"Father, thank you."
Qianxun expressed his gratitude. If not for his father personally taking action to kill the Brahma Emperor, his breakthrough to Eternal Monarch would not have been so easy, and perhaps he might not have even had the opportunity.
Similarly, only upon reaching this level did he increasingly feel the invincibility of his father. Back in the day, when both were at the peak of the Eternal Monarch realm, his father's strength was such that he could directly engage in a peak confrontation with supreme beings like Emperors and Immortals at the Great Perfection level, unlike himself who could only barely challenge them.
It must be noted that challenging and engaging in a peak confrontation are two completely different concepts.
Challenging merely means being able to put up a fight, albeit barely.
A peak confrontation means being able to wage a life-and-death battle on equal footing, with neither side superior.
Which is stronger and which is weaker is clear at a glance!
"Between father and son, there's no need for thanks," Ye Chen said. "In a while, you should also follow along to the Primordial Wilderness Immortal World to participate in the Chaos Sea Heaven's Pride Grand Competition. You are more than qualified."
Qianxun had already learned about the relevant situation from others and nodded. "Alright."
Three years later, the agreed-upon time arrived.
The Chaos Sea Heaven's Pride Grand Competition would be held in half a month. Heaven's Prides from various Chaos Ancient Universes, and even outstanding talents from some worlds and realms within the Chaos Sea, needed to arrive half a month in advance.
On this day, an emissary from the Human Sovereign Palace arrived at the Chaos Heavenly Mansion. He respectfully performed a grand bow to Ye Chen and got straight to the point: "Lord Battle Saint King, the Chaos Sea Heaven's Pride Grand Competition will begin soon. Our Human Sovereign Palace has no Supreme One available, and the Human Sovereign is currently in deep seclusion. We wish to request Your Lordship to emerge and escort the Heaven's Prides of the Pangu Universe to the Primordial Wilderness Immortal World."
It wasn't that the Pangu Universe lacked Supreme Ones, but among the more than thirty Supreme Ones, only Ye Chen, the Profound God Emperor, the Sovereign of Formlessness, Tai Sheng Huang, the War Emperor, and a few others were truly Supreme Ones of the Pangu Universe.
The Golden Crow Emperor could also be considered one, but in recent years, with Ye Chen's permission, he had entered the Heavenly Dao Sun to comprehend the power of the Heavenly Dao, seeking to advance further and become a true Ancient Titan.
The Sovereign of Formlessness and Tai Sheng Huang were in seclusion, striving to prove their Dao.
The Profound God Emperor needed to guard the Human Sovereign Palace; at times, he acted on behalf of the slumbering Human Sovereign to fulfill the responsibility of protecting the world.
The War Emperor served to deter the various Supreme Ones.
As for the other Supreme Ones, even if they escorted the group, there was no guarantee they wouldn't have other ulterior motives, or whether they would stand idly by if trouble arose.
Now, only the Battle Saint King, whose combat power shook the world and who was notoriously protective and domineering, was most suitable for this task.
After a brief moment of contemplation, Ye Chen agreed.
Although the Primordial Wilderness Immortal World was Qingyu Immortal's stronghold, Qingyu Immortal was merely an Immortal, not a Quasi-Titan.
Even if the Violet Heaven Immortal King behind him wanted to move against Ye Chen, a Quasi-Titan, he would likely have to think twice.
Moreover, Ye Chen wasn't without Ancient Titans backing him. The Cang Xiong Great Heavenly Venerable was stationed in the Pangu Universe, while Tai Sheng Huang, the Battle Saint Ancestor, the Heaven-Defying War Lord, the Flame Emperor, and others were on the other side of the Origin Ancient Path.
Therefore, he had little to worry about for this journey.
Not long after, the various Heaven's Prides who had obtained the right to participate in the grand competition, thirty in total, all arrived before the Chaos Heavenly Mansion.
During this time, many Heaven's Prides looked at Ye Chen with fervent admiration.
Especially since the latter had recently clashed with an Immortal, displaying peerless, unrivaled combat power that shook the world, earning him the title of the Chaos Sea's Number One Heaven's Pride.
