Chapter 1516: Gathering of Heroes

Although countless rumors circulated, they were, after all, just hearsay, with no real evidence in the world. Time flowed by, and ages passed, making it impossible to verify anything now.

"Brother Huaizun," someone asked, "we outsiders don't know, but as the prince with the noblest bloodline of the Golden Crow lineage, you should know the truth, right? Are you truly descendants of the Heavenly Sovereign?"

As soon as this question was uttered, not only the dozen or so people present, but even the heroes in the distance were startled. Glances swept over, and the entire area quieted down considerably.

Prince Huaizun shook his head. His golden feather robe shimmered with brilliant light, clanging like it was made of metal. Of course, he wouldn't admit it.

"No one knows what race the Heavenly Sovereign belonged to," he said, "but he was certainly not of the same race as my Golden Crow lineage." He directly denied it.

There were endless rumors in the world, all claiming that the Heavenly Sovereign was born from the will of heaven and earth, absorbing a significant portion of the essence of the Nine Heavens and Ten Lands, and was incomparably powerful from birth.

In fact, among various legends, a larger proportion believed the Heavenly Sovereign was human, as he had always appeared in human form before achieving enlightenment.

Moreover, his various behaviors were also strongly associated with humanity. However, his innate power was a point of suspicion, leading to various secret legends.

"It's natural for Prince Huaizun to deny being a descendant of the Heavenly Sovereign," said Shi Zhongxuan, "but the worldly legend that the Golden Crow clan are descendants of the Heavenly Emperor isn't necessarily false." Shi Zhongxuan, tall and upright, with a commanding aura and formidable martial prowess, possessed a unique temperament due to his stone arms.

"Why?" someone asked.

"It's true that the Heavenly Sovereign was a Heavenly Emperor; when people mention Heavenly Emperor, they think of him," Shi Zhongxuan said. "However, the Ruthless Great Emperor was also once called Heavenly Emperor, as everyone knows. It's simply because they were incredibly powerful, unparalleled throughout history. In fact, did the title 'Heavenly Emperor' truly originate with the Heavenly Sovereign? I doubt it." He shook his head.

Ancient history was shrouded in mist, and the Mythological Era was extremely distant. During that period, there were supreme Celestial Venerables, invincible Chaos Physiques, and various powerful primeval ancestral lineages.

Someone once proposed an almost absurd hypothesis, suggesting that before that era, there was also an ancient heavenly dynasty, possibly originating from the Desolate Pagoda.

This theory was not widely accepted by the mainstream world, but many ancient remnant tribes believed it was true.

Why did the Heavenly Sovereign choose this name? It was by taking keywords from the titles of the Heavenly Emperor and the Nine Great Celestial Venerables. Merged together, they showcased his supreme authority.

"I wonder if what I've said is correct?" Shi Zhongxuan asked.

"This kind of legend is even harder to accept; it's too ancient," Prince Huaizun said, shaking his head. "No one in the world can confirm whether that heavenly dynasty truly existed. Furthermore, even if it did exist, it has no connection to my Golden Crow clan."

He frankly stated that the Golden Crow clan were not descendants of any Heavenly Emperor at all. All the various legends were mistaken and had no relation to them whatsoever.

"Does the Golden Crow clan truly have a Quasi-Emperor?" Jiang Yifei asked, his smile gentle, making people feel as if bathed in a spring breeze.

As soon as this question was posed, the atmosphere immediately grew extremely silent. Everyone stopped speaking, as it concerned a matter of great importance. No one had expected the aloof and transcendent clan leader of the Jiang family to be so direct.

Whether it was Feng Huang or Princess Yueling, or Shi Zhongxuan and the others, all looked towards Prince Huaizun of the Golden Crow clan.

In the distance, everyone trembled with shock and fell silent. Whether they were conversing or drinking tea, they all seemed to freeze, gazing in this direction.

Prince Huaizun's eyes turned cold, his pupils constricted as he stared at Jiang Yifei, saying: "You are all so interested in my clan, from its origins to the present. Do you truly wish to know every detail?"

"Brother Huaizun, please don't misunderstand, we mean no harm," someone nearby quickly interjected, trying to smooth things over, not wanting the atmosphere to become too tense. "We are merely curious and wish to learn more."

