CHAPTER 1210: CHAPTER 1149: THE FIVE GRAND STAR LORDS

When Ye Chen arrived above the sea outside the Nine-Bend Devil’s Domain, the number of people gathered had already reached tens of millions.

And people were continuously flying towards this gathering area.

Among these gathered groups, there were as few as a couple dozen people in some, while in others, there were thousands or even tens of thousands gathered together, creating the impression that entire great forces had been mobilized.

The gathering circles of the different groups were distinctly separated.

Everyone was waiting for the opening of the Divine Sects of Nine-Bend Devil’s Domain.

Whenever a new person arrived, countless gazes would appraise them.

And the newcomers would quickly integrate into one of the small circles.

When Ye Chen flew into this area, countless individuals recognized him, prompting discussions about Ye Chen within numerous circles.

After all, at the Ancient Peace Pavilion auction not long ago, Ye Chen’s remarkable performance had made him stand out. Nearly everyone at that auction had now come to the Nine-Bend Devil’s Domain, so naturally, countless people recognized Ye Chen.

For those who didn’t attend the auction, they had learned from their companions about Ye Chen’s formidable display at the event and were now curiously sizing him up.

These gazes were filled with shock, admiration, doubt, and disbelief.

"Ye Chen!"

Just as Ye Chen was about to find a place to settle, swoosh, swoosh, swoosh, four people flew out from a circle, smiling broadly as they approached Ye Chen.

These four individuals were all at the Dominion Realm.

They were the four Peak Lords who had previously acted alongside Zhulong and were later spared by Ye Chen. They had informed Ye Chen about matters concerning the Nine-Bend Devil’s Domain and had invited him to form a team.

"Fellow Daoist Wang, Fellow Daoist Jian... you came early as well."

Ye Chen recognized the four, and seeing their beaming faces, he smiled and greeted them.

At this time, the four looked at Ye Chen with an utmost sense of awe from the depths of their hearts.

They had already witnessed Ye Chen’s powerful performance before, seeing him annihilate Zhulong and three other Peak Lords with a single hand, leaving a deep impression on them.

Later, upon returning, they were preparing for the Nine-Bend Devil’s Domain expedition and didn’t attend the Ancient Peace Pavilion auction.

However, they had disciples who went to the auction and witnessed Ye Chen’s performance firsthand.

Upon hearing about the auction from these disciples and recognizing Ye Chen through the Divine Light Seal, they were utterly astounded.

They already knew Ye Chen was formidable.

But they never imagined Ye Chen would face the Cosmic Emperors without fear, nor fear the absolute pinnacle forces of the Three Palaces and Four Islands.

Their reverence for Ye Chen had grown to even greater heights.

They were incredibly eager for the Nine-Bend Devil’s Domain trip, hoping to team up with Ye Chen.

Therefore, when they saw Ye Chen flying over, they rushed to greet him.

"Ye Chen, why don’t you join us at our islands’ gathering area for some rest?"

The leader among them, a Peak Lord surnamed Wang, invited Ye Chen.

Ye Chen glanced around, first examining the black Divine Gate, then noting that among the millions gathered, most were Divine Venerables, Sovereigns, or Divine Masters, with the Dominators being fewer, and as for Cosmic Emperors or the rumored Star Lords, none had arrived.

The three palaces and four islands, several pinnacle forces, had not arrived early either.

Even figures like Gu Feng and Gu Yanyan from the Ancient Peace Pavilion had not appeared.

It seemed these great forces and prominent figures were composed and might be waiting for the right time to appear.

Scanning the surroundings and noticing no familiar faces, Ye Chen saw the four Peak Lords smiling ingratiatingly, thought for a few moments, and then smiled, "Then I’ll trouble you, fellow Daoists."

Hearing Ye Chen willing to rest in their circle, the four Peak Lords were overjoyed to the extreme.

They hurriedly escorted Ye Chen toward their circle.

These four Peak Lords, though not as prominent as Gu Feng or the Three Palaces and Four Islands, were considered mid to upper-tier forces in the Sea of Exile.

Their gathering circle had over ten thousand people, including dozens of Dominator-level individuals, with innumerable below that level.

Among them, there were even very young boys and girls who had been brought out.

As Ye Chen, accompanied by the four Peak Lords, approached this circle, over ten thousand people seemed instructed to stand up, looking respectfully at Ye Chen.

Even those with Middle or Greater Tribulation Dominator realms, clearly higher than Ye Chen in level, did not dare show any disrespect towards him.

Seeing over ten thousand people respectfully looking at him, all standing to welcome him, Ye Chen couldn’t help but smile wryly in his heart.

"It seems, no matter where you go, it’s all about power!"

"I spared these people’s lives last time, and they probably regard me as a figure akin to a Cosmic Emperor."

"These respectful gazes are from Dominators, Divine Masters, even the weakest among them are Divine King Venerables... Back when I was a True God, I was also very respectful towards Divine King Venerables, while Divine Masters and Dominators were unimaginable realms. Now, these people are genuinely in awe of me..."

Ye Chen mused, feeling a surge of fervor within him.

Yet he still had people to look up to.

Those powerful Cosmic Emperors, those Star Lords.

If one day, he surpassed beings like these, making even Star Lords revere him, what a scene that would be!

"Lord Ye Chen!"

"Welcome, Lord Ye Chen, to our Four Directions Island and Sky Ridge Island..."

"Lord Ye Chen, please take your seat!"

