ISWI Chapter 823-824

Chapter 823: What Level Is Chaotic Ancient True Immortal?

The Great Saint of the Devouring lineage stared at the hazy living imprint battlefield deep within the tribulation clouds, feeling as though his worldview had shattered. The earlier thunder had already been terrifying enough. When the nine thousand nine hundred ninety-ninth bolt finally fell, even he—a Great Saint—had felt a chill run through his bones. Yet the Heavenly Emperor's heir had endured it all without a scratch.

Was his physical body truly so monstrous? And now, witnessing the figures that appeared on the living imprint battlefield, his shock deepened into bewilderment. Because it was not a single figure that emerged…

It was a group.

Given the unparalleled talent the Heavenly Emperor's heir had displayed, encountering any one ancient supreme prodigy would have been unsurprising.

But a group? This was simply unheard of.

Most alarmingly, among those indistinct silhouettes, he recognized several. The Heavenly Emperor himself stood at the forefront. Clad in bronze battle armor, his physique radiating wild ferocity, gripping a war sword with black hair whipping in the storm—it was unmistakably the standard image of the Heavenly Emperor.

Beside him stood the familiar outline of a woman. Her figure was flawless, ethereal as an exiled immortal. Though her face and skin remained obscured, the aura of peerless beauty was unmistakable.

Merely tracing her silhouette, the Great Saint could confirm her identity. It was the Devouring Female Immortal. In the ancestral land of the Devouring lineage, he had seen her portrait countless times. It matched perfectly with the graceful shadow standing at the Heavenly Emperor's side.

Another figure emanated violet qi stretching thirty thousand li—doubtless the imprint of the Moral Heavenly Venerable. Another wielded a blood-colored heavenly blade. There was even the shadow of a non-flesh-and-blood Holy Spirit, wreathed in divine flames—likely the Fire Emperor himself.

Why so many? What did this mean? Had the Heavenly Dao already judged that the Heavenly Emperor's heir was so overwhelmingly powerful that only a collective assault from these ancient supreme prodigies could provide meaningful tempering?

This felt almost absurd. Yet it was not only the Great Saint who was stunned. Every hidden onlooker stood speechless. Though the living imprint battlefield was shielded, making details unclear from outside, the few recognizable silhouettes alone were enough to terrify. To summon so many creators of invincible lineages all at once— was the Heavenly Emperor's heir truly defying the heavens?

Amid the shock, killing intent surged even fiercer. Whatever the reason, the monstrous degree of his talent far exceeded imagination. The Heavenly Emperor's heir had to die. Otherwise, the Immortal Path of this generation would become his personal stage alone.

Far away, the Alkaid Holy Son narrowed his eyes. When he had crossed his own Half-Saint tribulation, he had faced the imprint of the Chaotic Ancient True Immortal. Though Chaotic Ancient's reputation carried a peculiar tinge, his combat strength had never been weak. Later generations spread some exaggerated tales.

Chaotic Ancient had lost repeatedly, but only to the absolute top existences of his era. Not just anyone could defeat him. Moreover, surviving every defeat proved the depth of his methods. Even after ascending to immortality, he ranked within the top hundred of the human race—a testament to his extraordinary caliber.

The Alkaid Holy Son had battled for several days before finally erasing the imprint of Chaotic Ancient at the same realm. He had taken considerable pride in that victory. Yet now, the Heavenly Emperor's heir—Ye Chen—faced an onslaught of far more terrifying imprints.

A sense of foreboding rose in the Alkaid Holy Son's heart. This ambush might fail to bring about Ye Chen's fall.

"Return, shed the demonic body, condense the divine body once more, and use the supreme secret art to refine the discarded demonic body into my clone. My combat power will rise to another level. Then I will begin experiments with the subsequent scriptures I created—testing whether a physique can be transformed from acquired to innate… or even further."

After one last deep glance at the living imprint battlefield, the Alkaid Holy Son turned and left without hesitation.

