"What is there to fear!"
Ye Chen said indifferently, standing before the Ancient Immortal Hall and stepping forward.
At that moment, a Saint Lord-level elder rushed out from a side hall, standing at the entrance to the Ancient Immortal Hall and coldly shouting at Ye Chen and the others: "Who are you people? This is the Ancient Immortal Hall. Leave immediately—"
Pfft—
Before his words could be fully spoken, a golden war halberd had already pierced through his body, lifting him up and pinning him directly to the ground before the Ancient Immortal Hall's entrance. Blood flowed onto the earth before the door, and he could not move at all.
"What are you, to dare shout at me." Ye Chen snorted coldly, not placing that elder in his eyes at all.
Seeing that Ye Chen had severely injured him with a mere gesture, the Saint Lord's face was filled with terror. He knew the other party was no ordinary figure, yet he still did not forget to threaten: "Just who are you people? This is the Palace Master's secluded cultivation ground. Not even Heavenly Kings may trespass without permission. It is a great—"
But before his words could fall, the Ancient Hua Heavenly King and Tianxu Heavenly King, the two Heavenly Kings, released their overwhelming Heavenly King auras, directly suppressing him so he could not move. Half his body exploded, blood mist spreading.
There really were two Heavenly Kings! And only now did he truly realize that outside the Ancient Divine Mountain, a terrifying group battle at the Heavenly King level was taking place, extremely intense.
Had enemies invaded the Ancient Divine Palace?
His face immediately turned deathly pale.
Ye Chen did not even glance at him. A vast ocean of Faith Power poured down from his body, submerging everything and swirling around him. He was going to enter the Ancient Immortal Hall.
He placed both hands on the great doors of the Ancient Immortal Hall and pushed them open with a rumbling sound. There was actually no obstruction at all, which made him pause slightly in surprise.
The Ancient Hua Heavenly King and Tianxu Heavenly King, who followed, were also slightly taken aback, not expecting it to be opened so easily, but this only made their expressions grow more solemn.
The ancient hall was vast, deep, and very quiet. It could not be called resplendent, but it appeared luxurious and grand, with an inexplicable Dao charm circulating within and a mysterious aura flowing.
Raising his gaze into the Ancient Immortal Hall, he saw that at the very center of the deepest part of the great hall stood a Divine Throne. A majestic figure was seated upon it—a middle-aged man, very dignified, with black hair flowing loosely. His eyes contained suns, moons, and stars, as if he were the master of heaven and earth, requiring the worship and reverence of all.
The Ancient Divine Palace Master!
This most noble Unrivaled King of the entire Ancient Divine Continent had finally appeared before everyone.
From his body, an immense and vast Dao aura was released invisibly, grand and majestic, far surpassing ordinary Heavenly Kings. He was extremely powerful, a king among Heavenly Kings.
Even the Ancient Hua Heavenly King and Tianxu Heavenly King, the two Heavenly Kings, could not match this Ancient Divine Palace Master in presence.
The Ancient Divine Palace Master sat upon that Divine Throne, looking at Ye Chen, the two Heavenly Kings, and the seven Immortal True Kings with a sense of lofty superiority. He spoke slowly, filled with a dignity that commanded worship: "Ancient Hua Heavenly King, Tianxu Heavenly King, I never expected even you Heavenly Kings of the Emperor Dynasty to have awakened, going so far as to trespass into my Ancient Immortal Hall, a forbidden ground. Your courage is truly not small. Do you intend to make an enemy of my Ancient Divine Palace?"
His opening words were forceful, attempting to pin a great label on the two Heavenly Kings, pushing them to the opposing side. One could feel even more the forcefulness and dignity of this Ancient Divine Palace Master, who did not place the Ancient Emperor Dynasty in his eyes at all.
"We do not wish to make an enemy of the Ancient Divine Palace. We are merely seeking a deserved justice for this young friend," said the Ancient Hua Heavenly King.
"Oh?" The Ancient Divine Palace Master glanced at Ye Chen at the forefront, his eyes flickering slightly. "You are that Battle Saint King?"
Ye Chen's tone was calm: "Correct, I am."
He raised his gaze to meet this dignified Ancient Divine Palace Master in a calm stare. The invisible presence released by both sides collided within the Ancient Immortal Hall, making the void oppressively heavy and still, almost on the verge of exploding.
The Ancient Divine Palace Master's strength made Ye Chen's expression solemn. The ocean of Faith Power flowing from his body trembled and hummed as if about to explode, a startling sight.
All of this originated merely from the Dao pressure invisibly emanating from the other party.
Even with the company of two Heavenly Kings by his side, their presence was only barely on par.
If he had come alone, he would likely have been at a disadvantage in terms of presence.
However, the depth in Ye Chen's eyes also slightly startled the Ancient Divine Palace Master. They were like an abyss that could devour souls, causing one to sink.
This clearly indicated that his comprehension and understanding of the Dao had reached a profound and unfathomable level, not inferior to a Heavenly King, which was why it was so.
