Chapter 1170: Intercept

Night fell.

On Wangu Xing, within the Tianfu Shen Chao, stood the Shen Di.

This place was a flower grove, with petals dancing in the air and mist swirling, appearing dreamlike under the bright moonlight.

Deep within the grove, a hidden pavilion stood. Bibo Xianzi, clad in green robes, stood quietly, leaning against the railing and gazing at the starry sky. Her face was veiled, making her as enchanting and illusory as the beautiful flower grove itself.

For some reason, in the dead of night, she always enjoyed contemplating the stars alone. The starry sky held a magical allure she couldn't bear to look away from, as if beyond the river of stars lay places she cared about and people she missed.

Suddenly, she raised her jade-like hand, reaching towards the sky, as if attempting to touch the brightest star through the haze.

"Shen Nü, the Shen Chao Shen Zi is visiting." An old woman approached and bowed respectfully.

"I am tired," the woman in green said softly, slowly lowering her raised hand.

"Shen Nü, you should understand the palace master's good intentions," the old woman said hastily. "Across this star domain, only the Shen Chao Sheng Zi can assist you in ascending to the palace master position. Furthermore, he possesses the Xuan Lei Shen Ti, which perfectly complements you. Such an excellent match, why do you refuse?"

"Without affection between us, how can it be an excellent match?"

"Shen Nü, do not be willful. The competition for the palace master position allows you to bring one male cultivator into the battle. If you do not dual cultivate with someone, will you face two opponents alone? I have heard that Biyue has already dual cultivated with the Gui Huang Zong Shen Zi. You know what kind of existence the Gui Huang Shen Zi is. How can you contend with both of them by yourself?"

"So what? I have no interest in the palace position." The woman in green replied indifferently and turned to enter her chambers.

"Ah!" The old woman sighed softly, feeling helpless.

Outside the flower grove, Hua Tiandu's face was dark with anger. "This Shen Zi came in person, and she dares to snub me."

"Shen Zi, do not be angry," an elder behind him said with a faint smile. "Lingxiao Gong will soon select the ninth-generation palace master. If she wishes to win, she will have no choice but to seek your assistance. Just wait patiently."

"If she desires this Shen Zi's assistance, she will have to pay the price." Hua Tiandu sneered, his eyes fixed on the depths of the flower grove, a raw, lustful glint flickering in his gaze. "One day, I will make you submit to me until you are exhausted."

Outside the Shen Di, Ye Chen sat cross-legged under an ancient tree, as still as an old monk in meditation, his presence calm in the night.

A breeze blew, and a trickle of fresh blood overflowed from the corner of his mouth.

Then, lightning manifested around him—not just on his surface, but throughout his internal organs, meridians, and limbs.

Tian Qian!

Ye Chen shouted coldly in his heart, his Yuan Shen eyes gazing up at the nine heavens, his gaze sharp and piercing.

It was another Tian Qian, ravaging his Sheng Qu to the point of ruin, tormenting him incessantly. His physical body and Yuan Shen suffered endless wounds, as if it wouldn't cease until he was completely destroyed.

Ye Chen's face turned pale, his breath growing weak and chaotic amid the turmoil.

He already had severe hidden injuries from the Zhundi Dao principles backfiring, and now the sudden Tian Qian only made things worse.

The night passed without incident, and dawn broke in the blink of an eye.

In the early morning, as the sky brightened, figures emerged from various stations, and crowds flowed like streams along the streets, converging toward the city center—a bustling sea of people.

They're here!

Outside the Shen Di, Ye Chen suddenly opened his eyes and looked toward the grand gates.

There, Bibo Xianzi and Hua Tiandu walked out side by side, prompting the Shen Di guards to bow respectfully.

"Xianzi, since you are new to the Shen Chao, did you rest well last night?" Hua Tiandu asked with a warm, gentle smile, a far cry from his demeanor the previous night.

"Thank you for your concern, Shen Zi. Everything is fine." Bibo Xianzi replied, but her watery eyes were full of indifference, as if the world's chaos couldn't stir her emotions in the slightest.

