Chapter 2112: It's Nothing Serious

Chapter 2112: Nothing Serious

The vast starry sky stretched endlessly, with shattered stars like specks of dust.

In the Yu Men passage, Ji Ningshuang lay quietly on a cloud, while Ye Chen sat on a small stool, hands propping up his chin, staring straight ahead in deep thought.

Something must have triggered this sudden change; there had to be a reason.

After pondering, he kept coming back to the blood-stained pagoda in the black hole. Ji Ningshuang had emerged from it acting so strangely.

"I've been in the purple sea of clouds too. Will I end up acting that way someday?"

Ye Chen muttered to himself, recalling how Ji Ningshuang had tried to seduce him, which left him feeling uneasy. The normal Ji Ningshuang would never do something like that.

After some time, he exited the Yu Men and flew to an ancient star, entering an ancient city.

"You should have seen it—thirty-two emperors in total, and none could kill the Sacred Body."

"During the heavenly tribulation, he opened two godly treasuries at once—utterly defying heaven."

"And then there was the Honghuang forces, with a full fifty million troops, yet they returned in defeat."

"When it comes to making a grand spectacle, it has to be the Archaic Sacred Body."

As soon as Ye Chen entered the ancient city, he heard people discussing it everywhere. In teahouses and taverns, there was always someone talking nonstop, spittle flying, while loyal listeners sat enraptured, their faces full of envy. Missing such a great show was truly regrettable.

"Old man, you're famous again."

Ye Ling chuckled.

"Keep it low-key."

Ye Chen said solemnly, straightening his back with an air of composure, his aura fully in place. Wearing a cloak, he moved silently through the crowd, but everywhere he went, he heard legends about himself—it was annoying.

By now, dawn was approaching, and the ancient city was already bustling with people. Discussions and calls echoed nonstop, and no one noticed that the cloaked figure was the Archaic Sacred Body, Ye Chen.

Soon, Ye Chen stopped by the street and gazed at the tavern across the way.

The tavern's owner was a tribulation survivor, an elder quasi-emperor from Tianxuan Gate.

Back in the days when he cultivated with the Human King, he had passed through this place. Now, one hundred and seventy years later, he still hadn't completed his tribulation. Fortunately, this quasi-emperor's fate was tough enough to keep him alive.

As a gentle autumn breeze blew, the last traces of night faded, and the first red glow appeared in the east, heralding the new day.

In the cauldron, Ji Ningshuang awoke, sitting up slowly and rubbing her forehead, still a bit dazed.

"Jiu Niang?"

Ye Ling approached and called out tentatively.

"How did I fall asleep?"

Ji Ningshuang replied while continuing to rub her brow.

"Old man, Jiu Niang is awake and back to normal."

Ye Ling called out.

Hearing this, Ye Chen turned his gaze from the tavern and looked inward at the Chaos Cauldron.

Indeed, Ji Ningshuang was back to normal.

Ye Chen stroked his chin, and Yang Xuan and the others did the same, all staring at Ji Ningshuang with odd expressions, not saying a word, just watching her. She was completely different from the night before.

Ji Ningshuang was stunned.

"Why are you all looking at me like that?"

"Come on, Jiu Niang, let me show you something fun."

Ye Ling giggled and handed her a jade slip, which contained recordings from the previous night.

Ji Ningshuang, not understanding, gently crushed it.

Under everyone's watchful eyes, she froze completely, staring at the images in a daze, her expression shifting dramatically.

Was that flirtatious woman really her?

She asked herself silently. Did I really do those things?

Now she understood why everyone was staring at her with such strange looks. How could they not? Acting that way out of nowhere was hard for anyone to handle.

In an instant, a blush spread across her cheeks, visible all the way to her neck.

She wished she could find a hole to crawl into—it was too embarrassing.

"How could this happen?"

In her panic, Ji Ningshuang looked at Ye Chen, her beautiful eyes watery.

"I was going to ask you the same thing."

Ye Chen shrugged. She had come on to him for no reason, and it was a good thing he had strong self-control, or waking up would have been even more awkward.

With that simple exchange, Ji Ningshuang covered her face. Was this some kind of split personality?

"If there's an illness, treat it. It's nothing serious."

Ye Chen said earnestly.

As soon as he finished, Ji Ningshuang stood up and stepped out of the Chaos Cauldron. She put on a cloak and wrapped herself in a black robe. Staying in the cauldron any longer, she'd be too ashamed under everyone's gazes.

They entered the Yu Men passage again, and the atmosphere grew awkwardly tense.

Ye Chen didn't mind; he had a thick skin. But Ji Ningshuang covered herself completely, only her beautiful eyes showing. She could be sure her face under the cloak was burning hot. Thinking about those images was mortifying—she would never do something like seducing someone.

Ye Chen just sighed to himself. As he always said, in this vast world, anything could happen.

Even Ji Ningshuang was seducing people now—what was impossible? You couldn't deny it.

On the way back, another day passed quietly.

As night fell, the normal Ji Ningshuang became abnormal again. She threw off her cloak, shed her black robe, and with her graceful figure, seductive smile, and enchanting eyes, she exuded an irresistible charm that could captivate anyone's soul.

Ye Ling was quick to act, capturing everything with a memory crystal. When they got back to Heng Yue, she could show the other mothers.

As for Ye Chen, he was much more composed now. After one experience of being seduced, he could handle it. He directly used an immortal technique to seal Ji Ningshuang again, and this time, he had no intention of unsealing her.

