Yet a trace of worry soon clouded Yao Yuezhi's delicate face.

"I'm afraid the myriad races, driven by shame and rage, might resort to underhanded tactics. Though they can't stray too far from their realm when targeting young prodigies, the methods of top-tier great powers are endlessly varied. As long as they erase all traces afterward, it might never be uncovered. And Brother, your guardians may struggle to withstand them!"

Ye Chen laughed at her words. "Don't worry. Long ago, I informed our Holy Master about this. I'm sure he's prepared everything!"

Indeed, ever since Feng Youhuang's fall—when everyone had eyed him like a walking gold mine—he had contacted Feng Baiyu. Leaving such matters to his own Holy Master filled Ye Chen with complete confidence.

"Brother, I'll wait for your return!"

"Scoundrel, Ruyu might come back in the next year or two. Remember to come find me..."

Seeing his unwavering assurance, Yao Yuezhi and Yan Wenwen said no more. They transmitted reluctant farewells and accompanied him to the city gates together.

At the gateway, gazing into the distance, Ye Chen's lips curved upward. In the void beyond the city hovered thirty-four prodigies, their battle intent blazing as they fixed their eyes on him. Nearly all were semi-saints. Only a handful remained peak kings.

These prodigies hailed from diverse races, each radiating terrifying auras. Virtually every semi-saint under two thousand years old from the myriad races had gathered here. With so many semi-saints unleashing their fighting spirit—striding like dragons and tigers, divine light flowing, some even revealing their true forms—they resembled a host of primordial gods and demons descended upon the mortal world.

The instant Ye Chen emerged, ferocious battle intent crashed over him like a tidal wave. The void around him shattered instantly, fracturing into dense, web-like cracks. The terrifying pressure left the onlookers who had followed to the gates gasping for breath.

"Heavenly Emperor's heir! I am Kong Wuji of the Peacock Clan—do you dare face me in battle?"

"Heavenly Emperor's heir! I am Ling Yu of the Starwing Clan—do you dare face me in battle?"

"Heavenly Emperor's heir! I am Yan Jin of the Flame Soul Clan—do you dare face me in battle?"

"Heavenly Emperor's heir! I am from the War God Clan..."

"..."

Thunderous challenges rang out one after another, shaking the heavens and earth.

Ye Chen's smile only widened. Many ordinary myriad races onlookers—who lacked access to high-level intelligence—were stunned. Though impressed by the grandeur, they couldn't help feeling secondhand embarrassment.

The Heavenly Emperor's heir was still merely in the King Realm. Yet over thirty semi-saints were ganging up for what amounted to a wheel battle, and they proclaimed it with such pomp and circumstance. Wasn't this a bit too ridiculous?

At that moment, a great power radiating saintly might descended, smiling at Ye Chen. "Young friend, as a supreme prodigy of the myriad races, why not offer some personal guidance to each of them?"

They would, of course, begin with fair one-on-one duels—to save face and follow the rules. But Luo Bingling was their hidden trump card. They would signal her to strike suddenly, "aiding" Ye Chen. Once someone from Ye Chen's side made the first move, they could hardly be blamed for swarming him. Everything would appear perfectly justified.

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If Ye Chen refused?

Though they couldn't attack directly, rejecting an elder's polite request would give them ample excuse to fly into a rage.

As for Ye Chen's guardians?

The myriad races had brought numerous great powers today.

How many could Ye Chen possibly have?

They wouldn't stand a chance.

Ye Chen regarded the myriad races' great power before him, his smile deepening. Then he glanced toward a certain corner of the sky and called out, "Holy Master, I'm afraid that in guiding them, I might not know my own strength and accidentally injure these myriad races' prodigies—anger their elders! Perhaps we should call it off!"

In an instant, an immortal vessel materialized. One after another, figures wreathed in myriad phenomena and exuding terrifying auras, stepped slowly from within. Leading them was the scholarly and refined Feng Baiyu.

A smile played on his lips. "Fight without restraint. Since they begged for your guidance, even if you accidentally kill them all, their elders couldn't possibly complain. If you don't give it your absolute all, they'll be the ones offended—claiming you weren't taking it seriously!"

Gazing at the procession of horrifying figures behind Feng Baiyu, the myriad races' great power who had just spoken froze, his face stiffening. Even Ye Chen felt a flicker of surprise. Just where had his Holy Master rounded up so many human great powers?

Gazing at the human powerhouses, each radiating terrifying saintly pressure, not only Ye Chen but even the myriad races' great powers showed shock on their faces. The myriad races experts who had been concealed in the firmament, indifferently overlooking the scene, now revealed themselves one by one, their expressions grave. They had always adhered to the rules, fearing the vast might of the human faction.

But with their superior numbers and myriad methods, they could have blocked Ye Chen's guardians, suppressing his mindset and condition through overwhelming momentum. Even if Ye Chen's combat prowess exceeded expectations, they had ways to ensure his fall today—flawlessly, without giving anyone cause for complaint.

Yet Feng Baiyu had somehow rallied so many experts, utterly disrupting their plans. Still, considering Ye Chen's depleted cave heaven origin—and with Luo Bingling as their hidden traitor, capable of first attacking their own prodigies to justify a swarm, then delivering a fatal betrayal at the critical moment—the myriad races' great powers weighed their options and concluded the situation remained manageable.

The only real headache now was dividing the spoils afterward. They had spent ages negotiating how to split Ye Chen's treasures and foundations. With human great powers barging in, hoping to swallow everything whole would be harder than climbing to heaven. This filled them with faint regret. If they had known, they should have struck earlier.

...

The myriad races' great powers were stunned, tinged with regret.

Ye Chen, meanwhile, was genuinely astonished. Just where had his Holy Master recruited so many people?

Noticing Ye Chen's curiosity, Feng Baiyu—who had somehow broken through to the King Realm without fanfare—curved his lips and transmitted privately, "The Lan family—Lan Nuo accepted so many gifts from you. Contributing a few experts isn't excessive, right? Then there's the Nether God Holy Land. They have no real hope of ascension. Given their First Nether Maiden's relationship with you, pulling in some help is perfectly reasonable.

"The Star River Clan has nothing worthwhile to offer either. You possess ascension potential; they feared your future retaliation. I reasoned with them, moved them emotionally—turned enemies into friends. So a few came... Heavenly Intention Holy Land, the Yao family, Sword Sect...

"I also chatted with the Heavenly Demon Clan's ancestor. Ascension slots to the immortal realm are non-negotiable, but if you become invincible in the future and seize immortal qi, you could purge their dissidents—perhaps even elevate them to lead the myriad races, supplanting the Undying Celestial Phoenix Clan...

"He was quite tempted. He's just not showing himself yet—likely lurking in the shadows, observing. Plus a few holy lands and clans I have ties with—or past misunderstandings. With you as an ascension seed, everything is negotiable. Nothing isn't. After all, cultivation isn't all killing and fighting. Better to resolve grudges than deepen them. Interests come first!"

Ye Chen's lips twitched as he listened to his Holy Master's explanation. He gifted treasures to the girls. His Holy Master quietly consolidated forces behind the scenes? This was practically conquering the cultivation world!

Yet his Holy Master was truly competent, faithfully pursuing the path of multiplying friends and minimizing enemies. He had even negotiated with the Heavenly Demon Clan's ancestor. Utterly impressive...

Having such a Holy Master brought genuine peace of mind. The absolute best Holy Master in all realms. If ascension slots to the immortal realm could one day trigger gifting feedback, he would definitely reserve one for the Holy Master.

...

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