"That's good." Hua Tiandu smiled, though a cold light flashed in his eyes, quickly replaced by anger that vanished just as fast. His lips curved into a mocking smirk.

"And it's you again—do you have a death wish? Get out of the way!" As the two conversed, a commotion erupted below the cloud steps.

Looking down, it was Ye Chen, who had just approached and was blocked by the Shen Di guards.

Ye Chen said nothing, only gazed quietly up the cloud steps at Bibo Xianzi, his expression somewhat dazed.

A hundred years ago, on the walls of Nan Chu city, he had looked at her just like this—a devoted woman buried among the flowers, her sorrowful face and tearful eyes etched into his soul through the passage of time.

Ye Chen smiled through his tears, carrying a sense of weariness. He didn't need to calculate; just seeing those beautiful eyes told him it was her reincarnation.

"Get lost now." The Shen Di guards scolded, stepping forward and shoving the dazed Ye Chen back several paces.

"What's all this noise? So improper." Hua Tiandu descended, his voice cold.

"Shen Zi, please understand—he insists on seeing Bibo Xianzi." The guards stammered nervously.

"Drive him away." Hua Tiandu said flatly, his eyes full of contempt, not even glancing at Ye Chen.

At his words, the guards advanced aggressively, all glaring fiercely at Ye Chen. "Get out of here!"

Ye Chen didn't move, still watching the reincarnated Bibo Xianzi.

Like him, Bibo Xianzi was also looking at him, her beautiful eyes filled with confusion. Ye Chen's presence felt familiar yet strange to her. When she saw the tears in his eyes, she inexplicably felt a pang in her heart.

She was the Shen Nü of Lingxiao Gong, a peerless beauty like a celestial fairy, with many admirers, but she had never seen a man like Ye Chen—whose tears carried such weariness, stirring her emotions.

On the Shen Di cloud steps, the two stood motionless, locked in place.

Seeing this, Hua Tiandu frowned, especially at the way Bibo Xianzi looked at Ye Chen, which fueled his anger.

Who was he? The Shen Zi of Shen Chao, of noble status. Bibo Xianzi had never truly looked at him, yet here she was gazing at a Tian Jing cultivator like this, making him feel outdone—how could he not be furious?

Not just him, but the two old women—one in black and one in white—following Bibo Xianzi also frowned, their expressions surprised. It was the first time they had seen her look at a male cultivator this way.

Ignoring their gazes, Ye Chen held a secret technique in his hand that could unlock past-life memories.

However, he held back, concerned about the circumstances.

This was a special place, the heart of Shen Chao, right on a busy street with many passersby and noise everywhere. Bibo Xianzi was accompanied by Hua Tiandu and three Zhun Sheng experts. Using a divine technique here would be unwise.

Thinking of this, Ye Chen stepped forward and bowed with clasped hands. "Xianzi, I take the liberty to ask—may I have a word with you in private?"

"How dare you!" Before Bibo Xianzi could respond, the black-robed old woman behind her sharply rebuked. "She is the Shen Nü of Lingxiao Gong. Do you think you can see her just because you want to? Leave at once."

"Seize him." The purple-robed elder behind Hua Tiandu snorted coldly.

"It's just a harmless mistake—don't make things difficult for him." Bibo Xianzi said softly and gently turned to walk away.

"I—"

"If you wish to see me, go to the auction pavilion." Ye Chen had just started to step forward when Bibo Xianzi's voice transmitted to him. She seemed to realize the place was crowded and full of eyes, and she was thinking of him—if she went with him now, it would likely cause major trouble. She knew Hua Tiandu's character all too well.

"I understand." Ye Chen smiled and didn't pursue further.

"Boy, she's not someone you can even think about touching." Another voice echoed, from the two old women—one in black and one in white—behind Bibo Xianzi, their aged eyes flashing with cold light, carrying the pressure of Zhun Sheng.

"Hmph!" Ye Chen shrugged it off with indifference and turned to leave.

"I don't want to see that person again." As Hua Tiandu walked away, he said casually to the purple-robed elder behind him.

"Understood." The purple-robed elder replied with a faint smile.