Chapter 811: Crisis

The Divine Silkworm Princess's slender fingers gently brushed her purple hair. Her fair, luminous face remained calm, yet it sent a shiver of fear through the ancient races before her. Everyone instinctively retreated. Even the two ancient kings' hearts pounded relentlessly, and they felt an urge to flee immediately.

"Princess, please quell your anger," one of the ancient kings said, steeling himself. "You have already killed an ancestral king; let everything end here."

People everywhere were astonished. An ancestral king had been killed, yet they endured it with such humility, clearly demonstrating the immense power of the Divine Silkworm Princess. People from Primordial Lake also stepped forward, shielding Yuan Gu and separating him from the Heavenly Emperor's Son, fearing he might be innocently implicated. With utmost deference, they pleaded, "Princess, please show mercy."

All around them, everyone held their breath. The Divine Silkworm Princess's power was far greater than they had imagined, forcing even these imperial clans to bow their heads in fear. How many ancestral kings could a major royal clan truly possess? Rarely more than three. To be called an "ancestral king" meant representing the entire great clan, a position of immense prestige. Killing one was tantamount to declaring war on that royal clan. Yet the Divine Silkworm Princess killed that ancestral king with a mere lift of her hand, showing not an ounce of hesitation. Her action was swift, decisive, and utterly fearless, sending shivers down everyone's spines.

"Princess, please quell your anger," the imperial clan from Fire Qilin Cave also pleaded, stepping forward to intercede.

"When the Princess dominated the Primordial Era, all kings retreated," people from Blood Phoenix Mountain added. "Why bother with such trivialities? Please forgive them."

The Divine Silkworm Princess's purple hair fell, partially obscuring her ethereal face. Her lips curled slightly, a hint of coldness and arrogance in her expression. Staring at the Heavenly Emperor's Son and Yuan Gu, she declared, "Do not presume on your noble birth. Relying on your ancestors' legacy is nothing. If you anger me, I will slaughter you all!"

The Heavenly Emperor's Son was struck as if by lightning, the nine divine halos behind his head almost disintegrating as his body trembled violently. Yuan Gu trembled even more, the black sun in his left eye and the blood moon in his right eye nearly dissolving.

"Princess..." Just then, people from Divine Silkworm Ridge also appeared, stepping forward to intercede. They were also somewhat worried. Although their formidable princess possessed profound abilities, she was not yet invincible. If she truly killed two ancient imperial sons, Divine Silkworm Ridge would face difficult times. The ancient ancestral kings would go mad and might even eliminate the Divine Silkworm Daoist in retaliation.

The Divine Silkworm Princess glanced at them, showing no intention of striking again. Everyone else let out a sigh of relief. She was truly a formidable goddess: beautiful and pristine, yet remarkably domineering and powerful.

The commotion subsided. Everyone now understood the true weight of things: although the Monkey lineage was sparse, almost extinct, the mere emergence of one of them was enough to inspire awe. People began to show him respect, genuinely acknowledging him as an eminent Holy Imperial Son from the bottom of their hearts.

The Divine Silkworm Princess expressed her gratitude to Ye Fan, then specifically inquired about the nine divine medicines in the Primordial Abyss, her brow furrowing in concern. Those were immortal medicines belonging to the Divine Silkworm race, originally growing on Divine Silkworm Ridge. Containing fragments of the Great Dao, they were the supreme treasures of her clan. How did they end up in that abyss? She recalled some past events but found it difficult to connect them with historical records. Back then, the ancient medicines had flown away on their own, and even a peerless Great Sage of the Divine Silkworm race, intervening personally, could not stop them.

"If I have time, I will go there myself," the Divine Silkworm Princess said.

"Princess, please be cautious," people from Divine Silkworm Ridge advised. "Ancient kings from other races have gone there, but they returned defeated."

"I understand," the Divine Silkworm Princess nodded. The small creature on her shoulder also grumbled, rolling its large white eyes with a mischievous expression.

"Little one, do you still remember me?" Ye Fan asked with a smile.

Nearby, everyone else remained silent, like cicadas in winter. No one dared to speak loudly in front of this goddess, yet Ye Fan was an exception, immediately drawing envious gazes.

