Ye Chen looked at Deng Yang with a smile. Though his smile was gentle, it made Deng Yang not dare to move a muscle, frozen in place. Finally, Deng Yang abruptly knelt and prostrated himself on the ground. "Xia Yang, it was I, Deng Yang, who failed to recognize Mount Tai. I beg you, a great man does not bear grudges against a petty person. Please spare me."
The surroundings erupted in a wave of murmurs. In the past, relying on his status as the Holy Son of an ancient aristocratic family, Deng Yang had often bullied Xia Yang. Now that circumstances were stronger than the man, he immediately changed his attitude, appearing somewhat servile and earning the disdain of many.
If Deng Yang could have remained firm in his attitude at this moment, he would have earned more respect.
However, seeing that he was facing the Battle Saint King, many people also shook their heads, wanting to laugh but unable to.
Not to mention Deng Yang, even if it were them in his place, they might not have acted any differently.
Xia Yang glanced at the servile Deng Yang and said indifferently, "Leave. From now on, all grievances are cleared."
"Yes, I'll leave immediately. I will never appear before you and Bei Bei again."
Deng Yang felt as if granted a great pardon. Without another word, his figure transformed into a streak of light and vanished directly.
Ye Chen chuckled. "Brother Xia Yang, why didn't you take the chance to punish him? If you were willing, I could have acted."
Let alone a mere Holy Son of an ancient aristocratic family, even if it were a young successor of an Emperor Clan—as long as it wasn't an Imperial Son or Daughter—if Ye Chen said he wanted to punish them, the Emperor Clan wouldn't dare say a word.
Not just because of Ye Chen's friendship with the Imperial Sons and Daughters, but more because of his current capabilities.
Xia Yang shook his head. "Although he did bully me somewhat, it wasn't too excessive. It's nothing. And since he has kowtowed and admitted his guilt, it's like planting a seed in his heart. In the future, it will be difficult for him to achieve great things. Why should I go and bully him further? Moreover, rather than using your status to punish him, it's better for me to cultivate diligently and defeat him fairly and squarely in the future."
"Impressive," Ye Chen couldn't help but praise, then turned to look at Bei Bei. "Miss Bei Bei, when you return, tell your family's elders that Brother Xia Yang is my friend, Ye Chen. I will personally visit your family when I have time, and by the way, propose marriage to you on Xia Yang's behalf."
"Alright." Bei Bei was both shocked and overjoyed. Naturally, she understood the astonishing capabilities of Ye Chen, the Battle Saint King. With his intervention, even the elders in her family would likely not dare to obstruct her relationship with Xia Yang in the slightest.
"Ye Chen, you—" Xia Yang felt somewhat helpless. He didn't want to owe Ye Chen too much.
Ye Chen said with a light laugh, "This is the friendship between you and me. Don't refuse."
"Alright." Xia Yang also agreed readily.
The two hadn't seen each other since they first left the Tian Du Continent, a full five or six hundred years.
Back when Ye Chen returned to the Tian Du Continent, he had always wanted to find out the whereabouts of Xia Yang and the other Five Ancient Heroes from the Tian Du Continent of that era. However, there had been no news at all. Several hundred years passed like this, yet he never expected to see Xia Yang again at the Dragon Phoenix Academy. He didn't know how the other Five Ancient Heroes were faring.
When he asked about the relevant situation, Xia Yang's expression immediately changed slightly. Ye Chen noticed and frowned. "What's wrong?"
Xia Yang's tone was somewhat low. "To be honest with you, back when the various external forces invaded, the few of us left the Tian Du Continent and entered the myriad realms. On one hand, we came into contact with the vaster and boundless myriad realms; on the other hand, we hoped to improve our strength as soon as possible and return to the Tian Du Continent early to drive out the invaders. Therefore, we all cultivated very hard, and even participated in the Human Sovereign competition."
"The Human Sovereign competition?" Ye Chen was slightly taken aback. Of course, he had also participated in the Human Sovereign competition, but later he directly participated in the much more intense All Heavens Universe Heaven's Pride competition—the Ultimate Ancient Path, the Supreme Ancient Path. He had almost forgotten about it.
