The Celestial Emperor’s Son’s entire first army had been annihilated — they had barely entered the Southern Region before being killed to the last person. Not a single one survived. It truly shocked everyone.

The people on the island were struck dumb. For a long moment, no one could find their voice. What unrestrained power. What absolute dominance. This made it plain — someone intended to fight the Celestial Emperor’s Son to the bitter end.

“Something like this actually happened — has that mysterious powerful figure struck again? Is he about to fight the Celestial Emperor’s Son to a decisive battle here in the Southern Region?”

“A true clash between dragons and tigers is coming — without question. This is a genuine contest at the absolute peak. A battle against an ancient emperor’s own son!”

The people on the island trembled uncontrollably. Their emotions ran sky-high. If it proved true, a great upheaval sweeping the entire world had begun — the decisive contest between the paramount prodigies was opening.

News continued to stream in from Cloud Peak City. Cultivators had gathered there in great numbers. Powerful figures of every kind had appeared on the scene. All of them were trying to make sense of what had happened. And all of them were baffled.

There was not a single clue. Whoever had done this was absolutely a world-shaking figure — appearing and vanishing without a trace, uninterested in glory or recognition, purely focused on eliminating those people.

Cloud Peak City had become a cauldron at a rolling boil. Even though it was nighttime, cultivators were flowing in and out without pause, and people believed this location might be about to transform into the most terrifying battlefield in the world.

That night, the news sprouted wings and flew through the domain gates to every corner of the Eastern Desolation. Many of the great powers received their reports. Sect masters and heads of institutions sat for long stretches without speaking.

Crack!

In the Northern Region, within a sealed chamber, the Celestial Emperor’s Son received the news and hurled a jade-wrought Nine-Phoenix Cup to the ground with full force. His face had gone iron-grey.

He was venerated by the ten thousand clans as a divine scion — the offspring of the Undying Celestial Emperor — and his standing exceeded even that of the ancient Holy Emperor’s son. And yet, with incident coming one after another, it was as though someone was slapping him across the face.

“Ha! Ha ha ha!” Li Tian and the others received the news, and all of them broke into great roars of laughter.

“Ye Fan has come out swinging hard. We have to cooperate,” said Li Heishui. “The Eight Divine Generals’ descendants split into several columns for a carpet search, didn’t they? Let’s go cut one of those columns down ourselves — leave them with no idea where the blows are coming from.”

“Exactly. Everyone hunts them down. Anyone who enters the Southern Region gets killed clean. Leave the Celestial Emperor’s Son completely in the dark about what’s happening,” Dongfang Ye agreed.

“Be careful. This time, Half-Saints have been deployed. The marching army is meant to track down Ye Fan, but the real killing blow is the Half-Saints hiding in the shadows!” Yan Yixi warned.

The group of them laughed coldly together, preparing to begin cutting people down from the shadows — eliminating the ancient clan powerhouses moving south, leaving no trace behind.

“Watch yourselves,” the Black Emperor suddenly said, something clearly coming to mind as his expression soured. “That worthless wretch the Celestial Emperor’s Son is carrying several great artifacts with him. A few years ago, when this Emperor tried to kill him with a killing array, I failed. Keep that in mind.”

Scarlet Phoenix Mountain. The peaks were towering and steep, mountain upon mountain, interwoven with traces of various great Daos. The main peak looked as if it had been drenched in phoenix blood — red as crimson, red as gore. For the ten thousand clans alike, this place was a forbidden zone.

Under ordinary circumstances, almost no one came here, much less dared to disturb it. This was the cultivation ground of the Ancient Imperial Clan. The Scarlet Phoenix lineage had once dominated the primordial age; within the nine heavens and ten earths, all had bowed to this peak.

Now, the Celestial Emperor’s Son arrived here. His hair fell loose over his shoulders. His eyes were like the sea — deep and vast. His body had the clarity of flawless jade. He carried himself with a refined and elegant bearing — handsome to a degree that the heavens themselves might envy.

He was a man without flaw: tall and lean, black hair drifting around him, divine luminescence flowing across his entire body. He ascended to the summit and came face to face with a man who seemed to have merged entirely with heaven and earth.

“I have come to ask Brother Dao to journey south with me.”

At the summit of Scarlet Phoenix Mountain sat a man. He wore a crown of scarlet blood. Each strand of his hair communicated with the great Daos of heaven and earth — every single strand capable of crushing a great mountain beneath its weight!

Not long after, the Celestial Emperor’s Son descended the mountain. His expression was cold and impassive, his eyes as sharp as blades, enough to strike fear into the heart of any who met his gaze.

At the foot of the mountain, an immensely ancient clansman stepped forward. “Son of God — did Huang Xu Dao agree? Will he go south?”

