The sudden, violent death of a Half-Step Overlord was undoubtedly alarming.
A Half-Step Overlord was second only to a peerless Overlord within the Chaos Sea. For one to perish so abruptly, without any warning, was unprecedented. The fate of the Profound God Ancestor remained unknown, but the last time a Half-Step Overlord was slain was nearly two million years ago, when the Chaos Heavenly Emperor was besieged by multiple alien Half-Step Overlords and dragged the alien Ancient Universe's Demon Daozi to their mutual demise.
To find an earlier instance, one would have to trace back to the terrifying era when the Origin Saint Race ruled the Chaos Sea—the period when the Heavenly Emperor and Primordial Beginning led the myriad races of the Chaos Sea in resistance against the Origin Saint Race. Even then, Half-Step Overlords had fallen.
"Primordial Ancestor, a Half-Step Overlord who lived in seclusion... who exactly killed him?"
"An existence on par with the Divine Emperor and the Henggu Monarch, a Half-Step Overlord... how could he just die suddenly? Could it be the work of one of the four Overlord-level powers?"
"In this world, aside from the four Overlord-level powers, what other force could silently assassinate a Half-Step Overlord?"
For a time, panic spread through the Chaos Sea. All major powers were deeply wary of the four Overlord-level forces.
Even the Pangu Universe and the Primordial Immortal Realm, two of those four Overlord-level powers, were largely in the dark.
Within the Pangu Universe, Ye Chen gazed into the Chaos Sea and, together with other Half-Step Overlords, rushed to the site of Primordial Ancestor's demise.
Primordial Ancestor was the universe controller of the Primordial Universe. He had been born at the dawn of the Chaos Sea's creation and was the first life form of the Primordial Universe, having witnessed the eons of change within the Chaos Sea. He had even participated in the great war against the Origin Saint Race in the distant, endless past.
He was one of the few, unfathomably powerful Half-Step Overlords in the Chaos Sea outside the four Overlord-level forces.
Now, his sudden death attracted attention from all sides.
The first to discover this was a Quasi-Giant training in the Chaos Sea. Though the Chaos Sea had become perilous, it was also filled with boundless opportunities. With luck, one might advance significantly in a short time.
On this day, as he passed the Primordial Universe, he discovered that this normally awe-inspiringly powerful Chaos Ancient Universe had suddenly collapsed. Upon entering, he found that Primordial Ancestor, the Half-Step Overlord, had vanished. Yet, through the blood-stained, crumbling Primordial Universe, he sensed that the endless blood of Primordial Ancestor, which had dyed the cosmos red, was filled with an aura of deathly stillness.
There were even fragments of time recorded here, indicating an earth-shattering battle had taken place. Yet, it had been sealed off beyond a radius of several domains, with not a wisp of aura escaping, for no one had been aware of the conflict when it occurred.
However, even with the residual time fragments, it was impossible to determine who had slain Primordial Ancestor. The assailant was too powerful, having completely shielded the heavenly secrets and interfered with causality.
Boom—
Ye Chen descended upon the Primordial Universe. The Heaven-Defying Battle Lord arrived as well.
Simultaneously, from the Primordial Immortal Realm, Donghuang and a shifty-eyed immortal Half-Step Overlord arrived. This immortal Half-Step Overlord was named Tian'a Immortal Lord.
Almost at the same time, two Half-Step Overlords each arrived from the Alien Ancient Universe and the Origin Saint Race.
It seemed each of the four Overlord-level forces had dispatched two Half-Step Overlords.
On the scene, the eight Half-Step Overlords subtly formed a four-against-four standoff: the Pangu Universe and the Primordial Immortal Realm facing off against the Alien Ancient Universe and the Origin Saint Race.
Especially the Origin Saint Race. The two Half-Step Overlords who arrived now were Thousand Mechanisms Heaven Ancestor and Earth Saint. Seeing Ye Chen, it was a case of enemies meeting, eyes blazing with hatred.
Thousand Mechanisms Heaven Ancestor coldly shouted, "Chaos Heavenly Emperor, hand over the Heavenly Dao Millstone immediately!"
