After crossing continent-sized seas of clouds in the Flamewheel Divine Region, the black battleship finally arrived at the central region, an immense floating continent as vast as a star.

At its edge, the atmosphere was magnificent. Golden radiance spread across hundreds of thousands of kilometers. Rainbows stretched across the heavens, turning the surrounding mists into a resplendent world of dazzling colors, like a celestial realm.

In their midst stretched a heavenly road, spanning ten thousand kilometers. On both sides stood hundreds of thousands of soldiers clad in ornate red armor, holding spears and halberds, resembling the heavenly troops from legend.

At the very front of the host stood hundreds of figures in luxurious azure, blue, and red robes. They were positioned at cardinal points, each surrounded by the white and red radiance of principles, and emanating the might of heavenly-king-level powerhouses.

Ahead of them stood more than sixty figures radiating ancient-titan-level pressure. Not only were they stronger, but each wore a purple robe or ornate battle armor marked with a golden sun upon the left shoulder, and their heads were crowned, signifying their higher status.

Above them all, divine light flickered within converging clouds. Nine figures, each exuding true-spirit-level aura, appeared faintly in the mist, none weaker than the middle stage.

Such a grand reception immediately alarmed the entire central region. Countless powerhouses at the mythical level and above flew over from the major cities of every province. Even the port cities at the region's border spilled forth masses of people rushing to witness. In moments, millions of cultivators of high rank had gathered, standing atop distant mountains and clouds tens of thousands of kilometers away, staring in astonishment.

"The entire imperial guard has been mobilized. Such a spectacle!"

"Not just the guards; do you see those Cosmic Orbit Star Officials? Nearly all the high officials of the imperial court are present."

"Even the Star Mansion[1] Generals and Monarchs have arrived."

"Gasp!Look there, those principles are manifesting around the leading clouds and reflecting entire worlds. Those are the emperors of the five palaces and the domain lords who guard the imperial city. Even they've arrived."

The crowd was struck with awe, unable to fathom what great figure had arrived to stir the entire upper echelon of the Flamewheel Court. Even many cultivators at the eighth and ninth tiers, as well as mythical-level powerhouses, were dumbfounded.

Higher above the clouds, a heavenly-king-level elder said with a puzzled tone, "The great officials of the imperial court have come tens of thousands of kilometers to receive someone. Does anyone know what has happened?"

The dozen other heavenly-king-level powerhouses nearby all shook their heads. In their own cities, they were overlords of their realms, but in this vast central region, they were merely local experts. They had no qualification to know the secrets of the imperial court's higher ups.

At that moment, space distorted. A middle-aged man carrying a black longsword on his back and clad in a white robe appeared, his expression tinged with awe. "Everyone, I know what has happened."

At once, the nearby heavenly-king-level powerhouses stirred. "Sky-Tearing Swordsman, do you know the reason?"

The sword-bearing man nodded. "It is said that the long-lost ancestral land of the human race, missing for tens of thousands of years, has sent a diplomatic mission. That is why the entire upper echelon of the imperial court has been alarmed."

"The ancestral land?" Most of the heavenly-king-level figures present looked doubtful. Only a handful, including an elder with hair white as snow, froze in shock.

The elder exclaimed, "The ancestral land? Wasn't its coordinates lost long ago? And when we followed the emperors on their expedition, the transcendent energy of the ancestral world had already thinned so much that cultivators could no longer break through to the god level."

The sword-bearing man shook his head. "I don't know the details. My elder brother only mentioned that an envoy from the ancestral land had arrived and told me to come witness it."

Another young man, silver-haired with flowing locks, slowly said, "The Sky-Tearing Swordsman's elder brother is one of the eighteen deputy commanders of the imperial guard. His information should be accurate. According to ancient records, when the seven great emperors led the human elite into the Ancient Battlefield to wage war against nine hostile great worlds, the enemy secretly assembled a strike force to assault our rear while we suppressed their main forces. In desperation, the general left behind in the homeland activated the power once imbued by the True Void Emperor. The void descended, which displaced the ancestral land and caused its coordinates to be lost."

The silver-haired youth sighed faintly. "Never thought that after tens of thousands of years, the ancestral land would reappear, and judging by the circumstances, its civilization has developed enough to send envoys."

As the gathered cultivators whispered in shock, a black shadow streaked across the sky. In the blink of an eye, it appeared tens of thousands of kilometers away, before finally halting above the golden sea of clouds, where the imperial officials stood.

Before the battleship, the Primordial King and the others looked toward the figures above the clouds, their expressions shaken.

They had long known that the Flamewheel Divine Region was brimming with power, with mythical-level powerhouses as common as stars and hundreds of ancient-titan-level powerhouses, yet hearing and seeing were two different things. The shock of facing them was beyond words. These were only the imperial court powerhouses of the central region to boot. Beyond this lay fourteen other regions and more than two hundred provinces.

While Zhenwu and the others faltered, not knowing what to say, Shi Feitong stepped forward, her expression solemn.