The Celestial Emperor’s Son nodded. The depths of his eyes turned forest-dark. “This time, regardless of how many people have come to challenge me, I will put an end to all of them at once. Not one will escape.”

The aged ancient clansman nodded. “Several Half-Saints have already arrived on the other side. Unless that person has stepped into the realm of a Saint, they will not walk away whole — half their bones will be broken. To be even half a Saint is a difference as vast as heaven and earth.”

“Go. To the Fire Kirin Cave. He wants a confrontation? I will oblige him to the very end,” the Celestial Emperor’s Son said, mounting a cloud and flying away toward another ancient imperial immortal realm.

“Is the young lord heading there to invite Huo Qizi to join in? That lineage is extraordinarily formidable. Word has it that Huo Qizi is very nearly capable of plucking stars from the sky…”

Southern Region. Qingxia City.

On the divine island floating above Lakelight, cultivators continued speaking over one another in a chaotic chorus.

Ye Fan remained entirely at ease, sipping tea to one side, observing the heroes present and listening to the uproar around him. There was no doubt that this mess had been laid at his door. The one who had struck might not have been thinking in such calculated terms — but everyone would assume it was him.

In a sense, this earth-shaking powerhouse was also helping him — wiping out the attackers in one sweep, saving him a great deal of trouble.

Before long, a man stepped onto the island. He was not especially tall, nor could he be called imposing in any way. He was plain and ordinary — it was Ji Zi, and he had returned.

Ye Fan kept his gaze inward, observing Ji Zi with his spiritual awareness. Ji Zi was utterly silent — he spoke almost not at all. He found a quiet spot and sat alone in a corner.

“He is so incredibly powerful — the force of his presence defies imagination. Even among Dao-Severing experts, he is at the absolute peak. I believe the ancient emperors’ sons have finally met a match!”

“Could it be that a human emperor’s son has come into the world among us? Otherwise, who in our age could be doing this — who would dare be this bold?”

“That… is hard to say.”

People speculated endlessly, arriving at many conclusions.

The path to immortality was said to open in this era. The ancient emperors had sealed their own children into this age — for to achieve the Dao within this domain of heaven and earth would make one stronger. To break through in this great era, and then make a single decisive charge into the immortal realm.

“The great human emperors of old were invincible, and supremely lonely. Immortality was their only hope. They passed away themselves and could not live to see this era. But perhaps a few of them sealed away heir to be born in our time — it’s not impossible.”

Many people were convinced of this. If true, it would certainly be another kind of great confrontation between the ancient emperors of old and the emperors of the primordial age — unable to strike at each other directly, so the contest would be played out through their children!

“The great emperors of old, and the emperors of the primordial age — which is stronger, which is weaker? Perhaps only their children and sons can answer that.”

With this view put forward, it naturally caused a great stir. Many people were astonished, and then began to nod. It was not out of the question. To this day, no emperor’s son had been seen — perhaps it truly was time for one to emerge.

Boom!

Without warning, a majestic aura arrived from the distant sky. A streak of flowing light descended, taking shape above Lakelight as a silhouette — then ascended to the island.

The powerful aura rapidly withdrew and compressed inward. The silhouette became unremarkable. And yet Li Qingzhou shot to his feet and rushed forward. “Master!”

Everyone was stunned. The Sovereign of Yao Guang had truly come!

Even Ji Biyue, Li Youyou, and Feng Huang all underwent visible changes in expression. This was a figure whose name shook the world — a peerless talent of their own generation, one who had stood with supreme confidence over the eight desolate regions, now standing at the absolute pinnacle of the human race of this era.

In this age, outside of the Saints, who dared show disrespect to her? None who saw her were not awed. Not even the likes of those who had lived for thousands of years could ignore her — none wanted to offend her.

“We pay our respects to the Sovereign of Yao Guang!”

“Greetings to the Sovereign of Yao Guang!”

Nearly everyone rose to their feet with expressions of the utmost reverence, stepping forward to bow before this one-of-a-kind talent of the age, whose name resounded throughout humanity.

Even Ji Biyue and Feng Huang had to step forward. The name Yao Guang was known from one end of the world to the other — the entire human population of the five regions revered her — regarded as one who could stand toe to toe with the ancient emperors’ sons.

Yao Guang was gracious in return. She said there was no need for such formality and invited everyone to rise. She was like an immortal king descended to earth — of divine bearing and sacred bearing — her expression serene and warm, as if a spring wind had touched the heart. Who could bring themselves not to show her courtesy?

“Well — it seems there really is someone here without that courtesy.”

Someone noticed that Ye Fan had not so much as shifted from where he sat, and that on the other side, Ji Zi likewise remained silently seated without rising — distinctly out of place amid the surrounding crowd.

