Chapter 1768: A Boat Returns

Seeing Shàng Shàn ascend to the heavens and escape beyond the range of Yì Tiān Huàn Dì, Yè Chén couldn't help but curse under his breath. He was tempted to burst out of the sea and drag that guy down by hand.

"You owe me a favor, remember to repay it," Tiān Shuò said, shaking his head and smoothing his hair with an air of effortless cool, exuding an aura of supreme arrogance.

"What's all this about favors?" Yè Chén replied casually, draping an arm over the other's shoulder and winking. "No wife yet? Let me introduce you to one, bro!"

"I have a bad temper and hate it when people act all chummy with me," Tiān Shuò said indifferently, pulling out a sword, breathing on it, and wiping it with his sleeve.

"Talking like that will get you beat up," Yè Chén retorted with a smirk, taking out his wine flask and glancing upward. "Is there any way to drag that old dog down?"

"He's on guard now, so you can't pull him down," Tiān Shuò replied, tucking his hands into his sleeves. "If I were at my peak, I'd kick that bastard to death."

"You fought the Hóng Huāng clans so fiercely—do you have a grudge against them?"

"I was sleeping soundly when they woke me up, so of course I had to fight."

"Are you two planning to just stand here and chat forever?" Kuí Niú interjected, unable to hold back any longer. "Keep going! The Hóng Huāng clans are incredibly wealthy."

"Let's continue," Yè Chén said, tossing aside his wine flask and heading east.

"Time to get to work," Tiān Shuò yawned, stretching as he went west.

The calm sea surface erupted into thunderous roars once more. In the east and west directions, the speeding warships fell silent one after another.

The scene was as spectacular as ever, with cultivators watching in gleaming-eyed excitement, feeling utterly thrilled at the sight of the Hóng Huāng clans being routed.

"Retreat, retreat quickly!" The Hóng Huāng Zhǔndì roared hoarsely, their faces twisted like demons. They dared not stray far from their own warships, hoping only to flee the Xīng Hǎi and return to the mainland as fast as possible.

"Where do you think you're going?" Yè Chén snorted coldly, his speed like something out of a cheat code as he caught up to a Tāo Wù clan warship and unleashed a barrage.

He chased and attacked while keeping an eye on the Hóng Huāng Zhǔndì, wondering if he could drag one or two more down.

But those old foxes had wised up, flying higher than ever and staying on high alert, each one more cautious than the last.

"You're impressive," Yè Chén muttered, shifting his focus away from the Zhǔndì and concentrating on pursuing the warships. The treasures he plundered from each one were quite substantial—all free for the taking.

He moved like a ghost, appearing and vanishing without a trace, with no one able to predict which warship would be destroyed next—it happened without any warning.

Overlooking the Xuán Huáng Xīng Hǎi, waves of warships shattered and sank, filled with cries of agony, roars of anger, and pleas for help that echoed loudly.

Ahead, land was in sight, with the coast crowded with people, a dense black mass all pointing and discussing the Xīng Hǎi.

The commotion in the Xīng Hǎi was just too massive, drawing a huge crowd of onlookers. Some had considered venturing in for a look, but with the Hóng Huāng clans inside, they feared being wiped out and only those with great powers dared risk their lives by sailing in.

"Aside from the Tiān Mó invasion, this sea battle is the largest in scale. What's gotten into these Hóng Huāng big clans?" Many stroked their chins, quietly speculating.

"It's probably over treasure, leading to this all-out fight."

"What do you two think?" On a desolate hilltop, a sleazy old man chuckled leisurely.

This sleazy old man looked somewhat familiar at first glance, and upon closer inspection, it was indeed Chí Yáng Zi.

Beside him were two other figures, both old acquaintances of Yè Chén. One was the Diào Yú Lǎo Sǒu Zhǔndì, who had been embarrassed years ago when Yè Chén pursued Zhǐ Yáng and showed him no respect.

As for the other, he was a renowned powerhouse: Jiǔ Xiāo Zhēn Rén, the youngest Zhǔndì in Xuán Huáng and the grandfather of Dì Jiǔ Xiān.

"The Hóng Huāng clans making such a grand display must mean something big is afoot," Diào Yú Lǎo Sǒu Zhǔndì said, stroking his beard. "Let's wait and see."

"I have a feeling something major is about to happen," Jiǔ Xiāo Zhēn Rén added meaningfully, his old eyes filled with worry.

