Faced with Yaya's sophistry, the two Heavenly Kings were left speechless.
Because, by the sound of it, both Ye Chen and Ruoxi truly seemed like important figures within the Tai Chu Sacred Land.
At that moment, the small stone gate suddenly opened, and a voice, aged and steady yet tinged with helplessness and doting affection, came through: "Let Yaya bring them in. They are not outsiders."
That was Ancestor Taichu transmitting his voice.
Since Ancestor Taichu himself had spoken, the two Heavenly Kings naturally had nothing more to say.
The small stone gate swung fully open, releasing a stream of ancient, mysterious aura that seemed to contain the birth of all things—it was the Primordial aura. This even caused Ye Chen some surprise, for it harbored an aura similar to his "Heaven and Earth Creation."
The three of them entered the small stone gate completely.
The Tai Chu Secret Realm, seemingly a separate realm, wasn't actually very large in truth, its area being merely a hundred zhang across, nothing more.
Beyond the hundred zhang, a hazy ancient qi undulated and permeated the air, swirling and floating.
It wasn't Chaos Ancient Qi, but it contained the meaning of all things' birth and the creation of heaven and earth. It was Primordial Qi, Primordial Chaos Qi, the initial qi of everything.
The Tai Chu Secret Realm was precisely such a divine sanctuary permeated with Primordial Qi, filled with Primordial aura, which was also a kind of immortal, undying opportunity.
Cultivating here long-term not only allowed one to comprehend the Primordial artistic conception and grasp the Primordial Dao, greatly benefiting cultivation, but one could even use the Primordial Qi to reconstruct one's own body, reshape one's foundation, making it more solid.
Similarly, Primordial Qi could slow the erosion brought by the passage of time, making it exceptionally extraordinary.
Ancestor Taichu usually meditated within this Primordial Sanctuary, relying on the Primordial Qi to slow the erosion of time. To a certain extent, it even prolonged life, making it the most precious cultivation sanctuary within the entire Tai Chu Sacred Land.
If it weren't for the fact that Primordial Qi existed only in this one area and its quantity wasn't vast, all the elders and disciples of the massive sacred land could enter to cultivate.
Ye Chen sighed with admiration; this Primordial Sanctuary was indeed incomparably precious. No wonder it could give rise to such a vast, supreme sacred land.
At the center of the Tai Chu Secret Realm, one person with white hair and beard, a face like warm jade, a gentle expression, and an air of transcendent grace and detachment—exactly Ancestor Taichu whom they had encountered at the Heavenly Pass.
Seeing this, Ye Chen stepped forward with Ruoxi and cupped his hands in salute: "This junior pays his respects to Senior Ancestor Taichu."
Ancestor Taichu responded with a smile and a nod, while Yaya immediately bounced over like a little sprite, calling out sweetly, "Grandpa Ancestor!"
Looking at Yaya, Ancestor Taichu couldn't help but reveal a deep look of doting affection on his face. He patted her head, making her mutter why everyone liked to pat her head so much.
Hearing this, the three couldn't help but laugh heartily, their affection for Yaya growing even stronger.
Ye Chen cupped his hands again: "Thank you, Senior Ancestor Taichu, for permitting us siblings to enter the Tai Chu Secret Realm."
This was sincere gratitude. Without Ancestor Taichu's permission, how could they simply enter such an important place as the Tai Chu Secret Realm?
Ancestor Taichu stroked his long beard, glanced sideways at the unusually well-behaved girl beside him, and said helplessly, "If I didn't open it, I'm afraid this little girl would bring her mother to dismantle this old man's bones."
Yaya was immediately embarrassed, not expecting Ancestor Taichu to have heard. Her dark, large eyes rolled, and she giggled, "Grandpa Ancestor, you must have misheard! Yaya likes Grandpa Ancestor the most, how could I possibly dismantle your bones? Who's slandering the most innocent, lively, and beautiful Yaya? I'll deal with him right away."
Everyone laughed again, and the topic was dropped.
Ancestor Taichu then truly looked at Ye Chen and his sister, especially focusing on Ye Chen. He actually sensed an extraordinary Dao charm circulating within him, even more profound and unfathomable than twelve years ago, his Dao realm deep.
Even he couldn't help but feel slightly astonished, sighing lightly: "Young friend Ye Chen is indeed extraordinary. Over a dozen years have passed since we last met, and your cultivation has deepened greatly. This old man has heard you became the Lord of the Ancient Lan World and mastered the vast Faith Power of the Ancient Lan Holy Sect. In this manner, the current you can probably rival a Great Power."
This was the truth, and it was shocking. How old was Ye Chen? He had already reached this step, comparable to a true ancient Great Sage, enough to stand at the pinnacle of the myriad realms' pyramid, on par with other ancient Great Sages, striding proudly.
Ye Chen modestly said, "Senior, you flatter me. Whether it's the power of the Ancient Lan World or the Holy Sect's Faith Power, they are ultimately external forces, unable to truly stand on their own. Only one's own strength is true Eternity. Right now, I am merely a Demi-Saint."
Even so, how could Ancestor Taichu dare to underestimate him? After becoming a World Lord, a door would appear within one's body. Even across infinite distances, through this internal door, one could call upon the immense power of that vast World at any time.
Faith Power could also be carried on one's person.
Even though the Battle Saint King firmly believed that one's own strength was eternal and wouldn't use those two forces, that was only under normal circumstances. Once a necessary moment arrived, he would inevitably use them. Who would dare be careless? Even an ancient Great Sage could suffer a great loss if slightly inattentive.
Regarding Ye Chen, Ancestor Taichu viewed him even more highly. He already held him in high regard due to his lineage as a Battle Saint and being a Supreme Genius of the Mythical Ten Heavens. Now, with World power and being a supreme deity of a Holy Sect, he could almost treat him as an equal.
"May I ask, Senior, where is Jingruo?" Ye Chen got straight to the point, directly asking the purpose of his visit.
Ancestor Taichu smiled slightly, flicked his sleeve, and outside the sanctuary, a surge of Primordial Qi churned violently, revealing a passageway. Pointing towards it, he said, "She is there."
Ye Chen proceeded along the passageway alone; even Ruoxi and Yaya were unwilling to disturb him.
Traveling forward, he soon arrived at another Primordial Sanctuary.
Ye Chen suddenly understood. Although the Tai Chu Secret Realm wasn't large, it wasn't just one Primordial Sanctuary; several had been opened up. Before him was another sanctuary, but it was only about ten zhang in area. Within it stood a mysterious ancient stele three zhang tall, inscribed with mysterious Dao runes and patterns, wreathed in an even more potent Primordial aura.
Ye Chen knew this was the Primordial Immortal Stele. Beside the stele, a stunningly beautiful figure sat in meditation, surrounded by divine lotuses in bloom, swaying and shimmering with radiant light.
The Tai Chu Female Saint Lord seemed eternally fixed beside the Primordial Immortal Stele. Her Primordial Spirit had vanished from between her brows, her aura faintly discernible. Her entire being exuded a unique aura, as if capable of drawing a person's Primordial Spirit in, forever lost within.
Ye Chen knew that was the aura of reincarnation.