Chapter 1531: Nianci'an

"Benefactor, are you willing to take refuge in my Buddha?" Shijia smiled, not answering the question, and looked at Ye Chen with kindness.

Ye Chen frowned. Shijia's approach caught him off guard. He respected the Buddha and also feared it.

The Buddhist teachings were profound and vast, aiming to save all beings, yet they held immense power. Once targeted by the Buddha, one could not predict the consequences.

Clearly, Shijia had set his sights on him, intending to invite him into the Buddhist fold as a devout follower.

"Is this a deal?" Ye Chen looked up toward the mountaintop, peering through the mist to see Shijia.

"Of course not." Shijia's voice echoed ethereally. "There's no rush to answer. Take your time and come when you're ready."

As he spoke, a beam of Buddhist light descended from his fingertip, entering Ye Chen's brow precisely.

It was a divine sense, containing a vast map with directions and an exact location.

Ye Chen was overcome with emotion. He bowed in gratitude and hurriedly turned, stepping into the sky and heading west.

Behind him, Shijia watched quietly, his serene Buddhist eyes flickering with profound meaning—both admiration and doubt.

In the vast ethereal sky, Ye Chen moved like a divine ray, unleashing his peak-level movement techniques to their fullest, eager to see her.

The sky had brightened, but the western desert remained silent as snow began to fall. Snowflakes drifted, blanketing the world in white.

The snowy landscape added a solemn and peaceful aura to the Xuan Huang Western Desert, enhancing its tranquility, much like the serenity of Buddhist teachings.

However, this peace was soon shattered by another battle. Amid the swirling snow, a peak-level duel erupted.

Looking at the combatants, one was a Buddha, and the other was a massive, imposing figure, exuding overwhelming power.

It was Xizun and Kuiniu. The two had finally clashed, creating a massive commotion that drew crowds of cultivators.

"These two have no connection whatsoever—why are they fighting?" People around expressed surprise, baffled by the situation.

"Fights don't always need a reason. If you don't like someone, you just fight. The Kuiniu clan's prince has a fiery temper."

"What's the use of being fiery? He can't even break Xizun's Ten Thousand Buddhas Golden Body. Challenging him is just asking for a beating."

"To take on Xizun, you'd need someone at the level of the Holy Body at least."

Amid the discussions, the battle raged on. Kuiniu attacked with brute force and dominance, his combat power surpassing even the peak.

In contrast, Xizun remained composed. His Buddhist eyes shone brightly, his Buddhist arts boundless, and his strength immense.

Behind him loomed a great Buddha, his Buddhist manifestation, protecting his body and spirit with unbreakable defenses. Kuiniu's relentless assaults failed to breach it.

This news spread across the western desert like wings.

Ye Chen heard about it too, but he just shook his head and smiled, not surprised that Kuiniu was at a disadvantage.

He didn't turn back to help, though. He didn't know what grudge Kuiniu had with Xizun, but he was certain Xizun wouldn't harm Kuiniu's life—it was just a minor scuffle.

As he spoke, he entered another ancient city's teleportation array.

From then on, his journey continued in the same manner, following the location Shijia had given him without pause.

He couldn't help but sigh inwardly. He hadn't realized the distance was so vast. Without Shijia's precise location, who knew how long it would take to find it? The western desert was enormous.

Three days later, he set foot on a vast, desolate plain.

This place was far from any prosperous areas, even somewhat barren. Spiritual energy was thin, vegetation sparse, and with the snow, it felt cold and deserted, with no signs of human life.

He entered an ancient small town and looked up toward the distant peak, which was covered in snow.

That was Nian Ci Mountain, and on it stood Nian Ci Nunnery, where the woman from Wulei Zhicheng resided.

"No wonder I couldn't find her—she's been cultivating in such a remote spot." Ye Chen murmured softly.

"The wine I've just brewed—would you like to buy some to warm yourself?" Ye Chen's contemplation was interrupted by an elderly voice from the street side, from an old man selling wine.

The weather was poor, with heavy snow falling, and in this ancient town far from civilization, the streets were nearly empty. Anyone out was hurrying along with hands tucked in.

There were few people around, and the old wine seller was one of them, standing alone by the street. Though a cultivator, he seemed cold, bundled in a thick cotton coat.

His cultivation was not high—in fact, quite low, only at the Zhen Yang realm—and he was quite old.

"Do you believe in the Buddha, senior?" Ye Chen asked with a smile, taking out source stones to support the old man's business.

"I'm not fated with the Buddha." The old man smiled kindly and handed over two jugs of murky wine. "You've come from afar, weary from travel. Are you heading to Nian Ci Nunnery?"

"Just passing through." Ye Chen replied with a faint smile, taking the two jugs and carrying them as he walked through the quiet town.

Across the vast plain, he left a trail of footprints.

The snowflakes fell like a dream, mirroring his current state of mind—surreal. He was about to see her.

At the base of Nian Ci Mountain, he stopped and gazed up quietly.

It was a small mountain, not very tall or remarkable, yet it exuded a tranquility far removed from the mundane world.

From the base, he could vaguely see the temple at the top—Nian Ci Nunnery, peaceful and secluded.

He took a deep breath and slowly lifted his foot, not flying but climbing the stone steps one by one.