"Everyone, upon learning of your arrival, the Flamewheel Emperor personally tore open space with the heavenly-tier officials of the court to welcome you."

The Primordial King bitterly smiled. "Such an honor is too much..."

This was a descendant of the primordial-level true emperor, a semi-primordial being himself, ruler of an empire of hundreds of billions of transcendent individuals, personally leading officials to greet them. Rather than feeling flattered, the Primordial King and his companions were unsettled.

As for the Heavenly Feathered divine kings and the Faerie experts, they dared not utter a word. Under the crushing pressure that filled heaven and earth, they even trembled.

Damn, this is terrifying. A host of true-spirit-level ancient gods, divine kings by the dozens, and chief-god-level experts everywhere. So this is the true strength of the human race!

As the Bright Blade King and the others swallowed hard and stood nervously, Shi Feitong shook her head. "There is no need to be tense. This is merely the emperor's respect for your arrival. According to the etiquette of the imperial court, all cultivators above the mythical level shall follow me to pay respects to His Majesty."

Everyone nodded instinctively. "Yes."

Following behind Shi Feitong, over a hundred figures, including those of the Heavenly Feathered and Faerie Races, soared skyward, flying out from the battlefield's space.

The moment they appeared, countless gazes turned on them. At the same time, the highest layer of clouds dispersed, revealing nine figures radiating true-spirit-level aura. Among them stood Shi Feirou, clad in a resplendent divine robe of white embroidered with golden patterns, her black hair flowing. Her face was flawless, her bearing regal and majestic, though the gleam in her eyes betrayed her emotions.

Suppressing a flicker of excitement, Shi Feirou scanned the figures on the golden avenue with star-bright eyes, only to pause.Big Brother Chen is not here?

Her gaze turned doubtfully toward Shi Feitong at the envoy's front, but before Shi Feitong could speak, red radiance blazed like the Great Sun from the heights behind them. Infinite light seeped forth from the depths of space. Under the red glow, space grew illusory, and a towering figure stepped forth, clad in a red imperial robe and wearing the imperial crown.

The instant the towering figure appeared, a supreme pressure nearly rivaling the primordial level spread outward, engulfing the entire world. Everyone's bodies sank beneath its weight. The hundreds of thousands of imperial guards, along with the millions gathered in the distance, dropped to one knee in unison, their voices resounding with reverence.

"My respects to the supreme Flame Emperor. May His Majesty's glory shine eternal and never fade."

"Greetings to Your Majesty."

"Welcome, Your Majesty."

The heavenly-king-level officials and ancient-titan-level Star Mansion Generals all bowed, while the palace master and domain lords such as Shi Feirou offered a deep salute.

The Primordial King, the True Martial King, Heavenly King Xuanwu, Heavenly King Qingqiu Tianyao, and the other supreme powerhouses also bent instinctively. As for the mythical-level experts like the Bright Blade King, their legs nearly gave way, buckling under the oppressive might.

This is the majesty of a dynasty's emperor.

Even with his aura restrained, simply standing there made him supreme, beyond the gaze of mortals. Within the battlefield's space, Xia Zuo and the others, only at the transcendent level, had long since prostrated themselves on the ground.

Only a rare few managed to not do so, like Xia Youhui, who lay sprawled on the ground, panting. "No one in this world can make Lord Xia kneel to the ground."

Not far away, Li Hao, also sprawled on the ground, struggled to lift a hand and gave Xia Youhui a thumbs-up. "W-Well said, Xia Youhui. Let's not talk about him; even Chen Chu himself can only make me pay respect while lying down."

"That's right." Xia Youhui bared his teeth in a grin, pride glinting in his eyes.

Xia Zuo, laying beside them, shook his head speechlessly at those words. Against a terrifying existence that stood above principles themselves, pressing close to the ground and offering a proper greeting was no shame at all. However, insisting on turning over to lie flat, even while injured, was truly unnecessary.

Just then, from deep within the battleship, an aura no weaker than that of the Flamewheel Emperor erupted, nearly equal in might to a semi-primordial being, shaking heaven and earth.

Boom!

At the center of the battleship's space, a mountain peak crumbled apart. A pillar of golden-white light surged skyward, piercing the heavens. Instantly, transcendent energy throughout the world quaked. Clouds converged around the pillar and spun into a massive vortex spanning hundreds of thousands of kilometers.

The sudden upheaval left the imperial court experts stunned, for they had thought all of the Federation's powerhouses were already before them. What shook them most was that the aura, though only at the middle stage of the true spirit level, carried a might rivaling the semi-primordial level. It contained a faint yet overwhelming ferocity that made even ancient-titan-level generals tremble in instinctive fear, to say nothing of the imperial guards and the watching advanced cultivators, or even the mythical experts.

Above the clouds, a vague figure wrapped in red light lifted its head, its flaming gaze piercing toward the depths of the battleship. "The middle stage of the true spirit level... Could it be him?"

"Big Brother Chen!" Shi Feirou, radiant in her ornate divine robe and bearing the grace of royalty, trembled with emotion.

