Within the boundless Chaos Sea, there existed a land of infinite expanse.
As the name implied, it was boundless and vast, stretching for countless tens of thousands of li, with over ninety percent of its territory concealed within the endless, grayish chaos.
Amidst this chaos, an Ancient Chaos Universe of unimaginable size and immense visual impact stood towering. It was so vast that even a primordial great world like the Ten Heavens Ancient Domain seemed insignificant in comparison, like an ant gazing up at a dragon.
At the junction between this Ancient Chaos Universe and the infinite land, a majestic pass stood, comparable to an Immortal Heavenly Pass. It was unimaginably tall and stretched for countless tens of thousands of li, seemingly separating the infinite land from the Ancient Chaos Universe completely.
This majestic pass was precisely the borderland's Tenth Emperor's Pass of the Sealed Boundary Universe!
The Emperor's Pass was immortal, standing eternally, unshakable.
Yet, one could see that the Tenth Emperor's Pass bore terrifying battle scars. It had even once had a massive breach, which was later repaired over time, filling the black hole.
In the past, the Tenth Emperor's Pass had been the most stable and immortal heavenly pass of the Sealed Boundary Universe, jointly constructed by several ancient Great Emperors. It was hailed as eternally indestructible, further sealed by the Realm Tower—the strongest war weapon refined from the Space-Time Great Emperor's true body, rumored to also be a Primordial Emperor Realm. Thus, it was extremely stable.
However, decades ago, the alien race had dispatched over a handful of ancient Great Emperors who personally attacked.
Even the immortal Tenth Emperor's Pass could not hold out. Under the assault of the ancient Great Emperors, it was breached. Billions of alien troops poured in unimpeded, killing their way into the pass and advancing into the inner universe. This Emperor's Pass, which had guarded an entire epoch, was already covered in battle scars.
The Tenfold Emperor Passes were breached by the alien race's billions-strong army, and the various Emperor's Pass worlds decayed and perished. The many powerful branches of imperial clans, holy lands, and other forces from the myriad realms that had long been stationed here gradually withdrew during the great war.
Later, after the Sovereign of Formlessness led a powerful force in a heaven-defying return, they recaptured the Tenfold Emperor Passes.
The Tenth Emperor's Pass was also repaired through the Sovereign of Formlessness's supreme methods.
But after all, it had once been captured. Even after subsequent repairs, it could never be as immortal and complete as the original Emperor's Pass in its prime.
Even so, unless multiple Supreme Ones attacked, it could still withstand even a Supreme One's assault for a very long time.
Unfortunately, the Emperor's Pass's defensive great array had a serious flaw, entering a weakened phase at regular intervals.
During this weakened phase, the Tenth Emperor's Pass would be in considerable danger.
Upon the Tenth Emperor's Pass, densely packed legions of the Sealed Boundary Universe were everywhere. One could even see stellar weapons, towering divine ships, and many special Dao soldier artifacts manifesting, guarding the borderland Emperor's Pass.
This was the legion formed by the various major forces from the myriad realms that had arrived after the recapture of the Tenth Emperor's Pass, stationed here to guard it. As long as no Supreme One appeared, it was considered impregnable; even an Ancient Monarch coming would absolutely gain no advantage.
This was to resist the billions-strong alien army stationed on the infinite land beyond the Tenth Emperor's Pass.
The alien army was unwilling to give up, hoping to breach the Tenth Emperor's Pass once more, drive straight in, kill their way into the Sealed Boundary Universe, and join forces with the vast army led in by several Supreme Ones to completely occupy the Sealed Boundary Universe.
Unfortunately, facing the now-repaired Tenth Emperor's Pass, if the alien army wanted to breach it, they would inevitably have to pay a bloody, heavy price first to have even a sliver of possibility.
Upon the Tenth Emperor's Pass, at the central position, stood eight figures—the strongest experts currently guarding the Tenth Emperor's Pass. Moreover, none were Ancient Monarchs; they were eight Quasi-Monarchs.
Ever since the alien race's several Supreme Ones killed their way into the Sealed Boundary Universe decades ago, even after the Sovereign of Formlessness returned and repaired the Emperor's Pass, all Ancient Monarchs had been mobilized. They had been in a standoff and confrontation with the several alien Supreme Ones who had driven straight into the myriad realms.
Thus, the Tenth Emperor's Pass lacked corresponding Ancient Monarchs.
Fortunately, for unknown reasons, the alien army had only sent one Ancient Monarch. Even though the number of Quasi-Monarch powerhouses reached as many as eighteen, it still allowed the Sealed Boundary legions guarding the Tenth Emperor's Pass to breathe a sigh of relief.
Otherwise, the situation would have been many times more severe.
And with the blocking power of the Emperor's Pass's defensive great array, the alien race's Ancient Monarch could only look on and sigh...
Today, the eight Quasi-Monarchs gazed at the alien race's Ancient Monarch seated high in the heavens above the Chaos Sea's infinite land, as conspicuous as a sun. Rolling demonic energy surrounded him like a demonic sun, his demonic might pressing down upon the world. They revealed looks of concern.
Because today, the Tenth Emperor's Pass's defensive Emperor Formation would enter its weakened phase. At that time, the Tenth Emperor's Pass would also enter a relatively dangerous state.
Clearly, the alien race knew this. The fluctuations from the alien Ancient Monarch, who loomed in the heavens like a resplendent sun, had grown much stronger. Even isolated by the Emperor's Pass's defensive great array, they could sense faint traces, forcing them to remain vigilant.
