Chapter 562: The Parent and Child of an Unrivaled Arch‑Enemy

All living beings, regardless of race or strength, now hover in the void near or far, gathered around the core area of Central Diguo that is about to be opened.

Some cluster in twos and threes, whispering, forming alliances for warmth; some stand alone, eyes closed, cultivating, exuding extraordinary bearing; some hide completely within the void layers, leaving only a faint trace of qi; and a few hot‑tempered ones with old grudges can no longer hold back, sparking small skirmishes in the distance, with occasional roars of clashing energy.

Truly—an enormous gathering of all beings of the Nine Zhutian and myriad races! A grand prelude destined for the annals of the Star Sky Ancient Path has already unfolded!

And in this bustling, all‑spirit‑watched corner of the void.

A figure in a black robe, black hair draped over the shoulders, face serene, stands alone in a relatively open stretch of void. It is Ye Wuque.

Earlier he found a hidden place, using the Master Inheritance Primordial as aid, and with the powerful regeneration of Undying Indestructible Divine King Art, he stabilized the severe wounds from his battle with the Hell Three-Headed Dog; though not fully healed, his combat power has recovered to about seventy‑to‑eighty percent.

Sensing the disturbance of Central Diguo and the convergence of countless powerful auras, he also arrived here.

His calm gaze sweeps this grand tableau formed by countless Heavenly Prides and aberrations, eyes flickering, and he spots several familiar figures—such as, in the brightest golden light far off, Ao Tianyin of the Golden Emperor Dragon Clan, like stars surrounding a moon; also a mysterious young man in a golden robe whose aura is even deeper and surrounded at the core; on the other side, Chen Shimei, the Reverse Chaos Heavenly Demon, holding a folding fan with a world‑weary smile; Jian Wushuang, whose sword qi is fierce and warns others to stay away; and the dazzling, eye‑catching Undying Divine Phoenix, Huang Fuyao…

However, Ye Wuque has no intention of greeting them.

He slowly closes his eyes, seemingly oblivious to the external clamor and the countless probing gazes, immersing himself in cultivation, his aura as still as a deep ancient well.

Yet, shortly after Ye Wuque closes his eyes, a figure as moon‑white as snow, untouched by dust, moving with unhurried grace, seems to pass through an invisible barrier, separating from the bustling torrent of beings, and walks steadily yet purposefully toward the relatively open area where Ye Wuque stands.

The newcomer is none other than Xuan Yuanzi Xi!

He still bears the gentle, jade‑like demeanor, as if merged with heaven and earth, expression placid, gaze distant.

Yet upon closer inspection, one can see that within his seemingly calm eyes lies a faint, profound radiance, as if capable of discerning the threads of Fate.

In his right hand he cradles a mysterious compass of ancient, odd design—neither metal nor wood, its surface etched with intricate constellations and beast patterns, now emitting a faint yet distinct pale‑golden pulse of Fate.

The compass needle does not point to Central Diguo; instead it locks firmly and precisely onto the meditating Ye Wuque ahead!

Clearly, by means of this mysterious compass that can sense and track a specific Fate Aura, he has crossed countless barriers and, in this gathering of billions of beings, precisely locked onto Ye Wuque!

More precisely, he locked onto the aura of the Master Inheritance that Ye Wuque has just acquired, not yet fully refined.

About ten Zhang away from Ye Wuque, Xuan Yuanzi Xi halted.

His gaze fell on Ye Wuque, scrutinizing him briefly, then slowly raised his left hand and gently retracted the still‑pointing, faintly trembling mysterious compass from his palm.

Having done so, he seemed to speak to himself, his voice flat, emotionless yet crystal clear, and said slowly:

"It seems..."

"You're the one who took that thing away."

He paused, his gaze landing on Ye Wuque as if solid, tone still calm yet seemingly bearing an invisible pressure:

"And… you killed three of my subordinates?"

These seemingly casual words struck like two silent thunderclaps, suddenly exploding not in Ye Wuque's ears but within his very spirit!

The meditating, tranquil Ye Wuque, at the instant Xuan Yuanzi Xi uttered the first sentence, felt his tightly shut eyelids twitch slightly.

When the second sentence concerning his subordinates' lives fell...

Ye Wuque's tightly closed eyes suddenly snapped open!

