Chapter 1822

Night had quietly fallen, and Heng Yue Zong returned to its serene state, bathed in starlight that made the immortal realm shimmer with brilliance.

At the base of Yu Nu Feng, figures came and went incessantly. There were always a few people who couldn't sleep at night, standing around with their hands tucked in their sleeves.

These were all top talents, and where talents gathered, you couldn't miss the likes of Xiong Er, Xie Yun, and Situ Nan—those lively troublemakers—all huddled here, waiting eagerly for a good show.

"No sign of anything, how strange." Xiong Er held up a telescope and peered around, but he saw nothing at all.

Of course, he couldn't see anything—the entire Yu Nu Feng was enveloped by a Di Bing, and with his level of vision, he couldn't penetrate it no matter what.

Up on Yu Nu Feng, that guy Ye Chen still hadn't woken up; he lay there perfectly still, not moving an inch from start to finish.

His transformation and Nie Pan were still ongoing. It wasn't that he didn't want to wake up, but his mind had been drawn into a profound and mysterious realm.

Chu Xuan and the others were quite relaxed, each with their own small stool, forming a circle around him, casually cracking sunflower seeds.

"Shizu, have you slept with Shifu before?" Xi Yan asked with a playful giggle, her bright eyes twinkling mischievously.

"Don't talk nonsense." Chu Xuan coughed awkwardly, feeling completely flustered. The mention of sleeping together always brought back memories of that scene at the bottom of the lake—steamy and alluring, with her cries full of ecstasy.

"I've figured it out—you're no longer a virgin." Xi Yan chuckled slyly. "No need to feel embarrassed about it."

Her words made the atmosphere awkward in an instant. Chu Xuan was the most uncomfortable, her face flushing with waves of red that spread all the way to her neck.

They had truly underestimated this girl—she wasn't just beyond Ye Chen's control; even her Shizu was caught off guard.

Shangguan Han Yue and Xuan Nu and the others looked equally awkward. How could Xi Yan be so bold? Could she really tell if someone was a virgin? Or did she have some kind of X-ray vision?

For a moment, the women moved in unison, subconsciously summoning immortal light to shroud their bodies.

"I'll grow up eventually." Xi Yan hadn't even noticed the shift in mood; her big eyes scanned the group, and that's when she realized that in certain areas, hers were the smallest.

This was truly odd—in her past life, she had the form of a young girl, and in this life, it was the same. She had cultivated some strange secret technique that made her growth slower than everyone else's.

"Is this really so romantic?" The tranquility was shattered by a voice. Ye Chen had woken up, rubbing his head, his eyes still seeing stars.

His face was as black as charcoal, mainly because of how Chu Xuan had treated him—her strikes were merciless, as if she didn't see him as a person at all.

"If you don't behave, I'll hit you again." Chu Xuan smiled sweetly, her body still radiating traces of Di Wei.

"How could I not? I have to be on my best behavior." Ye Chen laughed awkwardly, acting completely submissive, though in his heart, he was plotting: he'd sneak off to Tian Xuan Gate to borrow a Di Bing, then come back and deal with Chu Xuan. She beat me in the past life, and now she's doing it again in this one.

"Shizun, did you sleep with Shizu?" Xi Yan tilted her little head, blinking her big eyes curiously.

"I..." Ye Chen's words caught in his throat; this little girl was getting bolder by the day.

He might have been okay with it, but Chu Xuan's cheeks were now as red as ripe cherries. Xi Yan's comment was enough to embarrass anyone to death.

The other women's expressions weren't much better.

Girls like Luo Xi and Shangguan Yu Er, who were naturally playful, just kept giggling, which only made Chu Xuan's face burn brighter.

Those like Shangguan Han Yue and Bi You, who were more reserved, had a slight blush on their cheeks too. Everyone knew what was implied, but saying it out loud made the atmosphere painfully awkward.

"I'm going into seclusion." Chu Xuan stood up and hurried away, unable to handle the situation even with a Di Bing at her side.

"I'm going to meditate." Shangguan Han Yue and the others also got up; if they kept talking about this, they'd have no face left.

"You're the good ones." Ye Chen rubbed his hands together, glancing at Shangguan Yu Er, then at Luo Xi and the rest.

"Come on, have some sunflower seeds!" Hao Tian Shi Yue stuffed a handful into Ye Chen's mouth, then turned and vanished.

"She really knows how to take care of me." Ye Chen munched away, shells and all, it was a messy chew. Soon, he stood up, brushing the dust off himself as he headed downward, calling back, "Get cleaned up and wait for me."

The women didn't think much of it—not even little Xi Yan bothered to respond. They all returned to their rooms and locked the doors.