How this Human Sovereign competition turned out, he wasn't too clear either.
"In the myriad realms, a hundred boats vie for the lead. To compete for the position of Human Sovereign, naturally, countless Heaven's Prides participated, and we were no exception. To witness the capabilities of the Heaven's Prides of the myriad realms and to temper ourselves, to become stronger, we continuously engaged in battles with the Heaven's Prides of the myriad realms along the way." Xia Yang sighed. "Although we never underestimated the Heaven's Prides of the myriad realms, we still underestimated their strength. Not long after leaving the Tian Du Continent, during one battle for supremacy, Wu Yunyan encountered an extremely formidable Heaven's Pride. They engaged in a life-and-death battle. She was no match for her opponent and unfortunately perished, her fragrant soul extinguished."
Ye Chen's heart sank. Wu Yunyan, one of the Five Ancient Heroes, a female hero, had perished just like that. It was truly a pity.
However, the myriad realms were far superior to the Tian Du Continent, with countless strong individuals and endless Heaven's Prides.
Back then, a single Donghua Haoyi was enough to make the combined efforts of the Five Ancient Heroes no match for him. Probably, the opponent Wu Yunyan fought in that life-and-death battle was also a King-level Heaven's Pride.
Ye Chen didn't ask about the identity of Wu Yunyan's opponent. It was a fair battle back then, a life-and-death battle. Since Wu Yunyan had chosen it, she had to pay the price for it. It couldn't be blamed on others, and Ye Chen couldn't help with anything.
After a pause, Xia Yang continued, "Long Gu'ao encountered a Dragon Race expert. Because during his cultivation, he accidentally obtained a dragon soul and refined it into his dragon aura, the Dragon Race expert mistakenly believed he had slain a Dragon Race expert. Thus, he was pursued for ten years, eventually captured. It's said he is now imprisoned in the Dragon Race's territory."
"Yang Wushuang is also at the Dragon Phoenix Academy, but he is currently in seclusion."
"Li Taixu was banished into the Endless Space Turbulence during a duel with someone. His life or death is unknown."
"Yuan Jiu is cultivating at the Myriad Realms Academy. It's said he gained the appreciation of a super powerhouse, who took him as a closed-door disciple. He has become a Great Power."
Hearing this, Ye Chen fell silent.
The Five Ancient Heroes of that era represented the most dazzling disciples of the five supreme forces of the Tian Du Continent throughout history. They were hailed as peerless geniuses with the potential to surpass deities—that is, to surpass the Saint Treasury Realm—and great hopes were placed on them.
He just never expected that now, Wu Yunyan had been slain in a King-level duel, Li Taixu had been banished to the Endless Space Turbulence, and Long Gu'ao had been imprisoned by the Dragon Race. Only Xia Yang, Yang Wushuang, and Yuan Jiu were still doing relatively well.
Xia Yang looked at Ye Chen, somewhat hesitant, but finally spoke. "Ye Chen, can you help Long Gu'ao and Li Taixu? After all, they are also people from the Tian Du Continent."
Ye Chen nodded. "Don't worry, I will personally go to the Dragon Race's territory and bring back Long Gu'ao. It's just that the Endless Space Turbulence is filled with violent spatial turbulence. This kind of spatial turbulence, even Saints only have the strength to barely protect themselves. I'm worried about Li Taixu—"
Xia Yang naturally understood what Ye Chen was thinking. "When he was banished, Brother Taixu's cultivation had also reached the Saint Treasury Realm. Moreover, Ye Chen, I'm afraid you've forgotten that Brother Taixu cultivates the Dao of Space."
Ye Chen immediately realized. Since Li Taixu was at the Saint Treasury Realm and a Saint who cultivated the Dao of Space, naturally, he had nothing to fear.
The corner of his mouth lifted into a smile. "In that case, Brother Xia Yang, you have even less to worry about Brother Taixu's safety. In the Endless Space Turbulence, as long as he doesn't die, it will instead allow Brother Taixu's cultivation to advance a step further."