439: Chapter 439 The Heavenly Emperor (4)

That determination and maternal love—willing to sacrifice everything, even immortality, to sever the shackles for her child—moved even those Ancient Ancestors who had lived for countless years and witnessed the changing of eras.

They were ultimately swayed by the Empress's resolve and no longer hesitated.

The Ye Family, a behemoth that had been dormant for several eras, began to operate in full force at this moment.

A shocking piece of news spread from the Ye Family, rapidly sweeping across the entire Three Thousand Dao Provinces.

The only Bloodline of the Heavenly Emperor Huangtian, Imperial Son Ye Yun, had officially made his debut.

At the same time, the Empress—who had once written a legendary tale with the Heavenly Emperor Huangtian but had sealed herself in Divine Source for reasons unknown—had also awakened and would debut alongside the Imperial Son.

Once this news broke, the world was shaken.

Countless Orthodoxy and Cultivators turned their gazes toward this ancient Imperial clan.

They were filled with endless curiosity about the Heavenly Emperor Huangtian's own son, speculating about what kind of Heaven-Defying Physique he had inherited.

Facing the various speculations from the outside world, the Ye Family did not hide anything.

They soon announced again that Imperial Son Ye Yun possessed a 'Supreme Saint Physique' that was unprecedented, and his potential was so great that he might even surpass the Heavenly Emperor Huangtian of the past.

However, the Ye Family did not specify exactly what kind of Saint Physique it was.

Even so, this announcement still caused an uproar among the Prodigy of the younger generation in the Three Thousand Dao Provinces.

In the common understanding of the Cultivators in the Three Thousand Dao Provinces, a Supreme Saint Physique was almost synonymous with the future stature of an Emperor.

It was the ultimate shortcut on the path of cultivation, a starting point that ordinary Cultivators could not reach even after exhausting their entire lives.

For a time, envy, jealousy, curiosity, unwillingness... all kinds of emotions intertwined in the hearts of countless Prodigy.

They could not imagine what kind of magnificent legend someone who was born at the finish line would write in the future.

They did not know that a Saint Physique did not always represent glory and a smooth path.

Sometimes, it could also be the most vicious curse.

...Time flowed, and twelve years passed in the blink of an eye.

In these twelve years, the Ye Family exhausted everything.

The immense Luck accumulated over countless eras, and the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi essence gathered from nine Ancestral Dragon veins, were poured into Ye Yun's body endlessly, as if they were worthless.

Various divine medicines and holy fruits, rare to encounter in ten thousand years, were refined by the Empress herself, transformed into the purest Origin, and used day and night to cleanse his marrow and meridians.

Under such an extremely luxurious pile of resources, the second Bloodline shackle within Ye Yun was finally forcibly broken.

However, the result left all the Ye Family Elders feeling a sense of powerlessness.

Even after breaking two shackles, Ye Yun's cultivation speed was still agonizingly slow.

He could finally sense the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi, but the speed was not even as good as the most ordinary spirit body.

A massive amount of resources poured in, like a stone sinking into the sea, only able to stir up an insignificant ripple.

Ye Yun did not lose heart.

Relying on that unshakeable perseverance inherited from his father, the Heavenly Emperor Huangtian, he began his monotonous and arduous cultivation, day after day, year after year.

For twelve whole years.

He finally managed to step into the first Realm of cultivation, the Body Tempering Realm.

This result caused the Ye Family Elders to fall into silence once again.

Although the Empress could use her supreme power to extend his life, it was not a long-term solution.

In order to help Ye Yun break that unbreakable third shackle, the Ye Family Elders, after countless deliberations, finally turned their eyes to the ancient path of 'marriage alliance.'

Their target was another ancient Family with a long-standing Legacy, the Liu Family.

The Liu Family's contemporary Prodigy, Liu Yan, was five years older than Ye Yun and herself possessed a renowned Saint Physique, the 'Glazed Saint Physique'.

She was exceptionally gifted, and at only seventeen, her cultivation had already reached the Guiyi Realm, making her one of the most dazzling pearls among the younger generation in the Three Thousand Dao Provinces.

The Ye Family Elders' plan was simple.

They hoped to use the Origin power of Liu Yan's Glazed Saint Physique to resonate with Ye Yun's Desolate Ancient Saint Physique, using this as an opportunity to forcibly break the third Bloodline shackle within him.

...Ye Family, main hall.

An engagement banquet concerning the future of both families was being held.

The Liu Family Head personally brought his beloved daughter, Liu Yan, along with a group of core Elders, to attend the banquet.