He didn't know whether to feel excited or nervous. His heart was filled with hope, yet he feared the woman might not be Chu Xuan or Chu Ling.

He didn't dare use Zhou Tian evolution to speculate recklessly.

Perhaps he didn't want to uncover the truth so easily. Time had been too harsh; it was better to hold onto some illusions.

The snow continued to fall, gently landing on his shoulders and melting into mist that soaked his clothes, but it wasn't cold.

He reached the top of the steps and saw a tiled temple. In front of it, a young nun was sweeping snow, her mind not at peace as she muttered complaints.

"Hmm?" Sensing someone, the young nun turned her head. She looked like a girl, with bright, clear eyes blinking. "Who are you?"

"Just a traveler." Ye Chen smiled, opened a jug of murky wine, and took a swig. He found the wine extraordinary—strong going in, but like a stream of clear water once swallowed.

Subconsciously, he glanced back at the ancient town below. The old wine seller was still there, hands in his sleeves, dozing as he waited for customers.

The wine was ordinary, yet exceptional. The old man might look disheveled, but he was surely no simple figure, which made Ye Chen wonder.

"Return to simplicity?" Ye Chen murmured again.

"Then why are you here at Nian Ci Nunnery?" The young nun lifted her face, her eyes clear and pure.

Ye Chen snapped back to attention and bowed. "I wish to see the immortal of Wulei Zhicheng. Please inform her, little Daoist nun."

"Uh." The young nun responded and ran inside with her broom. Soon, a voice echoed back: "Master, master, someone wants to see that immortal."

Quickly, the young nun bounced back out, followed by an old nun.

"Master, it's him." The young nun said.

The old nun bowed and sized up Ye Chen. With her Ling Xu realm cultivation, she couldn't see through him.

"I've met the Daoist nun." Ye Chen said politely.

"Please, come inside." The old nun gestured.

"Thank you." Ye Chen stepped into Nian Ci Nunnery.

Nian Ci Nunnery was not large and very peaceful. Besides the young nun and the old nun, there was only one other person.

That third person was, naturally, the immortal of Wulei Zhicheng.

Ye Chen needed no guidance and found her location accurately. He didn't rush, walking step by step.

Deep in the bamboo grove stood a small bamboo house. As soon as he stopped, he stood quietly, his heart pounding. His holy body was on high alert, tense and unrelaxed.

"Is it you?" After thousands of words, he started with this. His voice was hoarse and dry, carrying an ancient weariness.

His words stirred a breeze, and the snowflakes swayed.

With a creak, the bamboo door slowly opened. An extraordinary woman stepped out, dressed in spotless white like the snow itself, untainted by any impurity.

She wore a plain veil, hiding her face. Her eyes were clear and pure, yet coldly indifferent. Her three thousand strands of hair moved without wind, each threaded with divine glow.

Ye Chen glanced at her, and his tense body went limp like a deflated ball. He staggered, nearly collapsing as if his bones had given way.

She was not them. He didn't even need to see her face; her eyes alone were enough to tell.

Indeed, the greater the hope, the greater the disappointment.

He smiled wearily, his once upright holy body slumping slightly, his face turning pale in an instant. His fingers stiffened, losing all sensation.

"Archaic Holy Body." The Wulei Immortal murmured lightly, her expression still cold and detached, as if untouched by the mortal world.

Ye Chen quickly composed himself, waving his hand to produce the painting of Chu Xuan or Chu Ling. "Immortal, have you seen her?"

"What about you? Have you seen him?" The Wulei Immortal also waved her hand, producing a painting that floated in the air. It depicted a man who looked exactly like Ye Chen—more precisely, it was Ye Chen himself.

Ye Chen said nothing, removing his black robe and ghost mask to reveal his weathered true face.

"The person the goddess dreams of is likely you." The Wulei Immortal said faintly. "In the mortal world, someone like you truly exists. It's all about karma."

"You haven't answered my question." Ye Chen stared straight ahead at the Wulei Immortal. "Is the person in this painting from your Wulei Zhicheng?"

"She is the goddess of Wulei Zhicheng." The Wulei Immortal stood gracefully, her skin like ice and jade, like a statue.

At these words, waves rippled through Ye Chen's disappointed heart. He hurriedly bowed and said with a pleading tone, "Please inform her, immortal. I must see your goddess."

"What is she to you?" The Wulei Immortal asked indifferently.

"My wife." As Ye Chen uttered these three words, tears welled in his eyes, impossible to hold back.

"The supreme forgets emotions; no tears mean no feelings."

"Whether with feelings or without, I must see her."

"Wulei Zhicheng has departed, and as one of Wulei Zhicheng, I cannot contact her."

"Then when will Wulei Zhicheng return?" Ye Chen's body tensed again as he looked at the Wulei Immortal with hope. He had missed it twice and didn't want to miss it a third time.

"I don't know." The Wulei Immortal's indifferent words were light and ethereal.

"How could you not know?" Ye Chen suddenly roared, his suppressed emotions from over two hundred years exploding in that moment. His aura surged, overwhelming like a force devouring the eight directions.

His expression turned ferocious, his tear-filled eyes bloodshot, with tears and blood mingling.