The eighty-one passes grew more perilous with each one, the final pass being the most dangerous of all.
Similarly, it was a secret realm, a vast expanse of heaven and earth, albeit a shattered one.
It could be discerned that long ago, it was an extremely prosperous place, rich and dense with spiritual energy, spiritual veins spread throughout, ancestral veins present, even containing an aura of immortality.
But now, only a few broken fragments of ancient continents remained, floating in the endless starry sky, remnants of a once-vast continent that split apart during a great war.
Each fragment was enormous, at the very least spanning over a hundred thousand li, with the largest even exceeding a million li in length and width. These were the Daoist field worlds opened by overlord-level Great Powers of the Gods' Era.
It was unknown just how the three Goddesses managed to find this perilous secret realm, which in ancient times was likely one of the main battlefields of the Gods' War for Supremacy. Far too many powerful experts had fallen here; at least half of the ancient continent fragments were stained red with blood—blood of Saints, Heavenly Kings, and even Primordial Great Powers.
Numerous shattered star remnants were embedded within, ancient cities lay in ruins, and divine corpses were strewn about.
This place was bound to give rise to great evils, far more dangerous than even the Hundred Battles Mountain Range. Even Heavenly Kings might not dare to barge in here.
Yet at this moment, both Ye Chen and Shen Rong had broken through the eightieth pass, battling their way straight into the eighty-first pass, charging deeper in.
"Not good!"
In the central heavenly palace of the Imperial City, the Goddess and the other two Goddesses all paled, for they were deeply aware of the terror within this secret realm. Otherwise, it would not have become the final pass of the eighty-one.
Moreover, this final pass held extraordinary significance, actually related to their plan as well.
Within the eighty-first pass, the two young generation's supremes landed on a desolate, vast continent. After a round of fierce battle, they both retreated a distance of ten thousand zhang.
Roar—
A terrifying tiger roar shook the ancient continent. It was a divine tiger, also a super divine beast that had fallen in the starry sky in ancient times, its origins similar to the Purple Qilin's, also comparable to the level of a supreme expert.
But now, it only had the qualification to be ridden by Shen Rong. He had forcefully subdued it, riding the divine tiger, his figure unmoving like an ancient divine mountain, his body wreathed in demonic light, making others look up in awe.
However, a shocking bloody hole had appeared on his right chest, somewhat diminishing his imposing demeanor. Blood was flowing profusely, even piercing through the black immortal battle armor. This could be said to be the first time he had truly bled since arriving in the Ancient Emperor Realm.
In the past, he had always swept through everything, invincible. Even supreme experts could not harm him in the slightest.
Now he was finally injured, and not a minor wound at that—a fist-sized bloody hole on his chest, deep enough to see bone, his blood staining the black armor.
Yet one could also sense the terrifying nature of his Imperial Emperor bloodline. Each drop of blood shimmered with a unique divine, treasure-like radiance, each like a blood diamond, even emitting thunderous rumbles that deafened the ears, as if an ancient Great Emperor lay dormant within his body, ready to awaken at any moment.
The Imperial Emperor bloodline was indeed supreme and peerless, inspiring awe and reverence, containing boundless potential.
On the other side, Ye Chen was not unscathed either. Even with his powerful immortal Saint Body and the battle armor formed by law shackles, he was not completely protected. A palm-sized piece of flesh had been torn from his left arm. The flesh was crystalline, golden and glazed, his saintly blood also containing thunderous, immense potential.
In the previous series of pass-breaking collisions, both Ye Chen and Shen Rong had employed their ultimate techniques, each sustaining injuries, neither able to fully display their true invincible divine bearing and crush the other.
This series of clashes could be considered evenly matched, a meeting of equals, yet it kept the eyes of the Saints in the starry sky and the countless people in the Imperial City fixed upon them.
The battle between the two had transcended the reincarnation level, infinitely spectacular.
It even had the qualification to be recorded in the annals of history, one of the few peak divine battles since the Gods' Era.
Opposite, the wound on Shen Rong's chest healed rapidly, even disappearing completely, demonstrating the heaven-defying nature of the ancient Great Emperor's bloodline and secret arts.
In his hand was the piece of flesh he had torn from Ye Chen's arm. Golden blood dripped, each drop crystalline and glazed, uniquely divine, brimming with vigorous vitality.
He brought it to his mouth, extended a crimson tongue to give it a light lick, then tore into it with a large bite, swallowing it down, revealing a bloody, merciless smile: "Delicious. Much more delicious than the flesh of that Battle Saint I encountered in the Mythical Era. It excites me. You are my food."
This scene was projected into the Imperial City, chilling countless people to the bone. Some Saints who had not participated in the battle also felt their bodies turn cold, nearly trembling.
This was a demonic, malevolent figure, too sinister.
On the central heavenly palace, the three Goddesses also looked somewhat pale, showing worry. This Shen Rong was even more fearsome and malevolent than imagined.
The Goddess grasped Yi Wu and Chen'er's jade-like hands, whispering softly, "Don't worry too much. Qian Yue will definitely be able to handle it."
Though she said this, her voice trembled imperceptibly.
Even the divine power within the three women quietly surged. If necessary, they would certainly rush forward to aid Ye Chen.
