Chapter 1770: West Desert Without Buddha

Under the moonlight, Ye Chen concealed his aura and took a long detour before landing on Xuan Huang, moving silently like a ghost.

The great clans of Hong Huang guarded the edge of the starry sea with a massive formation, but there were still gaps, which he slipped through.

It was no wonder, for Xuan Huang was vast, and Hong Huang couldn't cover it all.

He stood atop a mountain peak, gazing out at the land, his expression distant. After over a thousand years, he had finally returned.

Inside the furnace, Kui Niu was in tears, sobbing uncontrollably.

Having gone through the underworld and been reincarnated, this was a great cycle of life, like a dream that felt unreal—or perhaps it was all just a dream.

Li Changsheng murmured, "This is the Xuan Huang Continent?"

Compared to Ye Chen and Kui Niu, he was full of curiosity, peering out from the mouth of the bronze furnace at the beautiful mountains, rivers, and landscapes.

The spiritual energy on Xuan Huang was far denser than in the starry sky, a testament to its status as a sacred land for cultivators. The legends of its one hundred and thirty emperors originated here, passed down through generations.

Ye Chen descended from the mountain peak, shooting eastward like a divine ray. The territory he was in belonged to Xi Mo.

As they passed a sand dune, Kui Niu pointed into the distance. "Back then, the Man Zu divine child was beheaded on that battle platform by Teng She Jiu Huang Zi. It was a brutal sight."

Ye Chen stood quietly, vaguely able to see the burly figure again, laughing innocently and straightforwardly.

In the wind, echoes of his roars lingered—the unyielding silhouette, dragging his blood-soaked body, fighting on with difficulty.

The Man Zu people were all forthright; they never schemed against others. At the Yao Chi grand event years ago, they willingly offered divine iron just to fight him.

Ye Chen turned away, engraving Teng She Jiu Huang Zi's name in his divine sea. One day, he would use the prince's head as an offering to honor the Man Zu warrior.

He stepped into the void, his expression calm, remaining silent as he traveled.

The Buddhist pure lands now carried more malice, killing intent, and bloodstains than before. Along the way, he saw much fresh blood that had yet to dry.

In the yellow sand, half-buried bones lay scattered, broken weapons were thrust into the ground, and bloodied banners fluttered wildly in the fierce wind.

The Xi Mo of today was a scene of ruin everywhere he looked, with Buddhist statues mostly toppled, their fragments still stained with blood.

Although he had grievances with the Buddhists, he harbored no hatred toward them now.

Past grudges were settled in the past; one cycle of reincarnation had already erased them. The karma with the Buddhists had been buried under Wu Zhi Shan.

Kui Niu continued, "The Bei Ming fish was nailed to death on that rock wall."

"That vast plain saw a great battle back then. Your Da Chu's Long Teng was there, his Dao bones destroyed, nearly losing his life to Tao Tie Jiu Huang Zi."

"The peak of that eastern mountain is where Qing Long Tai Zi was slain."

With every word, Kui Niu pointed out the sites to Ye Chen, his tone filled with grief and involuntary sighs.

Ye Chen listened quietly, committing each detail to memory, etching his enemies' names deeply into his divine sea.

He would settle the blood debts created by Hong Huang, one by one.

He didn't know how long he walked before stopping. Not far ahead lay a vast ocean, immense and boundless, stretching into the hazy distance.

The Wang Chuan River under the moonlight was serene, woven with mysterious forces that manifested as profound and enigmatic visions.

Starlight fell upon it, draping it in a layer of pure white, yet it couldn't hide its ancient aura or the marks of time.

Kui Niu said, "During the Tian Mo invasion, the five forbidden zones of Xuan Huang also joined the battle. Without them, Xuan Huang would likely have been overrun by the Tian Mo."

"Yet when the Hong Huang clans caused chaos on Xuan Huang, the forbidden zones did nothing, not even reacting to mountains of corpses and seas of blood."

Ye Chen replied, "The forbidden zones have their own missions. As long as they're not threatened, they won't interfere in external affairs."

He had stayed in Tian Xu before, so he knew more about it than Kui Niu.

Kui Niu chuckled, "Having died once, I've come to see things more clearly. Without the forbidden zones to hold it, Xuan Huang would probably be swallowed by Hong Huang—it's a form of deterrence."

Ye Chen smiled but didn't respond, turning to leave and head toward the prosperous regions. He planned to go to Zhong Zhou to find old friends.

After he left, a figure emerged from the depths of Wang Chuan—it was the Wang Chuan Tian Wang, his old eyes narrowing into slits.

By his side, Meng Po also materialized, gazing into the distance as if she could see Ye Chen's back through the vast space.

Meng Po said in disbelief, "How is that possible?"

Wang Chuan Tian Wang furrowed his brow, "He's actually still alive."

Wang Chuan Tian Wang murmured softly, "This is truly unexpected."

