Chapter 1744: The Gift of Prophecy

In the Yu Tai channel, Ye Chen stood solemnly, clutching the Xing Kong Tu in his hand. He examined it repeatedly, occasionally making some notes.

In the Tong Lu, Li Changsheng's mass of flesh had reformed into a human shape.

First, he had been roughly massaged by the female disciples of Zao Hua Zong, and then trampled all over by Ye Chen, leaving him unconscious for an entire night. Finally, he had awakened.

As soon as he regained consciousness, he crawled to the edge of the Tong Lu and asked anxiously, "Boss, how long have we been in the channel?"

"One shichen," Ye Chen replied casually.

"Have we passed Hua Fan Star yet?" Li Changsheng asked with a face full of hope.

"Are you still half-asleep? We're in the transmission channel right now—how would I know if we've passed Hua Fan Star?" Ye Chen said.

Still, thinking about Hua Fan Star, it was indeed marked on the Xing Kong Tu, and it was quite far from Chi Chen Star. At their current speed, they probably hadn't reached it yet.

Li Changsheng fell silent, sitting in the Tong Lu without a word. This chatterbox was uncharacteristically quiet for once.

Ye Chen raised an eyebrow. He was used to this guy's endless babbling, and the sudden silence felt odd, like something was missing.

"Today is her wedding day, and I promised her I'd go to give my blessings," Li Changsheng finally spoke after a long silence.

"Bro, let me do a quick calculation—from what you're saying, she's on Hua Fan Star."

"That ancient star has no cultivators—it's full of ordinary mortals," Li Changsheng continued. "Hua Fan Star is the farthest place I've ever traveled. I met an ordinary mortal woman there, but unfortunately, all she wanted was a simple life."

"I'm truly seeing you in a new light," Ye Chen sighed, recalling the carefree Li Changsheng from last night, who was now like a completely different person—a hopeless romantic.

"If only we could stop midway," Li Changsheng muttered.

His words had barely left his mouth when the space channel trembled with a loud rumble, and the path ahead began to collapse inch by inch.

Clearly, something major was happening in the star space—perhaps a massive battle—that had affected the channel.

"You son of a—did your mouth get enlightened?" Ye Chen cursed, leaping out just before the collapse and emerging into the star space.

As soon as he appeared, he saw a massive palm strike—a perfectly executed Da Shua Bei Shou—and he collided with it head-on.

He was sent flying on the spot, tumbling thousands of zhang through the air, smashing through countless meteorites along the way with explosive force.

Once he steadied himself, he was covered in dirt and disheveled. Looking toward the source, there really was a fierce battle going on, and at a high level too. The commotion was huge; otherwise, it wouldn't have impacted the channel.

There were two elderly figures, one in black and one in white, both exuding the immense aura of Zhun Di. For some reason, they were locked in combat, unleashing deadly techniques with every strike, as if they were fighting to the death.

This section of star space had turned chaotic because of their battle, with one dead star after another exploding.

Ye Chen was baffled—how could there be Zhun Di-level experts in this remote, desolate corner of the universe? And not just one, but two.

He remembered what Zao Hua Laozu had said—it was likely due to the major clans, sects, and teachings migrating to the border regions.

"I told you so! We can stop midway now," Li Changsheng chuckled from inside the Tong Lu, rubbing his hands. "This way, I can make it in time."

"Shut your mouth for me," Ye Chen snapped, his face darkening with frustration, veins bulging on his forehead. He was sure this guy's mouth had been enlightened.

"This is just fate at work," Li Changsheng coughed, speaking righteously. "It's meant to let me resolve this karmic tie."

"If you weren't Qing Chuan's host, I'd have strangled you by now," Ye Chen grumbled angrily. "If I knew this nonsense would happen, why bother with the Xing Kong Yu Tai? In one night, I could have flown millions of li on my own."

"It's only about three million li to Hua Fan Star. With your speed, it would take half a day at most. Come on, boss, show a little mercy," Li Changsheng pleaded, his eyes welling up with tears.

"Don't say another word—I don't want to deal with you," Ye Chen retorted.

He kept cursing under his breath, but he still had to press on. The black-and-white Zhun Di were fighting more fiercely by the second, and now they were heading straight toward them—like two madmen, unwilling to stop until one was dead.

Ye Chen cursed inwardly and immediately activated his escape technique, not wanting to get caught in the crossfire.

