Chapter 1430: Kunlun Banquet

"Don't mention it, there really are quite a few." Ye Chen found a seat and sat down. The tavern seemed to be hosting a banquet, with drums and string instruments playing, songs and dances in full swing, the scent of wine filling the air, and the aroma of fruits wafting everywhere.

As for familiar faces, there were indeed many, such as the Shenzi of the Shenzu, the Shenzi of the Feng Huangzu, or in other words, the Shenzi of the ancient nine clans were all there, and even the three Tianfa Shenzi were present.

Besides them, there were many other powerful Shenzi. Though they didn't have the renowned fame of the ancient nine clans, each one was extraordinarily terrifying, and their original bloodlines were all exceptionally remarkable.

"I wonder, if you took off your mask now, would things get really lively here." Yan Laodao popped a spirit fruit into his mouth. "Those Shenzi would probably be scared to tears on the spot."

"What's going on here? Why are so many major sect Shenzi gathered in one place?" Ye Chen scanned the surroundings, ignoring Yan Laodao's odd idea, and directly voiced his curiosity.

"See that one over there?" Yan Laodao pointed toward a young man in white. "That's Zhonghuang. Today, he's hosting the Kunlun Banquet, inviting the Shenzi from various major sects. Quite the grand setup, isn't it?"

"Zhonghuang?" Ye Chen exclaimed in surprise. "Where did this Zhonghuang come from?"

"Dong Shen, Xi Zun, Nan Di, Bei Sheng, and Zhonghuang." Yan Laodao shook off the dust on his body. "His origins are very mysterious; few people know which lineage he inherits from."

"He might be a descendant of a Great Emperor." Ye Chen murmured softly, subconsciously glancing at Zhonghuang.

Zhonghuang was truly an outstanding figure among people, with a concealed aura, an ancient and powerful bloodline, and always shrouded by some mysterious force that obscured his opportunities, making even his true appearance hard to discern.

As Ye Chen looked at him, Zhonghuang happened to glance back, raising his cup with a slight smile. His deep eyes, like a vast starry sky, sparkled with brilliant immortal light, his divine eyes seeming to encompass the heavens and the earth.

"Being mentioned alongside Dong Shen, Xi Zun, Nan Di, and Bei Sheng, this Zhonghuang is certainly no ordinary person." Ye Chen murmured lightly, imperceptibly withdrawing his gaze, secretly noting that Zhonghuang was exceptionally strong.

"At the very least, he's not someone the Shenzi of the Shenzu can compare to." Yan Laodao chuckled. "The Shenzi of the Xianzu might hold his own; that kid hides his strength deeply and can rival Zhonghuang."

"I can see that." Ye Chen said, also glancing at the Xianzu Shenzi, who was sitting at a jade table, leisurely drinking wine, with many xianzi around him, though he ignored them all.

"The ancient ruins are about to open; you're here to join the excitement, right?" Yan Laodao said leisurely. "Well, with you here, it'll definitely get lively. Without you, it wouldn't really kick off."

"What ancient ruins?" Ye Chen took a bite of a spirit fruit and looked at Yan Laodao in confusion.

"As the name suggests, it's an immortal land left from ancient times." Yan Laodao explained. "No one knows its exact origins, but it's known to open once every hundred years. Legend has it that there's a Great Emperor's immortal scripture inside."

"No wonder." Ye Chen stroked his chin. "No wonder so many people have gathered in Kunlun Ancient City. If I'm not mistaken, we can teleport from this ancient city, and it's close to those ancient ruins."

"Just as you said." Yan Laodao replied leisurely. "The ruins haven't opened yet, so everyone's gathered here waiting. Zhonghuang is playing the perfect host this time; you have to admit, he has quite the influence."

"Can anyone enter those ancient ruins?" Ye Chen asked Yan Laodao tentatively.

"There's no cultivation restriction, but once inside, a powerful force will suppress everyone's cultivation to the Quasi-Saint level, no exceptions—even Great Saints, or even Quasi-Emperors, have to crawl."

"That's terrifying." Ye Chen clicked his tongue. "It's possible there's really a Great Emperor's immortal scripture in there."

"Another prodigy has arrived." As Ye Chen clicked his tongue, Yan Laodao tugged at Ye Chen's sleeve.

Ye Chen gathered his thoughts and looked toward the door, where a little girl was bounding in cheerfully, like a playful sprite, innocent and lively. Her arrival drew attention from all sides.

