Chapter 1038: Fall of Southern Chu

In the dim night, Ye Chen was brought by Dan Mo into Dan Cheng.

"This!"

Seeing Ye Chen nearly crippled, Dan Chen and the others suddenly changed their expressions. It was the first time they had seen him injured so severely.

Without saying much, Dan Mo stepped into the depths of Dan Cheng.

There, a spiritual pool shimmered with radiant colors, known as Hua Tian Chi. It was created in ancient times by Dan Zu, who drew divine dew from the nine heavens and combined it with various divine medicines. It constantly drew essence from the heavens above and the earth below, making it a sacred place for healing.

"Wait!"

After placing Ye Chen into Hua Tian Chi, Dan Mo took a deep breath.

Everyone else also breathed deeply, standing by Hua Tian Chi. In Dan Chen's hand was a spirit pearl containing a purple pill—the six-pattern Tian Ji Dan.

Indeed, Dan Cheng had successfully refined the Tian Ji Dan, but at a tremendous cost. They used the dan spirits from Xuan Nu and Luo Xi's bodies as the catalyst, with hundreds of veteran alchemists working together to achieve it.

In Hua Tian Chi, the pool water rippled continuously, splashing over Ye Chen.

Immediately, a visible vortex formed around Ye Chen's body, as Tun Tian Mo Gong activated on its own, devouring the essence of Hua Tian Chi. Vast amounts of pure energy poured into him through his pores, nourishing his limbs and bones, and repairing his damaged Sheng Tu.

Crack! Crack!

Soon, sounds of bones cracking echoed from within Ye Chen, as the barbaric body-refining secret technique also activated automatically.

His terrifying recovery ability shocked Dan Mo and the others. The wounds all over his body healed at a visible speed, and the arm that had been severed regrew before their eyes.

Not long after, the holy light that had faded from Ye Chen's body shone brightly again, enveloping him in dazzling golden radiance. Every inch of his skin and every bone seemed forged from pure gold.

Suddenly, a strand of golden blood overflowed from Ye Chen's mouth, making Dan Mo and Dan Chen narrow their eyes.

"Dao wound?"

Everyone's faces turned grim, as if they could see the scars on Ye Chen's natal soul in his divine sea. Even if he recovered, his cultivation would struggle to advance further and might even decline.

After an unknown amount of time, Ye Chen wearily opened his eyes.

"Where is this?"

Ye Chen's voice was hoarse, tired, and weathered, as he looked blankly at Dan Mo and Dan Chen.

Dan Chen said nothing, only suspending the spirit pearl containing the Tian Ji Dan in front of Ye Chen. His aged face flashed with pain—a Tian Ji divine pill had been exchanged for the lives of his two disciples.

"Tian Ji Dan?"

Ye Chen's dim eyes suddenly flickered with sharp light.

Even though the Tian Ji Dan was sealed in the spirit pearl, he recognized it at a glance. The six dan patterns on the pill stood out starkly.

Abruptly, Ye Chen lifted his head, looking at Dan Mo and Dan Chen. He never imagined that Dan Cheng had truly refined the Tian Ji Dan without his involvement as the Dan Sheng.

"Tian Ji Dan is only one pill; you have just one chance."

Dan Mo spoke, staring straight at Ye Chen. "If you break through, Da Chu will still have hope. If you fail, all of Da Chu will perish with you. Do you have the confidence?"

"Yes."

Ye Chen's voice was firm and resolute, his eyes blazing with unprecedented determination.

"Then focus on breaking through."

Dan Mo turned and stepped away. "No one will disturb you. All cultivators of Da Chu will stand resolutely before you, guarding your advancement and aiding your great success."

"Do not disappoint Da Chu."

Dan Chen and the others looked at Ye Chen with full of hope before turning and leaving the underground palace.

After everyone left, Ye Chen sat quietly cross-legged in Hua Tian Chi, remaining silent for a long time.

The spirit pearl still floated before him, shimmering with brilliant purple haze. Every wisp carried an indescribable Dao essence. This was a complete Tian Ji Dan, with full Dao essence and divine principles, far surpassing half a Tian Ji Dan.

Finally, he raised his hand, grasped the spirit pearl, and crushed it, shattering the Tian Ji Dan inside along with it.

Immediately, vast energy like an ocean surged into his body like a tide.

"Ugh!"

In an instant, Ye Chen clutched his chest. His beating heart felt as if it were being torn apart by a thousand blades.

"Xuan Nu! Luo Xi!"

Ye Chen's voice was hoarse, as if from the moment he swallowed the Tian Ji Dan, he had sensed the spirits of Luo Xi and Xuan Nu within it. It was as if he had guessed how Dan Cheng had refined the pill.

*Ye Chen, you have to win!*

In the depths of his mind, the words of Luo Xi and Xuan Nu echoed, filled with a woman's tenderness and lifelong wishes.

Ye Chen's eyes brimmed with hot tears. Through his blurred vision, he seemed to see the two graceful figures smiling back at him. It was a faint remnant of Luo Xi and Xuan Nu's spirits, merging into his body along with the Tian Ji Dan.

Boom!

Accompanied by Ye Chen's heart-wrenching pain, a thunderous boom echoed across Nan Chu.

The heavenly demons had launched another assault on the city, with even greater forces than before.

"Kill!"

The cultivators of Da Chu went mad. The veteran cultivators directly sacrificed their remaining lifespan, achieving near-sublimation and unleashing peak combat power, desperately holding the city walls. The younger cultivators fought fearlessly, defending with their blood.

However, their defenses were no match for the heavenly demon army.

Less than an hour into the battle, the walls of Nan Chu were breached. One fresh life after another was devoured by the heavenly demons amid roars, and broken Da Chu war banners fell under the demon onslaught.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Deafening explosions rang out as the walls stretching over three million li collapsed in an instant.

"Kill! Leave no one alive!"

The heavenly demon generals brandished their swords, pointing toward the south, their faces twisted with savage ferocity, vowing to raze Nan Chu tonight.

"Fight!"

The Da Chu cultivators fought like madmen. Even with the walls broken, they held firm at the Nan Chu border. Every inch the demon army advanced came at a bloody price, the scene utterly brutal.

From above, the five domains of Nan Chu were overrun by demon armies. The descendants of emperors and the forces of past kings were all engulfed in fierce battles. This vast land had been trampled beyond recognition under the demon iron hooves, and the once-beautiful mountains and rivers were stained with the blood of Da Chu cultivators.

"Defeated!"

In the grand hall of Tian Ting headquarters, under the ancient stars, Chu Xiong and the others lowered their arms.

Gazing at the demon army that nearly filled the entire sky above the ancient stars, their eyes flickered with helplessness.

Even as ever-victorious generals who strategized from afar, faced with absolute suppression, they were powerless to turn the tide.

In the underground palace of Dan Cheng, Ye Chen's face was streaked with bloody tears.

Though he was there, it was as if he could see the entire Nan Chu battlefield, with groups of Da Chu cultivators falling and familiar figures being extinguished.

"Break! Break for me!"

He roared, a primal scream from the depths of his soul.

In his mental realm, that gate of light stood tall, seemingly within reach yet as distant as a dream.

"Break through! Break through!"

In the grand hall of Tian Xuan Men, Dong Huang Tai Xin and the others stared with bloodshot eyes at Ye Chen, hoping the young man could achieve a heaven-defying breakthrough amid the catastrophe, turn the tide, and save the land.