"It's merely an aspiration towards the Quasi-Emperor realm, nothing more," Jiang Yifei said calmly, pouring and drinking a cup for himself.

Princess Yueling, dazzlingly beautiful, outshining even the sun, had a hint of apology on her fair, pretty face as she said: "If Prince Huaizun does not wish to speak of it, then so be it. We were merely curious; after all, a Quasi-Emperor is a rare sight, inspiring awe."

Prince Huaizun nodded, surprising everyone by directly stating that their clan indeed had an Emperor-level figure, which was not false, and revealed their origin.

"What? Prince Tianzhou didn't become a Quasi-Emperor, but the old Quasi-Emperor from back then is still alive?" someone in the distance exclaimed, unable to hide their shock.

"Who is Tianzhou, and what's with this old Quasi-Emperor?" The area immediately became noisy, many people puzzled.

These races came from various realms, and some clans, being adjacent to the ancient region of Huosang Star, knew the Golden Crow clan very well.

"Even if he didn't say it, we would know," someone sneered. "Speaking honestly now merely gives an impression of sincerity."

"Fellow Daoist, please elaborate," many people eagerly pressed for more information.

Meanwhile, in front of the pavilion, Jiang Yifei, Feng Huang, Shi Zhongxuan, Princess Yueling, and others seated around the stone table were all staring intently at Prince Huaizun, asking him to explain in detail.

"In the past, the Golden Crow clan was extremely powerful, and Huosang Star was at its peak of glory," someone who knew the inside story whispered from the distance, revealing the truth. "That clan produced ten princes, the weakest of whom had reached the Saint Realm."

Furthermore, it was said that those ten princes were still in their growth phase.

"Ten sons from one family, not all of them even at their peak, yet the weakest is a Saint? How powerful must that be?!" Everyone exclaimed in surprise.

"Huosang Star is entirely populated by Golden Crows, with few outside races, so it's understandable that there would be many Saints," someone explained. "However, ten such powerful sons from one family is still rare. Still, it makes sense, because their father is a Quasi-Emperor."

In the distance, Ye Fan remained calm, but upon hearing these words, his heart skipped a beat. He recalled a bloody incident from the other side of the starry sky.

"Later, for unknown reasons, the ten Golden Crow princes ventured forth together, embarking on an expedition to an ancient star domain. But unfortunately, no matter how great their divine powers were, they failed there, and almost all of them perished. Only one prince returned alive, named Tianzhou."

Ye Fan sighed inwardly; it was indeed that bloody incident. The ten Golden Crow sons caused havoc in ancient China, and were shot down one by one by Da Yi. Only one, named Tianzhou, escaped.

Later, the clan's Quasi-Emperor was enraged and personally arrived in ancient China. Alas, the generation's hero, Da Yi, despite his heaven-shaking and earth-shattering cultivation, being at the peak of the Great Saint realm and even close to taking that breakthrough step, still died with regret, his blood staining the vast land.

Unfortunately, in that era, although ancient China had a few Quasi-Emperors, they had all departed, and no one could stand up for Da Yi or save his life, leading to the premature death of a generation's prodigy.

The people present were naturally unaware of this bloody incident, and the Golden Crow clan would, of course, not elaborate on it. Almost no one here knew of Da Yi's prestige.

Prince Huaizun spoke calmly, saying: "Tianzhou is my grandfather. He has not yet taken that step. As for the Great Emperor mentioned in the world, that is my great-grandfather."

The crowd was in an uproar; some knew, but most had never heard of it. Now, with his personal confirmation, everyone's expressions changed, and they were inwardly shocked.

Many people thought Tianzhou had broken through to that realm. They never imagined that the so-called Quasi-Emperor was still that old Emperor. How old was he exactly? That he was still alive and immortal in the world was truly astonishing.

Only Ye Fan sneered inwardly. Tianzhou wanting to become a Quasi-Emperor? What a joke! He had once fled for his life from Da Yi, practically scared out of his wits. Had his nine elder brothers not fought with all their might to the death, how could he have escaped?

"When will His Majesty of the Golden Crow clan arrive?" Shi Zhongxuan asked. There truly was a Quasi-Emperor, and an invincible elder at that, making him formidable.

"My great-grandfather has encountered some issues and won't be able to come here for a while," Tianzhou said. But this was enough. With everything said today, even if the old Quasi-Emperor of the clan did not appear, no one would dare to provoke the Golden Crow clan; to do so would be pure suicide. They would certainly be dealt with in the future.

