Chapter 2142: Looking for My Ancestor

Chapter 2142: The Ancestor of Zhao Wo's Family

Against the twilight, Ye Chen crossed over the city wall of Nan Chu, leaving a mark on Man Shan before departing. Soon after, that sturdy figure would be taken along and sealed in the Tian Xuan Gate.

The night in Bei Chu was a little darker than in Nan Chu. Due to the invasion of the Tian Mo, the shattered mountains and rivers had not yet recovered, and looking up at the dim night sky, one could still see blood mist drifting.

By the time Ye Chen stopped, he had arrived at Hei Long Island.

That night, Wu San Pao was sleeping soundly. As the boss, even his sleeping posture exuded a regal air. Considering Wu San Pao's temperament, Ye Chen kicked the door open and gave him a good beating.

Poor Wu San Pao didn't even know why he was getting beaten up.

Leaving Hei Long Island, Ye Chen moved like a ghost, treading the vast ocean, appearing and disappearing without a trace. He visited island after island, startling many from their dreams.

By the time he reached the Pan Long Sea Domain, it was already deep into the night.

This sea domain was the territory of the Niu family, exuding dominance both openly and covertly. As for Niu Shi San, he was still going strong in his old age. Even at this late hour, he was diligently at it, and from afar, one could see his room shaking rhythmically, accompanied by women's soft moans and the creaking of the wooden bed.

Ye Chen didn't have the heart to interrupt. He just wandered around the Niu family's home, checking each person one by one. To his relief, everyone in the Niu family, from top to bottom, seemed perfectly normal.

In the blink of an eye, nine days passed quietly. It wasn't until the tenth day that Ye Chen crossed a mighty river and headed east, entering Dong Ling Gu Yuan.

His first stop was the Dong Huang Tian Fu Divine Dynasty.

The dynasty was full of talents, including many prodigious figures, with the crown prince Zhou Tian Yi being the most outstanding. He had already reached the peak of the Sheng Wang realm and was in seclusion, seeking a breakthrough to the Da Sheng level.

Ye Chen didn't disturb him. He peered through the stone door and, finding no Tian Mo origin, felt at ease.

In the quiet night, Ye Chen left Dong Ling Gu Yuan and entered the Fan Ren Jie.

This journey took another half a month. Dusty and weary, he scrutinized everyone from the mortal emperors down to the prison guards, but after searching far and wide, he found no trace of the Tian Mo origin.

Crossing the mortal realm, Ye Chen continued north, then turned west, entering Bei Zhen Cang Yuan. He visited Zhu Jian Cheng, Bei Hai Shi Jia, Xuan Tian Shi Jia, and Qi Xi Gong. He lingered in Chan Yuan Gu Cheng for half a day before vanishing into the void and secretly heading to Hao Tian Shi Jia.

Hao Tian Xuan Zhen was still there, but Ye Chen sealed him into the Hun Dun Ding. This was because Hao Tian Xuan Zhen's body harbored the Tian Mo origin, and he was the only one in the entire Hao Tian Shi Jia affected.

To avoid causing panic in the Hao Tian family, Ye Chen thoughtfully left a letter in Hao Tian Xuan Zhen's name. The letter was simple: "I've gone off to chase some romance."

It was a good thing Hao Tian Shi Yue wasn't home; otherwise, she would have exploded. How could anyone pit their father-in-law like that? Did he know that when her dad came back, her mom would beat him to death?

After leaving Hao Tian Shi Jia, Ye Chen didn't stop. He entered the mortal realm again and headed south, traveling alone amid the passage of time, much like in the previous cycle when he searched for reincarnated souls.

From the Da Chu imperial clan, he took Tai Yi Zhen Ren.

Clearly, that old Daoist had hit the jackpot too.

Perhaps his movements were too sneaky, as he was detected by Da Chu Huang Yan, who chased him for hundreds of thousands of li. Accompanying her was Ning Cai Chen. This couple was incredibly persistent, pursuing him from Xi Ling You Valley all the way to the central lands, only to discover he was the Tian Ting Sheng Zhu.

Ye Chen wouldn't reveal the secret, to avoid unnecessary trouble.

Later, he visited Tai Wang Sheng Dian, Tian Zang Huang Tian Dian, and Zhan Wang's Zhan Long Zong. At these three imperial ancestral grounds, he detected no Tian Mo aura. Instead, Long Teng and Xiao Chen, the descendants of the emperors, were quite the pair—still sparring in the dead of night.

Di Fan, on the other hand, was relaxed as still water, living as a fisherman to cultivate his mind and spirit.

Ye Chen didn't go to Yue Huang's Guang Han Gong; he just sent a divine sense message to her. Vaguely, he caught sight of Qian Shang Yue, cloaked and bathed in moonlight, walking farther away. She was likely setting off again to find Shen Xuan Feng. If not for the Tian Mo invasion, she probably wouldn't have returned to Da Chu.

As dawn approached, Ye Chen entered Tian Long Sheng Zong.

In less than a quarter of an hour, he emerged, carrying someone—or more precisely, a donkey—in his hand. Upon closer inspection, it was Qi Wang.

