Chapter 2039: Raging Blade in Chaotic Times

Amidst the bustling noise, night quietly descended.

The day's fortune-telling had ended. Ye Chen packed his things and strolled along the lively street, like a weary traveler quietly observing the world's splendor.

When he passed by a grand mansion, he paused briefly.

This was Yang Ge Lao's residence. The entrance was already adorned with a red carpet, hung with large red lanterns, and vibrant red silk fluttered in the wind, as if a dancing woman were gracefully swaying. The festive atmosphere was undeniable, and even from a distance, one could see Yang Ge Lao bustling about, moving with nimble steps. His aged face was full of joy, making him as lively as a child, completely forgetting his status.

Ye Chen smiled but didn't interrupt, turning to leave.

The small garden under the moonlight was peaceful and serene.

Every quiet night, Ye Chen would lean against an old tree, holding a wine flask and gazing up at the stars alone. The taste of solitude was bitterly painful, and thoughts of homesickness enchanted his mind.

At some point, a chilling edge crept into the gentle breeze.

Suddenly, a shadowy figure landed in the garden, clad in night attire with a black cloth masking their face. Their inner force was profound and domineering, clearly that of a highly skilled martial artist.

Buzz!

Without a word, the black-clad figure struck with a blade, piercing through the air straight toward Ye Chen.

Ye Chen continued gazing at the stars, seemingly oblivious to the incoming blade.

Only when the blade's tip was mere inches from his forehead did he raise his hand, using just two fingers to gently clamp the blade's edge. No matter how the black-clad figure channeled their inner force, it could not advance an inch.

"So strong?"

Ye Chen said nothing. With a flick of his finger, he tapped the blade, producing a crisp, resonant sound that made it hum and vibrate.

The black-clad figure grunted and staggered back, each step leaving a dent in the ground. When they finally stopped, their eyes were filled with shock.

"Shangguan Jiu, I told you he was no joke!"

A hearty laugh came from outside the garden.

Before the words faded, someone pushed the door open and entered—it was Yang Xuan. Clearly, the black-clad figure named Shangguan Jiu had been brought here by him, and their relationship was quite close.

"This can't be right!"

Shangguan Jiu pulled down the black cloth covering his face. Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth, showing he had been severely shaken. The shock in his eyes was hard to conceal.

Ye Chen finally lowered his gaze from the stars and looked at Shangguan Jiu. His body was as sturdy as a monument, with jet-black hair swaying in the wind. His eyes were deep and radiant, flickering with intense light. His inner force was overwhelmingly fierce and pure, and one could even hear faint dragon roars upon listening closely.

"Luanshi Daokuang."

Ye Chen murmured inwardly. Without needing to divine it, he already knew Shangguan Jiu's identity. With such a domineering aura and inner force even stronger than Yang Xuan's, he must be the second-ranked in the martial world.

For a moment, Ye Chen felt a daze, for Shangguan Jiu's demeanor was strikingly similar to that of Dao Huang Sui Yan—equally fierce and dominant.

"Ling Feng, you're something else!"

Shangguan Jiu approached, sighing in admiration. "Half a year without seeing you, and your skill has reached such a terrifying level. Yang Xuan mentioned it, but I didn't believe it. Now, I see he wasn't lying."

"That's why they say I'm first and you're second, right?"

Ye Chen quickly collected his thoughts, speaking with a meaningful tone. He was truly playing the role of Dugu Jian Sheng now. There was no helping it—both Yang Xuan and Shangguan Jiu believed it.

"That sounds a bit infuriating."

As Shangguan Jiu spoke, he glanced at Yang Xuan, his eyes seeming to say: Let's beat him up!

Yang Xuan coughed dryly and ignored him. Beat Dugu Jian Sheng? What are you thinking? Even you, ranked second, couldn't last a single move. What's the point?

Shangguan Jiu also coughed awkwardly and shook his head.

One was the second-ranked in the martial world, the other third—quite an awkward situation.

Especially for Shangguan Jiu, who was rubbing his brow hard.

Earlier, Yang Xuan had gone to settle scores with Yin Shan Lao Dao but couldn't find him. Instead, he ran into Shangguan Jiu. Hearing about Dugu Jian Sheng in Zhu Xian Zhen and his improved skills, the skeptical Shangguan Jiu had come to challenge the top martial artist, only to be defeated in one move. How embarrassing.

"How many years has it been since we three gathered like this? Tonight, we won't stop until we're drunk!"

After the awkwardness, Yang Xuan laughed boldly, rolling up his sleeves as if ready to drink until the end of time.

The most proactive one was Shangguan Jiu, who had already dashed into Ye Chen's room.

Soon, sounds of clattering and banging came from inside—tables, chairs, wine pots, teacups, pots, bowls, and basins were scattered and broken all over the floor, as if bandits were ransacking the place.

When he emerged, Shangguan Jiu was hugging two jars of wine. He had turned Ye Chen's room into a mess, all in search of alcohol. It had to be said, his methods were a bit barbaric.

"Got good wine and you're hiding it? How stingy."

Shangguan Jiu shot Ye Chen a glance, then handed one jar to Yang Xuan, not even offering Ye Chen a share.

Ye Chen's face darkened. You two show up for a drink and don't even bring your own? Those two jars were aged Shaoxing wine, precious in the mortal world. They had been a gift from an old official, and he had never been willing to touch them. Now, they were going to these two scoundrels.