This Battle Saint King from the myriad realms was even more extraordinary than he had imagined.
This was a heaven-defying monster. Moreover, he sensed a transcendent and supreme Dao aura flowing from the Battle Saint King, making his eyebrows twitch.
What a Battle Saint King!
The Ancient Divine Palace Master's expression remained unchanged, quickly suppressing the ripple that had appeared in his eyes. "For what reason have you forced your way into the Ancient Immortal Hall?"
"To take what is rightfully mine."
"What is rightfully yours?"
"The status of the Ancient Divine Palace's successor!" Ye Chen said.
The Ancient Divine Palace Master was slightly taken aback. He knew of Ye Chen's forcefulness, but he had not expected him to state it so directly. It was somewhat unexpected, but he refused outright: "Impossible. The successor of the Ancient Divine Palace cannot be passed to an outsider."
"This is a promise, a promise made by the Ancient Divine Palace to the world. What is impossible about it?" Ye Chen advanced step-by-step, not yielding in the slightest, unafraid even though the Ancient Divine Palace Master before him was a king among Heavenly Kings.
"This Palace Master says it is impossible, so it is impossible," the Ancient Divine Palace Master said with dignity. "Leave. This Palace Master does not wish to take action against you. You are very strong, possessing combat power rivaling a Heavenly King. However, even with the addition of the other two Heavenly Kings, you are still no match for this Palace Master."
This was confidence in his own strength. He had the qualification!
Yet Ye Chen did not retreat half a step, speaking very calmly: "Impossible. Today, I will take what is rightfully mine. No one can stop me."
Boom—
On the Divine Throne, the Dao pressure from the Ancient Divine Palace Master suddenly intensified many times over, causing the void to completely explode. Terrifying scenes appeared—the myriad stars of heaven exploding, suns and moons sinking, eras changing. Everything seemed so astonishing.
The pressure he released instantly swept over. It did not affect the Ancient Immortal Hall, but it was terrifyingly shocking, causing the two Heavenly Kings to change expression and startling the Heavenly Kings fighting outside, who looked over.
"The Ancient Divine Palace Master!?" The seven Heavenly Kings of the Emperor Dynasty were astonished.
However, the seven Heavenly King Ancestors of the Ancient Divine Palace laughed heartily: "The Palace Master has finally emerged from seclusion! He will sweep away all enemies and suppress you all!"
Ancient Divine Hall.
"Are you forcing this seat's hand?"
The Ancient Divine Palace Master stood up from the Divine Throne, looking down upon Ye Chen from a high position. His jet-black hair moved without wind, an invisible presence rushing over, causing the void around Ye Chen to immediately become heavy, still, and collapse.
The Faith Power almost scattered, continuously flying out.
The two Heavenly Kings both wore solemn expressions, feeling a terrifying pressure.
This was a threat!
The seven Immortal True Kings behind them all changed expression, quickly retreating. Facing the Ancient Divine Palace Master, they felt a lethal sense of threat.
Even though they all had life-preserving trump cards.
"Leave. Depart from the Ancient Divine Palace. For all you have done today, this seat can take charge and let bygones be bygones."
With a flick of his sleeve, a burst of light appeared, then transformed into a vast, surging ocean of divine power that swept over with overwhelming force, submerging Ye Chen and the two Heavenly Kings, intending to blast the three out of the Ancient Immortal Hall.
Moreover, he raised his hand and shook out a brilliant radiance that flew out, rushing beyond the Ancient Divine Mountain and condensing into a human-shaped imprint—clearly a projection of the Ancient Divine Palace Master.
"Enough! You Heavenly Kings of the Emperor Dynasty truly have great courage. Not only do you dare trespass into my Ancient Divine Palace, you even dare to start a battle. Today, you will all be suppressed one by one."
The Ancient Divine Palace Master's projection shouted with dignity. His true body was in the Ancient Immortal Hall, too close, allowing him to utilize almost all of his Dao might, far stronger than ordinary Heavenly Kings.
From between his fingers flew out one powerful Heavenly King-level Dao talisman after another, transforming into one brilliant, rotating great star after another, imprinting themselves upon heaven and earth, absorbing the boundless spiritual energy of the Ancient Divine Palace, transforming into Dao Fire that incinerated the heavens, submerging the seven Heavenly King Ancestors.
This was a world-shaking Heavenly King technique, not something ordinary Heavenly Kings could execute. The Dao Fire incinerated the heavens, unleashed by the Ancient Divine Palace Master, absolutely capable of burning Heavenly Kings to death.
The seven Heavenly King Ancestors all laughed heartily. The Ancient Divine Palace Master's move was indeed extraordinary, suppressing the Battle Saint King and the nine Emperor Dynasty Heavenly Kings with a mere turn of his hand.
The seven Emperor Dynasty Heavenly Kings changed expression. That Heavenly King Dao Fire was incredibly powerful, capable of burning away even the Dao divine power they unleashed. Moreover, it rapidly chased along their auras, intending to burn over, incinerating the heavenly firmament. The entire sky turned into a vast, surging sea of fire.
