Chapter 1065: Ancient Grudges
The sky was boundless—a cyan great hand reached down from the nine heavens, slapping toward the Holy Prince, surrounded by chaotic mists and primordial immortal light radiating in all directions.
"It's over. The Eastern Wasteland will face a great calamity. If the Holy Prince dies, heaven and earth will collapse!"
Not only the human race, but even the mountain lords of the ancient royal clans felt their hearts tremble, as if they could already see scenes of mountains of corpses and seas of blood—a great disaster approaching.
A "Saint" transcends the category of "human," far surpassing mortal power, and cannot be challenged. As soon as the cyan great hand appeared, the sky collapsed and the earth split, turning entire mountain ranges in the wilderness into dust.
"If this tragedy truly unfolds, the ancient clans will surely fall into chaos. What can be done?" Even a mountain lord from an ancient imperial clan furrowed his brow.
"Clang!"
A clear sound rang out. A dazzling green light swept across that great hand, directly piercing through it. Drops of blood splattered, annihilating the void.
The ancient clan saint let out a muffled groan. The cyan great hand spasmed violently, retreating swiftly, vanishing back into the heavens above.
"Thankfully, the tragedy did not occur!"
The Holy Prince was not dead, allowing many ancient clans to breathe a sigh of relief. Even those hostile to humanity felt the same, fearing that the terrifying figure in the Western Desert might go berserk.
"Who dares to stop me?" A furious roar echoed down from the heavens.
"I saved your life, yet you show no gratitude. Do you not know what's good for you?" At the edge of the sky, a powerful ancient ancestral king appeared. There was no need to doubt his identity, for even standing there, he was unbearable to face.
He wore a suit of green-gold battle armor and a jade-gold helmet, his entire form shimmering with crystal light. The void around him twisted, with tens of thousands of Dao traces surging forth, majestic and grand.
Even just standing there, he sent chills down one's spine, his terror boundless. His blood energy could surely sweep across heaven and earth—infinite and immeasurable—with the momentum to swallow mountains and rivers.
"Are you sticking your neck out? Which clan do you belong to?" The cold voice came down from the sky.
"I am merely a wandering cultivator, not comparable to you Eight Divine Generals. I just can't stand such deeds." The ancestral king in the green-gold battle armor spoke.
"He killed the god's offspring. If he doesn't die, heaven's justice is void... Do you want to protect him?" The voice from the sky was bitterly cold, rumbling like thunder.
"Perhaps I have meddled too much." The ancestral king in the green-gold armor sighed softly, sensing something.
The Holy Prince said, "What do you mean 'killed'? In a fair fight, I cut him down. If he wasn't good enough, who can he blame? You just want revenge. Why say so much?"
"Insolent! Disrespecting the god, murdering the god's son—kneel and confess your sins!" A shout from the sky caused mountains to collapse with a rumble, rocks piercing the clouds, dust obscuring the sun, chilling all who witnessed it.
"Tch."
An immense pressure descended, pressing down on the Holy Prince, Ye Fan, and the others, trying to force them to kneel publicly, humiliating them before the myriad clans. This was the might of a saint, heavy and boundless, like a star domain crashing down.
"I never thought I'd be drawn into such a dispute, but as long as I am here, I will not allow you to insult the Holy Prince!" The ancestral king in the green-gold armor shouted.
"Boom!"
He flicked his finger toward the sky. Five green traces, like azure dragons crossing the heavens, swept away all the saintly force, blocking the pressure from the ancestral king above.
"Thank you, senior, for your help." The Holy Prince bowed deeply in sincere gratitude.
"No need for that. In the past, when the Battle Saint Emperor ruled the ancient times and swept across the nine heavens, we all admired him. How could I stand by when his descendant is in trouble? Besides, even if I hadn't acted, someone else would have."
Clearly, although the Battle Saint Emperor had already passed away, he still had a group of loyal followers, who simply did not reveal themselves in ordinary times.
"Do you know that by opposing us, you have set foot on a path of no return? No one can change what will happen this time!" The sky trembled as five terrifying figures descended, each shrouded in divine halos. The moment they appeared, all things collapsed, and life vanished from the wilderness.
Each of them was submerged in saintly light, their forms hazy, every one as powerful as a deity. The entire heaven and earth seemed unable to contain their true bodies, the void constantly twisting.
