Chapter 1933: Emperor Fuxi

Chapter 1933: Di Dao Fuxi

"Entering the world for cultivation?" Ye Chen furrowed his brow. "How long will it take?"

"Perhaps a few days, or a few years, or even a few centuries," Ren Wang smiled. "This will be a long journey, a form of training and self-reflection, where you experience the mortal world and comprehend the great Dao of humanity."

"Give me a little time," Ye Chen said.

"Three days," Ren Wang held up three fingers.

"Thank you," Ye Chen replied, slowly turning around. He understood that this departure would last for many years, so he needed to bid farewell to his family. By the time he returned, a century might have passed.

Outside the small bamboo grove, Tian Lao and Di Lao stood on either side. As soon as Ye Chen emerged, they approached him.

"You two seniors must have something to say to this junior," Ye Chen bowed with his hands clasped.

"Honestly, we prefer your old cheeky attitude," Di Lao tucked his hands into his sleeves. Ye Chen's current seriousness made them feel distant and uncomfortable.

"The path of cultivation is filled with hardships. Only by staying true to your original intentions can you achieve the great Dao," Tian Lao patted Ye Chen on the shoulder. Seeing Ye Chen's dejected expression, he wanted to reveal everything about Ji Ningshuang, but he held back. Ren Wang had his reasons for keeping it secret.

"Thank you for the guidance, seniors," Ye Chen bowed again and stepped into the void.

Watching Ye Chen's retreating figure, Tian Lao and Di Lao both sighed. This junior had endured so much suffering throughout his past and present lives, worn down by the relentless passage of time until he was covered in scars.

Behind them, Ren Wang also stepped out, standing between the two and gazing at Ye Chen.

"You scoundrel, how long do you plan to keep this from him?" Tian Lao and Di Lao both scolded.

"As I said, this is also a form of tempering," Ren Wang said leisurely. "Besides, three days from now, I will leave with Ye Chen. There are three things I need to entrust to you two. First: Keep a close eye on that little girl Ruoxi. No one is allowed to see her, especially Chu Xuan and Chu Ling. Second: Unless it's absolutely necessary, do not let the ultimate Dao Emperor weapons leave Dachu. Third: And this is the most important—once the heavenly demons invade Dachu, immediately sound the war drums of the heavens. Even if it means total annihilation, you must hold the gates of the heavens. As long as people remain in Dachu, defend it until all the quasi-emperors return."

"Understood," Tian Lao and Di Lao nodded, without a hint of jest.

"In that case, I'll leave it to you two," Ren Wang flicked his sleeve and gradually walked away. However, his words left Tian Lao and Di Lao with a immense sense of pressure. With all the quasi-emperors entering the world to face their tribulations, the coming years would be a time of vulnerability for Dachu. Everything would depend on them.

Meanwhile, Ye Chen had already left Tianxuan Men, activated a teleportation domain gate, and returned to Hengyue Zong.

On Yunu Peak, the laughter of children rang out innocently. Several little ones played on the grass, taking unsteady steps as they chased fluttering butterflies, like tiny sprites.

The women were nearby, some embroidering, others sewing clothes. Outside, they were all peerless beauties, but here on Yunu Peak, they were like gentle wives and loving mothers.

Ye Chen descended, picking up Xiao Ye Ling and Xiao Ye Fan, one in each arm, with a father's warm smile.

Seeing his return, the women all stood up. Even from a distance, they sensed a strong aura of farewell. As his wives, they knew him well.

The three days passed peacefully, with no one mentioning the parting.

During these three days, Ye Chen lived like an ordinary person, ignoring worldly affairs and cultivation. He cooked for his wives, played with the children, and only in the dead of night did he stand by Ji Ningshuang's grave, brushing away the dust on the tombstone and reminiscing about ancient memories.

The three days flew by.

In the dead of night, Ye Chen fastened his cloak, put on his bamboo hat, glanced at the sleeping women and children, and quietly left Yunu Peak without disturbing anyone. His figure was lonely.

This departure might last centuries. When he returned, his children would be grown, his wives would have lost their former radiance, and everything would have changed with the flow of time.

Under the moonlight, he walked farther and farther away.

Unbeknownst to him, behind him, the doors of the rooms opened simultaneously.

The women leaned against the doorframes, gently waving their hands, their eyes misty and forming frost in the moonlight. They weren't afraid of Ye Chen getting hurt; they just feared that this parting would be forever.

In the starry sky outside Dachu, Ren Wang was already waiting, also wearing a cloak and a bamboo hat.

The two walked side by side into the depths of the stars.

Like two travelers covered in dust, they wandered through the river of stars without a destination or end. Sometimes, they would stop at an ancient star for tea, share a cup of rough wine, and then continue on their way.

During the journey, countless days passed.

Ren Wang remained silent, and Ye Chen never said a word.

Ahead, they reached another star, massive but devoid of any life energy or glow. It hung alone in the cosmos, like an elderly person watching over the ages.

"This is the one," Ren Wang stroked his beard and stepped inside.

Ye Chen glanced around and followed. He knew his true cultivation had begun.

