The Flame Emperor's eyes revealed a sigh of emotion. "You could say it is, and you could say it isn't."
Is it? Or isn't it?
Ye Chen still didn't quite understand. Seeing the inscrutable smile on the Flame Emperor's face, he shook his head and decided not to dwell on it.
Whether it was or wasn't, to him, this was still the Old Yan from back then, and also the Ancient Emperor of the Sealed Universe. That was enough.
"Come, tell me about your experiences over these years. The current you is actually stronger than a Heaven-Defying Quasi-Monarch. It's rather unbelievable."
The Flame Emperor glanced at Ye Chen with slight surprise. The moment he awakened, he had become aware of everything that had happened within the Flame Emperor Star.
Within the Flame Emperor Star, he was omnipotent, omniscient, all-knowing.
Naturally, he also knew about the battle between Ye Chen and the Heaven-Defying Quasi-Monarch Su Hao outside Flame Emperor Mountain.
A Heaven-Defying Quasi-Monarch had actually been utterly shattered by Ye Chen. This was not an ability a Heaven-Defying Quasi-Monarch should possess.
For Old Yan, Ye Chen held almost unreserved trust. He began to speak softly, recounting his many experiences over the years, even mentioning how his origin world had evolved into a small Chaos Universe.
Because he knew that if Old Yan wanted to know, he simply couldn't hide it.
With a single glance, the other could see everything within his body, including the small origin universe.
But the Flame Emperor did not look, showing a respect for him.
"Eternal Quasi-Monarch, origin universe..."
The more the Flame Emperor listened, the more surprised he became, looking at Ye Chen before him with a wry smile, his gaze also growing increasingly gentle.
Something like an origin universe was undoubtedly an immensely profound secret. Even many close companions probably didn't know about it. Yet Ye Chen could speak of it without reservation, which was enough to show his trust.
It must be said, the Flame Emperor was also deeply moved by such an origin universe. Because once it evolved to its ultimate extreme, it would become a true Ancient Chaos Universe.
To master an Ancient Chaos Universe—how powerful that would be.
That level of might was something even he could scarcely imagine.
An Ancient Chaos Universe was the most powerful celestial body in the Chaos Sea, capable of nurturing Supremes, even the greatest Emperors and Immortal Kings—behemoths whose existence far surpassed even a Primordial Great World.
In the Chaos Sea, there was one person who, precisely because he had mastered an Ancient Chaos Universe, forcefully became one of the most powerful behemoths throughout the ages in the Chaos Sea.
Given that Eternal Behemoth's power, even the greatest Emperors and Immortal Kings were unwilling to provoke him lightly. That spoke volumes.
Of course, towards Ye Chen, the Flame Emperor could not harbor any thoughts of seizing it. Not only because of Ye Chen's unreservedly trusting attitude, but also because he viewed Ye Chen almost like a son or a disciple. He simply couldn't bring himself to act.
The Flame Emperor spoke seriously and gravely, "Little Chen, regarding this matter of the origin universe, you absolutely must not casually inform others. If possible, apart from the Emperors of the Sealed Universe, you shouldn't casually tell anyone below the Supreme level. Even if those close to you can be trusted, if word were to spread accidentally in the future, it would be a tremendous trouble for you. You must know, if it were known that you possess an origin universe, even Supremes would go mad with envy."
Ye Chen nodded solemnly. Naturally, he understood the gravity of the situation.
"But for you to become the legendary Eternal Quasi-Monarch is indeed remarkable. Back in my day, I was merely a Heaven-Defying Quasi-Monarch." The Flame Emperor then exclaimed in admiration. An Eternal Quasi-Monarch—that was an existence that had broken the limits and embarked on the path of Eternity.
Anyone who set foot on the path of Eternity, barring accidents, would ultimately achieve at least the peak of Supreme, or even the level of the greatest Emperors, Immortal Kings, and other behemoths.
Moreover, Ye Chen was a Chaos cultivator, starting from a higher point on the path of Eternity than others from the very beginning.
