Chapter 1356: Take a Rest!

"Just from the portrait, I don't know." Facing the three's gazes, Ye Chen smiled and shook his head.

"I think it's probably Liu Yi," Xiao Ling Wa pondered. "He looks exactly the same."

"The vastness of the Zhutian Wanyu is immense, and people who look alike are countless," Ye Chen said leisurely. "On my journey searching, I've seen too many such examples, only to end up disappointed."

"May the heavens bless us, and may he be Liu Yi's reincarnation." Man Shan took a deep breath.

"It's actually the Taiji Zhen Ti." The cultivators watching from all sides were discussing it, their tones filled with surprise. "Why has Taiqing Gong put him on the wanted list too, and with a bounty no less than that of the Bawang Long?"

"You don't know about that?" An informed old Daoist stroked his beard. "When the Taiji Zhen Ti was advancing to the Zhun Sheng level, a Taiqing Gong elder ambushed him in secret, nearly killing him. Now that the Taiji Zhen Ti has recovered, how could he let it go? He wiped out the one who ambushed him, which led to Taiqing Gong's pursuit. But most of those sent after him were eliminated. That's the gist of it."

"If that's the case, then Taiqing Gong deserves it." Many people laughed, their laughter more unrestrained than the next. "They've bullied others for so long; it's about time they suffered a bit."

"Do you think these five wanted individuals might be in cahoots?" Someone stroked their chin. "This is too coincidental—all of them causing trouble for Taiqing Gong, and making quite a stir."

"It's possible." Many showed meaningful expressions. "Most likely, it was premeditated."

"If that's true, then Taiqing Gong is in for a rough time." Voices of delight rose again from all around. "One Huanggu Sheng Ti, one Bawang Long, one Man Ti, one donkey with Qilin bloodline, and now another Taiji Zhen Ti—Taiqing Gong won't be sleeping well anytime soon."

Amid the discussions, Ye Chen had already turned and entered the ancient city, with Xiao Ling Wa and Man Shan following closely.

It was another prosperous ancient city, filled with cultivators coming and going, and hidden auras lurking in the shadows, numbering beyond count. There were even Sheng-level experts among them, and surprisingly, one Zhun Sheng Wang from Taiqing Gong.

Under the Zhou Tian evolution, Ye Chen performed his divination to the fullest. After three to five seconds, he regretfully withdrew his divine ability. Though this ancient city was vast, with no fewer than three hundred thousand people, there was no sign of the reincarnated one.

Take a break!

Ye Chen shook his head helplessly, but in the instant he turned, a trickle of fresh blood flowed from the corner of his mouth.

Though he tried his best to hide it, Xiao Ling Wa and Man Shan still noticed, and they easily guessed what force was tormenting Ye Chen—it had to be that damned Tian Qian.

And indeed, as they thought, Tian Qian had struck again, and this time more fiercely than ever, forcing Ye Chen to temporarily abandon his search for the reincarnated one and choose to rest.

The two said nothing more, staying close behind Ye Chen, their faces not looking good. Only Qi Wang, oblivious to it all, wandered around aimlessly, shaking his head and looking around without a care.

Soon after, the four stopped at a secluded small garden, renting it for ten thousand Yuan Shi.

Once inside the garden, Ye Chen headed straight to a room and closed the door tightly, manifesting a barrier.

Seeing this, Xiao Ling Wa and Man Shan didn't idle around. They both cast secret techniques and divine abilities, setting up powerful barriers to cover the entire garden and prevent the hidden Taiqing Gong experts in the city from detecting anything.

In the room, Ye Chen had already vomited blood. His figure staggered, and with a thud, he knelt on the ground, clutching his head in agonizing roars. His entire body was covered in Tian Qian thunder, wildly ravaging his internal organs, meridians, limbs, and the depths of his Yuan Shen.

Not only that, the backlash from Zhou Tian evolution, along with demonic and Buddhist forces, joined in the chaos, weaving together with Tian Qian in a destructive dance that consumed his vital energy and blood, leaving him battered and scarred.

Outside the room, Xiao Ling Wa and Man Shan paced back and forth, occasionally glancing worriedly at the door, as if they could see through the walls to Ye Chen clutching his head and roaring on his knees.

Everything had come too suddenly, even catching Ye Chen off guard. His sacred body was enveloped in blood.

Time slipped away quietly through their fingers, and until nightfall, Ye Chen still hadn't emerged from the room.

Xiao Ling Wa and Man Shan continued waiting, several times on the verge of rushing in, but each time they restrained themselves. This was Ye Chen's personal Tian Qian, like a heavenly tribulation—they outsiders couldn't help.

They waited, but Qi Wang grew restless. With nothing to do, he slipped out of the secluded garden.

The garden fell into silence, Ye Chen's painful roars fading away as he sat cross-legged like a blood-soaked figure.

And so, day and night alternated, the sun and moon cycled, and three days passed quietly, everything remaining calm.

It wasn't until the dawn of the fourth day that Qi Wang, who had been gone for three days, finally returned, covered in wounds. It looked like he had gotten into a fight and been beaten badly.

Xiao Ling Wa and Man Shan glanced at him, and for some reason, seeing Qi Wang limping along, they felt an inexplicable sense of satisfaction, nearly bursting into laughter.