These were ancient ancestral kings, saints for many years, rarely appearing. Once they did, even their aura alone would make people convulse and kneel to the ground.
Without reaching this realm, one could never understand how terrifying they were, looking down on all living beings as if they were ants.
The ancestral king in the green-gold armor, alone, could not withstand them. His body shook, and he nearly spat blood as he retreated.
Suddenly, another vast divine might appeared, instantly blocking the five ancestral kings. Then, a patch of auspicious clouds descended, and several old Daoists walked out.
"So it's the Divine Silkworm Ridge people. Do you really want to meddle in this matter?" Several ancestral kings among the Eight Divine Generals faced them coldly.
"Naturally." An old Daoist replied calmly, wearing a red-gold crown and an ancient Daoist robe.
"The Divine Silkworm Ridge people have actually stepped in. Something feels off. Is there more to this?" Some ancient clans were uncertain.
The Divine Silkworm Ridge was a top-tier great power among the ancient clans, revered by all ten thousand races. Few dared to provoke them. It was a major imperial clan from ancient times, having produced a true ancient emperor.
In a sense, the Eight Divine Generals also held a high status. Their ancestors were generals who had followed the Immortal Emperor, with great achievements that shook the world and were invincible.
But the Immortal Emperor had passed away too long ago. His imperial weapon was never seen, while the Divine Silkworm Ridge was at its peak, possessing an emperor-level battle garment, revered by all under heaven.
"Divine Silkworm Ridge, don't be so overbearing. This wretched monkey killed the god's offspring and must pay with his life. What right do you have to stop us?" An ancient king at the saint level from the Eight Divine Generals said grimly.
"A great era has arrived, with a hundred boats racing and ten thousand clans competing. The path to enlightenment is littered with bones. Even the death of an ancient imperial prince is unavoidable. The Celestial Prince was outmatched and killed on the spot—he has no one to blame." An old Daoist from the Divine Silkworm Ridge said.
"He was the god's only offspring. How can he die in vain? Don't think the Divine Silkworm Ridge rules the world and is invincible!" An ancestral king from the Eight Divine Generals sneered repeatedly.
"Even if it were the Immortal Emperor's offspring, killed in a fair fight, why should someone pay with their life? What kind of reasoning is that?" Another old Daoist said.
"No matter what, the Holy Prince must die today. No one can save him!" An ancestral king roared, saintly light surging, swallowing mountains and rivers.
"What a show of power!" A silver-bell-like cold laugh came through. Nine-colored auspicious clouds drifted over, and a peerless beauty descended.
She appeared to be no more than eighteen or nineteen, with snow-white, delicate skin, an ethereal aura, and flowing purple hair, transcendent and refined. The Divine Silkworm Princess had arrived.
On her shoulder sat a palm-sized little divine silkworm, now transformed into a snow-white little tiger, its big eyes spirited and its demeanor adorably charming.
"The Divine Silkworm Princess..." Everyone was shocked, stepping back in terror. The distant onlookers felt their hair stand on end, and the mountain lords of the various ancient clans felt their hearts tremble.
A person's reputation was like a tree's shadow. This heavenly princess, peerless in grace, had always been forceful. She had once fought across the ancient times, finding few rivals, a truly extraordinary woman.
"Divine Silkworm Princess, do you intend to bully us with your power?" An ancestral king from the Eight Divine Generals said coldly.
"Ugly faces. All of you, get lost!" The Divine Silkworm Princess was extremely sharp, showing no mercy, directly rebuking the several ancestral kings.
With this shout, the heavens split and the earth shook violently. Though she was a woman, her imposing presence made people tremble. The ancient kings opposite her couldn't help but retreat.
"Divine Silkworm Princess, do you want to trigger chaos among the ten thousand clans? The god's offspring cannot die in vain. You cannot suppress this matter!" Another ancestral king shouted.
"A worthless Celestial Prince, killed just like that. What does it matter?" The Divine Silkworm Princess said coldly.
"You are unreasonable and will pay the price!" An ancestral king said coldly.
"Slap!"
The Divine Silkworm Princess was simple and direct. Her jade hand swung, delivering a heavy slap to the face, leaving a clear fingerprint on that ancestral king's cheek. Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth, and his body flew sideways.