In particular, the Shenzi and Shennu of the ancient nine clans furrowed their brows, and even Zhonghuang was no exception. As he looked at the spirited little girl, a hint of wariness flashed in his deep eyes.

That little girl was undoubtedly Di Jiuxian. Three years had passed, and she hadn't grown taller, but she had advanced to the Saint realm. She looked adorable on the surface, but her combat power was absolutely ferocious.

"I'm here for the wine." Di Jiuxian giggled, not treating herself as an outsider at all. She hugged a wine jug and dashed around the room, intimidating all the Shenzi and Shennu present one by one.

"I knew she wouldn't miss this." Ye Chen rubbed his brow. "She's really advanced."

"She advanced three years ago." Yan Laodao sighed. "Their whole family is full of prodigies—the youngest Quasi-Emperor on Xuan Huang Continent, the nearly youngest Great Saint, the nearly youngest Saint King, the youngest Quasi-Saint King, and now the youngest Saint."

"Among the younger generation on Xuan Huang Continent, she's the strongest." Ye Chen laughed and shook his head. "She could probably take on a whole bunch. Who knows, in a few thousand years, she might become an astonishing female emperor."

"Oh, look, Nan Di and Bei Sheng have arrived too." Yan Laodao's eyes lit up as he stared at the door.

Ye Chen looked up again and saw a young man in purple robes and a young man in silver robes entering together. He couldn't tell which was Bei Sheng and which was Nan Di, but both were terrifyingly powerful.

Like Zhonghuang, Nan Di and Bei Sheng both had the bearing of young emperors, with eyes like stars, black hair cascading like a waterfall, strands of dao principles swirling around them, faintly visible, and even ancient visions faintly manifesting.

Their arrival once again drew the attention of everyone. Many Shenzi and Shennu personally went to greet them; Nan Di and Bei Sheng were renowned figures, and seeing them in person, they were as strong as the legends said.

To everyone's surprise, the young man in silver robes stopped midway, twitched his mouth as he glanced at one side, and after two or three seconds, turned and ran off without hesitation.

"Still trying to run?" Someone immediately chased after him—it was Di Jiuxian.

"As expected." The various Shenzi and Shennu all smiled, their expressions peculiar.

"No need to say it; that silver-robed young man must be Nan Di." Watching Di Jiuxian chase after him, Ye Chen said meaningfully. Back in the day, Di Jiuxian had lost to Nan Di in one move, but now she had become a Saint while Nan Di was still a Quasi-Saint, so of course she'd want to settle the score. That little girl holds a grudge.

As soon as Di Jiuxian left, another person stepped into the tavern—a young Buddha in monk's robes, radiating Buddha light all over, with a circular halo floating behind his head, like a divine being. Though he hadn't spoken, Buddhist chants echoed from within him, making all who heard it feel dazed.

It was worth noting that his forehead was exceptionally shiny and bright, almost gleaming, tempting one to knock on it. His arrival made the Shenzi and Shennu rise again.

"If I'm not mistaken, that should be Xi Zun." Ye Chen said lightly, a hint of wariness in his eyes. He never underestimated the Buddhists; their mind power was mysteriously powerful and strange.

"Feeling any pressure?" Yan Laodao hugged his wine jug and glanced at Ye Chen with deep meaning.

"Dong Shen, Xi Zun, Nan Di, Bei Sheng, Zhonghuang—none of them are to be taken lightly." Ye Chen smiled faintly. "They all carry extraordinary inheritances and have the qualifications to lead this era."

"Speaking of Dong Shen, why hasn't she shown up?" Yan Laodao subconsciously glanced toward the door. "I haven't seen her yet; the number one beauty of Dong Huang must be extraordinarily elegant."

"She doesn't like crowds." Ye Chen laughed as he picked up his wine cup, recalling the scene of Ji Ningshuang buried in her books. Maybe at this very moment, she was studying the Wordless Heavenly Book in Yao Chi Holy Land?

Yan Laodao didn't dwell on it and withdrew his gaze. He then picked up the wine jug from the jade table and poured the fine nectar inside into his own wine gourd—it wasn't his money, after all.

In the following moments, more people entered, all Shenzi or Shennu who ranked highly on Xuan Huang Continent, pushing the banquet to its climax. It was truly a gathering of dazzling stars.

If the older generation cultivators saw this scene, they would likely feel gratified. This banquet encompassed the most astonishing talents of Xuan Huang Continent's younger generation, and in the future struggles for the Emperor's Path, they would all be the main protagonists.