Chapter 1830: Family Ties

A lively night passed quietly, and Yu Nü Feng finally regained its peace, with the entire peak overflowing with joy.

In the early morning, Ye Chen, as a father, was very dedicated and considerate. Before dawn broke, he tied on an apron and bustled around the stove, preparing breakfast for all the women and brewing spiritual medicine for Chu Ling. He was the perfect example of a good family man.

Not far away, Lin Shi Hua held Ye Ling in her arms, surrounded by a group of beautiful women who playfully teased the baby, making the little one giggle nonstop.

In the room, Chu Xuan helped Chu Ling out. Chu Ling's body was still a bit weak, but her deep foundation meant she was out of serious danger.

"How does it feel to be a father?" Chu Xuan said with a smile.

"It's awesome, even better than that," Ye Chen grinned.

"You're hopeless," Chu Ling glared at him, half annoyed and half amused. As a mother, her feelings were strangely wonderful too.

Breakfast was warm and cozy, with everyone gathered around a large table, now including a little baby. The scene was truly heartwarming.

After the meal, Ye Chen grabbed a red lantern and dashed all over the peak, hanging one on every tree he could find.

He replicated everything Xiong Er had done earlier, leaving nothing out. There was no helping it—he was over the moon as a new father.

The women watched and couldn't help but smile. Who would have thought that a mighty Huang Zhe like him could sometimes act like a silly boy?

At the entrance of the peak, Xiong Er arrived, cradling his own child, with Tang Ru Xuan by his side—the three of them as a family.

Chu Ling held Ye Ling, and the two babies locked eyes: one chubby and pink, the other plump and round, one with big eyes and the other with small ones, both curiously staring at each other.

It was worth noting that Ye Ling's gaze at the other baby was oddly strange, as if saying: Why are you so fat?

Without comparison, there's no harm, and not just for the baby—Tang Ru Xuan felt embarrassed too, glancing at the other child.

The women chatted happily, while Xiong Er waddled over to Ye Chen with his bulky frame, grinning mischievously.

"Spit it out if you have something to say," Ye Chen said, hanging another lantern on a branch and then lighting it with a flick of his hand.

"We're such good buddies—how about we become relatives on top of relatives?" Xiong Er rubbed his chubby hands, chuckling.

"What do you mean by relatives on top of relatives?" Ye Chen asked, stunned.

"You know, your family has a daughter, and mine has a son. Let's arrange a childhood betrothal, and our families will be in-laws."

"Fatso, do you have any aspirations?" Ye Chen stopped hanging lanterns and slung an arm around Xiong Er's neck, speaking meaningfully.

"Of course I do!" Xiong Er replied, looking baffled.

"Then take your aspirations and get lost as far as they go."

"Hey!" Xiong Er got upset and started cursing. "My little one is quite the catch—he's just a bit fat and has small eyes. How does that not measure up to your Ye Ling?"

"What a coincidence, we just don't like the fat ones or the small-eyed ones," Ye Chen shrugged. "Do whatever you want."

Xiong Er's mouth twitched, and his face turned completely dark.

At that moment, he silently swore to teach his precious son all his pickup secrets. When the boy grew up, he'd go after Ye Chen's daughter and make him furious.

As he thought about it, Xiong Er started laughing, his expression downright sleazy.

Ye Chen raised an eyebrow and glanced at him but didn't bother responding, continuing to hang lanterns. He thought to himself, Joke's on you if you think you can marry my Ye Ling—I'll kick you to kingdom come.

Once the lanterns were all hung, he began organizing the full moon banquet.

The guy piled up invitation cards higher than a mountain, sending them to every force in Da Chu, big or small. From Huang Zhe to scattered cultivators, no one was left out.

As soon as the invitations went out, Da Chu erupted in excitement, with voices rising from various factions.

"The sender is Ye Chen again—has Heng Yue got nothing better to do?"

In Pan Long Sea Domain, Niu Shi San grumbled. He instinctively assumed it was some jerk from Heng Yue using Ye Chen's name to invite people, pulling the same old trick.

"They want to scam us out of gift money? No way—I'm not going."

On Hei Long Island, Wu San Pao cursed with his hands on his hips.

"Go, we have to go. But without gift money—just eat for free."

"Let's bankrupt Heng Yue this time."

"Exactly."

All over Da Chu, people reached a tacit agreement: no gift money, just show up for the free food.

Because of this, many started fasting the moment they received the invitations, saving their appetites for the big day.

Meanwhile, Ye Chen had already left Heng Yue, carrying invitations and heading straight for Tian Xuan Men. That place was full of heavyweights, so he needed to deliver the cards in person to be worthy of it.

From afar, he spotted an old man standing at the gate of Tian Xuan Men, dressed in white with black hair, looking a bit sleazy.

Taking a closer look, it was Di Lao, standing straight as a statue, like a gate guardian.

"What a leisurely mood, senior!" Ye Chen descended from the sky and scanned Di Lao up and down. "Are you being punished to stand here?"

"With my seniority, who dares punish me?" Di Lao muttered, sizing up Ye Chen and clicking his tongue in admiration. "Being a father really changes a man."

"You all know about it?" Ye Chen was surprised, caught off guard.

"The commotion at Heng Yue was so big, it's hard not to know," Di Lao said.

"That makes sense." Ye Chen thought for a moment and pulled out an invitation. "It's for my little Ye Ling's full moon banquet. Whether you come or not doesn't matter—what's important is the gift money. As a Zhun Di, throw in a bit extra."

