"Battle Saint King!"
The three Quasi-Immortal Kings saw Ye Chen again after more than twenty thousand years, yet there was little sense of unfamiliarity. After all, for peerless existences like them who measured time in epochs or more, the passage of ten thousand years was but the blink of an eye, easily slipping away during a brief seclusion.
However, they were shocked to sense that Ye Chen's Dao aura was far more powerful than before, surpassing his past self by an immeasurable degree. It gave them the feeling of facing an Immortal King directly.
Only twenty thousand years had passed. How had he grown so much stronger? Was he even human?
"Fellow Daoists," Ye Chen responded politely. The three Quasi-Immortal Kings had now returned to their respective immortal domains and no longer resided permanently within the 'Forty-Nine Immortal Passes' secret realm.
Seeing that Ye Chen had, unusually, entered the Primordial Immortal Realm, the three Quasi-Immortal Kings invited him to visit, also hoping to seek advice on becoming stronger.
Their years of cultivation far exceeded Ye Chen's by countless times, yet their cultivation levels could not compare. They felt a sense of defeat, but also a yearning, hoping they too could improve so dramatically in such a short time like Ye Chen.
Ye Chen politely declined. He knew their thoughts, but this matter involved the Violet Firmament Immortal King. The fact that the Immortal King's cave abode had been stolen by him still hadn't been discovered. How could he reveal it? That would invite immense trouble. Besides, he had more important matters to attend to during this visit to the Primordial Immortal Realm.
The three Quasi-Immortal Kings did not press him, only asking him to visit when he had time.
Ye Chen agreed. When heading to the Origin Ancient Path, he did not detour around the central core region of the immortal realm. Instead, he entered Pan Dao Immortal King's domain and once again ascended to Pan Dao Immortal King City, performing the rites of a junior to express his gratitude to Pan Dao Immortal King.
Over the years, Pan Dao Immortal King had intervened several times due to the Flame Emperor's influence, but he had indeed offered help. Such kindness could not be forgotten.
Pan Dao Immortal King nodded with a smile. "You are too courteous, young friend. Even if I had not intervened, the Pangu Universe could have resolved that crisis on its own."
He was confident the Pangu Universe possessed that capability. Even if the Chaos Burial Ground had attacked under the leadership of two Heavenly Sovereign-level Giants, taking down the Pangu Universe would have been extremely difficult.
Not only because the Pangu Universe had the presence of the Cangxiong Great Heavenly Venerate, but also because of this junior before him, not yet thirty thousand years old, who was truly a peerless, most monstrous genius of all time. He had suppressed two Quasi-Giants and nearly killed them both. Such a glorious achievement was something even he, during his Quasi-Immortal King days, had never accomplished.
He believed Ye Chen had more than a one-in-ten chance of proving his Dao and becoming an Emperor.
One in ten might seem slim, but it was actually quite high. After all, no one throughout history had ever proven the Dao and become an Emperor through the Chaos Great Dao. Not even a colossus from antiquity like Tai Sheng Huang had managed it. That spoke volumes.
Ye Chen only stayed briefly before preparing to leave.
At that moment, Pan Dao Immortal King nodded with a smile. "Young friend, please wait a moment. I shall accompany you to the Origin Ancient Path."
Ye Chen was startled. Pan Dao Immortal King was also going to the Origin Ancient Path?
"It has been a long time since I last saw the Flame Emperor. Moreover, there is a place on the Origin Ancient Path I must visit to set my mind at ease," Pan Dao Immortal King said.
An hour later, Pan Dao Immortal King and Ye Chen set off together. He even brought his Immortal King City along, thoroughly astonishing Ye Chen.
Ye Chen knew full well the terrifying nature of this Immortal King City. Back then, even someone as overbearing as the Violet Firmament Immortal King had been intimidated by it, a testament to its extraordinary, peerless nature. And now, it was being brought along.
What was Pan Dao Immortal King planning? Not only was his true body going, but he also needed this supreme Immortal King weapon, the Immortal King City.
No one knew, and Ye Chen did not feel it appropriate to ask.