To be escorted by an idol-like figure such as the Battle Saint King was a tremendous honor for them.
"Let's head to the Primordial Wilderness Immortal World."
Ye Chen spoke and led the group to the Immortal Dao Gate Valve.
According to the arrangements for the Chaos Sea Heaven's Pride Grand Competition, the Pangu Universe contingent could proceed directly to the Primordial Wilderness Immortal World via the Immortal Dao Gate Valve.
However, upon arriving before the Immortal Dao Gate Valve, they found it tightly shut, not open at all.
The Gate Valve was constructed from Immortal Dao rules, capable of withstanding attacks from Supreme One-level powerhouses to a certain degree.
Similarly, the interwoven Immortal Dao rules made it difficult to see through to the other side of the Gate Valve from this world.
In front of the Immortal Dao Gate Valve, there was an emissary from the Human Sovereign Palace, seemingly communicating with Immortal World powerhouses on the other side.
Ye Chen asked, "What's going on?"
The Human Sovereign Palace emissary smiled bitterly. "Lord Battle Saint King, there's a problem with the Immortal Dao Gate Valve. It can't be opened immediately. It seems the Immortal Dao rules have become disordered."
"How do you know?" Ye Chen frowned.
The Human Sovereign Palace emissary replied, "An Immortal World powerhouse from the other side of the Gate Valve sent me a voice transmission. They are reporting to an Immortal and preparing to request an Immortal Lord to come personally to mediate the Immortal Dao rules."
"How long do we have to wait?"
"Unclear. Probably around half a month."
Half a month?
Ye Chen frowned. The Chaos Sea Heaven's Pride Grand Competition was about to begin in half a month. Waiting another half a month would mean the Pangu Universe's Heaven's Prides would miss the qualification for the grand competition.
From a timing perspective, this seemed far too coincidental.
"Can't it be faster?"
"The various Immortal Lords are all busy with the Chaos Sea Heaven's Pride Grand Competition and can't come immediately. Moreover, rearranging the Immortal Dao rules requires time even if an Immortal Lord personally intervenes," the emissary said helplessly.
Ye Chen raised an eyebrow. "Is that their explanation too?"
"Yes!"
Hearing this, Ye Chen sneered. As a Quasi-Titan, his gaze was sharp enough to pierce through the Immortal Dao Gate Valve and see the other side, where a large contingent of the Immortal World's army was stationed, unhurried and relaxed.
The Immortal World army could also see this side.
Their expressions were cold. Even seeing Ye Chen and the others arrive, they still did not open the Gate Valve, acting as if they hadn't noticed.
Naturally, they didn't know that Ye Chen could penetrate the Immortal Dao rules and see everything here.
They naturally heard the conversation between Ye Chen and the Human Sovereign Palace emissary, and many of them sneered, as if watching Ye Chen and the others become a laughingstock.
Ye Chen said, "Request the gate to be opened. This lord leads the Heaven's Prides of the Pangu Universe to participate in the Chaos Sea Heaven's Pride Grand Competition."
On the other side of the Gate Valve, there was no response, as if they hadn't heard.
The Human Sovereign Palace emissary said, "The Immortal Dao Gate Valve can block everything—both voice transmissions and visuals. We can't see or hear them, and it's the same for them. Special methods are needed for communication."
"Is that so?" Ye Chen looked calmly at the Immortal Dao Gate Valve.
He saw a military commander sneering and saying, "Hahaha, these trash from the Pangu Universe really think we can't hear them. Hahaha, we're just watching them make fools of themselves."
"Hahaha!"
Behind him, many Immortal World powerhouses laughed heartily.
"Lord Qingyu Immortal has given orders not to allow the Pangu Universe's Heaven's Prides passage for now. They need to understand the consequences of offending him—they won't be able to participate in the Chaos Sea Heaven's Pride Grand Competition."
"So-called Heaven's Prides from a broken ancient universe—they're not strong anyway. Whether they participate or not makes no difference."