"You bastard, who the hell are you?" Qi Wang cursed loudly, his four donkey hooves flailing, but he couldn't break free from the restraints. He had no idea what was going on; he was sleeping peacefully and then got captured.

"When did you come to Da Chu? Why didn't you let me know? I could've played the host." Ye Chen said with a smile, feeling quite smug as he snatched the bell from around Qi Wang's neck. That bell held all of Qi Wang's treasures, and after all these years, it hadn't changed.

At the sound of his voice, Qi Wang froze, lifted his donkey head, and asked tentatively, "Ye Chen?"

"Miss me?" Ye Chen flashed a charming smile and finally set Qi Wang down. Then, he mounted Qi Wang's back. After walking so far, he was tired and needed a rest.

"Soft, so soft." Qi Wang laughed lecherously. He could tell Ye Chen was using Ji Ning Shuang's body. Far from being angry, Qi Wang seemed to enjoy it, relishing the smooth and delicate feel.

Ye Chen said nothing and pulled out the Da Shen Bian, whipping Qi Wang as they went.

This time, Qi Wang behaved, lowering his donkey head and sulking quietly.

"You're still avoiding my question. What brought you to Da Chu?" Ye Chen asked with a chuckle.

"Looking for my ancestor." Qi Wang shook his head, still dizzy.

Ye Chen understood. He knew exactly who Qi Wang meant by "ancestor"—no one but Hong Huang Qi Lin Jiu Chen. From Qi Wang's tone, it seemed Jiu Chen had likely faced his own tribulation.

Technically, he wasn't a true ancestor, as there was no bloodline connection between them. If there was any relation, it was that Qi Wang's body contained a strand of Jiu Chen's true blood.

Otherwise, how could a unreliable donkey like him be associated with a Hong Huang-level Qi Lin?

Thinking of the Hong Huang Qi Lin, a glint flashed in Ye Chen's eyes. That guy was a walking treasure trove, especially his origin true blood—absolutely dominant, far better than any spiritual pill or elixir.

"Divine for me, is my old ancestor still alive?" Qi Wang asked.

"Alive, with a fate tougher than steel." Ye Chen smiled. Though he couldn't pinpoint Jiu Chen's location, he could clearly see his fate—it was rock-solid. As one of the last Qi Lin in the world, and at the Hong Huang level, how could he die so easily? Even the heavens wouldn't dare claim him.

Hearing Ye Chen say this, Qi Wang's worried heart finally settled.

"Saying you're here to find your ancestor— I almost believed it." Ye Chen sighed and clicked his tongue. Sitting on Qi Wang's back, he was busy inventorying the treasures in the bell. There were so many, not your average haul.

"Nonsense, I really am here to find someone."

"The Zhan Long Zong's Town Hall Heavenly Seal— you even stole that? Impressive!" Ye Chen ignored Qi Wang's defense entirely. What was the point of excuses? With all these Da Chu treasures in his possession, who would buy that story about searching for an ancestor?

Even with his composure, Ye Chen couldn't help but admire Qi Wang's audacity. Coming to Da Chu to steal— you really are something. Aren't you afraid of getting robbed by Da Chu's people?

Qi Wang's expression turned awkwardly embarrassed; he'd been caught red-hoofed.

"Don't dawdle, pick up the pace."

As Ye Chen inventoried the treasures and wielded the Da Shen Bian, he gave Qi Wang another whack, treating him like a proper mount.

Qi Wang wanted to curse, oh how he wanted to, but he thought better of it. If he didn't behave, Ye Chen might just drag him off and stew him. And Ye Chen was capable of it.

One man and one donkey traveled through the skies, like a striking scene.

This journey wasn't as dull for Ye Chen anymore.

They stopped at various spiritual mountains, but found no more Tian Mo origin.

His mission was essentially complete.

Nine days later, he returned to Nan Chu. Passing by the Nan Chu city walls, he took Man Shan with him.

Then, he headed straight for Dan Cheng.

That night, Dan Cheng was different from usual. The streets were a mess, filled with alchemists, all bruised and battered, clutching their waists and limping along. No need to ask—they'd been beaten. Even Da Sheng-level ones weren't spared, and not even the Quasi Di escaped.

Ye Chen raised an eyebrow, riding the donkey and looking around.

No doubt, someone had come to Dan Cheng causing trouble, and they were incredibly strong.

When he saw the troublemaker, Ye Chen's mouth twitched, and he didn't dare ride the donkey anymore.

She was indeed a formidable character—stunningly beautiful, seductive and eerie. Who else but Xie Mo? She'd turned Dan Cheng upside down and nearly demolished the Dan Fu. She'd beaten over eighty percent of the alchemists in the city, and most were still bedridden.

"Such a temper— what did Dan Cheng do to you?" Ye Chen muttered.

"Does a god need a reason to beat someone?" Xie Mo replied indifferently.

Ye Chen's mouth twitched again at her arrogance. Wasn't she afraid of being struck by lightning?

Even he felt intimidated, let alone Qi Wang, who was lying on the ground, not daring to get up.

Lying down was safer.

Xie Mo said nothing more, waving a storage bag into the air in front of Ye Chen.

