Chapter 1666: The Flowers of the Other Shore

"Go to Gui Cheng and wait for me."

Ye Chen laughed, picked up the Tongguan Wendie, and dashed toward the Naihe Bridge. He was so excited he felt like crying.

"Don't be gone for another half a year."

Kui Niu yelled after him.

Ye Chen didn't respond, leaving Kui Niu scratching his head in confusion.

He knew Ye Chen well, and something that could excite him this much must mean the new Naihe Bridge god's identity was no ordinary matter.

Finally, Kui Niu took one last look back before stepping into the void.

Behind him, the onlookers dispersed, murmuring in amazement.

The underworld was full of prodigies, but Ye Chen's talents were terrifyingly beyond compare—he was the first saint to survive the Sea of Sins for half a year.

The younger generation in the underworld shook their heads helplessly.

Ye Chen was like an insurmountable mountain, leaving them breathless, and it would likely be thousands of years before anyone could rise above him.

Even the older generations shook their heads with a smile, feeling their own age catching up.

The youth of today were formidable, far surpassing their own era—the world always produces new talents, each generation stronger than the last.

Meanwhile, Ye Chen sped along until he reached the checkpoint.

Guarding the pass were the same two ghost kings, standing rigidly like door gods, their faces fierce and intimidating.

As Ye Chen landed, their hearts trembled violently.

Though stationed there, they were well-informed about the latest news.

Ye Chen's exploits had spread throughout the underworld, so how could they not know?

It all felt surreal—when Ye Chen first arrived, he was just a single soul, and in such a short time, he had become a Mingjiang.

"Do you have the Tongguan Wendie?"

The two ghost kings remembered their duties.

"Of course I do," Ye Chen said with a smile, casually waving his sleeve to send out a beam of divine light that transformed into the document.

The ghost kings took it, glanced over it to confirm it was genuine, and then stepped aside, gesturing with their hands. "Please proceed, Mingjiang."

"I'm in a good mood today, so take this for drinks," Ye Chen laughed, stepping forward and tossing them two storage bags.

As Mingjiang, they couldn't refuse the gifts. The ghost kings opened the bags and their eyes lit up—one contained ten thousand Ming Stones.

They were overjoyed; such a quantity of Ming Stones was a considerable fortune for them.

On the Huangquan Road, Ye Chen walked step by step, his pace steady.

Stepping onto this path between yin and yang again filled him with emotion.

When he first entered the Yincao Difu, he had been escorted by Ox-Head and Horse-Face to be reincarnated into the animal realm.

Now, half a year later, he returned as a Mingjiang, not for rebirth, but to reunite with his Chu Ling.

His heart pounded, and his body trembled with excitement.

A full cycle of past and present lives, three hundred years of trials and tribulations—it had been too long, and he felt a bit nervous, afraid it might all be a dream.

As he walked, a flash of red caught his eye.

Looking down, he saw the Bì'àn Huā along the Huangquan Road.

The Bì'àn Huā blooms on the other shore, where flowers and leaves never meet—flowers without leaves, leaves without flowers, forever missing each other through endless lifetimes.

It was a tale of tragic longing, like lovers fated to be apart.

Ye Chen smiled, bent down, and picked the flowers one by one.

Though they were an old married couple, he still wanted to add a touch of romance.

He had never given Chu Ling flowers before, so this was the perfect chance. The Bì'àn Huā were the most vibrant, carrying his deepest feelings.

"Chu Ling, Ye Chen is here to get you."

He smiled warmly, holding the flowers and quickening his pace toward the Naihe Bridge.

The way he said "Chu Ling" was hoarse and full of weariness, impossible to describe.

Three hundred years ago, she had died and ended up in the underworld by some twist of fate.

Three hundred years later, he had died and fallen into the Yincao Difu.

Perhaps an ancient bond was pulling them together, weaving through three centuries of entanglement—fated lovers would meet again to continue their unfinished story.

He still remembered the scene from back then, when Chu Ling collapsed in his arms, her eyes tearful as she whispered her last words in the mortal world.

That moment was so heartbreakingly beautiful, and even now, recalling it pained him.

From afar, he spotted Chu Ling at the head of the Naihe Bridge.

She wore a spotless white robe, like an exiled immortal, her hair flowing like rippling water, strands tinged with divine glow.

She was like a pure lotus blooming at the Naihe Bridge, adding a splash of brilliance to the dim underworld.

However, when Ye Chen saw her, his mouth twitched involuntarily, and his expression turned utterly comical.

Chu Ling was indeed there, but she was lounging with one leg crossed over the other, casually cracking sunflower seeds, with shells scattered all around.

Yes, she was cracking seeds, the rhythm crisp and steady.

She looked completely relaxed, a stark contrast to the diligent Meng Po—Chu Ling seemed almost playful.

As someone approached, Chu Ling turned her head and froze for a moment.

Ye Chen's face felt strangely familiar, as if she had seen it somewhere before, stirring a deep ache in her heart that made her want to cry.

Ye Chen's eyes were already wet, brimming with hot tears.

In that single glance, three hundred years across past and present lives passed between them.

Time seemed to freeze in that instant, though they were close, it felt like they were separated by the vast river of time.

Ye Chen choked up, stepped forward, and hugged Chu Ling tightly.

He held her with all his strength, tears streaming uncontrollably, soaking her clothes as he sobbed.

Chu Ling was caught off guard, unable to catch her breath at first, her expression stunned.

As the god of the Naihe Bridge and a Mingjiang deity, no one had dared to be so bold with her in all those years—this was a first.

Still, it was worth noting that his embrace was warm, giving her a sense of security, along with an inexplicable familiarity.

But her pride as a woman made her eyes flash with anger.

"Who do you think you are? Let go, or I'll lose my temper!"

Hearing that, Ye Chen did let go, not even wiping his tears as he looked at her in astonishment.

"You don't recognize me?"

"Am I supposed to?"

Chu Ling glared at him. What kind of person was this, hugging her out of nowhere? Did he think they were close?

Ye Chen frowned—it was clear Chu Ling didn't know him.

The strange part was, everyone from the heavens who died and came to the underworld retained their past-life memories, like him, Kui Niu, and Di Huang.

But Chu Ling was different; she had no recollection of her previous life.

He narrowed his eyes and focused on her Yuan Shen.

Instantly, he saw the issue: deep in her primordial spirit, there was an ancient Shenwen, a seal.

"Who sealed her memories?"

Ye Chen muttered to himself.

The seal was hidden deep in her Yuan Shen, hard to detect without close scrutiny, and its level was impressively high.

"Could it be Di Huang predecessor?"

Ye Chen pondered, and after thinking it through, that seemed the most plausible guess.

"Are you trying to flirt with me?"

Chu Ling sat back down, cracking seeds while glancing at Ye Chen.

Her eyes eventually landed on the bundle of Bì'àn Huā.

He wasn't here for reincarnation, and he was carrying flowers—this was obviously a move to woo someone.

And on the Naihe Bridge, she was the only one there, so his intentions were plain.

Ye Chen snapped back to reality, cleared his throat, and handed her the flowers. Since she put it that way, a little flirting couldn't hurt.

"From which hall are you?"

Chu Ling took the flowers, sniffing their fragrance as she asked, "How come I've never seen you before?"

"A newly promoted Mingjiang?"

Ye Chen shrugged, sitting down beside her and crossing his legs just like she had.

He helped himself to a handful of seeds from her dish, cracking them rhythmically. "Who put that seal on you?"

"What seal?"

Chu Ling turned to him, looking puzzled.

"Looks like you don't know."

Ye Chen stroked his chin, baffled as to why Di Huang would have sealed her memories.