Chapter 1503: Tax Information Along the Way

Unable to plunder any rare treasures or exotic herbs, Ye Chen at least satisfied his curiosity, constantly glancing left and right along the way. Even the medicinal herbs planted along both sides of the stone steps made his eyes gleam with intense excitement.

Ahead, he could see the end of the stone steps, so he finally withdrew his gaze and took a few quick strides upward. Once he crossed the final step, he would reach the cave dwelling and see the Kunpeng inside.

However, his hopes were dashed by harsh reality. The end of the stone steps was guarded; they were the attendants of Kunpeng Tai Zi, two Kunpeng clan elders, both at the Sheng Wang level.

The two Kunpeng Sheng Wang had been sitting in meditation with eyes closed, but sensing someone approaching, they opened their eyes and, seeing it was the Ninth Imperial Prince of their clan, simply said, "Tai Zi is in seclusion refining the Jin Chan; no disturbances allowed."

"I am Kunpeng Ninth Imperial Prince. Do you not recognize who I am?" Ye Chen rebuked on the spot.

"We only recognize Tai Zi." The two Kunpeng Sheng Wang spoke in a still indifferent tone, paying no mind to Ye Chen and refusing to buy into his act, with no intention of letting him pass.

"You two are certainly loyal," Ye Chen said, his face darkening, a flicker of cold light in his eyes.

"It's just following orders." The two Kunpeng Sheng Wang remained expressionless, like unyielding gatekeepers. It seemed as if even the Kunpeng Emperor himself arrived, they still wouldn't show any respect—they were that unbending.

"I have urgent business; step aside." Ye Chen snorted coldly and tried to force his way through.

"Tai Zi's orders: before he emerges from seclusion, no one is allowed up." The two Sheng Wang's tones grew even colder, with a hint of Sheng Wang pressure emerging. "Ninth Imperial Prince, don't bring trouble on yourself."

"I really like you two." Ye Chen was so blocked that he nearly choked up. Was this how they operated?

"Old Ninth, give your imperial brother some time; wait a moment, and it will be over soon." A mocking, playful laugh echoed; it came from the peak above, the voice of Kunpeng Tai Zi.

"Imperial brother, I truly have matters to attend to. I—"

"Since I told you to wait, then wait." Ye Chen's words were cut off by Kunpeng Tai Zi, his tone laced with displeasure—or rather, it was a command.

This made a cold light flash in Ye Chen's eyes, stirring an impulse to charge forward. But he quickly dismissed the thought. This was the Kunpeng clan's lair, with Zhun Di level experts in residence and ultimate Dao Emperor weapons suppressing it. Acting recklessly could get him killed in an instant.

He said nothing more, simply turning and sitting down on the stone steps. At this critical moment, he couldn't afford to lose his composure and risk throwing his life away impulsively.

The two Kunpeng Sheng Wang also sat down, glancing at Ye Chen before sinking back into a doze. They saw things clearly: Kunpeng Tai Zi was the future emperor of the Kunpeng clan, far above the Ninth Imperial Prince. Being loyal to Tai Zi was the same as being loyal to the Kunpeng Emperor—this was a towering tree to rely on.

Ye Chen was completely deflated, hanging his head low, itching to curse. He had weathered great storms, only to be stuck in this minor ditch. This little setback was truly frustrating.

Shifting scenes, back to Nan Yu Tai Shan, where the crowds still surged like the sea, all eyes fixed on the mountaintop. Ye Chen's clone was diligently counting the source stones, one by one, unhurriedly. The people around just watched eagerly, having come all this way just to see someone counting money.

The Kunpeng Emperor and the others wore ugly expressions but didn't rush him. Each used secret techniques to secretly track Ye Chen's true body, but after all their efforts, they found nothing, leaving them trembling with anger.

"I've truly overestimated the Kunpeng clan's juniors." Just as everyone was at a loss, a vague, ethereal laugh rang out, its source untraceable, and they couldn't tell who was speaking.

"Who is it?" Kunpeng Emperor and the various Da Sheng turned their heads, eyes narrowing as they scanned all directions.

"I'll assist you once; consider it a favor. You'll have to repay it later." The ethereal voice spoke again, and before the words faded, a faint, shimmering immortal light entered Kunpeng Emperor's body.

Kunpeng Emperor's body trembled slightly, and his already profound eyes were instantly overlaid with a layer of mystical light—or rather, a supreme secret technique that allowed him to see through all illusions.

The Kunpeng Da Sheng noticed the subtle change and glanced at Kunpeng Emperor's eyes, a sharp glint flashing in their own, as if they already knew what secret technique it was without asking.

Kunpeng Emperor said nothing, acting as if nothing had happened, but he subtly scanned a certain direction in the void sky. With pinpoint accuracy, he spotted a black-robed figure amid the crowd. He realized that the mystical light had come from that black-robed person—a genuine Zhun Di level expert, more precisely, an ancestor from one of the ten thousand clans of Nan Yu.

