Chapter 2176: A Wonderful Cycle

Bang! Boom! Bang!

Due to the battle between the Sheng Ti and the Zhu Xian Jian, the Hei Dong was no longer silent, rumbling and trembling with immense force. The disturbances affected numerous Yu Mian, drawing countless people to look up in astonishment at the ethereal void.

"What's going on? Where's this shaking coming from?"

"It must be a massive fight, but I don't see anyone."

"You're just not seeing far enough."

Discussions erupted everywhere, with people puzzled and speculating wildly. In situations like this, there were always a few old-timers stroking their beards and misleading the younger generation.

Of course, not everyone was clueless about the cause.

Some with sharp insight, like the Wei Mian Zhi Zi, were scouring various Yu Mian in search of Ye Chen. Upon hearing the booming sounds, he looked up at the void, certain that a battle was raging in the Hei Dong. He didn't know who was fighting, but he excelled at traveling through Yu Mian—though the Hei Dong was beyond his sight, unlike Ye Chen, who was a step ahead.

"Such a huge commotion must involve a quasi-emperor level fighter," Xi Chen murmured thoughtfully.

"That's just obvious," Sheng Zun remarked, glancing at the Wei Mian Zhi Zi.

"You're not as tall as me."

"Get lost."

Xi Chen shrugged it off and opened a passage, following the rumbles from the Hei Dong to other Yu Mian. He figured the fighters might emerge mid-battle, and he was curious to see which two powerful figures had chosen the Hei Dong for their showdown.

His curiosity mirrored Sheng Zun's.

In this era, few could freely enter and exit the Hei Dong. Ye Chen was one, but his reincarnation eye was sealed. Jiang Tai Xu was another, though he was caught in a tribulation. A few other ancient eccentrics might still be alive, but no one knew for sure.

Boom! Bang! Boom!

The roars in the Hei Dong persisted like eternal thunder.

Ye Chen was covered in bloody gashes, bathed in golden Sheng blood, fighting like a madman. He had been wounded in the Hei Dong multiple times, yet he rose each time like an indestructible cockroach.

It was his unyielding will—he couldn't afford to lose to the Zhu Xian Jian. He was resolved that even if he died, he would drag it down with him.

His frenzy caused the Zhu Xian Jian to suffer repeated damage, its multicolored immortal light dimming significantly. Its attacks were no longer as fierce as before and had even been suppressed by Ye Chen at one point.

"This is the first time I've seen the Zhu Xian Jian beaten so badly," Ming Di sighed on Ming Shan in the Ming Jie, his emperor eyes flickering with immortal light as he recorded the battle scenes.

As a great emperor, he knew more secrets and was well aware of the Zhu Xian Jian's terror.

At its peak, the Zhu Xian Jian could instantly kill a great emperor.

Unfortunately, it had fallen from its rank multiple times, becoming extremely weak. Now, it was being thrashed by a Da Sheng—this lawless scene was destined to be recorded in history.

Di Huang's expression was deeply serious. He felt both gratified and helpless for the Sheng Ti successor. Even if the Zhu Xian Jian was weakened, with Ye Chen's current cultivation, it was hard to truly destroy it. The Sheng Ti could indeed slay the Zhu Xian Jian, but only upon reaching the great accomplishment stage would he barely qualify.

Pfft!

Under their watchful eyes, Ye Chen spat blood again, struck by a multicolored immortal river from the Zhu Xian Jian and sent flying, his splattered Sheng blood glaring in the Hei Dong.

Di Dao Fu Xi!

In mid-flight, Ye Chen suddenly waved his hand, summoning eighty-one arrays, each infused with Sheng Ti essence. He was making sure the essence was fully loaded.

The charging Zhu Xian Jian was caught off guard and trapped in the arrays.

At the same time, Ye Chen steadied himself and charged forward with his sword.

The Zhu Xian Jian trembled, standing upright as a multicolored halo spread from its blade, shattering the Di Dao Fu Xi arrays.

Not only that, but Ye Chen, lunging in for the kill, was hit head-on by the halo, sent tumbling with half his golden Sheng body exploding.

It was a ultimate move from the Zhu Xian Jian, capable of breaking Di Dao Fu Xi and still injuring Ye Chen with its aftermath.

However, as a ultimate move, it came at a great cost. The multicolored immortal light around the Zhu Xian Jian had dimmed considerably.

It halted its attack, hovering and buzzing.

At that moment, it likely realized that in its current state, it couldn't destroy Ye Chen.

Fight!

From the distant Hei Dong came a roar, as the indestructible cockroach charged back.

Seeing this, the Zhu Xian Jian instantly shattered the void and vanished.

If the people of the realms witnessed this, they would surely sigh in amazement.

The ways of the world were strange like this. The current Ye Chen couldn't defeat Dong Huang Tai Xin; the current Dong Huang Tai Xin couldn't defeat the Zhu Xian Jian; and yet, the current Zhu Xian Jian couldn't defeat Ye Chen.

A wonderful cycle, where one thing counters another.

The Zhu Xian Jian understood this principle, which was why it repeatedly used others to try to erase Ye Chen—it knew the Sheng Ti was its nemesis.

This time, it had been overly arrogant, attacking Ye Chen without a human host, thinking it could finish him. In the end, it failed to take him down and even sustained injuries, preventing it from causing chaos for a while.

As the Zhu Xian Jian fled, Ye Chen staggered, spitting a mouthful of fresh blood. It wasn't from anger but from severe wounds. The Zhu Xian Jian was too powerful for him to slay, even with his Sheng Ti essence intact. It wasn't that he lacked strength; his cultivation simply wasn't there yet.

But this battle was meaningful, confirming that the Sheng Ti was indeed the Zhu Xian Jian's counter. If it had been Dong Huang Tai Xin, the defeat would have been utter.

