In the depths of the Desolate Border's Ancestral Court.
The Ancestral Court's great elder, Venerable Ming He, Elder Shi, and another old man sat opposite each other. The three of them looked at each other with worry on their faces.
"The crisis of the Human Race is unavoidable, but recently, the Desolate Border's Providence has become more and more cloudy. Even when I communicate with the Desolate Border's Providence Cauldron, I still can't dispel the filth that shrouds the Providence. Even the Providence of the Human Race is in danger of being severed."
Venerable Ming He revealed a trace of exhaustion on his face. Clearly, he had spent a lot of energy communicating with the Desolate Border's Providence Cauldron.
"There seems to be something obscuring the Providence. Or is it because I'm too weak? Even when I communicate with the Desolate Border's Providence Cauldron, I can't see through the fog!"
Venerable Ming He's eyes were filled with reluctance, but there was nothing he could do. The Providence of the Human Race in the sky above the Desolate Border City was obscured by a layer of black fog. Even ordinary cultivators could sense it.
"Ming He, you don't need to worry about this. You were originally the great elder of the Desolate Border's Ancestral Court. Because the position of the Court Lord is vacant, you have to represent the Court Lord to handle the affairs of the Human Race. However, you are still not the Court Lord, so your position is not legitimate. It's unavoidable that you're muddled when communicating with the Desolate Border's Providence Cauldron. Fortunately, the new Court Lord is about to arrive. He has the Human Emperor's edict from the Eastern Wasteland Imperial Court, so he will definitely be able to communicate with the Desolate Border's Providence Cauldron perfectly.
He can use the Desolate Border's Providence Cauldron to investigate the Human Race of the Desolate Border! "Elder Shi comforted. His expression was also extremely tired. It was clear that the Desolate Border's situation was deteriorating by the day.
"I still feel that there's something unusual about this." There was an indescribable look in his eyes.
"I've also looked through the records left behind in the Ancestral Court. The Providence being obscured is a sign of a great calamity, but I feel that it's not as simple as it seems."
Then, Venerable Ming He turned his gaze towards the old man in the hall and said, "Supreme Jiao, what do you think?"
Supreme, not only in the Human Race, but even in the Hundred Races of the Heavens, only martial artists whose strength was comparable to the Eighth Heaven of the Heavenly Building Realm had such a respectful title. The old man in the hall was impressively an Eighth Heaven expert.
Sensing the faintly discernible aura of decay emanating from this old man, one would understand that this Supreme Jiao was also a member of the Desolate Border Region. He was an almighty who had once fallen into a deep slumber during a certain era.
In fact, Supreme Jiao was the strongest martial artist apart from the old ancestor who was still slumbering in the depths of the Desolate Border Ancestral Court. Similarly, Supreme Jiao was the only one who was at the eighth layer of the Heavenly Building stage among all the martial artists in slumber in the Desolate Border Ancestral Court.
Apart from that, there were about a dozen seventh layer Heavenly Building Realm supreme sovereigns from the older generation, and the rest were all sixth layer Heavenly Building Realm supreme sovereigns. Speaking of which, all the supreme experts of the Human Race in the Desolate Border Ancestral Court combined would only be comparable to a single legendary marquis, and the power of an entire region would only be comparable to a single legendary marquis. It had to be said that there was a huge gap between the strength of the Desolate Border Region and that of ten thousand years ago.
"The foreign races have always been cunning and have never given up on destroying our Human Race. Although our Desolate Border Region has been ravaged by endless wars for tens of thousands of years and has been reduced to a barren land, the foreign races have rarely paid attention to it. However, from another perspective, it also shows that if the foreign races descend from our Desolate Border Region, they will be the best breakthrough point. We must guard against them!"
After being awakened from the sealed blood stone, Supreme Jiao learned about everything that was happening in the Desolate Border Region. This was a great calamity that was far more dangerous than the great war from ten thousand years ago. At this moment, his eyes were filled with worry.
This wasn't fear, but worry for the future of the Desolate Border Region. They had once dared to seal themselves in the blood stone, which meant that they had already cast aside their own lives. It was all for the sake of awakening at some point in time to help the Human Race resist the calamity and protect the Human World!
"These tens of thousands of years of continuous wars have already broken the destiny of our Desolate Border Region. Now, after ten thousand years, it has finally recovered. If we are interrupted by the foreign races again, I fear that our Desolate Border Region will be in danger of sinking!"
The three people in the hall looked at each other and actually became silent.
"Yes!"
After the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, supreme Ming He finally woke up. His eyes flashed and he said, "Supreme Jiao, didn't you want to see the most powerful genius of our Desolate Border Region? That little fellow is here!"
"He is the Xiao Chen you all speak of!" Supreme Jiao's spiritual will instantly surged out of her body.
At this moment, Xiao Chen was walking along the winding stone corridor below the Kindling Pagoda of the Ancestral Court. The Ancestral Court was filled with hurried figures, constantly passing by him. It was completely different from the tranquility outside the Ancestral Court. Clearly, the Ancestral Court was doing its best to prepare.
The Kindling Palace was where Xiao Chen had come to the Ancestral Court to discuss clan matters with the venerables of the other tribes. It was right next to the Sacred Pagoda, so Xiao Chen had to go around the Sacred Pagoda to reach this place.