After Ye Chen entered the Heavenly Desire Sect, the mighty figures from the Heavenly Evolution Holy Land followed Feng Baiyu inside to rest. It was purely rest. Standing deep within the sect and watching Ye Chen undergo his tribulation, they felt a surge of emotions—pride swelling in every chest.

The Great Saint ancestor of their lineage smiled warmly. "Truth be told, I have never seen anyone with such heaven-defying talent. Little Bai, your judgment is excellent. Ye Chen may truly ascend to immortality. Since you value him so highly and personally accompany him every time, you might even secure a spot to enter the immortal realm alongside him. After all, the young man is good-hearted and knows how to repay kindness."

The Great Saint could not stop praising Ye Chen. It was hard to say whether the immortal medicine Ye Chen had previously gifted him played no part in this enthusiasm.

Feng Baiyu merely twitched the corner of his mouth. Ye Chen was indeed generous. But immortal realm slots were limited. With so many women already around Ye Chen, the chance of Feng Baiyu getting one was practically nonexistent.

Not that he cared. Feng Baiyu had no interest in such things. His gaze remained fixed on the living imprint battlefield, brows deeply furrowed.

Noticing his expression, the Great Saint assumed Feng Baiyu was worried for Ye Chen and chuckled reassuringly. "Though it is unprecedented for so many ancient supreme prodigies at the same realm to appear together, this also proves that the Heavenly Dao acknowledges Ye Chen's strength. He surely has the power to fight them. There is no need to worry excessively!"

Feng Baiyu shook his head. "I am not worried about that. What I mean is—if so many ancient existences have left their imprints, why is there no sign of Chaotic Ancient True Immortal? He too left an imprint when breaking through to Half-Saint! So many gathered here—how could Chaotic Ancient be missing? He is absolutely on par with them!"

At these words, the Great Saint burst into laughter.

"Chaotic Ancient? What level is he to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with these figures? Little Bai, I know you are Chaotic Ancient's successor and hold special feelings toward him. But look at those imprints—who are they? The Heavenly Emperor, the Devouring Female Immortal, the Moral Heavenly Venerable, the Undying Celestial Emperor, the Dao Venerable… Each one dominated and astonished an entire era, leaving an indelible mark on posterity.

"And Chaotic Ancient True Immortal? He fought countless battles in his life, yet the victories he claimed could be counted on one hand. Even his immortal scripture was copied. Chaotic Ancient True Immortal truly falls short. But do not feel down. The technique itself is not so important—it is the person who matters. Since you inherited his legacy, you will surely surpass him!"

Feng Baiyu's lips twitched.

You really know how to comfort someone.

Never mind. A mere Great Saint—how could he understand the affairs of true immortals? His words were not worth taking to heart.

Yet as Feng Baiyu gazed at those hazy imprints on the battlefield, a faint melancholy flickered in his eyes. Some of these figures had once fought side by side.

Most had fallen. A few lay in deep slumber, gravely wounded. Others had turned traitor. Their losses had been catastrophic, their vitality severely damaged.

Meanwhile, the foreign domain had suffered only minor setbacks—their gates destroyed, nothing more. It would not be long before they returned in force. Even before that full resurgence, mighty figures had already laid countless plans—not only in the immortal realm.

Traces of their schemes had already appeared in this cultivation world. For instance, the aura of a certain woman from the foreign domain lingered on Ye Chen's dao companion surnamed An—an Immortal King whom even Feng Baiyu had failed to defeat back then.

And then there was Ye Chen's senior martial sister. In the foreign domain stood a Supreme Immortal King. Though that figure had not appeared during the previous great war, Feng Baiyu always sensed that the Supreme Emotionless Scripture was merely a long-buried foreshadowing…

Thus, looking at Ye Chen, Feng Baiyu felt a quiet sorrow. Perhaps, in terms of talent, Ye Chen had truly surpassed the Heavenly Emperor of old. But unfortunately… it was too late.

