Many people at the stone gate were astonished. After the lower stone gate was pushed open, a person truly appeared—a rather young man, not much older than the younger generation present, merely in his early twenties.
Even the esteemed great figure seated in the distant carriage, who had not yet revealed himself, cast a gaze of attention, clearly quite surprised as well.
But the newcomer's gaze appeared profound, like an endless abyss. He lifted his eyes to meet theirs, which also left everyone quite taken aback.
The person below was none other than Ye Chen. After pushing open the seventh Trial Gate, he saw that the eighth Trial Gate above had also been opened, revealing quite a few figures—all of them powerful individuals.
He even sensed that the auras of several among them were particularly powerful and astonishing, not much inferior to the Donghua Haoyi of the past, perhaps even slightly stronger.
Young Kings!
Without needing to think, Ye Chen knew there were Young Kings among them.
Behind him, Yang Wushuang, Long Gu'ao, Wu Yunyan, and the other four Ancient Talents followed, along with Xia Yang and others, stopping further behind Ye Chen. They too looked at the figures suddenly appearing above with considerable surprise. "There are people here?"
Clearly, both sides were very surprised, not expecting that there were people behind their respective stone gates.
"Who are these people? Why are they appearing behind the stone gates?" The young powerhouses in the Void Heaven Domain were all quite bewildered; the appearance of these people was clearly unexpected.
"Who are you?"
On the eighth stone gate, someone directly inquired—a powerful young prodigy, but not a King. Seeing that none of the Kings spoke, he took the initiative to ask, though it sounded more like an interrogation.
However, Ye Chen didn't even glance at this person. He was only locking gazes with the Flame Dragon King, the Vast King, and several other Kings. Between them, an intangible influence of powerful auras erupted, clashing and colliding between the seventh and eighth Trial Gates, causing the entire void to tremble.
This was an intangible confrontation.
The man who initially questioned, originally somewhat angered by Ye Chen's lack of response, immediately changed color upon witnessing this scene.
The others also paled. How could they have imagined that the young man behind the stone gate was actually a super powerhouse capable of contending with the auras of the Vast King and the Flame Dragon King? Could he also be a Young King?
Not only them, but even the five Ancient Talents behind Ye Chen could feel the terrifying pressure. Their expressions shifted as they suddenly understood: "Young Kings?"
And not just one; otherwise, they could not contend with Ye Chen's aura, for they all truly understood Ye Chen's real strength—only a King could oppose him.
"Who are you?"
The Flame Dragon King at the stone gate spoke. His voice exploded like thunder, causing many people's ears to ring and ache.
His body was burly and tall, reaching about one zhang in height. His physique was bronze-colored, like a giant cast from steel. His demonic might was vast and terrifying, akin to a demon king. Rolling kingly pressure poured down from above like a roaring flood, giving people a fearsome sense of oppression.
But Ye Chen's body shone with a vast radiance, neutralizing this kingly demonic pressure. He looked back at him and said, "And who are you?"
The Flame Dragon King frowned. "I am asking you. Why are you appearing behind the stone gate? Answer my question now."
"I am also asking you. Answer my question," Ye Chen replied similarly, not yielding to anyone. This left many of the younger generation dumbfounded. Over so many years, there truly hadn't been many who dared to treat the Flame Dragon King this way.
This was a brutal demon king. Once, because a younger generation member from a certain clan talked back to him, he bloodily slaughtered that clan's younger generation and left arrogantly, hence his fearsome reputation for ferocity.
"Hmph!"
The burly man let out a cold snort, his eyes flashing coldly. "Are you from some barbaric region? Thinking yourself invincible under heaven, you dare provoke this king? Truly seeking death."
As his words fell, the burly man directly opened his hand—already as wide as a millstone—and it expanded with the wind, instantly blotting out the sky and sun. It reached into the stone gate, descending like a crushing millstone directly toward Ye Chen on the azure stone staircase, intending to crush him to dust.
"The Flame Dragon King has made a move. That young man below the staircase is unlucky. Of all people to provoke, why provoke the Flame Dragon King?"
"Although his aura can contend with the Flame Dragon King, it doesn't necessarily mean he is a King."
Many people outside the stone gate shook their heads and sighed. The Flame Dragon King was not only a King-level figure but also a King with a violent temper, quite brutal and savage. Among the younger generation, aside from Kings, none could oppose him.
Now, with the Flame Dragon King slapping down a single large hand, that young man was simply doomed, likely to be crushed into paste.
"Hmm?"
The Flame Dragon King suddenly changed expression, because he felt that the large hand he had struck out suddenly encountered a terrifying gravitational pressure within the stone gate—at least several hundred thousand jin of fearsome pressure, comparable to a mountain pressing down, extremely heavy, which shocked him.
