# Chapter 683: The Legendary "Duotian Old Man"
At the edge of the Tian Xuan Continent, a place of perpetual tranquility.
"Everything you've said... is it all true?"
Within a mysterious space floating in the air, the silence was so profound that everything seemed completely frozen. Beneath the massive Sun Moon Totem stood a tall figure, dressed in white robes, exuding no aura whatsoever. The light and shadow cast by the Sun Moon Totem illuminated his unremarkable face, which appeared to be that of a man in his thirties or forties, but his pupils held a depth that ordinary people could not comprehend.
Before him, Ye Guying, the Ninth Elder of the Sun Moon Divine Palace, leaned forward with his head deeply bowed. Even his breath was being restrained with great effort... And in all the world, only one person could make him display such a humble attitude.
The Palace Master of the Sun Moon Divine Palace... Ye Xinghan's biological father... one of the four great overlords of the Tian Xuan Continent, standing alongside the Holy Emperor, Sea Emperor, and Sword Master... the one known as "Heavenly Lord"—Ye Meixie!
Faced with the white-robed man's question, Ye Guying instinctively leaned forward even more and said with utmost respect: "In reply to the Heavenly Lord, not a single word I have spoken is false! Self-created worlds, shattering the void, heaven-overshadowing aura, igniting emptiness into nothingness—if I had merely heard of these mythical profound powers, I would never believe them. But these were things I witnessed with my own eyes! The young master, Juan Yun, and Xiao Ran were also present; there is not the slightest falsehood. Even if I had a thousand times more courage, I would never dare deceive the Heavenly Lord with such matters."
Ye Meixie stood with his back to Ye Guying, his head slightly raised, gazing at the towering Sun Moon Totem that radiated eternal light: "Guying has always been calm and cautious, meticulous in every detail. Since you saw it with your own eyes and speak of it with your own mouth, I naturally have no reason to doubt. I never expected that such an existence still lurks hidden in this world."
"If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes, I wouldn't believe it either." Recalling the scenes before the Bing Yun Fairy Palace, Ye Guying's face uncontrollably showed deep reverence: "Six years ago, Yun Che was nothing but a cripple—that is absolutely certain. But three years ago, at the Earth Xuan Realm, he single-handedly defeated ten of the strongest younger generation members of the Fenghuang God Sect, all at the King Xuan Realm. And now, only three more years have passed, yet he can annihilate two Mid-stage Overlord Emperors of our Sun Moon Divine Palace with a wave of his hand! When I first learned of this, I was full of shock and confusion. But after witnessing that formidable expert, I finally understood... Only the guidance of such a transcendent master could produce a freak like Yun Che, who defies all logic."
Ye Meixie's expression was calm and unruffled. He turned his head slightly and said flatly: "Did you learn that person's name?"
"Yes!" Ye Guying nodded slowly: "I risked angering him to ask for his name. He did not avoid the question and directly told me his name was 'Duotian'..."
The moment the word "Duotian" left his lips, Ye Guying clearly sensed a sudden ripple of profound energy from Ye Meixie. The Heavenly Lord's half-closed eyes snapped open, and he spun around abruptly: "What did you say? Duotian!? Are you certain it was Duotian!?"
Ye Meixie's reaction startled Ye Guying greatly. In a full thousand years, he had never seen the proud and aloof Heavenly Lord display such a violent reaction. He quickly said: "He said so himself. Given his level of cultivation, since he was willing to reveal his name, he would surely disdain using a false one."
Ye Meixie's eyes showed an unusual turbulence, and the slight disorder of his aura persisted: "Did he mention how many years he has lived?"
"He did not." Ye Guying replied. "However, he once inadvertently mentioned the words 'ten thousand years ago'... Given his terrifying level of cultivation, it's entirely possible he has indeed lived for over ten thousand years. Heavenly Lord, have you perhaps heard the name 'Duotian' before?"
Ye Meixie stared directly at Ye Guying. From the turbulence of his soul, he could confirm that Ye Guying had indeed not spoken a single word of falsehood. After a long pause, he turned around, his voice slow and far-reaching: "In an extremely ancient era, at least ten thousand years ago, because at that time the name 'Sun Moon Divine Palace' did not yet exist in the world. The founding ancestor of our palace, Ye Qihun, had just turned one hundred years old, and his profound strength was only at the initial Sovereign Xuan Realm. In those days, whether mortal or cultivator, everyone knew a name..."
"The Duotian Old Man!"
"Duotian... Old Man? Ten thousand years ago..." Ye Guying jerked his head up and exclaimed in shock: "Could it be that..."
"In the understanding of today's cultivators, the Sovereign Xuan Realm is the peak of humanity, and the Divine Xuan Realm is a realm that exists only in legend, forever unattainable. However, according to the memories passed down through generations of our ancestors, the name 'Divine Xuan Realm' did not first appear after the Phoenix Divine Spirit manifested five thousand years ago, but was passed down from ten thousand years ago. Because at that time, the 'Duotian Old Man' was said to have transcended the Sovereign Xuan Realm, with one foot already set into the Divine Xuan Realm!"
"Divine... Xuan Realm!" Ye Guying murmured softly.
"In that era, the Duotian Old Man's cultivation had reached the pinnacle, perfected beyond compare. There was no one in the world who could contend with him, not even anyone who could pose the slightest threat to him, and certainly no one who could kill him."