"Look, ships are returning!" As the three conversed, a sharp-faced, monkey-like young man shouted, drawing the attention of all the cultivators on the coast.

Amid the surging waves, one warship after another gradually came into view, speeding toward the coast.

These were not Hóng Huāng clan warships but those of human cultivators. They had gone in earlier to observe the battle and were now returning.

"What's the situation inside?" As soon as the human cultivators docked, they were surrounded by chattering crowds from all sides.

"It's Chén Yè! It's Chén Yè!" The returning cultivators laughed heartily, panting with excitement, their eyes shining brightly.

"Chén Yè?" The surrounding cultivators were stunned, the name not unfamiliar to them. In recent times, he was the most talked-about figure, specializing in taking down the Hóng Huāng clans, with his exploits spreading across the stars.

"The six Hóng Huāng clans launched a siege with nineteen Zhǔndì, tens of thousands of warships, and over a million people, but Chén Yè routed them completely. Now they're fleeing in utter disarray."

"That can't be!" Someone exclaimed in shock. "Is the warship Chén Yè commands an Dì-level one?"

"You don't know?" The returning cultivator cleared his throat, building suspense. "He's not bound by the Xuán Huáng Xīng Hǎi's restrictions. He lurks underwater, ambushing and chasing the Hóng Huāng clans. He even captured the three Qióng Qí clan Zhǔndì, and the number of warships he's destroyed is countless."

"Not bound by it?" The surrounding cultivators were all astonished, exchanging glances. This news was truly shocking.

"Besides him, there's another person who hasn't shown his face and isn't bound by the Xuán Huáng Xīng Hǎi either. He's incredibly fierce."

"Now that's interesting." The surrounding cultivators' eyes lit up with excitement. Just hearing about it made their blood boil. Ever since the Hóng Huāng clans were unsealed and started causing chaos, igniting wars everywhere, seeing them beaten so miserably was incredibly satisfying.

"Here they come!" The sharp-faced, monkey-like young man shouted again, his small eyes sharp as he spotted the Hóng Huāng clan warships first.

At his words, the surrounding cultivators turned to look, seeing the Hóng Huāng clan warships charging straight for the coast in a frantic rush, all in a state of utter disarray. Even the flying Zhǔndì were solely focused on escape, not daring to glance back.

No one was chasing them from behind, yet warships kept exploding and sinking. At this sight, the surrounding cultivators' eyes sharpened—they knew Chén Yè was launching sneak attacks.

"Back up, back up quickly!" Someone urged hastily, as the Hóng Huāng clan warships were about to make landfall.

As soon as the words were spoken, the watching cultivators collectively retreated, keeping as far from the coast as possible to avoid any spillover.

Soon, the Hóng Huāng clan warships landed, a pitiful sight indeed. Out of tens of thousands, fewer than a thousand returned, and of the six clans' over a million people, only around ten thousand remained.

The surrounding cultivators all clicked their tongues in amazement. With such an overwhelming force, how had the battle turned out so disastrously? There was no "worst," only "worse."

"Come out!" The Hóng Huāng clan Zhǔndì stood in the air above the coast, roaring furiously at the Xīng Hǎi, their eyes bulging as if about to burst, their faces contorted in rage.

"If you've got the guts, come in!" No figure appeared in the Xuán Huáng Xīng Hǎi, but a loud taunt echoed from within—it was Yè Chén, lurking at the sea bottom and yelling at the top of his lungs, full of bold defiance.

"Attack! Attack for me!" A Tāo Wù Zhǔndì bellowed like a mad dog, his roars making the heavens tremble.

At his command, the surviving Hóng Huāng clansmen formed attack arrays, targeting the source of the voice with widespread bombardment, as they had no specific target.

The Xuán Huáng Xīng Hǎi churned violently, kicking up terrifying waves that grew higher and more dazzling with each layer.

"Aim properly before you attack!" Yè Chén burst out from the sea bottom, standing in the Xīng Hǎi's sky. His position was strategically chosen, just outside the attack arrays' range. The Hóng Huāng arrays were numerous and powerful, but they couldn't reach him.

"Kill!" A Guǐ Jí clan Zhǔndì thundered in rage, stepping into the Xīng Hǎi and slamming down a palm that covered the sky toward Yè Chén.

"What, trying to scare me?" Yè Chén shouted back, turning and fleeing from the Guǐ Jí Zhǔndì's palm. "You old bastard, if you've got the guts, fight me one-on-one. I'll kick you to death!"

