Chapter 2078 : The Ancestor's Return and the Emperor's Path

Seeing that Worthy Remembrance Chen had formulated a plan in his heart, Eldrin Chen gave a slight, approving nod.

He pondered for a moment, then suddenly inquired, "It has been many years since Senior Primordial Genesis departed from the Primordial Immortal Domain. Do you know where he currently resides?"

"Master."

Worthy Remembrance Chen paused thoughtfully before replying with measured words, "Before he left, our teacher informed us he was seeking an Opportunity and Fortune [a rare chance or stroke of fate crucial for advancement] to step into the ranks of the top-tier Heavenly Emperor [a supreme sovereign among immortals], and even to break through to the Half-Step Path Union Realm [a legendary state half a step from merging with the fundamental laws of existence]."

"For this journey, he even had to venture beyond the boundaries of the Blazing Central Chaos Domain, so his round trip would take a very long time."

"However, he once told me that, at the latest, he would return within a thousand and some Kalpa Tribulation [an immense cosmic cycle spanning billions of years]."

"A thousand and some Kalpa Tribulation?"

A flicker passed through Eldrin Chen's eyes. Unconsciously, his own cultivation journey had now approached nearly one hundred billion years.

This meant Primordial Genesis Path Ancestor had likely been gone for over nine hundred Kalpa Tribulation, not far from a full thousand.

"It seems Senior Primordial Genesis should be returning soon."

With these thoughts settling in his mind, Eldrin Chen felt a measure of calm.

He said no more, casting a final glance at the Eight Trigrams Treasure Tree before speaking. "With the Eight Trigrams Treasure Tree here, your breakthrough into the Great Emperor Realm will proceed without mishap."

"Focus on your cultivation with peace of mind. Though the path ahead may be arduous, I, your father, will lend you whatever aid lies within my power."

With those words, the avatar of Eldrin Chen dissipated, vanishing into the Boundless Void.

Worthy Remembrance Chen gazed in the direction of his father's departure, then bowed respectfully with hands clasped. "This son will not fail your high expectations."

Once Eldrin Chen was truly gone, Worthy Remembrance Chen wasted no time. He immediately refined the eight Primordial Path Fruit from the Eight Trigrams Treasure Tree and began his assault on the Great Emperor Realm.

Worthy Remembrance Chen possessed an extraordinary foundation, further nurtured by the dedicated cultivation of two Great Path Ancestors. Now, empowered by eight Primordial Path Fruit, his cultivation surged forward with breathtaking speed.

Before long, his Eight Trigrams Great Path broke through one after another. Each Great Path stepped firmly into the Great Emperor Realm, manifesting a Great Path Divine Form.

"It is done."

Sensing the power of the eight Great Path Divine Form, Worthy Remembrance Chen felt a profound sense of assurance settle within him.

He attempted to channel his power and discovered that although his eight Great Path could not fully merge into one, the force they Burst forth was still astonishingly formidable.

Bolstered by this Eight Trigrams Great Path, both his techniques and combat prowess had entered a realm rivaling that of a Sage Ascendant [a cultivator who has ascended to the threshold of sagehood], his battle strength now nearly equivalent to a significant portion of a true Sage Ascendant.

"Hah—"

After completing his breakthrough, Worthy Remembrance Chen immediately sent word to Worthy Pursuit Chen and Lingering Ye.

Soon, both arrived with their respective Path Guardian [guardians of a specific cultivation lineage or sacred site], gathering together within the Eastern Barrens Eight Trigrams Mountain.

The six of them convened within the Great Hall. Worthy Remembrance Chen looked at the assembled group and declared, "My cultivation has also broken through. The time has come for us to move against those Ancestral Vein [primeval spiritual energy arteries of immense power]."

Hearing this, smiles touched the faces of all present.

With Worthy Remembrance Chen's ascension to the Great Emperor Realm [the sovereign realm of an emperor-level cultivator], all but Lingering Ye among the six had now reached the domain of a Great Emperor.