Everyone was stunned. The Divine Silkworm Princess had directly slapped an ancestral king, leaving people speechless. She was indeed as forceful as the rumors said, fearing nothing under heaven.
"I tried to reason with you, but you talked about the god's bloodline and power. I used a slap on you, and now you say I'm unreasonable. What do you want me to do?" The Divine Silkworm Princess said, her voice magnetic, stroking the little white tiger on her shoulder with her slender fingers.
Neither the humans nor the ancient royal clans dared to speak, all watching in silence. Today's events were certainly not just about the grudges between ancient imperial princes.
"You... do you really think no one in this world can subdue you?!" That ancestral king was both shocked and furious, touching the fingerprint on his face.
The Divine Silkworm Princess sneered, "Do you think the Holy Prince is some pitiful brat? He is the offspring of the Battle Saint Emperor, no less in status than the offspring of the ancient Heavenly Emperor. Insulting him is insulting the old Saint Emperor. You all deserve death!"
"You... will regret this. The god's offspring cannot die in vain. Blood must be repaid with blood, at the cost of life!" An ancestral king shouted loudly.
"Everyone, tell me—can the severed bloodline of the Immortal Emperor, revered by all ten thousand clans, be let go so easily?" An ancient king's voice pierced the sky, asking the strong from all clans.
"The god's offspring cannot die in vain!" Behind him, the army of the Eight Divine Generals, all indignant, roared together, shaking heaven and earth.
"I ask the same question. Can those who insult the Saint Emperor live?" The Divine Silkworm Princess said.
"How can the Battle Saint Emperor compare to the Immortal Emperor!" Someone among the Eight Divine Generals muttered with endless hatred.
"I just finished speaking, and you insult the old Saint Emperor. Do you take me for a decoration?" The Divine Silkworm Princess extended her jade hand and swept it forward. In an instant, blood splattered.
"Ah..."
A chorus of screams erupted ahead. Rows of the Eight Divine Generals' army exploded, white bones and multicolored blood scattering together, forming a dirge of death.
"You... stop!" Several ancestral kings were shocked.
In the distant sky, people were stunned. The Divine Silkworm Princess was too fierce. With a light wave of her hand, she had wiped out an entire division of the Eight Divine Generals. From now on, they could only be called the Seven Divine Generals.
No one dared to breathe loudly. This heavenly princess, seemingly ethereal and pure, killed without blinking, her power making people tremble.
The Divine Silkworm Princess leisurely tidied her hair with her jade-like fingers and said, "I'm just imitating you. Who's afraid of being forceful and domineering?"
You Eight Divine Generals are forceful and domineering, aren't you? Right in front of you, I wipe out a division. The Divine Silkworm Princess made her response clear through action.
"Divine Silkworm Princess, you are too arrogant. Know that those who can suppress you in this world are still alive!" A cold voice came down from the nine heavens.
A man with hair as white as snow descended. His face looked about thirty years old, but his eyes were deep and weathered, clearly a terrifying ancient king!
"He is... Silver Moon Heavenly King, one of the unparalleled heavenly prodigies most likely to become a Great Sage in ancient times!"
"He is on par with Nine Phoenix King, Qilin Heavenly King, and the Divine Silkworm Princess, all once personally praised by the Battle Saint Emperor!"
The various ancient clans erupted in commotion, then felt a chill. The matter was indeed escalating, far more complex than imagined.
"Ha ha..." The Divine Silkworm Princess suddenly laughed uproariously. Though her magnetic voice was as beautiful as a heavenly melody, anyone could hear the anger within.
"Stop pretending to be an ancient emperor or great sage. Has your master come? Let him try to kill me again in this life!" The Divine Silkworm Princess said coldly. Then, she waved at the Holy Prince, pulling the black iron rod from his hand and driving it into the ground, saying, "This is his weapon!"
Everyone felt a chill run through their bones, recalling an old tale. In the final years of the ancient times, after the Battle Saint Emperor passed away, the Divine Silkworm Princess was once pinned to death by a black divine spear. The Battle Saint King then fought furiously across the Eastern Wasteland, roaring in grief, before departing for the Western Desert.
In recent years, the Celestial Prince, leading the Eight Divine Generals, had dared to relentlessly pursue the Holy Prince. It was clear that this was far from a simple surface matter, but involved deep-seated grudges among ancient giants.