common wine, the kind that would be considered ordinary and inferior even in the mortal world. Yet the middle-aged man seemed to quite like it, drinking continuously.
With messy hair and a face full of stubble, his eyes bleary with sleep, he looked at Ye Chen and grinned, revealing slightly yellowed teeth. "You're here."
Those simple words, "You're here," were sufficient to prove this person was anything but ordinary.
Without a word, Ye Chen turned to leave.
Although the other party appeared very ordinary, and he couldn't sense the slightest fluctuation from him, Ye Chen's Chaos Supreme Body possessed the most acute senses. He felt the terrifying nature of this person, a chill creeping up his spine.
"Little friend, since you're here, don't leave just yet."
The middle-aged man smiled and casually waved his hand. Ye Chen immediately felt the space around him being sealed. This wasn't an ordinary seal; it possessed a special sealing power. He believed even an ordinary Quasi-Monarch would find it difficult to break.
Ye Chen turned back again, looking at the middle-aged man. "Senior, this junior has matters to attend to and will not disturb you further."
He tore through the sealed void. Though somewhat difficult, he was still capable of it. Then, he shot into the sky like lightning.
But soon, Ye Chen's pupils contracted sharply. The world around him shifted, stars moving—he had been instantly teleported back beside the middle-aged man.
*Buzz—*
Ye Chen felt his hair stand on end!
Even when facing other Quasi-Monarchs, he could remain composed and at ease. But before this middle-aged man, that was utterly impossible. At the very least, the technique just displayed far surpassed that of an ordinary Quasi-Monarch. Even Guisha, the late-stage Quasi-Monarch who had been chasing him earlier, could never have accomplished such a feat.
An Ancient Monarch?
Ye Chen focused intently, speaking in a deep voice, "What do you mean by this? Are you forcing me to stay?"
At this point, Ye Chen no longer addressed him as 'Senior'—that had merely been a formality for the sake of leaving.
The slovenly middle-aged man looked at Ye Chen and smiled. "You are indeed quite remarkable. Not even a thousand years old, yet already a Nine Tribulations Divine King, the next step being Quasi-Monarch. A pity you're still lacking a bit. My goal is simple: to keep you here. You'd best behave and not act rashly. You wouldn't want to fight me, and I have no wish to harm you. After all, you are the most outstanding talent I've seen in many years."
"Are you an Ancient Monarch?" Ye Chen asked, for the other's methods were too astonishing.
"No. The Ancient Monarchs have an agreement; they cannot take action."
"Hmph!"
Ye Chen sneered coldly. Since he wasn't an Ancient Monarch, that made things simpler.
His figure moved, soaring into the sky. He directly unleashed his most terrifying Chaos Divine Might, tearing through layer after layer of void, instantly breaking the seal and rapidly distancing himself at an astonishing speed.
"Truly a fine seedling. No wonder the various Emperor Clans and Immortal Clans don't wish for you to grow to maturity. It's not without reason."
The slovenly middle-aged man smiled faintly, then took a single step. With a *whoosh*, he traversed an unknown number of *li*, arriving before Ye Chen in the blink of an eye.
This speed, akin to teleportation, caused Ye Chen's pupils to contract sharply—it far surpassed his own.
Simultaneously, the slovenly middle-aged man extended a large hand covered in countless rough calluses. It enveloped the heavens and earth, sealing the six directions and eight wildernesses, even encompassing Ye Chen within it. "Stay put obediently."
"Chaos Shaking Heaven Hand!"
Ye Chen shouted, also striking out with the Chaos Shaking Heaven Hand. Chaos light spread, laws surged to the heavens, clashing with the other hand.
However, that rough hand merely trembled slightly. Ye Chen's Chaos Shaking Heaven Hand felt intense pain; the tiger's mouth of his palm split, oozing Chaos Saint Blood. He withdrew, his expression grave.
Still, he had slightly impeded it, and his figure broke through the air to leave.
"Interesting. To reach such a level at such a young age. If you become a Quasi-Monarch, perhaps it won't be long before you reach the same level as me. A pity you're still lacking some time, not yet truly grown to maturity."
The slovenly middle-aged man shook his head like this, his gaze like that of an elder looking at a junior—and indeed, he possessed such qualification. He attacked again.
But this time, numerous terrifying rays of light appeared between heaven and earth, accompanied by intense monarchial heavenly might, descending from the sky to seize Ye Chen.
Ye Chen's expression changed drastically, for he clearly saw that beneath that large hand, over a hundred strands of Monarch Rule power were descending!
That's right, it was Monarch Rule power, and over a hundred strands at that.
One must know that even a mid-stage Quasi-Monarch powerhouse like Hongwei Quasi-Monarch had only mastered a mere eight strands. Yet this mysterious, slovenly middle-aged man before him had mastered over a hundred strands, clearly possessing strength more than ten times greater than Hongwei Quasi-Monarch.
A Great Perfection Quasi-Monarch?
This thought flashed through Ye Chen's mind, but he immediately reacted. The Time Divine King Spirit emerged, transforming into space-time. He executed the Space-Time Emperor Technique—Primordial Beginning!
Everything was to be reversed. However, this space-time great power, when applied to the over hundred strands of Monarch Rule power, only caused them to pause for a mere instant before being shattered. The Monarch Rule power continued to descend, unstoppable.
But even that instant of effect was enough, nearly sufficient. Seizing this opportunity, Ye Chen found a sliver of gap and fled far away.
"You surprise me somewhat. To escape from my grasp time and again. Even though I haven't used my full strength, among those below the Monarch level, you are the first, Saint King of Battle."
The slovenly middle-aged man shook his head with a smile, carrying a hint of appreciation. He hadn't encountered such a thing in a long time. To meet one again today was truly not bad.
"I'll give you one chance. If you can escape once more, I'll allow you to flee for three days."
The over hundred strands of Monarch Rule power shot into the sky, breaking through the air like lightning, arriving beside Ye Chen in an instant, sealing the six directions and eight wildernesses.
Each strand radiated terrifying monarchial heavenly might, capable of easily annihilating the void. They interwove, completely sealing Ye Chen.
Ye Chen shouted, summoning the Chaos Great Cauldron. Multiple Divine King Spirits appeared, joining forces to bombard the Monarch Rule power. The sounds of *boom boom boom* were incessant; large areas of heaven and earth collapsed. Yet, they simply could not break through the blockade of the Monarch Rules.
It was all too terrifying.
Just who was this slovenly middle-aged man? His methods were so powerful, waving his hand to summon over a hundred strands of Monarch Rule power, sealing heaven and earth. Even someone as strong as Ye Chen felt it difficult to escape calamity.
Was this the means of a Great Perfection Quasi-Monarch?
Ye Chen held back no longer. With a thought, his Chaos Supreme Body and Chaos Divine King Spirit both emerged. Moreover, the six Giant Divine Soldiers appeared. The power of nine Quasi-Monarchs erupted in full force, bombarding one of the weaker points.