Among them, Worthy Remembrance Chen, Worthy Pursuit Chen, and Imperial Sovereign Jiang each possessed combat strength comparable to a Sage Ascendant.

Although Immortality Great Emperor and Sword Mystery Great Emperor were slightly less powerful, they both still possessed strength within the realm of an Invincible Great Emperor [a Great Emperor whose prowess is considered nearly unbeatable within their realm].

Lingering Ye was also a top-tier combatant at the Great Emperor level. Among the contenders in this struggle for the Mandate of Heaven, he could be considered a truly formidable power.

With these six individuals—three Tribulation Entrants and three Path Guardian—they were fully qualified to claim a Chaos Grade Ancestral Vein for themselves.

Having reached this conclusion, Sword Mystery Great Emperor inquired, "Since we are resolved to act, which targets should we choose?"

Worthy Pursuit Chen did not answer directly. Instead, with a flick of his sleeve, he manifested a Cosmographic Map of this Primordial Domain.

Upon this magnificent map were marked tens of thousands of Earth Vein and Stellar sites, large and small, each representing a Path-Field of Great Encompassing rank or higher.

Among them, the Seventy-Two Great Emperor-Level Earth Veins and the Nine Chaos-Tier Earth Veins shone with the most dazzling brilliance.

Gazing at the map, Immortality Great Emperor could not help but sigh in admiration. "A large-scale Primordial Domain truly possesses such a magnificent foundation."

"In comparison, even at its peak, the Great Wasteland Ancient Realm could not match one-tenth of this realm's profound reserves."

Imperial Sovereign Jiang also nodded, expressing a similar sentiment. "A large-scale Primordial Domain possesses an exceptionally high innate rank. Theoretically, it can give birth to nine Chaos Divine Sovereign."

"Once all nine Divine Sovereign positions are filled, such a Primordial Domain has the potential to ascend to a Middle Grade Primordial Domain."

"A pity. That Blazing Center Supreme intervened personally, severing the future path of this Primordial Domain."

Hearing this, everyone present could not help but feel a profound sense of regret.

They had to admit, had the Blazing Center Supreme not acted, even if the more than twenty Chaos Heavenly Emperor from the Southern Abyss Seven Domains joined forces, they likely could not have breached this Primordial Domain.

Had the nine Chaos Divine Sovereign of this Primordial Domain successfully ascended, this domain would have inevitably become another major power within the Southern Abyss Seven Domains.

At that point, this Primordial Domain possessing the Nine Great God Sovereigns would likely have surpassed the Tri-Pole Primordial Domain, becoming an entity akin to the former Immortal Cosmos Primordial Domain.

Contemplating this, Worthy Pursuit Chen remarked thoughtfully, "That Path Union Supreme likely acted to eliminate a potential threat in its infancy."

"That is most likely the case."

Lingering Ye murmured in agreement, then added, "Had the Nine Great God Sovereigns ascended successfully, with the power of a major Primordial Domain backing them, they should have been capable of withstanding a single Path Union Supreme."

Upon hearing this, the others also felt a deep sense of apprehension.

A major Primordial Domain had been strangled in its cradle. This realization filled them all with profound wariness.

Fortunately, even if the heavens were to collapse, there were figures like Returning Abyss Path Ancestor and Great Abyss Immortal Sage [a supremely powerful immortal sage] keeping watch, so they did not need to worry excessively.

That Immortality Great Emperor [a great emperor who has achieved a state of undying existence] gazed at the map before him and spoke, "Endless speculation is pointless. Let us instead plan which of these Primordial Chaos Ancestral Vein [the supreme source veins of primordial chaos energy that nourish entire realms] we should secure."

Upon hearing this, the others also gathered their focus and turned their attention to the details within the Cosmographic Map [a mystical map depicting the structure of the cosmos].