As Ye Chen walked into this circle, countless people rushed toward him, and the Four Peak Lords even specially arranged for a few young and beautiful girls to greet Ye Chen. This made Ye Chen wave his hand repeatedly: "Fellow daoists, if you continue like this, I will leave."

Finally, when the Four Peak Lords hurriedly had the unrelated crowd step back, Ye Chen sighed deeply and sat cross-legged in the void surrounded by the crowd.

This spectacle, when seen by people from other circles, sparked a wave of discussions.

However, Ye Chen paid no mind to these.

This journey to the Nine Bends Demon Realm is primarily concerned with the business of the realm itself.

"Fellow daoists, according to your estimates, how many days until the Nine Bends Demon Realm opens?"

After sitting down, Ye Chen looked towards the black god gate on the outskirts of the Nine Bends Demon Realm and asked the four Peak Lords beside him.

The four also turned their gazes to the towering black god gate, looking at the progress of the black sea water absorption with infinite anticipation in their eyes: "At most, according to this pace, the Nine Bends Demon Realm will officially open in three days!"

Ye Chen gazed at the black god gate closely.

Then, Ye Chen nodded.

According to the information he had gathered about the Nine Bends Demon Realm, comparing it to the appearance of this black god gate, indeed, it would open in just a few days.

A few days are but a blink of an eye for beings of their level, so there’s no need to hurry.

"I wonder what kind of situation the Nine Bends Demon Realm will present this time..." Ye Chen sighed deeply.

During this time, Ye Chen also inquired about many things concerning the Nine Bends Demon Realm. According to the Sea of Exile’s historical records, the Nine Bends Demon Realm opens once every ten thousand years, and every time it opens, the situation inside is completely different.

This causes countless people who hope to smoothly explore the Nine Bends Demon Realm based on past experiences to abandon these thoughts.

Every opening presents an entirely new situation within the Nine Bends Demon Realm.

The dangers within will also be things everyone has never seen before.

Of course, every time, countless treasures and opportunities will also appear within the Nine Bends Demon Realm, enabling many to ascend to greater heights in one step!

This is why the entire Sea of Exile is eager to venture into the Nine Bends Demon Realm!

As Ye Chen reflected on the unpredictable nature of the Nine Bends Demon Realm, the four Peak Lords beside him also felt a bit apprehensive: "Ye Chen, although the circumstances inside the Nine Bends Demon Realm are different each time, it does divide into nine major spaces each time, hence its name."

"According to past experiences, the earlier spaces have lower danger levels, but one must be cautious with the latter spaces, especially the final three, which reportedly even a Star Lord could fall in."

"We must exercise extreme caution once we enter."

Ye Chen nodded his head.

He sat cross-legged within this circle of the four Peak Lords, quietly waiting.

Time passed...

Soon, another day had gone by.

By this time, over a hundred million people had gathered outside the Nine Bends Demon Realm.

As another day passed, the area above the sea outside the Nine Bends Demon Realm suddenly became bustling, as one big force after another from the three palaces and four islands arrived, even bringing familiar figures to Ye Chen like Gu Feng and Gu Yanyan along with a large group from the Ancient Peace Pavilion, and many solitary old figures whom Ye Chen did not know but who appeared extraordinary, all arrived one after another.

These solitary elders each gave Ye Chen an unfathomable feeling.

Ye Chen speculated that these might be the Cosmic Emperor-level figures who haven’t appeared in the Sea of Exile for many ages!

These people might not be any weaker than those principal figures of the Three Palaces and Four Islands.

After all, even those principal figures couldn’t help but sit up a bit straighter at the sight of these arrivals.

When these people arrived, Gu Feng and Gu Yanyan greeted Ye Chen and even invited him to join their group.

However, the four Peak Lords had respectfully accompanied him for so long that Ye Chen was aware of their thoughts and did not leave outright.

Not only did Gu Feng and Gu Yanyan invite Ye Chen, but even the first-ranked Sky Extreme Demon Island of the Three Palaces and Four Islands had its Island Master’s daughter, Tianli Weiwei, invite Ye Chen upon seeing him.

"Ye Chen, I’m really sorry, I asked my father, but he doesn’t know any other means to go to the Primal Beginning Universe." Tianli Weiwei apologized the moment she approached Ye Chen.

"However, my father said that if Ye Chen is willing, he could recommend you to a major force in the Cosmic Sea, which indeed plans to go to the Primal Beginning Universe in a few years."

"Ye Chen, would you like to join us at Sky Extreme Demon Island, so we can act together once the Nine Bends Demon Realm opens?"

Tianli Weiwei’s words brought a slight disappointment to Ye Chen’s heart.

Going to the Primal Beginning Universe in a few years? It might be faster through the Nine Spirits Secret Order.

Introduced by Tianli Weiwei, Ye Chen also met the Island Master of Sky Extreme Demon Island, a prominent figure in the Sea of Exile known as the Sky Extreme Demon Master!

This was a handsome middle-aged man, looking just like a lean scholar.

He was completely different from Ye Chen’s imagined version of the Sky Extreme Demon Master as a fiendish demon master engulfed in flames.

Nevertheless, Ye Chen declined Tianli Weiwei’s invitation. After all, he wasn’t very familiar with Tianli Weiwei. He simply paid his respects to the Sky Extreme Demon Master before returning to the circle with the Four Peak Lords.

With the successive arrival of major forces from the Three Palaces and Four Islands, the population outside the Nine Bends Demon Realm reached unprecedented numbers, amounting to three to four hundred million!

Finally, five great Star Lords descended into this void!