But someone else worriedly said, "However, an Immortal King above explicitly ordered that the Pangu Universe's Heaven's Prides must be invited to participate without fail. This generation of the Pangu Universe is brilliant with stars shining, its Heaven's Prides peerless, even including the Battle Saint King, hailed as the Chaos Sea's strongest Heaven's Pride. They're not simple at all."
"Heh, so what if the Pangu Universe must be invited? It wasn't specified how they should be invited. The Pangu Universe, a mere dilapidated Chaos Ancient Universe, actually dared to kill Lord Qingyu Immortal and the Qingyu Immortal Clan we dispatched there not long ago, even killing the young ancestor Piaoyu, and Lord Qingyu Immortal's Immortal avatar was jointly destroyed by the Pangu Universe's Supreme Ones. What audacity!"
"Exactly. A declining, backward, broken universe actually has the gall to act so recklessly. If not for several Immortal Kings within the Primordial Wilderness Immortal World intervening, and with the Chaos Sea Heaven's Pride Grand Competition underway, the Violet Heaven Immortal King would have long since taken action, sending the Immortal World army to deal with this arrogant Pangu Universe."
"Right now, we're just teaching the Pangu Universe a lesson. They should understand their place."
"Just wait. After teaching them a lesson now, as long as we open the Immortal World Gate Valve in the last day or two, these people from the Pangu Universe will still come scurrying over gratefully to enter the Immortal World."
...
At the Immortal Dao Gate Valve, the Immortal World army stationed there talked and laughed freely, holding the Pangu Universe in utter contempt.
In their eyes, as long as they gave the Pangu Universe the chance to participate in such a grand Heaven's Pride competition, they would be at their mercy later.
However, they didn't realize that on the other side of the Immortal Dao Gate Valve, Ye Chen, with his profound cultivation reaching the Quasi-Titan level, saw and heard everything clearly, his expression unmoving.
He immediately understood that this was undoubtedly Qingyu Immortal's doing, preventing the Pangu Universe's Heaven's Prides from participating in the Chaos Sea Heaven's Pride Grand Competition.
Of course, whether it was the Violet Heaven Immortal King's intention behind the scenes was less clear.
However, with Ye Chen's strength, he could certainly shatter the Immortal Dao Gate Valve; it couldn't stop him.
But he didn't do so. With a cold expression, he turned to the many Pangu Universe Heaven's Prides behind him and said, "Everyone, the Primordial Wilderness Immortal World does not welcome the Pangu Universe's Heaven's Prides to participate in the Heaven's Pride Grand Competition. Let's return. Not participating in this so-called Chaos Sea Heaven's Pride Grand Competition is fine. If needed later, I can send you to the Ultimate Ancient Path or the Supreme Ancient Path instead."
With these words, he led the Heaven's Prides away.
The Human Sovereign emissary was stunned.
Not participating?
The Immortal World powerhouses on the other side of the Immortal Dao Gate Valve were even more dumbfounded and panicked.
What?
Not participating?
But an Immortal King had explicitly ordered that the Pangu Universe's Heaven's Prides must be invited. Now the Battle Saint King actually said they weren't participating? How would they bear the Immortal King's wrath later?
One of them forced himself to stay calm. "Don't panic. It's possible the Battle Saint King is just threatening us. The Chaos Sea Heaven's Pride Grand Competition is the most prestigious Heaven's Pride event in the entire Chaos Sea. Immortal Kings will attend, and other Ancient Titans will participate as well. Such a grand event, watched by all through the ages—the Pangu Universe cannot possibly not participate. It might just be some resentment over us not opening the Gate Valve. It'll be fine in a few days."
"Right. If they really don't participate, the Pangu Universe will suffer the greatest loss—missing the excellent opportunity to showcase themselves before the various Immortal Kings and forfeiting the chance to become disciples of Immortal Kings."
"Let's wait a few days. In a few days, these Pangu Universe Heaven's Prides will definitely return, begging us to open the Immortal World Gate Valve to participate in the Chaos Sea Heaven's Pride Grand Competition."
Many Immortal World powerhouses asserted confidently.