Chapter 1915: Chaos Body

Pfft!

Ye Chen spat out a mouthful of blood. His Dharma body had been destroyed, and as a result, his true self suffered a backlash.

He didn't attack Qian Qi Lin again, but instead turned his head, looking towards the mountain range.

It wasn't just him; Ji Ning Shuang also looked over. Her Saint War Dharma body had a power equivalent to Ye Chen's true self, and it had been destroyed so quickly. The attacker must be terrifying.

Qian Qi Lin and Tao Tie Di Zi also steadied themselves, their eyes narrowed as they stared intently at the mountains.

Under the watchful eyes of the four, a figure emerged from the mountains, walking through the air. His true appearance was obscured, enveloped in a haze of chaos. Even his fluttering purple robes were wrapped in chaotic energy. The heavens and earth stirred with his arrival; lightning flashed, thunder roared, and waves surged. Terrifying visions manifested one after another, eventually merging back into chaos. A profound Dao that encompassed the heavens and earth was etched into the universe, dancing with yin and yang.

The Hong Meng Zi Qi that had fled into the mountains earlier now circled around him, as if intimately familiar.

He was incredibly strong, strong enough to make Ye Chen furrow his brow deeply.

He was extraordinarily fearsome, fearsome enough to make Ji Ning Shuang wary.

Even those two felt this way, let alone Qian Qi Lin Di Zi and Tao Tie Di Zi. A suppression from their bloodlines arose instinctively. They were among the first beings in the world, with domineering bloodlines, yet in the presence of this chaotic purple-robed figure, their origins felt overwhelmingly suppressed.

As they watched, the two subconsciously retreated, and before long, they turned and fled.

Indeed, they ran. These sons of great emperors were scared off just like that.

They had fled, but Ye Chen and Ji Ning Shuang remained.

"It's the Hun Dun Ti," Ye Chen murmured lightly, his brow furrowing even more. Ever since entering the Tian Zun Yi Ji, he had felt an inexplicable pressure, a kind he had only sensed from Zhao Yun — mysterious and terrifying. But he never imagined it would be the legendary Hun Dun Ti.

"A heaven-defying bloodline," Ji Ning Shuang also murmured. If Ye Chen could feel it, so could she.

The Hun Dun Ti was the most perfect bloodline in the world. With the Huang Gu Sheng Ti absent, who could rival it?

The Sheng Ti was invincible in its realm, and so was the Hun Dun Ti.

Since ancient times, people had compared the Sheng Ti, Hun Dun Ti, and Da Di as equals.

A fully realized Sheng Ti could not defeat a fully realized Hun Dun Ti; a fully realized Hun Dun Ti could not defeat a Da Di; yet a Da Di struggled to destroy a fully realized Sheng Ti. These three exemplified the cycle of heavenly Dao: one thing overcomes another.

Of course, this was just legend.

Historical records showed no instances where a Sheng Ti and a Hun Dun Ti had met in the same era.

But now, that eternal rule was broken.

In this age, not only was there a Huang Gu Sheng Ti, but also a Hun Dun Ti.

Ye Chen's encounter with the Hun Dun Ti would be an eternal milestone.

The world fell into a dreadful silence.

The three stood in a tripod formation, none speaking.

"A young Huang Gu Sheng Ti, a young Hun Dun Ti, and a young female emperor – the three that illustrate the heavenly cycle, standing together in one era. What a sight," remarked the Ming Emperor from the Ming Mountain in the underworld, unable to help but sigh. Even as a great emperor, his heart was stirred.

"Hong Jun, this must be your true intent," Di Huang said leisurely.

As the two supreme beings spoke, the depths of the Tian Zun Yi Ji remained eerily calm, without a sound.

"Da Luo Hun Dun Ding, the Wordless Three Heavens Book, Hong Meng Zi Qi – we three are fated by destiny," the Hun Dun Ti finally broke the silence, his words ethereal, as if the heavens themselves were speaking, boundless in Dao essence, endless in chaos.

"To meet the rare Hun Dun Ti after a million years is truly an honor," Ye Chen said with a smile.

"I share the honor," Ji Ning Shuang replied lightly.

"In this life, you and I are destined to fall for her," the Hun Dun Ti said ethereally. He glanced at Ye Chen, lingering a second longer on Ji Ning Shuang, then slowly turned and walked away, each step fading into illusion until he dissolved into chaos, leaving only his words echoing endlessly between heaven and earth.

"Destined to fall for her." Ye Chen murmured. The "you and I" from the Hun Dun Ti clearly referred to the Hun Dun Ti and the Sheng Ti, while that "her" was obviously Ji Ning Shuang.

At the thought, Ye Chen turned his head and looked Ji Ning Shuang up and down.

"Why are you staring at me like that?" Ji Ning Shuang felt uncomfortable again.

"I'm wondering what the Hun Dun Ti meant by that," Ye Chen said, stroking his chin.

"Is it possible he's just trying to scare us off from the Hong Meng Zi Qi, bluffing us?"

"Hey! I almost forgot about that." Ye Chen slapped his thigh and dashed into the mountains with his Dao sword. In just a few words, the Hong Meng Zi Qi had been taken right under his nose, leaving him utterly baffled.

The Hun Dun Ti was powerful, but the Sheng Ti wasn't weak either. Even if he couldn't handle it alone, there was still Ji Ning Shuang!

Two against one, they should be able to take down the Hun Dun Ti.

Ji Ning Shuang shook her head with a smile and followed.

The two searched the mountains thoroughly, layer upon layer, but found no trace of the Hun Dun Ti.

After some time, Ye Chen emerged, his face dark with frustration. His Dharma body had been destroyed by the Hun Dun Ti, and the Hong Meng Zi Qi had been snatched away right before his eyes; that was a supreme treasure!

