The ancient trees twisted like coiled dragons—their gnarled branches vigorous and sweeping toward the sky, casting a cool expanse of shade across the ground below.
This ancient king held his dragon head high, his human body powerful and imposing, born with extraordinary gifts. He was tall and robust, and at the back of his skull, a ring of radiance blazed—magnificent and dazzling.
Swaths of human cultivators and ancient beings were pressed to the ground, their bodies shaking like grain in a sieve, convulsing uncontrollably—as though standing before a deity.
He possessed incomparable majesty. The aura he naturally radiated was beyond what ordinary people could endure. This was the oppressive pressure of an ancient sage-level being—simply by standing there, it brought the entire gathering to its knees.
“Where is that Sage? Have him come before me.” His face was utterly cold. His hands clasped behind his back, he stood with lordly pride at the center of the scene, his gaze sweeping over the Jade Pool with disdain.
The ancient trees swayed. Their shadows played softly. The surroundings were quiet. Still no one answered. Which of the human cultivators dared to step forward? They had no strength to stand against a Sage.
In this moment, this ancient king’s face was cruel and cold. He swept his gaze over every person—then tilted back his head and burst into unrestrained, sky-shaking laughter.
“Has he actually run away? How laughable. Ha ha ha… Human race, you are as cowardly as you have always been!”
He had come alone, with an air of supreme and singular dominance. He looked down upon every person present with contempt—that oppressive aura nearly splitting their primordial spirits open.
That laughter was grating to the ear. Every human cultivator present changed expression. It was an insult—the equivalent of a series of slaps across their faces.
Not far away, in the ancient wood, Ye Fan and the others also wore dark expressions. This ancient king had gone too far. His hands itched to summon the sacred shell once more.
One aged human cultivator, unbending by nature, struggled against the sage-level pressure and managed to stand his ground. “He may have left on urgent business. There is no need for you to insult the human race this way.”
“Urgent business? More like fleeing, I’d say. The moment he comes back, I will cut him down.” The dragon-headed ancient king stood with hands clasped behind his back, the halo behind his skull blazing more brilliantly.
He laughed without restraint—as if each peal of laughter were a blade cutting deep into every person present. His contempt was absolute, one man against the world.
At this moment, even many of the ancient beings found it curious. This ancient king had clearly come looking for trouble. He had no intention whatsoever of sitting down to participate in the ten thousand clans’ grand assembly.
Not far away, the Celestial Imperial Prince revealed a dark, venomous smile. The two ancient kings beside him exchanged glances and smirked. They knew—the show was just beginning. Other powerful ancient kings who refused to believe Wushi still lived would certainly come one after another in person to the Jade Pool to demand answers.
“Truly dispiriting. The human race is as useless as it was in the primordial age—forever refusing to face anything, only ever able to live as subordinates.” This ancient king’s expression grew even colder, his words leaving not a shred of dignity.
“Damn it all!” Even Li Tian—an outsider to all this—was having trouble holding back. Rage burned within him. At the same time, he privately lamented that he had come to this monstrous ancient star, where the ancient beings were far too terrifying.
The others also felt suffocated. This ancient king had come purely to humiliate everyone, and every word he uttered was aimed at cutting them down.
At this moment, everyone was furious but dared not act. This was a Sage—a thousand of them or ten thousand of them charging in together would make no difference. Beneath a single press of his palm, all would be reduced to ash.
“How utterly dull.” The dragon-headed ancient king shook his head, his contempt unmistakable. He walked forward with unhurried composure—utterly calm and steady.
Those around reacted differently. Some were stunned, some were worried, but the majority were exhilarated. The impact of the Divine Enshrinement Scroll suppressing the Northern Region seemed to be fading before the presence of this ancient king—his words and conduct filling many clan members with renewed energy.
“Where is the human race’s Sacred Physique? Let me see for myself!”
This ancient king strode deep into the ancient woodland, walking straight toward Ye Fan. His eyes, fixed upon him, carried a thread of cold menace.
“Trouble!” Duan De’s expression changed. This was plainly a visit to cause trouble, and the aim was most likely to eliminate Ye Fan. After all, a human race Sacred Physique was no ordinary matter. Certain great primordial clans most certainly did not wish to see him grow any stronger—snuffing him out while still in his infancy was the most prudent course.
