Chapter 1943: Meeting an Old Acquaintance in a Foreign Land

As Ye Chen's cultivation advanced, a divine glow erupted from him, enveloping him in brilliant immortal light. This caused the already bustling street to descend into chaos. Those nearby instinctively retreated, and instantly, whether they were stall owners or passersby, everyone's gaze was fixed on him, their eyes gleaming with awe. In the mortal world, such a sight was utterly unprecedented.

"Is he some kind of magician?" someone whispered, examining Ye Chen from head to toe.

"It seems so, otherwise why would he be glowing?"

"He's an immortal!" an old tea seller suddenly cried out, immediately falling to his knees.

"An immortal?" The people on the street paused for a moment.

In the next instant, the onlookers followed the old man, kneeling one after another with thuds, bowing respectfully and silently praying for good fortune. Meeting an immortal was a rare blessing, a stroke of luck across three lifetimes.

Thus, the noisy street fell silent, with not a single person left standing.

However, Ye Chen kept his eyes closed, standing motionless like a statue, his body shrouded in dazzling divine light that produced ethereal visions, making him resemble a deity. He was oblivious to the people's worship, his mind still lost in that eternal moment of enlightenment.

That state of mind was exceptionally difficult to grasp; although he had only attained it for an instant, it had elevated him to the pinnacle of the Saint King realm.

Unfortunately, such supreme understanding lasted only in that fleeting thought. Try as he might, he could not recapture it. Ye Chen was certain that if he could seize that moment again, he would break through to the Great Saint realm.

"Immortal! Oh, immortal!" The mortals on the street continued to kneel and call out, pulling Ye Chen back to reality.

"I am merely human, not an immortal," Ye Chen smiled. As he spoke, a gentle force emanated from him, spreading outward in all directions and lifting the kneeling people to their feet. In this mundane world, he never saw himself as an immortal. Immortals were still people, though they walked a different path, their ultimate destination no different from that of mortals.

A breeze swept by, and he vanished without a trace.

Yet, in the place he had left, strands of immortal energy began to surge forth, dissolving into fine threads that merged into the bodies of the mortals. This immortal energy could nourish their bodies and extend their lifespans.

A kneel from mortals created a karmic bond, and the immortal energy he left behind settled that karma.

For a long time, the people on the street lingered in wonder.

When they finally came to their senses, they scratched their heads and glanced at each other, unable to recall what had just happened. It felt as if they had blinked, and then everything was forgotten.

Or perhaps, their memories had been erased.

By now, Ye Chen had left the ancient city and entered the mountains, where he found an ancient tree and sat cross-legged beneath it, continuing to contemplate life and death. At his level, insights into the Dao far surpassed the value of spiritual elixirs; a single moment of enlightenment could lead to a breakthrough, a rare opportunity and a heaven-defying fortune.

He remained in deep meditation for three full days.

It was not until the fourth night that he rose and headed to another ancient mortal city. He wandered the crowded streets, paused at teahouses and taverns, and quietly observed the myriad aspects of human life, seeking to understand the great Dao of heaven and earth. This, too, was a form of cultivation, different from the cultivator world, where the Dao lay in the ordinary.

Over time, he concealed his immortal aura, blending in as if he were truly a mortal.

On the ninth day, he went to visit Ren Wang.

From afar, he saw Ren Wang leaning against Yue Hua's tombstone, quietly asleep.

Under the moonlight, Ren Wang appeared utterly alone and forlorn, his disheveled white hair covering half his face, making him seem not like a king, but merely a lonely old man, silently enduring the weight of the years.

Ye Chen sighed and did not approach, turning to leave instead.

Ren Wang was sleeping, and his cultivation could not be interrupted. Ye Chen set off alone, leaving the ancient star and reentering the vast starry sky.

This journey lasted three years.

In those three years, Ye Chen's figure grew ever more distant from his homeland. Time and again, he practiced formations and engaged in battles, his path stained with the blood of countless beings, and beneath his feet lay the bloodied bones of many Saint Kings.

He forged ahead alone through the boundless starry sky.

Three years passed, and Ren Wang had not come to find him, perhaps still lost in slumber. That dream world must have been truly wonderful, even ensnaring the remnant soul of a human emperor, who preferred to remain in illusion rather than return to reality.

Ye Chen understood this all too well.

That dream was the final bond between Ren Wang and Yue Hua. When the dream ended, so would the karma. Ren Wang could not bear to sever his emotions, so he deceived himself, humbly living in the illusion.

Pushing these thoughts aside, Ye Chen continued his journey.

Ahead, a sea of stars came into view, its rivers of light shimmering and flowing sands drifting, with streaks of starlight adorning the vast expanse. For millions of miles around, the area was enveloped in this dazzling star sea.

This star sea was nothing compared to the Xuan Huang Star Sea; it held no particular wonders, only that it was ancient, its age unknown, carrying a faint scent of blood that suggested many lives had been lost there.

Ye Chen did not go around it. He summoned a small boat and set sail toward the other side, his hooded cloak concealing his features, with only the gray fabric swaying gently in the star river's breeze.

After some time, he lifted his gaze and looked ahead.

