The cosmic borderlands remained as desolate as ever, with few races or powers inhabiting such barren frontier lands.
At the farthest end stood an immensely majestic ancient pass—the Tenfold Emperor Passes of the Pangu Universe.
Before them was the First Emperor Pass.
Though still grand and towering, it bore many scars, having been breached and collapsed before.
Over the years, the Tenfold Emperor Passes had been repeatedly broken through by the alien race army, with terrifyingly vast alien forces pouring in. Naturally, the First Emperor Pass had also been breached.
This had once plunged the myriad realms into dire straits, with over eighty percent of the territory lost. Now, they were barely holding on, mainly defending the numerous great domains centered around the Myriad Domains.
Recapturing the lost Tenfold Emperor Passes had cost the Pangu Universe dearly, with several Sovereigns falling in the process.
Now, the Tenfold Emperor Passes had been rebuilt and reinforced both inside and out, preventing the alien army from attacking from within to breach the passes and open them from inside the universe, allowing the alien forces from the Chaos Sea to enter the Pangu Universe.
Silently, a tall and upright figure appeared, draped in ancient Chaos energy like a Chaos deity, moving with majestic strides. He arrived beneath the First Emperor Pass, gazing at it with a sigh.
This person was Ye Chen.
A century had passed since he last came to the Tenfold Emperor Passes.
A hundred years ago, he had become a Quasi-Sovereign, even rivaling a Heaven-Defying Quasi-Sovereign, but he had not yet reached his peak. Thus, he had not gone to the World Tower to ascend to Ancient Sovereign.
Now, his cultivation had reached its limit, with no further room for advancement—it was time to take the next step.
"I never imagined the situation within the myriad realms would be so severe," Ye Chen mused. "Not only has over eighty percent of the myriad realms' vast territory been occupied, but even the borderlands of the Tenfold Emperor Passes have gathered such a fearsome alien army—eight alien Sovereigns stationed here, including a Super Sovereign."
Ye Chen looked back, his gaze piercing across billions of miles to where a massive star domain lay, coiled with ninety-nine brilliant stars inhabited by billions of alien beings.
This was a terrifying alien legion, entrenched before the Tenfold Emperor Passes.
Their purpose was simple: to one day breach the Tenfold Emperor Passes from within the universe, opening the Pangu Universe to allow the even more fearsome alien army from the alien Ancient Universe to sweep in and conquer the entire Pangu Universe.
It also served to block reinforcements from the myriad realms within the universe from supporting the Tenfold Emperor Passes.
A move that killed two birds with one stone.
Without support from the myriad realms, even the Tenfold Emperor Passes would eventually be worn down, with all their experts gradually exhausted, and one day fall.
It had to be said, this alien legion had indeed given the myriad realms a massive headache, leaving them with no spare capacity to deal with it.
"Unfortunately, the alien race is being naive. Upon my return, I naturally cannot allow this to continue."
The brilliant star domain in his gaze vanished, replaced by a dim, shattered field of stars.
Far away in the sky, the star domain where the alien legion was entrenched had long since turned into a vast expanse of broken stars and shattered worlds, accompanied by bloodstains dyeing the heavens crimson. The sky was filled with dismembered alien corpses, countless dead and wounded.
Annihilated!
Yes, this fearsome alien legion had already been wiped out.
Even with eight Sovereigns, including one Super Sovereign, stationed there.
But what could they do?
Because they faced Ye Chen.
By his side were the Great Emperor Reincarnation Body and Monarch Hunyue.
When a Monarch made a move, it was complete suppression, sweeping away a thousand armies, unstoppable.
Moreover, they struck with the element of surprise. This alien legion had no time to call for reinforcements from the alien army within the myriad realms before being slaughtered.
Including the eight alien Sovereigns—all lay dead!
In one battle, the entire army was annihilated!
His robes unstained by blood, the Dao vast and boundless!
"What a pity. If only I could have enslaved a Super Sovereign, how wonderful that would have been."
Ye Chen sighed abruptly, still feeling some regret.
Beside him, Monarch Hunyue, who resembled a small mountain, cast a cold glance at Ye Chen.
Enslave a Super Sovereign?
That was no easy feat.
But he remained silent, for in a sense, he himself was enslaved—utterly humiliating, yet helpless.
Naturally, someone on the First Emperor Pass noticed Ye Chen and Monarch Hunyue, immediately becoming highly alert and shouting, "Who goes there?"
After all, a fearsome alien legion was stationed ahead, so they suspected Ye Chen might be an alien expert.
Over the years, alien experts had frequently come to assault the pass, attempting to breach the Tenfold Emperor Passes from within!
Ye Chen took out an ancient token—the Supreme Command Token bestowed by the Formless Monarch. There were only a few such tokens in the entire Pangu Universe. Holding it was like having the Supreme One present in person.
"We pay our respects to the Supreme One! May the Supreme One be boundless!"
The experts on the First Emperor Pass immediately knelt and opened the pass gate without hesitation.
The aura of the Supreme Command Token could not be imitated—it was lofty and belonged to the Pangu Universe. Even an alien Great Emperor could not replicate it, or else the universe's origin would detect it.
Moreover, even if an alien expert obtained the Supreme Command Token, it would be useless, for the token contained a wisp of the Supreme One's imperial will. If an alien expert obtained it, they would be instantly annihilated by the human Supreme One's aura within the token.
Still, they were quite puzzled: how had Ye Chen crossed the heavily guarded alien army's defenses to reach the Tenfold Emperor Passes?