“It doesn’t matter. If worst comes to worst, I’ll go all out today. I’ll haul out that sacred shell and use the Heaven-Devouring Demon Jar to smash him flat!” Ye Fan steeled himself.
“Try not to act recklessly. It would create massive problems!” Duan De’s expression was grave. In that instant, the two of them exchanged a rapid, hushed discussion.
The dragon-headed ancient king approached step by step. A powerful sage-level aura flowed from him—like a shroud of primordial chaos mist—pressing down upon every person present, making each one’s heart hammer with dread.
“Is it you?” He looked down from his lofty height, fixing his gaze on Ye Fan, seated at the stone table.
“That’s right—it is.” Ye Fan stood up and met his gaze, calm and without the slightest trace of fear.
From the distance, the watching humans and primordial ancient beings were shaken to their cores. Faced with an Ancestral King’s oppressive aura, Ye Fan had actually managed to stand—not fallen to his knees. It exceeded everyone’s expectations.
“Interesting.” The dragon-headed ancient king looked down upon him, and his aura intensified all at once. The halo at the back of his skull blazed even more fiercely—as though a deity were manifesting.
Ye Fan felt an enormous pressure—his entire skeleton groaning. Had his physique been ordinary, it would likely have already shattered. Even so, his body was in sharp pain. A tremendous force surged toward him, pressing down on him—urging him to kneel. This was sage-level vital energy.
“Suppressing others with sage-level pressure—what kind of ability is that? What is there to be proud of?” A clear, cold voice rang through the scene. The monkey stood up, squaring off against the Ancestral King.
Everyone’s hearts leaped. Not long ago, the Divine Silkworm Princess had stood up for the monkey—that was still vivid in memory. And now he was provoking yet another ancient king.
“Sacred Imperial Prince, you are counted among the ancient clans. Being this close to a human race Sacred Physique is difficult to justify.” The dragon-headed ancient king withdrew his pressure and spoke in a flat, measured tone.
“My father once said: the ten thousand things engender and restrain one another. Each clan has its reason for existing.” The monkey replied.
“You are the descendant of the Battle-Victorious Sacred Emperor, so I have no wish to lecture you at length. But in the matter of this human race Sacred Physique—stay out of it. No one can stop me.”
The dragon-headed ancient king turned glacial—barely suppressing the urge to cut down the monkey along with everything else if he pressed one word too many.
From a distance, the hearts of all present turned to ice. An ancient king had personally arrived—and ordinary people were in an entirely different class from him. The gap was too vast. Even all the Holy Masters combined could not block a single finger of his.
“Is this not bullying?” Ye Fan pulled the monkey back, not letting him advance. His expression was unruffled—he was almost challenging the ancient king directly.
“Are you speaking to me? I could kill you ten thousand times over with a single finger!” The dragon-headed ancient king turned glacial.
“Yes. I am speaking to you.” Ye Fan nodded, utterly fearless.
Behind them, everyone was shocked. All eyes converged upon Ye Fan. To dare address an Ancestral King like this—it was as if he had knocked on the dark gates of the underworld.
The chieftain of the Southern Ridge Barbarian Clan could no longer watch in silence. He was afraid that Ye Fan would be struck dead by a single finger and raised his voice. “The Divine Enshrinement Scroll has suppressed the Northern Region. The Wushi Great Emperor’s divine miracle has manifested. The ten thousand clans’ grand assembly is about to open. You are an ancient king—yet you conduct yourself without dignity. Why do you press so aggressively?”
Silence fell all around. Everyone held their breath. To dare question an ancient king like this required immense courage—and many held their breath in anxiety for the Barbarian chieftain.
“Ha ha ha…” The dragon-headed ancient king tilted his head back and roared with laughter, regarding no one present with any concern—only boundless disdain.
“A rabble of insects. Even now, you still place your hope in that dead man? He has long since rotted to dust and splinters of bone. I will tell you plainly—I have come precisely to shatter your fantasies! “
His posture was wildly arrogant. Those words not only humiliated the human race—they also insulted the Wushi Great Emperor—filling every person present with righteous fury.
“What then? I’m standing right here. Let that Wushi ghost come out and suppress me if he dare.” The dragon-headed ancient king smiled with icy menace. “A person cannot possibly live for tens of thousands of years. That is simply laughable!”
“Well said!” From the distance, the Celestial Imperial Prince voiced loud agreement. Yuangu nodded as well.
