A clear, sharp roar echoed from afar, exploding across the heavens and earth, startling everyone present.
Who dared to be so arrogant!
Everyone was furious, including the five Saints. Only the Martial God Hall Master and the remaining members of the Slaying the Heavens Alliance were stunned, though for some reason, this voice sounded vaguely familiar.
It was as if they had heard it before.
At that moment, a dazzling golden light streaked across the sky. What made everyone's faces pale with shock was the incredible speed of this golden radiance—it shot toward this place with a velocity that defied belief, as if chasing the stars and overtaking the moon.
In the span of just a few breaths, it traversed from the distant, unreachable horizon to appear within this region, landing right before the Martial God Hall Master and the remaining Slaying the Heavens Alliance members.
Regardless of this person's identity, this speed alone was something that even the Saints present felt they could not hope to match.
Just who was this newcomer, possessing such incredible swiftness? When had a native of the Tian Du Continent produced such a supreme powerhouse?
But when the golden light dissipated, everyone was dumbfounded.
Because the powerhouse with such extreme speed was actually a young man in his early twenties—vigorous and heroic, with a striking, prominent bearing that drew all eyes.
Though an extraordinary aura faintly emanated from him, that aura was clearly only at the Demi-Saint level. The five Saints did not feel any sense of oppressive might from it.
A mere Demi-Saint dared to provoke five Saints? All the experts from the Myriad Domains forces laughed, their expressions full of mockery.
The Martial God Hall Master and the other remaining alliance members stared blankly at the young man. He felt familiar, yet there was no young generation figure in the Tian Du Continent who looked like this, let alone one who had cultivated to the Demi-Saint level.
He couldn't help but ask, "Sir, you are..."
The young man was naturally Ye Chen, who had rushed here almost the instant he learned the news.
However, after twelve years in seclusion and merging with his previous life's Saintly remains, his appearance had naturally undergone some changes. After a span of twelve years, it was no surprise the Martial God Hall Master failed to recognize him immediately.
Light from his Primordial Spirit glowed at his brow as his core origin aura was fully revealed.
In an instant, the Martial God Hall Master and all the remaining alliance members were stunned. A moment later, they couldn't help but exclaim, "Ye Chen!"
If not for the unchangeable nature of one's core origin aura, they would have found it hard to believe that this young Heaven's Pride Prodigy before them was Ye Chen.
Over a decade ago, Ye Chen had been a generation's Heaven's Pride Prodigy, the number one figure of the Tian Du Continent. He had reached the very end of the King's Ancient Path and led the continent's most promising young generation prodigies away from the ancient path into the myriad realms.
Though they had long known Ye Chen's talent was monstrous and that he would surely become a Saint, perhaps achieving even greater heights, to advance from the peak of Demigod to the peak of Demi-Saint in just twelve or thirteen years—a cultivation speed of almost one major realm per year—was monstrous beyond imagination.
It made many among them, who had spent decades to break through a single major realm, feel utterly ashamed.
Too monstrous.
But none of that seemed important now. The Martial God Hall Master's expression changed drastically. He pulled Ye Chen aside and couldn't help but whisper urgently, "Child, though you've become very strong, reaching Demi-Saint, don't you realize what situation we're facing?"
Ye Chen was slightly taken aback, understanding they were genuinely concerned for him. Even as a Demi-Saint, facing five Saints and numerous encircling experts was a certain death scenario.
Unfortunately, they were still unaware of his prestige and true power within the myriad realms.
The Martial God Hall Master had already despaired for the Tian Du Continent's side, but Ye Chen's appearance rekindled hope. To grow to the Demi-Saint level in just over a decade meant he would surely achieve even greater things in the future.
Such a talented individual was the very hope for the Tian Du Continent's future. As long as he didn't fall prematurely, his future would be glorious. He absolutely could not die here.
Thinking this, the Martial God Hall Master took a step forward, positioning himself in front of Ye Chen, and said in a low voice, "I'll make a move in a moment to open a path for you. You must flee immediately. With your speed, escaping these pursuers shouldn't be difficult. You're still young; you mustn't act on impulse. Surviving is what's best for all of us."
"Ye Chen... why does that name sound so familiar?" One of the five Saints couldn't help but frown.
But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't recall who Ye Chen was.
Truthfully, Ye Chen was most famous in the myriad realms by the names Great Demon King Yue, Battle Saint King, Qian, and Qian Yue. Very few knew his name in this life.
Another Saint said, "Don't overthink it. Who knows how many people in the myriad realms are named Ye Chen? It's normal if you know one or two."
Hearing this, the first Saint nodded, though he looked at Ye Chen with a cold smile. "We were just planning to hunt down the remnants of these natives, and now one runs right out to us. And so young, already a Demi-Saint—in the myriad realms, he'd be considered an extraordinary Heaven's Pride. Perfect timing to nip him in the bud. If he grows up, he'd likely become a regional overlord, and dealing with him then would be troublesome."
They all understood the exceptional nature of the current young generation, especially in this rare Golden Age of ten thousand antiquity, where spiritual energy surged and the myriad Daos flourished, creating a cultivation environment countless times better. For someone so young to reach the Demi-Saint level, it was inevitable he would ascend to even greater heights in the future.
If such a person wasn't an enemy, fine. But if he was, he must be strangled in the cradle.
"Be careful, don't underestimate him. This boy's speed is extraordinary; even we would struggle to catch up. We need to seal this space." A Saint spoke up, immediately locking down the surrounding heaven and earth. Then he added, "Everyone, don't forget—twelve years ago, when we crossed realms, wasn't Xia Shuangwang killed by a young Heaven's Pride from this world? That person was also called Ye Chen. I suspect it's this very kid."
Upon hearing this, everyone's expressions changed. Being able to kill Xia Shuangwang meant this youth before them was at least a King-level figure, and a Demi-Saint King at that. Though only a Demi-Saint, he likely wasn't inferior to a true Saint.
Realizing this, the five Saints were filled with killing intent.
The Martial God Hall Master's face instantly paled. He unleashed his aura in full, gripping his battle spear, and shouted, "Ye Chen, go now!"
The other remaining powerhouse of the alliance also rushed forward, solely to protect Ye Chen.
"Trying to leave? Dream on!"
The five Saints charged forward, their killing intent overwhelming the skies!
But at that moment, Ye Chen took a step forward. An unprecedented, vast divine might swept from him across the heavens, suppressing everyone present. He said softly, "I never said I wanted to leave. But today, the ones who won't be leaving... are you!"
As his words fell, the expressions of all the experts changed!