Ye Chen strolled along, munching on seeds, until he reached the base of the mountain. He looked with interest at the group of talents squatting there in a neat line.

"Oh my god!" Xie Yun exclaimed. "So many wives, and you're not enjoying them? Instead, you're wandering down here."

"It's been a while; I've missed you all." Ye Chen pulled out an iron rod, breathed on it, and wiped it with his sleeve.

At the sight, whether it was Xie Yun, Xiong Er, or Situ Nan, not a word was said—they turned and bolted.

Ye Chen was right on their tail, his rod like a dog-beating stick; anyone he caught, he swung at without hesitation.

As if! Did they really think he didn't know what they were up to down here? Dreaming of a live show? Have they lost their minds?

Screams erupted as the talents of Heng Yue Zong were beaten en masse. The night was filled with howls that made hearts tremble, turning sweet dreams into nightmares for those still asleep.

Even the group of improper elders quickly put away their spying mystic mirrors, afraid Ye Chen might come chat with them. Though they were seniors, they couldn't withstand a beating.

"Try that again, and I'll beat you every time I see you." Ye Chen cursed as he tossed the iron rod aside, then cheerfully headed back up the mountain.

Back at the peak, he felt a bit frustrated—all the rooms were locked tight, with seals added for good measure. It was like they were guarding against thieves—or worse, a flower thief.

"Is it really this awkward?" Ye Chen's mouth twitched. Normally, they all talked about wanting to sleep with him or marry him, but at the crucial moment, they locked the doors?

He cleared his throat and sidled up to one of the rooms, peeking through the window crack.

This was Lin Shi Hua's room. The gentle junior sister was sitting cross-legged on the bed in meditation, with a beam of pure moonlight falling on her, making her appear flawless and radiant.

"Shi Hua, open the door! Your senior brother just wants to chat." Ye Chen grinned slyly, his smile full of mischief.

"You can talk! I'm listening. But the door stays shut."

"Heh." Ye Chen rolled up his sleeves and stepped back, ready to kick it in. Locked or not, he'd smash it open.

But before he could kick, his foot froze in mid-air. Instinctively, he looked up, his eyes fixed on the void—or more precisely, on the black hole.

Though his Lun Hui Yan was sealed, his vision remained sharp enough to peer through the black hole and see what was inside.

The black hole was in turmoil, hidden by a sea of thunder and pierced by beams of annihilating immortal light, with all sorts of destructive phenomena intertwined.

Clearly, a fierce battle was raging. Each massive collision made the black hole shudder. It was a good thing they were fighting inside it; if this were in Da Chu, the entire Zhutian Gate would collapse.

"What on earth is going on with those two? Still fighting." Ye Chen muttered to himself, seeing it all clearly—the combatants were Liu Dao and Hong Chen, unleashing world-shaking divine abilities. They seemed determined to fight to the death.

Earlier, when Chu Huang and Yan Huang had intervened, even three Di Bing couldn't suppress them—or rather, the two were immune to Di Bing.

The three emperors and two quasi-emperors were beaten so badly they couldn't lift their heads. If they hadn't escaped in time, they might have been wiped out. Those two were like madmen.

"What exactly happened when they went after the Zhu Xian Sword back then? Why the war?" Ye Chen furrowed his brow tightly.

Whether it was Hong Chen or Liu Dao, their origins were tied to him, Ye Chen. If something happened to them, it would affect him. He didn't want either to come to harm, whether friend or foe.

"Could it be because of the Zhu Xian Sword?" Ye Chen pondered deeply, thinking this guess was the most plausible. If the Zhu Xian Sword had sparked the conflict, then Hong Chen and Liu Dao were likely in grave danger.

The Zhu Xian Sword was too mysterious—it could sever Di Bing and destroy Saint Bodies, so it certainly had the power to kill Liu Dao and Hong Chen.

Without hesitation, Ye Chen steadied himself and gently closed his eyes, his fingers in his sleeves moving to perform a divination based on the Zhoutian principles.

This was his first time divining the Zhu Xian Sword. He knew it would bring backlash, but he had to try. He desperately wanted to uncover its secrets—why it targeted Saint Bodies and what the real reason was.

Just as he expected, the backlash hit him. A terrifying, icy force from the void ravaged his Dao roots, and even his domineering Saint Body began to crack.

With a puff, he spat out a mouthful of fresh blood and dropped to one knee with a thud, his face pale and his body flickering with dark light.

"Senior brother." Lin Shi Hua rushed out, her face drained of color. Chu Xuan and the others burst from their rooms too.

"Don't touch me." Ye Chen growled lowly, his eyes blood-red and veins bulging on his forehead, teetering on the edge of collapse.