Seeing the solemn expressions on each of these people's faces, Jiang Chen understood just how great an impact the rumors of Ten Thousand Abyss Island had dealt to their hearts.
The Peerless Emperor gazed at Jiang Chen. "Young man, don't worry. Speak freely. If you've made this up, tell us now and I'll vouch for you — no one will hold it against you. But if it's true, then please be honest with us, brother."
The Peerless Emperor's tone was utterly sincere. His magnanimous character was something Jiang Chen could see clearly in his eyes.
"Peerless Emperor, Vice Hall Master Gao — whether Ten Thousand Abyss Island exists, I imagine someone of your standing must know at least something about it. I can tell you with absolute certainty: Ten Thousand Abyss Island definitely exists. However, for ordinary people to reach it would be extraordinarily difficult."
There was not a single word of exaggeration in Jiang Chen's statement.
The Peerless Emperor studied Jiang Chen for a long while before finally nodding, letting out a soft sigh. "As I thought… the Divine Abyss Continent really does have Ten Thousand Abyss Island. That makes sense. That makes perfect sense."
Green Phoenix Pill King and Wang Xuetong exchanged a glance, barely able to conceal the excitement that flickered in their eyes.
"Who would have thought the legends were actually true. Brother Shao, the legends say the people of Ten Thousand Abyss Island cannot leave the island or come to the mundane world — yet here you are…"
Jiang Chen smiled faintly. "Legends are only legends. Some rumors shouldn't be taken entirely at face value. Besides, while Ten Thousand Abyss Island does have such a rule, not everyone enforces it strictly. In truth, over the years, many powerful experts from Ten Thousand Abyss Island have visited the mundane world — not just the human domains, but the territories of other races as well. The experts of Ten Thousand Abyss Island have set foot in all of them. The mundane powers simply had no way of tracking their movements."
"A divine dragon that shows only its head but not its tail — no wonder," the Peerless Emperor sighed. "Strange and inexplicable events occur in the human domains from time to time, and there must be hidden experts pulling strings from behind the scenes. I've heard that the Peacock Sacred Mountain in Liuli Royal City recently appointed a new Young Master. That Young Master is remarkably well-read, and supposedly received guidance from an otherworldly expert in his youth. According to rumor, that expert was definitely a being who had surpassed the Great Emperor realm. If not a powerful figure from Ten Thousand Abyss Island, who else could it be?"
The mention of Liuli Royal City cast an odd pall over the room.
Everyone knew that Liuli Royal City was currently Pill Fire City's number one enemy. As people of Pill Fire City, they held no good will toward Liuli Royal City whatsoever.
But the Peerless Emperor was not from Pill Fire City, so he had no particular allegiance. His words were merely meant to express a point.
But that point nearly made Jiang Chen's heart leap into his throat.
If he hadn't noticed that the Peerless Emperor's expression showed not the slightest abnormality, he almost would have suspected that the Peerless Emperor had discovered his identity.
From the looks of it, he had been worrying for nothing.
Vice Hall Master Gao remarked coldly, "That Young Master Zhen of Peacock Sacred Mountain is indeed enjoying quite a moment of glory in Liuli Royal City. However, the matter of Liuli Royal City's succession remains unsettled. Before long, disaster will brew from within and they'll fall into internal strife. Even if that Young Master Zhen did receive guidance from an otherworldly expert in his childhood, he may not be able to extricate himself from the quagmire of infighting."
It was clear that Vice Hall Master Gao harbored deep resentment toward Peacock Sacred Mountain and felt no goodwill whatsoever toward Young Master Zhen.
Green Phoenix Pill King and Wang Xuetong, on the other hand, did not offer any opinion. They simply wore grave expressions, seemingly lost in thought.
The Peerless Emperor smiled lightly. "I'm merely curious — just how powerful are the experts of Ten Thousand Abyss Island? Can a mere few years of guidance really produce a talent who surpasses the top geniuses of the Upper Eight Domains?"
Every pair of eyes turned toward Jiang Chen, seeking an answer from him.
Fortunately, Jiang Chen had received some information from Huang'er, so he remained composed. "Ten Thousand Abyss Island is vast — the Eternal Divine Kingdom stretches without end. Though it's nominally called an island, it's actually a continent many times larger than the human domains. On Ten Thousand Abyss Island, only those at the Heaven Rank can be considered true powerhouses. The most elite among them are said to have surpassed even the Heaven Rank."
Heaven Rank? Surpassed the Heaven Rank?
These words struck Vice Hall Master Gao like a heavy blow to the chest. He was currently only at the ninth level of the Sovereign Realm — not even at its peak.
His hopes of ever reaching the Emperor Realm in this lifetime were already razor-thin, let alone surpassing it, comprehending the laws of heaven and earth, obtaining a Heaven Rank Decree, and achieving the Heaven Rank.
As for what lay beyond the Heaven Rank — that wasn't even something he needed to consider.
The Peerless Emperor, however, placed complete trust in Jiang Chen's words. "As the legendary land, Ten Thousand Abyss Island must be at least ten times stronger than the mundane world. Brother, how did Ten Thousand Abyss Island come to be?"
"Ten Thousand Abyss Island has always existed. In ancient times, after the native experts of the Divine Abyss Continent fought a great battle against the demon race, some ancient powerhouses led their descendants away from this land, crossed the Boundless Ocean, and discovered the pristine sanctuary of Ten Thousand Abyss Island. They took root there and multiplied. From antiquity to the present — without war, without the smoke of battle — they built the Ten Thousand Abyss Island we know today."
These details were conclusions Jiang Chen had drawn from the information at his disposal.
Whether Ten Thousand Abyss Island had truly come into being this way, he couldn't say for certain. But overall, his account was plausible.
The only thing he avoided was painting those ancient experts who fled to Ten Thousand Abyss Island as cowardly deserters who ran from battle — after all, he was currently claiming to be from Ten Thousand Abyss Island, and one shouldn't slander one's own ancestors.
To head off an endless stream of questions, Jiang Chen added, "Everyone, I've told you everything I can about Ten Thousand Abyss Island. As for what I cannot say, I'm afraid I can't go into further detail."
They were all clever people. Hearing Jiang Chen speak this way, everyone understood he had no desire to answer any more questions.
The Peerless Emperor chuckled. "I have just one final question. Can we — the experts of the human domains — go to Ten Thousand Abyss Island?"
"In theory, yes. But crossing the Boundless Ocean is extraordinarily dangerous. If one can comprehend the laws of heaven and earth, receive their summons, and obtain a Heaven Rank Decree, then traversing the Boundless Ocean poses no problem. Otherwise, without spatial coordinates, attempting to force one's way through — even an Emperor-level powerhouse would face a one-in-ten chance of survival."