Just as the seven Emperor Dynasty Heavenly Kings were about to exert themselves to resist, at that moment, a great Dao Pagoda suddenly appeared.
The Dao Pagoda was thirty-three stories high, each story like a layer of heaven. Streams of primordial Chaos Qi flowed down, shrouding that piece of void and protecting the seven Emperor Dynasty Heavenly Kings within.
The Ancient Divine Palace Master's heaven-incinerating Dao Fire swept over. Although it was extremely terrifying, under the defense of the primordial Chaos Qi, it was not broken through.
"It's that Immortal Ancient Pagoda!"
Both the Ancient Divine Palace Master and the several Heavenly King Ancestors were startled. Clearly, they all recognized that this mysterious great Dao Pagoda had an extremely ancient origin.
The oldest ancient texts had some records. Based on certain information they knew, the origin of this ancient pagoda was astonishingly great.
But why would it appear here?
However, the seven Emperor Dynasty Heavenly Kings were overjoyed. They all knew it was Ye Chen's pagoda.
"A Primordial-era Chaos Ancient Pagoda, how could it appear in the Ancient Divine Palace?" The Ancient Divine Palace Master's eyes blazed with light. His projection displayed world-shaking divine abilities, tracing Dao trajectories accompanied by vast, surging Dao might, striking horizontally. It could annihilate heaven and earth, shatter stars, yet it was ineffective against the Chaos Ancient Pagoda, only able to shake it slightly.
At this, many experts in the Ancient Divine Palace were dumbfounded. That was the Ancient Divine Palace Master making a move! Even a Heavenly King Dao weapon would shatter, yet it could hardly shake this Chaos Ancient Pagoda.
But the Ancient Divine Palace Master and the other Heavenly King Ancestors knew that this Chaos Ancient Pagoda was the true Immortal Ancient Weapon from the Primordial era, once wielded by a Supreme One of antiquity. How extraordinary it was! Naturally, they knew of its immortality.
Boom—
The ocean of divine power within the Ancient Immortal Hall suddenly scattered. Ye Chen's figure was seen standing unmoving like a mountain, his clothes undamaged. He looked at the Ancient Divine Palace Master and said, "Very strong. You indeed count as a king among Heavenly Kings. But do you think this can threaten me?"
"So this Chaos Dao Pagoda is yours." The Ancient Divine Palace Master narrowed his eyes. "But do you think that even with such a Chaos Dao Pagoda, you can threaten me?"
Turning his hand to summon clouds, overturning it to bring rain—the Ancient Divine Palace Master truly took the initiative to attack for the first time within the Ancient Immortal Hall. Heavenly King-level Dao laws spread, shaking the heavens.
The surrounding space-time changed, twisted, and collapsed. Streaks of radiance rushed toward Ye Chen, carrying world-destroying heavenly might as they struck.
The two Heavenly Kings both wore extremely solemn expressions, their bodies glowing as they began to counterattack. They anticipated a difficult great battle.
But it ended quickly. The Ancient Divine Palace Master's attacks actively scattered apart one zhang before Ye Chen.
Boom—
Behind him, the phantom of a great world suddenly appeared. Continents, oceans, suns, moons, and stars all manifested before him, releasing a terrifying heavenly might.
World Projection!
This was not the brief, blood-colored world opened by the Blood-Robed Heavenly King, but a real world—the Ancient Lan Great World.
A Sovereign Great World appeared, enveloping Ye Chen. The portal to his inner world was forcibly opened, and vast world might continuously overflowed, always shrouding Ye Chen, unaffected by the other's pressure.
He had come carrying the projection of a great world, lofty and high. His figure suddenly became much more majestic, becoming the master of a world. His pressure intensified many times over, yet his tone remained just as calm: "Now, do you still wish to take action against me?"
"That is... the projection of a real great world!" The Ancient Divine Palace Master finally changed expression, feeling the vast world pressure.
He finally understood the source of Ye Chen's fearlessness. He had actually refined such an ancient great world, larger than the Ancient Divine Continent, and very real and vast, not something the Ancient Divine Palace's heaven and earth could compare to.
With such a grand, ancient great world as his foundation, what was there to fear? Even if an ancient Great Sage revived, they might not be able to do anything to this youth.
The other party had come prepared.
Ye Chen then stepped forward, striding through the void, his height now greater than that of the Ancient Divine Palace Master seated on the Divine Throne, his presence far stronger. He said, "I told you, even as a king among Heavenly Kings, you are not qualified to threaten me. I have the confidence to say this and fear nothing. Do not think I am merely an ordinary member of the younger generation."
"Now, I will obtain what is rightfully mine. Hand over the status of the Ancient Divine Palace's successor to me."
Above the crown of his head, a nine-colored divine crown even appeared—the Mythical Crown, floating above him, flowing with radiance, setting him off as even more lofty and high.
The Ancient Hua Heavenly King, Tianxu Heavenly King, and the other two Heavenly Kings appeared dim and colorless before him.