Within the Cosmographic Map, nine Primordial Chaos Ancestral Vein were marked. These nine supreme veins were distributed across the Cosmic Stellar [the celestial domain of stars and constellations], the Immortal Domain Earth [the earthly realm where immortals dwell], and the Depths of the Netherworld [the profound and shadowy underworld].

Within the Cosmic Stellar, there were three Chaos Stellar Path-Field [stellar domains anchored by chaos ancestral veins], namely the Solar Imperial Star [the celestial domain of the Solar Emperor], the Supreme Lunar Imperial Star [the celestial domain of the Supreme Lunar Emperor], and the 'Ancestral Court of Myriad Stars' [the ancestral stellar court] belonging to the Three Enclosures Ancestral Vein [a primordial vein associated with the three celestial enclosures].

Within the Netherworld Realm [the realm of the dead and shadows], there was also one Netherworld Path-Field [a netherworld domain], named the Nine Nether Abyssal Netherworld [the profound and layered abyss of the underworld].

Within the Mortal Realm [the realm of mortals], five Primordial Chaos Ancestral Vein were situated, located in the Central [the central heartland] of the Immortal Domain [the domain of immortals] and at the Four Extremities [the four cardinal extremes of heaven and earth].

These five Primordial Chaos Ancestral Vein were positioned in five directions: the Central, the Eastern Barrens [the vast eastern wilderness], the Southern Territories, the Northern Plains [the northern plains], and the Western Pole [the western pole]. Each was one of the Heaven and Earth Ancestral Vein [the foundational veins that support heaven and earth].

They were respectively: the 'Desolate Ancient Forbidden Abyss' [an ancient, forbidden abyss of desolation], the 'Kunxuan Ancestral Vein' [the Kunxuan ancestral vein], the 'Unquenchable Fire Prison' [a prison of eternal, unquenchable flames], the 'Eternal Frost River' [a river of everlasting frost], and the 'Western Region Spirit Mountain' [the sacred spirit mountain of the western region].

"Nine Ancestral Veins," he murmured.

Worthy Pursuit Chen murmured softly, and after a long while, he finally spoke. "The Desolate Ancient Forbidden Abyss has been occupied by Heaven Punishment and Heaven's Slaughter Great Emperor, while the Solar Imperial Star has fallen into the hands of the Ten Golden Crows."

"My advice is to not interfere with these two Earth Vein [powerful spiritual energy nodes rooted deep within the earth]."

The others, upon hearing this, all nodded in agreement.

Heaven Punishment was protected by Heaven's Slaughter Great Emperor, making him the strongest among all the Person of Destiny [individuals chosen by fate for a great purpose]. Furthermore, he had already used the Earth Vein to lay down a formidable formation. Attempting to seize it would be utterly impossible.

It must be understood that the Desolate Ancient Forbidden Abyss had an extraordinary origin. It was originally a place that nurtured a Heaven-Appointed Divine Sovereign [a supreme being whose authority is mandated by the heavens] who was highly likely to achieve Fleshly Body Sanctification [the ultimate purification and ascension of the physical body].

Had his celestial mandate not been forcibly severed by a Path Union Supreme [a supreme being who has unified multiple cultivation paths], he would likely have been one of the foremost among the Nine Great God Sovereigns.

As for the Solar Imperial Star, the situation was equally clear. When those ten Solar Sun [the purest essence of solar power] Imperial Scions joined forces, they were powerful enough to contend with two or even three Sage Ascendant [beings on the cusp of sagehood].

If a true battle were to erupt, they likely had no confidence whatsoever in defeating such a force.

After all, the Ten Great Imperial Scions were backed by the Solar Imperial Star. Even if they hadn't fully restored this Ancestral Vein [a primordial source of spiritual energy], the power of the formation they could erect with its support was on an entirely different level.

With this in mind, the group excluded these two great Ancestral Vein and turned their gaze towards the remaining few.

Among the remaining Ancestral Vein [a supreme spiritual land of immense power], the 'Kunxuan Ancestral Vein', 'Unquenchable Fire Prison', 'Eternal Frost River', and 'Western Region Spirit Mountain' are all extraordinary, essentially controlled by the direct disciples of various Heavenly Emperor [a supreme title for the most powerful cultivators].