So, his life still held value. He might not match the great powers of the realms, but he could restrain the Zhu Xian Jian, instantly elevating his status several levels.

"Don't wait for me to reach great accomplishment—I'll take you down first," Ye Chen muttered under his breath, then sat cross-legged, mobilizing his Sheng Ti essence to erase the Zhu Xian Jian's killing intent and heal his gruesome wounds. He popped healing pills into his mouth relentlessly.

The dark space of the Hei Dong fell silent again, pitch-black with no visibility. Staying in this eerie place too long could drive anyone mad, but only someone like Ye Chen, a true eccentric, could endure the solitude. This great figure had long left the realm of ordinary people—calling him a beast was more accurate, as Zhao Yun had once said.

With the Hei Dong quiet, the various Yu Mian also lacked the booms, and people finally lowered their gazes after watching for a long time, none the wiser about the fighters.

"It's in this domain," Xi Chen said, landing in a Yu Mian called Luo Sha Yu, gazing at the void. The rumbles had faded here, so if anyone emerged from the Hei Dong, they would likely appear in this Yu Mian. All he had to do was wait.

"I have a feeling one of them is Ye Chen," Sheng Zun pondered.

"I have a feeling the other is probably the Zhu Xian Jian," Xi Chen said, stroking his chin.

The two formidable figures shared their guesses with grave expressions. As a cool breeze brushed by, their auras grew more imposing—one the Wei Mian Zhi Zi, the other Sheng Zun—though it was a bit awkward, knowing someone was in the Hei Dong yet unable to enter.

In the blink of an eye, three days passed.

They continued waiting, while in the Hei Dong, Ye Chen was still healing and suppressing his restless Tian Mo essence.

On the fourth day, he awoke from his meditation, his injuries mostly recovered.

He then took out the damaged Di Jian, which now had several notches from clashing with the Zhu Xian Jian. Clearly, it wasn't as tough.

The Di Zang Yun Tie also had a massive hole, quite an eyesore.

Ye Chen felt a pang of pain and wished he could catch the Zhu Xian Jian to ask what material it was made of—it could break Di Zang Yun Tie and damage a Di Bing.

Buzz! Buzz!

The Di Zang Yun Tie vibrated, as did the damaged Di Bing, both seemingly alive and fuming with frustration—it was humiliating.

Buzz! Buzz!

Ye Chen's Hun Dun Ding also buzzed, hovering and circling the Di Zang Yun Tie and the damaged Di Bing.

Among the three, the Hun Dun Ding had the highest intelligence, nurtured by Ye Chen's yuan shen for years, subtly adopting his traits.

The Di Zang Yun Tie couldn't compare, and the damaged Di Bing certainly couldn't—its intelligence was already fragmented.

Buzz! Buzz!

The Hun Dun Ding seemed idle, still buzzing as it circled, seemingly persuading the Di Zang Yun Tie: "How about we merge? Then we can take down the Zhu Xian Jian next time."

The damaged Di Bing ignored it, flying back into Ye Chen's body to sulk. It was a Di Bing, a great emperor's life weapon, even if damaged, still an ultimate Dao weapon. Who did it think it was, suggesting a merge so casually? Did it have no sense of its own worth?

The Hun Dun Ding trembled, as if clearing its throat, but remained shameless. With the Di Bing gone, it focused on coaxing the Di Zang Yun Tie, aiming to absorb this door-like slab into itself.

Compared to the Di Bing, the Di Zang Yun Tie was more subdued, with only a trace of intelligence, and it fell for the persuasion. Before long, it happily agreed: "Let's merge."

"This works?" Ye Chen stared in disbelief, underestimating his life weapon's persuasive skills—it made him proud. And you have some nerve, trying to swallow even a damaged Di Bing. Won't you burst?

After his surprise, Ye Chen's eyes sparkled with excitement.

This was a stroke of fortune, for the Hun Dun Ding.

He had witnessed the Di Zang Yun Tie's hardness before—nothing short of the Zhu Xian Jian or a Di Bing could breach it. If it merged with his life weapon, the Hun Dun Ding's strength would become terrifying, perhaps even clashing evenly with a Di Bing.

The fusion went smoothly, both willing and without reservations. The Di Zang Yun Tie's faint intelligence also merged into the Hun Dun Ding's spirit, making it even more vibrant.

Buzz! Buzz!

Satiated, the Hun Dun Ding flew around Ye Chen energetically.

Now enhanced with the Di Zang Yun Tie, it was extraordinary—its body heavy as a mountain, with an added ancient aura.

The Tian Zi inscriptions on the ding glowed joyfully, rearranging into dazzling golden characters, while strands of Hun Dun Qi cascaded down like waterfalls, as weighty as peaks.

Accompanied by Dao sounds, it drew in Ye Chen's Dao principles, evolving visions that were profound and elusive.

"Not bad," Ye Chen chuckled, rubbing his hands as he circled and examined it, occasionally tapping it. The dull thud confirmed that his fist would shatter if he punched it. Wielding this to smash someone would leave them questioning life.

The Hun Dun Ding trembled again and flew into his Shen Hai, chuckling to itself.

Ye Chen smiled. Though he hadn't killed the Zhu Xian Jian this time in the Hei Dong, he had gained a great opportunity. Without the Zhu Xian Jian piercing a hole in the Di Zang Yun Tie, it probably wouldn't have agreed to merge.

Of course, the Hun Dun Ding's persuasive talents were also key.

Clearing his thoughts, Ye Chen glanced around, ready to use the Tian Dao to head to a Yu Mian in search of people.

Hm?

As he was about to leave, a strange fluctuation emanated from the Hei Dong, making him turn back and narrow his eyes. The more he looked, the brighter his gaze became.