Chapter 824: The Heavenly Emperor Left Again?

Within the living imprint battlefield, Ye Chen, fresh from his breakthrough, brimmed with battle intent, eagerly awaiting his opponents. His aura now radiated the unmistakable presence of a peak Half-Saint of the Fourth Heaven. Most importantly, it was not the early stage. It was the peak!

The Immortal Spiritual Root, combined with the profound foundation of his cave heaven, the ten-thousand-fold feedback from his gifts to the divine maiden, and the transformation via the Heart of the World Tree... had allowed him to directly cross several minor realms.

And this was still Ye Chen deliberately suppressing himself. After Half-Saint came Saint. Becoming a Saint was crucial; it could not be rushed carelessly. Otherwise, he might have skipped the Half-Saint realm entirely.

After breaking through to Half-Saint, time laws had appeared within his cave heaven. He could now accelerate time flow within the entire cave heaven by up to a hundredfold—not merely in isolated pockets, but across the whole space. The effect could even extend to other living beings inside.

Ye Chen was extremely pleased with this. If he wished, one year outside could become a hundred years within. Whether spiritual plants or spirit beasts, all would receive immense growth. Even the holy spirits gestating inside would mature a hundred times faster.

As for whether it could affect other people, he had not yet tested it. But given the unique nature of his Primordial cave heaven, Ye Chen believed it should work without issue. If successful, the cultivation fanatic Luo Bingling would soar directly. In the future, she would surely slay her clan's divine son with her own hands!

…

For the moment, however, Ye Chen's focus was not on his own changes. It lay with the opponents he would face in the living imprint tribulation. He felt utterly confident that this time he would finally encounter the Heavenly Emperor. At last, he could have a proper fight.

Yet when over twenty figures gradually materialized on the battlefield, Ye Chen stared at the Heavenly Emperor standing at the forefront and froze in confusion. The Heavenly Emperor had brought so many people to deal with him this time?

The Heavenly Emperor himself glanced around at the figures behind him, his own expression tinged with bewilderment. What level was this kid at? He—the Heavenly Emperor in person—actually needed backup just to temper this youngster? Did the Heavenly Dao of this realm look down on him that much? But when his gaze swept over Ye Chen's current state, his brow arched sharply.

Holy hell…

He had once remarked that the kid's physique was merely average. Yet now he was looking at an Innate Sacred Body Dao Embryo. How much time had passed? How had it changed again? Even he could no longer see through it completely. And this kid's cave heaven? What the hell was that?

He had long known the boy possessed a great fortune, cultivating various immortal scriptures and Indestructible Heavenly Art. But the boy's fleshly body had grown far too ferocious—beyond what the Indestructible Heavenly Art alone could account for.

Most Mahayana cultivators still wielded mere law power. Only Quasi-Immortals could convert it into the law origin force. Yet this kid had already done so at Half-Saint? The Heart of the World Tree? That thing was a supreme immortal treasure even in the immortal realm—enough to tempt Immortal Kings. Where had the kid gotten his hands on it?

In a single instant, the Heavenly Emperor's imprint perceived countless truths. A resolute conviction formed in his mind. He could not win. Truly, he could not win.

At the same realm, he feared he might not even withstand a single punch from this kid. Even at the Saint realm, victory was uncertain. Probably only when he reached Saint King could he be absolutely certain of crushing the boy.

How had such a true dragon emerged from this forsaken land of immortals? The final child of destiny?

Among the more than twenty figures present, it was not only the Heavenly Emperor's imprint that stirred. Six or seven others also displayed clear signs of sentience, distinct from mere lifeless imprints.

Beside the Heavenly Emperor stood the imprint of the Devouring Female Immortal. She cast a calm glance at Ye Chen, her expression showing little fluctuation. Her gaze shifted to the Heavenly Emperor, then swept across the others.