Of course, possessing infinite potential also often represented infinite peril.
Especially the alien race. If they learned that Ye Chen was an Eternal Quasi-Monarch and also possessed an origin universe, they would spare no effort to strangle him in the cradle. Otherwise, allowing Ye Chen to grow to rival that Eternal Behemoth would be a dire threat to the alien race.
Ye Chen remembered something and spoke of the summons related to his soul.
"A summons from the depths of your soul?" The Flame Emperor was slightly taken aback. He tapped the vivid flame mark between his eyebrows, which actually leaped up at this moment. "Do you mean this?"
Buzz—
Suddenly, right between Ye Chen's eyebrows, the Moon Mark and the Supreme Treasure Silver Pearl involuntarily appeared.
Especially the Supreme Treasure Silver Pearl. At this moment, it bloomed with unparalleled thunderous might. Between heaven and earth, billions of zhang of forbidden heavenly thunder manifested, transforming into a boundless sea of lightning, churning and shattering eternity, its terror immeasurable.
"This—"
The Flame Emperor showed astonishment. Looking at the Supreme Treasure Silver Pearl appearing before him between heaven and earth, a Supreme Treasure Crimson Pearl also appeared between his own eyebrows. However, compared to the Supreme Treasure Silver Pearl casually releasing billions of zhang of lightning, the Supreme Treasure Crimson Pearl also surged with endless flames, like the emperor of all fires, including Supreme Emperor Flames, capable of rivaling the Supreme Treasure Silver Pearl.
Ye Chen looked at this scene in shock. He had long known the Supreme Treasure Silver Pearl was extraordinary, but he hadn't expected the Flame Emperor to also possess a similar Supreme Treasure Crimson Pearl.
Boom—
The Flame Emperor made a move, causing the winds and clouds to change color. The two Supreme Treasure Pearls instantly retracted their power, caught in his palm, motionless, their Dao might contained.
He looked at Ye Chen. "Little Chen, where did you get this?"
Ye Chen frowned and told the Flame Emperor the true origin of the Supreme Treasure Silver Pearl. It was a treasure he had unintentionally obtained in his past life when he was still Qian Yue. He knew it had a great connection to thunder. It could even enter the world of heavenly tribulations and devour endless tribulation lightning for its own use. That spoke volumes.
Its origins were absolutely extraordinary.
It was even one of the Origin Sacred Artifacts!
The Flame Emperor glanced at Ye Chen and sighed, "You, kid, truly live up to being the legendary key figure. Your luck isn't just ordinarily heaven-defying. You even managed to obtain the Chaos Thunder Origin."
"Chaos Thunder Origin?" Ye Chen looked at the Supreme Treasure Silver Pearl quietly resting in the Flame Emperor's palm. In other words, what the Flame Emperor possessed was the Chaos Fire Origin.
The Flame Emperor explained, "The Chaos Sea has existed for endless eons, passing through era after era. But few truly know that when the Chaos Sea was born, eight great origins were also born alongside it. They are metal, wood, water, fire, earth, thunder, yin, and yang!"
Ye Chen was startled. Wasn't this the same as the eight great origin powers derived from his small Chaos Universe?
The Flame Emperor continued, "You must understand, the eight great origin powers are the fundamental forces that construct an Ancient Chaos Universe. It is also because of the eight great Chaos Origins that Ancient Chaos Universes can be derived within the Chaos Sea. Ultimately, after enough Ancient Chaos Universes were born, the remaining eight great Chaos Origins transformed into eight pearls, just like the Chaos Thunder Origin and Chaos Fire Origin you've seen. There are still six other Chaos Origin pearls."
"To put it bluntly, whoever completely masters a Chaos Origin Pearl can be considered the strongest in that particular Dao. For example, I have mastered the Chaos Fire Origin, making me the strongest in the Fire Great Dao within the Chaos Sea. Latercomers, even those who prove their Dao and become Emperors through fire-attribute Great Daos, will be suppressed before me."
