Chapter 1428: Saving All Beings

Ye Chen traversed vast mountains and rivers, arriving at the turbulent Xue Yue Hai, a sea of blood that churned wildly.

The sky here was dim and oppressive, and the blood sea was deeply unsettling. From afar, mournful wails could be heard, with resentful spirits struggling in the waters, unable to find release even in death.

Beyond that, the blood sea formed its own eerie phenomena, with a pale moon hanging at the horizon where sea met sky. It emitted a chilling light, distant and ethereal, cold and desolate, truly strange.

This was Xue Yue Hai, existing since ancient times and notorious for its danger. Ordinary cultivators dared not set foot here, fearing that the resentful spirits in the sea would corrupt their Yuan Shen, or that the bloody waves would devour their physical bodies.

"So many lives buried here," Ye Chen sighed, scanning the surroundings. He could see through the invisible resentment, with spirits wailing and stirring up sorrow. Among them might even be reincarnated souls.

Suddenly, he halted in the air above Xue Yue Hai, using the power of his Yuan Shen to recite the Da Ri Ru Lai Jing Shi Mantra. Buddhist light radiated everywhere, dazzling and brilliant, spreading out from him in all directions.

At once, Xue Yue Hai grew agitated, the wails intensifying. Wherever the Buddhist light passed, the blood-colored sea was purified and destroyed, and the resentful spirits within found release, transforming into radiant lights of Mount Sumeru.

He stood like a deity, or a great Buddha, with a halo manifesting behind his head. Amid Xue Yue Hai, he shone radiantly, using Buddhist scriptures to save these souls, helping them escape the sea of suffering.

The Da Ri Ru Lai Jing Shi Mantra was overwhelmingly powerful. The vast Xue Yue Hai slowly dissipated under this Buddhist light, gradually drying up to reveal the blood-stained earth and bones half-buried in the soil.

"Who dares do this?" A furious shout echoed from the depths of the blood sea. His massive disturbance had provoked outrage from those within—specifically, the experts of Xue Yue Zong, who charged forth in great numbers.

Ye Chen glanced at them dismissively, recognizing them as Xue Yue Zong's strong warriors. He showed no mercy.

Immediately, the Buddhist light merged with holy light, carrying a force of annihilation as it swept across Xue Yue Hai. Anyone touched by the Buddhist and holy light was instantly purified, reduced to scattered ashes.

He had no personal grudge with Xue Yue Zong, but they had caused far too much slaughter. Among the tragic deaths might have been reincarnated people from Da Chu, who perished as resentful spirits before he could find them.

Whether acting on heaven's behalf or avenging Da Chu's reincarnated souls, the wicked Xue Yue Zong would offer their blood as sacrifice for this bloody land. In this chaotic world, he would wage war with iron resolve.

"Who acts so recklessly?" A Quasi-Saint from Xue Yue Zong arrived, bringing with them terrifying killing formations.

Yet, even with Quasi-Saint level cultivation, they could not withstand the Buddhist and holy light. The moment they entered the blood sea, they were crushed to dust, their Yuan Shen obliterated and scattered to the winds.

As the Buddhist and holy light spread, Xue Yue Hai dried up even faster, revealing a cluster of immortal mountains in the depths. These backed against the pale moon and were dyed by the blood sea, emitting a bloody, ghostly glow.

That was Xue Yue Zong's domain, originally hidden by secret methods, but forcibly exposed by Ye Chen's great divine abilities. As Buddhist light illuminated and holy light swept through, more people were purified, becoming souls in the Buddha's realm.

Screams rang out, more piercing than the wails of the resentful spirits in the blood sea, enough to make one's heart tremble.

It was a horrific scene, with groups of people being annihilated, their lives as worthless as grass. Even those who had held high positions never imagined disaster would strike so swiftly.

"What's happening with Xue Yue Hai?" At the shore, a crowd of cultivators gathered, pointing and whispering, but none dared enter, afraid of being caught in the aftermath and becoming another wronged soul in the bloody land.

"A powerful cultivator is seeking revenge on Xue Yue Zong," someone murmured. "This scale suggests the attacker is at least a Saint, or even a Quasi-Saint King. Even Xue Yue Hai is drying up."

"This is karma," many others said coldly. "The heavens have finally opened their eyes. It's about time these beasts were sent to hell, so they stop bringing misery to the world's living beings."

Amid the discussions, the boundless Xue Yue Hai completely dried up, and Xue Yue Zong's immortal mountains collapsed.

From the ruins, a disheveled figure burst out, covered in bloody wounds and bones, looking like a monstrous ghost. He charged at Ye Chen with overwhelming bloodlust—it was the ancestor of Xue Yue Zong.

