Chapter 1269: Lunar Condemnation

The stars shone brilliantly, and the moon was flawless.

Shangguan Hanyue had arrived, still in the form of a young girl, descending from the heavens like a fairy from the nine firmaments. Her eyes, as clear as water, were filled with glistening tears, each drop seeming to carry the weight of ages past.

Ye Chen stood up, smiling as he gazed at the starry sky.

Long Yi, Situ Nan, and the others also rose, watching Shangguan Hanyue as if she were a dream. Everyone knew she was a reincarnated soul, and moreover, a woman destined for Ye Chen.

Qin Yu!

Shangguan Hanyue arrived like a beam of immortal light, accurately spotting Ye Chen's figure among the thirty thousand people.

One call of "Qin Yu" spoke of a hundred years of trials, a single word evoking the bonds of reincarnation.

Past and present lives, a century drifting by.

He stood there motionless, while she dared not take a step forward. She simply stared at him, entranced and tearful, afraid that a single blink would turn everything into an empty dream.

Qin Yu?

Gu Yuan and Gu Lan, who had accompanied Shangguan Hanyue, were stunned, as were Yan Laodao and the Black and White Two Saints. They all knew him as Ye Chen—where had this name Qin Yu come from?

Welcome back!

Ye Chen had descended from the mountaintop, his smile tinged with weariness.

A hundred years!

Shangguan Hanyue suddenly stepped forward, throwing herself into Ye Chen's arms. Like so many women before her, she pressed her cheek to his chest, greedily listening to his pounding heartbeat. Her jade arms wrapped tightly around him, as if using all her strength to merge him into her very being.

Ye Chen's face flushed, and he struggled to breathe. Even his powerful Sheng Xu was being squeezed to the point of cracking bones.

It hurts just to watch!

Long Yi, Situ Nan, and the others winced. It was a good thing Ye Chen had a Sheng Xu; anyone else would have been crushed under Shangguan Hanyue's grip.

Completely baffled!

Gu Yuan, the plump elder from Xian Yue Gong, scratched his head in astonishment.

Gu Lan at his side felt the same. As saints, how could they not sense the connection? Their goddess and Ye Chen, the Heavenly Court Saint Lord, clearly knew each other well, and their relationship was far from ordinary.

Saintess!

Among the reincarnated people of Da Chu, many from the Shangguan family of South Chu's Dong Yue were overcome with emotion, their eyes brimming with tears. Even though Shangguan Hanyue now appeared as a young girl, they recognized her instantly, and their feelings were beyond words.

Have you noticed?

Taiyi Zhenren and Niu Shisan exchanged glances.

It's actually the Xuanling Body!

Taiyi Zhenren sighed, and the others echoed his sentiment.

Who would have thought that the former Daoling Body would awaken with the Xuanling bloodline after reincarnation?

Some people, stroking their chins, wondered if Ji Ningshuang, who had also reincarnated, might now possess the Daoling bloodline. Would these two exceptional women of Da Chu have swapped their bloodlines through rebirth?

Ahem!

The silence was finally broken by Gu Yuan's cough. She was our Xian Yue Gong goddess, after all. Hugging you like this in public—how would that make us look?

"Just go through the motions. If you want to chat, find somewhere private."

"A young girl like Shangguan Hanyue, with such a small frame—if she and Ye Chen got into bed tonight, would it end in disaster?"

"Most likely."

"With the power of an Archaic Sheng Xu, it's all earth-shaking. Not many could handle it."

"I'd say there'll be screams like a pig being slaughtered tonight."

"No, they'd be quite melodious."

"You lot, get down here!"

Gu Yuan's face had turned black as he pointed at Long Yi and Situ Nan. Though their voices were low, he had still heard them.

"Don't try to scare us. We're not afraid of a fight."

"The people of our Heavenly Court are tough as nails."

"Don't start trouble, or we'll all gang up on you."

"Hey, with my temper!"

Gu Yuan was furious, rolling up his sleeves as he stormed up the mountaintop to teach those shameless troublemakers a lesson.

But in the next moment, he was sent flying back down.

Now, standing beside Long Yi and the others was a line of seven figures: the Black and White Two Saints and five Yinming Death Generals.

Though the strength of saintly Yinming undead was less than that of living saints, five of them were equivalent to at least three living ones. Add the Black and White Two Saints, making five living saints in total, and Gu Yuan didn't stand a chance.

Ugh!

Gu Yuan landed flat on the ground in a spread-eagle position, his body covered in messy footprints.

Two saints and five saint puppets!

Gu Lan looked up at the mountaintop in shock, her heart overwhelmed. She never imagined that the Heavenly Court, with only thirty thousand people, could have such a formidable lineup.

This place is no simple matter!

Gu Lan murmured to herself. Even the nine saints and nearly a million cultivators from Senluo Hall had been forced to retreat in defeat, which was proof enough of the Heavenly Court's power—it was not to be underestimated.

Thinking of this, Gu Lan coughed and glanced pityingly at Gu Yuan, who was sprawled on the ground.

After this brief interruption, Shangguan Hanyue finally released Ye Chen.