Being able to form a marriage alliance with the descendant of the Heavenly Emperor Huangtian was a tremendous honor for the Liu Family.

Inside the main hall, the atmosphere was lively, with goblets clinking.

'Hahaha, to be able to marry the Imperial Son, my Liu Family is climbing high.'

The Liu Family Head was beaming, his words filled with anticipation for the future.

Just at this moment, an announcement rang out.

'The Imperial Son has arrived.'

The hall instantly fell silent, and everyone's gaze turned in unison toward the entrance of the main hall.

A youth wearing brocade clothes walked in slowly.

Although he was only twelve, that peerless face inherited from his parents was already beginning to take shape, handsome beyond that of a Mortal.

What was even more captivating was the extraordinary temperament he was born with—calm, indifferent, as if nothing in the world could stir ripples in his heart.

All the young women from the Ye and Liu Families present were moved the moment they saw him, their pretty faces blushing slightly.

Even Liu Yan, who had long been accustomed to seeing all kinds of Prodigy and had extremely high standards, flashed a trace of imperceptible brilliance in her cold eyes when she first saw Ye Yun.

'This face, this temperament, is worthy of me.' She thought to herself.

However, as the conversation between the Elders of both sides deepened, the atmosphere began to change subtly.

An Elder of the Liu Family, while discussing the future Dual Cultivation method for the two, finally couldn't help but ask that most critical question.

'May I ask the Empress, what kind of Supreme Saint Physique does Your Highness the Imperial Son possess? We would like to prepare early and find the most suitable method of combination.'

Once these words were spoken, the hall fell silent again.

The several Elders of the Ye Family exchanged glances, their expressions somewhat unnatural.

The Empress sat at the head, her expression calm.

She spoke indifferently, her voice revealing neither joy nor anger.

'Desolate Ancient Saint Physique.'

These four words exploded in the minds of everyone in the Liu Family like a thunderclap.

The smile on the Liu Family Head's face froze instantly.

The anticipation and ecstasy on the faces of those Elders also quickly turned into shock, astonishment, and... a trace of undisguised contempt.

'Desolate Ancient Saint Physique?'

'That cursed waste body that had long become a laughingstock?'

'In the entire Three Thousand Dao Provinces, who does not know of it?'

'Their Liu Family is actually going to marry off the most outstanding Prodigy of the Family in tens of thousands of years to a piece of trash destined to be unable to cultivate?'

'This is simply a great humiliation!'

Liu Yan was struck as if by lightning.

She stared blankly at the still-calm youth.

The amazement she felt upon first seeing him instantly turned into endless humiliation and anger.

She could not accept it.

Her future Dao Companion should have been a supreme Prodigy like her, able to stand at the pinnacle of the era and overlook all living beings.

Not a piece of trash who only had a handsome appearance but could barely step into the threshold of cultivation!

'No!'

A crisp and decisive shout broke the silence in the main hall.

Liu Yan ignored the obstruction of her Elders and stood up abruptly.

She walked to the center of the hall, and in front of everyone, raised her head high, pointing at Ye Yun with an arrogant posture, declaring word by word.

'I do not agree to this marriage!'

'I, Liu Yan, will absolutely not marry a piece of trash!'

Once these words were spoken, the whole hall was in an uproar.

The faces of everyone in the Ye Family instantly turned livid.

This was no longer a simple breaking of an engagement; this was ruthlessly trampling the dignity of the Ye Family's Imperial Son underfoot in front of everyone.

At this moment, Ye Yun's tender body could not help but tremble uncontrollably.

He clenched his fists tightly, his face turning pale from humiliation.

What he felt was not his own humiliation, but that because of him, the entire Family and his mother had suffered such disgrace.

'Presumptuous!'

The younger generation of the Ye Family could no longer endure it.

Several figures rushed out at the same time, confronting the Liu Family in a rage; the scene instantly became tense with swords drawn.

'How can you allow such humiliation to our Ye Family's Imperial Son!'

'Liu Yan, do not go too far!'

Just as the two sides were deadlocked and the Liu Family Head was preparing to forcibly take his people away, a Quasi-Emperor might that shook the entire Dao Province descended from the head of the main hall with a boom.

The Empress slowly stood up.

There was no expression on her face, and her calm gaze swept over everyone in the Liu Family.

But it was precisely this calmness that made everyone in the Liu Family—from the Family Head to the Elders, and even that arrogant Prodigy—shiver uncontrollably at this moment.

Because, from the depths of those calm eyes, they saw cold killing intent.