Chapter 1304: Strange

As he spoke, Long Wu summoned his immortal light, enveloping Ye Chen, and together they left the dead star. Before departing, he used a great divine ability to seal the ancient tomb, preventing the yin energy from leaking out.

By dawn, the two arrived on a sizable star: Yangchen Star.

Yangchen Star was home to only one family, Long Wu's own. His family was not weak, boasting nine Quasi-Saints and even a Saint in seclusion, comprehending the heavenly dao.

Long Wu led Ye Chen to a mountain peak, then hurriedly left to seek a way to save him. As a last resort, he would not let Ye Chen risk countering the curse with another curse.

Ye Chen sat cross-legged, blood occasionally spilling from his lips, while the curse's divine pattern faintly appeared on his forehead.

His condition remained poor, especially with the Chi Mei curse—a formless force whose source he could not trace. He only knew that an invisible power was threatening him, ready to erupt at any moment.

Dao Zhi climbed up the mountain and saw Ye Chen sitting in meditation, his state extremely dire. Overwhelmed with guilt, he thought that if he hadn't stolen the treasure from the ancient tomb, Ye Chen wouldn't be in this predicament.

As night fell, Ye Chen finally awoke, his face still pale and his breath unstable.

Seeing Dao Zhi, Ye Chen's forehead veins bulged with irritation.

"This is your so-called deal with the underworld?"

"This time it was an accident." Dao Zhi coughed awkwardly. "In all my years of tomb raiding, I've never seen anything this bizarre. Who would have thought the corpse would mutate, and into such a ferocious one at that?"

"Can you just give me a break for once?"

"Yes."

"Hmm? A Chi Mei curse." While they were talking, the donkey known as Qi Wang trotted up the mountain and immediately spotted the curse's divine pattern on Ye Chen's forehead, his expression turning peculiar.

"You're quite knowledgeable!" Ye Chen glanced at Qi Wang with deep meaning. Long Wu's family hadn't harmed him; they had only sealed his powers. But Ye Chen was surprised that this donkey could recognize the Chi Mei clan's curse at a glance, clearly indicating it was no ordinary beast.

"From what I can tell, that ancient tomb zombie was from the Chi Mei clan in life." Qi Wang rhythmically shook his head as he circled Ye Chen. "You're something else, kid! That ancient corpse was no weaker than a Saint King, and you made it back alive at the Emperor realm level. You're the toughest one this king has ever seen."

"You're also the toughest donkey I've ever seen."

"Nonsense, I'm a Qilin, a royal Qilin." Qi Wang lifted his head high, looking extremely arrogant. Anyone unfamiliar with him might actually believe he was a true Qilin.

Ye Chen ignored him completely and had no time for idle chatter with a donkey. He stood up and descended the mountain.

Long Wu's family had many reincarnated individuals, and their numbers were not insignificant. Ye Chen had noticed this when he first arrived on this ancient star. Since there were people from his homeland of Great Chu reincarnated here, he naturally wanted to awaken their memories.

Watching Ye Chen's retreating figure, the donkey known as Qi Wang's eyes flickered with profound insight. Upon closer inspection, he realized Ye Chen's bloodline was extraordinary, on the same level as the Qilin royal clan.

Only after Ye Chen's figure disappeared did Qi Wang slowly withdraw his gaze and glance at Dao Zhi beside him.

Dao Zhi was also stroking his chin, sizing up the donkey. With years of tomb raiding under his belt, he had a keen eye. Though it was a donkey, it indeed possessed a Qilin bloodline without being a true Qilin.

As they looked at each other, for some reason, the two started fighting.

Soon, screams of agony echoed from the mountain peak—Dao Zhi's howls like a ghost's wail. Although Qi Wang's powers were sealed, his physical strength was formidable; one kick from him made the entire peak tremble.

Meanwhile, Ye Chen moved through various corners of Long Wu's family grounds. Thanks to Long Wu's prior instructions, he faced no obstacles. Wherever he went, he would take a few people with him.

When Ye Chen returned to the mountain peak, dozens of figures followed behind him.

Without a word, he summoned his immortal light, directing each beam into a person's forehead.

The scene that followed was quite emotional, as one would expect from a reunion of homeland kin. The atmosphere on the mountain peak was warm and heartfelt, with everyone holding wine jugs and gazing up at the hazy stars.

Sometime later, the peak fell silent as each reincarnated person drifted into dreams amid their drunkenness.

Ye Chen didn't idle; he summoned his immortal fire, heavenly thunder, and Saint Body essence to refine the bloodlines of these reincarnated individuals. Whenever he found such people, this was an essential step—a stroke of great fortune and opportunity for them.

Late into the night, Long Wu arrived through the sky, holding a bottle of crystalline immortal elixir.

Ye Chen didn't stand on ceremony, knowing full well what it was. It would greatly benefit his cultivation and help heal the backlash from his immortal eyes. Long Wu had gone to great lengths to obtain it from elsewhere.

Long Wu came quickly and left just as fast. His goal was simple: to gather as many spiritual medicines as possible for Ye Chen in the shortest time, allowing him to advance to the Quasi-Saint level swiftly.

Ye Chen needed to reach Quasi-Saint as soon as possible—or more precisely, he needed the Quasi-Saint heavenly tribulation to break the seal on his immortal eyes.

In essence, only by shattering the self-seal on his Six Paths Immortal Eyes could he resist the curse's erosion.

After all, the Chi Mei clan's curse targeted the immortal eyes, and Ye Chen was merely affected by the spillover. The root cause lay in the immortal eyes; once they were strong enough, they could suppress the curse.

Another peaceful night passed, and Long Wu returned again, this time holding a stalk of immortal grass.

Ye Chen accepted it without hesitation, but noticed Long Wu staring at him silently, his expression odd, making Ye Chen feel uncomfortable.

"If you have something to say, spit it out. What's with the staring?"

"This time, when I went out, I encountered a strange person."

"How strange?"

"He looks exactly like you."

"The vast heavens and myriad domains are huge; it's not surprising for people to look alike. What's the big fuss?"

"He was also wearing a Xuan Cang Jade Ring." Long Wu's words made Ye Chen suddenly look up.

"Rather than saying he looks exactly like you, it's more accurate to say he looks just like Hong Chen from the past." Sensing Ye Chen's change in expression, Long Wu continued, "The strange person I met was somewhat deranged and muddled, just like Hong Chen back then."

"Then what?"

"I followed him for a while, but in a moment of distraction, he vanished in the blink of an eye."

"Vanished?"

"That's the strangest part." Long Wu pulled out a purple memory crystal and handed it to Ye Chen.

Ye Chen quickly took it, pointing a finger to unlock the seal.

The memory crystal trembled and glowed, but no images appeared—or rather, it was completely blank, never having recorded anything.

Frowning slightly, Ye Chen looked at Long Wu, unsure of what he was implying.

Long Wu took back the memory crystal. "Isn't it weird? I thought so too. I clearly recorded the strange person's image with the memory crystal, but when I checked back, it was empty. Such a bizarre person has never even appeared in Long Di's memories."

"What was his cultivation level?"

"At least a Great Saint, possibly even a Quasi-Emperor."

"How come, with your insight, you couldn't tell his level?"

"It's not that my cultivation or eyesight is lacking; it's that he's too strange. Some mysterious force is concealing his aura, making it impossible to see his true power." Long Wu spoke slowly. "There were a few moments when I even thought he might be a Great Emperor."