"What? The Heavenly Kingdom Ruler, the Battle Saint King, has returned from the Upper Realm?"
The entire land was shaken. Even some old monsters who had been in the deepest seclusion were startled awake, opening their ancient eyes to gaze toward the center of the Little Divine Realm, as if trying to pierce through the cosmos and land upon the Heavenly Kingdom Ruler himself.
"Is this true?"
"Impossible. The passage to the Upper Realm was sealed long ago. When the Heavenly Kingdom Ruler and the others ascended to the Upper Realm back then, they still needed to sacrifice an alien monarch and required the combined efforts of other Myriad Realms Overlords to truly force open the gate to the Upper Realm. The path from the Upper Realm back to the Lower Realm would only be more difficult. It shouldn't be possible for him to return."
"Right. Otherwise, in all these years, not a single person from the Upper Realm has descended to the Myriad Heavens and Worlds. That speaks for itself."
"I don't believe the Heavenly Kingdom Ruler has returned. This must be a scheme by the Heavenly Kingdom."
"Could it be because of Lingxu Divine King? Has he forced the Heavenly Kingdom into such a corner that they have to resort to tricks, proclaiming the Heavenly Kingdom Ruler's return in an attempt to get the other Myriad Realms Overlords to lend their aid?"
"That's highly possible. Right now, the Heavenly Kingdom faces the threat of Lingxu Divine King, who demands they hand over the authority of the Heavenly Kingdom Ruler and control over the Little Divine Realm's origin."
"Back before the Heavenly Kingdom Ruler ascended to the Upper Realm, he had connections with the other Myriad Realms Overlords. Perhaps the Heavenly Kingdom truly faces an irresistible crisis and intends to use the Heavenly Kingdom Ruler's former prestige to rally the various Myriad Realms Overlords and pressure Lingxu Divine King into not daring to move against the Heavenly Kingdom."
...
The Little Divine Realm was in great upheaval, with all five domains closely watching the Heavenly Kingdom.
Of course, the vast majority did not believe in the Battle Saint King's return, considering it merely a cunning plot by the Heavenly Kingdom. They thought the Heavenly Kingdom intended to rely on the Battle Saint King's former might and his connections with the great Myriad Realms Overlords to make Lingxu Divine King back off and not dare to invade the Heavenly Kingdom.
They saw this as a desperate move by the Heavenly Kingdom and believed the Heavenly Kingdom could not possibly contend with Lingxu Divine King. For a time, countless thoughts flashed through their minds.
The spread of the news naturally wasn't confined to the Little Divine Realm. Undercurrents surged, spreading across the Myriad Heavens and Worlds at an astonishing speed.
Soon, within a few days, the major overlord-level forces of the Myriad Heavens and Worlds had all received corresponding intelligence.
As expected, no one believed the Heavenly Kingdom Ruler had returned, thinking he was still in the Upper Realm, because they hadn't sensed the opening of the passage between the two realms.
However, how could they know that at the moment the barrier between the realms was pierced, Ye Chen, to avoid alerting the enemy, used his peerless cultivation to suppress the phenomenon, preventing it from spreading. Thus, those so-called Myriad Realms Overlords of the Myriad Heavens and Worlds couldn't possibly sense it, let alone anyone else.
Almost everyone was watching, expecting a joke.
Was the Heavenly Kingdom trying to use the former prestige of the Heavenly Kingdom Ruler, the Battle Saint King, to intimidate Lingxu Divine King?
The vast majority considered this a foolish act by the Heavenly Kingdom. Not only was it impossible for the Heavenly Kingdom Ruler to have returned, but even if he had, he couldn't possibly be a match for Lingxu Divine King.
Because a century ago, a terrifying battle had erupted in the borderlands of the Myriad Heavens and Domains, where Lingxu Divine King faced a Myriad Realms Overlord. The result was Lingxu Divine King's victory, and according to the truth learned afterward, Lingxu Divine King had won with absolute superiority.
Even a true Myriad Realms Overlord had been defeated. How could the Battle Saint King compare? When he ascended to the Upper Realm back then, he hadn't even reached the Saint Realm. Even after a thousand years, with cultivation progressing a thousand miles a day, it was impossible for him to reach a level comparable to a Myriad Realms Overlord in such a short time, let alone contend with Lingxu Divine King, who could defeat a Myriad Realms Overlord. It was pure wishful thinking.