"The alien Monarch who has remained unmoving for thirty years has actually awakened today. I suspect the alien race intends to take advantage of the defensive Emperor Formation's weakened phase to act against our ancient universe," the leading Quasi-Monarch in the center slowly spoke. He had white hair and was a Quasi-Monarch of considerable seniority, at the late Quasi-Monarch stage with hopes of becoming an Ancient Monarch within the next ten thousand years.
But time waited for no one. The Sealed Boundary Universe was currently in a state of crisis; it was unknown whether they would even live to see ten thousand years later.
"Is the alien race finally going to move?"
Gazing at the alien Ancient Monarch as conspicuous as a sun, the other Quasi-Monarchs on the Emperor's Pass all revealed looks of gravity.
Now they were all Quasi-Monarchs, yet only upon reaching this step did they truly understand how difficult it was to become an Ancient Monarch.
Although they were also Monarchs, differing from Ancient Monarchs by just a word or two, they understood better than anyone that the gap represented by this one or two words was like heaven and earth!
An ordinary Quasi-Monarch, even a Great Perfection Quasi-Monarch, could only master a hundred Monarch rules. For a heaven-defying Quasi-Monarch to master five hundred Monarch rules was already exceedingly rare throughout the ages; few Quasi-Monarchs could truly reach that step.
Yet even a heaven-defying Quasi-Monarch could only manage to retreat unscathed from an Ancient Monarch. They, who were not even Great Perfection Quasi-Monarchs, would only be slaughtered one-sidedly by an Ancient Monarch.
A Quasi-Monarch from an imperial clan sighed, "I have already sent word to the Ancient Monarchs of the myriad realms, hoping someone can come. Otherwise, facing an Ancient Monarch's attack, the Emperor's Pass cannot stop it either; it can only block Supreme One-level existences."
This was the current flaw of the Emperor's Pass, far inferior to its former self. It could block Supreme Ones and remain immortal, but now it could only direct the defensive great array's power to defend against Supreme Ones. As for Ancient Monarchs, unless they were excessively powerful, the array would not activate to block them.
Yet even a First Heaven Ancient Monarch who had just stepped into the Monarch domain was not something they, mere Quasi-Monarchs, could handle...
Just as the eight Quasi-Monarchs were about to speak, suddenly, earth-shaking horn blasts resounded from the direction of the infinite land.
The alien race's billions-strong army boiled over!
"They've finally lost patience and are starting the attack!"
The eight Quasi-Monarchs all changed expression simultaneously.
Boom—
The infinite land trembled. With the naked eye, one could see the grayish chaotic mists in the distance churning violently, the effects spreading over.
Visible to the naked eye, the alien Ancient Monarch spanning the heavens opened his eyes. The most powerful Monarch heavenly might bloomed, almost affecting the Tenth Emperor's Pass itself, imposing an infinite sense of oppression upon the boundless Sealed Boundary Universe legions.
At this moment, a war halberd appeared in the alien Monarch's hand. It was ancient and engraved with countless Dao patterns, as if it had existed since time immemorial.
As soon as this war halberd appeared, an ancient aura permeated the surroundings. The chaotic energy that filled the area was forcibly dispersed, leaving only the demonic path as the sole existence.
Simultaneously, the eight Quasi-Monarchs on the Tenth Emperor's Pass faced a great enemy, their expressions changing as they exclaimed, "The Futu Emperor Halberd!"
That was the supreme Emperor's weapon of the alien race's Futu Great Emperor, a peerless demonic halberd containing absolute supreme Emperor power. During the Great Cataclysm of myth, it had even been stained with the supreme Emperor blood of the Sealed Boundary Great Emperor.
Not only had an alien Ancient Monarch come, but he had also brought a supreme Emperor's weapon.
"Today, the Emperor's Pass's defensive Emperor Formation is in its weakened phase. This Monarch shall break open this defensive formation, allowing my ancient universe's endless army to drive straight in and kill their way into the Sealed Boundary Universe!"
The Futu Emperor Halberd, this supreme Emperor's weapon, now slowly awakened in the alien Monarch's hand. Waves of supreme Emperor might capable of crushing all heavens began to spread out.
Boom—
The alien Monarch's expression was icy cold. Grasping the Futu Emperor Halberd, he fiercely thrust it toward the Tenth Emperor's Pass.
Hum—
Visible to the naked eye, a vast heavenly curtain manifested upon the Tenth Emperor's Pass, covering the entire Tenth Emperor's Pass and blocking this Futu Emperor Halberd.
All Emperor Dao mighty power was completely isolated by the defensive heavenly curtain.
This defensive heavenly curtain was precisely what the Emperor's Pass's Emperor Formation had evolved into.
Though called a heavenly curtain, it was actually formed from the interweaving of infinite Dao patterns, ultimately transforming into this sky-shielding curtain that encompassed and enveloped the entire Tenth Emperor's Pass, serving as the first main line of defense against the alien army.
Seeing his attack blocked, the alien Monarch's expression did not change; it was all within his expectations.
Boom—
At this moment, the Futu Emperor Halberd, carrying world-destroying Emperor Dao mighty power, condensed into a single point. Supreme Emperor principles manifested, fiercely striking a specific point on the sky-shielding curtain.
It was as if an ancient Great Emperor had personally attacked. Peerless mighty power surged forth, pushing this ancient supreme Emperor's weapon to assault the defensive heavenly curtain, breaking the surface with a point.
Boom boom boom boom boom boom—
Finally, the defensive heavenly curtain could no longer hold on. It was pierced by the Futu Emperor Halberd, and a massive breach, a hundred li wide, appeared in the curtain...
Simultaneously, within that vast and boundless Chaos Sea, a colossal space-time light pillar was piercing through the void at a speed surpassing limits, directly penetrating through infinite layers of chaotic space-time.
And the direction this space-time light pillar was heading toward was precisely—
The Tenth Emperor's Pass!