Chapter 1515: Help!

Ye Chen frowned slightly and tentatively looked at Cheng Huang. "Is there a woman holding my portrait? Does she look exactly like the person in this painting? When did you see her?"

"She looks identical," Cheng Huang replied. "As for the time, it was over a hundred years ago."

"Over a hundred years ago," Ye Chen murmured to himself, his mind racing as he recalled ancient events.

That timeframe matched what the Ji family ancestor had mentioned. The Ji family ancestor had seen Chu Xuan (also known as Chu Ling), and combining that with what Cheng Huang said, the woman must be one of them.

Ye Chen felt deeply gratified. Not only was he searching for them, but they were also searching for him. Even though they hadn't yet unlocked their past-life memories, how could a single cycle of reincarnation block true emotion?

What was even more coincidental was that she had once come to Ci Bei Cheng and shown the portrait to Cheng Huang while asking about it. This might be fate at work, though the heavens had played a trick on them, causing them to miss each other.

Forcing down his surging emotions, Ye Chen turned back to Cheng Huang. "Recently, Wu Lei Zhi Cheng descended upon Xuan Huang Xi Mo, and a woman emerged from it. Are you aware of this?"

"I'm aware," Cheng Huang said with a smile. "But don't ask where she is— even as Cheng Huang, I don't know."

"Thank you," Ye Chen said, then turned and left the grand hall, his heart pounding with excitement he could barely contain.

No sooner had he stepped out of the Cheng Huang Temple than he heard a wolf's howl. "Boss, someone's messing with me!"

Listening closely, it was Xiao Yuan Huang making the noise, his voice booming with dominance and shaking the ancient city.

Ye Chen heard it, and so did Kui Niu, who was in the brothel enjoying wine and women. Kui Niu's temper flared instantly; he grabbed his massive axe and charged out, his wild aura striking fear into all around.

Da Di Wu Xiong, Bei Ming Yu, Xian Wang He, and Chuan Shan Jia also rushed out, weapons in hand, heading straight for the source of the howl. In an instant, the sky in that direction erupted with thunderous booms.

Ye Chen looked over and saw Xiao Yuan Huang fighting three figures in black robes. They exuded powerful energy, all at the Quasi Sheng Wang level.

Ye Chen recognized their bloodline immediately— they were from the Yao Zu.

The battle raged fiercely, with six against one, spilling out of the city. Most ordinary people in the city had fled to the Cheng Huang Temple and other shrines, kneeling in terror, believing they had offended the immortals.

As for the cultivators, they had already swarmed out to watch the spectacle, gathering in groups.

Ye Chen paid it no mind and pulled out the scroll again, planning to continue his inquiries along the way. The three Quasi Sheng Wang opponents were well within his companions' capabilities, especially Kui Niu, who could hold his own against a Sheng Wang alone.

However, as the fight went on, the situation shifted. Another fighter joined the battle— another Yao Zu member, this one at the Sheng Wang level, instantly overwhelming Kui Niu and the others.

"Old Seven, what are you doing? Help us out!" Kui Niu shouted, his voice echoing and making the sky rumble.

Ye Chen sighed in resignation, put away the scroll, and stepped out of the ancient city. What he saw was his six companions being beaten and scattered through the air by one Sheng Wang and three Quasi Sheng Wang.

His arrival made Kui Niu and the others quickly rally around him. They were all bruised and battered but suddenly full of energy, feeling much more confident with Old Seven there.

"You really stir up trouble wherever you go!" Ye Chen glanced at Xiao Yuan Huang. "What's going on?"

"This time, it's not my fault," Xiao Yuan Huang grumbled, his fiery eyes blazing with fierce flames. "I was just walking along when these three jumped out, insisting on buying my iron staff. I obviously said no! Then they started the fight without another word."

Hearing this, Ye Chen turned his head slightly and looked at the Yao Zu Sheng Wang and the three Quasi Sheng Wang with interest. "You three are elders, after all. Forcing a sale like this is a bit bullying, don't you think?"

"We tried to talk it out, but you didn't know what's good for you," one Yao Zu Quasi Sheng Wang sneered, full of confidence. "The strongest on your side are just Sheng Ren, and only two at that. The rest are Quasi Sheng level. We have a Sheng Wang here— we're clearly bullying you. So what?"

"This one's mine." Kui Niu roared and swung his battle axe, charging at the one who had spoken.

"You're asking for it." The Yao Zu Quasi Sheng Wang snorted coldly and struck with a palm, but Kui Niu's axe flipped him back, leaving his hand bloody and mangled. If not for his solid foundation, he might have been cleaved in two.

"Let's go!" Da Di Wu Xiong and Xiao Yuan Huang howled, rushing at the other two Quasi Sheng Wang.

As for the Yao Zu Sheng Wang, he was left for Ye Chen— no choice, since Old Seven was the strongest. The universally wanted man, he had killed several waves of powerful foes and was incredibly formidable.