“The Sovereign of Yao Guang has arrived, and they won’t even stand? What a pair of excessive egos.” Gazes swept over from all directions. More than a few people were visibly displeased. After all, both of these individuals appeared young — neither was of a seniority so great as to excuse such airs.

“The one called Ji Zi — wasn’t he said to be among the rising talents of the Southern Region alongside Li Qingzhou and the Marquis in Purple? How can he be this disrespectful? Even if Divine King Haoyue himself appeared, he wouldn’t dare behave so presumptuously!”

Every eye converged upon them. Ji Biyue had herself gone forward to offer her greetings — how did Ji Zi dare presume so much? Many people’s expressions were turning unfriendly.

“My respects,” said Ji Zi, noticing the eyes upon him. He rose and said these two words. Then he sat back down, turned his gaze quietly toward the night sky, as if nothing in the world was capable of drawing his attention.

On the other side, Ye Fan still had not moved. Naturally, a number of people grew further displeased, all staring at him.

“Just who do you think you are? Such arrogance — you won’t even rise before the Sovereign of Yao Guang? Have you no respect at all?”

When one’s cultivation had reached Ye Fan’s level, all actions flowed from the truest part of the self. There was no possibility of him bowing to Yao Guang. Even saying a polite “my respects” felt unnecessary.

In those days, this person had been a great enemy. At the moment Ye Fan finally left this world, Yao Guang had brought the Dragon-Pattern Golden Cauldron to the Ancestral Hall in Central Province and moved to block his path — they had already become adversaries. The fact that he had not immediately launched into battle upon seeing her here was already a form of courtesy.

“Our Sovereign has come, and you can’t even spare a glance? Is this how little respect you have?” One of the attendant boys following behind Yao Guang — a boy and a girl — spoke up with reproach.

“Exactly. Just who does this person think he is? Not to show respect before the Sovereign of Yao Guang? What audacity!” Others joined the chorus, their voices carrying open hostility.

“He thinks he’s someone special? Does he imagine he’s an ancient emperor’s son — or that he’s the Holy Body of former days, there to stand as an equal to the Sovereign of Yao Guang?”

Ye Fan swept a glance across them and simply shook his head. He said nothing.

Such a response naturally caused something of a stir. Even Feng Huang and Ji Biyue could not help looking over, watching. In this age, who would dare behave so freely and without restraint? Was this supreme indifference — or ridiculous conceit? Perhaps only that one person from the past would have dared something like this.

“Children! Mind your manners!” Yao Guang rebuked the attendant boy. Then she gave a courteous nod toward everyone. A figure of her standing had no need to make an issue of such things.

“But Sovereign, he really has no regard for you at all…” the boy muttered unhappily. These children had followed Yao Guang for many years. Who, in this day and age, would dare behave so presumptuously toward her?

Li Qingzhou also furrowed his brow slightly, a trace of displeasure crossing his expression. What was his master’s standing? And still someone dared face her this way.

Yao Guang glanced at them. The boy immediately dared say nothing more. He quieted himself. Others settled back into their seats as well.

“Sovereign Yao Guang — we’ve heard that you deduced the path to immortality will open at the Ancient Abyss Forbidden Zone in the Southern Region. Is it true?” someone asked reverently.

“This is merely one possible deduction — not to be taken as established truth. How things will truly unfold is very difficult to predict.” Yao Guang replied, then explained the reasoning behind the deduction: why had the Celestial Mystery Holy Land mobilized its entire sect to assault this forbidden zone? Perhaps only the prospect of immortality could drive them to such disregard for cost.

“Yao Guang — is this the Sacred Light Body you’ve cultivated?” Ji Biyue asked.

Everyone was taken aback. This was not Yao Guang’s true body — and yet to look at her, there was no difference at all. Her power was truly staggering.

Yao Guang nodded. “My true body remains in bitter cultivation and cannot come out. I can only move about in this Sacred Light Body.”

People could only marvel. Yao Guang’s power had reached a level of absolute terror — something that made one shudder.

Throughout all of this, Ye Fan could perceive that Yao Guang’s spiritual awareness was scanning both him and Ji Zi. She had clearly already detected that they were extraordinary in their own right.

“Yao Guang truly deserves her title as the foremost expert among the human race below the level of a Saint. Her depths are truly immeasurable — enough to inspire awe,” someone remarked.

Others echoed the sentiment, nodding in agreement. Words of praise came from every direction — all of it flattery, all of it admiration.

Ji Biyue glanced toward Feng Huang with a slight smile. “In truth, the human Holy Body could also have reached this level. What a pity that he left without looking back — his heart is on the other shore of the starry sky.”