Chapter 2143: What's the Matter with Him?

"Of course, to find treasures," Ye Chen said, gently waving his hand and releasing Haotian Xuanzhen, Xiong Er, Man Shan, Dan Qi, and Taiyi Zhenren. All five were in a sealed state.

Donghuang Taixin glanced around, her smile fading as if she had understood.

"It's the heavenly demon origin again, quite unbelievable, isn't it!" Ye Chen remarked casually, pouring himself a cup of tea.

"How could this be?" Donghuang Taixin frowned.

"In the past few months, I've searched across Da Chu and only found these five for now."

"What do you think?" Donghuang Taixin looked at Ye Chen.

"Qingtian Magic Pillar," Ye Chen replied without hesitation, speaking leisurely. "I've encountered heavenly demons more than once in space black holes. Back when Zhuxian was suppressing the mortal world, I also killed one. Without the Qingtian Magic Pillar as a foundation, they can't survive in the realms."

"Not necessarily." Donghuang Taixin shook her head lightly. "Before the first heavenly demon invasion in the past, there was no Qingtian Magic Pillar as a base, yet demon lords still descended and survived in Da Chu. It's possible the heavenly demons used some secret method to maintain their origins."

"But this time is different," Ye Chen took a deep breath. "I can clearly sense a pair of eyes watching me from the shadows, like a gaze of death."

Donghuang Taixin said nothing and took out an emperor-level transmission stone.

"Xichen, return to Zhutian Gate immediately."

Hearing this, Ye Chen raised an eyebrow. "Are you very familiar with that realm child?"

"He also belongs to Tianxuan Gate," Donghuang Taixin explained slowly, revealing the secret to Ye Chen. "His mission is to patrol the various realms to prevent heavenly demons from sneaking in."

After hearing her words, Ye Chen sighed and clicked his tongue in amazement. Even the realm child was part of Tianxuan Gate; he couldn't imagine how much power the mysterious Tianxuan Gate still hid.

If Donghuang Taixin hadn't mentioned it, who knows when he would have found out.

Still, that legendary realm child truly lived up to Zhutian Gate's reputation.

Not to mention anything else, just in this heavenly demon invasion, if Xichen hadn't broken through the Zhixian Heaven Emperor Array and warned Zhutian in advance, they would have faced more than one heavenly demon emperor. Even a single Residual Night Demon Emperor had nearly destroyed Zhutian, let alone two or more.

In a certain sense, one realm child was worth an army of millions—not in terms of combat power, but in terms of impact. He could even break through a heaven emperor array; no one below the emperor level could compare.

"Freely traveling between realms—that ability is impressive."

Ye Chen stroked his chin and murmured to himself, thinking that once Xichen arrived, he would ask to visit other realms with him. There were likely reincarnated people from Da Chu there, and he needed to bring them home—this was his lifelong mission.

The bamboo grove fell silent as everyone waited for Xichen.

After two cups of tea, Ye Chen stood up and approached Xiong Er, intending to use the Swallowing Heaven Magic Skill to absorb the heavenly demon origin from his body.

However, he failed. That trace of heavenly demon origin had already merged with Xiong Er. Even if he used the Swallowing Heaven Magic Origin, it would mean devouring Xiong Er himself, which was no different from killing him.

He tried several more times, all without success.

Donghuang Taixin remained silent, occasionally glancing at Ye Chen. This emperor might do shameless things, but when it came to his brothers, he was utterly reliable.

Ye Chen sat down again, resting his chin in his hands, bored. "When will he arrive?"

"Don't rush, he'll come." Donghuang Taixin waved her hand and leisurely brewed tea, trying to hide her growing unease. An ominous premonition washed over her again, casting a shadow over her heart.

Ye Chen stopped asking and sat cross-legged, summoning the Red Lotus Karmic Fire with his mind.

The proud Red Lotus Karmic Fire remained uncooperative, refusing to submit no matter how he coaxed or persuaded it. Even the immortal fire nearly exploded in frustration; if Ye Chen hadn't held it back, it would have started devouring everything.

Donghuang Taixin's gaze grew even deeper.

The current level of the immortal fire had already surpassed the Nine Martial Immortal Flame. Who knows, it might even create Chaos Fire. She had endured Mu Liuqing's Chaos Origin before, and it was indeed domineering.

As she watched, Ye Chen suddenly stood up without warning, startling her so much that her body trembled.

"What's the matter?" Donghuang Taixin snapped irritably.

"There's someone passing their tribulation," Ye Chen looked up at the void, where the essence of the Great Dao evolved in his eyes, weaving into a mysterious force that enhanced his vision, allowing him to see what others could not.

Indeed, he could see through it, but Donghuang Taixin saw nothing.

"How many are passing their tribulation? Are any from Tianxuan Gate?" Donghuang Taixin asked.

Ye Chen didn't reply; he just gently waved his hand, dispersing the misty clouds.

Now, Donghuang Taixin could see it too.

At the sight, she abruptly stood up, gazing up at the void with her beautiful eyes nearly narrowed to slits. She saw streaks of immortal rainbows cutting through the haze, each representing someone who had passed their tribulation, glowing with various colors. The number was immense, beyond estimation.

However, without exception, all those who had passed were from Honghuang.

"Has the tribulation wave ended?" Ye Chen and Donghuang Taixin both murmured, both believing so as they stared intently at the void.

With so many from Honghuang passing, perhaps those from Zhutian would follow.

Unfortunately, they watched all night and didn't see a single person from Zhutian pass their tribulation.

Ye Chen furrowed his brow. "Why only those from Honghuang?"