As he was now, he could handle Da Sheng-level opponents, but Zhun Di were out of the question. Without a Ji Dao Di Qi by his side, he'd be utterly outmatched.

"A mere Sheng person dares to covet the Zao Hua Qing Lian?" the black-robed Zhun Di shouted coldly. While clashing with the white-robed Zhun Di, he still managed to swing a palm toward Ye Chen.

"What Zao Hua Qing Lian? You two are fighting—why drag me into it?" Ye Chen howled at the top of his lungs, his feet glowing as he sped away, dodging the palm strike.

It was a good thing he didn't have a Ji Dao Di Bing with him; otherwise, he would have charged over and taught the black-robed Zhun Di a lesson about life.

Seeing how nimbly Ye Chen escaped, the black-robed Zhun Di was astonished.

It had been years since he'd seen a Sheng person evade his suppression, and even longer since he'd seen one run so fast.

Distracted for a moment, the white-robed Zhun Di launched an attack—a world-shaking secret technique that nearly split the black-robed Zhun Di in half.

The black-robed Zhun Di wasn't about to take that lying down. He activated his forbidden laws, boosting his combat power, and focused entirely on fighting the white-robed Zhun Di, ignoring Ye Chen.

The star space grew even more chaotic, with stars shattering, suns collapsing, and all sorts of destructive phenomena intertwining, turning everything into utter desolation.

Cultivators in the star space spotted the battle from afar and quickly steered clear—who would willingly walk into a Zhun Di-level fight?

Ye Chen bolted away at full speed and only stopped once he was sure the black-robed Zhun Di wasn't chasing him. He pulled out his wine flask and took a big gulp in the star space.

"What's this Zao Hua Qing Lian?" Li Changsheng poked his head out of the Tong Lu again. "It's got two Zhun Di fighting desperately over it."

"It's an essential material for refining the Jiuzhuan Huan Hun Dan."

"The Jiuzhuan Huan Hun Dan?" Li Changsheng exclaimed in surprise. "A nine-pattern pill?"

"Legend has it that the Zao Hua Qing Lian is formed from the essence of Da Luo Jin Xian. It can become a nine-pattern material, or it can be integrated into a person's body to aid in fusing with the Great Dao. It's a heaven-defying treasure—something you can encounter but not seek."

"No wonder those two Zhun Di are going all out for it."

"It's got nothing to do with us—Zhun Di are not to be messed with," Ye Chen said, tossing aside his wine flask. He checked his direction and set off again.

Li Changsheng scratched his head and said no more, just staring blankly at the star space. Although Ye Chen scolded him, he was still reliable.

This time, Ye Chen was heading straight for Hua Fan Star.

Truth be told, Ye Chen was like his benefactor—saving him from danger and now taking him to Hua Fan Star to resolve his karmic ties. This world-conquering ruthless figure had treated him well.

Or maybe he was overthinking it—way overthinking it.

Ye Chen had no time for his karmic romances. If it weren't on the way to Hua Fan Star, would I even go? I'm a busy man—with plenty of wives waiting for me and plenty of enemies to fight.

The two traveled in silence, speeding through the star space.

After some time, a star came into view.

It was a deep blue one, pitifully small, surrounded by faint light, nothing particularly remarkable—just one of many.

This was the Hua Fan Star that Li Changsheng had mentioned.

It truly was a star of mortals; there was no scent of cultivators, just ordinary people living ordinary lives, even the stellar clouds around it thin and sparse.

"Is this the one?" Ye Chen glanced at Li Changsheng.

"Yes, yes, it is." Li Changsheng climbed out of the Tong Lu, gazing at Hua Fan Star with a dazed expression, his eyes dimming.

Attending the wedding of the one he loved filled him with melancholy.

Their paths were worlds apart—she sought a simple life, while he walked the path of defying heaven. Their fate was doomed from the start.

"Can you hurry up?" Ye Chen kicked him.

Li Changsheng took a deep breath, changed into clean clothes, and headed to Hua Fan Star to settle that karmic tie.

As for Ye Chen, he didn't enter; he waited outside Hua Fan Star.

The place was full of mortals; even if there were reincarnated souls, they wouldn't live past three hundred years. They had probably been buried for ages.

With a sigh, he took out his wine flask and poured it into the star space as an offering to the departed souls, wishing them peace in the afterlife.

Afterward, he pulled out the Xing Kong Tu again and made some marks.

But for some reason, his heart ached repeatedly, the pain coming out of nowhere. It made him look up more than once, scanning the surrounding star space.