"What?"
Heavenly King Gu Hua was greatly shocked, then shook his head: "A figure of Heavenly King level has already transcended Samsara. How could they willingly follow a junior? Even with the greatest potential, they would not submit, at most they would only befriend them."
"But when a person's strength reaches an unimaginable level, all of this becomes easily resolved," Ye Chen said softly, with streams of sparkling Faith Power flowing from between his brows.
Heavenly King Gu Hua already knew about this. Although he was somewhat wary, that Faith Power could prevent him from harming Ye Chen, but it could hardly harm a Heavenly King like him.
If one wanted to use this Faith Power to coerce him into submission, that was simply impossible.
Not to mention that this Faith Power was completely insufficient to reach that step, but more importantly, Faith Power was ultimately an external force—once consumed, it was gone. As a Heavenly King, his power could be drawn from the heavens and earth, nearly limitless.
He sneered: "Little friend, do you think you can completely suppress me with just this bit of Faith Power? Although it's slightly more than the accumulation of my Gu Hua Imperial Dynasty over millennia, that's all it is. How can it reach the unimaginable level you speak of?"
Heavenly King Gu Hua didn't believe Ye Chen couldn't see this.
"I haven't finished yet."
Ye Chen smiled. The next moment, the smile on Heavenly King Gu Hua's face suddenly stiffened, because he sensed from Ye Chen's body a majestic power far more vast than Faith Power, continuously flowing out.
That majestic power could truly be described as earth-shattering and awe-inspiring, causing the entire treasure pavilion to tremble.
If not for Ye Chen's deliberate control, the pavilion would have shattered immediately and affected the outside world.
"Heavenly King Gu Hua, how about adding this power?"
A strand of divine radiance appeared on Ye Chen's finger. It was clearly a brilliant seven-colored glow, yet it reflected mountains and rivers upon it, appearing incomparably heavy, not inferior to primordial Chaos Qi, capable of distorting and collapsing space.
Heavenly King Gu Hua, after all, was also a Heavenly King and naturally knowledgeable. He immediately drew a sharp breath: "World power, and so much world power."
He could see that within Ye Chen's body, a hazy gate of light had appeared, releasing surging world power continuously, giving him a terrifying sense of oppression.
This oppressive pressure was something he had only felt on one person before his sealing, in the distant Primordial Times.
That person was a world-shaking ancient Great Sage.
Ye Chen flicked his sleeve, and a scene suddenly appeared—a vast and magnificent world.
There was a boundless continent not inferior to the Ancient Divine Continent, the most prosperous supreme Holy Sect, a vast Domain with billions of inhabitants, numerous forbidden lands of the demon race, and powerful Heavenly Kings seated upon the divine altar of the Holy Sect, ruling over all...
Scene after scene continuously appeared before his eyes, everything describing that as a powerful world. Although it still couldn't compare to the Ancient Divine Continent, it had Heavenly Kings, and not just one.
Finally, Heavenly King Gu Hua saw a shocking scene: a heroic young man with prominent features appeared, seated upon the highest divine throne of that world, high above, overlooking the great world, with five Heavenly Kings bowing in submission to him.
That person exuded the supreme majesty of a lord over all heavens—it was precisely the Battle Saint King before him.
"You... you are..."
Heavenly King Gu Hua looked at Ye Chen in shock. Although he knew this Battle Saint King was extraordinary, he never imagined he was extraordinary to such an extent.
Ye Chen nodded with a smile: "That's right, I am the World Lord, the master of a Sovereign's great world. Tell me, does the current me still have the qualification to have you follow me?"
The world portal within his body expanded even more powerfully, glowing brilliantly, strands of world power continuously flowing out, almost enough to crush the heavens, but it was well confined within this treasure pavilion.
However, no matter how good the pavilion's material or how many array patterns were inscribed, it was useless—it had already begun to disintegrate internally.
Heavenly King Gu Hua felt an unparalleled, terrifying oppressive pressure, as if countless Primordial mountains were pressing upon his body, making it difficult to move.
He wanted to struggle, but the more he struggled, the more he felt the terrifying pressure. His bones and tendons crackled as if about to shatter, his expression exceptionally pale.
Later, Heavenly King Gu Hua's legs began to tremble, slowly bending, until finally one knee slammed down, kneeling on one knee before Ye Chen in submission.
It was as if the person before him was not a young genius at the sixth level of the Saint Vault, but that Great Power who dominated the Primordial Times, standing with might that suppressed the heavens, looking down upon him from a commanding height.
Either follow, or die!
Sweat covered Heavenly King Gu Hua's forehead as he spoke with difficulty, word by word: "I am willing!"
As his words fell, that vast oppressive pressure instantly receded like a tide, returning to the world portal within Ye Chen's body.
Everything dissipated.
Ye Chen rose from the throne and came before Heavenly King Gu Hua, reaching out to gently help him up, saying: "Gu Hua, I firmly believe you will feel genuine honor for today's choice in the future."
Thus, under Ye Chen's semi-coercion, Heavenly King Gu Hua became the first Heavenly King to follow Ye Chen in the Ancient Emperor Realm.
Although the main reasons were Faith Power and world power, Ye Chen was not afraid that Heavenly King Gu Hua would regret it later, because every Heavenly King was proud, and this pride came from the depths of their hearts.
Those who could cultivate step by step to this level were all dragons among men. Their proud nature meant that once they acknowledged something, they would rarely oppose it.
Moreover, Ye Chen simply had no fear of a Heavenly King's regret, possessing sufficient means to suppress them.
After subduing Heavenly King Gu Hua, Ye Chen did not linger, not even showing interest in examining the ancient secret treasury of the Gu Hua Imperial Dynasty. He turned and left the split treasure pavilion in one step, appearing above the imperial capital, attracting the attention of all.
Because the world was closely watching what the Battle Saint King and Heavenly King Gu Hua had discussed in the pavilion.
Unfortunately, the people could not perceive their conversation—not even Saint Lords could. They only knew that later, a faint yet vast divine might appeared in that pavilion, leading everyone to believe the two might be confronting each other inside.
Even the experts of the three imperial dynasties were pleasantly surprised, thinking the Heavenly King ancestor was about to take action and forcefully suppress this arrogant and domineering young generation's supreme.
However, when the Battle Saint King appeared unharmed above the imperial capital, all speculation became illusory, unreal.
No confrontation. He withdrew completely unscathed!