Terrifying streams of Divine Sense swept out from every direction and forbidden region of the Divine Flame Imperial Palace. The void exploded, the Great Dao roared, and an aura of world-destroying power engulfed the entirety of Red King Mountain.

The previously arrogant Fire Virtue Great Saint, Yan Bin Great Saint, Mu Ke Great Saint, and even the peak Great Saint Shui Yuan Great Saint hunched their shoulders, tucking their heads as they trembled uncontrollably.

As for Welcoming Elder Luo Tong, who was merely at the Third Heaven of the Great Saint realm, he cowered in a corner of Red King Mountain, shivering so violently he scarcely dared to breathe.

The reason was simple. In this era where Great Emperors did not appear and Quasi-Emperors remained in Secluded Cultivation, Saint King realm powerhouses were the absolute zenith of combat power in this world.

It was no exaggeration to say that a single Saint King could dictate the rise and fall of a Holy Land or an Immortal Clan.

Even an entity as mighty as a Great Saint was nothing more than a slightly larger ant before a Saint King.

Saint Kings were the true measure of a faction's might; they were the ultimate foundation.

......

At this moment, aside from the occasional sound of space shattering, Red King Mountain was utterly silent.

It was an eerie, suffocating quiet-the heavy calm before a catastrophic storm.

Thousands of trial participants, including the so-called Great Qian Dynasty Crown Prince Li Long, had long been forcibly relocated hundreds of Li away by terrifying spatial forces.

The emergence of a Top Grade Five-Element Full Spiritual Root had instantly turned the entirety of Red King Mountain into the eye of the storm.

To prevent the news from leaking, the mighty figures had already activated the mountain-protecting grand formation, directly banishing all irrelevant bystanders.

Because next, Red King Mountain would become the stage for a...

World-shaking battle!!

"Boom! Boom! Boom!!"

The silence was violently shattered. Those terrifying streams of Divine Sense vanished and reappeared in the exact same instant.

Suddenly, massive rifts several Zhang long tore through the void to the east, west, south, and north of Red King Mountain. Four figures stepped out from the spatial fissures, their gazes locking onto Chu Chen on the high platform in perfect unison.

From the east strode a bare-chested, burly man. His body was corded with bulging muscles, so tall and thick-set that from afar, he resembled a walking mountain.

He possessed a broad forehead, a high nose bridge, and thick lips. His short hair stood on end like steel needles, exuding an overwhelming visual impact.

This was the East Palace Lord of the Divine Flame Imperial Palace-Tuoba Kuang!

From the west emerged a man with a cold, gloomy countenance. Dressed entirely in black, his face was frighteningly pale beneath a high nose bridge.

His eyes seemed to harbor infinite demonic power; merely meeting his gaze for a split second was enough to send freezing chills down one's spine.

This was the West Palace Lord of the Divine Flame Imperial Palace-Chou Rang!

From the south arrived a refined middle-aged man holding an ancient scroll.

He possessed handsome features and an elegant, unrestrained bearing. With the scroll in one hand and the other clasped behind his back, his face brimmed with a warm, spring-like smile.

This was the South Palace Lord of the Divine Flame Imperial Palace-Bai Yu!

The final figure was a middle-aged woman descending from the north. Compared to the other three, this beautiful woman was utterly stunning.

Her black hair was tied into a double bun, adorned with hanging tassels.

Her figure was slender, her features picturesque. Dressed in a flowing red gown, she appeared dignified and luxurious, yet her phoenix eyes rippled like spring water, casting flirtatious glances at everyone she saw.

This was the North Palace Lord of the Divine Flame Imperial Palace-Geng Yan!

"Greetings, East Palace Lord!"

"Greetings, West Palace Lord!"

"Greetings, South Palace Lord!"

"Greetings, North Palace Lord!"

......

The moment the four Palace Lords appeared, Great Saints like Fire Virtue, Yan Bin, and Mu Ke flew forward, bowing deeply in extreme humility.

As for Welcoming Elder Luo Tong, he was already so terrified that he knelt on the ground, burying his head deeply into the dirt, not daring to make a sound.

The Divine Flame Imperial Palace was located in the southern borders of the Desolate Ancient Continent. It was a Holy Land of the Demon Race, governing vast territories and ruling over millions of subjects.