The three Ancestral Vein of Nine Nether Abyssal Netherworld, Ancestral Vein of Myriad Stars, and Supreme Lunar Imperial Star need no further explanation; they are all firmly held by powerful direct lineages of Heavenly Emperor.

After a careful glance, the group continued their process of elimination.

Excluding Eternal Frost River, Imperial Sovereign Jiang then spoke, "Defying Heaven has the backing of the Primordial Domain of Myriad Gods and the formidable Heavenly Emperor Tai Yan Divine Sovereign as his patron. His strength may not be inferior to the previous two."

"Moreover, in the past, we fought side by side against powerful enemies from the outer realms. Therefore, we shall not seize his Ancestral Vein."

Upon hearing this, everyone nodded in agreement, voicing no objections.

With these exclusions, the remaining six great Ancestral Vein posed no fear for the group, despite their considerable strength.

After all, beings rivaling a Sage Ascendant [a realm just below the legendary Sages] were exceedingly rare within the entire Southern Abyss Seven Domains.

Aside from the forces behind the three supreme Heavenly Emperor, it was likely that none of the other seven Earth Vein [powerful spiritual lands of a lower grade than Ancestral Veins] possessed a powerhouse comparable to a Sage Ascendant.

Thus, in their eyes, the remaining targets were all ripe for the picking.

Thus, they began selecting territories. Worthy Pursuit Chen directly claimed Western Region Spirit Mountain and declared, "I intend to establish a Mahayana Buddhism [a major school of Buddhism emphasizing the path of the Bodhisattva and universal enlightenment] and am in need of a Chaos Tier Path-Field [a sacred cultivation ground where one's understanding of the Dao is manifested and refined]."

"I plan to attempt claiming this Western Region Spirit Mountain."

Seeing this, Worthy Remembrance Chen chose the Kunxuan Ancestral Vein without hesitation, stating, "The Fortune [the metaphysical luck, destiny, and favorable circumstances surrounding a person or place] of this land is extraordinary; it shall serve as my cultivation Path-Field."

After the two had made their selections, Lingering Ye chose the Supreme Lunar Imperial Star as her target.

Seeing that all three had chosen their objectives, Imperial Sovereign Jiang spoke directly, "The timing is perfect. The ten great Solar Sun Imperial Scions are still repairing the Primordial Chaos Ancestral Vein."

"If we act now to seize a Chaos Earth Vein [a primordial earth energy vein, a source of immense power for cultivation and territorial foundation], we will face fewer variables."

"Then let us act."

Worthy Pursuit Chen retrieved his Immortal Iron Staff and prepared to depart to assist Worthy Remembrance Chen in assaulting the Kunxuan Ancestral Vein.

At that very moment, a streak of light descended from beyond the heavens, landing before the group and transforming into a spiritual talisman.

Imperial Sovereign Jiang took it and, upon reading it, a flicker of understanding passed through his gaze. "It is from Vast Righteousness True Lord," he said. "He wishes to enlist your aid in helping him attack the Ancestral Land of Myriad Stars [the primordial homeland of the myriad star spirits, a place of immense astral power]."

Worthy Pursuit Chen smiled faintly and spoke directly, "Then let us act. We shall first seize the Ancestral Land of Myriad Stars."

As his words fell, Worthy Pursuit Chen tore through the Heavenly Vault [the dome of the heavens] and vanished from the world. Seeing this, the others swiftly followed.

After a brief moment of cosmic displacement, they found themselves deep within the Cosmic Stellar [the starry expanse of the cosmos].

There, in the boundless void, a Literary Star [a celestial body embodying literary and scholarly essence] drifted slowly, connected to eleven Imperial Star [stars representing imperial authority]. Together, they ceaselessly transformed Primordial Chaos Energy [the undifferentiated energy of creation] into Confucian Path's Vast Righteous Energy [the immense, righteous power of the Confucian cultivation path].

