“How — how did you reach this realm without our knowledge?” The Corpse Emperor was shaken. These developments were too sudden, beyond anything he had imagined or anticipated.

Those who were far weaker than them — how could they have struck successfully? Only those who were not too far behind in power could have wounded them enough to make them cough blood.

“Did you think that by preparing for many years you could kill my master? Not only do you have your preparations — we too have long awaited this moment!” Ye Tong shouted.

All those years of concealment and endurance had been for exactly this day — to break the deadlock, to kill the Supremes within the Forbidden Zones, to end in a single battle the potential dark upheaval that lurked in the shadows.

“Well, well. You do have some ability. You reached this level and we never knew — deceived right past us!” The Immortal Crone was furious. She wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth and fixed her gaze on the Human Demon.

Now everything was clear. For hundreds of years Ye Fan had not emerged into the world, sitting in meditation within the Undying Mountain — waiting for those at his side to break through and reach a realm capable of fighting Supremes, so that they could strike together and overcome their enemies in one decisive battle.

All these years, the Forbidden Zones had been searching for Numinous Treasure Heavenly Lord’s formation diagram and the four immortal swords, hoping to eliminate Ye Fan at minimal cost — losing no one in the process.

But had the other side not been doing the same? They too had sought the most assured single battle, and had finally waited for this day — a day when the cultivation realms of those around Ye Fan had aligned, leaving them unafraid to engage the Supremes in a final confrontation.

“No wonder — over these past several hundred years, there were a few occasions when heavenly signs fell into disarray, impossible to divine or deduce, and flashes of chaos tribulation would briefly flicker into being. We assumed it was the Solar Sacred Body persevering without cease, but it was all a façade — a cover. The ones crossing tribulation were actually you all. Sacred Body — your mastery of the Dao is truly frighteningly profound. You concealed it all from us!” The Spirit Emperor fixed his gaze on Ye Fan at the center of the formation.

“It is likely also related to this immortal scroll — using it to conceal the heavenly signs!” The Great Peng Emperor’s expression was cold and detached, his eyes locked onto that crystalline scroll whose radiance was cast as if from starlight.

This scroll had been passed down since antiquity — from the age of mythology, through the age of primordial antiquity, through the age of ancient desolation — passing through different owners: a Heavenly Lord, the Battle Saint Emperor, the Ruthless Great Emperor.

Originally the scroll depicted only stars with nothing else. No one knew what era it originated from. Someone had imprinted additional markings on the back of the scroll, giving it annotations such as the ascension grounds.

This scroll was deeply mysterious — its age frightening in its depth. Some said it was the imprint of this universe itself.

Others said it originated from the chaos of ancient times, refined by a certain Heavenly Emperor, recording the divine traces of the entire great universe — containing ultimate profound truths.

“Did you think we were truly meat on a chopping block? This era is different from those before. Even Supremes cannot run rampant any longer!” Ye Tong shouted.

“Ha ha ha…” The Great Peng Emperor tilted his head back and laughed. His head full of golden hair shimmered brilliantly. He stood as though he were a supreme deity — carrying an air of invincibility beneath the heavens, of none but himself being supreme. “Even if you are not simple individuals,” he said, “you are still far from being a match for a Supreme. You have only just touched that threshold — that doorstep.”

He looked down upon the world with contempt. It was a confidence born of being without equal — and to be fair, not one of them had yet attained the pinnacle of that domain. Even if they had taken a completely different path to the Dao, strictly speaking, they were still not a match for a fully ascended Supreme.

“So many of you came here to die? We’ll catch you all in one net!” The Spirit Emperor said.

Though they were shaken, they were after all former sovereigns of the primordial age. They steadied their minds quickly and declared with authority their intention to deal with everyone present.

Moreover, once they had calmed down, the several of them locked their gazes on Ye Tong, the Old Madman, and the others, and a blazing light appeared in their eyes. To them, these people were practically “great medicine from the mortal world.” If harvested and refined, they would bring great benefit.

“The Great Peng Emperor’s flesh must taste very good!”

Yet a single sentence from the Human Demon instantly ignited their fury. The prey they had been looking at, the great medicine — were apparently harboring thoughts like this about them. It was arrogant to a degree that was “outrageous beyond words.”