Ye Chen wasn't in great shape; he staggered, nearly losing his balance. His Sheng Xu had been hugged to the point of multiple fractures, and blood trickled from his mouth.

Shangguan Hanyue's face flushed with a hint of red, and she said awkwardly that it was just because she was too excited.

What followed was a lively scene, as reunions with old acquaintances called for celebration.

The scent of wine soon filled the entire Heavenly Court immortal mountain.

It wasn't until some unknown time that the mountain fell quiet, with no one asleep. Each person held a wine jug, gazing at the stars, as if they could see through countless star domains to their homeland's vast rivers and mountains.

Utterly baffled!

People like Yan Laodao, the Black and White Two Saints, Gu Yuan, and Gu Lan all wore expressions of surprise as they watched this group—strange folks, each with their own stories.

In the dead of night, the figures gradually dispersed. Long Yi and the others called Gu Yuan and Gu Lan over.

Because of Shangguan Hanyue's connection, the Heavenly Court naturally formed an alliance with Xian Yue Gong.

Xian Yue Gong had no reason to refuse.

In recent times, the Da Chu Heavenly Court had become notorious in this star domain: they seized the Hualong Sect's territory, routed ten thousand cultivators from Senluo Hall, and even sent the nine families and nearly a million cultivators of Senluo Hall fleeing in defeat. This demonstrated the Heavenly Court's fierce dominance.

After all, the Heavenly Court now had only thirty thousand people.

Facing a hundred thousand with just thirty thousand, anyone could see these were no ordinary fighters. Forming an alliance with them was a golden opportunity.

The alliance went smoothly. They agreed to connect through the Xingkong Domain Platform, and Long Yi promised to reinforce and upgrade Xian Yue Gong's defensive barriers, attack formations, and Xutian Killing Array tomorrow.

While that discussion was pleasant, on another mountaintop, Ye Chen and Shangguan Hanyue were having their own enjoyable chat.

Their words were full of emotion—a century felt like an illusion, reincarnation so elusive—that anyone who experienced it would find it surreal. This was a surprise that caught them completely off guard.

The night grew deeper.

Shangguan Hanyue still leaned on Ye Chen's shoulder, murmuring softly, "Ye Chen, let's have a child."

At her words, Ye Chen, who had been staring at the stars, instinctively looked back, his expression odd as he scanned the young girl Shangguan Hanyue, lingering on her lower body.

Shangguan Hanyue's cheeks turned red.

"I—I can change into an adult form."

"Then we'll wait until you do."

"I can also turn into Chu Xuan or Chu Ling's form."

Shangguan Hanyue looked up at Ye Chen, her eyes like rippling water, filled with a woman's tender affection.

"Silly girl."

Ye Chen smiled and gently waved his hand in front of her eyes, sending her into a deep sleep.

As soon as Shangguan Hanyue fell asleep, Ye Chen abruptly stood up. With one step, he knelt down with a thud.

Ugh!

Under the moonlight, Ye Chen clutched his head, roaring in pain. Strange thunder coursed through his entire body, tearing at his internal organs, meridians, limbs, and origin Dao roots. Bolts of inexplicable thunder left bloody gashes across his Sheng Xu, and his divine sea thundered as if his skull might explode. Blood streamed from all seven orifices, a terrifying sight.

It was Tianqian again, striking with ferocious intensity—he could no longer suppress it.

Just as he had once sat with Chu Xuan on the Jade Maiden Peak, he didn't want Shangguan Hanyue to see him in this hideous, vulnerable state, writhing on the ground like a dog.

Senior Brother Ye!

A graceful figure ascended the mountaintop—it was Lin Shihua, her face pale with fright, her voice choked with tears.

She had been sitting on another peak, hands under her chin, envying the scene there, when she accidentally witnessed this and rushed over.

Don't come closer!

Ye Chen roared hoarsely upon recognizing Lin Shihua.

He was a blood-soaked mess, like a demonic asura fresh from battle.

But the obedient Lin Shihua didn't listen this time. She stepped forward, wrapping her arms around the suffering Ye Chen, just as he had once held her in her madness.

She suffered the backlash immediately. Her face turned deathly white, blood spilling from her mouth, as a terrifying force invaded her body, wildly destroying her cultivation foundation.

Tears streamed from her eyes, mixed with blood.

Only by experiencing it herself did she realize how Ye Chen had endured the past hundred years. The thunder of Tianqian ruthlessly ravaged him, leaving him scarred and broken.

Ye Chen finally broke free, pushing Lin Shihua away.

Lin Shihua stumbled but tried to approach again, only to be pulled back by a hand from behind.

What nonsense!

Long Yi arrived, sealing Lin Shihua's abilities and lulling her to sleep. He used a heaven-defying divine ability to purge the Tianqian thunder from her body, then frowned deeply at Ye Chen.

Ye Chen remained on his knees, clutching his head, each roar laced with endless agony.

Ah!

Long Yi sighed inwardly, though he pitied him, he didn't intervene. This was Ye Chen's Tianqian—no one could bear it for him. He was fighting against the heavens and had to endure the punishment of the celestial will.