Chapter 1054: Reincarnated One Returns

Chapter 1054: The Reincarnated Ones Return to Their Positions

The night sky was vast, with stars scattered like dust. Ye Chen, who had been lecturing for nine days, sat alone on the mountain peak, Xiao Ruoxi asleep beside him.

A gentle breeze stirred, and Tang Ruxuan approached, sitting down next to Ye Chen. She gazed quietly at the starry sky, her beautiful eyes misty, her expression tinged with sorrow, as if searching for the brightest star among them.

"It's almost time."

Ye Chen, who had remained silent, finally spoke, breaking the long quiet on the mountain peak.

"What do you mean?"

Tang Ruxuan's thoughts were interrupted, and she turned her gaze from the stars to Ye Chen, looking at him in confusion.

"They are coming back soon." Ye Chen smiled wearily, a sense of age in his expression. "Heaven and Earth are not desolate, and Hengyue remains eternal."

"The ones you're talking about..."

Tang Ruxuan's dim eyes instantly filled with glistening tears. She stared straight at Ye Chen, her jade-like hands clenched tightly in her sleeves, her entire body tense in that moment.

"Da Chu has its own cycle of reincarnation." Ye Chen revealed this secret. "Everyone who dies will be reborn on this land."

"So that means I can see them again..."

"I'm sorry, Tang Shijie." Ye Chen interrupted her directly, lowering his dim eyes, his words full of regret. "I've found many reincarnated people, but I still haven't located Xiong Er."

"But you said that anyone who dies can be reincarnated."

Tang Ruxuan could no longer hold back the tears welling in her eyes. Ye Chen had given her hope, only to follow it with despair. She could see the familiar faces from the past, but not the one she cared about most.

"The invasion of the Tianmo disrupted Da Chu's cycle of reincarnation." Ye Chen's voice was hoarse, and he dared not meet Tang Ruxuan's eyes.

"Then what?"

"Those who didn't reincarnate in Da Chu might have been reborn elsewhere." Ye Chen answered truthfully, though with a slight concealment, because he wasn't sure if Xiong Er had entered the cycle in the Zhutian Wandu or had already been utterly destroyed. This was his way of giving Tang Ruxuan another glimmer of hope amid the despair.

"Where exactly did he reincarnate?"

Tang Ruxuan instinctively grabbed Ye Chen's arm, her face streaked with tears as she looked at him, hoping this young man who had performed countless miracles could give her a definite answer.

"It's very far from here."

"How far?"

Tang Ruxuan stared at Ye Chen nervously.

"No matter how far, I will find him." Ye Chen finally lifted his eyes to meet Tang Ruxuan's, offering a comforting smile. "One day, I will bring him back to you completely unharmed. Do you believe me, Shijie?"

"I believe you. I do."

Tang Ruxuan nodded vigorously through her tears, believing him without question.

"It might take a long time."

"I can wait, even if it means until the end of time."

Tang Ruxuan tried to appear strong, wiping away the tears from her face.

Ye Chen nodded with a smile and turned his gaze back to the stars.

Ye Chen wasn't sure if hiding the truth from Tang Ruxuan was right or wrong, but as Xiong Er's closest brother, and with Xiong Er's wife being like family to him, he had to give her a reason to keep going.

The night fell into quietness.

Tang Ruxuan left, wiping away tears along the way—tears of excitement. After ten muddled years in the mortal world, Ye Chen had finally given her hope to reunite with Xiong Er.

That night, the vast land was far from peaceful.

In the mortal world, ancient cities, small towns, great mountains, and springs of water—all places with living beings—saw beams of light rising into the sky.

The memory seals Ye Chen had set were lifting. Those reincarnated individuals regained their past lives' memories in flashes of spiritual light, their eyes filling with tears at the same time, overcome with emotion.

They were returning!

As an ethereal voice echoed through the starry sky, those reincarnated as plants transformed back into human form, and those as birds or beasts did the same, flying off in all directions.

