Chapter 2118: Mountain and Water Excursion

The night at Yunu Peak became extraordinarily oppressive due to Ye Chen suffering a backlash.

In his slumber, Ye Chen's brows were furrowed with pain, as if he were having a nightmare that tormented his spirit, making it hard for him to awaken. In a haze, he seemed to see that massive eye again, dripping with blood and gleaming with demonic light, with streaks of blood vessels crisscrossing it, strikingly vivid.

All the women were still there, using secret techniques to examine Ye Chen.

Chu Xuan's gaze was the deepest; with the aid of the Di Bing, she discovered a faint black mist deep within Ye Chen's soul, seemingly merged as one with his Yuan Shen.

Tianmo!

Chu Xuan's expression turned grim as she once again activated the Di Bing, attempting to eradicate that trace of Tianmo origin.

Strangely, the Tianmo origin was impossible to eliminate—it had fused with Ye Chen, so removing it would mean destroying him.

Not only Ye Chen couldn't figure it out, but she couldn't either—where had this Tianmo origin come from?

Later, the women tried various secret techniques, but none could dispel the Tianmo origin.

With no other choice, they took Ye Chen and the skinny old man to Tianxuan Gate.

Donghuang Taiyi saw them and furrowed her brows slightly. "How could this be?"

Xiyan pointed at the skinny old man. "It was from divining him that he suffered the backlash."

Donghuang Taiyi said nothing, her beautiful eyes narrowing into slits as she glanced at the skinny old man and then at Ye Chen. It was clear that both of them harbored a trace of Tianmo origin within their bodies.

This was truly bizarre; even she couldn't make sense of it.

"Senior, is there a way to erase it?" Chu Ling's eyes were full of hope.

"It has merged as one; I'm afraid I can't help." Donghuang Taiyi shook her head lightly. Whether for Ye Chen or the skinny old man, their situations were identical to that of the Zaohua Shenwang—she couldn't remove the Tianmo origin from the Zaohua Shenwang, and the same applied to Ye Chen.

It was just like adding insult to injury.

If the Renwang were here, he might have a solution, and the same for the peak Zhundi of the various heavens. But they were all caught up in the tribulation response. First the Zaohua Shenwang, now Ye Chen and the skinny old man—these strange occurrences happening one after another gave an ominous feeling.

The night passed quietly.

In the morning, Ye Chen awoke from his slumber, lying quietly on the stone bed, his brows slightly furrowed.

Upon inspecting himself internally, his expression grew even more unpleasant; he had found the Tianmo origin deep in his soul. Though it was just a trace, he could clearly sense his aversion to that aura.

"You're awake." Chu Ling and the others hurried forward.

"It's nothing." Ye Chen sat up at once, giving the women a reassuring smile, but a trace of fresh blood suddenly overflowed from the corner of his mouth. The more he acted this way, the more worried they became.

"You all wait outside." Donghuang Taiyi said indifferently.

Chu Xuan and the others bit their lips lightly but eventually withdrew.

"What did you see?" After the women left, Donghuang Taiyi sat down and crossed her legs.

"A pair of eyes." Ye Chen rubbed his brow.

"What do you make of this?"

"A conspiracy." Ye Chen replied without hesitation. It wasn't from any specific insight, but a strong feeling from his soul.

Donghuang Taiyi fell silent, her eyes flickering with uncertainty, lost in thought. Her expression was shrouded in gloom. Ever since the tribulation surge, there had been far too many strange events.

Ye Chen was quite proactive, repeatedly using secret techniques to try to erase the Tianmo origin.

Regrettably, he couldn't remove it and instead harmed his core, causing even more blood to overflow from his mouth.

"In your current state, facing the Shenmo Zhiti would be extremely dangerous." Donghuang Taiyi said softly, as if sensing Ye Chen's injuries. Normally, he could suppress it, but in a life-or-death battle, if the backlash returned, it would be highly perilous—especially since his opponent was no simple foe.

"I've accepted the challenge; there's no backing out now." Ye Chen stretched lazily and left the bamboo grove.

Donghuang Taiyi wouldn't try to stop him; she knew well the unyielding nature of the Shengti lineage. Someone like Ye Chen couldn't be held back; with his temperament, even if it meant death, he would fight.

