Chapter 17: Even Worthy of Being Called a Heavenly Pride?

At this moment, a surge of turbulent waves rose in Ye Wuque's heart.

After his death years ago, Ye's father made great efforts to revive him.

He went to the Eight Gods Clan, harnessed the power of the Three-Life Stone, and also killed the King of the Nine Immortals to set up a life‑sustaining formation.

Later, Ye Wuque realized that merely these two steps were far from enough; the difficulty and complexity of the process were almost unimaginable!

And the Huang Lao before him must be a supreme being of meritorious transformation; Ye Wuque could sense that this existence bore no malice toward him, was trustworthy, so his words should be true!

If so, could the crucial step to revive himself have been accomplished by the Master behind this Huang Lao?

Since this Huang Lao is so supreme and transcendent, the one who could be his Master could not be ordinary.

It must be a super‑being whose name reverberates through eternity!

Ye Wuque's heart and mind stirred; he looked at Huang Lao and hurriedly said:

"Senior! So that's it! So there is such a karmic link between us!"

"May I ask, senior... your Master... the supreme being who took part in my revival, where is he now?"

Huang Lao shook his head slightly and said:

"I, too, do not know…"

"After reviving you, the Master slipped into the Space‑Time River… perhaps… is contemplating the Dao…"

"However, I can tell you that…"

"The world honors the Master as… the Yin‑Yang Great Emperor!"

"In the future, when you have grown strong enough, you will naturally be able to meet him…"

"As for now… you should first strengthen your power…"

Ye Wuque nodded heavily, "Understood! With my current strength, I am not yet qualified to reach that level!"

Huang Lao gave a faint smile and said nothing more.

Then his figure slowly vanished from the Void.

"I didn't expect, Brother Ye, that you also have such a story?"

Beside them, Ziyang Shen let out a rather emotional voice.

Ye Wuque's mouth curled into a wry smile; he did not hide it and gave a brief account of his three‑year tribulation.

After hearing Ye Wuque's narration, Ziyang Shen's face was filled with shock, sighs, anger, and other complex expressions.

"So… Brother Ye, you actually come from… that clan!"

"The Undying Aristocratic Family that shakes the Zhutian Wanjie… the Ye Family!"

There was a hint of inexplicability in Ziyang Shen's tone.

Ye Wuque gave a light laugh: "Oh? It seems Brother Ziyang knows something about this family?"

Ziyang Shen shook his head: "Can't say I understand; I can only say that every living being of the Nine Heavens Ten Earths knows this family!"

"Across the Zhutian Wanjie, in every corner, there exists the family's invincible legend!"

"Renowned across the heavens, overlooking eternity! Only a truly undying, imperishable family can be called an Undying Aristocratic Family!"

"Such a terrifying family—who doesn't know it, who hasn't heard of it?"

"I hadn't expected Brother Ye to bear such a karmic burden. It seems that in the near future, the Nine Heavens Ten Earths will be turned upside down by you!"

Ziyang Shen's eyes were deep, hinting at something.

Ye Wuque, of course, knew what he meant.

All the karmic ties of the three‑year tribulation are destined to be cleansed with blood.

Everyone involved in that incident back then cannot escape.

Ye Wuque is confident; he believes that day will not be far off!

"By the way, I heard that this opening of the Ancient Imperial Tomb seems to bring a Heavenly Pride of the Ye Clan," Ziyang Shen said.

"Is that so? Perfect. I also want to see what level this so‑called Heavenly Pride of the Undying Aristocratic Family has."

A flash of light sparked in Ye Wuque's eyes, heightening his anticipation of the Ancient Imperial Tomb's opening.

"Very well. Then I shall take my leave. I must also seize time to retreat for cultivation."

"Brother Ye, see you later."

"Goodbye."

Ziyang Shen's figure departed…

Ye Wuque watched the direction Ziyang Shen left, his gaze carrying a faint hope.

Ziyang Shen resurrects, defying the heavens!

What heights will this life reach?

Ye Wuque does not know.

But it is certain that in the future there will be an unparalleled Heavenly Pride named "Ziyang Shen" who will rise against the heavens, burst onto the world, and become an invincible legend in countless mouths…

"Ancient Imperial Tomb… endless Ten Lands' Heavenly Pride gathering… parts of the Nine Heavens' Heavenly Pride trembling… Ye Clan's Heavenly Pride…"

"I hope this place will not disappoint me…"

Muttering a few words, Ye Wuque's figure slowly headed toward the Central Realm of the Constant Universe…

……

Meanwhile, the entire Ten Lands, and even parts of the Nine Heavens, began to boil gradually due to the disturbances within the Ancient Imperial Tomb…

Especially the Constant Universe region closest to the Ancient Imperial Tomb.