"Let's get to the point."

Shangguan Jiu ignored Ye Chen's grim expression, wiped the wine from his mouth, and asked, "Have you heard of Gui Yu Zhi Cheng?"

"Never heard of it."

Ye Chen replied curtly.

"Really? Not even you know?"

Yang Xuan raised an eyebrow.

"The world is vast, and there are many places I haven't been."

"That's true."

Shangguan Jiu smiled and continued slowly, "You've been in Zhu Xian Zhen for too long, so you might not know about Jianghu matters. There's a rumor spreading through the martial world about Gui Yu Zhi Cheng. Its exact location is unclear, only that it's near the borders of Yan Di. Legend has it that inside lies a meteorite from the heavens, containing immense demonic power."

"The joint attack by the five warlords on Yan Di must be related to this!"

Ye Chen said casually.

"As you said."

Yang Xuan nodded. "All the warlords want that meteorite to help them unify the world. Many martial artists have also headed there, hoping to claim the meteorite and dominate the martial world."

"From what you're saying, you two want to check it out?"

Ye Chen looked at them with a smile.

"We're asking you, aren't we?"

Shangguan Jiu laughed. "If the story about Gui Yu Zhi Cheng is reliable, going to see it wouldn't hurt."

"Then go ahead. You two can team up—who could stand against you?"

"What, not interested?"

"Compared to a long journey, I'd rather stay here and tell fortunes. It's more comfortable."

Ye Chen smiled.

Hearing this, both Shangguan Jiu and Yang Xuan shook their heads with a smile. They probably understood that this top-ranked Dugu Jian Sheng had transcended worldly concerns, far beyond what they could compare to. The gap between them wasn't just in skill, but in mindset.

The night grew deeper, and the two departed.

Ye Chen had no intention of going, but they were already preparing to explore Gui Yu Zhi Cheng together. They had planned to leave that night, but Yang Xuan was clever enough to want to bask in some good fortune before departing.

That good fortune was, of course, the wedding of Yang Ge Lao and Xia Lan.

They had received the invitation, so how could they not attend?

"That female warrior is no simple matter."

Walking along the quiet street, Yang Xuan mentioned more than once, "In terms of skill, she could easily rank in the top ten, at least on the same level as Gui Wuchang."

"Such an expert, and even you couldn't recognize her. I'm truly curious."

Shangguan Jiu laughed.

"But compared to her, I can't see through Ling Feng at all."

Yang Xuan spoke thoughtfully. "This time, seeing him completely upended my views. I thought I knew him well, but I had no idea he was skilled in fortune-telling, and his divinations are always spot-on. As for his abilities, looking across the entire Jianghu, there's no second person like him—it's almost godlike."

"The Dugu family are all prodigies. I'm used to it. Just think about his ancestor—Dugu Qiubai! That name alone has overshadowed generations."

Shangguan Jiu shook his head with a laugh. "Who knows, Ling Feng might even surpass his predecessors."

Yang Xuan heard this and just smiled without replying, shaking his head repeatedly.

The night deepened.

In the small garden, Ye Chen was frowning deeply. He wanted to sleep, but his room had been ransacked by Shangguan Jiu earlier while searching for wine. The bedding was covered in some unknown mess, dark and dirty. He strongly suspected the guy had done it on purpose.

"If you dare come again, I'll kick you to death."

Ye Chen muttered to himself, tidying up the room in the middle of the night.

"Senior, are you there?"

Just as Ye Chen was fuming, a call came from outside the room.

Ye Chen raised an eyebrow and stepped out. In the garden, he saw a figure in black robes hovering in the air—it was Yin Yue Huang Fei.

"How did you get out?"

Ye Chen was surprised.

"There's trouble in the ancient tomb. Please come and see, senior."

Yin Yue Huang Fei said urgently, her tone quick and laced with anxiety.

Ye Chen didn't say more. He leaped onto the roof in one step, using his lightness skill to head straight for the east of the town. If even Yin Yue Huang Fei was helpless, it must be serious.

Yin Yue Huang Fei's speed was no slower than his, and from her worried eyes, it was clear she was deeply concerned.

The two arrived at the old grave in no time.

As soon as they entered the main tomb, Ye Chen's brows furrowed. He instinctively looked up at the floating Yuan Jing in the air. Its luster was slightly dimmer than before, and the spiritual energy it contained was rapidly depleting, even beyond what the Ju Ling Array could gather. At this rate, it wouldn't take a day for it to lose all its energy and turn into worthless stone, eventually crumbling to dust.

If the Yuan Jing were destroyed, Yin Yue Huang Fei would no longer be able to absorb spiritual energy and likely wouldn't survive long.

The sealed Qin Xiong would also be affected. Without the Yuan Jing's energy nourishing his body, he would be doomed, and even his last breath would fade.

"How could this happen?"

Ye Chen turned to Yin Yue Huang Fei.

"Half an hour ago, the Yuan Jing's spiritual energy started draining inexplicably. I have no idea why."

Yin Yue Huang Fei's face was pale, as if she understood what the destruction of the Yuan Jing meant.

Ye Chen fell silent, his brows furrowing even deeper. Then, he gently closed his eyes, his fingers in his sleeves performing a quick divination.

After a dozen seconds, he opened his eyes and slowly turned toward the north.

"Senior, have you figured out the cause?"

Yin Yue Huang Fei asked softly, tentatively watching Ye Chen.