"Humph humph," the little creature grumbled. Xiao Guai gave him a massive eye roll, firmly gripping a lock of the Divine Silkworm Princess's beautiful hair with a small claw, cautiously guarding against him as if afraid of being abducted.

"You ungrateful little thing," Ye Fan said, trying to pat it. "I helped you during your tribulation back then." This only provoked more grumbling.

In the distance, the ancient races all secretly frowned. Was the Human Holy Body trying to win over the Divine Silkworm Princess, to make Divine Silkworm Ridge stand on their side? Having one monkey was already enough trouble; with the Divine Silkworms added, everyone would have cause for concern.

"The path of the human race lies beneath their own feet; I cannot help them," the Divine Silkworm Princess said, making it clear she had no intention of intervening in the disputes among the various races. If Ye Fan, Li Heishui, and the others claimed not to be disappointed, they would be lying; they could not secure such a powerful ally. However, they also understood the complex relationships between the various races. The Divine Silkworm Princess had to prioritize Divine Silkworm Ridge and would not easily step into such turmoil.

"Even with the God-Sealing List appearing to deter the myriad races, some ancient kings still firmly believe that Emperor Wushi has long since passed away, and they will personally attend this grand gathering."

Finally, the Divine Silkworm Princess, accompanied by Xiao Guai, drifted away gracefully, light and unburdened, leaving Ye Fan and the others with only that single ominous remark. The major clans present all breathed a sigh of relief. As long as the Divine Silkworm Ridge princess didn't side with the human race, everything was manageable; otherwise, she truly would be a cause for their apprehension.

Ye Fan and the others, however, felt their hearts sink. This was truly not good news. Even with the God-Sealing List revealed, some ancient kings remained unconvinced, making the situation dire. Time was short. When the Myriad Races Grand Assembly truly began, these powerful ancient kings would arrive, likely bringing with them great chaos, perhaps even a major catastrophe!

"Even Emperor Wushi's God-Sealing List cannot suppress them?"

Ye Fan and Duan De were at their wit's end. This was the most powerful contingency they could deploy, and they had no other short-term solutions. Not only the Heavenly Emperor's Son's lineage among the ancient races understood Ancient Imperial Mountain; there must be others who knew deep secrets, otherwise, they would never so firmly believe Emperor Wushi had ascended into dust. However, among the human race themselves, apart from a few like Ye Fan, everyone believed Emperor Wushi was still alive. In recent days, the human race in the Northern Region was like boiling water, full of clamor everywhere. They had no idea that some ancient kings were sneering from the Primordial Era, a small portion of them still undeterred—a significant hidden danger. It was the same within the Jade Lake. Many human sect masters believed they had gained the upper hand and considerable influence, unaware that ancient kings were grimly watching them from above.

"What can be done about this?" Li Heishui frowned, filled with worry at the high spirits of the human race within the Jade Lake.

"Who exactly controls the God-Sealing List?" Ye Fan wondered. "Will he appear? And will he be able to deter them when the time comes?"

"It shouldn't be that dog, right?" Duan De muttered mysteriously. "Given its status, it's likely an existence that lingered between destruction and rebirth and has now truly re-established itself, having followed Wushi after all."

"Could it really be the Black Emperor?" Ye Fan mused, stroking his chin. "That's unlikely. With his greedy and shameless demeanor, how could he be a master? That scoundrel's eyes light up at the mere sight of treasure; he'd even rob acquaintances, making him more unscrupulous than Duan De."

Currently, the human race severely lacked powerful masters to defend them. Once the assembly began, the situation would likely be very grim.

"Let's hide this saint's shell for now," the Monkey said after careful thought, presenting a grave concern. "Since powerful ancient kings are set to appear, they will likely try to establish their authority immediately. Given that they don't believe Emperor Wushi is alive, they might directly kill your only saint first." He knew the ancient kings too well.

"Indeed," Duan De agreed. "A saint's shell is difficult to awe; after all, it's not a truly living saint. If the Sky-Devouring Demonic Pot were shaken out and they discovered it was just a dead shell, the consequences would be even worse."

At this moment, Ye Fan and the others felt a chilling coldness, like an autumn wind sweeping through, leaving myriad leaves to wither and an air of desolation.

