Chapter 1218: Wandering

"Peeping?" Fu Ya was taken aback for a moment.

"I am certain. Someone is peeping at this place," Donghuang Taixin's beautiful eyes narrowed even further.

"Is there?" Fu Ya scanned the bamboo grove, but after examining every inch, he found no anomalies and sensed no one watching.

"Show me the star map," Ye Chen gritted his teeth, his eyes visibly bloodshot as a sharp divine light burst forth once again, blazing like torches.

"Who could it be?" Donghuang Taixin's immortal eyes also radiated immortal light, but a trickle of fresh blood overflowed from the corner of her mouth, and more blood seeped from her beautiful eyes.

"Goddess."

"Can't find them," Donghuang Taixin staggered, fresh blood gushing from her lips, her face turning deathly pale.

"She's suffered backlash again," Fu Ya hurriedly stepped forward, extending a finger to press against Donghuang Taixin's forehead. A mysterious divine pattern appeared there, sealing her primordial spirit and true body.

"Damn, I really am just suffering internal injuries," In the bamboo grove, Ye Chen scratched his head fiercely. Donghuang Taixin could sense something amiss but couldn't see him, making him feel an urgent frustration, like needing to use the restroom.

"Nonsense," He cursed under his breath, turned, and left, flying out of Tian Xuan Men.

"Hmm?" As soon as Ye Chen left, Fu Ya, who was treating Donghuang Taixin, furrowed his brow and instinctively looked toward the ethereal void, murmuring, "A familiar feeling."

By now, Ye Chen had crossed vast rivers and towering mountains, landing on the expansive lands of Nan Chu.

Just as he had seen earlier, this land was depleting, like an ancient star without its source of energy. Da Chu's origin had been severed, and all things were withering, with all living beings destined to perish in silence.

Zhu Xian Jian!

Ye Chen clenched his fists, his eyes blood-red and radiating cold light. Or rather, every time he thought of those three words, his killing intent surged endlessly.

One day, I will smash you with my own hands!

Ye Chen snorted coldly and once again ascended into the void, heading straight for Heng Yue.

A quarter of an hour later, he landed on a mountain peak in Heng Yue.

To his surprise, as soon as he arrived, the people of Heng Yue Sect all looked up toward the ethereal starry sky.

What a familiar feeling!

Many scratched their heads, murmuring softly.

Ye Chen gazed down at the immortal mountains, tears welling in his eyes. Those familiar figures and faces were as clear as in his memories, never to be erased for eternity.

After a long while, he withdrew his gaze. Even Donghuang Taixin couldn't sense his presence, let alone the people of Heng Yue Sect.

He glanced at the void, then lightly lifted his foot and stepped onto another mountain peak.

At the summit of that peak, a graceful figure sat with her knees hugged, bathed in moonlight as she gazed at the stars. Her white hair swayed in the wind, and even the breeze couldn't erase the sorrow on her cheeks.

Senior Sister, I've found him!

Ye Chen watched Tang Ru Xuan quietly, wishing he could tell her the news himself.

Suddenly, he gently waved his hand, imprinting the scene before him, to be given to Xiong Er when he awoke from the dream.

A breeze blew, and he turned silently.

He wandered like a lone ghost through Heng Yue Sect, visiting the Little Spirit Garden, glancing at the Wind and Cloud Platform, then going to the Spirit Pill Pavilion, Spirit Artifact Pavilion, and Myriad Treasures Pavilion. From afar, he saw the figures of Xu Fu, Zhou Da Fu, and Pang Dahai; a hundred years had aged them considerably.

Finally, he landed on Jade Maiden Peak, which remained as it was a hundred years ago, holding his warm memories.

The wind brushed by, and he left Heng Yue Sect, wandering through Nan Chu like a lone ghost once more.

Beyond Nan Chu was Bei Chu.

In this land, various forces bore his shadow, yet he left no trace. To this world, he was nonexistent; from the beginning, this had always been his dream.

After some time, he stopped before the Hero's Tomb.

There stood nine figures, each with a straight and sturdy back, as unyielding as mountains—his nine Dao bodies.

Ye Chen stood silently, watching the nine.

The nine Dao bodies all furrowed their brows, exchanging glances, their brows furrowing even deeper.

Ye Chen smiled faintly and looked toward the Hero's Tomb. The towering stone stele was inscribed with ninety million names, but he could only find less than a tenth of them; many more were just names.

This dream seemed filled with compassion and pity, as if wanting him to see everything at once. Three full days passed in Da Chu, yet he had not awakened, still wandering like a spirit in the dream.

Along the way, he became somewhat dazed, not truly muddled, but confused by the mysteries, unable to discern cause from effect.

He had thought he understood everything, but a single painting scroll plunged him back into confusion. It all came too strangely—like Ruoxi, like the painting of the mortal world, like Donghuang Taixin, and like this inexplicable dream returning to Da Chu.

Ah!

With a sigh of entanglement, Ye Chen set out on the road again.

Just as he had walked back then, he kept looking around. Even though this was a dream and the land was deeply etched into his soul, he still greedily looked again and again.

On the fourth night, Ye Chen returned to Tian Xuan Men.

Fu Ya and Donghuang Taixin were still in the bamboo grove. Regrettably, Donghuang Taixin was asleep, lying on an ice jade bed, while Fu Ya continuously set up array patterns, as if to seal her away.

Helplessly, Ye Chen squatted by the ice jade bed, resting his chin on his hands, staring at Fu Ya, hoping the man would pull out the star map of the myriad domains when he had a moment.

Fu Ya did stop, but he pulled out a wine flask instead, quietly gazing at the stars.

My stomach hurts!

Ye Chen clutched his chest, feeling like he'd been struck by lightning. I'm staring intently, and here you are, drinking so leisurely. Why not pull out the star map of the myriad domains for me to see?

Another day passed, and the dream still hadn't ended.

Fu Ya sat there in silence, sipping his wine leisurely.

Ye Chen sat beside him, watching him drink all day with eager eyes.

On the fifth night, Fu Ya finally put away the wine flask and reached into his robe.

At the sight, Ye Chen's eyes lit up, staring fixedly at Fu Ya's robe, hoping he would pull out the star map of the myriad domains. He only needed one glance to imprint it fully in his sea of consciousness.

But to Ye Chen's bewilderment, Fu Ya pulled out a rattle drum instead.

Yes, a rattle drum—the kind children play with.

Soon, the sound of the rattle drum echoed in the bamboo grove, loud in the quiet night.

Damn it!

Ye Chen felt an urge to spit blood. I endured watching you drink all day, but what's with this rattle drum? You're thousands of years old, and you're playing with it so happily?

However, as he watched, Ye Chen fell silent.

Fu Ya looked slightly exhausted, even a bit dejected, staring blankly at the rattle drum and occasionally showing a kind, gentle smile, as if it weren't a toy but his child.

Ah!

Ye Chen sighed again, thinking Fu Ya must have his own story. Who knew how many years he'd spent in Da Chu? He must be homesick, but he didn't know if his family was still there when he returned.

"It's coming!" As Fu Ya gently shook the rattle drum, he suddenly murmured.

Ye Chen turned his head, looking toward the entrance of the bamboo grove.

There, a graceful figure entered, dressed in pure white immortal robes glowing with immortal haze. She moved with elegant steps, her dark hair flowing like silk, her peerless face dreamlike and illusory. She was like an immortal fairy descended from the heavens, untouched by the mundane world, flawless and sacred.

Ye Chen was stunned, instinctively standing up and staring at the woman. "How is this possible?"