Donghuang Taixin said nothing; even with her experience, she couldn't explain it.

Then, she formed a seal with one hand, and a stone stele rose from the ground, towering ten thousand zhang high. It was covered with yuan shen jade plaques, all belonging to the tribulation quasi-emperors of Tianxuan Gate.

Crack! Crack!

As soon as the stele appeared, a series of crisp sounds rang out—the yuan shen jade plaques were shattering, one after another. Each one signaled the fall of a Tianxuan Gate quasi-emperor.

"Stop! Stop for me!"

Donghuang Taixin cried out hoarsely, her beautiful eyes brimming with tears, like a helpless child frantically unleashing waves of immortal light to halt the shattering. Those were lives—fresh, vibrant lives! Not just Tianxuan Gate's quasi-emperors, but her kin and comrades.

But all her efforts were in vain.

Crack! Crack!

Accompanied by the crisp sounds, the yuan shen jade plaques on the stele continued to shatter, not slowing down but accelerating. One by one, their divine light faded.

If calculated at full capacity, at least eighty percent of the plaques had shattered.

In other words, over eighty percent of Tianxuan Gate's tribulation quasi-emperors had fallen.

"You are unjust!"

Donghuang Taixin cried out again, pointing at the sky and cursing, her face streaked with tears, her words filled with grief and rage. She was speaking out for the myriad realms. During the heavenly demon invasion, Zhutian had fought so fiercely, while Honghuang had almost zero casualties. Now, those passing the tribulation were all from Honghuang, and Zhutian was suffering losses one after another. What kind of world was this?

Boom!

In that instant, a thunderclap echoed from the heavens, as if her outburst had provoked the higher powers, bringing down a terrifying heavenly punishment. Dark lightning suddenly appeared, swirling around Donghuang Taixin.

Pfft!

Donghuang Taixin spat out a mouthful of fresh blood, her body staggering as she struggled to stay upright.

Indeed, she had provoked the heavens and incurred heavenly punishment, subjecting her to cruel torment.

Ye Chen's face turned pale as he watched the shattering plaques, his fists clenched so tightly that his nails dug into his palms, golden blood trickling between his fingers.

Pfft!

A gust of wind blew by, and he too spat blood. Donghuang Taixin was cursing the heavens, and so was he. The merciless higher powers toyed with mortals in such a way—it was truly outrageous.

Qilin Wang was frightened and bolted out of the cauldron, but Ye Chen pushed it back in.

This donkey was quite sentimental, always trying to help, but it couldn't escape. Watching Donghuang Taixin suffer under heavenly punishment was heartbreaking; it was just too tragic.

Ye Chen remained expressionless, showing no emotion as Donghuang Taixin endured the punishment.

Those who knew him understood that the more silent he was, the more dangerous he became—like an ancient Honghuang beast on the verge of awakening. Once it raged, the universe would tremble.

It was unclear when the bamboo grove finally grew calm again.

Ye Chen was fine; his heavenly punishment had been absorbed by his Heavenly Punishment Body. But Donghuang Taixin was truly miserable, sitting quietly without a word, her pure white immortal robes stained with blood from the wounds left by the punishment. Each wound was a vivid, crimson gash.

Neither of them spoke—one like an ice sculpture, the other like a stone statue, both motionless.

At that moment, they seemed to see through the haze the unrestrained laughter from Honghuang.

That laughter was one of joy, schadenfreude, and blatant provocation.

As the wind blew, Yue Huang and Tian Jiu appeared one after another, followed closely by Xichen, Tian Lao, Di Lao, and the remaining quasi-emperors of Tianxuan Gate.

Upon seeing the shattered yuan shen jade plaques, everyone's bodies shuddered collectively.

It was devastating—so utterly devastating. Over eighty percent of the peak quasi-emperors hadn't died on the battlefield but had fallen during the tribulation. This blow was nothing short of destructive.

Suddenly, Donghuang Taixin stood up and staggered step by step toward the edge of the grove, leaving bloody footprints with each step. Her back was weary and desolate, as if she had lost all her spirit.

The quasi-emperors fell silent; they had never seen the Kunlun Goddess so defeated.

Yue Huang followed her. With Donghuang Taixin's current state of mind, she was no longer fit to lead Tianxuan Gate. She needed to rest for a while—the Kunlun Goddess deserved a break.

Behind her, the quasi-emperors all stood before the stele, silently gazing at the shattered plaques. Among them were their masters, disciples, lovers, and comrades—so many had perished with the plaques, turning to dust in history.

Ye Chen also left; this situation was clearly not right for discussing the heavenly demon origin.

Before departing, he left a divine sense message for Xichen, to discuss it another day.

As for Xiong Er and the others, they remained at Tianxuan Gate for now; it would be hard for them to return home soon.

Behind him, Tianxuan Gate was enveloped in complete gloom.

Under the moonlight, a wave of sorrow spread across Da Chu, punctuated by wails of grief from Tianxuan Gate. Even supreme beings shed tears, let alone the quasi-emperors. The scene was truly heart-wrenching.

"Have you seen it clearly?" On Jieming Mountain, Di Huang spoke leisurely.

"What a Zhuxian Sword—it can even alter tribulations," Ming Di snorted coldly, his voice ringing out like a clang, making the entire underworld rumble and shake with emperor-level killing intent.

"Open the passage quickly and send me back to Zhutian."

"Do you want to draw the heavenly demon realm's emperors here too?" Ming Di's words carried the majesty of a great emperor, "Forcibly opening the passage would mean the destruction of the three realms."