"Quite the commotion out there, really lively." Qi Wang didn't notice the strange looks from Xiao Ling Wa and Man Shan. He plopped down and chugged from a wine jar. "Those Taiqing Gong brats have gone mad. Good thing I ran fast, or I'd have been dragged off and stewed."

"You bastard, can't you settle down for once?" Xiao Ling Wa's face darkened as he stepped forward and kicked him. "We're all wanted, and you're still causing trouble. Aren't you afraid Taiqing Gong will catch you?"

"If you bring Taiqing Gong here, I'll smash you with one club," Man Shan shouted.

"Nonsense, I went to gather intel," Qi Wang said dismissively, then spat out a memory crystal. "Come on, you two check this out. Is this the Liu Yi you're looking for?"

At his words, Xiao Ling Wa immediately crushed the memory crystal, and a scene projected out. In it, crowds surged as Taiqing Gong experts chased a young man relentlessly. The young man was the one who looked exactly like Liu Yi.

Seeing this, both Xiao Ling Wa and Man Shan frowned. Just from watching, they couldn't confirm if it was Liu Yi's reincarnation. Not even Ye Chen could give a definite answer.

To verify, they needed to go in person, and it had to be Ye Chen himself. The problem was, he was in extremely poor condition, weakened and unable to go.

"From this scene, it seems to be in the Longquan Shan direction," Man Shan said. "It's not close from here."

"We should go as soon as possible," Qi Wang added, seeing their hesitation. "Taiqing Gong's forces are massive this time. Even the Taiqing Shen Zi is there, along with the Shen Zi from Piaomiao Gong and Zhizun Cheng. Those three are vicious and ruthless."

"Piaomiao Gong? Zhizun Cheng?" Xiao Ling Wa raised an eyebrow. "What kind of forces are those?"

"They exist on the same level as Taiqing Gong," Man Shan frowned, as if he knew about Piaomiao Gong and Zhizun Cheng, and their power made his expression turn grimmer.

"Even if we're not sure it's Liu Yi, we should save him first. What if it is?" Xiao Ling Wa said immediately.

"Let's move out right away." Man Shan was decisive, stepping into the air. Xiao Ling Wa followed suit, and though Qi Wang wanted to go, he was kicked away. From behind, two voices scolded, "Stay here and guard Ye Chen. If anything happens to him, you're in for it."

"Always scaring me." Qi Wang coughed but obediently stayed put. He had good reason to believe that Man Shan and Xiao Ling Wa would really kick him to death—they were that fierce.

Muttering to himself, he glanced toward the room and saw Ye Chen inside.

What he saw shocked him. The once vibrant Ye Chen now looked aged and withered, with white hair, wrinkled skin, and a gaunt frame like a corpse crawled from a grave, covered in fresh blood. His already wrinkled skin was even flaking off.

Qi Wang was stunned, rubbing his round donkey eyes and looking again. "Tian Ren Wu Shui?"

He had seen people undergo the Tian Ren Wu Shui tribulation before, and Ye Chen's appearance was too similar. What shocked him was that Ye Chen, at most just over two hundred years old, had reached this state, typically associated with Sheng-level beings.

But as he watched, he stroked his chin and shook his head. "No, it's not Tian Ren Wu Shui. It must be a form of self-Nirvana. I knew it—how could someone advance to Sheng at two hundred years old?"

Thinking this, he lay down by the door, eyes wide, staring intently at Ye Chen's transformation.

Ye Chen was indeed transforming, a self-Nirvana from extreme weakness, similar to but not Tian Ren Wu Shui. At just over two hundred years old, he was still far from Sheng level.

This Nirvana wasn't without reason—it stemmed from the Linglong Phoenix (Xuan Nu) in his Dan Hai, who had begun Nirvana first. Strands of Phoenix energy flowed from her Nirvana, subtly merging into his sacred body, pulling him into the transformation as well.

Beneath his wrinkled skin, a new sacred body was forming, crystal clear and dazzling.

His white hair was also changing, strand by strand turning black, while his gaunt body gained vitality in the Nirvana, becoming fuller and more resilient.

In the midst, low dragon roars echoed, along with phoenix cries, all from within him. Visions of divine dragons coiling and phoenixes dancing appeared, surrounding him in profound mystery.

Qi Wang watched in bewilderment, unsure why Ye Chen's Nirvana was so strange. Even in transformation, it carried many mysteries. Though without the Sheng Ti Shen Cang, every wisp of his vital energy was overwhelmingly powerful.

Suddenly, Ye Chen opened his eyes, and two tangible beams of immortal light pierced through the door.

Qi Wang, guarding the door, was instantly knocked over, landing in a heap.

By the time he got up, the door was open, and Ye Chen stepped out, stretching lazily. After the Nirvana, he exuded an extraordinary aura, like a mountain's weight and an ocean's vastness.

Qi Wang smacked his lips and approached with a sigh. "A Sheng Ti is truly a Sheng Ti, naturally overpowered."

Ye Chen ignored his words, scanned the garden, and not seeing Xiao Ling Wa or Man Shan, turned to Qi Wang. "Where are those two? Where did they run off to?"

"Longquan Shan." Qi Wang didn't bother explaining and sent a wisp of divine sense to Ye Chen, containing the scene.

"You idiot, why didn't you say so earlier?" After reading the divine sense, Ye Chen cursed loudly and vanished in an instant.