We've been waiting for you!

Domain gates appeared across Da Chu, with Ye Chen's three thousand incarnations and nine Dao bodies standing guard, welcoming the reincarnated ones back.

Looking up at the vast sky, it was filled with streaks of divine rainbows, illuminating the expansive stars.

Every reincarnated person who returned had blurred vision. The ten years of their current life felt like a dream. Reborn with memories of their past, they stepped back onto familiar soil, now filled with even more weariness.

By morning, Ye Chen and Tang Ruxuan had risen early, dressed in their old Dao robes, standing at the foot of Hengyue Sect's mountain.

Soon, a light gate appeared, towering into the sky.

A boy of about ten years old stepped out, transforming into a majestic figure the moment he emerged. It was Yang Dingtian, his weathered eyes shimmering with tears.

Behind him came more boys and girls around ten years old: Dao Xuan Zhenren, Dao Jie Zhenren, Pang Dahai, Zhou Dafu, Xu Fu, Xiao Yuan Shan, Huang Shi, Lin Qing Shan, Zhong Laodao, Qi Yue, Wang Lin, Xiao Jing, Lu Xuan Er, Shi Yan, Huo Teng, Li San Er, Feng Ji...

Like Yang Dingtian, they all reverted to their past forms upon stepping out of the gate.

Hundreds emerged, covering the ground, each with tears streaming down, sobbing uncontrollably, their bodies trembling. How could ten years in this life compare to the years of hardship in their previous ones?

"Greetings to all my Shibo!"

Ye Chen stepped forward, kneeling on one knee with a thud, his eyes also glistening with tears.

"Chen Er, is it really you?"

Yang Dingtian and the others rushed forward, weeping as they helped Ye Chen up with trembling hands. It was this young man who had traversed all of Da Chu to awaken them one by one. Ten years of time, ten years of weariness!

"Let's go home!"

Everyone eagerly climbed the stone steps, rushing like mad, each step marked with tears of hardship.

Reuniting with Hengyue, they all paused, extending trembling hands to touch their home. A reincarnation felt like a fleeting dream, making them doubt the reality before them.

In their reunion, the scene was filled with tears.

From afar, groups of people embraced, sharing tales of their recent years, each one crying like a tearful child. Who says cultivators have no tears? It's just that they haven't reached the depths of emotion.

Ye Chen stood there, smiling through his tears.

In the past, he had watched them fall one by one in pools of blood, sacrificing themselves for him. After ten years, he felt content, having witnessed these reincarnated individuals from birth to growth. Finally, he waited for this day of reunion, and seeing his old companions again moved him to tears.

It was a grand feast, with wine mixed with tears.

But as they drank, everyone's tearful eyes turned to Ye Chen.

The meaning in those gazes was clear to Ye Chen at a glance. Though they had returned, many were still missing. Looking around Hengyue Sect, familiar figures were absent: Chu Xuan, Chu Ling, Zi Xuan, Taixu Gulong, Feng Wuhen, Pang Dachuan, Dongfang Yuling, Murong Miaoxin, Hengyue Sect Zhenren, Hengtian Shangren, Xiao Ling Wa, Hu Wa, Xi Yan, Xie Yun, Xiong Er, Situ Nan, Lin Shihua, Liu Yi, Duan Yu, Nangong Yue, Nie Feng...

"I will find them!"

Ye Chen spoke, his voice hoarse and weary.

No one pressed further. Ye Chen's words were clear, and from his expression, they understood there must be untold hardships involved.

"Drink!"

Everyone raised their wine jars high, tears spilling to the heavens. Though many were missing, the joy of reunion let them temporarily forget their past sorrows.

That night, stained with tears, more people arrived from the sky.

From afar, it was Shangguan Xuanjiang of the Dongyue Shangguan family, bringing his family's reincarnated members.