As for Pan Dao Immortal King's domain, he left behind a strand of Immortal King will, with a Quasi-Immortal King stationed there, much like the Violet Sun Quasi-Immortal King—both were children of an Immortal King.
The departure of the two shook the entire Primordial Immortal Realm.
Pan Dao Immortal King's movement, in particular, caused a stir across the eight directions.
The mobilization of an Immortal King was no simple matter. Usually, they were either in deep slumber or in secluded meditation, with movements spanning hundreds of millions of years, or even entire epochs without emerging once or twice.
His current journey drew widespread attention.
In the Violet Firmament Immortal King's domain, violet light seethed, vast and mighty for billions of miles.
Over the years, a new Immortal King Palace and even an Immortal King cave abode had naturally been rebuilt.
It must be said that Immortal Kings were extraordinary. Even after having his most precious cave abode stolen, he could rebuild one in a mere twenty thousand years. Of course, compared to the previous Immortal King cave abode, it was far inferior, but it was still astonishing.
At this moment, the Violet Firmament Immortal King awoke, opening his eyes. Violet light shone from his pupils, piercing through the myriad heavens as he saw Pan Dao Immortal King and Ye Chen. His pupils contracted slightly, releasing boundless cold intent.
However, he took no action.
Although he deeply loathed this junior Ye Chen who had repeatedly provoked him, with Pan Dao Immortal King by his side, it was not a good time to act.
He also knew that unless an Immortal King personally intervened, even if the Violet Sun Quasi-Immortal King acted, it would be difficult to deal with Ye Chen.
He was naturally aware of the events in the Chaos Sea and had to admit that this Battle Saint King junior's growth speed was far too astonishing. At only thirty thousand years old, he had defied the heavens to such an extent.
He dared not imagine to what heights the Battle Saint King would grow given more time.
Unfortunately, there was currently not the slightest opportunity. Otherwise, he would not mind nipping this most dazzling genius of all time, who shone across the myriad realms, in the bud.
Soon, the two left the Primordial Immortal Realm and arrived at the Origin Ancient Path.
Setting foot on the Origin Ancient Path again, Ye Chen could feel a great difference.
In the past, the Flame Emperor had left him here, and he had traveled alone to the Flame Emperor's domain deep within the Origin Ancient Path. He had experienced many dangers along the way, even being personally hunted by the ancient Great Emperor, Tian Gu Great Emperor, in extremely perilous situations.
Now, he was a Quasi-Giant, and the strongest Quasi-Giant at that. Setting foot here again, what danger could possibly remain?
Ye Chen and Pan Dao Immortal King's entry into the Origin Ancient Path immediately shook the entire path.
One was an Immortal King, whose might had shaken the Chaos Sea for several epochs. The awe of an Immortal King reached everywhere; who would dare show disrespect?
The other had truly risen to prominence only in the last thirty thousand years, yet possessed an invincible bearing. In the Chaos Sea, he had single-handedly battled two Quasi-Giants of the Chaos Sea and nearly killed them both, establishing a glorious, resounding reputation known to all.
Now, the simultaneous appearance of these two was bound to cause a stir.
Tian Gu Great Emperor, in particular, changed expression drastically. Back then, he had hunted Ye Chen. How could he have imagined that in less than thirty thousand years, a mere junior who wasn't even a Sovereign would leap to such heights, not only becoming a Quasi-Giant but also establishing such a glorious, world-shaking immortal achievement?
In comparison, over these years, he had not even fully replenished the Emperor Dao source that had been taken from him, recovering only half a portion.
If Ye Chen came to kill him, aside from seeking help from the colossus from antiquity he followed, he would have no other recourse.
Ye Chen naturally sensed Tian Gu Great Emperor. To be honest, this Great Emperor could indeed be considered the most aggrieved ancient Great Emperor on the Origin Ancient Path. Back then, the Flame Emperor had intervened, extracting sixty percent of his Emperor Dao source and over twenty percent of his ancient Emperor essence blood, severely damaging his vitality.