The Heavenly Dao Millstone was the innate supreme treasure of the Heavenly Dao Ancient Ancestor, capable of greatly amplifying his combat power.
Now that the Heavenly Dao Ancient Ancestor had lost the Heavenly Dao Millstone, though he remained a Half-Step Overlord, his combat effectiveness was significantly diminished—an unacceptable loss for the Origin Saint Race.
Ye Chen smiled, the Heavenly Dao Millstone appearing in his hand. It slowly rotated, with chaotic light flickering, radiating a terrifying aura capable of annihilating universes.
After hundreds of thousands of years of continuous refinement by him, the Heavenly Dao Millstone was already extraordinary.
Upon seeing the Heavenly Dao Millstone, Thousand Mechanisms Heaven Ancestor's eyes immediately faintly revealed blood vessels as he roared, "Return it now, or we will commence battle immediately!"
Ye Chen replied indifferently, "Commence battle immediately? Excellent. I am ready at any time."
An extremely terrifying, condensed aura wantonly emanated from his entire body.
Beside him, the Heaven-Defying Battle Lord manifested the Heaven-Defying Battle Halberd, erupting with a world-destroying aura that caused the entire collapsed Primordial Universe to tremble violently and split apart. He looked at the two Half-Step Overlords of the Origin Saint Race, his eyes spewing forth terrifying beams that could pierce through everything. "Why not start the battle right now? It just so happens this lord has some grievances he'd like to settle with your Origin Saint Race!"
The Origin Saint Race wanted to use the threat of war to force Ye Chen to surrender the Heavenly Dao Millstone, but how could they succeed?
Ye Chen was a madman to begin with, having dared to infiltrate the Origin Saint Race's secret realm alone.
The Heaven-Defying Battle Lord had irreconcilable enmity with the Origin Saint Race. Such threats were simply asking for trouble.
Even if the Origin Saint Race was unwilling to fight, the Pangu Universe side was eager for battle to settle old scores!
Thousand Mechanisms Heaven Ancestor and Earth Saint's expressions turned ugly.
At this moment, Ao Yuan and the other Half-Step Overlord from the Alien Ancient Universe stood on the Origin Saint Race's side.
Naturally, the two Half-Step Overlords from the Primordial Immortal Realm also stood beside Ye Chen.
Ye Chen's bones and sinews continuously crackled like thunder, chaotic light overflowing. He said lightly, "Since you intend to hasten the arrival of the Blood-Stained Future, then this lord doesn't mind finishing you off today. Below the level of an Overlord, I truly fear no one. After all, slaying a Half-Step Overlord isn't a first for me. Ao Yuan, you should have plenty of experience with that. Thousand Mechanisms Heaven Ancestor, you as well. If not for your shameless joint attack back then, that old fellow Heavenly Dao Ancient Ancestor would have long been trampled underfoot, becoming this lord's second Half-Step Overlord soul!"
He was always domineering.
If they wanted to fight, then fight!
He was no longer the weak Battle Saint King of the past. Now known throughout the world as the Chaos Heavenly Emperor was proof enough. In less than three million years, he had countless glorious battle achievements to his name, having even slain a Half-Step Overlord.
Aside from the five invincible Overlords, who could compare to him?
However, the two sides ultimately did not truly engage in battle, for both knew the true time had not yet come.
Suddenly, Ye Chen's sword-like brows furrowed, for he sensed a thick, familiar aura.
Exchanging a glance with the Heaven-Defying Battle Lord, their expressions darkened. "The Eternal Night Domain's Origin Will!"
Primordial Ancestor's demise was actually caused by the Eternal Night Domain's Origin Will.
Did this not mean that over these hundreds of thousands of years, the Eternal Night Domain's Origin Will had completely refined the Profound God Ancestor?
Moreover, if even Primordial Ancestor had fallen victim to the Eternal Night Domain's Origin Will, it indicated that the Origin Will's strength had likely reached the Overlord level. If not already, after hunting Primordial Ancestor, it soon would be!