A Million Years Have Passed; All Things Have Changed! Descendant of an Old Friend?

Southern Ridge Demon Domain, within a towering dragon nest that rose like a heavenly pillar.

A gigantic crimson-gold dragon lay coiled in the depths of the nest, its dragon might surging like a vast tide. Even the void was crushed apart inch by inch beneath that pressure.

Its eyes were like two blazing suns. The mere act of opening them made the entire dragon nest tremble.

"The Chen Family... the invincible Divine Son from a million years ago... the Chaos Body..."

A heavy, rugged voice echoed through the nest.

A glimmer of humanlike interest flashed through the crimson-gold dragon's eyes. "I would like to see whether his Chaos Body is stronger, or whether my perfected Ancestral Dragon Bloodline is more tyrannical."

Beside it, a slightly smaller silver dragon reminded it in a low voice, "Young Master, the elders have ordered us not to provoke the Chen Family for now. That Chen Haotian is a Quasi-"

"Chen Haotian?"

The crimson-gold young dragon snorted coldly. "Isn't he merely at the ninth level of the Quasi-Emperor Realm? Once I break through to the Saint Emperor Realm, I'll blow him apart with a single punch. As for that Evergreen Divine Son, he is nothing but an old relic from a million years ago. Is he worthy of being mentioned in the same breath as me?"

Across the various star domains.

Many forces that had once been affiliated with the Chen Family began to stir.

"Hahaha!"

"The Longevity Chen Family is finally entering the world!"

"Wonderful! Our chance to rise has come!"

"Hehe... a million years! We have already fallen into decline. Would the Chen Family still care about us?!"

Within those ancient, dark forbidden zones, gazes likewise turned toward the Purple Star Domain.

"The Longevity Chen Family... the Chaos Body..."

"Hehehe..."

"It would make quite a fine stepping stone."

"What, are you interested in that Chaos Body?" Another voice rang out, carrying a hint of amusement.

"Hehehe..."

That ancient voice laughed, its laughter echoing through the darkness like the wailing of ten thousand ghosts.

"So what if he was a peerless monster of a million years ago? I have lived through who knew how many eras. The prodigies I have seen are more numerous than stars. Only those who survive deserve to be called prodigies. Those who fail to survive are merely dust."

"I heard that the Evergreen Divine Son once slew more than a hundred holy sons and holy maidens in the Purple Star Secret Realm. He does have some skill."

"He merely killed a few worthless failures."

"At last, this era has arrived. Even if a Great Emperor came in person now, I might not take them seriously. Much less a mere Chaos Body?"

For a time.

Countless gazes came from the myriad heavens and domains, innumerable divine senses weaving together and colliding in the void.

Some marveled at the Chen Family's profound foundation. Some were curious when that legendary Evergreen Divine Son would reveal himself. Others had already regarded the Chen Family as a stepping stone to fame and glory.

In short—

Even after lying dormant for a million years, the Chen Family's return still inevitably caused an enormous uproar in this Golden Age.

Purple Star Domain.

After hearing that they could freely leave the Purple Star Domain to train and gain experience, many Chen Family members were immensely excited. Like parched land receiving sweet rain, they could not wait to begin their journeys.

As for Chen Changqing, after bidding farewell to his parents, he too prepared to take a look around.

At first, Chen Yuanba and the other two insisted on accompanying him on his travels.

However, Chen Changqing rejected them outright and told them to find their own things to do. After all, Dao comprehension was something one had to experience personally.

After being refused, Chen Yuanba and the other two did not persist.

Whatever Chen Changqing told them to do, they would do. They would never object.

Thus, battle-hungry Chen Yuanba slung his staff over his shoulder and planned to visit the various factions, challenging those so-called prodigies.

Chen Musen chose to remain in the Chen Family and continue studying the books in the Chen Family's Scripture Repository. In his heart, reading was his Dao.

Chen Qingshuang, meanwhile, planned to search everywhere for famous swords and seek out sword Dao prodigies for challenges, making her sword Dao even stronger.

In this Golden Age, everyone had their own pursuits and was seeking their own opportunities!

