Chapter 286
“I think it’s already over,” the Pure Yang Holy Master sneered.
“Your ancestor is being completely overwhelmed, unable to mount even a token defense. Do you still believe he has a chance?”
“Stop bluffing, Ye Changhe. I can see how panicked you are right now. You should kneel and beg for mercy. Maybe, just maybe, the Primordial Holy Land will spare your clan!”
His words sparked an uproar. The Pure Yang Holy Master’s venomous taunts left no room for face-saving, trampling all over Ye Changhe’s dignity.
But, unexpectedly, the Primordial Holy Master chimed in, nodding with feigned consideration, “The Pure Yang Holy Master is right. If we deliberate carefully, we might consider sparing the Ye Clan.”
The two masters, working in tandem, rendered the entire assembly speechless.
None dared make a sound, intimidated by Jiang Chen’s overwhelming dominance. His terrifying strength had sapped them of their usual arrogance, leaving them trembling in fear.
In their shock, many even forgot why they had gathered in the first place.
“Great Elder,” Tian Ye spoke with a sly smile, turning to his own clan’s elder.
“Do you think the Ancient Imperial Clans still stand a chance?”
The more Jiang Chen triumphed, the happier Tian Ye became. It validated their decision to ally with the Primordial Holy Land. Although the battle wasn’t over, it was clear that Jiang Chen had the upper hand.
The thought of Jiang Chen’s eventual victory—and his subsequent domination of the Nine Heavens Realm—filled Tian Ye with elation. With such a colossal figure on their side, who would dare provoke them?
Even the vaunted Ancient Imperial Clans would be forced to cower, avoiding any conflict with the Primordial Holy Land lest Jiang Chen’s Primordial Great Accomplishment Physique sweep through their ranks.
Not all Ancient Imperial Clans were backed by Emperors. Many of their elders had dissipated into the Dao, leaving no one to shield their descendants.
“It’s not over yet!” the Great Elder’s voice was stiff as he forced out the words.
Of all those present, none wished for the Ye Clan Emperor’s victory more than the Great Elder. His concerns mirrored Ye Changhe’s. If Jiang Chen triumphed, the balance of power would shift irrevocably.
The Primordial Holy Land’s newfound dominance would cow the Ancient Imperial Clans, leaving them too afraid to intervene. Without their protection, how could he stand against the Primordial Holy Land?
Even without Jiang Chen, Tian Ye alone could spell his doom. His mind raced with worst-case scenarios, and panic gripped him. He couldn’t afford such a future—he had to hope for the Ye Clan Emperor’s victory.
Meanwhile, in a dark and hidden space, a foreboding aura stirred.
In a dimly lit chamber, the long-vanished True Dragon Crown Prince sat, his expression indifferent yet exuding a vast and boundless aura.
Once on the brink of death from Jiang Chen’s attack, he had been saved by the True Dragon Emperor, but the ordeal left him trapped in Jiang Chen’s Reincarnation Tribulation.
After enduring countless trials, the crown prince finally emerged, though his injuries were far from healed and required time to recover.
“Father, this is our chance!” the crown prince said, looking toward the sky with a voice low and determined. “The time has come to avenge our fallen clansmen!”
Sensing the clash between Jiang Chen and the Ye Clan Emperor, the crown prince had immediately roused himself from recovery. His rage and hatred for Jiang Chen burned like an endless river, unyielding even in the face of heaven’s collapse.
If anyone in the Nine Heavens Realm harbored the greatest desire to kill Jiang Chen, it was undoubtedly this crown prince.
“Not yet,” came the unexpected reply. The True Dragon Emperor rejected the idea, stopping him firmly.
Given the current situation, the three of them—himself, the crown prince, and the Ye Clan Emperor—could easily eliminate Jiang Chen. The crown prince, though not fully healed, was still at the Ninth Stage of the Quasi-Emperor Realm and nearly at the peak of his physique’s potential.
Meanwhile, the True Dragon Emperor, as an Ancient Emperor, could annihilate Jiang Chen regardless of his borrowed Primordial Great Accomplishment Physique.
Even a flawless Great Accomplishment Physique could not withstand such an alliance.
—
“Why not?” The crown prince’s confusion was evident. Why hesitate now, when the opportunity is perfect? What is there to fear?”
“Do you truly believe this Great Accomplishment Physique lacks trump cards?” the True Dragon Emperor replied coldly. “This boy is not as simple as he seems. Probe the Primordial Holy Land for yourself, and you’ll understand.”
The crown prince frowned but complied, spreading his divine sense silently and carefully.
Before long, he detected two faint yet terrifyingly potent auras hidden within the holy land. These auras were so well-concealed that only a meticulous probe could uncover them.
One of the auras, in particular, overwhelmed the crown prince with its sheer vastness, leaving him feeling like a mere grain of sand before an endless ocean.
“Father, do you recognize these auras?” he asked in a hushed tone, bewildered by the presence of such powerful forces hidden within the Primordial Holy Land.
“No,” the True Dragon Emperor said, his voice solemn.
“Those are not the auras of the holy land’s ancient emperors. I witnessed their deaths myself—there is no possibility of their revival. These are others, individuals of unimaginable strength.
“One of them might have even ascended to the perfected emperor realm, a true Great Emperor. How they achieved it is a mystery, but their presence confirms that they once stood at the pinnacle we once reached.
“Although these auras are faint, as if dormant, their potency is undeniable. If we act now and place Jiang Chen in danger, we may provoke them. That would lead to our own destruction.” The True Dragon Emperor’s tone deepened.
“Besides, the Immortal Path is about to open, and the Emperor’s Path will soon follow. We cannot waste time and energy on such a matter now. Let Ye Shan face his doom alone. We still have choices; he does not.”
Hearing this, the crown prince sighed, suppressing his indignation.
“Very well. Let’s see if this Ye Clan Emperor can force the Primordial Holy Land to reveal their cards.”
But curiosity lingered in the crown prince’s mind, “Father, how did you detect these auras? They’re so well-hidden that even I would have missed them without your suggestion.”
“Think about it,” the True Dragon Emperor said with a cold smile.
“A fake Great Accomplishment Physique, boldly confronting an Ancient Emperor like the Ye Clan Emperor. Isn’t that peculiar in itself?
“Jiang Chen’s knowledge of Ancient Emperor’s is too detailed—he understands their nature and how they operate. Such understanding isn’t normal.
“He knows that the Ye Clan Emperor could sublimate to his peak at any moment, regaining his former strength and easily defeating him. Yet he continues to act with reckless confidence. Why?
“Clearly, he has a trump card—or he is a complete madman who cares for nothing!” The True Dragon Emperor’s reasoning struck a chord, leaving the crown prince in deep thought.
—
On the battlefield, the clash between Jiang Chen and the Ye Clan Emperor neared its conclusion.
The Ye Clan Emperor was battered and bloodied, his body trembling as boiling vitality dimmed like a dying flame. He resembled an aged man, his energy nearly exhausted, on the verge of collapsing into eternal silence.
“Is he about to sublimate to his peak?” Jiang Chen asked with a grin, his eyes brimming with anticipation.
It was clear he was waiting for the Ye Clan Emperor to make his final move.