Worthy Remembrance Chen could even sense that this Vast Righteous Energy was profoundly vast, surging like a sky full of Stellar [stellar energies], possessing a sublime and sacred power of immense magnitude.

"The Vast Righteous Energy of the Confucian path truly possesses remarkable qualities,"

remarked Imperial Sovereign Jiang slowly, his tone carrying a note of admiration.

At the same moment, light shimmered upon the Literary Star, and two figures of peerless grace and majesty stepped forth.

Imperial Sovereign Jiang looked up and recognized one as Vast Righteousness True Lord. The other was the Path Guardian [a guardian of a specific cultivation path or tradition] of Vast Righteousness True Lord—Profound Chess Yan.

Profound Chess Yan was once the foremost prodigy of the ancient Primordial Domain of Vast Righteousness, and also the second direct disciple of the Vast Righteousness Path Ancestor.

His strength had already reached the Great Emperor Realm [the pinnacle realm for cultivators below the Sage Ascendant level], and his combat prowess had even stepped into the domain of top-tier Great Emperor [a cultivator at the peak of the Great Emperor Realm].

However, that was merely the extent of it. The lineage of the Primordial Domain of Vast Righteousness [an ancient and powerful domain] was sparse in numbers, possessing only five experts at the Great Emperor level, and not a single Sage Ascendant [a realm transcending Great Emperor, a half-step to Path Ancestor].

This Profound Chess Yan, being merely a top-tier Great Emperor, was already considered the foremost powerhouse under the command of Path Ancestor Haoxu [a supreme being who has comprehended a Great Path and founded their own lineage].

In comparison, the other Chaos Heavenly Emperor [a title for a supreme ruler born from primordial chaos] each had, in their service, one or two secretly nurtured Invincible Great Emperor [a Great Emperor whose power stands unrivaled among their peers].

Even though, after such special nurturing, most of these Invincible Great Emperor had exhausted their potential, with an extremely low chance of breaking through to Sage Ascendant, they still represented an immensely formidable force.

Yet, beneath Path Ancestor Haoxu's seat, there was no Invincible Great Emperor to be found. This clearly showed that this lineage truly suffered from a lack of successors. Should any misfortune befall Path Ancestor Haoxu, the entire Primordial Domain of Vast Righteousness would likely face calamity.

It was precisely for this reason that Path Ancestor Haoxu seldom ventured beyond the Southern Abyss Seven Domains [a collective name for seven major domains in the southern reaches].

"You are too kind, Senior,"

Vast Righteousness True Lord offered a slight smile, clasping his hands respectfully towards Imperial Sovereign Jiang. "For you all to come and lend your aid this time, I am truly and deeply grateful."

Imperial Sovereign Jiang gave a slight nod. When he had ascended to immortality, Vast Righteousness True Lord had not even been born yet. As a junior from the Purple Seal Realm [a renowned cultivation realm], it was only natural for Vast Righteousness True Lord to show him such deference.

He wasted no time on further words, speaking directly, "Since we are here, let us not delay. We shall act at once."

Upon hearing this, Vast Righteousness True Lord gave a slight nod and immediately led the group towards the Three Enclosures Myriad Stars. They soon arrived before an Ancestral Vein [a supreme spiritual energy source, the root of a world's vitality].

Compared to other Ancestral Vein, the Ancestral Vein of Myriad Stars located within the Three Enclosures was the most unique.

This Ancestral Vein was formed by the convergence of three hundred and sixty-five Stellar [celestial bodies imbued with profound stellar power], a Chaos Path-Field [a primordial domain of chaotic energies] born from the coalescence of Cosmic Stellar [cosmic star] power.

At this moment, the group could clearly perceive that these three hundred and sixty-five Stellar were linked together by a grand formation, transforming into a Sage Ascendant Level Supreme Slaughter Formation [a formation of Sage Ascendant rank, designed for ultimate annihilation].