Ye Chen was astonished. The Chaos Origin Pearls possessed such astonishing capabilities.
No wonder the Flame Emperor said the Sun Supreme's Sun Great Dao was inherited from him. That made sense.
The Flame Emperor glanced at Ye Chen with a half-smile. "Little Chen, I must say, this Chaos Thunder Origin has been with you for a long time. Why haven't you completely refined and mastered it yet?"
Ye Chen smiled bitterly. "Old Yan, you just said it's the Chaos Thunder Origin. It's not something I can just master as I please."
"True. Although you're a monstrous talent, you can't be monstrous enough to easily master a Chaos Origin Pearl." The Flame Emperor shook his head. "But I can teach you how to master the Chaos Thunder Origin. The so-called eight great Chaos Origins are interconnected. Using my method of mastering the Chaos Fire Origin, you can naturally use it to master the Chaos Thunder Origin."
Ye Chen was delighted. The Chaos Thunder Origin was so powerful. Once he mastered it, he would be able to suppress all thunder-attribute cultivators.
The Flame Emperor injected a wisp of relevant Emperor thought into Ye Chen's sea of consciousness. With a buzz, the latter's mind went blank for a moment. After a few breaths, he regained consciousness, a vast amount of memory flooding his mind.
The memory was immense, like an ocean. Even Ye Chen experienced a momentary blankness, which showed just how much there was.
Quickly browsing through the memories of mastering the Chaos Origin Pearl, Ye Chen was initially very happy. But the further he went, the more his heart pounded with fear. In the end, he let out a bitter laugh. "Old Yan, I cannot completely master the Chaos Thunder Origin."
"Why?" Old Yan frowned.
Ye Chen said, "To completely master the Chaos Thunder Origin, one must undergo assimilation. At that point, everything would be centered on the Thunder Great Dao, with other Great Daos serving as supplements. Even other Great Daos would be suppressed to a considerable level, possessing only a fraction of the power compared to the Thunder Great Dao."
"Correct. For me, the Fire Great Dao is powerful to the extreme, the foremost in the Chaos Sea. My mastery of other Great Daos, though far inferior, is still at the Sovereign level, enough to condense Sovereign rules, and is also the strongest." The Flame Emperor said.
"But I cultivate the Chaos Great Dao." Ye Chen smiled helplessly.
The Flame Emperor was taken aback. He had just remembered that Ye Chen was a Chaos cultivator, and his attainment in the Chaos Great Dao had reached an extremely high level—he was an Eternal Quasi-Monarch.
One must know, the true strength of the Chaos Great Dao did not lie in the power of a single attribute Great Dao, but in its overall strength.
The most terrifying aspect of Chaos was its ability to encompass all Dao origins, to transform any Great Dao. Different attribute Great Daos could also be wielded by a Chaos cultivator to display extremely heaven-defying power.
If he completely refined the Chaos Thunder Origin, it would be tantamount to abandoning the Chaos Great Dao halfway. This did not align with Ye Chen's current ultimate path direction.
The Flame Emperor slightly furrowed his brows. "You should consider this. Although the Chaos Great Dao is heaven-defying, even the most powerful Great Dao on the path of Eternity, the possibility of achieving perfection and proving one's Dao to become Emperor is almost zero. Even an existence as heaven-defying as Tai Sheng Huang fell short in the end. If you completely refine the Chaos Thunder Origin, given enough time, you could ultimately reach my level, and it's not impossible to surpass it."
Ye Chen shook his head, refusing firmly. "Old Yan, my Great Dao is the Chaos path. My goal is to reverse that blood-stained future. To achieve that step, not even the greatest Emperor can do it. Only by achieving Eternity can it ultimately be reversed."
"For the Chaos Great Dao, I must press forward."