Without a word, her imprint quietly dissipated on the spot. The Moral Heavenly Venerable looked at Ye Chen with a faint smile and nodded. Then he turned to the Heavenly Emperor, eyes complex, offered a slight bow of respect, and drifted away into nothingness.

The other sentient imprints similarly glanced over briefly before vanishing one after another. Among them was one figure that carried the aura of an Innate Sacred Body Dao Embryo.

The imprints departed so decisively that Ye Chen's lips twitched. They were just going to leave without fighting? But he quickly guessed the reason. These figures could sense even the thunder tribulation imprints and project a trace of consciousness—they were undoubtedly beings of immense stature.

Though perhaps not quite on the Heavenly Emperor's level, they were still supreme existences. Since they possessed sentience, they naturally disdained ganging up. Their departure made sense.

Still, Ye Chen did not mind. As long as the Heavenly Emperor remained, that was enough. Today, he was determined to claim the achievement of defeating the Heavenly Emperor at the same realm!

Among the imprints present, aside from the Heavenly Emperor, one other carried clear consciousness. It gazed at the Heavenly Emperor with eyes full of hatred and spoke in an icy tone. "You're still alive? Though I suppose even if you live, your mind must already be flashing through memories like a revolving lantern."

The Heavenly Emperor had just been searching for an excuse to leave. At those words, the corner of his mouth curved upward. "So it's you, Wang Jiu. The Nine Dragons of the Wang Clan—I killed eight of them. The only reason I spared you was that the Seven Extremes Heavenly Maiden happened to block my way. I never expected you actually to become an Immortal King. Let me guess how you broke through. Did you devour the origin of your eight brothers? In that case, shouldn't you be thanking me? After all, I'm the one who killed those eight for you."

The old man's expression immediately darkened with fury. But he quickly laughed. "Who could possibly be more miserable than you, Heavenly Emperor? Everyone around you dead—friends fallen, loved ones, and beauties alike perished… Left utterly alone. No wonder you charged out to die.

"But even after paying such a tragic price, what did it accomplish? Nothing more than delaying the devouring of the immortal realm by a little longer! I've already negotiated future benefits with the foreign domain! When the time comes, I will step into an even higher realm—perhaps even truly transcend, forever escaping the Five Signs of Decay. So in a way, I should be the one thanking you!

"Back then, if the foreign domain had swallowed the immortal realm easily, they never would have offered such favorable terms. It was you, Heavenly Emperor, and the people by your side who fought so fiercely that you proved our worth—only then did the foreign domain concede benefits! For that alone, I must thank you!"

The Heavenly Emperor showed no trace of anger. He merely turned back toward Ye Chen and shook his head. "You are truly remarkable. Your combat power at the Half-Saint realm already rivals mine from back then. I had intended to give it my all and experience the thrill of a true battle at a lower realm. Unfortunately, this brat Wang Jiu is too despicable. I need to go teach him a lesson. When you reach Great Saint, we'll fight then."

In the Heavenly Emperor's view, his own Great Saint realm had brought astonishing opportunities and a massive transformation. By then, he should be able to match this kid. With those words, he gave Ye Chen no chance to reply and strode directly toward the mocking old man.

The old man sneered. "I'm merely a wisp of thought here. What can you possibly do?"

The Heavenly Emperor smiled and raised his hand lightly, as though grasping an invisible string. With a gentle flick, the old man's expression changed drastically. "My true body…"

He stared at the Heavenly Emperor in disbelief before vanishing in an instant. The Heavenly Emperor's imprint also faded without a trace. Only Ye Chen remained on the spot, utterly dumbfounded…

The Heavenly Emperor had left again… and again… and again? What kind of Half-Saint imprint tribulation was this—like a damn marketplace?

Meanwhile, the remaining imprints had already begun to act.

Ye Chen threw a punch with utter boredom. The first to charge was the Undying Celestial Emperor, who had once died at the Heavenly Emperor's hands. He exploded on impact…