Upon passing the first checkpoint, a vast divine light appeared. A pillar of light pierced through the heavens and the earth, visible to the naked eye.
Within the light pillar, a scroll slowly descended from the sky, landing before Ye Chen.
Reaching out to grab it, a stream of information flowed into his mind. He then smiled slightly. "So it's a manual on how to break through the limits of one's innate talent, personally annotated by an Ancient Emperor. I suspect it was precisely because of this scroll that Yun Aotian managed to shatter his talent shackles and become the foremost of the five Divine Kings."
The second checkpoint presented a new world, featuring a nine-headed demonic serpent with combat power rivaling the Reincarnation Realm.
Yet again, it was dealt with by a mere flick of his sleeve.
The third checkpoint, the fourth, the fifth...
Each one was a trial targeting the Heavenly King Realm, the Great Ability Realm, and the Half-Step Divine King Realm respectively, and all at the peak level within those realms.
However, they posed no obstacle to Ye Chen, who passed through them with the same ease and composure.
Furthermore, each checkpoint offered a reward, much like the Human Emperor Trial of the past. There were Emperor Scriptures containing cultivation techniques for specific major realms, Supreme Divine Abilities, formation arrays, and precious treasures for boosting cultivation, among other things.
The sixth checkpoint!
A stretch of starry sky, with eight stars floating within this starfield. Once again, Ant Dragon Beasts appeared, but this time, each star was guarded by an Ant Dragon Beast King at the Divine King level.
The weakest were at the Second Calamity Divine King level, while the strongest reached the Fifth Calamity Divine King level.
A full eight Divine Kings.
"No wonder Yun Aotian was blocked at the sixth checkpoint," Ye Chen remarked. "Two Fifth Calamity Divine Kings, with the others being at least Second Calamity Divine Kings, and they are Ant Dragon Beasts, a terrifying race comparable to the insectoid clans. Even with the Supreme Divine Abilities he obtained, it would have been extremely difficult for him to pass."
He smiled, adding, "But that's only for Yun Aotian."
Boom—
With just a single step forward, this expanse of starry sky collapsed and shattered into nothingness.
Checkpoint cleared!
Outside the Immortal Emperor Hall, each time Ye Chen passed a checkpoint, a pillar of light in a different color shot up from the hall.
In the span of just a few short moments, a total of six light pillars—red, orange, yellow, green, cyan, and blue—had already erupted from the Immortal Emperor Hall.
"He passed the sixth checkpoint... and in merely a brief moment." Yun Aotian was deeply shocked. He knew all too well the difficulty of the sixth checkpoint. Even after becoming a Divine King, he had spent over a hundred thousand years trying and failing to pass it.
Because the sixth checkpoint was a fearsome swarm of Ant Dragon Beasts, with more than eight Ant Dragon Beast Kings at the Divine King level. The most terrifying among them was a Fifth Calamity Divine King, no weaker than himself. Moreover, there was the overwhelming tide of Ant Dragon Beast armies flooding the starfield—utterly terrifying.
Despite exhausting all his methods, he could only get halfway through, slaying seven Ant Dragon Beast Kings before ultimately being worn down to death.
He knew that only by advancing further, becoming a Sixth Calamity Divine King, would he have hope of passing that dreadful Ant Dragon Beast swarm.
Yet, the mysterious Lord Ye Chen had passed it in an instant.
"To pass the sixth checkpoint in a brief moment indeed shows more capability than this Yun Aotian," the two Divine Generals showed a trace of appreciation. "However, the seventh checkpoint has a blocker at the Seventh Calamity Divine King level or above. Wanting to pass it... even a Super Divine King attempting it wouldn't dare claim they could definitely succeed."
At that very moment, with a deafening boom, the Immortal Divine Hall trembled violently. A violet light pillar suddenly shot into the sky, erupting with dazzling purple radiance.
The two Divine Generals were jolted with shock. "He passed the seventh checkpoint?! And in just a few breaths? How is that possible?"
Yet, this shock was soon buried by another wave of astonishment.