"Talking so bluntly is an easy way to get beaten up," Di Lao glanced at it, just as Ren Wang had said—Ye Chen had shown up in less than three days.

"Don't sweat the small stuff." Ye Chen hauled out a stack of invitations and handed them out one by one to the two rows of Tian Bing and Tian Jiang guarding the gate. "Here, make sure to come when the time is right!"

"Sure," the two rows of Tian Bing and Tian Jiang replied with awkward laughs.

"Hold off on that—come inside with me first," Di Lao grabbed Ye Chen and headed in. "Ren Wang is suffering from backlash again—it's extremely fierce. We need your Liu Dao Lun Hui Yan to take a look."

"Backlash is backlash—what's the big deal? Everyone's used to it by now."

"Enough nonsense." Di Lao blew his beard and glared, switching from pulling Ye Chen to carrying him like a sack.

This was the tenth Huang Zhe of Da Chu, and every visit was awkward—he always got hauled around like a chick.

It was another small bamboo grove, where Da Chu's nine Huang Zhe, the nine great Shen Jiang, Di Xuan, Dong Huang Tai Xin, and Jian Fei Dao were all present.

In front of them stood a stone bed, and on it lay a young man, unconscious and pale-faced, his expression full of pain even in sleep.

No need to say it—he was Ren Wang. Ever since the backlash, he'd been lying there. Unlike before, this time the injury was severe, and even the Zhun Di couldn't pinpoint the cause.

Di Lao arrived and casually tossed Ye Chen onto the ground by the stone bed.

Ye Chen's face darkened. He was a Huang Zhe, for heaven's sake, and he'd slain Da Di—yet he always ended up being carried around like this, so humiliating.

"The backlash is bad—check it out first," Chu Huang said.

Ye Chen got up immediately and stood by the stone bed, activating his Liu Dao Lun Hui Yan and focusing on the sleeping Ren Wang.

The eyes were powerful, instantly revealing a mysterious force within Ren Wang's body—ancient and terrifying.

As he looked, blood began to flow from his eyes.

The Zhun Di frowned and hurriedly stepped forward—clearly, Ye Chen had also suffered some hidden backlash from his scrutiny.

"Who was he trying to deduce?" Ye Chen closed his eyes, his face turning pale and bloodless. If he hadn't withdrawn his divine ability in time, he'd be in worse shape than Ren Wang.

"We don't know." The Zhun Di shook their heads, curious themselves about who Ren Wang was deducing to trigger such horrific backlash, even with a Zhun Di's foundation.

"I can't see it." Ye Chen rubbed his brow hard, his divine sea still buzzing, his head throbbing as if it might explode.

Just then, the unconscious Ren Wang coughed violently. He hadn't even woken up fully before blood started surging from his mouth.

The backlash was acting up again, even more fiercely.

Di Xuan stepped forward, gripping the Xian Wu Di Jian, and thrust it into Ren Wang's lower abdomen. The ultimate Di Wei forcefully intervened.

Blood sprayed everywhere, and Ren Wang's face twisted in pain. While the imperial weapon was erasing the backlash, it was also wounding him badly.

The Zhun Di all twitched their mouths at the sight, their eyes on Di Xuan changing—what a ruthless method.

"You wasteful woman, can't you go easier?" Ren Wang woke up cursing, coughing up blood as he spoke.

"If I don't get tough, you won't wake up," Di Xuan said calmly, sheathing the imperial sword without a hint of emotion on her face.

"I... puff." Ren Wang choked and spat out more blood, the puddle glowing eerily.

"Who exactly are you deducing?" Tian Lao asked immediately.

Ren Wang didn't answer, just wiped the blood away and glanced at Ye Chen, his dim eyes full of unspoken meaning.

"Why are you staring at me like that? You're not deducing me, are you? If so, you deserve it," Ye Chen raised an eyebrow.

It wasn't just Ye Chen—the other Zhun Di thought the same. Otherwise, why stare at him specifically, and with such a strange look?

But only Ren Wang knew the truth. Staring at Ye Chen didn't mean he was deducing him—it could be his daughter or perhaps one of his wives.

"Since you're awake, let's get to business." Ye Chen pulled out another stack of invitations, handing one to each Zhun Di. "Same as before: whether you show up or not isn't the point—the gift money is. As Zhun Di, don't skimp."

"We'll go, definitely," the group of mischievous old Zhun Di said with smiles, already prepared with hefty gifts that would last for years.

"Ah, always giving gifts to others—when will I get to receive some?" Hua Qing Luo sighed, glancing at Di Xuan. "Take a break and make one yourself!"

Di Xuan said nothing, but a supreme Di Bing hummed within her, as if warning: Keep talking, and I'll end you.

Hua Qing Luo forced a laugh, feeling a chill run through his body, especially his face, which seemed to ache phantom pains.

"Ah, always giving gifts to others—when will I get to receive some?" Another wave started, this time from Dong Huang Tai Xin, sighing endlessly.

"Then make one," Jian Shen said helpfully. As Di Zun's disciple with extraordinary talent, his emotional intelligence was low, but it hit the mark, leaving Dong Huang Tai Xin flustered.

"Promising," the Zhun Di all said with serious faces.

"Come on, come on—everyone come that day. Food and drinks on us, eat your fill."

Ye Chen was still diligently handing out invitations, darting around Tian Xuan Men to anyone he saw, whether Zhun Di or junior disciples.

But if you looked closely, he wasn't just giving things out—he was also stuffing items into his own pockets from time to time.

What he was taking, naturally, was treasure. Tian Xuan Men was full of valuables, and he never left empty-handed.