Like Hengyue Sect, the Shangguan family was missing many, such as Shangguan Xuanzong, Shangguan Han Yue, and Shangguan Yuer, but their rebirth still left them in tears.

Soon after, Situ Longshan of the Xishu Situ family arrived.

Then came the Nanjiang Xiong family, led by Xiong family Laozu and Xiong Dahai.

Next were people from Qingyun Zong and Zhengyang Zong. Qingyun Zong was led by Li Xinghun and Zi Yan, but Zhou Ao was absent, while Zhengyang Zong was headed by the former grand commander Yang Zhen, also missing many, including Ji Ningshuang and Hua Yun.

The world was unquiet, with figures arriving one after another.

The four great families—Dongfang, Ximen, Nangong, and Beichen—arrived in succession.

Dan Cheng came, led by Dan Yi, but Dan Chen, Xuan Nu, and Luo Xi were missing.

Yanhuang arrived, with Yanhuang Lei Zun Zhong Li in charge, including Hong Luan, Feng Zhi, Jing Jiang, Bai Yi, and Heipao, but Zhong Kui, Zhong Jiang, Hong Chen Xue, Wuya Dao Ren, Gu Santong, Yanshan, and Ci Hun were absent.

Tianzong Shijia came, led by Ling Hao, with Qing Yun by his side, but Tianzong Laozu and Chu Lingyu were missing.

The Su family arrived, led by Su Xin Er's great-uncle Su Xinghe, but Su family Laozu and Su Xin Er were not there.

Ouyang family came with their disciples, headed by Ouyang family master, but Ouyang Wang was absent.

Heilong Island arrived, led by a middle-aged man, without Heilong Island master Wu San Pao.

Panlong Sea Territory came, stirring up massive waves, but Niu Shisan and his granddaughter Niu Ben were missing.

Xiling Bashu arrived in numbers, but Man Shan, the big guy, was not there.

Muyun Shijia came, led by Muyun Shao, without Muyun family master Muyun Ao.

Haotian Shijia arrived, headed by Haotian Xuan Hai, but Haotian Xuan Zhen, Hua Xu, and Haotian Shi Yue were missing.

Ling family came, with Ling Xiao flying at the front, accompanied by his wife Xiao Xiang.

Chanyuan Ancient City arrived, led by Chanyuan Zhenren.

Zhuojian City came, led by Chen Rongyun and Haotian Shiru.

Beihai Shijia arrived, headed by Li Zhang and Haotian Shixue.

Xuantian Shijia came, led by Xuantian family Laozu, but Wei Wenzhuo and Dongfang Yuyan were absent.

Zhao family arrived, led by Zhao Xiong, without Zhao Ziyun and Nangong Zixue.

Qixi Gong came, with Qixi Gongzhu in charge, but Xu Nuoyan was missing.

Xingyue Gong arrived, also led by its Gongzhu, without Xingyue Shengnu.

The descendants of the Huangzhe came, led by the divine generals of the former Huangzhe, but Mo Yuan, Da Chu Huang Xuan, and Taiyi Zhenren were not seen. As for Da Chu Huang Yan, Nanming Yushu, Qian Shang Yue, Di Fan, Long Teng, Zhou Tianyi, Xiao Chen, and others, they were not among them.

The descendants of the successive Zhuwang arrived, also led by divine generals, but Dan Mo, Shenwang, Mowang, Guiwang, Shihunwang, Xuewang, Yaochiwang, Yaowang, Wuzhouwang, and Youming Yanluowang were missing.

Wanhua Gu also had a few disciples arrive, but Dao Huang, Zhuge Laotou, Dugu Ao, Fuling, Biyou, and Qin Yu were not there.

Many independent cultivators came too, some with familiar faces, but others familiar ones were absent.

More and more people arrived, covering the ground and filling the sky. Reuniting after reincarnation brought scenes of both sorrow and joy—joy in meeting again, sorrow in the many absences.