Chapter 456: Entering the Ancient Mystic Boat

Today was the first day after the Seven Nations Ranking Tournament concluded. It was barely dawn, but Divine Phoenix City was already bustling with commotion. Countless profound practitioners looked up, gazing at the enormous dark silhouette in the sky. Today marked the Primordial Profound Ark's final day in Divine Phoenix City and the sole day its gate would be open.

Yun Che meditated all night. When he emerged from his room at dawn, as agreed, Gu Cang and Xia Yuanba were already waiting. Hearing Yun Che, they both turned around. Xia Yuanba quickly approached him, saying, "Brother-in-law, I was just about to call you. It seems the Primordial Profound Ark is set to open in about fifteen minutes, and the Divine Phoenix Sect members have already gone up."

"It's about time. Let's go up as well," True Master Gu Cang said slowly. With a flick of the whisk in his hand, a profound energy vortex, over half a zhang wide, immediately appeared beneath both Yun Che and Xia Yuanba's feet.

Before Yun Che could speak, the vortex began to spin, carrying his body rapidly upwards in a straight line. By the time he reacted, he was already a hundred zhang high.

What did a height of twenty thousand zhang even mean? Ordinary clouds typically floated at only one or two thousand zhang. Yun Che's body ascended in a straight line, quickly passing through layer after layer of clouds. The whistling of the wind in his ears was as deafening as thunder. Yun Che wanted to speak, but the moment he opened his mouth, violent currents of air fiercely rushed in, forcing him to keep it shut.

While practitioners in the Sky Profound and Emperor Profound Realms could traverse the void, a height of twenty thousand zhang was utterly impossible for them to reach. Attaining such an altitude required at least Overlord Profound strength. However, for an incomparably powerful Emperor, it was no effort at all. They could easily transport not just Yun Che and Xia Yuanba, but even a thousand people without issue.

Finally, after passing through countless layers of clouds, the whistling wind in his ears began to subside. Yun Che looked up; the incomparably vast Primordial Profound Ark was now less than a hundred zhang away. At a glance, the entire Ark was so massive that its edges were invisible. Its color was not the gloomy gray seen from below, but distinctly a deep, dark red.

At this point, only a mere hundred breaths of time had passed. Twenty thousand zhang in a hundred breaths—this was much faster than Yun Che's speed on the ground!

True Master Gu Cang brought them to a side of the Primordial Profound Ark. When the three arrived, twenty to thirty people were already present. Among them were Ji Qianrou and Ling Kun, as well as the three individuals from Black Fiend Nation: an Overlord, a Half-Step Overlord, and a young profound practitioner. These three were considered top-tier among their peers in Black Fiend Nation, but surrounded by members of the Divine Phoenix Sect and the Sacred Grounds, their expressions were exceptionally reserved; they didn't even dare to breathe loudly.

Besides these, everyone else was from the Divine Phoenix Sect. Yun Che saw Feng Hengkong, Feng Feiyan, Feng Ximing, and beside Feng Hengkong, Feng Xue'er, whose face was still concealed by the Phoenix Jade Glaze. Those qualified to explore the Primordial Profound Ark were naturally individuals of extremely high status and strength within the Divine Phoenix Sect. Of the more than twenty Divine Phoenix Sect members, every one, except for Feng Xue'er who had no discernible aura, exuded the power of the Tyrant Profound Realm.

Dozens of Tyrant Profound experts hovering together in the air generated an incredibly terrifying oppressive aura, so strong that even the air completely ceased to flow.

When True Master Gu Cang arrived, Feng Hengkong and the others proactively stepped forward to greet him. However, they merely glanced at Yun Che.

Xia Yuanba swept his gaze around, then whispered to Yun Che, "Master has entered the Primordial Profound Ark before. He said that a maximum of thirty-six people can enter at one time. Each time, apart from individuals from the Four Great Sacred Grounds, those who enter are essentially core members of the Divine Phoenix Sect. Including us, thirty-five have already arrived... there should be one more person."

"It's Ye Xinghan," Yun Che stated directly.

Yun Che looked up, gazing at the incomparably vast Ark before him. With his current eyesight, he couldn't see the edges of the Ark, whether above, below, left, or right. A colorless, invisible energy field faintly shimmered on the Ark's surface. When Yun Che's spiritual perception touched this field, it was completely isolated, unable to detect any movement within the Ark.

Directly in his line of sight, there was clearly a "door" on the Ark's surface. This door was five zhang long and wide, its surface flickered with profound light marks that appeared and vanished, seemingly a special seal. The flickering of this profound energy seal also seemed to indicate its imminent disappearance.

Everyone's gaze was focused on this flickering profound seal. Just then, a whistling vortex sound came from far below.

"Hmph, only arriving now. What an air of arrogance," Feng Ximing snorted coldly, a look of disgust flashing across his face.

A surge of air rushed skyward, and then a figure floated down—it was Ye Xinghan. He wasn't alone; two alluring women who accompanied him were also by his side, clinging to him on his left and right. Their attire was different from yesterday's: fiery red, covering only up to their mid-chests and barely concealing their buttocks. Even the slightest movement revealed much. Although most of those present were peerless Tyrant Profound experts, their expressions became unnatural.

"Heh heh, it seems everyone has arrived," Ye Xinghan chuckled. "This young master was thoroughly engrossed in battle last night and unintentionally delayed a bit. I hope you don't mind." Embracing the two women, he strolled over leisurely on the profound energy vortex, his gaze sweeping past everyone and landing directly on the Ark's door. "It seems the Ark's gate is about to open."