Otherwise, if she kept acting like this every few days, he wouldn't be able to hold back.

The following days were quite peaceful.

Ye Chen traveled at his own pace, stopping at any ancient star with tribulation survivors to take a look. He saw not only the tribulation survivors from the various heavens but also those from the Honghuang clan.

However, he didn't dare act recklessly to kill them, fearing it would disrupt the entire tribulation surge.

And so, nine days slipped by quietly.

On the tenth day, he finally arrived in Da Chu.

After one hundred and seventy years, stepping onto his homeland again, gazing at the vast mountains and rivers, his eyes grew hazy. A round trip meant one hundred and seventy years of time. For mortals, that was two or three generations. Compared to the vast starry sky, his hometown's breeze felt warmer. Every mountain, river, flower, and blade of grass felt as familiar as in his memories.

"Is this Da Chu?"

Yang Xuan and Shangguan Jiu poked their heads out of the cauldron, curiously looking around.

This time, even Ling Feng stuck his head out, wanting to see what kind of place could produce someone like Ye Chen.

"Da Chu, I'm back."

Qin Xiong stepped out of the cauldron and knelt on the ground with a thud, tears streaming down his face as he choked with emotion. After a full cycle of past and present lives, he had been away for so long. Being able to return to his homeland was beyond words.

Yin Yue Huangfei stepped forward and gently patted Qin Xiong, also curiously observing their surroundings. This was truly a remarkable land—her husband had died in battle here long ago. As Qin Xiong's homeland, it felt just as dear to her, and she would treat it as her own home.

Tears welled in Ye Ling's eyes too; it had been a hundred years since she last came home, and she felt like crying.

"Don't be like that; you'll ruin your makeup if you cry."

Tang San Shao comforted.

As he spoke, he leaned in closer. He'd heard old folks say that girls needed a solid shoulder to lean on when they cried, so he wanted to try.

But awkwardly, as soon as he got close, Ye Ling kicked him away. You little fatty—if it weren't for you tricking me back then, would I have been trapped for a hundred years?

Without a word, Ye Chen put Ye Ling and Tang San Shao back into the cauldron and headed straight for Tianxuan Gate. He needed Donghuang Tai Xin to examine Ji Ningshuang's condition.

As for Qin Xiong and the imperial consort, he didn't take them along. After all the hardships to return, Qin Xiong wanted to see his homeland more.

In the quiet night, Ye Chen streaked like a beam of immortal light, not alerting anyone.

When he arrived at Tianxuan Gate, the guards spotted him from afar and bowed in respect.

Ye Chen's great saint tribulation battle had spread throughout Da Chu—summoning thirty-two emperors' heavenly tribulations, opening two godly treasuries, and forcing the Honghuang's fifty million troops to retreat in defeat. It was truly inspiring and brought great honor to Da Chu.

Ye Chen smiled slightly and stepped inside.

It was still that same bamboo grove, where Donghuang Tai Xin was quietly brewing tea, her hair adorned with glistening water droplets, as if she had just finished bathing.

"If only I'd arrived a bit earlier."

Ye Chen thought with regret. If he'd come sooner, he might have caught a glimpse of something enticing. Donghuang Tai Xin's figure was quite impressive. Naturally, he only dared think this and not say it aloud—he'd get beaten.

Donghuang Tai Xin showed no reaction to Ye Chen's arrival, continuing to brew tea as if his presence made no difference.

Ye Chen made himself at home, setting down his belongings and sitting across from her. He picked up a cup and drank without hesitation.

"Donghuang aunt, did you miss me?"

Ye Ling grinned and ran out from the cauldron.

"No manners—how can you call her aunt? That's the wrong generation."

Ye Chen said sternly.

"Then what should I call her?"

Ye Ling blinked.

"Call her sister."

Ye Chen smirked.

"Uh."

"Not had a beating in over a hundred years, and you're itching for one again?"

Donghuang Tai Xin glanced at Ye Chen, strongly suspecting that this shameless father and his mischievous daughter were in cahoots. Every time they showed up, her seniority dropped a few levels.

What was this? In the future, would she have to call Ye Chen "grandpa" or something when they met?

"Enough joking; let's get to business."

Ye Chen cleared his throat and waved his hand to release Ji Ningshuang.

"Why is she sealed?"

Donghuang Tai Xin raised an eyebrow slightly, noticing the seals all over Ji Ningshuang's body—not just one, but many, as if they were afraid she'd escape.

Ye Chen didn't speak; he just looked up at the sky and then removed Ji Ningshuang's seal.

Ji Ningshuang awoke first, stretching lazily, then wrapped her arms around Ye Chen's neck from behind, pressing her entire body against his back.

"Soft enough?"

Ji Ningshuang whispered seductively, her smile as enchanting as ever.

"Not bad."

Ye Chen coughed dryly.

"This..."

Donghuang Tai Xin couldn't help but twitch her mouth. She knew Ji Ningshuang well, and she wasn't usually this frivolous. How had a trip out led her to learn seduction—and right in front of her, without any restraint?

Ye Chen waved his hand and sealed Ji Ningshuang again, then looked at Donghuang Tai Xin.

"As you can see, whenever night falls, she acts like this. During the day, she's completely normal. It's a bit like a split personality."

"It's not a split personality; she's clearly afflicted with the Sun and Moon Forbidden Curse."

Donghuang Tai Xin's eyes narrowed slightly. From what Ye Chen described, she already had a clear idea.