After turning a corner, Xiao Chen's figure suddenly froze. He felt a will of Mental Energy sweep past his body. This will of Mental Energy was extremely obscure. Furthermore, it swept past him very quickly, in the time it took for a spark to fly. If not for Xiao Chen's sensitive Spiritual Sense, he would not have noticed it.
Xiao Chen's spiritual will was also a step ahead of his battle qi cultivation. He wasn't far from the peak of the seventh level. He had been constantly eating spirit fruits and spirit herbs for the past few years, and with the Soul Refining Art, he could easily refine it.
Xiao Chen's heart stirred when he came to his senses. The Ancestral Court was worthy of being the most powerful force in the Desolate Border Region. There were indeed hidden dragons and crouching tigers. The spiritual will that had just flashed past felt extremely unfamiliar to him. The strength of the owner of this spiritual will was also unfathomable. He was definitely much stronger than he was.
"What keen senses!"
Supreme Jiao exclaimed softly in the depths of the Ancestral Court. The shock in his eyes hadn't completely faded yet. His spiritual will had only swept past him for a moment, but Xiao Chen had already sensed it.
"As expected of someone with a great reputation. No wonder the two of you are so full of praise. However, the Enlightened One is even more powerful than what the two of you have described!"
Xiao Chen paused for a moment in the Ancestral Court. A moment later, a hint of understanding flashed through his eyes. He stepped forward, but not towards the Kindling Palace. Instead, he walked towards the depths of the Ancestral Court.
"Junior Xiao Chen greets Grand Elder, Elder Shi, and Senior!"
A moment later, Xiao Chen's figure appeared in the ancient palace. He cupped his fists and bowed. Looking at the three old men sitting in front of him, Xiao Chen understood what they were thinking. Clearly, the one who had swept past him with his spiritual will was the old man he wasn't familiar with.
"Xiao Chen brat, you've come quite quickly. The leaders of the other tribes haven't arrived yet. It's only been three years since we last met, but your strength has improved once again. You've already surpassed us old fellows!"
Elder Shi laughed when he saw Xiao Chen. Xiao Chen's cultivation speed was as fast as ever. This was what Elder Shi was concerned about. This meant that Xiao Chen's talent was far from reaching the limit.
Geniuses were also divided into different levels. Some people's cultivation and strength were profound because they relied on the accumulation of time. However, true geniuses didn't know where the limit was. In Elder Shi's eyes, Xiao Chen belonged to the latter group.
"This is Supremacy Jiao, an expert of the older generation in the Desolate Border Region. He just woke up from a deep slumber not long ago!" Elder Shi's tone changed as he introduced the old man beside Xiao Chen.
"Junior Xiao Chen greets Senior Supremacy Jiao!" Immediately, Xiao Chen respectfully bowed to the old man.
"Good. When I woke up, I heard the entire Desolate Border Region praising you, Xiao Chen, for your unparalleled battle prowess. Your name has shaken the entire Desolate Border Region, and you even have the qualifications to become a Monarch."
Supremacy Jiao's turbid eyes swept over Xiao Chen. Although she was old, her voice wasn't hoarse.
"Little fellow, can you tell this old man what grade of Martial Path you condensed when you ascended to the Heavenly Layer?"
Then, Supremacy Jiao's tone also changed as she asked Xiao Chen this question. Her eyes were fixed on Xiao Chen.
Immediately, Venerable Ming He, who was about to speak, also swallowed his words and looked at Xiao Chen.
When Xiao Chen ascended to the Heavenly Layer, the grade of Martial Path he released was the seventh grade. Now that so many years had passed, his strength had continued to soar. He had even reached the Venerable realm before the age of thirty and was praised by others as having the qualifications to become a Monarch.
Since ancient times, the vast majority of supreme Monarchs had reached the Venerable realm before the age of thirty. The Venerable realm was only the most basic realm that a Monarch had to reach before the age of thirty.
To be promoted to the Venerable Realm at the age of 30 meant that this martial artist's talent was far inferior. This performance was even more reflected in the quality of the Martial Path he had forged. To be able to become a Venerable at the age of 30 meant that there was a high chance that the Martial Path he had forged was at the level of the Perfected Ninth Grade Martial Path.
Forging the ninth grade represented a cultivator's talent, which was most directly reflected in the age at which they advanced to the Venerable realm!
Only those who surpassed their peers before the age of thirty would have the chance to reach the perfection of the Nine Heavenly Layers, as well as the chance to pursue the illusory Monarch Realm.
In truth, when Xiao Chen had advanced to the Venerable realm, many cultivators in the Desolate Border had already guessed that the Martial Path Xiao Chen had forged was inconsistent with the information he had released.
Unfortunately, the Martial Path was hidden within the Zhou Tian's Qi Sea. If a cultivator didn't personally reveal their Qi Sea, others wouldn't be able to detect it. Furthermore, Xiao Chen's name shook the Desolate Border, and many cultivators weren't a match for Xiao Chen. Thus, they could only keep their guesses to themselves.
But now, in just three years, Xiao Chen had once again broken through to the Great Venerable realm. Today, Supremacy Jiao's question also voiced the doubts in Venerable Ming He and Elder Shi's hearts.
"Ninth grade!"