The East, West, South, North, and Central Domains, within the infinite starry‑sky universe, all boiled!

The ripples triggered by the Ancient Imperial Tomb were felt most intensely by them!

"Ancient Imperial Tomb! This disturbance… could it be opening again?!"

"But this… how could this be possible!"

"How long has it been since the last activation?!"

"What's impossible? Such a millennia‑rare, peerless secret treasure realm usually doesn't play by the rules!"

"Since it opened at this moment, it's our chance! A once‑in‑a‑thousand‑years opportunity!"

"Charge! Charge! Charge!"

In the Void, countless specks of light can be seen, rushing madly toward the direction of the Central Domain!

They are Heavenly Prides cloaked in radiant light!

Some ride soaring swords and long blades at breakneck speed.

Some sit in ostentatiously luxurious war chariots, crushing layers of Void.

Some mount terrifyingly fierce pure‑blood demon beasts, their dreadful might shaking the ten directions of the universe!

"Damn! Look! That's… the Sword Path sect from the Ten Directions— the young Sect Leader Xiao Shuihan of the Zhan Tian Sword Sect!"

"It is said… the Heavenly Prides of the Ten Directions respectfully call him 'Heavenly Sword!'"

"Hiss… it's really Heavenly Sword Xiao Shuihan!"

"I know him! He spent ten years honing a single sword… today he emerges, one man with one sword, challenging eight senior Sword Cultivators just entering the Immortal Path realm! He shocked the entire Ten Directions and is hailed as the undisputed Sword Dao champion of the younger generation!"

Countless Heavenly Prides gaze at the tall young man in a dark robe floating in the Void.

At this moment his expression is cold, his Dark Eye tightly shut, wielding a chilling long sword that pierces layers of Void, sprinting at breakneck speed toward the direction of the Central Domain of the Eternal Universe!

The speed reached its limit; in a one‑in‑a‑billion‑th of a moment, he had already vanished!

Leaving behind pairs of shocked, awestruck eyes!

And then.

Boom—

Suddenly, the sky over this region darkened abruptly!

Countless Heavenly Prides racing toward the Ancient Imperial Tomb of the Eternal Universe suddenly changed expression, horrified, and looked up!

At once, a sharp‑eyed Heavenly Pride let out an incredulous shout:

"This… this is actually a sword that blocks out the sky and sun…!"

"What? A sword? How can a sword be that huge? How is this possible!"

"It must be at least several thousand li in length, right?"

"You idiot! You don't even know that! This is the invincible Sword Cultivator—Giant Sword King—Zhan Qianqiu, who recently took part in the Sword Son Trial that spanned endless space‑time and achieved outstanding results!"

"What? It's actually that fierce guy!"

"Zhan Qianqiu, hailed as the Sword Dao hope of the Xuanming Land?!"

"The world‑renowned invincible Heavenly Pride! Wielding a gigantic sword of astonishing size, he entered the Sword Son Trial of the billions‑strong Sword Dao lineage, one man with one sword, slaying endless great foes, finally reaching the last stage and forging a legendary reputation!"

At this moment, the heated voices of many debating Heavenly Prides abruptly fell silent!

Because Zhan Qianqiu, who had been sprinting forward at breakneck speed, suddenly stopped!

He is a brilliant and mighty handsome man, now standing proudly atop the sword that spans heaven and earth; his moon‑and‑sun‑sharp Dark Eye sweeps the multitude of Heavenly Prides below, then glances toward the direction Xiao Shuihan departed.

Then a mocking, disdainful, teasing grin spreads across his mouth!

"Hahaha!"

"Hahahahaha…"

"Heavenly Sword?"

"You say… he… Xiao Shuihan… is hailed as… Heavenly Sword?!"

Zhan Qianqiu laughed continuously for several minutes before stopping, as if tears were laughing out of his eyes!

"Just him… Xiao Shuihan… what is he, exactly?!"

"He even deserves to be called… Heavenly Sword?!"

Below, a sudden uproar erupts!

"What! What is Zhan Qianqiu doing?"

"How dare he mock the Heavenly Sword Xiao Shuihan like that?!"

"Indeed, they don't seem to have any grudge, right? Why say that?"

Many Heavenly Prides below are bewildered by Zhan Qianqiu's words.

The next moment, Zhan Qianqiu's voice suddenly rises!

"Among the endless Sword Cultivators of the Zhutian Wanjie, only one person qualifies to be called Heavenly Sword!"

"That is…"

"He rose against the heavens in the Sword Son Trial of the billions‑strong Sword Dao lineage, emerged from the void, one man with one sword, slaying all as the supreme paragon… seizing the topmost unrivaled Heavenly Pride!"

"Feng! Cai! Chen!"