Chapter 2049: What's the Matter with You?

Pfft!

In Gui Yu Zhi Cheng, a burst of blood light flashed, and Tian Mo’s chest was pierced by Ye Chen’s sword. He staggered backward, retreating step by step to the edge, then fell from the stone platform, landing in a pool of blood.

Ye Chen remained standing on the stone platform, looking down below.

"I do not believe."

Tian Mo roared into the sky, his voice shaking the heavens and earth.

He had been defeated, fighting through the night only to end in total defeat. His body was drenched in blood, no longer resembling a human form, and he lay weakly on the ground, unable to rise. His bulging eyes were filled with blood vessels, a deep crimson, overflowing with resentment and fury. After endless years of hiding in the mortal realm, his efforts had ultimately failed, and worse, he had been beaten by a lowly mortal.

Fortunately, no other Tian Mo were present, or if this news reached the Tian Mo domain, he would become the greatest joke in its history.

"It's over."

Ye Chen said calmly, stepping down from the stone platform with an indifferent expression. He raised his blood-stained peach wood sword and decapitated Tian Mo without a hint of mercy. Their enmity spanned an entire great cycle of reincarnation, and whenever they met, it would be to the death.

At that moment, Gui Yu Zhi Cheng finally fell silent.

Ye Chen stumbled slightly, stepping back and leaning against the base of the stone platform. His face was pale, sweat drenched his forehead, his clothes were disheveled, and his breath was unsteady. Fresh blood occasionally spilled from the corner of his mouth, and even the hand holding his sword trembled from exhaustion.

He had won the bloody battle that lasted all night, but he was utterly spent.

Defeating a Tian Mo was one thing; exterminating one was another.

These were two different concepts. After all, he was still just a mortal, while Tian Mo was a half-immortal. With mortal means, it was nearly impossible to kill a half-immortal, and the fact that he had managed to slaughter this Tian Mo was already a heaven-defying feat.

Ye Chen rested for a moment, then popped several pills into his mouth to replenish his strength. Only after that did he head toward the city gate.

With Tian Mo dead, no one would steal the Yuan Jing spiritual power anymore.

At that time, Yin Yue Huang Fei, who was in the ancient grave, lifted her face and gazed at the Yuan Jing, her expression filled with surprise. The fact that the Yuan Jing's spiritual power was no longer dissipating proved that Ye Chen had succeeded.

Beyond that, Gui Shan underwent massive changes. The hazy yin fog gradually dispersed, the dim heavens and earth returned to their original state, and the withered forests and mountains sprouted new buds at a visible speed, adding a touch of green. The vast Gui Shan regained its long-lost vitality.

However, Ye Chen didn't notice this. Shortly after he left, Tian Mo’s severed head rolled back toward its body, reattaching to the neck. Then, his body trembled slightly, and demonic light flickered on and off. Although his eyes were closed, a strange smile curled at the corner of his mouth.

Outside the city, due to the many changes in Gui Shan, the martial artists and mystics gathered there were all stunned, staring in bewilderment.

"What's happening? The desolate Gui Shan is regaining life."

"Who knows? This is incredibly strange."

"It couldn't be another illusion, could it?" Many people rubbed their eyes and looked again, confirming that Gui Shan was indeed changing.

"Look, someone's coming out." Someone suddenly shouted, drawing everyone's attention toward Gui Yu Zhi Cheng.

Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, Ye Chen stepped out slowly, dressed in a daoist robe, carrying the blood-stained peach wood sword on his back. His white hair flowed elegantly, his clothes fluttered in the wind, and he exuded an otherworldly aura, like a living immortal in exile.

"Someone really went in?" Everyone stared at Ye Chen. Since he was coming from that direction, it meant he had emerged from Gui Yu Zhi Cheng. In other words, someone had entered before them.

"How high must his skill be to enter Gui Yu Zhi Cheng?" Many frowned. The hurricane there was ferocious, blowing people into the air, so anyone who could approach it was no ordinary expert.

"He must have gotten the meteor from beyond the heavens." The crowd instinctively reached for their weapons, ready to swarm and seize Ye Chen. There was no other way—the Tian Wai Yun Shi was too significant. If they could snatch it, it would be worth the risk.

"Doesn't he look a bit familiar?" Someone stroked their chin.

"The fortune-teller from Zhu Xian Town."

"Don't say it, but it really is him."

"So, he's the Mad Blade of the Chaotic World?" The crowd buzzed with excitement. "The one who killed the Xuan Ming duo at someone else's wedding?"

As they spoke, Ye Chen walked over lightly, his expression calm, his eyes not glancing sideways, as still as an ancient well.

Seeing this, three or five senior experts stepped forward together, blocking his path, and said mockingly,

"Where's the Tian Wai Yun Shi?"

As soon as the words were out, more people surrounded him, laughing,

"Blade Mad brother, you've got a secret treasure from beyond the heavens. Aren't you going to let us have a look?"

"There's no Tian Wai Yun Shi. The city was empty."

Ye Chen said flatly.

"You're the only one who went in. You can say whatever you want." A elder in a python robe sneered, "As the saying goes, finders keepers, but sharers too. You wouldn't be trying to hog it all?"

"So what if I want to keep it for myself? What can you do about it?"

Ye Chen glanced at the man, his piercing gaze putting immense pressure on the elder, making his heart tremble.

His words set off a chain reaction. All the martial artists and mystics present drew their weapons. The Mad Blade of the Chaotic World was no joke—when he went berserk, even the Sword Saint would be wary. To take the treasure from him, they'd have to gang up.