"Look at me, I almost forgot to ask." Ye Chen, who had just left, turned back, rubbing his hands with a chuckle. "Have you found a way to break the Sun Moon Forbidden Curse?"

"I'm still reviewing the secret scrolls." Donghuang Taiyi replied lightly.

"In that case, I'll wait for good news." Ye Chen smiled and turned to leave again.

As he walked farther away, he occasionally wiped the fresh blood from the corner of his mouth. He knew his condition best; because of that trace of Tianmo origin, his combat power would be greatly diminished, unable to reach his peak. Facing the Shenmo Zhiti, that would indeed be perilous.

Seeing Ye Chen emerge, the women crowded around, holding their breath as they watched him.

"It's just a minor thing, nothing serious." Ye Chen shook his head and even smoothed his hair, acting lively and joking around, not at all like someone with problems.

"But what about the Tianmo origin?"

"I've slaughtered emperors before; would I fear this? Let's go home." Ye Chen smiled, putting one arm around Chu Linger and the other around Chu Xuan, his hands wandering mischievously, drawing disdainful looks from the women. The people of Tianxuan Gate passing by couldn't help but click their tongues—one fine head of cabbage after another, all taken by this pig. What injustice!

The journey home was still warm and pleasant.

Counting the years, it had been a long time since they had traveled and relaxed.

Today, Young Master Ye was exceptionally leisurely, leading his group of wives to wander among famous mountains and great rivers. It was a rare trip home, so they needed to unwind. Who knew, in nine days, he might end up fighting to the death.

On the second day, the group stopped at a mountain forest.

There were two small graves there, built who knows how many years ago. Xiyan approached with tears in her eyes; buried in the graves were her father and mother, the emperor and empress of the mortal world. It had been several centuries, a full cycle of reincarnation. Missing them meant a whole lifetime apart, and thinking of the past brought tears streaming down her face.

Later, the group's figures appeared in many places: they visited the Shangguan family, strolled through Wanhua Valley, rested briefly in Dan City, and paused at the Heroes' Tomb to pour a cup of wine.

In the blink of an eye, it was the third day.

It was another serene mountain forest, with graves once more.

The woman crying this time was Liu Ruyan; buried in the grave was her father, the emperor. Like Xiyan, she had once been a princess in the mortal world, but her father had no fate with reincarnation.

On the fifth day, the group arrived at Tianlong Ancient City.

It happened that Nanming Yushu had just emerged from seclusion and, under the moonlight, performed a graceful dance. Back in the Xuanhuang Continent, seeing her dance required a hefty price and wasn't guaranteed.

And so, their journey gained one more person.

The group wandered and stopped along the way, visiting many forces: Haotian Family, Chanyuan Ancient City, Xiling You Valley—they might as well call it a visit.

Another moonlit night arrived, with stars filling the sky.

Ye Chen was in a romantic mood, not seeking pleasure in flowers and wine, but taking his wives to the remote Shiwan Dashan. However, with their current cultivation, they no longer feared evil spirits or malevolent entities.

Deep in the mountains, Ye Chen paid his respects to Zhong Yan. It was here that he had inherited the Xuan Cang Jade Ring, which gave him the means to fight back in Nanchu—a turning point in his rise.

The women were curious; people like Lin Shihua and Haotian Shiyue had never been here before, snapping pictures as they went. This place, seen as a perilous land by the world, was even more extraordinary than the legends.

Ye Chen knew it best: fortune and disaster coexisted here.

The so-called Shiwan Dashan was an ancient battlefield. Back when Great Chu still had reincarnation, successive emperors had passed through here to reach the various heavens and domains—it served as a passage connecting the heavens and Great Chu, which was why imperial seals lingered in the mountains.

On the seventh day, the group returned to Hengyue.

That day, Yuehuang took away Yin Yue Huangfei as her disciple; the Fifth Shenjiang, Tianjiu, took Yang Xuan; Shangguan Jiu and Qin Xiong each found their opportunities—one became Tianlao's disciple, the other Dilao's.

As for Lingfeng, Donghuang Taiyi accepted him on behalf of the Jian Shen, due to his exceptional talent in swordsmanship. In a way, he and Chu Lingyu were now fellow disciples.

In the blink of an eye, it was the eighth day.