"Then what happened to this Duotian Old Man? Since no one could kill him, did he eventually die of old age when his lifespan ran out, or did he..." Ye Guying's mind was beginning to form an increasingly clear speculation... Yun Che's master called himself "Duotian," possessing earth-shattering divine abilities. The person the Heavenly Lord spoke of was called the "Duotian Old Man," and the former had lived at least ten thousand years, while the latter had shaken the world ten thousand years ago...
Could "Duotian" be the "Duotian Old Man" from ten thousand years ago!?
"No!" Ye Meixie shook his head slightly: "He vanished without a trace one day, and after that, no one ever saw him again, nor did anyone know where he went. It was as if he had completely disappeared from the Tian Xuan Continent. Not long after, a legend spread across the Tian Xuan Continent: The Duotian Old Man had suddenly achieved enlightenment, stepping from Half-step Divine Xuan into the Divine Xuan Realm, becoming the first Xuan God in the history of the Tian Xuan Continent. He obtained supreme divine power, glimpsed the highest laws, shattered the void, and ascended to a higher plane of the profound way."
"From that time onward, the Duotian Old Man never reappeared, nor did a second 'Duotian Old Man' emerge. The only one to reach Half-step Divine Xuan, the Phoenix Divine Spirit, was not human. Ten thousand years of time is enough to make any miracle be forgotten. The people of the Duotian Old Man's era had long since turned to dust, their very bones dissipated. The Duotian Old Man was completely forgotten, and the belief that the Sovereign Xuan Realm was the limit of humanity became increasingly deeply rooted. If not for the ancestral memories passed down through generations without loss, including myself, no one in this world would know the name 'Duotian Old Man'."
Ye Meixie's expression gradually turned grim. A man who thought himself invincible under heaven would naturally feel uneasy upon learning that a being of a higher level had always been hidden in this world. He said in a low voice: "If it were merely a coincidence of the name 'Duotian,' it could be dismissed as chance. But a lifespan of over ten thousand years and unfathomable strength—these are far from mere coincidence... That Duotian is very likely the 'Duotian Old Man' from the ancestral memories!"
Although he had already thought the same, Ye Guying's eyelids still twitched violently. A man who was invincible under heaven ten thousand years ago, with one foot already in the divine path, and possibly having fully entered it... After another ten thousand years, it was utterly unimaginable how terrifying he would have become!!
No wonder that with a mere flick of his finger, he could ignite flames that turned even a powerful Emperor Lord into nothingness.
"Based on your description, there is a more than seventy percent chance that this speculation is fact." Ye Meixie's brows furrowed deeply. "I never expected that the Duotian Old Man from ten thousand years ago did not ascend to a higher world, but had never left the Tian Xuan Continent at all! Perhaps one day he achieved great enlightenment, concealed his whereabouts, and cut himself off from worldly affairs... until today, still alive in this world. And if he truly reached that legendary realm, then a lifespan exceeding ten thousand years is absolutely not impossible!"
"There can be no mistake—that was definitely a realm completely transcending the Sovereign Xuan Realm!" Ye Guying, who was usually calm and cautious and rarely spoke in absolutes, said with a tone of utter certainty: "I have cultivated for over a thousand years and am only a step away from the late stage of the Sovereign Xuan Realm. I considered myself able to look down upon the entire Tian Xuan. But before that man's aura, I felt as small and insignificant as a child. My entire body trembled uncontrollably, and I couldn't even maintain my composure. Such an effect could only be caused by an absolute suppression of realm!"
"The Huangji Sacred Domain combined the power of over a dozen Emperor Lords, spending a great deal of time and effort, to construct a spatial profound formation that could escape from the departing Primordial Mystic Ark, sealed into a bracelet... and it could only be used once! But that man—he entered the already-departed Primordial Mystic Ark with his physical body and brought Yun Che back without a single scratch! This is clearly the shattering-the-void power that only gods possess in legends!"
Having seen and heard it all himself, combined with the name "Duotian Old Man" that Ye Meixie had spoken, the more Ye Guying thought about it, the more alarmed he became. Cold sweat dripped down his forehead... They had blatantly provoked such a figure and still managed to return alive; it was nothing short of their ancestors having burned incense for eight lifetimes.
Ye Meixie was silent for a long time, then said calmly: "Inform the entire palace later: until I revoke this order, no one is to provoke Yun Che, including those related to him."
"Yes!" Ye Guying bowed in obedience. Even if given three times the courage now, he would never dare step foot into the Bing Yun Fairy Palace again. After a moment of hesitation, he said cautiously: "Heavenly Lord, would it be necessary for us to ease our relations with Yun Che? After all, the young master has formed a very deep enmity with him. And behind Yun Che stands the Duotian Old Man. If this grievance is not resolved, I fear..."
Ye Meixie turned his face sideways, his eyes like cold swords: "Are you afraid?"
Ye Guying gave a bitter laugh and said: "In reply to the Heavenly Lord, in this life I have had the fortune to become a member of the Divine Palace, standing at the pinnacle of this world. Now at 1,300 years old, I have never known what 'fear' is. But that Duotian Old Man—he truly made me afraid."
In referring to Yun Che's "master" as the "Duotian Old Man," it was clear that even in his subconscious, he had basically fully accepted the truth.