For an existence at the level of the Hongtian Dominator, what else was there left to pursue?
Without a doubt, it was to ascend even higher.
If he could obtain Donghuang's Immortal Venerable Body, it would absolutely be possible to attain the Immortal Venerable fruit. Because Donghuang was one of the most ancient Immortal Venerable Ones, and his Immortal Venerable Body similarly contained Immortal Venerable origin essence. The Hongtian Dominator could completely take possession of this Immortal Venerable Body, cultivate the immortal path, and achieve the Immortal Venerable fruit.
Wouldn't that be even better?
Thinking of this, the Hongtian Dominator couldn't help but feel his eyes grow hot.
"Excellent. This Immortal Venerable Body of Donghuang is an unexpected harvest. This invasion of the Donghuang Domain in the Primordial Immortal World was not a wasted trip!"
However, before he could make a move, a voice, carrying a hint of mockery and bone-chilling cold, sounded silently behind him: "You... truly desire this sovereign's former Immortal Venerable Body so much?"
A chill ran down his spine!
He turned his head slowly, bit by bit, only to see a familiar figure standing behind him. It was Donghuang!
"Impossible! Isn't Donghuang's Immortal Venerable Body right in front of this sovereign? Who are you? How dare you deceive this sovereign?"
The Hongtian Dominator coldly shouted. Donghuang's Immortal Venerable Body was clearly right before his eyes. Who was this Donghuang behind him?
"This sovereign... is Donghuang!"
Donghuang's voice was incomparably cold. A terrifying, boundless Half-Step Overlord level immortal might swept forth, compressing and filling every inch of space-time around the Hongtian Dominator, annihilating it piece by piece until nothing remained. Only the purest and most powerful immortal might rippled, yet it was identical to the aura of the Donghuang power within Donghuang Sacred City and the Immortal Venerable Body of Donghuang.
Involuntarily, a terrible thought surfaced in the Hongtian Dominator's mind, filling him with terror.
Had Donghuang... returned!?
Boom—
The might of a Half-Step Overlord surged mightily. Even though the Hongtian Dominator was a Primordial Giant, he was far from being a match for a Half-Step Overlord. Under Donghuang's attack, the Hongtian Dominator's ancient body was directly torn apart, nearly cut in half. Endless ancient blood rained down as he suffered a grievous wound.
All living beings trembled, yet also cried out excitedly.
Donghuang is invincible!
"Imperial Father!" This time, Taiyu Immortal King's tears truly flowed. Because his imperial father had truly returned, in such an invincible posture.
On the other side, Donghuang Yanran was even more excited. So her imperial father had really come back!
"Taiyu, Yanran... you have suffered. My apologies for being away for so long. But rest assured, your imperial father is here now." Facing his children who had endured much and slept for endless years, Donghuang's tone was gentle, tinged with remorse. But it quickly turned forceful again, directed at the Hongtian Dominator.
In the blink of an eye, having grievously wounded the Hongtian Dominator, Donghuang naturally would not allow him to leave alive.
Daring to attack the Donghuang Domain was a crime deserving of ten thousand deaths. He would be made to stay here forever.
"No—"
The Hongtian Dominator panicked, as if foreseeing his true fate.
Boom—
Not long after, the Hongtian Dominator vanished, his fate unknown.
On another front, the three alien race Giants who had invaded the Donghuang Domain to pursue Immortal Kings Haozun and Jiuyou had long sensed Donghuang's return. Especially after witnessing Donghuang suppress the Hongtian Dominator with a mere gesture, and seeing that even a powerful Primordial Giant was no match for him, they fled in terror, escaping back towards Taiyu Pass. There, they encountered the Immortal Kings and Giants led by the Immortal Great Celestial Venerate. Paying the heavy price of three Giants falling, only six of them ultimately managed to escape.
This, of course, was only because other Primordial Giants from the Alien Ancient Universe were waiting to receive them within the Chaos Sea. Otherwise, the number of fallen alien Giants would have been far greater.