In that instant, the great ancient clans broke into uproar. Everyone began to debate, their minds churning with restless activity, all of them greatly animated.
“You are insulting the Great Emperor of our human race—your ruin will come swiftly!” The Barbarian chieftain shouted.
“Ha ha ha… How naive. Wait for that dead ghost to crawl out from his grave before talking!” The dragon-headed ancient king finished laughing, then his expression hardened to cold iron. “And you—you are the head of the Southern Ridge Barbarian Clan? I have heard some things about you. The Divine Spirit Valley failed to destroy your people—I will do the job properly.”
Boom!
He fixed him with an indifferent glance, and a surging, overwhelming sage-level pressure instantly poured outward. The Barbarian chieftain coughed up a great mouthful of blood and was sent flying—struck down by a single thread of aura released from a Sage, the gap in power incalculable.
The scene fell into dead silence. This was the leader of the Barbarian Clan—yet he could not endure even a wisp of a Sage’s released aura. The disparity was beyond measure.
“You—” Ye Fan was furious.
“What do I mean by ‘you’? You are a small human race Sacred Physique who has not yet grown into his full strength. Do you dare to be disrespectful before me? Kneel!” He gave another great shout.
“You go too far!” From behind, the Barbarian King appeared. He stanched the Barbarian chieftain’s bleeding and handed him off to the clansmen to tend.
The dragon-headed ancient king turned around slowly, a cold smile curving his lips. “Three cuts of the immortal path, severing the Dao to near-completion—somewhat interesting. But still not enough—killing you requires no more than a single finger.”
“Do you truly think so little of the human race?” The Barbarian King’s face darkened. The other human cultivators also wore expressions of fury and agony, their rage threatening to incinerate the Nine Heavens.
“Human race—you are worthless!” The dragon-headed ancient king extended a finger and wagged it slowly, his contempt beyond words. “Wushi is already a dead man. What are you counting on now? Truly no progress at all—just as in the primordial age, nothing but a subordinate clan under the protection of the strong.”
“Say that again, and I’ll have someone deal with you!” The Barbarian King raged, the hair all across his body standing on end, blood boiling with fury.
Not only he—every last human cultivator was consumed by surging, blazing anger, their fury threatening to burn through the Nine Heavens!
A man of dignity can be killed but not humiliated—the dragon-headed ancient king had gone far, far too far!
“Is that so? You insects—do you think you are worthy to trade blows with me? A single finger, and I will send every last one of you on your way!” The dragon-headed ancient king said coldly, extending one finger and directing it toward the Barbarian Clan’s assembled people.
In that moment, the Barbarian King made a single gesture—he reached up and removed the beast-skin cap from his head. “I’ll have someone deal with you!”
Hum!
The void collapsed. A great black claw reached out—as though cleaving through space and time from that ancient earth of the remote primordial age.
Crack!
Swift and ferocious—the black claw seized the finger that had been pointed forward and, with a sound like shattering bone, drenched in blood, snapped the Ancestral King’s finger clean off.
“Ahh…”
The dragon-headed ancient king cried out in agony and stumbled backward. He could barely believe what his own eyes were showing him. That finger—infused with the divine principles of the Great Dao—had been severed.
Every person was stupefied—stunned beyond words. Unimaginable. Utterly shocking.
Atop the Barbarian King’s head, a small black tortoise lay quietly—more precisely, a Black Tortoise, for it possessed the head of a true dragon. When he finally made out what had injured him, the dragon-headed ancient king felt his lungs nearly burst with rage. A slow, plodding little black tortoise was wagging one tiny claw at him.
He could not bear it. This was a humiliation—or even more than that, an utter disgrace. In a low, seething voice he said, “A tortoise… I was actually injured by a tortoise!”
“To blazes with you—you’re the tortoise. I am the Black Tortoise!” The slow, plodding black tortoise on the Barbarian King’s head declared in sharp, cutting terms.
Everyone was dumbstruck—nearly turned to stone. How did this bizarre black tortoise have the exact same temperament as the Barbarian Clan people? Both were of the rough, blunt, no-nonsense variety.
The dragon-headed ancient king howled with rage, unleashing the divine principles of the Great Dao and charging forward.
Boom!
But a great black claw reached out and slapped him flying with a single strike. “I’ll flatten you! And remember this—I am the Black Tortoise!”