Even with the mindset of a Zhun Di, he felt a ripple of emotion because of Ye Chen.

Meng Po asked hurriedly, "Should we notify Da Chu?"

Wang Chuan Tian Wang took a deep breath, "With the Ren Wang there, there's no need."

"The myriad realms of the heavens are about to get lively."

Meng Po smiled kindly, "If Yao Chi knew, she would surely be moved to tears!"

She thought of that unfortunate woman, and for a few moments, she nearly rushed out of Wang Chuan to tell Ye Chen everything about Ji Ning Shuang.

By now, Ye Chen had crossed a range of mountains, heading toward the nearest ancient city. To reach Zhong Zhou, he needed to use a teleportation array.

Kui Niu paced back and forth in the bronze furnace, muttering to himself for what felt like the hundredth time, "I wonder if they're all still safe."

Ye Chen felt the same urgency, eager to reunite with his old friends. The separation had been too long; he truly missed them.

As they traveled, the sky suddenly filled with figures—some flying through the air, others riding swords—all hurrying in the same direction.

One of them called out, "Hurry! Xi Zun has been captured."

Ye Chen frowned and grabbed one of the passersby—a sleazy old man.

The old man cursed, "Are you crazy?"

It was mainly because Ye Chen was only at the Sheng Ren realm, while he was a Zhun Sheng Wang, which made him bold enough to shout like that. If it had been a Sheng Wang, he wouldn't have dared.

Ye Chen stared at him intently, "You just said Xi Zun."

The old man yelled again, "Who are you?"

Ye Chen didn't bother replying and slapped him across the face.

The slap echoed loudly, and the old man reeled from the impact, his mouthful of yellowed teeth flying out.

That subdued him; his head was buzzing.

What a shock—it was truly shocking. A mighty Zhun Sheng Wang at the peak had been stunned by a Sheng Ren. How embarrassing.

Ye Chen said coldly, "Answer my question."

The old man, clutching his bleeding mouth and as meek as a lamb, replied, "I-I just heard it from others. He was captured by Jin Ni Zu Jiu Huang Zi and hung outside Yin Guo City."

Ye Chen snorted coldly and released the old man, vanishing in an instant with a surge of icy killing intent.

Behind him, the old man rubbed his head, still dazed, staggering in the air and nearly falling. Ye Chen's slap had been forceful, leaving him disoriented and questioning his life.

Streams of figures continued to fly past him, glancing at him curiously before rushing on.

Ye Chen's speed was incredible, like a peerless divine ray, the fastest among those heading to the spectacle, leaving onlookers staring in awe at his swift movement.

In the sky ahead, the outline of an ancient city came into view, grand and imposing.

That was Yin Guo Ancient City, which had stood in Xi Mo for countless ages, witnessing endless cycles of change.

Legend had it that before becoming an emperor, Fo Zu had visited that city. Due to his Zen teachings on causality, the city was named for him.

Throughout history, Yin Guo City had been revered as a sacred city of Buddhism, a gathering place for incense and faith that never waned.

Now, crowds had gathered outside Yin Guo City, a dense sea of people filling the skies and covering the ground.

In front of the ancient city stood a stone platform, where a bloodied figure hung, disheveled and covered in wounds.

A spectator exclaimed, "Is that Xi Zun?"

Someone else said, "Before Ling Shan was destroyed, Xi Zun had already left the Buddhists and become a lay monk."

"After Hong Huang was unsealed, he fought for the heavens, but his strength wasn't enough—he was defeated by Jin Ni Zu Jiu Huang Zi."

"Where are the Buddhas? The Buddhas of Xi Mo—why aren't they saving him?"

An old cultivator sighed, "What Buddhas? They've all been wiped out by the Jin Ni Zu."

Not just him—everyone present sighed and shook their heads at the sight of Xi Zun hanging there.

In the past, Buddhism had been so prosperous, its incense spreading across Xi Mo. But now, with Hong Huang unsealed, it had fallen so low. What a tragedy for the legacy of Fo Di.

Amid the discussions, a mocking laugh echoed through the heavens. "This is the fate of those who provoke my Jin Ni Zu."

The voice came from the city wall, where a purple-gold lounge chair held a demonic young man lounging casually, twirling a thumb ring with playful eyes full of malice.

His identity was no trivial matter—he was Jin Ni Zu Jiu Huang Zi, with a dominant bloodline and immense nobility, looking down on all.

At his words, no one below dared to speak or even breathe loudly. They knew the power of Jin Ni Zu—all too well, since even the Buddhas of Xi Mo had been exterminated. What chance did they have?

Sorrowful—it was all so sorrowful. In this world where the strong ruled, the laws were bloody, and the weak had no voice.

In the midst of the silence, a voice boomed across the heavens, "You all deserve to die."

The words seemed to come from a distant era, cold and majestic, making the vast skies tremble.