The moment the eight crystal coffins opened, several sky-piercing auras burst forth. Even though the figures inside the coffins had yet to emerge, their presence alone faintly suppressed all of heaven and earth.

“Welcome, Progenitors, upon leaving your coffins!”

Countless Saint Sovereigns from the eight God-Clans bowed deeply, their voices raised in reverence.

To be acknowledged like this by so many Saint Sovereigns clearly showed that the eight figures within the coffins were undoubtedly eight Infinite Dao cultivators.

A soft, almost imperceptible sigh was heard.

“Since it is the day of awakening, something major must have occurred again.”

From within the crystal coffins, the silhouettes of eight individuals slowly surfaced. Among them were elderly men, middle-aged men, and even a strangely shaped child. Their appearances differed, but one thing was the same, their might. Each was enveloped in Primordial Edicts that displayed the overwhelming strength of their identity.

Dugu Ling looked toward one of the old men and hurriedly said, “Ancestor, the True Martial Sacred Ground has risen from its ashes. Now they intend to provoke another challenge.”

“The True Martial Sacred Ground…”

The eight slowly turned their heads.

“World-Weary, San Dao, you’re alive.”

“You old ghosts are all still breathing. Why would we be dead?” Saint Sovereign San Dao sneered.

Though only a Saint Sovereign, Saint Sovereign San Dao had long surpassed the limits of that realm. It was said he could face Infinite Dao cultivators directly and survive hundreds of exchanges. To achieve such feats as a Saint Sovereign was enough to make anyone proud, and it was why he, a mere Saint Sovereign, stood out even among Infinite Dao cultivators.

“What about the others?” one of the eight asked.

In their eyes, the many Saint Sovereigns whose names were carved on the floating tombstones were not even worth acknowledging. It wasn’t arrogance. From the perspective of Infinite Dao beings, Saint Sovereigns were like Saint Sovereigns viewing Grand Emperors, as weak and insignificant as ants.

The only ones worthy of their attention were the strongest forces of the True Martial Sacred Ground.

These eight were the Progenitors of the eight God-Clans.

Samsara Dao Progenitor, Creation-Devouring God-King. Crimson-Hell War God, Giant Sun Immortal Venerable, Heaven-Commanding True God, Mountain Titan True God, Three-Life Tribulation Progenitor, Heaven-Defying Progenitor.

Each one could single-handedly face armies of Saint Sovereigns and prevail with overwhelming might.

The Samsara Dao Progenitor’s eyes swept over the many tombstones floating behind the True Martial Sacred Ground. Only the last two tombstones still remained intact, wrapped in the power of destiny, their powerful auras circulating endlessly.

“Is that Celestial Torchbearer and the Radiant Progenitor?” the Samsara Dao Progenitor asked. “Please come out and meet us.”

“Samsara, my old friend, it has been ages.”

The cheerful voice came from within one of the tombstones.

Upon looking carefully, one could see lines engraved on its surface:

“Tomb of the Celestial Torchbearer, erected in True Martial Era Year 274.”

“You’ve hidden yourselves quite deeply,” the Samsara Dao Progenitor said coldly. “I am already out. How much longer do you intend to hide?”

With a wave of his hand, surging samsara force erupted.

Thunderous rumbling filled the heavens as a colossal palm of samsara smashed toward the tombstone. The strike shook the world, and the tombstone shattered instantly.

From within walked out an unmatched primordial beast.

With a single sweep of its wings, heaven and earth dimmed. The great palm dissolved into nothingness.

“After all these years, Samsara, your temper is still fiery,” the Celestial Torchbearer said with a laugh.

He was no human, but a great demon king of the Torch Race. Though the Torch Race belonged to the Hundred Races, its numbers were among the smallest, one misstep from extinction.

Celestial Torchbearer resembled a massive predatory eagle, but stretched to a thousand meters long, almost like a western dragon. Its wings blotted out the sky, and its body was covered in overlapping scales. Its head was like that of a vulture, sharp, aggressive, and fierce. Its talons were powerful enough to shred space like tofu. A strange, faint rule force rippled from him. Most striking of all were his eyes, one black, one white, seemingly capable of seeing through all things, past and future.

This was the Celestial Torchbearer.

Seeing him appear, another Infinite Dao cultivator, the Mountain Titan True God, snorted.

“Radiant, are you not coming out? Must we drag you?!”

At those words, the final tombstone cracked, and the form of the Radiant Progenitor emerged. A brilliant radiance burst forth, illuminating all creation, engulfing the heavens. He stood like a sun spanning ancient and modern times. Ages had passed, all things had changed, yet light alone remained eternal.

With the Dao of Light paving a shining path, the Radiant Progenitor slowly walked forth. He wore golden robes so immaculate and transcendent that no force, no matter how strong, could stain them.

“In the past,” the Mountain Titan True God growled, “my Ten God-Clans had ten Infinite Dao cultivators. Yet your True Martial Sacred Ground had only a few. So many years have passed, and I want to see what new tricks you have. Back then we let you deceive heaven and escape with your lives. Today, it is time to end everything.”

The Radiant Progenitor did not take offense. The True Martial Sacred Ground indeed had only three Infinite Dao cultivators, himself, the Celestial Torchbearer, and World-Weary.

He turned toward Nangou Weng and Zhao Qie.

“Have your ancestors arrived?”

“Fellow Daoist, we have been waiting for quite some time.”

A long, hearty laugh echoed across the sky. Two streams of light swept in from the horizon, one black and white, the other wrapped in time-space edicts. In a blink, they crossed the distance of ages and descended into the Absolute Leaf Valley.

When the brilliance faded, the two were revealed as Nanguo God-Clan’s ancestor, Trinity Buddha, and the Zhao God-Clan’s ancestor, God-Demon Overlord.

Though the title “Overlord” sounded common, in all the world, only he was truly worthy of that name. His cultivation was the God-Demon Creation Atlas, one of the Ten Primordial God-Scriptures. When mastered, he could walk like a god or demon, ripping god beasts apart or trampling the Nine Heavens with ease.

Trinity Buddha, meanwhile, cultivated the Primeval Buddha God-Scripture’s three sutras.

With these two joining the battlefield, the True Martial Sacred Ground now had five Infinite Dao cultivators.