"A formidable slaughter formation indeed,"

Immortality Desolation Emperor murmured, his expression turning grave.

However, Worthy Remembrance Chen, who was skilled in Formation [the art of creating and manipulating magical arrays], smiled faintly and said, "This formation is indeed extraordinary. However, the Primordial Chaos Ancestral Vein [the primordial source of chaotic energy for this Ancestral Vein] was severely damaged and has only been partially repaired."

"Thus, this Formation is not operating at full power. We still have a chance to breach it."

As he spoke, Worthy Remembrance Chen carefully observed the formation. After a moment, he declared, "Later, I will use the Eight Trigrams Formation Flags [a set of eight magical banners representing the Eight Trigrams] to withstand the power of the Stellar. That should temporarily suppress this formation."

"Seize the opening and strike swiftly, vanquish all foes within the formation as quickly as possible."

Upon hearing this, everyone nodded solemnly, their expressions turning grave.

Seeing this, Worthy Remembrance Chen instantly soared into the air, commanding the Eight Trigrams Formation Flags. They transformed into the Eight Trigrams Grand Formation, sealing the entire expanse of starry void.

"This is…"

The moment he saw the Eight Trigrams Formation Flags, Profound Chess Yan's face paled with shock, revealing an expression of utter disbelief.

For this set of Eight Trigrams Formation Flags was composed of eight Innate Supreme Treasure [a supreme-grade magical artifact born from the primordial chaos]. Together, they formed a peerless Formation Flag [a set of flags used to deploy a grand formation] whose power was not inferior to the Nine Dragons Supreme Treasure.

This was the importance of profound heritage. As the direct disciple of the Primordial Genesis Path Ancestor and the direct blood descendant of the Returning Abyss Path Ancestor, Worthy Remembrance Chen had received the combined nurturing of two Great Path Ancestral powers.

Without such backing, attempting to wield this set of Formation Flag would be nothing but a fool's dream.

One must understand, over seventy percent of Chaos Heavenly Emperor [a supreme title for an emperor-level existence born from the primordial chaos] do not possess a Chaos Spiritual Artifact [a spiritual artifact forged from primordial chaos essence]. The treasures they rely on in battle are often precisely such Formation Artifact [a composite magical artifact formed by multiple treasures in a formation] assembled from Innate Supreme Treasure.

"*Hummmm—*"

At this moment, Worthy Remembrance Chen channeled his full power into the Formation Artifact. Instantly, the eight fundamental forces of heaven and earth surged forth, sealing the vast expanse of the starry sky and suppressing the local Sage Ascendant [a realm of cultivation surpassing the Great Emperor level] Formation [a structured arrangement of energy and symbols used for attack, defense, or other purposes]. To his astonishment, the lethal formation array's formidable power was temporarily neutralized.

Without a moment's hesitation, Worthy Pursuit Chen mounted the Immortal Iron Staff [a legendary staff forged from immortal-grade iron] and soared into the air. He strode forward with lethal intent, charging directly into the heart of the overwhelming Celestial Slaughter [a legendary plant associated with celestial power and slaughter] formation array.

"How dare you!"

Watching the group charge in, the powerful experts from the Ancestral Land of Myriad Stars [the primordial homeland of the star spirits] paled with alarm.

Instantly, five formidable figures shot through the void, summoning their Innate Supreme Treasure [a supreme treasure born from primordial chaos, possessing immense innate power] to block Worthy Pursuit Chen's path.

Yet, after a single clash, the five powerful figures were forced back several paces. Worthy Pursuit Chen also halted, a flicker of surprise in his eyes.

He lowered his gaze and saw, standing firm within the roiling Chaos [the primordial, undifferentiated state of existence before creation], five figures radiating an aura of immense power. Among them were several faces he recognized all too well.

