The great doors slowly opened, and a figure appeared.
Li Xuan.
It was this powerhouse of the Ancient Divine Palace, who in the past had even made the Sovereigns of the nine ancient imperial dynasties hold him in awe. He appeared as ever, heroic and tall. Yet, at this moment, he lacked his usual gentle and refined demeanor, appearing instead with great majesty. An aura of supreme and terrifying power flowed from him, surpassing even that of ordinary Saint Lords, suppressing the heavens.
It stirred the heavens, scattering the clouds, yet miraculously did not affect a single person present—it was merely a casual release.
Behind Li Xuan, eight knights appeared. What was startling was that each one exuded a shockingly powerful aura, all of them top-tier experts standing at the Demi-Saint realm. Yet, they followed behind Li Xuan like mere guards.
This also revealed the heritage of the Ancient Divine Palace—even Demi-Saints were merely attendants.
Li Xuan's appearance drew the attention of all parties. The Sovereigns of the nine imperial dynasties and the leaders of other top forces nodded in greeting from afar.
The strongest Heaven's Prides atop the Soaring Cloud Tower naturally all stood up one by one, not daring to remain seated, facing this representative figure of the Ancient Divine Palace with respect.
Only Ye Chen remained calm, watching him.
All eyes were upon him.
Li Xuan stood before the Ancient Divine Hall, his gaze sweeping across the Divine City. He said, "Today is the final day of the battle for supremacy among the younger generation, and also the most important day."
"Looking back over the entire battle for supremacy, it has spanned several years. During this time, Heaven's Prides from across the Five Great Domains have risen together, each one exceptionally talented, a hero of their region, and remarkably powerful. Both in terms of the number of Heaven's Prides and the intensity of the competition, it has far surpassed every previous battle for supremacy."
"Now, after three months of trials in the Trial World, only fourteen remain. They are the strongest Heaven's Prides of our Ancient Divine Continent, and can also be called the strongest Heaven's Prides in the history of our continent. Each possesses the bearing of a Heavenly King, and some even have the qualification to surpass the Heavenly King realm and ascend into the domain of Great Powers."
"Such individuals—any one of them, if placed in any previous battle for supremacy, would absolutely have the qualification to become the strongest of that generation."
"But it is regrettable. The battle for supremacy aims to select the true number one. Therefore, the final victor will be only one person. That person will also obtain the title of 'Number One of the Younger Generation' of the Ancient Divine Continent, and become the future leader of the younger generation."
When he reached this point, he paused briefly, then his voice rose with fervor: "Naturally, this era is the Golden Great Era of our Ancient Emperor Realm, with Heaven's Prides rising together. The significance it represents will also be extraordinary. Today's victor will not only be the number one of the younger generation and its leader, but will also receive a supreme crown and enter the Ancient Divine Palace for advanced training. Moreover, most importantly—"
"They will become the heir of our Ancient Divine Palace."
When the final sentence fell, the entire city instantly fell silent, so quiet one could hear a pin drop. Everyone in the city, whether on the ground or in the sky, stared dumbfounded at Li Xuan, their faces filled with disbelief and astonishment.
For a full half a moment, the Divine City, which had fallen silent due to Li Xuan's declaration, suddenly erupted into a city-wide uproar, a clamor that soared to the heavens!
Countless people were stirred with excitement!
The so-called number one of the younger generation, the so-called leader, the so-called crown, the so-called advanced training in the Ancient Divine Palace... all of that was one thing. But before the supremely noble status of 'Heir of the Ancient Divine Palace', everything else paled into insignificance.
Even Ye Chen's expression showed surprise.
What kind of power was the Ancient Divine Palace?
It was universally acknowledged as the number one power on the Ancient Divine Continent, transcendent above the nine ancient imperial dynasties, lofty and aloof, always gazing down upon the continent like deities, exerting intangible influence over the workings of everything.
Such a transcendent power—even an ordinary person who walked out from it was so extraordinary, revered and respected by the world.
Let alone becoming its heir, who would in the future become the master of the Ancient Divine Palace and the Unrivaled King, the supreme ruler of the entire Ancient Divine Continent.
Forget about any other rewards; merely this identity alone was enough to drive countless people mad with desire.
Moreover, besides becoming the heir of the Ancient Divine Palace, one would inevitably receive endless resources for cultivation. Not to mention becoming a Heavenly King; in the future, even surpassing the Heavenly King realm and ascending to higher levels was not impossible.
Therefore, the entire city erupted. It wasn't just the younger generation; even other members of the older generation were burning with envy, wishing they could snatch back their youth from the heavens to compete for the crown.
No one had ever imagined that this time, the Ancient Divine Palace intended to select the strongest one from among these supreme Heaven's Prides to become the heir of the Ancient Divine Palace and inherit it.
Naturally, especially on the Soaring Cloud Tower, those dozen-plus supreme Heaven's Prides who had successfully emerged through countless trials—even though their cultivation had long been enough to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the leaders of major powers, and their mental fortitude surpassed the steadiness of their peers—still couldn't help but feel their blood boil upon hearing such thrilling news.
Even they, as supreme Heaven's Prides and Crown Princes of imperial dynasties, felt their blood surge with fervor.
For they saw the opportunity to truly stand at the pinnacle of the Great Dao, invincible across the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths. Who wouldn't be stirred?
But after a slight change in expression, Ye Chen's demeanor grew much more solemn.
What did the Ancient Divine Palace mean by this? To actually throw out such an important status and position as 'heir' as a reward.
The hidden implications contained within were absolutely extraordinary. What was the Ancient Divine Palace's intention?
Ye Chen pondered the Ancient Divine Palace's actions, but his understanding was ultimately too limited to see through it clearly.
On another front, several mysterious figures hidden in the void in the distant sky were also closely watching all of this. They too had expressions that changed color, unable to comprehend it.
Observing the city-wide clamor that stirred people's hearts, Li Xuan did not try to stop it. After pausing briefly, he spoke again, announcing another thrilling and shocking piece of news.
"Since this is to select the truly invincible one among the younger generation, the true leader of the youth, and moreover to select the future heir of our Ancient Divine Palace, this battle for supremacy will naturally be extraordinary. Its difficulty will be the greatest in history. Therefore—"
He paused slightly, building everyone's anticipation to a peak before finally declaring: "Therefore, those eligible to participate in the final battle are not limited to the fourteen supreme Heaven's Prides who emerged from the Trial World. Similarly, those who failed in previous contests, or those who did not participate before—as long as they belong to the younger generation—all have the right to participate."
"As long as they are of the younger generation, anyone can join the final battle!"
Again, there was a brief moment of silence, followed by an uproar even more fervent than before.
If previously there had been regret over being unable to participate in the final battle, then with Li Xuan's declaration, all the younger generation in the Divine City were thoroughly inflamed with desire.
Because these words clearly represented that all members of the younger generation had the right to participate.
Everyone had the right, as long as they were of the younger generation.
The entire city erupted. All the younger generation felt their blood boiling, wishing they could soar into the heavens to contend for the sole crown.