"This favor, don't forget it." The black-robed Zhun Di chuckled, turned, and vanished. Before leaving, he cast a sinister glance at Ye Chen's clone, his old eyes flickering with a menacing light.

"I won't forget." Kunpeng Emperor replied indifferently, then turned back to Ye Chen's clone. With the aid of this supreme secret technique, he instantly pierced through the concealing mists and clearly saw the faint thread connecting the clone to the true body.

"My emperor, have you seen it clearly?" the various Kunpeng Da Sheng asked via divine sense, seeking confirmation.

"Leave three behind; the rest, follow me." Kunpeng Emperor spoke and stepped out of the barrier, with six others following— all Da Sheng level. The cultivator army remained unmoved.

Ye Chen's clone, still counting money, glanced over with a furrowed brow but didn't pay much attention. He was confident in the Zhou Tian array of his true body, believing this group couldn't unravel its secrets. The people around casually glanced over before turning back to the mountaintop, continuing to watch the counting.

Kunpeng Emperor moved at incredible speed, like a divine ray streaking across the sky, his golden eyes fixed dead on the thread connecting the clone to the true body, using it to track his target. He crossed vast rivers and soared over massive mountains, racing onward for over a million li. His brow furrowed deeply; if he hadn't seen it with his own eyes, he wouldn't have believed the distance between the clone and true body was so vast. After flying a million li, the thread still hadn't ended.

At the Kunpeng clan's Tai Zi Peak, the two guarding Sheng Wang had already stepped aside to clear the path. Ye Chen dusted off his backside and stood up, striding upward. After finishing, he couldn't help but glance back at the two Sheng Wang. Those two were indeed loyal, blocking him for so long and leaving him inwardly furious. Still, he had finally received the order from above, permitting him to go see Tai Zi. As long as he could meet Kunpeng Tai Zi, everything would be straightforward. With a Da Sheng level body to assist, taking down Kunpeng Tai Zi would take just a second or two. Then, he could take Kunpeng away.

From afar, he spotted an ancient cave dwelling sealed by a massive stone door. As he approached, the door trembled and slowly opened. He stepped inside without hesitation.

The cave was its own world, a lush bamboo forest filled with pure spiritual energy and flowing immortal light. Deep within the bamboo, there was a radiant immortal pool, and Kunpeng Tai Zi sat cross-legged upon it.

"Imperial brother, it's been many days; I've missed you greatly," Ye Chen said as he approached, smiling broadly.

"Spare me the nonsense. What brings you to seek me out?" Kunpeng Tai Zi didn't rise or even look at him, blatantly ignoring Ye Chen and speaking from on high.

"This time, your imperial brother obtained a treasure. I wonder if you're interested in seeing it," Ye Chen said, inching closer and casually pulling out his Hun Dun Ding.

The moment the cauldron appeared, Kunpeng Tai Zi abruptly opened his eyes and stepped out of the immortal pool, his gaze burning as he stared fixedly at the Hun Dun Ding, instantly recognizing what it was.

"The great cauldron of the Huang Gu Sheng Ti—you should recognize it, imperial brother," Ye Chen said with a smile.

"Where did you get this cauldron?" Kunpeng Tai Zi asked, though his eyes remained locked on the Hun Dun Ding. With his insight, he could see its extraordinary nature—this was a true treasure.

"From Hong Huang Zhi Sen, of course," Ye Chen replied with a leisurely smile. "I assume you're quite fond of it, imperial brother."

"Fond? Naturally," Kunpeng Tai Zi laughed. "This cauldron is mine now. Bringing it here is a great merit on your part. I'll speak well of you to our father the emperor."

"There's no need for that." Ye Chen bared his teeth in a grin and casually drew a Lang Ya Bang from his storage bag, which had been enhanced with secret techniques specifically targeting the primordial spirit.

Kunpeng Tai Zi sensed the killing intent and suddenly turned, but before he could utter a word, a massive club came crashing down, smashing squarely into his forehead. Ye Chen didn't hold back; the blow nearly split his head open, splattering brains everywhere.

"Wanting my cauldron comes at a price," Ye Chen sneered, deploying multiple sealing secret techniques to immediately bind Kunpeng Tai Zi, then stuffing him straight into the Hun Dun Ding.

With that done, he turned and exited the cave dwelling, mission accomplished. He just needed to leave now.

However, as soon as he stepped out, he saw the Kunpeng clan in full commotion, with light pillars shooting into the sky from all directions. A massive barrier materialized, enveloping the entire Tai Zi Peak. Soon after, figures swarmed in from every side, mostly Sheng Wang level, with Da Sheng level experts among them.