Chapter 1536: Emperor Jue's Realm

In the mountains, Ye Chen found a clearing and sat down cross-legged.

As he looked inward at his divine sea, the fused Di Jue floated there, surrounded by divine light and exuding an ancient aura.

Centered on the Di Jue, strands of immortal light spread outward, making his divine sea stir and his mind feel exceptionally clear.

Beyond that, faint traces of imperial might lingered, as the Di Jue had been embedded in an imperial weapon, absorbing its divine power. Even though it was shattered, that power remained.

Ye Chen gazed at it intently; the Di Jue was extraordinary.

He still remembered the scene from over two hundred years ago when he obtained the first piece, when Qi Yang was beaten and left crippled.

Along his journey, the scattered fragments of the Di Jue had been found one by one, and now, it was finally complete.

As he watched, his mind suddenly blurred, pulling him into a realm that caught him off guard.

The scene before him changed dramatically, revealing a haze of mist.

The mist swirled and slowly dissipated, uncovering a vast wilderness with towering mountains, mighty rivers, and a sprawling, lush landscape.

He saw a woman standing in the ethereal void, her face indistinct, as if she were a distant dream.

She was stunningly elegant, like a banished immortal, enveloped in immortal radiance and possessing a divine grace that overlooked the world.

Her pressure was world-shattering, with imperial dao principles dancing around, making the heavens tremble and all things fall still.

Countless visions intertwined, ancient and mysterious, circling around her as their center, each one capable of defying the heavens and creating wonders.

Great Emperor!

Ye Chen's mind trembled with overwhelming shock.

Such pressure far surpassed that of the Zhutian Sword Gods by countless times; this being must be a Great Emperor.

And moreover, a female emperor.

Forcing down his shocked thoughts, he looked at the female emperor's right hand.

In her right hand, she gripped an immortal sword etched with ancient runes, surrounded by immortal light and dancing principles.

At the sword's end, a jade pendant was embedded, identical to the Di Jue—or perhaps it was the Di Jue itself.

"That sword—is it the imperial weapon that was severed by the Zhu Xian Sword?"

"And who is she? Which Great Emperor is she?"

Ye Chen looked at the female emperor, knowing she was an emperor.

"The Hong Lian Female Emperor, Yao Chi Female Emperor, Dong Hua Female Emperor—these are the only three female emperors among the 130 emperors of Xuan Huang, and none of their imperial weapons are swords. Where did this female emperor come from?"

"Is there a fourth female emperor in the Zhutian?"

Ye Chen scratched his head, feeling a bit confused.

For some reason, the female emperor looked familiar to him.

This familiarity wasn't about her face, but her divine presence—he felt like he had seen it somewhere before, very familiar.

"Where have I seen her before?"

"I remember—it's the forbidden zone."

"Yes, in the forbidden zone."

As he thought, he seemed to recall something, and his eyes sparkled with insight.

"In the Dong Huang Refinery Hell, Nan Yu Ming Soil, Xi Mo Wangchuan, and Bei Yue Huangquan, I've seen a woman dancing like a dream, very similar to her."

Ye Chen stared at the female emperor, the more he looked, the more she resembled that figure, and the more he felt a chill down his spine.

"Di Jue, who exactly is your master? Someone from the forbidden zone? Which Great Emperor is she?"

Ye Chen couldn't figure it out—why would the female emperor go to the forbidden zone to dance, and visit every one of them?

Just as he was pondering, he suddenly felt the realm tremble with a buzz.

Then, the world lost its color.

In the ethereal void above, chaotic mists surged, with lightning flashing and thunder roaring, tearing apart the vast sky.

The heavens darkened, obscured by the chaotic mists, like the ancient Da Chu, shrouded in eternal night.

The female emperor moved, striking a sword that destroyed heaven and earth, cleaving through the overwhelming chaotic mists and charging into the void.

She advanced against the thunder, cutting down all terrifying entities in her path, as if intent on reaching the end of the heavens.

Ye Chen's vision blurred; he could no longer see the female emperor's figure, even with his immortal eyes, unable to pierce the illusion.

Though it was just a realm, a subtle pressure lingered in the void, making him shudder—it could instantly obliterate the world.

He didn't know how much time passed before he saw the female emperor fall, covered in blood, her imperial dao principles shattered and her imperial immortal light extinguished.

Falling with her was her imperial sword, its light dimmed and stained with her blood; it was no longer whole, cleaved into two pieces.

Ye Chen's expression changed—what kind of entity had the female emperor faced to end up in such a devastating battle, with her imperial blood splattering the heavens?