What happened next made his expression even darker. Outside the mountains, over a dozen figures stood in neat formation, each with a menacing face, staring at him and Ji Ning Shuang with murderous intent and sinister grins.

Indeed, they were the Hong Huang Di Zi – over a dozen of them, including Qian Qi Lin Di Zi and Tao Tie Di Zi.

No need to guess; they had fled earlier to call for reinforcements. From the looks of it, they weren't just targeting Ye Chen and Ji Ning Shuang; they aimed to wipe out the Hun Dun Ti as well!

"Oh, look who's all here," Ye Chen said with a cheerful laugh.

"Run! Keep running, you... damn it, after them!" Qian Qi Lin Di Zi hadn't even finished his arrogant taunt before Ye Chen bolted, pulling Ji Ning Shuang along as they vanished into the mountains at top speed.

The dozen Hong Huang Di Zi snorted coldly and charged into the mountains in a line.

Bang! Clang! Boom! Clink!

Chaos erupted in the mountains; sounds like robbers ransacking a house, pots and pans shattering everywhere. The later-arriving Hong Huang Di Zi looked puzzled. What pots and pans in this desolate place? Why fight like thieves had struck?

When they entered, they saw it was true; pots and pans lay scattered, all thrown by Ye Chen.

These weren't ordinary items; they were magical tools, meant to explode on impact.

Rumble! Rumble!

The mountains turned lively. From a distance, peaks collapsed one after another in utter disarray.

Ye Chen and Ji Ning Shuang fought fiercely. Surrounded by over a dozen Di Zi, they still broke through, both badly wounded, fleeing deeper. The Hong Huang Di Zi were furious, chasing relentlessly.

Unfortunately, though they outnumbered their foes, they couldn't match the speed. After three or five days, they still hadn't caught up.

It was another night filled with stars.

In a valley alive with birdsong and flowers, Ye Chen and Ji Ning Shuang appeared, setting up an array to conceal their aura.

"Awkward," Ye Chen said, plopping down and chugging water. They had seen the Hong Meng Zi Qi but failed to seize it, only to be hunted down for nothing.

Ji Ning Shuang smiled and glanced around before walking deeper. There, another peach blossom grove came into view, petals fluttering in a dazzling display.

Hidden deep in the grove was a bamboo house, and in front of it, an ancient tree.

This tree was ancient, massive as a mountain, with thick branches and lush leaves, vines hanging down, each one a testament to the ages.

"Never seen a tree this big before," Ye Chen said, mouth agape, craning his neck in awe. "It must have taken hundreds of thousands of years to grow this huge."

"It seems to be a Yue Lao tree," Ji Ning Shuang pointed out, noting the red strings tied to the branches and the small wooden plaques hanging from them, each engraved with a pair of names – one man and one woman.

"It really is," Ye Chen said, floating up and picking up two plaques. After seeing the names, he froze. "Dong Huang Tai Xin, Jian Fei Dao."

"Mo Yuan, Hong Lian." On the other side, Ji Ning Shuang was looking, her tone full of surprise. "Jiang Tai Xu, Feng Huang; Liu Dao, Di Ji; Wine Sword Immortal, Yao Chi Xian Mu; Hua Qing Luo, Di Xuan."

"I must be seeing things! Even Di Huang and Dong Hua Female Emperor?" Ye Chen exclaimed, holding up two plaques. The names Di Huang and Yue Shang were strikingly etched.

"It looks like predecessors from every era visited the Tian Zun Yi Ji and came here," Ji Ning Shuang said softly. "They treated this tree as the Yue Lao tree, using red threads to bind their fates."

"It's not that simple, though. Come check these two," Ye Chen called.

Hearing this, Ji Ning Shuang rose and stood beside him, looking at the plaques in his hands.

At the sight, she also froze. "Liu Yi? Nan Gong Yue?"

"Xiong Er, Tang Ru Xuan; Si Tu Nan, Ye Ru Xue; Zhu Ge Yu, Fu Ling; Hao Tian Xuan Zhen, Hua Xu." Ye Chen pointed to several nearby, all familiar faces.

"The Tian Zun Yi Ji opens every eight hundred years, but Da Chu was unsealed only three hundred years ago. The timeline doesn't match; how could their names be here?" Ji Ning Shuang wondered. "Did someone else carve them?"

"Who would carve others' fates for no reason?" Ye Chen stroked his chin. "Even if someone knew every person in Da Chu, the timing doesn't add up. These plaques are at least a few thousand years old, meaning their names were carved thousands of years ago. Back then, they hadn't even been born. Or maybe... it's all coincidences in names?"

"Maybe it's the Yue Lao himself," Ji Ning Shuang said, sitting on a branch with her hands under her chin, gazing at the stars.

"That guess makes sense." Ye Chen casually grabbed two small plaques and carved names into them with a bamboo knife.

"Hong Chen Xue, Chu Ling Yu – wishing you both a long life together, a hundred years of harmony." He carved seriously, though it was clearly playful.

Ji Ning Shuang watched, her lips twitching in amusement.

People usually carved their own, but this guy was playing Yue Lao, carving for others. And at least pair a man and woman; putting two women together? Are you trying to upset Yue Lao?

"Niu Shi San, Wu San Pao – may you have noble sons soon."

"Hmm, Gu San Tong, Wu Ya Dao Ren – here's for you two."

"Little Yuan Huang, Kui Niu – I'm rooting for you."

Ye Chen was in high spirits, carving endlessly. Once done, he tied them securely, as if ensuring perfect matches for these destined pairs.

Ji Ning Shuang rubbed her forehead. As a father, how could he be so eccentric?