The morning sunlight was as gentle as ever, draping Hengyue Lingshan in a layer of splendor.

On Yunu Peak, the scene was the most heartwarming: on the grass, two little ones played joyfully, their giggles endless. The women were all there, their maternal smiles the gentlest.

Under the old tree, Ye Chen had something to do as well; he had taken up wood carving, which he considered a form of cultivation. Each stroke carried the essence of the Dao.

Eight days had passed, and the fresh blood overflowing from his mouth hadn't stopped; that trace of Tianmo origin kept trying to backlash, only to be forcefully suppressed by him.

"Ye Chen, Yaochi, come to Tianxuan Gate."

Donghuang Taiyi's voice echoed ethereally, reaching Yunu Peak.

Hearing this, Ye Chen's eyes lit up, and Ji Ningshuang showed clear excitement. Perhaps Donghuang Taiyi had found a way to break the Sun Moon Forbidden Curse.

Immediately, the two set off for Tianxuan Gate.

In the small bamboo grove, Donghuang Taiyi was already waiting with tea brewed. Seeing them arrive, she casually waved a hand, signaling for them to sit.

"Have you found a way to break it?" Ye Chen asked eagerly as soon as he sat down.

Ji Ningshuang felt the same, her eyes full of hope; she didn't want to lose control in the dead of night again.

"The Sun Moon Forbidden Curse has another name; I wonder if you two have heard of it." Donghuang Taiyi took a sip of tea.

"What name?"

"The Yin Yang Immortal Technique." Donghuang Taiyi smiled. "Breaking the Sun Moon Forbidden Curse lies in these two words, yin and yang. It's quite simple—yin and yang must unite. More precisely, it's about the bridal chamber, or bluntly, going to bed."

Ye Chen was stunned by this, his expression odd. Was it really that straightforward?

Glancing at Ji Ningshuang, she had already lowered her head, her cheeks flushed red in an instant.

"You're not trying to fool me, are you?" Ye Chen looked at Donghuang Taiyi, full of doubt.

"I swear to the heavens that if there's any falsehood, I'll remain unmarried forever." Donghuang Taiyi raised three fingers, her gesture earnest, without a hint of jest.

Ye Chen had no choice but to believe her. This woman dreamed of marrying the Jian Shen, so she wouldn't joke about this. She even made such a serious oath, so it was probably true.

If it was true, then it was awkward. Ye Chen's smile was a bit forced.

If it were Chu Xuan or Chu Ling and the others, he wouldn't mind.

The problem was, it was Ji Ningshuang—this was really hard to make a move on.

Besides, Guiti was quite the talent; what he called the Sun Moon Forbidden Curse was basically an aphrodisiac curse. It couldn't be undone without going to bed—more effective than Great Chu's specialties.

From what he could tell, Guiti must have been a prankster in his youth!

Ye Chen stroked his chin, giving Emperor Qing this label, which totally fit Guiti's style.

"The room is prepared, with everything for the bridal chamber." Donghuang Taiyi said with a smile.

"We'd better go home; it's safer there." Ye Chen coughed dryly, taking Ji Ningshuang and leaving.

What a joke; he wouldn't do it anywhere, least of all at Tianxuan Gate. The people here, including you, Donghuang Taiyi, are all lunatics. What she called a bridal chamber might as well be a live broadcast.

No sooner had the two left than Tianlao and Dilao walked in with their hands behind their backs.

"Anything wrong?" Donghuang Taiyi yawned.

"Is the Sun Moon Forbidden Curse really broken that way?" Tianlao asked tentatively.

"Of course not!" Donghuang Taiyi replied casually. "By the ninety-ninth Double Ninth Festival, the curse will lift on its own."

"Then why tell them to go to bed?"

"Waste not, want not with a wife around."

Her words left Tianlao and Dilao's mouths twitching repeatedly.

The esteemed Kunlun Goddess, you're quite the character! Do you know what modesty is? What about dignity in old age? You've thrown your image away? With the Jian Shen gone, you've become this wild? To trick the juniors, you even made such a vicious oath.

Donghuang Taiyi remained unfazed. Yes, she made the oath, and if she didn't marry, so be it! At worst, she could just marry the Jian Shen instead. Hmm, that approach was spot on.