Chen Changqing stood at the edge of the Purple Star Domain. Behind him was the phantom of the Dao-Comprehension Heavenly Net enveloping the starry river above the Chen Family, while before him stretched an endless sea of stars.

At this moment.

He looked at the Purple Azure Broken Sword in his hand, and a trace of sentiment rose within him once more.

"A million years have passed. All things have changed."

"I wonder what that little girl's family is like now."

That green-clad girl who had once knelt before him while clutching her sword, saying, "I am willing to follow the Divine Son," now had even her natal Dao sword shattered.

Though the years were merciless, Chen Changqing still felt as though his meeting with her had been only yesterday. He truly found it difficult to believe that the little girl had simply fallen like this.

Since he had nothing else to do, it would be good to visit the Lin Family first.

With a thought, Chen Changqing took one step, and his figure had already appeared in the starry sky beyond the Purple Star Domain.

Standing in the void with his hands behind his back, he was in no rush to travel. Instead, he spread out his divine sense and casually swept it across his surroundings.

That sweep revealed quite a few interesting sights.

Inside a distant starship, several young cultivators dressed in brocade robes were gathered together, discussing something in hushed voices.

Judging from their clothing, they should have been disciples of some sect.

"Hey, that declaration from the Chen Family ancestor scared our sect elders badly. Even that person who has been in seclusion for three thousand years was disturbed and specifically sent us to investigate the Chen Family's background."

"Damn it, sending disciples like us to investigate an imperial clan—aren't they joking?"

"So are we really going to investigate the Chen Family?"

"Investigate my ass. That is the Longevity Imperial Clan, an ancient force with a Quasi-Emperor Realm expert! How many benefits did the sect give you for you to work this hard?"

"Exactly! If we anger the Chen Family, our entire sect together would not be enough for one of their hands to crush."

"Speaking of which, just what is the background of that Evergreen Divine Son from the Chen Family? He seems ridiculously impressive."

Chen Changqing shook his head upon hearing this, unconcerned.

His divine sense continued sweeping through the surroundings.

He saw a marketplace floating amid an asteroid belt. At its center stood an enormous stone stele, densely inscribed with names.

It was a ranking list recording the prodigies. The names at the top were outlined with Dao patterns and shone with dazzling light.

Cangwu Ditian, Ao Jiuxiao, Sumeru Buddha Son...

Every name represented a monster capable of suppressing an entire generation.

At the very top of the stele, a blank line had been deliberately left empty. A line of small, ancient characters was engraved there—"Longevity Chen Clan, Evergreen Divine Son, pending."

"This ranking list is rather interesting."

Chen Changqing did not pay it much attention. His divine sense, like an invisible net, continued sweeping outward.

Suddenly!

Chen Changqing's gaze sharpened slightly.

He saw—

In the void to the southeast, ten thousand li away from him.

A battered starship was racing toward the Purple Star Domain at nearly its maximum speed.

More than half of the starship's protective barrier had shattered. The hull was covered in black scorch marks left by spell attacks, and black smoke was still rising from its tail. It had clearly endured an incomparably brutal battle.

Inside the starship.

A bloodied young girl gritted her teeth, using the last trace of her true essence to propel the starship.

The girl looked no older than sixteen or seventeen. Her clothes had long been soaked through with blood, and her left arm hung limply at her side, clearly broken.

Her face was covered in blood and grime, yet it could not conceal the hatred and will to survive surging within her clear, bright eyes.

At that moment, the girl's right hand tightly clutched a token. The token was entirely purple and azure, stained with her blood.

She gripped it with great force, as if clutching her final hope.

"Hm?"

"That token looks..."

Buzz—

The instant Chen Changqing's gaze fell upon that token.

The Purple Azure Broken Sword in his hand suddenly trembled. As if sensing something, it actually emitted a faint yet persistent purple-azure radiance.

The sword's cry was like a sob!

Chen Changqing lowered his head to glance at the broken sword, then raised it to look toward the Purple Azure Token in the girl's hand aboard that battered starship.

"Eh?"

"That token was actually forged from fragments of the broken sword?"

Chen Changqing raised an eyebrow. A rare ripple surfaced in those eyes that had been as still as an ancient well.