Opposite him was another small boat, on which stood a man and a woman, clearly a couple. The man was strikingly handsome, and the woman was ethereally beautiful; from any angle, they were a perfect match.

Jiu Jian Xian and Yao Chi Xian Mu!

Ye Chen murmured softly. He needed no divination to know who they were—the tribulation-bound quasi-emperors. Since they were in their tribulation state, they had no memories of before, unaware of their true identities and thus unable to recognize him.

Speaking of these two seniors, their lives exemplified deep regret. Though they shared deep feelings, worldly rules and clan regulations had caused them to miss their best years, weaving a tale of profound sorrow.

As he watched, Ye Chen smiled.

Perhaps it was fate that these two seniors had become a couple during their tribulation, mending their regrets at last.

As he pondered, the two boats drew closer.

Ye Chen pulled his hood lower, fully hiding his face, with no intention of speaking to them.

Encountering old friends in a foreign land was naturally heartwarming, and they should share wine and stories. However, Jiu Jian Xian and Yao Chi Xian Mu were still in their tribulation. A single word from him could disrupt it, potentially leading to their demise in an instant.

Reluctantly, he chose silence, treating each other as strangers—that was for the best.

He averted his eyes, but Jiu Jian Xian and Yao Chi Xian Mu were looking at him. Perhaps they sensed something extraordinary about Ye Chen, or maybe a vague sense of familiarity, as if they had met before.

Yet, with the secret techniques Ye Chen had employed, their current level of insight could not penetrate it.

"That person seems so familiar," Yao Chi Xian Mu whispered.

"Indeed," Jiu Jian Xian replied.

"Oh, wow, this fairy is truly stunning." As they murmured, a sinister laugh suddenly echoed. The voice belonged to a young man, laced with lewd and demonic power.

At the sound, Yao Chi Xian Mu and Jiu Jian Xian turned their attention from Ye Chen and looked back together.

There, they saw a figure in white, indeed youthful in appearance, though at least three thousand years old. He had a head of red hair, sinister eyes that gleamed with a demonic light, and an aura of terrifying visions flickering around him, as if barely contained.

Jiu Jian Xian frowned and instinctively stepped in front of Yao Chi Xian Mu. He could tell the red-haired youth was incredibly powerful, his aura concealed yet overwhelmingly oppressive, distorting space and hinting at a mysterious bloodline.

"Boy, you can leave now. I'll spare your life," the red-haired youth sneered, licking his crimson lips, his demonic eyes fixed only on Yao Chi Xian Mu, filled with lewd intent.

"A Great Saint acting like this, bullying juniors—aren't you afraid of being mocked by future generations?" Jiu Jian Xian said coldly.

"Given your stubbornness, I've changed my mind—you don't need to leave," the red-haired youth grinned menacingly. "I've decided to make you watch as I ravage your companion to death. That feeling should be exquisite. I love seeing the look of despair on people's faces."

"Go!" Jiu Jian Xian suddenly raised his hand, pushing Yao Chi Xian Mu toward safety, while he drew his immortal sword and charged at the red-haired youth. His sword pierced the clouds, a dominating strike aimed straight at the soul.

"Ant," the red-haired youth smirked slightly and casually flicked his hand, shattering Jiu Jian Xian's body in an explosion of blood that stained the star sea. Jiu Jian Xian was nearly killed in one blow.

"Yang Xiao!" Yao Chi Xian Mu, who had been pushed away, stumbled back in panic, her face pale and eyes brimming with tears. The name Yang Xiao was, of course, Jiu Jian Xian's name during his tribulation.

Jiu Jian Xian staggered to his feet, his body a mess of blood and bones. Before his tribulation, he had been a peak quasi-emperor, but now he was merely at the emperor realm, his cultivation weak—how could he stand against a Great Saint? The red-haired youth could slay him a hundred times over with a single palm.

"Why are you so foolish?" Jiu Jian Xian said, spitting out blood.

"What a touching scene," the red-haired youth laughed mockingly, still ignoring Jiu Jian Xian and leering at Yao Chi Xian Mu. "If you're obedient, I'll let him go."

"The worst that can happen is death," Yao Chi Xian Mu sneered, showing resolve.

"Such a fiery spirit—I like it," the red-haired youth let out a sinister laugh, baring his white teeth, and flicked a strand of crimson immortal light directly into Jiu Jian Xian's body.

Ugh!

Jiu Jian Xian grunted in pain and dropped to his knees with a thud, clutching his head and roaring in agony, his forehead veins bulging as if countless insects were gnawing at his soul.

Those insects stemmed from the crimson light the red-haired youth had implanted—an extremely evil secret technique that made life unbearable. The youth reveled in using it to torment others.

"Yang Xiao!" Yao Chi Xian Mu was terrified, her face turning deathly white in an instant.

"Kill me," Jiu Jian Xian roared in torment.

"We'll go together," Yao Chi Xian Mu raised her hand, intending to end Jiu Jian Xian's suffering and then take her own life, as she had said—the worst was just death.

But before her palm could fall, a powerful force restrained her, leaving her immobile.

The one who acted was the red-haired youth, laughing wickedly. "Thinking of dying so easily? Either obey, or watch your lover suffer before your eyes."

"You..."

"Strip your clothes obediently. My patience has limits."