The powerhouses of the Ultimate Ancient Path hurriedly descended upon the First City, only to be stunned to find the First Pass had not suffered any attack. The trial ancient pass remained intact, and the trial Heaven's Pride talents were safe. They asked in surprise, "Where is the City Lord of Myriad Saints City?"
"Reporting to Your Majesty, the City Lord left the First Pass and hasn't been seen since. It's been about half an hour now," a trial Heaven's Pride talent spoke up.
"Half an hour?"
The Sovereign of the Ultimate Ancient Path's expression changed slightly. Believing the Cosmic Heaven City Lord might have met with misfortune, he immediately led the group of supreme powerhouses away from the First Pass, rushing towards the site of the incident.
In mere moments, crossing multiple star domains, they arrived at the location but found no trace of anyone. However, the Ultimate Ancient Path Sovereign's expression shifted again, for he sensed the lingering aura of Sovereign Rule power here. His face immediately turned grim. "An Ancient Monarch from the Soul-Restraining Hall truly descended here. Could it be the Cosmic Heaven City Lord has already perished?"
"How dare the Soul-Restraining Hall! To publicly kill a Guardian of our Ultimate Ancient Path! This Sovereign will definitely seek justice for the Cosmic Heaven City Lord this time!"
The Ancient Path Sovereign was furious. His powerful Sovereign Heavenly Might shook the starry void. He spotted a black hole in this place, empty, mysterious, leading to an unknown, enigmatic destination. He snorted coldly, surmising this black hole was likely related to the Soul-Restraining Hall. Confident in his own formidable skills, he was about to step into it.
Boom—
Suddenly, terrifying fluctuations erupted from within the black hole, surging forth with immense force, causing the Ultimate Ancient Path Sovereign's expression to change. He hastily retreated with his subordinates.
Because even he felt a sense of crisis from the fluctuations within the black hole, one that even touched upon life itself.
Could an even more powerful Soul-Restraining Hall Sovereign have descended here?
Whoosh—
Whoosh—
At that moment, two figures emerged from the black hole one after another. Immediately afterward, the black hole began to crumble section by section. From within, faint screams could be heard, along with surges of bloody light.
Seeing the two, the powerhouses of the Ultimate Ancient Path were momentarily stunned. One of them was none other than the Cosmic Heaven City Lord, safe and sound, though slightly disheveled.
The other appeared so perfectly complete, as if the most beautiful thing between heaven and earth. Unlike the Cosmic Heaven City Lord's disheveled state, he remained calm and composed, standing tall in the starry void. Every slight movement carried a sense of perfect supremacy.
Yet, facing this perfect man, the Ancient Monarch of the Ultimate Ancient Path felt a terrifying sense of threat in his heart, as if the person before him was a primordial great evil, unimaginable, an extreme terror.
Seeing their Sovereign react this way, the other powerhouses all assumed a stance as if facing a great enemy.
"Your Majesty!"
Upon seeing the Ultimate Ancient Path Sovereign arrive, the Cosmic Heaven City Lord immediately stepped forward to pay his respects.
"Cosmic Heaven, it's good you're unharmed. But who is this Fellow Daoist?"
The Ancient Path Sovereign spoke, but his gaze remained fixed on Ye Chen. A subtle aura of Sovereign Heavenly Might emanated from him. If this person was from the Soul-Restraining Hall, he would have to intervene.
Hearing this, the Cosmic Heaven City Lord quickly explained, "Your Majesty, please don't misunderstand. He is on our Ultimate Ancient Path's side. You know him too—he is the Battle Saint King."
"The Battle Saint King!?"
At first, the name seemed somewhat unfamiliar, but soon, memories surfaced. He looked at the perfectly complete Ye Chen in shock. Was he really that Battle Saint King from back then?
At a glance, there were still traces of his former self, indeed. But how many years had passed? This Battle Saint King had grown so powerful. Though his exact cultivation level couldn't be accurately sensed, he gave this Ancient Monarch a heart-palpitating feeling.
"Senior."