For in the next moment, the Immortal Emperor Hall erupted with an eighth light pillar, this one silver in color.
"This is the eighth checkpoint! The eighth checkpoint at the God-King Peak level!"
"And again, in a brief moment!"
"Just who is he?!"
The two Divine Generals were shocked repeatedly. No one understood the terror of the Divine Hall's trials better than they did. The eighth checkpoint was a blockade at the God-King Peak level, yet it had been passed in an instant. This could only mean the challenger possessed a fearsome cultivation level surpassing even God-King Peak.
"The ninth checkpoint has begun. It rivals an Early Stage Quasi-Monarch. Even if it's only the early stage, I wonder how long that young man will take to pass it."
Although Ye Chen had quickly passed the eighth checkpoint, one must remember that a Quasi-Monarch is a Quasi-Monarch, a level above the Divine King realm. Even an Early Stage Quasi-Monarch would undoubtedly be far superior to a God-King Peak. Both Divine Generals believed that even if Ye Chen was powerful, passing the ninth checkpoint would likely be very difficult for him.
"The ninth checkpoint, rivaling an Early Stage Quasi-Monarch... is it really that hard?"
Suddenly, someone chuckled lightly, causing the two Divine Generals to look over. It was one of the human Heaven's Prides—Weir.
The two Divine Generals frowned. "What do you mean by that?"
The Divine Kings of the five great divine dynasties also looked at them. Although they all knew these humans were powerful, a Quasi-Monarch was a supreme existence above the Divine King realm. Even these Imperial Sons, Imperial Daughters, and strongest young supremes among the young lords would likely be far from a match for a Quasi-Monarch.
At this moment, Abenue, her golden hair cascading like a golden goddess, slowly spoke. Her beauty could topple the mortal world. She smiled lightly. "My husband's strength is beyond your imagination."
The Phoenix-Head Divine General sneered. "The ninth checkpoint is guarded by a Quasi-Monarch. Although your husband can pass eight trials in a short time, facing the ninth checkpoint, he will only be eliminated."
"Eliminated?" Abenue chuckled, her voice brimming with unparalleled confidence. "Perhaps you are unaware, but my husband has even slain a supreme powerhouse at the Late Stage Quasi-Monarch level. How could a mere Early Stage Quasi-Monarch trial possibly stop him?"
As if responding to Abenue's words, at that same moment, the Immortal Emperor Hall trembled. A brilliant golden light pillar shot into the sky, erupting with boundless golden radiance.
"The... the ninth checkpoint has been passed too!"
The two Divine Generals and the five Divine Kings all revealed profound shock.
The human Heaven's Prides, however, took it in stride.
After all, they knew Ye Chen was now a supreme Quasi-Monarch himself, a Chaos Quasi-Monarch comparable to a Great Perfection Quasi-Monarch. He had even suppressed the Great Perfection Quasi-Monarch-level Tai Cang Quasi-Monarch. How could a mere Early Stage Quasi-Monarch, the ninth trial of the Imperial Hall, possibly block him?
Outside the Immortal Emperor Hall, nine light pillars—red, orange, yellow, green, cyan, blue, violet, silver, and gold—soared into the sky, erupting with resplendent nine-colored brilliance that illuminated the entire space, shocking everyone present except for the human Heaven's Prides.
"So... Lord Ye Chen is this powerful..." Yun Aotian murmured to himself. Yet, deep within his eyes, where no one could see, a flicker of a strange light appeared, seemingly tinged with a hint of greed.
"Good... the stronger he is, the more monstrous his talent, the better..."
Inside the Immortal Emperor Hall, after Ye Chen slew the ninth checkpoint's guardians—an Ancient Heaven-Devouring Beast and a Starry Sky Giant Hou, both at the Early Stage Quasi-Monarch level—a golden light pillar descended before him once more. A scroll slowly landed in front of him.
The scroll was inscribed with golden patterns, exuding an exceptionally majestic and imposing aura that made him tremble slightly.
He was actually drawn to it!