Before countless gazes, the space behind the Primordial King and the others broke silently, rending open into a massive black rift. From within stepped a youth clad in black battle robes threaded with golden patterns. His hair was bound beneath a tall crown, his expression calm, his eyes sweeping coldly and evenly across the entire Flamewheel Dynasty.

Those eyes, black and white with a faint golden-black vertical pupil gleaming deep within, made even true-spirit-level powerhouses shiver as if prey caught in the gaze of a natural predator.

Aside from the Flamewheel Emperor himself and Shi Feirou, who couldn't quite hide her excitement, no one dared meet the eyes of Chen Chu, newly emerged from his breakthrough. Of course, this meeting was intended as a gesture of goodwill. After his initial display of dominance, Chen Chu soon reined in the aura of his breakthrough.

Instantly, everyone felt their bodies lighten, and they let out a breath of relief. When the crowd turned their eyes back to the Federation's envoy, the scorn that had lingered because of the Primordial King, the handful of ancient-titan-level experts, and the rest being largely mythical kings, vanished without a trace. This envoy from the ancestral land was average as a whole, but that youth alone was terrifying, his strength not beneath that of the Flamewheel Emperor himself.

Among the nine true-spirit-level powerhouses standing tall, two clad in purple imperial robes exchanged a glance, their gazes heavy.

One of them, a man appearing about thirty, quietly murmured, "Who would have thought, after tens of thousands of years, that the fallen ancestral land would produce a powerhouse comparable to the emperors of old. Tian Du, that youth is fearsome. You'd best abandon those thoughts you had about the ancestral land."

The other, looking barely past twenty, strikingly handsome, replied with a cold gleam in his eye. "I need no reminder, Tian Hua."

Then, a deep and commanding voice resounded above the clouds. "Everyone, welcome to the Flamewheel Divine Region. The ancient human race and the present-day Human Federation share the same roots; there is no need to feel awkward. As for the purpose of your visit, Vice Palace Master Shi has already explained it in correspondence. The Wenchang Palace will take charge of your itinerary and the matters that require attention. The Flamewheel Divine Region is vast and boundless. Beyond humans, countless alien races and civilizations dwell here, including beings who were born naturally powerful."

In response to the personal warning from the emperor himself, Zhenwu and the others bowed solemnly. "We will follow Your Majesty's guidance without fail."

"I have said, no need for formality." The towering figure turned his gaze upon Chen Chu, a faint smile gracing his lips. "Divine Might Emperor, I have awaited your arrival for a long time."

Chen Chu smiled lightly. "Your Majesty is too kind. Our arrival must have caused you much trouble, and I beg your pardon for it."

Since the other side showed such courtesy, traveling tens of thousands of kilometers to greet them, Chen Chu naturally wouldn't remain aloof. Had it not been for concern that Zhenwu and the others would be underestimated, which could bring needless troubles later, he wouldn't have revealed himself so openly.

After the two strongest ones exchanged simple words and set the tone for this visit, Shi Feirou could not hold back. Her voice trembled slightly. "Big Brother Chen, it has been so long."

Chen Chu turned slightly, his gaze resting on the black-haired beauty above the clouds. Regal and majestic like an empress in her own right, she drew a sigh from him. "Yes, it has been a long time..."

To Chen Chu, only about a year had passed since their separation. But for Shi Feirou and her sister, more than ten thousand years had gone by. Their expressions and words left the imperial experts around them stunned.

The purple-robed youth called Tian Du blurted in astonishment, "Feirou, you know this... guest from the ancestral land?"

Shi Feirou exhaled slowly, steadying her emotions, before returning to composure. "Yes, we know each other. Big Brother Chen is the benefactor I have sought for ten thousand years."

Her tone chilled as she added, "And Palace Master Tian Du, we are not that close. Address me as Jiantian Palace Master."

"I see." The purple-robed youth nodded, unfazed by her coldness. A smile curved his lips. "Congratulations to you both on this long-awaited reunion."

At such a level, powerhouses betrayed neither joy nor anger on their faces, no matter what lay within. Especially after Chen Chu's earlier display of crushing might, which even the Flamewheel Emperor had come personally to honor, provoking him would be foolish.

As his gaze flickered, Shi Feirou smiled. "Big Brother Chen, allow me to introduce you. That is the Palace Master of Zhentian Palace, the King of the Eight Wheels..."

One by one, Chen Chu exchanged greetings with the five palace masters of the Flamewheel Dynasty and the four domain lords present, including the purple-robed youth from before. Those beneath the true spirit level weren't qualified to speak with him.

After brief courtesies, the grand procession began to move once more, advancing toward the imperial court in a sea of radiant clouds. Meanwhile, Chen Chu, Shi Feirou, and the Flamewheel Emperor broke away from the group, tearing space open to head straight for the chaotic heavens.

1. The Twenty-Eight Mansions (Chinese: 二十八宿) are part of the Chinese constellations system. They can be considered as the equivalent to the zodiacal constellations in Western astronomy, though the Twenty-eight Mansions reflect the movement of the Moon through a sidereal month rather than the Sun in a tropical year. ☜

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