However, the Peacock King appeared on the central heavenly palace with Xia Miao'er and the Heaven-Supporting Azure Ox, saying, "No need to worry. For the past three months, Qian Yue has been in seclusion and has made a breakthrough. You can see his methods for yourselves. Even if a Heavenly King came, they couldn't threaten him."
Boom—
The Saint Body Regeneration Technique operated autonomously, instantly repairing the injury. Ye Chen's body surface flowed with immortal golden radiance. In his hand was a mass of blood as dazzling as the sun's crimson gold—Shen Rong's blood, which he had seized.
His gaze was profound, Dao marks and runes flickering within. After staring intently for a good while, Ye Chen finally raised his eyes and infused it into the Purple Qilin beneath him, helping it instantly refine it. The Purple Qilin's body solidified considerably, its aura growing stronger.
Then, Ye Chen looked at Shen Rong and said, "The Imperial Emperor bloodline is indeed extraordinary. It has given me some insights, some gains. But it's not enough. I hope to obtain more, as it would be more helpful for my research. So—"
He left his words unfinished, but his gaze toward Shen Rong made his meaning clear: he wanted to obtain more of the Imperial Emperor bloodline from Shen Rong.
A direct confrontation!
Many sighed. Shen Rong was arrogant, but Qian was also forceful, not yielding in the slightest.
Such figures were both young generation's supremes, truly like needle against needle, tip against tip. It also made countless people feel increasingly excited, for a peak battle was destined to unfold.
"Do you truly wish to die so much? I'll grant it to you now!"
Shen Rong's expression darkened like water. The "food" in his eyes actually harbored the same thought? It was simply outrageously arrogant. Who did he think he was?
He rode the divine tiger, a terrifying might erupting from him, shaking the entire ancient continent. One desolate mountain after another collapsed.
The earth cracked with countless thick, black fissures.
Man and mount shot into the sky, reaching the firmament where starlight sprinkled down in countless strands, silver waterfalls of auspicious light cascaded, setting him off like an ancient Great Emperor descending to the mortal world. He also transformed into a stream of light, charging toward the distant Ye Chen.
The distance of ten thousand zhang seemed far, but for beings of their level, it was but an instant.
Boom—
On the ancient continent, a vast, golden blood energy shot up into the starry sky like a pillar supporting the heavens, piercing through the galaxy, overwhelming and majestic.
That was Ye Chen. All the saintly blood in his body boiled, releasing a peerless fighting spirit, along with a heroic spirit capable of swallowing mountains and rivers. In his hand appeared a great halberd—Primordial Battle Body!
Ye Chen also took the initiative to attack, swinging Primordial Battle Body to clash with the opponent's heavenly spear.
Boom—
The sparks from the collision of the two supreme weapons were like falling stars, impacting the ancient continent, sinking vast swathes of desolate land, creating countless cracks.
The two were engaged in a supreme collision, a world-shaking clash between Imperial Son-level supreme geniuses. Divine radiance blazed brightly, pouring down through the nine heavens, tearing apart the boundless earth.
Shen Rong brandished that heavenly spear in his hand. The bloody light upon it shattered the heavens, staining the sky crimson, as an immeasurable sea of blood poured forth, inundating heaven and earth.
Moreover, within the sea of blood, terrifying figures surged forth.
There were humans, crocodile dragons, heavenly dragons, angels, starry sky behemoths, even alien races, and more. A multitude of fearsome figures appeared, each one terrifyingly powerful. They were all beings whose blood had been drunk by the heavenly spear, without exception, all formidable.
Now, myriad beings manifested, as if the peerless experts of old had revived, all fiercely charging toward Ye Chen, crushing forward.
Ye Chen showed no fear. Faced with a group-attack secret technique, he had his own, which he could unleash without needing the Great Dao laws.
Boom—
He opened up a vast, golden world behind him—the Five Elements Golden Realm. Countless golden Dao weapons surged forth, each one condensed from golden blood energy, even infused with his martial will, and further enhanced with wisps of residual law marks, their power increasing sharply.
The Five Elements Golden Realm clashed with the Sea of Blood's Myriad Beings, wantonly bombarding the ancient continent in a frenzy of explosions. Infinite destructive power poured forth, inundating heaven and earth, tearing through the starry sky.
This ancient continent floating in the starry sky, spanning over a hundred thousand li, having drunk the blood of gods, still found it difficult to withstand the great collision between the two.
A massive fissure rapidly traversed the entire ancient continent, splitting the boundless earth.
Finally, with a deafening boom, the ancient continent was torn in two within the starry sky, dust billowing to the heavens!
Such an impact was truly shocking, but it did not hinder the supreme confrontation between the two, which continued unabated.
From within the Five Elements Golden Realm, golden Dao weapons flew forth one after another—divine swords, flying arrows, great cauldrons, ancient bells, Dao pagodas, long staffs, Fangtian Halberds, and more. Carrying wisps of residual law marks, they transformed into a meteor shower that bombarded outwards, reaching everywhere without limit, inundating all directions.
The Sea of Blood's Myriad Beings manifested by Shen Rong could not approach Ye Chen's vicinity. He stood in the void, riding the Purple Qilin, untouchable.
But Shen Rong was not among those who could not approach. He actively charged in, the heavenly spear shattering all Dao weapons, tearing through the boundless golden light to appear before him. Swinging the heavenly spear, he launched a slash, an attack imbued with the killing intent of an Imperial Son.