Outrageous. Unheard of. Someone daring to eat a sovereign-path powerhouse? Such a thing had never occurred in all of antiquity. No one had ever been desecrated in such a manner.

“You are seeking death!” The Corpse Emperor roared furiously.

“Those seeking death are you!” A thunderclap exploded from the vault of heaven. A monkey blazing all over with golden light descended from the sky, wielding an immortal iron staff that it swung down in a mighty arc.

Clang!

Even the Corpse Emperor — renowned for his indestructible golden body, undying through ten thousand tribulations — was struck by that sudden and unexpected blow. His tiger’s mouth cracked open, blood dotting his palms, and he stumbled backward.

The Holy Emperor’s Son had arrived — fiery golden eyes, battle energy surging like a vast ocean, fighting spirit blazing on high. He was like an undefeated god of war, brave and unstoppable!

“Good, good, good — I underestimated all of you!” The Corpse Emperor said icily. He pointed sharply at Ye Fan within the formation. “Even with the four of you here, you cannot save him from the killing formation. He is fated to die within it.”

“You overestimate yourselves too much. My master entered the formation only to use you all as training partners. Now that we have arrived, it simply means his cultivation session has concluded.” Ye Tong said.

These words, once spoken, made even the four Supremes — transcendent as they were — flush with surging rage. Since antiquity, who could have ever made use of them? This was an insult beyond measure.

A mere Sacred Body — no matter how formidable, he was not yet a true Great Emperor. And he had done this? Outrageous! An unforgivable affront!

Of course, they understood that Ye Tong was deliberately mocking them. There should be no one in this world so utterly mad as to actually plunge into absolute desperation in order to comprehend the Dao.

“You are all ants — every last one of you will die!” Perhaps only a declaration like this, at a moment like this, could demonstrate their authority — and their contempt for enemies they deemed utterly beneath them.

“You are far too arrogant.” From the center of the formation, Ye Fan — defended by the rune-flame and the immortal scroll — felt the thunderous rumbling within his body. His wounds had mended themselves. “This is the most extraordinary Golden Great Era in all of history!” he said.

“And what of it?” The Great Peng Emperor roared.

“In this era, every genius and hero from every age throughout the ten thousand eons will awaken and exist together in this single lifetime. In an age like this, even Supremes cannot do as they please. This is not an era where you can simply launch a dark upheaval or annihilate the world on a whim!” Ye Fan thundered. His expression was ice-cold. Then he continued: “If you are a dragon, coil up for me. If you are a tiger, lie down for me. If you think you can display your supreme might in this era — I’m sorry, but what awaits you is a great reckoning from the countless supreme heroes of ten thousand ages!”

He pointed at the Human Demon, pointed at Ye Tong, pointed at the Holy Emperor’s Son, and then turned to face the four ancient Sovereigns. “Do you think any of them are weaker than the Solar Sacred Emperor or the Battle Saint Emperor before their ultimate leaps? People like this — do you know how many there are in this era? If you do not understand the true meaning of the Golden Great Era, you can only decline and perish within it!”

“The true meaning of the Golden Great Era is revealed in this very moment. Countless kings rising together — ten thousand bloodlines competing — none of that is the truth. That this era presses the Forbidden Zone Supremes until they cannot lift their heads — that is the Golden Great Era’s true significance. If you do not quietly bide your time, every last one of you will be ended!”

Ye Fan’s words rang out like a thunderclap that could shake the deaf awake. They surged toward the distance, transmitting out through the mythological battlefield and rolling vast and mighty through the universe — reaching deep into the true life Forbidden Zones of the Northern Dipper.

Without question, these words struck with tremendous force, making all the Sovereigns feel a chill in their hearts.

Perhaps these words were not empty. The genuinely terrifying geniuses of this era were truly not few in number!

Dao Yi, Zhang Bairen, the Sovereign Emperor… truly many. Some were descendants of Great Emperors — when they finally crossed their tribulation, they would surely have contingency measures left by their forebears to conceal themselves. And some remained entirely unidentified to this day — even when the ancient Sovereigns paid close attention and investigated deeply, they could not necessarily deduce who they were.

This era was unlike those before. The true meaning of the Golden Great Era was only now being revealed!

Boom!

The battle erupted, unavoidable. The Human Demon grew increasingly youthful — vital energy brimming — for his power had advanced greatly. His hair had turned jet-black, and his body was no longer withered but had grown powerfully robust, like a primordial man. Bare from the waist up, wielding his great white-bone club, he slammed it head-on against a formation gate.

