At this moment, the Ancient Heavenly Race finally understood deeply the fearsomeness of Ye Chen, and also felt a belated fear for their isolationist policies.
For several epochs, they had remained hidden from the world, remaining largely sealed off even after the Bloodstained Epoch began. They had been completely unaware that so many events had transpired within the Chaos Sea.
A newly risen Giant from this very epoch actually possessed the terrifying power to force the alien Ancient Universe to retreat in defeat. This was something the Ancient Heavenly Race found hard to believe.
Suo Tianzun felt an even deeper regret. Had he known this earlier, how would he have dared to treat the Angel Imperial Son in such a manner and challenge the Battle Saint King?
The First Progenitor also let out a deep sigh. He looked towards Ye Chen and said, "Fellow Daoist, you are truly one who surpasses his master. To think you have forced that overbearing alien Chaos Ancient Universe to retreat in defeat multiple times. Such battle achievements are nothing short of earth-shattering. Throughout the ages, few have truly accomplished this. This old man observes that you do not appear old. May I ask, Fellow Daoist, for how many epochs have you cultivated the Dao?"
Although he appeared very young, the First Progenitor did not believe Ye Chen's age was truly small. After all, upon attaining the Dao and becoming a Supreme One, one becomes ageless and can maintain a youthful, vigorous state.
The Second and Third Progenitors also looked at Ye Chen. Several epochs ago, they had not even heard the name of this Battle Saint King. He was likely a supreme Giant who had risen only in recent epochs.
Based on the information they had gathered, it mostly concerned Ye Chen's battle achievements, while details about his age had been overlooked.
Ye Chen said indifferently, "One epoch."
Hearing this, Shen Rong, Ye Cangqiong, Wei'er, and the others couldn't help but laugh. This guy really had a black heart.
One epoch?
He hadn't even reached a fraction of an epoch.
"One epoch?"
The three Progenitors, and even the many Quasi-Giants and Supreme Ones present, were stunned, revealing looks of shock.
Having cultivated the Dao for merely one epoch, yet becoming a Primordial Giant-level existence with such world-shaking combat power? How was that possible?
Many Supreme Ones and Quasi-Giants couldn't help but blush, feeling ashamed.
Anyone capable of attaining the Dao and becoming a Supreme One was a true genius of their generation, dominating their era with few rivals.
Quasi-Giants were even more outstanding, possessing the hope of attaining the Dao and becoming colossi from antiquity.
However, the Supreme Ones and Quasi-Giants of the Ancient Heavenly Race present were almost all ancient existences who had attained the Dao two or three epochs ago, with only a very few succeeding in the last one or two epochs. This showed the difficulty of becoming a colossus from antiquity.
As for the three Progenitor figures, none had cultivated for less than five epochs. Especially the First Progenitor, a Primordial Giant who rose during the early days of the Chaos Sea, having lived through a sufficiently long stretch of epochs.
Yet, in comparison, the Battle Saint King, who had cultivated for only one epoch, possessed combat power so strong it could suppress them, who had cultivated for multiple epochs. What kind of heaven-defying, terrifying cultivation talent was this?
The Second Progenitor shook his head. "Impossible. Your cultivation years must absolutely exceed three epochs. Otherwise, it's impossible for you to be this strong."
The reason Primordial Giants were sufficiently powerful was the constant accumulation over time, where quantity eventually transformed into quality. This was also the fundamental reason why Primordial Giants were stronger than colossi from antiquity.
Ye Chen shook his head. "Three epochs is far too long."
To him, epochs measured in hundreds of millions of years were incredibly long. Even half an epoch was immensely long, let alone three epochs, which was unimaginably protracted.
The Third Progenitor frowned. "How could it be long? For us Giants, a single meditation session often lasts hundreds of millions of years or half an epoch, passing in the blink of an eye."
Ye Chen said, "That's for you. I have cultivated for only a little over two hundred thousand years to this day, and I also feel it's been too long."
"Two hundred thousand years?!"
All the Ancient Heavenly Race powerhouses were greatly astonished. Ye Chen had only cultivated for two hundred thousand years?
Including the three Great Progenitors, who usually showed no emotion, they were all shocked speechless at this moment.
A peerless monster who had become a Primordial Giant after cultivating for only two hundred thousand years... Throughout the ages, he could absolutely be called the most monstrous individual.
Even the stony face of the First Progenitor revealed a sincere look of admiration. "Fellow Daoist, you are truly a Ten Thousand Ancient Times genius. Compared to you, the three of us feel utterly ashamed."
Those who could cultivate to become colossi from antiquity were all the most dazzling geniuses of their eras, yet they often spent no less than an epoch, with many even spending five epochs or more before finally achieving success.
However, compared to Ye Chen, who had reached this step in just over two hundred thousand years, they were indeed as weak as dust.
Especially the First Progenitor, who had relied on the accumulation of time, step by step, to become a Primordial Giant.
Precisely because of this, he found it hard to believe that Ye Chen could reach this step in a mere two hundred thousand years.
Ye Chen smiled and changed the subject. "Fellow Daoist, you actually transformed your true body into a stone body. What method is this?"
The First Progenitor of the Ancient Heavenly Race, a Primordial Giant, had actually become a stone body. This was certainly not simple.
Moreover, Ye Chen could sense that this stone body was no ordinary stone. Every inch of it seemed to contain astonishing power.
He even felt his own Chaos Small Universe trembling inexplicably, as if encountering something of the same origin, yet also as if under threat. He had never felt this way even when facing Hongtian Sovereign or Changsheng Divine Emperor.
What method had the First Progenitor of the Ancient Heavenly Race cultivated?
The First Progenitor smiled and said, "Merely a self-created Ten Thousand Ancient Times method. Compared to Fellow Daoist, it's not worth mentioning!"
Despite his words, a hint of pride was evident in his expression!
Although Ye Chen's cultivation was peerless, he dared not claim to be utterly invincible. A method that could make a Primordial Giant proud was certainly not simple. He cupped his fists and said, "I would like to hear the details."
If it were anyone else, even a colossus from antiquity, the First Progenitor might have disdained to answer.
After all, this was his own secret. On the other hand, he was unwilling to answer those who were not Primordial Giants.
But Ye Chen was an existence of the same level, a Primordial Giant. He had suppressed and slain true colossi from antiquity and defeated Primordial Giants. His battle achievements were illustrious, and it was no exaggeration to say his name shook the past, present, and future. Facing such a peerless, unparalleled genius throughout history, the First Progenitor was willing to answer a little. He smiled and said, "This is a method I created myself called 'Return to the Beginning.' It appears to reverse the flesh-and-blood body into a stone substance, but in essence, it becomes Universe Stone."
"Universe Stone?!"
Not to mention others, even Ye Chen, the invincible Chaos Giant, was greatly shocked.
Universe Stone belonged to one of the most precious treasures of the Chaos Sea, far more valuable than Chaos Immortal Gold. This was because Universe Stone could only be nurtured by Chaos Ancient Universes. While destroyed Chaos Ancient Universes might nurture one or two pieces, the vast majority were difficult to discover.
Back then, the alien Tianmou Huangzun was a being born from a piece of Universe Stone. Upon awakening, he was an Emperor, and later cultivated to become a supreme Giant, overlooking the Ten Thousand Ancient Times. This showed the special nature and preciousness of Universe Stone.