However, soon, the joke everyone was waiting for turned out to be empty.
On this day, the origin of the Little Divine Realm trembled, its might sweeping across all directions, shaking the heavens.
Ye Chen sat upon the supreme divine throne in the Divine King Hall, manifesting his dharma form, overlooking the nine heavens and ten earths. His voice, like the roar of a deity, echoed throughout the entire Little Divine Realm: "I, the Heavenly Kingdom Ruler, have officially returned. Tomorrow, a Grand Feast will be held, and all are cordially invited to attend."
Boom—
An immeasurable, overwhelming aura slowly unfurled, shaking the Little Divine Realm and the hearts of all factions.
The Heavenly Kingdom Ruler, the Battle Saint King, had truly returned!
The world was shaken.
Across the Myriad Heavens and Worlds, many forces were also shocked upon first receiving the news.
Had the passage between the Upper Realm and Lower Realm truly been pierced? Could one ascend or descend as in the endless ages past?
That very day, some attempted it. For instance, Heavenly Kings, who had possessed the qualification to ascend to the Upper Realm in the endless ages past, tried to charge toward the Upper Realm.
But they failed, unable to ascend successfully, remaining where they were.
"Ascend!"
The Myriad Heavens and Worlds trembled. Silently, a Myriad Realms Overlord also made an attempt, raising his essence, energy, and spirit to the limit. A pillar of light like a giant dragon shot up from the crown of his head, piercing through the heavens and earth, attempting to break through the void and ascend.
But above his head, there was nothing. That pillar of light tore through several dimensional worlds before ultimately vanishing.
The result proved that the supreme experts of the Lower Realm still could not ascend to the Upper Realm.
But how had the Heavenly Kingdom Ruler, the Battle Saint King, returned to the Lower Realm?
Descending from the Upper Realm to the Lower Realm would only be more difficult.
"Returning from the Upper Realm to the Lower Realm... truly interesting. I must find an opportunity to personally ask that Heavenly Kingdom Ruler how he managed to return from the Upper Realm," a Myriad Realms Overlord murmured, his words carrying a trace of undisguised greed.
Early the next morning, the Heavenly Kingdom's main city—Sky City—was bustling and magnificent throughout.
Countless Heavenly Kingdom experts were invigorated, for the immortal legend who founded the Heavenly Kingdom had returned. That was the Dominator belonging solely to the Heavenly Kingdom, returning from the unimaginable Upper Realm. Did this mean he had mastered the method to ascend to the Upper Realm? In the future, would others from the Heavenly Kingdom also have the qualification to ascend?
Of course, this was still unknown. For now, Sky City was about to host a grand feast, inviting all major forces within the Heavenly Kingdom's territory to attend.
The Divine King Hall, as the main venue, had long since laid out countless banquet tables.
Almost at dawn, streams of light had already streaked across the sky. These were the numerous top-tier forces of the Little Divine Realm, the weakest being first-rate forces that possessed at least a Saint. Otherwise, they simply had no qualification to attend the feast hosted by the Heavenly Kingdom Ruler.
And since it was the true Heavenly Kingdom Ruler's return, naturally few forces dared to disrespect the Dominator, all attending the feast.
However, some top major forces also came with questions. Of course, the most important purpose was none other than how the Heavenly Kingdom Ruler had returned from the Upper Realm. They hoped to obtain useful information so that one day they too could ascend to the Upper Realm.
Perhaps by personally asking the Heavenly Kingdom Ruler, they might learn.
On this day, the feast held within the Heavenly Gate commenced. All the great figures from the various forces of the Little Divine Realm came without exception, all wishing to behold the trueelegance of the Heavenly Kingdom Ruler.
Upon the supreme divine throne, Ye Chen sat, high above, like the master of the world, looking down upon those below.
He was so flawless, so perfect and complete, that all who saw him were shaken in heart and mind, having never seen such a peerless man.
At the same time, they also sensed the Battle Saint King's perfect harmony with the Little Divine Realm's origin, having transformed into the true Dominator, capable of governing every corner of the entire Little Divine Realm.
The people of the world could not help but feel awe and reverence.