Everyone couldn't help but think of the Human Saint Body, who had killed so many Golden Crow powerhouses. Could he escape this time? Even if he possessed an Imperial Armament, he couldn't defend himself at all times.

Without a doubt, a tremendous storm was brewing for the future!

"Miss Feng Huang is stunningly brilliant, a true genius of this world," someone spoke up, very curious about the Feng clan's stone stele, all wanting to know what content it recorded. "As a child, she was able to create techniques suitable for herself, and now she has deciphered the enigma of the ancestral stele. Could you enlighten us a little?"

"It's just a scripture," Feng Huang said lightly, "which of you, from various realms, hasn't mastered a heaven-defying technique?"

Everyone knew that ancient scriptures were great secrets, and clans never revealed them. Asking further was impossible.

However, Feng Huang did reveal some details, stating that it was a dragon stele, inscribed with human-headed, snake-bodied characters, left by an ancient Celestial Venerable.

In the distance, Ye Fan frowned, thinking: Human-headed, snake-bodied characters... dragon stele. He thought of Fuxi from ancient China. Could he also have formed a Samsara Seal and reappeared in the world, just like Laozi?

Was the prediction of the Celestial Venerable Lingbao finally coming true?!

"Princess Feng is indeed a talent blessed by the heavens," Shi Zhongxuan said. "A puzzle that past sages could not decipher, yet you have solved it, witnessing the emergence of an immortal scripture. This is truly a great fortune."

"The Princess of the Feng clan is an extraordinary woman of this era; naturally, few can compare to her," many people offered compliments.

As everyone discussed ancient times and the present, recounting their orthodoxies, soon, a graceful woman approached from a distance. She was incomparably elegant, with flowing, water-blue hair, bright, intelligent eyes, like an elf, yet amidst her ethereal grace, there was also an unparalleled aura of power.

"That's the Heavenly Maiden of Fire Lin Cave, returned from beyond the realms; her cultivation is now unfathomable!"

"The true youngest daughter of an ancient Emperor, appearing in this great era, is endowed with endless hopes. Naturally, she is the most outstanding among her siblings."

Everyone discussed, all filled with awe.

"It's truly delightful that heroes of our generation have gathered, almost all of them present," Shi Zhongxuan said, standing up and smiling at Huo Liner.

"That's not entirely accurate; several formidable individuals have left and are no longer in the Big Dipper Starfield," Huo Liner said with a smile. With a glance, she eclipsed the very heavens and earth; her beauty was unparalleled, certainly no less than Princess Yueling's.

Shi Zhongxuan slapped his forehead and said: "I almost forgot! I've heard that the Big Dipper Starfield produces prodigies, truly living up to its name as the Buried Emperor Star. In the past, there were figures like Yao Guang and Zhong Huang, and I've also heard of heroes such as the Saint Prince and Huang Xudao. It's a pity I can't meet them today."

Huo Liner chuckled and said: "There's another formidable one you forgot. He has already returned and is in the Eastern Wasteland, quite possibly even here."

Upon hearing this, everyone showed a surprised expression. They immediately realized who it was; when discussing the younger generation, how could they possibly overlook that particular individual? Their significance was so immense it could make the heavens fall!

"Indeed, he is very strong," Shi Zhongxuan said indifferently, his expression entirely different from before.

"Why hasn't Ye Fan, the Human Saint Body, come?" Powerhouses from various clans in the distance began to discuss.

Prince Huaizun's expression changed dramatically upon hearing that name, but eventually, his emotions settled, and he sat there quietly.

Princess Yueling's heart also stirred, and her eyes flashed. Back in the Immortal Pool of the Qinling Mountains, her clan had used the Nine Li Divine Map and almost killed Ye Fan.

Feng Huang also showed a surprised expression. Many things had happened in the past; looking back, it felt like a dream. Her words back then had been too harsh, and now, even conceiving a Quasi-Emperor was so difficult!

The area was abuzz with noise; mentioning Ye Fan naturally sparked widespread discussion among the heroes, because his reputation was simply too immense.

Just then, an ancient war chariot slowly approached. It was worn and dilapidated, bearing the marks of time, clearly an ancient artifact.