Suddenly, waves rippled across the vast expanse of molten sea, and a colossal vortex—stretching thousands of zhang in height—gently took shape on the molten surface. At its far end, as though something were about to emerge, a peculiar ripple subtly spread throughout the heavens and earth. This unexpected development on the molten sea drew the attention of many, who now all displayed expressions of astonishment. Xiao Yan gazed intently at the swirling vortex below, his eyes filled with deep alertness. He hadn't forgotten that a mysterious creature still guarded the outer sanctum of the ancient emperor's dwelling—should that being break free, it would undoubtedly have a profound impact on the current battle dynamic. "Sigh!" As Xuanyin focused intently on the molten vortex, a sudden ripple passed through the space not far behind him, and then a disheveled, elderly figure emerged—his once pervasive death energy now significantly diminished, clearly bearing the appearance of a severely wounded individual. "Didn't die?" Xuanyin sensed this and turned slightly, gazing at the frail elder, his eyes flickering with surprise. Yet when his gaze settled on the figure held tightly in Houneng Tian's hands, a cold laugh escaped him. That very person—already lost in the struggle—was none other than Houneng Tian himself. Xuanyin had unleashed a dozen devastating Fire Lotus attacks and simultaneously detonated the Gate of Stillness. The combined force of these two actions was terrifyingly powerful. Even though Houneng Tian and his companion were both full-fledged Eight-Star Battle Saints, they were ultimately reduced to one death and one severe injury. The soul-born Tian, first spewing out several mouthfuls of blood, then gazing in fear at Xiang Yan at a distance, though his eyes flickered with resentment, he clearly understood that in his current state, he could no longer stand a chance against Xiang Yan. With a deep breath, he dragged his heavily wounded body and swiftly retreated. Xiang Yan glanced at the fleeing Tian, deciding not to pursue him immediately. Though he had orchestrated a decisive victory—killing one and severely wounding the other—his own exhaustion was also considerable. Moreover, with the ancient emperor Tuo She's abode about to emerge, he needed to concentrate his full attention on that matter. Even if Tian managed to escape, he would be unable to participate in the battle. "Hoo-hoo!" The colossal magma vortex spun ever more violently, its thunderous roar echoing across the sky. "Boom!" Suddenly, a tremendous roar echoed from the heavens, and three figures stumbled backward, their forms disheveled. Among them, two were particularly overwhelmed—so much that the death energy swirling around them nearly completely dispersed, their combat strength weakened by several tiers. With their current capabilities, halting Gu Yuan seemed like child's play. The sheer force of such a master's assault meant that even a slight contact would inflict significant injuries. Yet, he also understood that the efforts of the three—Xuzi, Tunyan, and Xuwei—were merely aimed at slightly delaying him. "Spirit Emperor," Gu Yuan lifted his head, gazing at the figure controlling the Tasho Ancient Jade. A flash of cold light passed through his eyes as he took a single step—space rippled—and he materialized directly behind the Spirit Emperor. The celestial tides surged and roared, eventually coalescing into a colossal tidal hand that slammed down with fierce force upon the Spirit Emperor. "Boom!" Faced with Gu Yuan's assault, the Spirit Emperor burst into laughter, launching a punch that shattered the void, forcefully countering Gu Yuan's palm strike. "Gu Yuan, it's too late. Now, simply wait for the emergence of the Tasho Emperor's abode!" The Spirit Emperor drifted back, firmly clutching the Jade of the Tasho Emperor in his hands. Upon hearing these words, Gu Yuan's expression grew serious. He glanced downward at the magma sea and indeed observed that the vortex atop the magma surface had suddenly expanded by several times. "Boom! Boom! Boom!" As the vortex expanded, a colossal column of molten rock, stretching a full thousand zhang, suddenly erupted in a sweeping wave from the molten sea surface, sweeping across the battlefield and affecting countless figures on both sides. The intense heat and powerful force caused immediate casualties on both sides. Observing the molten sea now heaving with turbulent waves, the Hún Tiān Dì's growing excitement deepened. He could feel the ancient Tū Shě Dì Yù in his hands suddenly grow unusually hot. "Hoo!" A molten wave towering a thousand zhang surged upward and then crashed down, splashing up a deluge of molten rock. As the molten vortex, once spinning rapidly, gradually slowed in pace, massive plumes of molten rock began to rise from the sea's surface, spreading out in vivid red waves. With the molten rock spreading, an ancient stone gate, standing as majestic as the heavens, slowly emerged from the molten sea, rising under the intense, reverent gazes of all present. The lava on the stone gate swiftly receded, and an