The tenth trial was not the vast world one might imagine, but rather an empty divine hall—perhaps the true interior space of the Immortal Divine Hall.
The Immortal Emperor Hall was filled with countless secret treasures: rare heavenly materials and earthly treasures, peerless divine materials for forging divine weapons and magical artifacts, elixirs that would drive countless cultivators mad with envy, and various divine abilities, secret arts, or ancient cultivation scriptures wrapped in divine light clusters...
This place could indeed be called a Great Emperor's Secret Treasury. Each item was priceless, and the fact that the thousand-zhang-tall Emperor Hall was completely filled with such supreme treasures meant its value was likely unimaginable—enough to drive even an Ancient Sovereign mad.
Although Ye Chen felt some temptation, he did not go crazy. Instead, his eyes remained clear as he looked toward the very center of the Immortal Emperor Hall, where a lofty Emperor's Throne stood.
Upon the throne sat a figure, majestic and grand, supreme and peerless.
Ye Chen watched that figure with a grave expression. Without needing to say more, the trial of the tenth Emperor Hall was likely the original master of the Immortal Emperor Hall—an ancient Great Emperor.
"To have passed through nine trials in succession and reached the Emperor Hall... I must say, you are truly remarkable, a peerless talent. This Emperor quite admires you."
The majestic ancient Great Emperor on the throne spoke. Not much pressure emanated from his body; he even appeared quite ordinary—so ordinary that many might overlook him directly. Yet, an intangible aura slowly spread from him.
High above, supreme and peerless, he looked down upon Ye Chen from a commanding height.
Originally, Ye Chen had intended to pay his respects. It was normal to show courtesy to a Great Emperor, a supreme being who had dominated past and present. Even if this was not the Emperor's Original Body, it was still a form of respect.
However, the gaze with which the ancient Great Emperor on the throne regarded him made him rather uncomfortable. It was not like looking at a junior, nor was it as gentle as the other Great Emperors he had met in the past. It was more like looking down upon an ant—a thoroughly condescending attitude from a commanding height.
Ye Chen slightly furrowed his brows, raised his head to look at the ancient Great Emperor, and cupped his fists. "This junior pays his respects to the Great Emperor!"
"Upon seeing This Emperor, why do you not kneel immediately!"
A majestic voice rang out from the Emperor's Throne, carrying a supreme authority that compelled submission, causing Ye Chen's mind to tremble slightly. He almost knelt down as the other intended.
However, Ye Chen was no ordinary person after all, and naturally did not kneel.
Even if it were a true ancient Great Emperor, he would at most bow in respect. The act of kneeling was reserved only for his parents.
He coldly regarded the ancient Great Emperor sitting high upon the throne. "Apologies. This Ye does not kneel to heaven and earth, only to his parents!"
"'Does not kneel to heaven and earth, only to his parents'—well said!"
The ancient Great Emperor on the throne uttered a word of praise, yet Ye Chen clearly sensed there was not much genuine appreciation in it. The cold, sinister intent within those eyes grew increasingly dense.
Ye Chen grew vigilant.
"To have passed through nine Emperor Hall trials in succession proves you have reached the qualification. Moreover, you are very young, making you a rather fine seed."
"Now, I give you an opportunity. Offer up everything you have, and you may become This Emperor's successor." Suddenly, the ancient Great Emperor spoke, causing Ye Chen's pupils to contract. He wanted everything?
He stared coldly at the ancient Great Emperor on the throne. "What do you mean by that?"
As he spoke, he even omitted honorifics.
The ancient Great Emperor said indifferently, "Having waited so many years, I have finally encountered a suitable body, a suitable seed. Naturally, I cannot let this opportunity slip away."
A suitable body?
A suitable seed?
Suddenly, Ye Chen seemed to understand much. This ancient Great Emperor before him most likely intended to possess his physical body, seize everything he had, and replace him.
Instantly, his expression darkened many times over. "I'm afraid I cannot agree to that."
In this statement, he no longer even referred to himself as a junior.
"Cannot agree?" The ancient Great Emperor sat upon the peerless Emperor's Throne, looking down as if gazing upon a tiny ant, and said indifferently, "Before This Emperor, you have no right to refuse."
Boom—
From the Emperor's Throne, infinite pressure suddenly erupted.
A terrifying aura, capable of crushing starry skies and shattering space-time, surged forth like a tidal wave. It carried a wisp of Emperor's Aura. Though seemingly scant, it was vast and mighty, pressing down upon Ye Chen below in an intangible, all-encompassing manner.
Under such immense pressure, an ordinary Divine King would find it difficult to endure, likely facing physical collapse.
But Ye Chen stood proudly, his body erupting with blazing chaos light that disintegrated the layers of pressure.
"Hmm? To still withstand This Emperor's aura... you are indeed formidable."
The ancient Great Emperor revealed a trace of surprise.
Ye Chen said coldly, "This so-called aura? It merely carries a wisp of Emperor's Aura. Without that, your imposing presence would be nothing more than that of an ordinary Quasi-Monarch."
Boom—
He took a step forward, his chaos Quasi-Monarch aura exploding forth, directly clashing and standing in opposition.
Two terrifying auras collided within the Immortal Emperor Hall.
It was only due to the extraordinary nature of the Immortal Emperor Hall that this collision did not cause destruction. In the outside world, it would have been enough to shatter entire clusters of stars in succession.
"You do have some skill. However, if this is all the imposing presence you possess, you should obediently become This Emperor's seed."
The ancient Great Emperor made his move. From his commanding height, he merely extended a single palm, yet in an instant, it encompassed everything, enveloping this space and covering all within it, aiming to seize Ye Chen within his grasp.
"Hmph!"
Ye Chen snorted coldly and similarly extended a large hand, wreathed in boiling chaos mist, to collide with the ancient Great Emperor's giant hand.
In that moment, ten thousand rays of light flickered, tearing through everything.
Were it not for the fact that the Emperor Hall was a place where the ancient Great Emperor had long resided, and thus imperceptibly carried faint traces of supreme aura, such a collision would have long since caused an explosion.
The ancient Great Emperor's hand trembled violently and was withdrawn. He looked at Ye Chen with surprise evident on his face. "You can actually block This Emperor's attack?"
Ye Chen's expression remained unchanged. He had long since realized that the ancient Great Emperor on the throne could not possibly be the Emperor's Original Body. At most, it was a remnant soul of the ancient Emperor or a projection left behind countless years ago—a world of difference from the Original Body, far from possessing true supreme might.
Otherwise, how could he possibly resist?
However, even if it was merely a projection left behind countless years ago, it was still incredibly powerful. At the very least, the current Ye Chen had not gained the slightest upper hand.
Naturally, it was only a projection. No matter how powerful, it remained at the Quasi-Monarch level. Ye Chen had no fear of it.
The ancient Great Emperor gave Ye Chen a surprised look. "To have passed through the nine trials This Emperor left behind with thunderous force, you are indeed no ordinary individual. But what a pity. No matter how astonishing your talent, even if you are the child of a Supreme One, it will not change your fate. This remnant soul This Emperor left behind can still possess you, achieve rebirth, and return to the peak of the Emperor's position!"
At the end of his speech, the ancient Great Emperor let out a great shout, rising to his full height from the Emperor's Throne. An extremely majestic suit of battle armor appeared on his body, covering him entirely like a war god descending to the mortal realm. Boundless battle qi permeated the air.