But who was he? A true King-level figure, and a demon king of a generation, with a kingly physique unparalleled in strength. How could this stop him? His large hand still slammed down, even more terrifyingly aided by that gravitational force. The void seemed about to be crushed and distorted.
Ye Chen's expression turned slightly cold. After passing through the seventh Trial Gate, the gravity had layered upon itself, now reaching one hundred ninety thousand jin, nearly two hundred thousand jin. It acted upon him constantly, more like carrying a colossal mountain. Moreover, when he ascended another hundred steps on the staircase, this gravity would clearly become twice as heavy again.
Nevertheless, Ye Chen's expression remained unchanged. For him, this was merely a form of tempering.
He also extended a large hand, transforming it into a golden heavenly stele to clash against it.
Boom—
The void trembled violently, and aura surged, striking the heavens. Many people were dumbstruck. In this collision, not only did that young man block the strike, but his figure also did not retreat, having withstood it head-on, which greatly shocked many.
Even the esteemed great figure seated in the carriage was moved. This was a King's strike, even if a very ordinary, casual one. But what kind of figures were Kings? Their strength was transcendent and powerful. Those at the Demigod realm could even slay super experts at the Divine Transformation Realm; one could imagine how formidable a casual strike was.
Yet, unexpectedly, this youth was able to withstand it.
Just who was this person?
Involuntarily, many began to speculate.
However, the Ancient Talents below, Xia Yang, and the others were also dumbfounded. After all, they were clear about Ye Chen's strength—extremely terrifying. He had once slain a true Heavenly God realm expert, that is, a Divine Transformation Realm super expert, when the otherworldly domain descended. Even if the five Ancient Talents joined forces, they likely couldn't last a hundred rounds against him.
Who would have thought that now, even his strike couldn't shatter that palm? The powerhouse behind the stone gate was indeed fearsome.
What a powerful individual.
At this moment, the gazes of the Flame Dragon King, the Vast King, and several other Young Kings became many times more blazing, their substantialized gazes falling upon Ye Chen, brilliant and eye-catching.
They could all see that Ye Chen was definitely a powerful young prodigy, perhaps even comparable to a true King-level figure. That such a young prodigy existed behind the stone gate surprised them somewhat, but it made them even more curious about the world behind the stone gate.
Ye Chen did not stop. To pass through the King's ancient gate, he must ascend all the azure stone steps.
Even if he might face obstruction from these Young Kings, he would not hesitate.
He continued stepping upward, clack-clack-clack, even though the pressure on his body grew heavier. When he climbed another hundred steps, it suddenly became nearly one hundred thirty thousand jin heavier. The terrifying pressure directly descended—three hundred thousand jin of gravity pressed upon his shoulders, causing his entire body to sink slightly.
Ye Chen merely frowned slightly. This weight meant nothing to him. Even if not in reality, he could still bear three hundred thousand jin of gravity and continued climbing.
But with each step he took, the entire azure stone staircase trembled, showing just how much gravity he was enduring.
At this time, the Flame Dragon King within the stone gate made another move. Clearly, he had discerned Ye Chen's current state, or rather, knew that Ye Chen was currently suppressed by several hundred thousand jin of gravity. He let out a cold laugh and, with a pinch of his fingers, unleashed a fearsome divine technique.
Boom—
A stretch of starry river directly manifested, with one massive star after another rotating within, flowing with vast stellar might. The void seemed on the verge of being unable to withstand it and shattering.
"So powerful! He actually summoned a stretch of starry river. Who could withstand that?" the crowd exclaimed, astonished by such a method.
"Despicable!" The young powerhouses below all knew just how heavy a pressure Ye Chen was currently enduring and couldn't help but curse.
A sheet of starlight poured down, starry and dotted, as if massive stars were rotating within, rumbling with great noise, shaking the eternal sky. Each and every one of them blasted toward Ye Chen.
Ye Chen's eyes flashed with cold light. He activated the Void Divine Art, and the void was sliced open. All the starry river was swallowed, vanishing into it, unable to harm his own body.
The Flame Dragon King was shocked. What a powerful individual! Even while enduring several hundred thousand jin of terrifying gravity, he could still block his attack. It had to be said, this was a fearsome young prodigy, perhaps not inferior to himself.
Ye Chen continued ascending the steps. At this moment, the gravity suddenly vanished, but shackles formed of rules manifested. Shackles weighing several hundred thousand jin intertwined upon his body, locking his limbs and torso, imposed upon him, truly manifesting with dao patterns interweaving.
And at this time, a stele descended from the void before the powerhouses of the Void Heaven Domain, shining brilliantly, inscribed with ancient text:
Prevent the opponent from reaching the final gate, and obtain a portion of the opportunity!
Slay him, and obtain all the opportunity!
Instantly, on the eighth Trial Gate, several Kings' eyes blazed with divine light, releasing the most terrifying killing intent that poured down overwhelmingly, engulfing Ye Chen!