However, his injuries were not from Ye Chen but from a failed breakthrough to Quasi-Saint King, which had backfired. Not only had he failed to advance, but he had nearly died.

Though not directly caused by Ye Chen, it was still connected to him. If Ye Chen hadn't disrupted things by purifying the blood sea and disturbing his mindset, he wouldn't have suffered this backlash.

"I have no grudge with you, yet you bully me like this!" The Xue Yue ancestor roared in fury.

"No grudge? You're not ashamed to say that?" Ye Chen descended from the sky, looking down at the Xue Yue ancestor. "How many people have you killed over the years? You probably can't even count."

"Who are you?" The Xue Yue ancestor howled hysterically, like a mad dog.

"Heng Yue Zong—I'm its protector." Ye Chen spoke calmly, his voice echoing from the vast heavens, majestic and cold. "As for other grudges, I won't bother mentioning them. This alone is enough."

"Good. Very good." The Xue Yue ancestor shrieked and launched a counterattack, his palm splitting the void.

Ye Chen raised the Chi Xiao sword, slashing out a galaxy with one strike. The Xue Yue ancestor, who had just charged, was cut down, his physical body destroyed and his Yuan Shen sealed in the air on the spot.

"Even if you destroy me, they won't come back." Realizing his doom, the Xue Yue ancestor laughed wildly, his laughter unrestrained and eerily terrifying.

"I like it when you're this defiant." Ye Chen waved his hand, flinging him out of the dried Xue Yue Hai and into the crowd of onlookers. A faint voice then echoed through the heavens: "If anyone here lost loved ones to his hand, seek your revenge and settle your grievances."

"I've waited for this day for so long." An elderly man rushed forward at once, not even using a weapon, and tore into the Xue Yue ancestor's Yuan Shen body, ripping off an arm that dissolved into Yuan Shen energy and vanished.

"You mongrel, give me back my daughter's life!" A burly man pounced next, his eyes bloodshot, wielding a ghost-headed broadsword and hacking wildly, as if chopping meat.

"Kill him!" More people swarmed in, all holding deep grudges against the Xue Yue Zong ancestor.

The Xue Yue ancestor screamed and roared, but his cries were drowned out by the fury of those killing him. No one cared if he was a Saint.

The Xue Yue ancestor met a pitiful end. His Saint-level Yuan Shen was torn to pieces by this frenzied mob, a fate worse than lingchi execution.

He must have died in utter frustration, reduced to nothing by ordinary Heaven Realm and Emperor Realm cultivators.

Meanwhile, Ye Chen remained on the dried Xue Yue Hai, opening his storage bag and collecting treasures along the way—all from Xue Yue Zong, meant for Heng Yue Zong's people.

When he emerged, the shore was packed with people, many with tears in their eyes, bowing respectfully to him. Without him, they might never have avenged their families.

"Heng Yue Zong—I'm its protector." Ye Chen smiled, raising his hand to pull three or five people from the crowd—all reincarnated souls, a unexpected bonus.

His words were like a divine decree to those present, making his meaning clear: Stay in line, and don't mess with Heng Yue Zong, or you'll end up like Xue Yue Zong.

He didn't need to say more; no one would dare target Heng Yue Zong. Instead, they'd go out of their way to build good relations. With such a powerful guardian, who would risk it?

"Alright, that's it." Ye Chen gestured as if to leave, but after two steps, he turned back, his eyes fixed on an honest-looking middle-aged man in the crowd—or more precisely, on the crescent moon pendant around his neck. That was a Di Jue.

"Friend, would you sell that pendant?" Ye Chen asked, smiling at the middle-aged man.

"Sell it? Sure." The honest middle-aged man nodded quickly, knowing how to play along. If a senior wanted it, he'd better oblige, or it could be taken by force.

"I won't cheat you." Ye Chen grinned, handing over a storage bag containing five hundred thousand Yuan Shi, then casually took the crescent moon pendant from the man's neck.

"Off I go." With the pendant in hand, Ye Chen turned and stepped into the void, vanishing in an instant.

After he left, the middle-aged man wiped away a cold sweat, relieved he'd reacted fast. If he'd upset such a killing god, his head could have rolled.

When he peeked into the storage bag, he nearly wet himself. The mountain of Yuan Shi made his eyes sparkle. As a Heaven Realm cultivator, he'd never seen so much wealth.

Regaining his senses, he hurriedly stuffed the bag into his clothes, afraid others would notice.

Indeed, people were watching him. Anything caught by such a killing god's eye had to be valuable.

They were curious how much Ye Chen had paid. If it was a lot, maybe they could get a share—or demand some. If not, well, they might just take it.