"Heaven's Deduction Saint Emperor, Verdant Extreme Saint Emperor, and three Demonic Path Great Emperor [Great Emperors who have ascended through demonic cultivation arts] from the Primordial Domain of Saint and Demon [a primordial realm where the forces of sainthood and demonhood are in constant conflict]," Worthy Pursuit Chen stated slowly, a chill seeping into his gaze.

Worthy Pursuit Chen spoke in a measured tone, his eyes glinting with cold intent.

So, these five supreme Great Emperor [a pinnacle realm of power and authority] from the saint and demon factions had joined forces. Three supreme Great Emperor and two Invincible Great Emperor [a title for a Great Emperor of unparalleled combat prowess] together had seized control of this Primordial Chaos Ancestral Vein [the primordial source vein of chaotic spiritual energy, the foundation of creation].

In the past, Heaven's Deduction Saint Emperor schemed against Eldrin Chen, causing him to be defeated and flee to the Chaos Desolation Sea. Furthermore, Verdant Extreme Saint Emperor was Eldrin Chen's Great Path Rival [a fated adversary on the journey of cultivation].

Now, upon seeing these two, Worthy Pursuit Chen felt a surge of Slaughter Intent [a murderous, battle-ready will] boiling within his heart, and his towering battle spirit flared once more.

"Die!"

Worthy Pursuit Chen roared, mounting his Immortal Iron Staff and charging into the Nine Heavens [the highest celestial realms], directly assaulting the two Great Emperor [supreme sovereigns of the cultivation world].

Heaven's Deduction Saint Emperor's expression shifted slightly. He immediately summoned his Lifebound Supreme Treasure [a magical artifact bound to one's life essence], the Heaven's Deduction Disk, to defend with all his might. Yet, in an instant, he was sent flying, blood spraying from his mouth.

Though hailed as a top-tier Great Emperor, he was not skilled in combat arts. His face paled as he cried out in alarm, "Fellow Daoists, lend me your aid at once!"

"Heh. All of you shall perish."

Worthy Pursuit Chen declared, directly channeling the Six-Syllable Mantra [a powerful incantation of six sacred syllables]. It transformed into six supremely ancient characters that blazed across the sky, bearing down to suppress the five mighty experts.

The five powerhouses resisted with their full strength, yet they found themselves utterly unable to harm Worthy Pursuit Chen in the slightest.

"Hiss..."

The Verdant Extreme Saint Emperor drew a deep breath, his face betraying a look of profound shock as he spoke, "His combat prowess is likely on par with a Sage Ascendant [a supreme cultivator who has ascended beyond the Saint Emperor realm]. Yet, why did he not contend for the Primordial Chaos Ancestral Vein [the supreme source vein of primordial chaos energy] before?"

The five Great Sage Emperors and the Demon Emperor were filled with doubt and confusion. By all logic, anyone possessing strength comparable to the Sage Ascendant level should have been able to claim one of the Mandate of Heaven [a cosmic decree of destiny and authority].

After all, the effect of the Mandate of Heaven was merely to allow them to break through to the Sage Ascendant realm. At best, it could slightly increase their chances of advancing to the Chaos Heavenly Emperor [a supreme title for an emperor who has mastered primordial chaos] level.

Yet, without the presence of Chaos Genesis Energy [the foundational energy of creation from the primordial chaos], this minor benefit was essentially useless.

Precisely for this reason, those Chaos Heavenly Emperor and Sage Ascendant figures did not place too much importance on the empowerment granted by the Mandate of Heaven.

Thinking this, the Verdant Extreme Saint Emperor could not help but speak out, "With your strength, sir, you are more than capable of claiming this Chaos Earth Vein [a terrestrial energy vein infused with primordial chaos]."

"We shall depart immediately. We ask that you do not hinder us."

As he spoke, the Verdant Extreme Saint Emperor prepared to cede the Earth Vein [the terrestrial energy channel] to Worthy Pursuit Chen.

But at that very moment, a peerless sword aura surged through the void, forcing the Verdant Extreme Saint Emperor to stagger back, blood spraying from his mouth.