ancient, wild atmosphere immediately filled the realm. Under this atmosphere, all things grew still—even the mighty ancient Yuan and the Spirit Emperor, whose strength was unparalleled, felt a profound sense of awe. It was an atmosphere that transcended the very realm itself! Countless eyes from across the heavens converged upon the ancient stone gate, and ultimately, they all settled upon the four ancient characters etched above it. "Imperial Palace of the Ancient Emperor!" The Spirit Emperor's eyes flashed with astonishing brilliance. Even with his unwavering composure, witnessing these characters that had been pursued for over a thousand years stirred deep emotion within him. "Finally, you've been found..." he murmured softly, and then, unable to contain himself, burst into thunderous laughter, his voice echoing across the heavens. "This must be the legendary Ancient Emperor's sanctuary..." Gu Yuan was momentarily stunned, gazing in quiet wonder at the ancient stone gate standing still atop the molten rock. The aura emanating from it made him realize this was no mere illusion—it was truly a relic of a Battle Emperor! Only the artifacts left behind by the legendary Battle Emperors could stir such profound awe within him. Staring at the serene, unmoving gate, it took Gu Yuan a moment to regain his composure. His eyes still held a complex mix of emotions. For generations, the eight ancient clans had clashed repeatedly over this sanctuary, yet none had ever succeeded in claiming it. Now, after a millennium, when only four of the eight clans remained, it had somehow been summoned once again! A colossal ancient stone gate stood upon the molten rock, its immense presence making everyone appear remarkably small. To their eyes, the gate seemed like a realm unto itself—profound and mysterious. "Hmm…" Xiao Yan exhaled deeply. Though this was the second time he had seen the ancient stone gate, his heart still brimmed with wonder. He could sense that the greater his proximity to the gate, the heavier the pressure pressing upon him. Based on his assessment, only a handful of the present attendees might have the strength to stand before it. "The Ancient Emperor's sanctuary has already manifested—perhaps the Spirit Emperor intends to seize the Imperial-grade embryonic elixirs within. Yet, why has the mysterious creature not yet appeared?" Xiao Yan's eyes flashed as he scanned the molten sea with cautious vigilance. The appearance of the ancient stone gate had imbued the entire expanse with a peculiar aura of pressure—so strong that even his Imperial-level soul could no longer detect any movements within the molten depths. In the sky, Hún Tiān Dì deeply inhaled several times before calming the turbulent emotions within him. Then, he slowly raised the Tuō Shé Gǔ Dì Jade in his hands, upon which faint ripples of light seemed to flow. As the jade glowed, the ancient, closed great gate appeared to shimmer as well—signs of awakening, as though the gate, sealed for ten thousand years, was beginning to open. Seeing this, Hún Tiān Dì was overjoyed. Yet before he could take further action, a figure darted in, swiftly seizing the jade from his grasp. "Huh," he exclaimed, "Gu Yuan, are you finally losing your patience?" "Seeing this, the Spirit Emperor coldly chuckled, his form flashing instantly and appearing at a distance, narrowly avoiding Gu Yuan. "Do you really think it's that easy to open your dwelling?" Gu Yuan also sneered, his body shifting once more, closely following the Spirit Emperor like a shadow, leaving him no moment to even begin setting up his dwelling. "You!" Faced with Gu Yuan's relentless pursuit, the Spirit Emperor's eyes flared with growing rage. Though their strengths were evenly matched, if Gu Yuan truly intended to keep him in this pursuit, the Spirit Emperor would indeed find it impossible to focus on anything else. Numerous onlookers, gazing up at the two figures locked in close pursuit, could only clench their fists and watch helplessly—such a level of confrontation left them completely unable to intervene. "Hush-hush!" Xu Yan glanced at the aerial duel, but suddenly his ears perked up. He heard a sharp, turbulent sound of molten lava surging beneath. Turning his gaze toward the lava sea, he noticed it was now calm, utterly still, with no ripple at all. Seeing this scene, Xiao Yan's brow furrowed slightly, yet he did not shift his gaze—his eyes remained fixed on the molten sea. After perhaps a few minutes, his pupils suddenly narrowed, and he roared sharply, "Move away from the molten sea! Now!" At the very moment he shouted, the calm surface of the molten sea erupted with waves reaching ten thousand feet high, followed immediately by a thunderous roar that resonated powerfully throughout the heavens and earth. As this ancient-sounding roar surged forth, both Gu Yu and Hún Tiān Dì's faces instantly changed—this presence was no weaker than theirs! "Ha! Ha! Ha! At last, I see the light of day again!" Ten thousand feet of molten rock surged skyward, and with it, a fierce aura that shook the very heavens burst forth from the molten sea.