Sensing Ye Chen's unwavering will, the Flame Emperor sighed softly and nodded. "Very well. You can continue forward. But one day, if you find the Chaos path can progress no further, abandon it in time and shift to the Chaos Thunder Origin path. There is still some hope of reversing the blood-stained future."
"Alright!"
Naturally, Ye Chen would not give up any path that held hope, just as he had also placed a part of his spirit on the path of faith.
"By the way, Flame Emperor, earlier on this Flame Emperor Star, I clearly sensed the star was dead and silent, devoid of life. But after coming to Flame Emperor Mountain, everything revived, and the billions of living beings appeared directly, as if unaware of a period of time that had passed. Are they real or not?" Ye Chen frowned. He always felt the Flame Emperor Star was extraordinary.
The Flame Emperor laughed heartily. "Of course they are real. But when my true body fell into slumber back then, to prevent them from aging and dying over time, I performed a world-shaking Emperor technique, sealing them all in slumber within the Chaos Fire Origin."
"The Chaos Fire Origin is one of the eight great Chaos Origins. Time within it stops flowing. Therefore, they are unaware of the various events that occurred outside. When released, for them, not even an instant of time has passed."
Ye Chen sighed. Truly worthy of being one of the eight great Chaos Origins, it actually had such an astonishing effect.
Of course, this also involved the Flame Emperor's world-shaking methods.
The Flame Emperor looked at the Chaos Thunder Origin, then at the mysterious Moon Mark and the Crown of Eternity. Even the other several Supreme Divine Crowns had appeared. He couldn't help but sigh. "You, kid, are destined by nature to walk the path of Eternity. Possessing an Origin Sacred Artifact, being an existence who broke the limits to become an Eternal Quasi-Monarch, and cultivating the Chaos Great Dao... perhaps you really might surpass everyone in the future and become an Eternal existence."
Such fortune, even the Flame Emperor marveled at it.
"Although no one throughout the ages has ever successfully cultivated the Chaos Great Dao to great perfection, and this path is destined to be extremely difficult, I can give you a reminder. If one day the Chaos Great Dao becomes impassable, perhaps you can start with the eight great Chaos Origins." The Flame Emperor suddenly spoke seriously.
Ye Chen was startled. "What do you mean?"
"The eight great Chaos Origins are the most fundamental forces that derive and evolve Ancient Chaos Universes. I suspect the very foundation of the Chaos Sea was also derived from the eight great Chaos Origins." The Flame Emperor said. "If one day in the future, your Chaos Great Dao truly lacks only one step to achieve great perfection, then gather the eight great Chaos Origins, unite them as one. Perhaps there is hope to break through the most difficult step, achieve great perfection, and transcend."
Ye Chen fell silent for a long time, finding the Flame Emperor's suggestion very reasonable.
During their conversation, the Flame Emperor suddenly let out a sound of surprise, then looked at Ye Chen with a half-smile. "Little Chen, have you offended the alien race?"
Ye Chen rolled his eyes. "Offended them? I've practically killed all their Imperial Sons and Daughters."
The Flame Emperor was stunned. Hearing about how Ye Chen had hunted alien Imperial Sons and Daughters in the Ten Heavens Ancient Domain, and after accidentally arriving in the Sealed Universe, infiltrated it disguised as the Ancient Elephant Emperor Clan's Saint-level genius Gu Taixu, and then systematically killed all the alien Imperial Sons and Daughters, he couldn't help but laugh heartily. "You kid really are a troublemaker. But killing these alien scum is good. Haha, I like it."
"What's wrong? Have the alien Ancient Emperors come knocking?"
"Yes!"
The Flame Emperor took Ye Chen and, with one step, left the inner world of Flame Emperor Mountain. With a second step, he left the Flame Emperor Star. With the third step, he directly traversed infinite space, arriving at the location of the Immortal Heavenly Pass.
They could already see the various scenes at the Immortal Heavenly Pass from afar.
The Flame Emperor revealed a cold smile. "The alien race's courage grows ever larger. They even dare to attack my Immortal Heavenly Pass."