The ancient star was utterly desolate. Though mountains loomed, not a blade of grass grew. The ground was cracked, the earth barren and full of gullies, with raging winds and sand everywhere. At a glance, it was all stark and withered.

"Perfect, no one to disturb us," Ren Wang sat on a rock and pulled out his wine gourd.

Ye Chen sat down too, holding his wine pot and drinking quietly.

"Let's start with what you're least skilled at," Ren Wang said leisurely.

As soon as he spoke, Ye Chen understood. His weakest area was formations. Compared to setting up, arranging, and breaking them, he was far behind Ji Ningshuang by a vast margin.

Beside him, Ren Wang tossed aside his wine pot and gently waved his hand across the sky.

Immediately, a grand formation appeared. Intricate formation patterns intertwined, with numerous formation bases connected to them. The array was profoundly mysterious, seeming alive as it evolved on its own.

Vaguely, one could see the Nine Palaces and Eight Trigrams hidden within the heavens and earth, faintly visible. Only its ancient and mysterious aura revealed a terrifying power lurking inside, making one's heart tremble just by looking.

Ye Chen narrowed his eyes slightly. He had seen many formations before, but one as profound as this was a first. With his insight, he couldn't find a single flaw.

"The world says the Human Emperor excels at divination and deduction, but few know that his mastery of formations is equally heaven-defying," Ren Wang said. "Di Dao Fuxi consists of ninety-nine formations, and this is one of them—a formation specifically for trapping enemies. Before becoming an emperor, the Human Emperor used it to trap and kill countless supreme giants. It's a genuine emperor-level formation, rarely broken by anyone."

"I've seen this formation in the Tianzun ruins," Ye Chen said, recalling the formation in the desert ancient city that had trapped Ming Jue and Xiao Chen. Later, they used it to eliminate three primordial emperor descendants. The formation in that ancient city was identical to this one.

"Don't think about it—the formation in the Tianzun ruins was set by me," Ren Wang dusted off his shoulder. "Over the years, it's probably tricked quite a few people. Whoever enters is out of luck."

"No wonder," Ye Chen murmured. No need to guess; Ren Wang must have entered the Tianzun ruins back then.

"From the outside, you can't see the secrets. Go in and try," Ren Wang pushed Ye Chen into the formation.

Once inside, the formation seemed to come alive. Dense formation patterns intertwined and flowed, even incorporating laws, with faint traces of emperor's might manifesting. It was truly an emperor-level formation.

Ye Chen stood still, scanning his surroundings. Being in the formation felt like being in a real world, with sky and earth, all dim and dark. Lightning tore through the heavens, and lava coursed across the ground.

Or perhaps, he wasn't trapped in a formation but in an entire world.

Mysteriously, a force within the array suppressed his essence, dissipated his true energy, and even restrained his origin. His surging sacred body bloodline also weakened significantly.

This was the complete formation, while the one in the Tianzun ruins was incomplete. One whole and one fragmented—they weren't on the same level. If that formation hadn't been damaged, Ji Ningshuang couldn't have found a flaw, and they wouldn't have rescued Ming Jue and Xiao Chen so easily.

"Break the formation! I'll take a nap first," Outside the array, Ren Wang lay down with his hands behind his head.

Ye Chen said nothing, clenching his golden fist and infusing it with secret techniques and laws, striking toward one side.

His punch blasted a huge hole in the void.

But the hole healed instantly, giving him no chance to escape.

Next, he summoned a Dao sword, unleashing a peerless strike that carved out an immortal river.

The void split open, but that crack also healed in an instant. Even with his speed and agility, he couldn't outpace the healing.

He didn't give up, slashing one sword after another, unleashing secret techniques and divine abilities. He battered the void full of holes, but in mere moments, the ravaged void restored itself completely.

After bombarding continuously for half a day, not only had he failed to break the formation, but he had also exhausted a great deal of energy.

He quickly popped a handful of pills into his mouth and continued his assault.

Boom! Bang! Boom!

The sounds echoed endlessly, not a real battle but feeling like one.

Ye Chen's determination was unyielding.

He kept attacking intermittently for three to five days until he was utterly drained and had to stop.

Only then did Ren Wang open his eyes and say leisurely, "Brute force won't work."

Ye Chen had already realized that himself. His combat prowess was formidable, yet after days of attacks, he couldn't break it, proving the formation's profundity—it couldn't be overcome by sheer strength alone.

For the first time, he sat cross-legged on the ground, no longer attacking, and quietly contemplated the mysteries of the Di Dao Fuxi formation.

He sat like that for another three to five days.

During this time, he stood up multiple times, deploying secret techniques, divine abilities, laws, artifacts, and his origin. But each attempt was repelled, the formation remaining intact while he exhausted his power to the point of instability, trapped with no way out.

He truly understood the terror of this formation. Even the incomplete version had trapped Ming Jue and Xiao Chen, leaving three primordial emperor descendants helpless. Now, with the complete version, it was even more insurmountable.

Because of this array, his respect for the Human Emperor grew deeper.

All great emperors shook the ancients and dazzled the present. The Human Emperor wasn't renowned for combat, but his mastery of formations was truly heaven-defying. Based on this alone, few saint-king level cultivators could break it.