If it were anyone else so arrogant, disrespectful, and heedless of others, the Divine Phoenix Sect would have already erupted in anger. But this was the Young Palace Master of the Sun Moon Divine Hall, and even though the Divine Phoenix Sect detested him, not a single person dared to reprimand him. Feng Hengkong nodded and said, "Young Palace Master Ye, you've arrived just in time. In a few more breaths, the Ark's gate will... oh?"

Before Feng Hengkong finished speaking, the profound seal on the Ark's door suddenly stopped flickering and then slowly disappeared. The Ark's door, which had been closed, then slowly opened upwards, producing an extremely grating creak.

"It's open!" Xia Yuanba exclaimed in a low voice. Those who were approaching the Primordial Profound Ark for the first time also held their breath, their eyes wide.

The Primordial Profound Ark's gate opened extremely slowly, taking dozens of breaths of time to fully open. Beyond the gate was an incomparably dark vortex, spinning rapidly like an oceanic maelstrom.

"That is a spatial vortex leading into the Ark's interior," True Master Gu Cang briefly explained to Xia Yuanba and Yun Che. "Upon entering, you will be teleported to a fixed location within the Ark. However, the Primordial Profound Ark is too vast, and its interior is incredibly intricate. After all these years, it's still impossible to pinpoint exactly where within the Ark one will be teleported."

"Since it's open, let's go in!" Ye Xinghan laughed loudly, ignoring the others. He strode purposefully towards the Ark's door, embracing the two women. Seeing his stance, the Divine Phoenix Sect members' expressions immediately changed. Feng Ximing frowned and said, "Young Palace Master Ye, please wait."

Ye Xinghan paused, turning his head. With a nonchalant expression, he said, "Does the Divine Phoenix Crown Prince have something to instruct me?"

"I wouldn't dare instruct," Feng Ximing said, gritting his teeth. "I just want to confirm if Young Palace Master intends to bring these two women in as well?"

"Naturally," Ye Xinghan's eyes narrowed slightly. "However, they are not 'two women.' They are my beloved concubines—Moon Ji and Charm Ji. Have you remembered?"

Ye Xinghan's last few words carried clear displeasure. Feng Ximing frowned sharply, just about to speak again, when Feng Feiyan let out a light snort and said, "Does Young Palace Master Ye know that only thirty-six people in total can enter the Primordial Profound Ark? And who enters is already predetermined; it's not simply a matter of who wants to go in! Young Palace Master Ye is among these thirty-six, but these two young ladies you've brought are not on our Divine Phoenix Sect's invitation list!"

The meaning in Feng Feiyan's words was incomparably clear, but how could a madman like Ye Xinghan be easily appeased? He squinted his eyes, smiling, and said, "What if this young master insists on bringing them in?"

The moment Ye Xinghan's overbearing and threatening words came out, Feng Feiyan's face instantly stiffened; for a moment, he didn't know how to respond. Just then, a soft, languid laugh echoed: "Oh, oh, Little Hanhan wants to bring these two women in, while others don't want Little Hanhan to bring these two women in... Isn't this problem simple? Just kill these two women, and it's completely resolved, kkkkkk..."

A charming laugh, even more alluring than a woman's, made everyone involuntarily shiver. Ye Xinghan's face immediately darkened. "Ji Qianrou, how dare you!"

"Oh," Ji Qianrou curled a finger, his eyebrow arching. "Does Little Hanhan mean he thinks I wouldn't dare?"

Ye Xinghan was incomparably arrogant, and Ji Qianrou was someone who held no one, not even the Heavenly King, in his eyes. If these two truly clashed, it would ultimately be the Divine Phoenix Sect that suffered terribly. Moreover, it was now the crucial moment for the Ark's gate to open. Feng Hengkong heavily exhaled, then stepped forward and said, "Two esteemed guests from the Sacred Grounds, the Ark's gate has opened. This is absolutely not the time for disputes and wasting time. Chi Ran, Yan Mu, you two stay outside then."

Feng Chi Ran and Feng Yan Mu, whom Feng Hengkong mentioned, walked out of the Divine Phoenix Sect's ranks. Although their faces were downcast, they had no choice but to comply, daring to be angry but not to speak against Ye Xinghan.

"Hahahahaha! Sect Master Phoenix indeed has a broad mind and is reasonable. This junior is endlessly grateful," Ye Xinghan proclaimed. "Moon Ji, Charm Ji, quickly thank Sect Master Phoenix."

"No need," Feng Hengkong said, raising a hand and trying to suppress the disgust in his heart. "The Ark's gate is open. Please enter, everyone."

"Of course, Sect Master Phoenix should go first," Ye Xinghan said, making a gesture of deference.

Feng Hengkong said no more. Leading Feng Xue'er, he stepped into the Ark's door first. The moment their bodies touched the spatial vortex, they completely vanished.

Ye Xinghan, Moon Ji, and Charm Ji followed closely. The rest of the Divine Phoenix Sect members then followed.

Ji Qianrou walked past Yun Che, then suddenly paused. Extending his fair fingers towards him, he said languidly, "Little Che Che, I owe you a favor, you know."

After speaking, he smiled alluringly and stepped into the spatial vortex.

"Owe you a favor?" Xia Yuanba widened his eyes, looking at Yun Che. "Brother-in-law, what did he mean by that?"

"Just a small matter. Let's go in too."

"Oh!"

Yun Che and Xia Yuanba were the last two to enter. The moment they touched the spatial vortex, a huge suction force rushed towards them, followed by a terrifying spatial tearing force that made his brain spin wildly. Just as Yun Che was about to activate his profound energy to resist the spatial tearing, his vision suddenly brightened.