Aside from the Elder Council directly under the Empress's jurisdiction, there were five branch palaces: East, West, South, North, and Central. These Palace Lords were akin to feudal lords, wielding supreme authority.

Due to their immense seniority, these five Palace Lords were all at the Saint King realm, their cultivation bases even surpassing that of Empress Lin Shuwang.

Since the previous Emperor's passing, the Empress had ascended the throne. Although she was ostensibly the master of the Divine Flame Imperial Palace, these Palace Lords harbored their own ulterior motives and had long coveted her seat.

This was especially true after Empress Lin Shuwang was defeated by Chu Chen three years ago. Her severe injuries had led to the rout of the Demon Race allied forces, causing these Palace Lords to grow increasingly arrogant.

If not for the Elder Council holding the line, the entire Divine Flame Imperial Palace would have long since fractured.

"Bai Yu, carrying a book wherever you go, you certainly moved fast!"

North Palace Lord Geng Yan cast a flirtatious glance at South Palace Lord Bai Yu, but her words dripped with venomous sarcasm:

"Aren't you afraid of snapping your old waist? Always pretending to be a refined scholar, why bother joining in our fun?"

Faced with Geng Yan's mockery, Bai Yu did not anger. He maintained his gentle smile, shifting his gaze to East Palace Lord Tuoba Kuang to provoke him instead:

"If a brute like Tuoba Kuang can come, why can't I?"

Tuoba Kuang didn't waste his breath. He simply clenched his fist and threw a punch directly at Bai Yu.

Boom!

It was a simple, unadorned strike. No Dharma Treasure was used, nor was there the slightest fluctuation of Spiritual Qi. Yet with this single punch, the Great Dao roared, and the earth threatened to split apart.

Wherever the fist wind passed, massive illusory mountains manifested in the void, crashing down toward Bai Yu.

Destructive power surged from all directions, instantly drowning the space where Bai Yu stood.

"Bai Yu, if Geng Yan is looking for trouble, don't drag me into it!"

"If you want to fight, just say the word!!"

Swish!

Faced with such ferocity, Bai Yu merely waved the ancient scroll in his hand. An invisible ripple spread outward. The void before him shattered, erupting with an unparalleled suction force that swallowed the fierce fist wind and the dozens of illusory mountains whole.

In the blink of an eye, the space mended itself, and the devastating attack vanished without a trace.

"Such a fiery temper. You are as arrogant as ever, Tuoba Kuang."

Bai Yu remained unbothered. As a scholar, his temperament was naturally superior to these brutes. There was no need to lose his composure over a minor scuffle.

Even if they had to fight to the death, that would have to wait until...

As for West Palace Lord Chou Rang, the gloomy man in black had not uttered a single word. He maintained a dark expression, his sharp, viper-like eyes fixed firmly on Chu Chen below, brimming with naked greed.

"A Top Grade Five-Element Full Spiritual Root... Forget our Divine Flame Imperial Palace, how long has it been since one appeared in the entire Desolate Ancient Continent?"

Geng Yan covered her mouth with a chuckle, smoothing out her flowing red gown. Her eyes rippled with amusement:

"It seems only the birth of such a peerless monster could simultaneously alarm us four... oh! No! Five Palace Lords!"

As she spoke, Geng Yan raised her eyes toward the very peak of Red King Mountain. An extremely tiny spatial fissure hovered there; without careful observation, it was completely invisible.

Clearly, this fissure belonged to the final Central Palace Lord.

Yet from beginning to end, the Central Palace Lord of the Divine Flame Imperial Palace had not shown himself.

"Besides the Central Palace Lord, do not forget that the Empress hasn't appeared either."

The one who spoke was the previously silent West Palace Lord, Chou Rang. The moment he opened his mouth, a thick layer of frost formed in the surrounding air, and the temperature plummeted.

"The Empress? Hmph!"

"I heard our Empress is in Secluded Cultivation. It seems she is about to break through again."

"Cultivating for just over twenty years, and she is already on the verge of breaking through to the peak of the Great Saint realm. Truly..."

"It makes one unable to sleep or eat in peace!!"

......

The discussion regarding the Empress did not last long. The four Palace Lords exchanged glances, silently agreeing to drop the topic, and turned their attention back to Chu Chen.

"A Top Grade Five-Element Full Spiritual Root is practically destined to step into the Emperor realm. Given enough time and resources, this child's cultivation will undoubtedly surpass ours!"

