It was clear that God Sovereign Jia Ye truly doted on Huang'er, and by extension, he also held Jiang Chen in high regard. After everyone else had left, he stayed behind to chat with Jiang Chen at length.
Through their wide-ranging conversation, he came to learn a great deal about Jiang Chen.
When he heard that Jiang Chen was dedicating himself to the fight against the demon race, God Sovereign Jia Ye's expression grew somewhat complicated.
"Back in my younger days, I often cursed myself for being born two hundred thousand years too late. Had I been born earlier and able to participate in the Demon Sealing War of the ancient era, now that would have been a life worth living," God Sovereign Jia Ye sighed.
"The demon race will surely run rampant once more. What happened in the ancient age will inevitably repeat itself. If the God Sovereign truly wishes to participate, there will be opportunities in the future."
God Sovereign Jia Ye chuckled. "I'm afraid the demon race may not even get the chance to run rampant before the Myriad Abyss Island descends into chaos. Besides, as I said, that was merely a youthful fantasy. Times change, and those wild dreams of youth may no longer hold weight."
"Oh?" Jiang Chen's expression shifted, a flicker of surprise crossing his face. "Chaos on Myriad Abyss Island? What do you mean?"
"First, the Infinite Prison has developed many breaches. Based on my investigations after my escape, these were not caused by the natural deterioration of age — they were deliberately sabotaged. In other words, Myriad Abyss Island is no longer the unshakeable domain united under the Ten Great Holy Grounds. Second, the Planar Battlefield is in dire straits. The Ten Great Holy Grounds have been weakened, and they can no longer sustain the high-intensity demands of the Planar Battlefield."
Jiang Chen was visibly shocked. "The Senior knows about the Planar Battlefield as well?"
"Hmph. The Infinite Prison is a fascinating place. It doesn't merely hold prisoners from Myriad Abyss Island — powerful enemies from other planes are locked away in there too. You could say that there's plenty the Ten Great Holy Grounds don't know, but I do." God Sovereign Jia Ye's tone carried an air of pride.
Jiang Chen inwardly groaned. On one hand, the demon race's advance was all but inevitable. On the other, the Planar Battlefield was teetering on the brink of collapse.
Was the Divine Abyss Continent destined to return to the storm-tossed era of the ancient past? Was another dark age about to descend upon the land?
"The Celestial Track has shifted, and the plane's coordinates have been exposed. The future of the Divine Abyss Continent will inevitably be one of chaos and war. Jiang Chen, your cultivation is impressive, but if the Eternal Sacred Ground sends you to the Planar Battlefield in your current state, all your glory and brilliance could come to an abrupt end at any moment."
God Sovereign Jia Ye smiled as he fixed his gaze on Jiang Chen, seeming to peer straight through him.
"The Sacred Ancestor told me he would not send me to the Planar Battlefield for now. At least not before I've fully matured — he said he wouldn't do it."
"Times change. When he made that promise, perhaps the situation wasn't yet so dire, and perhaps you hadn't grown to your current level. But with your ability to fight Wind Yi to a draw, you could already make a considerable contribution on the Planar Battlefield."
Jiang Chen fell silent, unsure how to respond to those words.
He wasn't afraid of the battlefield. In turbulent times, a man's worth was proven on the field of battle. Besides, Jiang Chen was not the type to sit idle by nature.
"Leave the Eternal Sacred Ground and follow me. I will find a way to cultivate both you and Huang'er into the Godhood realm. Once you both reach Godhood and serve as my right hand, we'll have the strength to protect ourselves even when the world descends into chaos. And if things truly become hopeless, we can always leave this plane of the Divine Abyss entirely, traverse between worlds, and seek out a grander stage." God Sovereign Jia Ye suddenly locked his eyes on Jiang Chen, his voice dropping low.
The invitation came without warning.
Jiang Chen's brow furrowed. Without a moment's hesitation, he shook his head. "Senior, though I am young, I know that whatever you start, you must see through to the end. The Human Domain looks to me as its leader — they all depend on me, and I cannot abandon them. The Eternal Sacred Ground, while it may not have nurtured me in the strictest sense, has weathered storms alongside me, and I have a prior agreement with the Sacred Ancestor. Betrayal is not in Jiang Chen's nature."
That was the honest truth.