But it was also a consequence of his own actions.
Ye Chen remembered that the Flame Emperor had once said that if he became a Sovereign, Tian Gu Great Emperor could hunt him.
But who could have predicted that he would not only become a Sovereign but also an Emperor—though the most terrifying kind, an Eternal Emperor.
Ye Chen paid no heed to Tian Gu Great Emperor. The latter had already paid a profound price for his past actions.
They traveled onward and soon arrived at the Flame Emperor's domain.
Flame Emperor's Domain, Flame Emperor City.
The Flame Emperor's true body was not present, only a strand of will from the colossus from antiquity remained. He was very pleased to see them, as both were his closest friends.
"Pan Dao, you old fellow, you've come too. Alright, Little Chen, you come along as well. Now you have the qualification to go to that place."
The Flame Emperor spoke, pointing ahead. Pan Dao Immortal King acted, bringing Ye Chen across endless territories directly to the deepest part of the Origin Ancient Path.
To be honest, this was Ye Chen's first time venturing to the deepest part of the Origin Ancient Path.
Since time immemorial, only Supreme Ones could stand in the deepest parts. Others, including Sovereigns and Emperors, were not permitted to approach, making it seem quite mysterious.
The deepest part of the Origin Ancient Path resembled a chaotic ancient universe in the state of creation, vast and boundless, with myriad realms and heavens floating within. To Ye Chen, it felt no less expansive than the Myriad Domains and Heavens; it was truly immense.
Over the years, the various Supreme Ones and Giants had actually developed the Origin Ancient Path to this extent.
The heaven and earth spiritual energy contained here almost far surpassed any other place in the world. Only the central core region of the Primordial Immortal Realm could compare.
Ye Chen grew solemn, for he could distinctly sense numerous terrifying auras of supreme, invincible power here. They were all at the Supreme One level at the very least, with quite a few Quasi-Giants and even colossi from antiquity.
Among them, he sensed several familiar auras—precisely those of the colossi from antiquity from the Pangu Universe's side: the Flame Emperor, Tai Sheng Huang, the Battle Saint Ancestor, and the Heaven-Defying War Lord.
He and Pan Dao Immortal King arrived at the true deepest part. This place was the very end of the Origin Ancient Path. Ahead, endless chaos surged and roiled. Layer upon layer of chaotic ancient energy appeared incredibly pure, continuously and spontaneously giving birth to worlds and heavens.
Primordial chaos pure lands also appeared, nurturing many chaos treasures of considerable value.
Of course, for supreme existences at the Supreme One level or above, only chaos immortal gold or treasures of equivalent level were worthy of attention.
Yet, special chaos rules also manifested here, actually giving birth to hordes of chaos ancient beasts, at the very least at the Sovereign level, extremely powerful.
There were even some at the Emperor level, and even the Supreme One level.
Their numbers were vast.
This was the deepest part of the Origin Ancient Path. Ye Chen sincerely felt the activity of the Chaos Great Dao here, far surpassing other places. He could sense the Chaos Great Dao within his body continuously generating strands of chaos Sovereign rules.
"You have come."
Tai Sheng Huang, the Battle Saint Ancestor, the Heaven-Defying War Lord, and the Flame Emperor—the four colossi from antiquity of the Pangu Universe—appeared, their might shaking all ages.
"Fellow Daoists," Pan Dao Immortal King nodded slightly.
"Greetings, Teacher, two Ancestral Masters, Flame Emperor," Ye Chen performed a grand bow of respect.
"Fellow Daoist, young friend."
They nodded to Pan Dao Immortal King, then smiled at Ye Chen. In just over twenty thousand years, this little fellow had actually grown to this stage.
They could sense that the magical power within Ye Chen's body was like a vast sea, surging boundlessly, truly astonishing, surpassing that of many Quasi-Giants.
Tai Sheng Huang, the Battle Saint Ancestor, and the Heaven-Defying War Lord exchanged glances, revealing a trace of surprise. The feeling Ye Chen gave them was actually reminiscent of the War Emperor.
That was the aura of the extreme realm.