No matter how the Alien Ancient Universe thought about it, they never expected that merely attacking the Donghuang Domain would result in the permanent loss of four Giants, one of whom was even a Primordial Giant. Even for a powerful Ancient Universe like the Alien Ancient Universe, which ranked among the very best, this was a cost not to be ignored—far beyond mere flesh wounds.
The other Primordial Giant from the alien race, who had received the six Giants within the Chaos Sea, wore an ugly expression and also frowned. Why hadn't the great existence from their own Ancient Universe made a move? Otherwise, even if Donghuang had returned, things wouldn't have turned out like this.
One must know, that great existence was in no way inferior to Donghuang. Had he taken action, the entire Donghuang Domain might have been completely annihilated!
But soon, this alien Primordial Giant's expression changed, because he saw a blurry figure standing before the alien great existence. The figure was surrounded by the phantom of a universe, its true form unclear, yet it emanated a terrifying aura that made even his heart palpitate with fear.
A Half-Step Overlord!
It was precisely because of the appearance of this Half-Step Overlord enveloped in a universe phantom that their own Half-Step Overlord was unable to provide aid!
When had such an invincible Half-Step Overlord appeared?
Deep within the Chaos Sea, the alien Half-Step Overlord hidden within gradually revealed his true form, looking gravely at the Half-Step Overlord enveloped in a universe phantom before him, deeply wary. Moreover, the feeling this person gave him was somewhat familiar, yet he did not recognize anyone else in the Chaos Sea who could, like the Universe Great Emperor, release a universe phantom for empowerment as a Half-Step Overlord.
One must know, throughout the entire Chaos Sea, Half-Step Overlords could be counted on one's fingers, their numbers finite throughout history. Yet he had roamed the Chaos Sea for endless years; even though he had slumbered through many epochs, he was still aware of the Chaos Sea's secrets, especially regarding the level of Half-Step Overlords. He basically knew them all.
Even if it were the most ancient batch of Immortal Venerable Ones or Primordial Giants who had ascended, he should have known.
But regarding this mysterious Half-Step Overlord before him, he could not discern who it was. He couldn't help but frown and ask, "Who are you?"
No matter how he racked his brains, he could never have imagined that the person before him was precisely the Chaos Heavenly Emperor Ye Chen, who, a million years ago, had been besieged by him and three other alien Half-Step Overlords, ultimately burning his form and spirit, sacrificing himself to battle the Primordial Ancestor.
In that battle of yore, no one believed the Chaos Heavenly Emperor was still alive. Therefore, the alien Half-Step Overlord could not guess his identity.
Enveloped within the universe phantom—the supreme manifestation of the Chaos Great Dao—even a Half-Step Overlord could not completely see through it. This was naturally intentional; Ye Chen did not want the Alien Ancient Universe to know of his return too soon.
Looking at this alien Half-Step Overlord who had once participated in his own encirclement and killing, Ye Chen revealed a faint, cold smile. "You don't recognize me, but I recognize you... Aoyuan."
A million years had passed, and Aoyuan's injuries had actually recovered quite a bit, which rather surprised Ye Chen.
Back then, he had fought desperately, burning his form, spirit, and even his Chaos Small Universe, grievously wounding all the alien Half-Step Overlords who besieged him, even dragging the Demon Daoist down with him.
Logically speaking, such injuries would take a Half-Step Overlord one or two epochs to recover from. He hadn't expected Aoyuan to recover so quickly, causing Ye Chen to frown. It was clear the Alien Ancient Universe must have some grand scheme, otherwise they wouldn't have paid such a great price to restore Aoyuan.
Aoyuan wasn't particularly surprised that Ye Chen recognized him; after all, he was also one of the most ancient existences in the Chaos Sea. He frowned slightly and said, "Fellow Daoist, though I do not know you, this is a war between our Ancient Universe and the Primordial Immortal World. I must ask you not to interfere."