Bai Yu clasped his hands behind his back. His wise eyes locked onto Chu Chen on the high platform, swirling with greed, envy, and awe.

Talent was innate.

It could not be stolen, yet it was the most enviable thing in the world.

"Let's not beat around the bush. We all want to take him as a disciple."

Tuoba Kuang cracked his knuckles, his voice booming:

"But there's only one of him. Who gets him?"

The moment those words fell, the four Palace Lords exchanged glances. The atmosphere instantly ignited.

"A fight?"

"A fight!!"

Without another word, the four Palace Lords struck simultaneously. They manipulated terrifying spatial forces, tearing open a spatial battlefield in a corner of Red King Mountain.

The next instant, the four figures descended into the spatial battlefield, and a world-shaking battle erupted.

Boundless sword energy swept the void.

Roaring flames took the shape of dragons.

Spiritual Qi and spatial forces violently clashed. The sheer momentum threatened to sink the sun and moon and collapse heaven and earth.

From beginning to end, the four Palace Lords of the East, West, South, and North never once asked for Chu Chen's opinion.

It was as if his thoughts were entirely irrelevant. To be taken as a disciple by any of them was an immense honor.

Refusal was simply impossible!

Chu Chen raised his head, watching the shattered void above him where explosions continuously rang out. He frowned.

Although he didn't recognize the four Palace Lords of the Divine Flame Imperial Palace, he knew they were Saint King realm powerhouses. He could easily guess what their sudden appearance meant.

From the moment he stepped onto the high platform and touched the Awakening Spirit Jade Pillar, he had anticipated everything that would follow.

But...

Did these people really think a Top Grade Five-Element Full Spiritual Root was...

his limit???

Glancing at the sixth Awakening Spirit Jade Pillar right in front of him, the corner of Chu Chen's mouth curled up slightly.

This sixth Awakening Spirit Jade Pillar was used to test miscellaneous spiritual root attributes. If he stepped forward right now and pressed his palm against the ice-cold jade, a sixth beam of spiritual light would manifest out of thin air.

That beam of light would shoot upward, climbing all the way to the very peak of the pillar, reaching a full hundred meters in height!!

He, Chu Chen, had never possessed a mere Top Grade Five-Element Full Spiritual Root. He possessed the Desolate Ancient Continent's unprecedented, unrepeatable...

Top Grade All-Attribute Full Spiritual Root!!

What was an All-Attribute Full Spiritual Root?

It meant that beyond the basic Five Elements of Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth, there was also Wind, Thunder, Light, Darkness...

He could absorb and refine every single attribute of Spiritual Qi in this world!

He could comprehend and master every single cultivation technique of every attribute in this world!!

This was the fundamental reason why he was hailed as the number one cultivation genius of the Desolate Ancient Continent. Forget that white lotus Ye Xuan-even Empress Lin Shuwang would...

pale in comparison to his brilliance!!

Unfortunately, in his previous life, his brilliance had been too dazzling. Before he could fully mature, he had been chained down by so-called family ties. He had fought a bitter battle against the Empress for their sake, resulting in all his meridians being severed, his cultivation crippled, and his path to immortality destroyed.

In this life? Hmph!

Swish!

Just as Chu Chen was debating whether to step up to the sixth Awakening Spirit Jade Pillar and expose his Top Grade All-Attribute Full Spiritual Root, the void before him suddenly shattered. A hunched old man abruptly stepped out.

The old man's face was covered in age spots, and his eyes were cloudy. He was nearly bald, leaning heavily on a walking stick. He coughed occasionally, exuding a thick aura of death from head to toe.

"I am the Central Palace Lord of the Divine Flame Imperial Palace, Qi Lao'er!"

He looked at Chu Chen and spoke in a hoarse, grating voice:

"Are you willing to take me as your master?"

Chu Chen paused for a moment, then answered without a second thought:

"I am willing!"

Such a rapid agreement actually stunned Qi Lao'er. He subconsciously asked:

"Why? You should know that the other four Palace Lords also wish to take you as their disciple."

Chu Chen glanced up at the four Palace Lords still fighting fiercely in the spatial battlefield. A look of contemptuous mockery flashed across his face.

"Because their brains... aren't too good~"

Qi Lao'er: "......"