In an instant, as if two unparalleled, piercing beams of pure light—filled with endless starry void and ancient icy cold—shot forth like lightning cleaving the night sky, striking directly at Xuan Yuanzi Xi's calm yet profound gaze!

"Hiss—!"

In the void where their gazes met, invisible electric sparks collided fiercely, then vanished!

The air between them dropped sharply in temperature, and the space itself grew subtly viscous and heavy!

In Xuan Yuanzi Xi's ever‑calm, water‑like eyes, upon seeing Ye Wuque's opened eyes—and especially feeling the unabashed cold and a familiar‑like hostility in his gaze—a faint ripple finally surfaced.

Within that ripple lay a mild anger born of his subordinates' deaths, but more so an absolute desire to possess the Master Inheritance, and a domineering, overbearing stance that regarded the other as a mere prize.

And deep within Ye Wuque's eyes, beyond the cold, a long‑suppressed, now fully ignited, abyss‑deep, chilling killing intent surged wildly!

This murderous intent stems not only from vengeance for his three servants, but also because—upon seeing Xuan Yuanzi Xi, his status, bearing, and that unique Dao Rhythm emanating from his bloodline, which disgusts and pricks his soul—confirmed the opponent's identity!

Ye Wuque looked at Xuan Yuanzi Xi, his expression calm, voice detached as he spoke, as if stating an already settled fact:

"It seems you are the offspring of the Grand Void Emperor, one of the Nine Great Imperial Lords of the Honghuang World… the famed Young Master of the Xuan Yuan Clan… Xuan Yuanzi Xi?"

His tone was flat, yet precisely pinpointed the opponent's core lineage and background.

Xuan Yuanzi Xi heard this, his expression still indifferent, unsurprised.

Given that the name Xuan Yuanzi Xi reverberates across the Nine Zhutian, being recognized is entirely normal.

He has long been accustomed to being the center wherever he goes, revered or feared.

"So," Xuan Yuanzi Xi, meeting Ye Wuque's gaze, replied with the same indifferent tone, "who are you?"

He truly does not know Ye Wuque.

Although Ye Wuque's reputation is vast, the myriad realms of the Nine Zhutian are boundless, teeming with countless monsters; Xuan Yuanzi Xi does not know everyone.

At this moment, in his eyes, the black‑robed youth before him is merely a lucky individual who obtained the Master Inheritance and audaciously killed his subordinates… a hurdle that must be eliminated.

Ye Wuque, observing Xuan Yuanzi Xi's matter‑of‑fact, scrutinizing stance, let a faint yet bone‑cold smile curl at his mouth and slowly uttered three words:

"Ye Wuque."

"Ye Wuque?"

Xuan Yuanzi Xi's ever‑calm expression, upon hearing those three words, finally showed a clear change!

His brows lifted slightly, and within his calm eyes a flash of clear surprise flickered, then turned solemn, finally coalescing into an unmistakable, winter‑cold, deep killing intent!

"What?! You are Ye Wuque?!"

Xuan Yuanzi Xi's voice remained low, yet the gravity and murderous intent it carried were more than ten times stronger than before!

Although he has never seen Ye Wuque, the name Ye Wuque, with its glorious deeds on the Star Sky Ancient Path and the Border Wasteland Battlefield, has already swept the Nine Zhutian like a storm; how could he not know?

He is a taboo monster recognized as being on the same level, and in some legends even more unfathomably mysterious than him!

More importantly—Xuan Yuanzi Xi and Ye Wuque have long been destined for an endless, unending rivalry!

The root of this relationship lies not in themselves but in their fathers!

His father, the Grand Void Emperor—one of the Nine Great Imperial Lords of the Honghuang World—and Ye Wuque's father, the Supreme Titan Ye Zhengrong of the Nine Zhutian Ten Earths, have been mortal enemies locked in endless, undying conflict for countless years.

Their doctrines, ideals, and interests clash fiercely; who knows how many bloody storms have been stirred across the Nine Zhutian, forging an irreconcilable deep hatred!

A father's debt is repaid by his son; a father's hatred is continued by his son!

As the child of the Grand Void Emperor, Xuan Yuanzi Xi has known since long ago that on the list of enemies he is destined to face in the future, the son of Ye Zhengrong… Ye Wuque, will inevitably rank at the very top!

This is not only the continuation of the elders' grudges, but also the key to the future contest of fortunes between the two supreme Dao lineages!

At this moment, after the arch‑enemy, they meet here in this way!