Chapter 2025: Continuing

"He... Ye Chen?" The Hei Yi Da Sheng's aged body trembled violently, staggering backward step by step, his eyes filled with utter disbelief.

All members of the Yao Ming Zu were the same, their bodies shaking uncontrollably, faces deathly pale. Their expressions of rage had transformed into sheer terror due to the appearance of the Hun Dun Ding. They weren't afraid of the Hun Dun Ding itself, but of its owner—a killing god, a truly fearsome killing god.

Boom!

As everyone stood in shock, the Hun Dun Ding unleashed its full power. Its body quaked and instantly expanded to the size of a mountain, crushing the several hundred magical artifacts that the Hei Yi Da Sheng had summoned, one after another, into fragments.

Puff!

The Hei Yi Da Sheng suffered backlash once more, spitting out a mouthful of fresh blood as he plummeted from the sky for the second time.

In that moment, the world fell into a terrifying silence.

All eyes were fixed on Ye Chen. Though he wore a bamboo hat and used secret techniques to conceal his true appearance, the people of the Yao Ming Zu knew it was him—the Sheng Ti Ye Chen.

Ye Chen, the holy lord of Tian Ting, the emperor of Da Chu, the undefeated war god. He had slaughtered emperors more than once and forged legends time and again. He was a living myth in this world.

"Ye Chen, he is actually the Sheng Ti Ye Chen." The Yao Ming Sheng Zhu's eyes dimmed, and the killing sword he gripped slipped from his hand unnoticed. He seemed to lose all his vitality, collapsing to the ground. His laughter was self-mocking, pale, and weak.

"Ye Chen, he is actually the Sheng Ti Ye Chen." The people of the Yao Ming Zu were just like their holy master, losing all support. The so-called flame of hope was completely extinguished because of that name.

"Ye Chen, he is actually the Sheng Ti Ye Chen." The Hei Yi Da Sheng, who had fallen from the sky, stumbled unsteadily on the ground. Though he was a Da Sheng, he couldn't help but look up at that war god.

"Impossible, this is impossible." The imprisoned Chi Fa Qing Nian found this reality the hardest to accept. If not for seeing the Hun Dun Ding, he wouldn't have known what kind of existence he had provoked. The name Ye Chen alone struck fear across the entire starry sky—it was a symbol.

In the heavens and earth, only his roar echoed, loud and piercing.

Looking at the people of the Yao Ming Zu, from the Da Sheng down to the juniors, they had all fallen into despair. Now that they knew it was the Sheng Ti, there was no point in fighting. Even clans as powerful as the Hong Huang Zu had been wiped out—what chance did the Yao Ming Zu have? To put it bluntly, if Da Chu wanted to destroy the Yao Ming clan, it could do so in a single breath.

Yet, Ye Chen would not stop his slaughter because of this. His killing sword still rang with a sharp hum.

Under the moonlight, one figure after another was extinguished, including juniors, the holy master, and the Hei Yi Da Sheng—none escaped his sword. The night-borne killing god showed no mercy whatsoever.

By the time Ye Chen walked away, the Yao Ming Xian Shan behind him collapsed with a thunderous roar, turning a once ethereal paradise into ruins. It buried countless lives, every fragment of stone and rubble stained with the blood of the Yao Ming clan.

Ye Chen departed, clad in his cloak, wielding the bloodstained killing sword, his murderous aura billowing and making his cloak flutter wildly.

Beneath the cloak, his face showed no emotion—utterly calm. His eyes were deep and profound, yet dim and lifeless, as if exterminating an entire clan had caused no significant ripple in his state of mind.

This was the killing god—his heart had turned to ice, devoid of emotion.

Perhaps from his long journeys through dust and wind, having witnessed endless slaughter, he had become unfeeling. His path was paved with fresh blood and trodden on bones, forever accompanied by mountains of corpses and seas of blood.

"Impossible, this is impossible." Gazing at the ruins of the Yao Ming clan, the Chi Fa Qing Nian seemed possessed, muttering incoherently as his mind shattered inch by inch, dissolving into wisps of ethereal mist.

He died with regret, never understanding the connection between Ye Chen and those two from the starry sea. For their sake, the Tai Gu Sheng Ti had... annihilated his entire clan.

Ye Chen said nothing, slowly walking away under the moonlight, his figure growing more distant and desolate.

Once he left the ancient star, he saw a figure approaching through the void, likely weary from a long journey.

It was Ren Wang, who had finally emerged from his dream, resolving his karma with Yue Hua. Yet, he had sensed the turmoil and hurried here. The path Ye Chen had taken ten years to travel, Ren Wang covered in a single day.