"Brother Ye, it's been twelve years since we last met. Tonight, we won't stop until we're drunk." Not far away, the Great Xia Imperial Prince approached, his face beaming with a sincere smile at their reunion.

Ye Fan temporarily set aside his worries and went to greet him. After exchanging pleasantries with the Great Xia Imperial Prince, he then smiled at the little nun in white beside him, saying, "Little master, you've grown even more beautiful and charming. Have you married yet?"

Li Tian opened his folding fan with a "snap" and swaggered, swaying with each step. "Little master," he said, "how old are you? Would you be willing to study the profound principles of Buddhism with me?"

The little nun, who was once like a delicate porcelain doll, had grown up, but her large eyes were still clear. She was still very reliant on her elder brother, hiding behind him, and pouted, saying, "None of you are good people!"

"Heh heh..." A group of people gave dry laughs, feeling a sense of guilt for thus teasing a young Buddhist nun. The Great Xia Imperial Prince smiled, not offended, knowing that this group wouldn't genuinely harm his sister and were merely jesting.

"Brother Yue Kong, come over here!" Li Heishui, with his sharp eyes, spotted a group from the Heavenly Demon Palace who had just entered the Jade Lake and called out to their young master.

Yao Yuekong was strikingly heroic. His purple robes fluttered, and his demeanor was far superior to before; it was unclear how many times stronger he had become, his essence, spirit, and vitality nearly boiling with energy.

"Ye Fan, Brother Heishui, I didn't expect to see you again!" Yao Yuekong exclaimed, very excited.

"Where have you been all these years?" the Great Xia Imperial Prince asked the young master of the Heavenly Demon Palace. "Why has there been no news of you?"

"I was in seclusion for over a decade and finally managed to heal my body," Yao Yuekong replied. Everyone knew that as a Heavenly Demon Body, he should have been able to dominate his peers. However, he had been schemed against in his mother's womb before he was even born, which had left him constantly weak and unable to display the true power of the Heavenly Demon.

"Congratulations!" The group all offered their blessings and congratulations.

Soon after, Ji Haoyue and his sister also arrived, entering the Jade Lake with a group of old masters from the Ji family. They had not traveled north with Ye Fan and the others. The Jade Lake Saintess led the two of them over. A lively gathering of old friends ensued, and they temporarily forgot the uncertainty of humanity's future and the worries in their hearts. Beneath an ancient tree, they exchanged toasts and drank heartily.

Old acquaintances from previous years continuously joined them. When the Southern Demon and Qi Huoshui arrived, they also brought along the Central Emperor, whom they weren't particularly familiar with.

"Could it be him? Why do I feel as if I've vaguely seen an old friend?" The Central Emperor's words made both Ye Fan and Duan De shiver. Only the two of them were paying close attention, so they heard it faintly.

Their gathering was undoubtedly a small grand assembly. The Monkey vigorously challenged the Divine Silkworm Daoist to a drinking contest, while the Southern Demon and the Central Emperor drank using Daoist arts and qi refinement. Ye Fan grabbed Duan De and covered his mouth with a wine jar. The Divine King Body Ji Haoyue and the Heavenly Demon Body Yao Yuekong discussed their physiques… The Jade Lake Saintess, Qi Huoshui, Ji Ziyue, and the little nun each possessed ethereal beauty, vying with one another as they gracefully sipped their drinks, their postures captivating.

"Boom!"

Finally, what was bound to happen, happened. A powerful ancient king descended, divine bells ringing incessantly as an overwhelming, undisguised aura of a saint surged into the Jade Lake. An ancient king, with a dragon's head and enveloped in divine light, strode in. Wherever he passed, all beings uncontrollably prostrated themselves. This was the pressure of a saint, which ordinary cultivators simply couldn't withstand. He walked directly towards the human group, resulting in an endless series of thuds as everyone was forced to their knees by his overwhelming aura.

The might of a saint was irresistible! He clearly did this intentionally. He strode forward, sneering, "I heard that the human race has produced a saint; how rare. Come here and let me see if it's truly deserved!" He was arrogant, carrying a hint of murderous intent. What the Divine Silkworm Princess and the Monkey had predicted came true: a powerful ancient king had just arrived and already wished to brutally kill the human race's "only saint."