Ye Chen didn't open it; one glance told him what was inside—pure immortal treasures, all materials for refining the Jiu Zhuan Huan Hun Dan, at least a dozen types.

Now he understood why Xie Mo had wrecked Dan Cheng. She must have come for the materials, and when negotiations failed, things escalated. For Mu Liu Qing, she'd do anything—rob their treasures and give them a good thrashing.

After Xie Mo left, Qi Wang finally got up, his legs shaky and unsteady. Ye Chen was fine; he'd been burned so many times before that he was numb to it.

The two entered Dan Fu and finally saw Dan Qi, who was severely injured.

Ye Chen coughed and sealed him, placing him in the great cauldron. Then, he turned and left. As for the alchemists getting beaten, all he could do was offer silent condolences. Seeking payback from Xie Mo? He wouldn't dare.

All those harboring the Tian Mo origin had been collected, except for Xiong Er.

That night, when Ye Chen returned to Heng Yue, he moved like a thief, sneaking around stealthily.

Qi Wang looked on in confusion. Why was he acting like a burglar just going home?

Ye Chen ignored it, using Zhou Tian to mask his aura and moving carefully, afraid of being seen—or more accurately, afraid Ji Ning Shuang would spot him. Otherwise, she'd come demanding to switch bodies back. He'd been too busy searching for people and hadn't had time to comprehend the Shen Zang yet.

On Xiong Er's mountain peak, that lump was sleeping soundly—not on a bed, but tied up and hanging from a tree. Even so, he was snoring loudly.

"This fatty sure has a big heart." Qi Wang said with a sigh.

Ye Chen knew exactly what was going on. The one who tied up Xiong Er must have been Tang Ru Xuan. She just didn't want to sleep in the same bed with him, what with his constant tiger whip consumption—who could stand it? Tying him up was more peaceful.

No wonder they were good brothers. With a wave of his hand, Ye Chen grabbed Xiong Er and took him away. Before leaving, he didn't forget to leave a note for Tang Ru Xuan: "Divorced. I'm divorcing you."

Under the cover of night, Ye Chen slipped into the space and didn't return to Yu Nu Peak.

Unfortunately, he underestimated Ji Ning Shuang's perception—it was incredibly sharp. The moment he left the mountain gate, there she was, standing gracefully and waiting for him.

"Handsome, so handsome." Looking at his own body, Ye Chen couldn't help but praise it again.

"Switch bodies." Ji Ning Shuang stepped forward, showing signs of frustration.

"Huh? Why isn't Chu Xuan wearing any clothes?" Ye Chen exclaimed lightly, resorting to his old trick, tiptoeing and peering behind her with impeccable acting.

But this time, even his best acting was useless. Ji Ning Shuang didn't even look; she just stared at him. She'd been tricked once before— she wasn't falling for the same ploy again. I may lack some brains, but I'm not stupid. The same trick won't work on me.

Ye Chen sighed, stepped onto a rock, and gazed at the sky at a forty-five-degree angle. As leaves fell around him, fitting the moment, his aura gradually built.

"Once, I had a true love placed before me, but I didn't cherish it. Only after losing it did I regret it deeply. The most painful thing in the world is this. If heaven gave me another chance, I would tell her..."

Ye Chen's words were full of emotion, his immortal body glowing under the moonlight, speaking with such tenderness. The whole speech flowed without a hitch.

In the cauldron, Qi Wang was shivering all over, covered in goosebumps. He'd truly underestimated this Da Chu emperor—he was an expert at this. Where did he learn such cheesy lines?

While Qi Wang was sighing in amazement, Ji Ning Shuang stood there stunned, her eyes misty and expression dreamy, listening as if entranced, with a hint of shyness. This was Ye Chen's first time saying such things to her. It was a bit corny, but it felt wonderfully sweet in her heart.

However, when she snapped out of it, the rock was empty, with only fallen leaves left. Ye Chen was gone.

She stood there foolishly, taking a long time to process. Had I... been tricked again?

Meanwhile, Young Master Ye had already dashed hundreds of li away, just like before, with thunder and lightning in his wake.

It had to be said, conning his wife was a skill he was getting better at.

Facts proved that after being conned a few times, Ji Ning Shuang had indeed learned her lesson. He needed to con her more in the future—improving intelligence took time. The more she was tricked, the smarter she'd get. This task was tough, but as a husband, it was his duty.

"Having a beautiful wife and not using her—still running away. What a waste." Qi Wang muttered more than once, disdainful of Ye Chen's extravagance.

Ye Chen didn't respond and just picked up speed.

At the Tian Xuan Gate's small bamboo grove, Dong Huang Tai Xin hadn't gone to bed yet—or rather, she was waiting for Ye Chen. She had a pot of ancient tea brewing, its fragrance rich and enlightening—the only kind in all of Da Chu.

"Every time you come, it's tea. Can't you switch to something else? Like... stewed meat." Ye Chen entered and sat down casually. As he mentioned stewed meat, he glanced at Qi Wang in the cauldron.

"What's got you running all over Da Chu?" Dong Huang Tai Xin asked with a smile, looking at Ye Chen.