"What happened?" Ren Wang frowned, staring at Ye Chen. Seeing Ye Chen covered in blood and radiating murderous aura, it was easy to guess that he had unleashed great slaughter on this ancient star.

"I disturbed the destined tribulation." Ye Chen sighed, waving his hand to send out a jade slip. It contained the full account of the events, including Jiu Jian Xian and Yao Chi Xian Mu, as well as the recently destroyed Yao Ming clan.

Ren Wang crushed the jade slip and read the divine sense within.

Instantly, his face turned extremely grim. Icy killing intent spread from him as the center, causing the vast starry sky to freeze inch by inch.

Ye Chen harbored hate and anger—how could Ren Wang not? If it had been him, he would have exterminated nine generations as well.

"Is there a way to reverse it?" Ye Chen asked.

"None." Ren Wang's answer was blunt, his expression growing even darker. "This goes beyond disturbing the tribulation—it's also creating new karma. This was originally a mix of calamity and opportunity, but now the calamity will completely overshadow the opportunity. Whether they can pass the tribulation depends on the fate of Jiu Jian Xian and Yao Chi Xian Mu."

As he spoke, Ren Wang clenched his fists, his eyes full of guilt.

He blamed himself—how could he not? If he hadn't been so enamored with the mortal world and unwilling to leave that dream, Ye Chen wouldn't have set out alone. If he had been there earlier, perhaps he could have used great divine powers to alter fate against the heavens. But now, it was too late; the tribulation had been disturbed.

"Is this the decree of fate?" Ye Chen murmured, uttering the words he hated most. He didn't believe in fate's decree, only in human will triumphing over heaven. Yet today, the heavens toyed with them once more.

For a long time, neither moved.

Ye Chen stood still, waiting for Ren Wang, perhaps for the next moment when Ren Wang would deliver that dreadful news.

Ren Wang remained still, calculating. The more he calculated, the deeper his brows furrowed, because the life force of Jiu Jian Xian and Yao Chi Xian Mu was gradually weakening, like a candle flame that could extinguish at any time.

"Are you out of your mind? What did I ever do to you?" During their silence, a loud curse echoed through the starry sky, shattering the calm.

Looking into the distance, they saw a young man in purple robes, his hair wildly disheveled, a wine flask at his waist, and an immortal sword on his back. He seemed to be fleeing from pursuit, scrambling through the stars with astonishing speed. As a Sheng Wang, he was moving as fast as a Da Sheng, like a gust of wind with flashes of lightning.

Behind him was a fat old man—more precisely, a bald, fat old man with a remarkably dark face and fiery eyes. He wielded a club and was chasing the purple-robed youth with all his might. This old man was no ordinary foe—a peak Da Sheng.

"You brat, give me back my divine pearl!" The old man shouted as he chased, his voice booming.

"What do you mean your divine pearl? I found it!" The purple-robed youth retorted with a smirk, not slowing down at all. He, a peak Da Sheng, had managed to pull far ahead by thousands of feet.

The two raced at full speed, one pursuing and one fleeing. As they passed Ren Wang and Ye Chen, they glanced at them briefly—nothing more—before streaking across the starry sky.

Perhaps too focused, Ye Chen and Ren Wang didn't even look their way, still preoccupied with Yao Chi Xian Mu and Jiu Jian Xian.

It was only after some time that Ren Wang sighed and shook his head. "It's hanging by a thread!"

With those words, Ye Chen's heart truly sank. They were two quasi-emperors who had shown him great kindness—what regret it would be if they died.

The most troubling part wasn't even that—it was that his interference meant all those involved in the tribulation would likely be affected. Who knew how many would fail because of this? The consequences were severe.

"It's all up to fate now." Ren Wang sighed again and started walking.

"I hope no calamity befalls them." Ye Chen murmured softly, following suit.

"Hmm?" Ahead, Ren Wang, who had only taken a couple of steps, suddenly stopped and turned to Ye Chen. "Did a fat old man and a purple-robed youth just fly past?"

"Yes."

"This feeling..." Ren Wang muttered to himself, calculating while subconsciously glancing back.

As he calculated, he suddenly sprang into action, his voice urgent. "Quick, quick, chase them!"

Ye Chen was stunned, baffled, and followed. "Is there a problem?"

"He's alive—he's actually still alive." Ren Wang's expression was wildly excited.

"You're referring to...?" Seeing Ren Wang like this, Ye Chen grew even more confused—this was the first time he'd seen him so agitated.

"Lin Xing, the Zao Hua Shen Wang." Ren Wang said excitedly, his voice trembling.

With that, his speed surged to its absolute peak in an instant.

For this, he even drew upon the soul power of the Ren Huang.