"You really think highly of me," Ye Chen muttered. Earlier, he had been so fierce because of the Da Sheng body and the help of many formidable Yin Ming dead generals, plus a dominant Quasi Di sword.

But now, the Da Sheng body was destroyed, all the Yin Ming dead generals had self-destructed, and only the Quasi Di sword remained. With his Sheng Ren level cultivation, he couldn't fully unleash the weapon's true power.

More importantly, his cultivation had dropped due to the Zhou Tian cycle, so he wasn't at his peak. Facing a Sheng Wang, he could gain the upper hand but not easily kill the opponent.

"I must say, I admire your guts," Ye Chen said with a smirk, just as the Yao Zu Sheng Wang chuckled darkly, his hollow eyes fixed on Ye Chen. "Who gave you that confidence?"

"People from the Yao Zu are all so arrogant!" Ye Chen laughed lightly, his aura surging and his presence growing majestic.

"You're overreaching." The Yao Zu Sheng Wang scoffed and stepped forward, thrusting a finger that pierced the sky.

Ye Chen didn't clash head-on; he suddenly vanished, dodging the lethal strike, then used Shrink the Ground to an Inch several times to dart toward Kui Niu's battlefield. There, Kui Niu had just punched his opponent flying.

"You bastard!" The knocked-down Yao Zu Quasi Sheng Wang roared in fury, immediately activating a secret technique. His hair turned blood-red, and divine patterns etched across his forehead as he surged with demonic energy, lunging at Kui Niu.

"A Sheng Ren with such overwhelming power?" The Yao Zu Sheng Wang narrowed his eyes and crossed the void in an instant. He had underestimated Ye Chen and his group— their cultivation wasn't high, but their combat strength was exceptional.

When he attacked again, he didn't hold back, delivering another powerful finger strike.

Ye Chen stood firm until the finger was about to pierce him, then suddenly disappeared, using Heaven-Swapping Earth-Change to swap places with the Yao Zu Quasi Sheng Wang fighting Kui Niu.

Blood sprayed through the air, filling the sky. That Yao Zu Quasi Sheng Wang hadn't even realized what happened before he was caught off guard and struck down by the Sheng Wang's finger, sending him straight to the underworld.

"Heaven-Swapping Earth-Change?" The Yao Zu Sheng Wang's face turned icy, recognizing the secret technique. It was completely unexpected— that finger of his had taken out his own ally.

"Old Seven, nice move!" Kui Niu grinned, finally understanding why Ye Chen had rushed into his battlefield. The goal was to get close enough to use the Yao Zu Sheng Wang's attack to eliminate the Quasi Sheng Wang. It was a clever tactic, and Ye Chen executed it flawlessly.

"Go help them," Ye Chen said casually, his eyes locked on the Yao Zu Sheng Wang, wary that the enemy might interfere with Xiao Yuan Huang's group. His killing moves were too dangerous.

Kui Niu acknowledged and turned to join Xiao Yuan Huang's battle. Before even entering the fray, he let out a booming shout: "Beat the men until they're submissive, brothers— fight to the death!"

His words instantly boosted Xiao Yuan Huang and the others' morale. With a three-on-one setup, who was afraid? Sure, our cultivation might be lower, but we're all beasts through and through.

The two Yao Zu Quasi Sheng Wang were at a disadvantage, getting pummeled by the six and unable to fight back. As proud Quasi Sheng Wang, they were utterly humiliated, surrounded by juniors and completely disoriented.

The Yao Zu Sheng Wang snorted coldly and took a massive step, a brilliant divine rainbow shooting from his crown— an ancient battle flag that sealed off the surrounding space, cutting off the Heaven-Swapping Earth-Change technique.

"Not bad, you're not stupid," Ye Chen said, stepping on the Ta Xu and charging at the Yao Zu Sheng Wang, shocking the onlookers. A Sheng Ren daring to face a Sheng Wang alone— no one could imagine it; it was suicide.

Amid the gasps, the Yao Zu Sheng Wang opened his mouth and spat out a drop of essence blood, transforming it into a vast demonic sea that blanketed the sky. Every wave was as heavy as a mountain, intertwined with various visions.

This was a Sheng Wang-level vision, the demonic sea infused with the Sheng Wang's dao, sweeping across the heavens and engulfing Ye Chen.

If it were an ordinary Sheng Ren, they would likely be crushed to dust in an instant. But Ye Chen was no ordinary Sheng Ren— far from it; he was fiercely dominant.

The Quasi Di sword materialized in his hand, and with one swing, he cleaved a silver river through the air, splitting the demonic sea.

The Quasi Di weapon's power was overwhelming, even if not at full strength. Not only did it shatter the demonic sea, but it also forced the Yao Zu Sheng Wang to stagger back.