The chaotic mists rampaged, and a seven-colored immortal sword manifested, dazzling and radiant, slashing toward the falling female emperor.

Ye Chen stared fixedly; he recognized that seven-colored immortal sword.

It was the Zhu Xian Sword—he would never forget it.

His eyes turned blood-red as he watched the Zhu Xian Sword strike the female emperor, powerless to intervene.

In that instant, the realm shook violently and collapsed with a boom.

Ye Chen's mind returned, his eyes opening and closing, but before he could speak, he spat out blood and fainted on the spot.

Though he had fainted, the Di Jue flew out from between his brows.

It seemed to have a spirit, radiating immortal light and trembling with a buzz, as if wailing, mourning its master.

It flew away, crossing great rivers and soaring over mountains, like a faint ghostly light, vanishing into the Huangquan Forbidden Zone.

"Huh?"

A light sound of surprise echoed in the Huangquan Forbidden Zone, making the entire zone tremble.

In the mountains, Ye Chen remained unconscious, having seen what he shouldn't have and suffering backlash.

Fortunately, the Di Jue had borne most of the backlash for him; otherwise, with his cultivation, he would have been utterly destroyed.

He slept for a long time, from morning until night, yet still didn't wake.

At the foot of the mountain, the old cultivator knelt before the grave, his expression desolate and grief-stricken, occasionally breaking into a foolish laugh.

Two hundred years had passed; he had returned, but now he was alone, his parents and family long turned to dust in history.

Behind him, the child who had traded the Di Jue with Ye Chen sat there, hands propping up his chin.

"Grandpa, I have a little house. Come with me!"

At night, the small village fell into silence, occasionally broken by the mumbling of children in their dreams.

While it was night here, far away in Zhongzhou, dawn had already arrived.

"Ye Chen, if you wish to save your old friends, come to Zhutian Mountain."

As the sky brightened, a eerie laugh echoed across all directions.

This laugh carried cultivation power and great divine abilities, spreading without limit and lingering for a long time.

Zhongzhou was shaken; it had been so long since news of the Holy Body, and hearing this was quite unexpected.

People gathered from all sides, tracing the source of the voice.

When they reached the base of Zhutian Mountain, they were met with a bloody scene.

Before Zhutian Mountain stood a massive stone platform, spanning ten thousand zhang.

On the platform, numerous copper pillars rose, each one chaining a person—disheveled, bloodied, and battered.

At the end of the platform was a row of ancient thrones, each occupied by someone: the Xian Clan Divine Child, Feng Xian, Shen Clan Divine Child, and others among them.

Compared to those chained, they lounged casually on their thrones.

What they shared was a mocking smile at the corners of their mouths and a sinister gleam in their eyes, full of cruelty and bloodlust.

"They're all enemies of the Holy Body."

Those who arrived first glanced at the Xian Clan Divine Child and the others, sighing in dismay.

"And those chained up—who are they?"

"Clearly, they're Ye Chen's old friends. Since they couldn't find the Holy Body, the Xian Clan Divine Child and his group captured his friends instead."

"Another siege targeting the Holy Body—who knows if he can break through this time? It's quite exciting."

"Of course he will; no doubt about it."

"The Holy Body has always defied the heavens in his path."

Many people counted on their fingers: the Xuan Huang Star Sea, Yao Chi grand event, Dong Huang ancient city, ancient ruins, Nan Yu wanted list, Xi Mo siege.

Ever since Ye Chen arrived in Xuan Huang, everywhere he went brought chaos, each place a deadly trial, escalating each time.

No need to say, every incident was defying the heavens—something only the Holy Body could pull off; others couldn't.

On the copper pillars, Heng Yue Zhenren and Heng Tian Shangren struggled, their voices hoarse.

Their cultivations had been crippled, their eyes dim and lifeless.

The other reincarnated individuals were the same, bound and unable to move.

If they could, they would end their lives without hesitation and head to the Huangquan Road.

The people of Da Chu knew Ye Chen well; if he found out, he would definitely come.

But they didn't want him to— this was a trap, and he had suffered enough; he couldn't throw his life away for a group of useless people like them.

"Are you sure he'll come?"

Amid the discussions, the Xian Clan Divine Child glanced at Feng Xian beside him.

"I know him well; he'll definitely come."

Feng Xian grinned menacingly, grinding his teeth, his face full of resentment.

"In that case, let's make sure he comes but never leaves."

The various divine children let out sinister laughs, their eyes gleaming with cold light.