Chapter 1162: Self-Recovery

The night sky was deep, with shattered stars like dust.

In the mountain forests of the ancient star, the air was filled with the aroma of roasting meat.

The bearded old Taoist had built a campfire and set up an iron pot, stewing a fresh batch of meat.

As for the scholar, he was kind-hearted, constantly pouring water from a flask into Ye Chen's body and occasionally placing a wet towel on Ye Chen's forehead—a true reflection of someone raised on the teachings of sages.

"He's a cultivator; this is useless for him." The bearded old Taoist, burping from his meal, picked at his teeth as he approached.

"You’re a cultivator too—help him! As the sages say, saving a life is more virtuous than building seven pagodas."

"Help, help, help—shut your mouth!" The bearded old Taoist shoved the scholar aside and squatted down in front of Ye Chen, activating his heavenly eye to examine Ye Chen's sea of consciousness and life wheel.

"What strong dao principles." After a few seconds, the bearded old Taoist couldn't help but stroke his beard.

"Is there still a way to save him?" the scholar asked hurriedly.

"I'll give it a try." The bearded old Taoist flipped his hand to produce a dao talisman, then recited a string of incantations that the scholar couldn't understand, finally pressing the talisman onto Ye Chen's forehead.

"That's it?" The scholar glanced at the bearded old Taoist.

"Whether he lives or dies is up to fate." The bearded old Taoist walked away.

"Where are you going!" Seeing the bearded old Taoist about to leave, the scholar rushed forward and grabbed him.

"To find some amusement."

"You can't go! If you leave, who will save my wife? As a cultivator, it's your duty to eliminate demons and protect the people—you can't just let evil spirits harm the innocent."

"There are plenty of cultivators out there—why pick me?" The bearded old Taoist tucked his hands into his sleeves and said.

"I don't care—you can't leave." The scholar simply hugged the bearded old Taoist's leg.

"I’m telling you, Ning Caichen, why aren't you studying your sage texts or taking the imperial exams like a proper new scholar? Why get mixed up with a fox spirit? Didn't your sages teach that humans and demons are worlds apart, and that heavenly principles demand order?"

"She’s a good demon." Ning Caichen replied immediately.

"Fine, fine, a good demon—I won't argue with you about it. Huh?" The bearded old Taoist hadn't finished speaking when he suddenly exclaimed in surprise, instinctively looking toward Ye Chen, his eyes narrowing slightly.

"What a kid—self-nirvana!" The bearded old Taoist pinched his beard.

"What's self-nirvana?" Ning Caichen also looked over, still clinging to the bearded old Taoist's leg.

Roar!

As soon as Ning Caichen spoke, a dragon roar echoed from within Ye Chen's body.

Then, two golden dragons flew out one after another: one a war dragon, the other the danzu dragon soul. They circled around Ye Chen, continuously winding about him, their golden forms dazzling and radiating brilliant divine light.

Ye Chen's body had already risen into the air, his damaged saint body emitting sounds of bones colliding.

Soon, his entire body was enveloped in saint light, with chaotic dao principles emerging and weaving into chains that wrapped around him, imprinting on every inch of his skin, every bone, and even every drop of his saint blood.

"Wow!" The bearded old Taoist exclaimed in astonishment, his eyes gleaming brightly, as if witnessing an unbelievable sight.

Roar! Roar!

The war dragon and danzu dragon soul continued to roar, while the light on Ye Chen's body grew even stronger. The chaotic dao principles forcefully refined his body, and even the bearded old Taoist's dao talisman merged into him.

After an unknown amount of time, the war dragon, danzu dragon soul, and chaotic dao principles gradually vanished.

Only then did Ye Chen, who had been floating, slowly descend and lie flat on the ground.

At the sight, Ning Caichen hurried forward.

"Get back!" The bearded old Taoist immediately reached out and pulled him back. Ning Caichen was just an ordinary person and didn't understand the taboos of cultivators, but the bearded old Taoist knew that approaching in this state could easily reduce him to ashes.

Not far away, the radiant light on Ye Chen's body had already receded into him.

A breeze blew by, and Ye Chen's little finger twitched slightly as he slowly opened his hazy eyes.

Then, Ye Chen abruptly sat up, scanning his surroundings. Seeing that he was on an ancient star rather than back at his sect in the starry sky, he turned to the bearded old Taoist and Ning Caichen, asking,

"Where is this?"

"Tianchen Guxing." The bearded old Taoist replied, eyeing Ye Chen with deep meaning.

"Tianchen Guxing." Ye Chen murmured, inwardly examining his saint body. He found that the zhundi dao principles had vanished, but the wounds they caused remained, especially his xianlun eye, which was still in a sealed state.

"How long was I unconscious?" Ye Chen withdrew his gaze and looked at the bearded old Taoist and Ning Caichen.

"One day." Ning Caichen answered immediately. "It was this Yan Laodao who saved you."

"Thank you." Ye Chen turned to the bearded old Taoist, instantly recognizing his cultivation level as the peak of the emperor realm. As for Ning Caichen, he was a genuine ordinary person. It was strange to see such a powerful cultivator paired with someone without any abilities.

"No need for thanks." The bearded old Taoist scratched his ear. "Just give me something practical."

"This great kindness will never be forgotten." Ye Chen smiled and handed over a storage bag, containing three hundred thousand yuan stones.

The bearded old Taoist accepted it straightforwardly, and upon opening it, he was startled. Neatly stacked inside were three hundred thousand yuan stones—a considerable sum even for someone at his emperor realm level.

"You're quite wealthy!" The bearded old Taoist put away the storage bag and looked Ye Chen up and down.

"Farewell." Ye Chen smiled slightly and turned to leave, but after taking a step, he paused abruptly.

"A reincarnated being." Ye Chen narrowed his eyes, staring into the distant heavens, his fingers in his sleeve moving as he calculated the heavenly cycles to determine whose reincarnation it was.

"It's not a person reincarnated—it's a demon." Ye Chen uncovered the mystery, his eyes flashing with sharp light.

"What's going on with this world?" The bearded old Taoist muttered to himself while counting the yuan stones. "Even someone at the heaven realm is this rich—it's really making me jealous!"

"You've taken the money, so come with me to save my wife!" Ning Caichen grabbed the bearded old Taoist again.

"No time." The bearded old Taoist said as he walked away.

"Yan Chixia, you're betraying your duties as a cultivator! You're unworthy of being one!" Ning Caichen shouted hoarsely.

"Hey, you little rascal, I—"

"So you are Yan Chixia." Before the bearded old Taoist could finish, Ye Chen appeared before him like a gentle breeze, his dark and profound eyes fixed intently on the bearded old Taoist, making him feel uneasy all over.

"What's the problem?" Yan Chixia raised an eyebrow.

"Thirty years ago, in this starry sky, did you take part in the scramble for a magical treasure?" Ye Chen stared at Yan Chixia without blinking, hoping for a definitive answer.

"Thirty years ago?" Yan Chixia stroked his chin. "There was something like that. I remember it was a real shame—I arrived too late and got nothing. I chased that demon for over eighty thousand li, but it still got away. That thing was fast as lightning—I’ve never seen anything run that quick."

"Do you know where that treasure drifted from, senior?" Once Yan Chixia finished, Ye Chen asked hurriedly.

"The eastern starry sky—I’m not sure which part. I heard there was chaos there, kicking off a massive battle."

"Then, have you seen the woman in this portrait?" Ye Chen took out a scroll, holding the top end and hanging it in front of Yan Chixia.