The atmosphere instantly grew tense, on the verge of solidification, even the blowing wind carrying a murderous edge.

Ye Chen stood there quietly, emotionless, too lazy to explain. Even if he did, would these people understand? Did they know what a Tian Mo was? It would just lead to a brawl. Not just them—even if the entire martial world came, he'd wipe them out all the same.

"Get lost, all of you get lost."

Just as the two sides were about to clash, a rough shout echoed through the heavens and earth.

Before the words faded, a man strode forward, wielding a purple gold saber, his black hair flying, his momentum overwhelming. His sharp eyes gleamed, and his domineering aura made hearts quiver.

He was none other than Shangguan Jiu, not in disguise, but in his true form.

The crowd took one look and froze. "Two Mad Blades?"

Shangguan Jiu ignored everyone, charging straight at Ye Chen, his purple gold saber humming with energy.

Ye Chen raised an eyebrow. From Shangguan Jiu's demeanor, it seemed he was looking for a fight.

"Who exactly are you?"

Shangguan Jiu snorted coldly, staring intently at Ye Chen.

"What's gotten into you? Why ask what you already know?"

Ye Chen replied irritably.

"What a 'why ask what you already know'."

Laughter followed as Yang Xuan arrived, accompanied by a man in white—the Sword Saint Ling Feng.

The crowd was shocked again. They recognized Yang Xuan and Ling Feng, the top three in the martial world rankings, and now they were all here.

Ye Chen felt a bit awkward upon seeing them. With the real Sword Saint present, how could his impostor not feel uneasy?

"Aren't you going to say something?"

Yang Xuan stepped forward, smirking at Ye Chen, his eyes sparking with anger. He hadn't realized until meeting Ling Feng how long he'd been played by Ye Chen. The third-ranked in the martial world, treated like a fool—who wouldn't be furious?

"Alright, fine, I was the fake one."

Ye Chen chuckled dryly, glancing at Ling Feng as if to say: Why not stay home? What are you doing at Gui Shan?

Ling Feng seemed to catch the meaning in Ye Chen's eyes and couldn't help but laugh, replying with a look of his own: Get this straight—it was you pretending to be me. I have no idea what's going on.

"Completely baffled, right?" Everyone present, including the newly arrived Yang Ge Lao, was full of question marks. What kind of scene was this? They couldn't make heads or tails of it.

Meanwhile, Yang Xuan and Shangguan Jiu were so angry their noses flared, their faces dark with frustration.

"Don't sweat the details."

Ye Chen said profoundly, acting as if nothing had happened.

"It's rare to see this. How about we spar a few moves?"

The most straightforward was Ling Feng. On the way here, he'd heard all about Ye Chen from Yang Xuan. Since Ye Chen could defeat both Yang Xuan and Shangguan Jiu, he was curious and wanted to test him, to see if this hidden expert was as terrifying as the legends said.

With that, Ling Feng stepped forward, soaring up and landing on a small mountain peak.

The crowd quickly backed away, keeping their distance. The Sword Saint Ling Feng was about to make a move, and one misstep could mean getting caught in the aftermath.

Ye Chen shook his head with a smile and lifted his foot, walking through the air step by step, as if climbing stairs. The martial artists watched in stunned amazement. Was this walking on air? His lightness skill was terrifying.

Not just them, even Ling Feng was shocked. In all his years roaming the martial world, he'd never seen such profound lightness skill.

"Don't get distracted. I won't hold back."

Ye Chen smiled.

"Forgive me."

Ling Feng flicked his sleeve and drew his sword, executing Flying Cloud Step, piercing the sky with a strike. Sword light flashed, his sword intent reaching its peak, achieving perfect unity of man and sword. The onlookers below watched with gleaming eyes—this was the Sword Saint's signature technique, and in the martial world, only Yang Xuan and the Mad Blade of the Chaotic World could barely withstand it.

Ye Chen stood unmoving, his face full of admiration. A mortal, barely twenty, with such insight—his talent was truly monstrous. No wonder he dominated the martial world; even Yang Xuan and Shangguan Jiu weren't his match. Ye Chen was certain that if such a talent were in the cultivator realm, given enough time, he would become another supreme sword god of the heavens.

Clang!

With a sharp clang, Ling Feng's sword arrived.

Ye Chen simply raised his hand slightly, using two fingers to clamp the sword tip precisely. No matter how the sword vibrated or how Ling Feng exerted force, it couldn't advance an inch.

Gulp!

The martial artists below collectively swallowed hard. Was this for real? That was the Sword Saint Ling Feng, ranked first in the martial world! His peak strike was blocked so effortlessly, stripped of all power.

"This is insane."

Yang Ge Lao's mouth hung open, unable to close for a long time. He knew Ye Chen was strong, but not this overwhelmingly so. Even the Sword Saint Ling Feng was no match.

"Comparing people is just depressing."

Yang Xuan and Shangguan Jiu were equally astounded. The real Sword Saint couldn't beat the fake one, defeated in a single move.

The most shocked was Ling Feng himself. In that instant, his worldview was overturned. Was there really someone this powerful in the world?

Bang!

Ye Chen flicked the sword tip with his finger, sending Ling Feng flying back.

"Good!"

Shangguan Jiu laughed and charged forward with his gold saber.

Yang Xuan wasn't about to be left out; he wanted to see how many moves Ye Chen could handle against the three of them together.

"You're asking for it, so don't blame me."

Ye Chen stretched his neck leisurely.