Ye Chen nodded, holding the token as he calmly entered the First Emperor Pass. At that moment, the City Lord of the First Emperor Pass also appeared, his figure hazy—none other than the City Lord of the First Emperor Pass from back then.
Back when Ye Chen had returned to the Sealed World Universe, fighting his way back from the Chaos Sea, he had helped this First Emperor Pass City Lord break through to the Divine King realm.
Now, a century had passed. After a hundred years of arduous warfare, this old Divine King had reached the Three Tribulations Divine King level. Though worlds apart compared to Ye Chen, among Divine Kings, this was undoubtedly an astonishing rate of progress.
The City Lord of the First Emperor Pass wore a grave expression. Since someone holding a Supreme Command Token had arrived, they must be a heavyweight figure not to be slighted—otherwise, a City Lord like him would not have appeared personally.
Upon seeing the visitor, he was both surprised and pleased: "Battle Saint King!"
Hearing this, the experts guarding the First Emperor Pass were stirred like a tidal wave. The visitor was actually the Battle Saint King—the one who, a century ago, led the Chaos Heavenly Mansion to suppress the calamity at the Tenth Emperor Pass.
He had suddenly vanished a hundred years ago, and now he had reappeared, coming to the Tenfold Emperor Passes.
As for Monarch Hunyue by his side, he had concealed his presence.
If he wished to hide, these people would never detect him.
"Senior."
Ye Chen stepped forward, sensing that the City Lord of the First Emperor Pass bore severe internal injuries, worse than before. He learned they were from when the alien army had breached the Tenfold Emperor Passes years ago.
Still, it was a stroke of luck amidst misfortune. Back then, when the endless alien army suddenly charged in, slaughtering within the Tenfold Emperor Passes, countless experts guarding the passes had been killed. For the First Emperor Pass City Lord to survive was a tremendous blessing.
Of course, that battle had also been because the alien army, to avoid giving the Pangu Universe's Supreme Ones time to intervene, had struck with lightning speed and did not linger long. Otherwise, mere Divine Kings could never have resisted an alien army with multiple Monarchs.
Ye Chen stepped forward and healed the injuries within the First Emperor Pass City Lord's body. They were not too severe, and given Ye Chen's profound cultivation, it was enough to resolve them.
"Young friend, your cultivation has surpassed what it was in the past."
Though the First Emperor Pass City Lord could not accurately perceive Ye Chen's true cultivation level, he could vaguely sense that the latter had grown much stronger compared to a century ago.
"Quick, close the city gates! Don't give the alien army any opening!"
The First Emperor Pass City Lord suddenly remembered and urgently ordered.
"No need to worry. The alien army blocking the way ahead has been completely annihilated," Ye Chen spoke up timely, his words shocking all the experts of the Tenth Emperor Pass. They all gazed into the distant sky.
In the desolate borderland star sea, where the endless alien army should have been stationed, they now truly saw countless corpses strewn about. A terrifying army of billions had been utterly wiped out—a truly staggering sight.
That army had eight Sovereigns stationed there, one of them a Super Sovereign. Even with the combined strength of the Tenfold Emperor Passes, they might not have been able to shake this alien legion. Yet it had been exterminated. How terrifying must that power be?
Had the Battle Saint King, after a century, reached such an unfathomable level of cultivation?
The crowd remained shocked for a long time, unable to regain their composure.
The First Emperor Pass City Lord was the first to recover, smiling wryly: "A century apart, and young friend has far surpassed your former self, leaving us in the dust."
Clearly, he had secretly guessed that the complete annihilation of the alien army ahead was most likely inextricably linked to Ye Chen.
"Senior, you flatter me."
Ye Chen offered no explanation. The two walked side by side, discussing the situation, which differed little from what he had learned from the Goddess and others in the Tai Sheng Huang World.
However, the situation at the Tenfold Emperor Passes was not good. Over the years, the alien army had frequently attempted to breach them again, with two alien Great Emperors even taking action at one point, nearly succeeding. It was only because human Supreme Ones rushed over regardless of the cost that they managed to suppress the assault.
It was worth mentioning that in recent days, the alien army had not continued their usual daily harassment, which puzzled the experts of the Tenfold Emperor Passes. The silence was excessive, making them feel that something unusual must be afoot.
Ye Chen smiled, saying there was no need to worry—the alien army stationed outside the Chaos Sea had been slaughtered.
"Slaughtered?" The First Emperor Pass City Lord was stunned, deeply shocked and struggling to comprehend.
Ye Chen informed him about matters concerning the Origin Ancient Road. Hearing this, the First Emperor Pass City Lord fell into prolonged silence, finally only able to smile bitterly: "I never imagined a supreme colossus from the bloodstained future would personally intervene."
Ye Chen told him his purpose in coming to find the World Tower. The First Emperor Pass City Lord nodded: "The World Tower still stands. Young friend need not worry."
The two quickly traversed the Tenfold Emperor Passes, arriving at the Tenth Emperor Pass.
Along the way, news of the Battle Saint King's appearance at the Tenfold Emperor Passes stirred everyone, all greatly astonished.
Before long, they reached the Tenth Emperor Pass, seeing the inner world of the Tenth Emperor Pass restored to about seventy or eighty percent of its former state. It was as majestic as an imperial realm, with the World Tower standing prominently at its center like a pillar holding up the heavens, supporting the entire imperial realm within the Tenth Emperor Pass.