He had his sights set on the Great Peng Emperor. He bared a mouthful of snow-white teeth and let out a low, rumbling call from his throat — like a primordial tribe sounding the hunt — as though he truly intended to hunt down a great raptor.

This provocation naturally enraged the Great Peng Emperor. The two clashed in violent and earth-shaking collision, battle energy surging to the heavens!

There was no time to hesitate. The decisive battle had begun. Ye Tong made his move — his body blazing with ten thousand feet of firelight, the fruit of his years of Dao comprehension fully on display. He charged toward another formation gate, targeting the Corpse Emperor.

For this Supreme’s body harbored corpse energy — while Ye Tong’s was the supreme yang body. Overwhelming solar fire essence spread out in every direction, perfectly countering this corpse-path Supreme whose body contained deathly energy.

Solar fire essence flooded the formation gate. Battle flames roared. Blood splashed and flew. Ye Tong staked his life in the fight.

Boom!

Heaven and earth trembled. A world-shaking aura spread, shaking the vault of heaven through the ages — a fist force, too domineering and fierce.

The Old Madman made his move. Left hand: the Six Paths of Reincarnation Fist. Right hand: the Heaven-Covering Divine Seal. Both hands in simultaneous play — one fist, one seal — stunning the mortal realm with their ferocity and dominance. He struck directly at the Spirit Emperor.

This technique was heart-stopping. It shook that formation gate until it rumbled and swayed.

The monkey let out a wry smile. All the opponents had been claimed — he had no choice but to turn and face the Immortal Crone. He showed no courtesy whatsoever: battle saint energy surged like a flood, and with a single sweep of the staff, he swept across the heavens and the earth!

“Little monkey — even if your father were resurrected, he would only be my peer and equal in the Dao. And yet you dare to rebel?!” The Immortal Crone glared.

“Old hag — stop hiding behind your age. I’ll send you on your way!”

The battle was ferociously intense. All four immortal formation gates were shaking. The entire mythological battlefield was trembling.

With the formation having lost its presiding overseers, the formation diagram continued to rotate — but without the overwhelming might of moments ago. Ye Fan shook the immortal treasure scroll, sweeping it toward the four immortal swords. He wanted to seize them.

The battle to break the formation had begun!

Strictly speaking, the four Supremes were naturally stronger than their opponents. But the more they fought, the more their hearts were shaken — for another figure had arrived from the sky above.

A young man sat cross-legged in the air. He looked gentle and almost naive — large eyes like black jewels, his face so beautiful it seemed unreal.

He was still as a great stone, seated in the void, beginning to stir the great Dao of heaven and earth. Working in concert with Ye Fan from outside and within, they sought to unravel the greatest killing formation of ancient and modern times.

All present drew sharp, cold breaths. This young man carried an aura that approached immortality — immeasurably profound and unfathomable. Compared even to Ye Fan’s eldest disciple, he seemed even more mysterious and fearsome.

“You like to fight with numbers, do you? We’ve come — a group to fight your four. We’ll batter you all the way to the Western Paradise!” Another towering figure appeared — imposing and magnificent, bold and domineering. It was Yang Xi, the one who lived for battle.

Everyone felt a chill run down their spines. The Sacred Body Ye Fan had truly prepared thoroughly. If the goal was to level a Forbidden Zone, the current forces assembled could accomplish it!

Yang Xi immediately lunged in and joined the battle. This place instantly boiled over.

“Sacred Body — surrender your life!” At this moment, a reinforcement arrived for the Supreme’s side. Huang Xu Dao — missing for many years — appeared. He sought to avenge his father.

For Ye Fan, in the Ascension War seven hundred years prior, had shattered the golden phoenix-wing gilded trident his father had transformed into — killing him cleanly.

He was a man born for the Dao, a man who cultivated in a frenzy, focused solely on his practice. Yet even he could not withstand the pull of family bonds. He had come today to kill and kill freely.

“Count me in as well!” The long-absent Dao Yi appeared, blocking Huang Xu Dao and engaging him in fierce combat.

“Are you trying to destroy the entire universe?!” A voice rang out from the distant sky — someone else had arrived. The battle situation was growing ever more complex.