Well, that did it—the Guǐ Jí clan Zhǔndì exploded with fury on the spot, his anger clouding his judgment as he chased after Yè Chén, determined not to stop until he tore him apart.

"You idiot, you can't beat me!" Yè Chén yelled while running, leaving the cultivators on the coast stunned. Who else would dare hurl such insults at a Hóng Huāng Zhǔndì?

"Kill!" The Guǐ Jí clan Zhǔndì roared, crossing the sky in a single step and thrusting a divine beam toward Yè Chén in a deadly strike.

However, before his attack could land on Yè Chén, he plummeted into the Xīng Hǎi. In the spot where he had stood, Tiān Shuò appeared.

This scene left the surrounding human cultivators baffled. What was going on? How did he just fall into the sea mid-flight?

"Yì Tiān Huàn Dì," Chí Yáng Zi murmured, his old eyes narrowing. As a Zhǔndì, his insight was keen, and he saw through it immediately.

"The Xuán Gǔ child," Jiǔ Xiāo Zhēn Rén also narrowed his eyes, recognizing Tiān Shuò's identity. "No wonder he's not bound by the Xīng Hǎi. As the son of an emperor, he has that privilege."

"One draws the enemy in, the other uses Yì Tiān Huàn Dì to swap positions—these two make quite the team. It's heartening to see," Diào Yú Lǎo Sǒu sighed.

As the three spoke, the Xīng Hǎi roiled. The Guǐ Jí Zhǔndì had fallen in and hadn't resurfaced, only the rumbling from the depths and his roars of anger could be heard.

Yè Chén and Tiān Shuò went all out, neither bound by the Xīng Hǎi, both at their peak, and armed with more than one Zhǔndì weapon. They ganged up on the Guǐ Jí Zhǔndì for a thorough beating.

The Guǐ Jí Zhǔndì was desperate to survive, surfacing more than once, but each time he was dragged back by the duo, followed by more rumbling.

The surrounding human cultivators twitched their mouths. What a scene—this peak Zhǔndì was being beaten senseless by two Shèng levels.

"Old ancestor!" The Guǐ Jí clan members howled, their eyes bloodshot, but none dared enter the sea—not even the other two Guǐ Jí Zhǔndì. Going in would be futile; even Zhǔndì were suppressed there. It would be hard enough to save themselves, let alone others. Entering was easy; leaving was not.

The rumbling eventually faded, and the Guǐ Jí Zhǔndì's roars ceased. The turbulent sea surface fell silent.

Yè Chén emerged, smoothing his hair as he went. "I told you, that guy couldn't beat me. See, he got what was coming."

"Attack! Attack for me!" The Hóng Huāng clan Zhǔndì roared again, not daring to enter but venting their fury this way.

Their attacks were fierce, but they couldn't hit Yè Chén. Wave after wave passed harmlessly by, leaving him still jumping around lively.

"You idiots, a bunch of idiots!" Yè Chén shouted boisterously, spittle flying everywhere. This was his way of provoking them, hoping to lure another hothead in for more loot.

But it didn't work this time. With one Zhǔndì already lost, no one else was foolish enough to rush in.

"Fetch the Dì Bīng from the clan!" A Téng Shé clan Zhǔndì bellowed in fury, filled with regret for not bringing an emperor weapon. With one, they wouldn't be so disadvantaged.

At his words, the six clans sent Dà Shèng away in all directions to retrieve their family's Dì Bīng. With an emperor weapon, a Zhǔndì could enter and maintain peak strength.

"Beating two of us Shèng levels and you need a Dì Bīng? You're all brainless, your whole family's brainless!" Yè Chén taunted as he backed away step by step.

As he retreated, he suddenly bolted, slipping away like a shadow. Dì Bīng were no joke; he wasn't about to stick around.

With his shouts fading into the distance, he vanished from sight.

Ah! The Hóng Huāng clansmen roared in rage, like a pack of mad dogs, some even vomiting blood from sheer fury.

"Impressive!" The surrounding human cultivators grinned. This battle was brilliantly fought and incredibly satisfying to watch.

"Does this remind you of someone?" Jiǔ Xiāo Zhēn Rén remarked.

"That kid Yè Chén has been dead for a couple of years now!" Diào Yú Lǎo Sǒu sighed, shaking his head. "He's a lot like this Chén Yè—fearless of heaven and earth."

"The world always has new talents emerging," Chí Yáng Zi said with a smile.