Ye Chen had always held great respect for the Sovereigns of the Ultimate Ancient Path. In the past, if not for their guardianship of the Ultimate Ancient Path, given the Soul-Restraining Hall's nature, they would have long plundered many of the world's Heaven's Pride talents, and he might have been among them.
"I never expected it to be the Battle Saint King. Though we've never met, I've long heard of your name—the peerless, matchless supreme Heaven's Pride who dominated both ancient paths."
This Ancient Monarch of the Ultimate Ancient Path was named Xia Long, also known as the Flame Dragon Sovereign. In this universe, he was a veteran Sovereign on par with Sovereign Xue Lan, having dominated the cosmos for many tens of thousands of years and guarded the Ultimate Ancient Path for countless years.
He had witnessed the rise of this generation's Heaven's Pride talents. Seeing the Battle Saint King, who was once a Heaven's Pride talent on the Ultimate Ancient Path, grow to this level brought him some shock, but even more so, gratification.
"Battle Saint King, may I ask what exactly happened inside the black hole just now?"
A Quasi-Sovereign of the Ancient Path inquired. After learning Ye Chen's true identity, the initial awe had faded, though some restraint remained. He couldn't help but ask.
It wasn't just him; Flame Dragon Sovereign and the other Guardians of the Ultimate Ancient Path also wanted to know. Destructive fluctuations had spread out earlier, making even their hearts race with fear.
The other side of the black hole had likely witnessed a terrifying battle.
Had the Battle Saint King fought against an Ancient Monarch of the Soul-Restraining Hall?
If that were truly the case, then the Battle Saint King's cultivation must have reached an extremely high level, not inferior to an Ancient Monarch, placing him among the ranks of universe overlords.
How many years had it been? The Battle Saint King had already become an existence on the level of an Ancient Monarch.
Ye Chen smiled calmly. "It was nothing. I just went over there and happened to find one of the Soul-Restraining Hall's old lairs. I took action and wiped it out. It's hardly worth mentioning."
He said it with such nonchalance that the Cosmic Heaven City Lord couldn't help but rub his forehead with a bitter smile, shaking his head. "Fellow Daoist Battle Saint King, you're too modest. You just charged straight into the Soul-Restraining Hall's lair, forcefully destroyed five Heaven Halls, and killed five Hall Masters along with all their powerhouses. This time, you inflicted heavy casualties on the Soul-Restraining Hall, dealing a severe blow to their vitality. How is that 'hardly worth mentioning'?"
Hearing this, Flame Dragon Sovereign and the other Ultimate Ancient Path Guardians were all horrified, staring at the Battle Saint King in shock.
Destroyed five Heaven Halls? And killed five Hall Masters along with all the Soul-Restraining Hall powerhouses?
Heavens!
Everyone knew that each Heaven Hall of the Soul-Restraining Hall was guarded by an Ancient Monarch existence, with the Hall Master being such an Ancient Monarch. Each Heaven Hall had several Quasi-Sovereigns and multiple God Kings, with countless other powerhouses. Their lineup's strength was in no way inferior to Flame Dragon Sovereign and the others who had just arrived.
Yet, according to the Cosmic Heaven City Lord, the Battle Saint King had single-handedly resolved it all just now. What kind of heaven-defying combat power was that?
This was probably not simply about matching an Ancient Monarch anymore, but reaching the level of a super powerhouse among Ancient Monarchs.
Everyone felt somewhat dazed, as if in a dream.
It was too shocking, too unimaginable.
How many years had it been? The Battle Saint King had already reached such a level?
Back when he stepped onto the Ultimate Ancient Path, he hadn't even reached the Great Ability level yet.
The Cosmic Heaven City Lord sighed inwardly. That wasn't even counting the Soul-Restraining Hall Master killed earlier; otherwise, it would be six Ancient Monarchs slain.
Moreover, in the Soul-Restraining Hall's lair, he had witnessed with his own eyes how peerless and matchless the Battle Saint King was, forcefully crushing all obstacles, even strangling Sovereigns with one hand and annihilating Quasi-Sovereigns with a flick of his finger. It was truly terrifying and unmatched, with few in the world who could compare!