Chapter 2199: The Cycle Mark

Chapter 2199: Lunhui Yinji

In the night of the thousand-year Da Chu, all was peaceful and serene.

In the small bamboo grove of Tianxuan Gate, Ye Chen wiped away his nosebleed as he emerged from the immortal pool area once more.

That's right, he had peeked at Donghuang Taixin bathing again—or more accurately, he had watched openly and boldly. He couldn't even believe how thick-skinned he had become.

Over these days, he had studied Donghuang Taixin thoroughly, down to every detail.

Not to boast, but he knew exactly where every mole on her body was. He had etched vivid, alluring scenes into his mind, planning to turn them into collector's editions back home and share one with each talented person in Da Chu.

These were far more captivating than any red envelopes.

It was a good thing Donghuang Taixin was unaware; if she knew, she'd probably burst into tears and cry, "What are you doing? Why focus on me out of all the women in Da Chu?"

To that, Ye Chen's heartfelt response would surely be: "Who asked you to keep beating me up?"

And Donghuang Taixin's likely retort would be fierce: "How come I didn't beat you to death?"

"Another day, I'll come again."Ye Chen chuckled slyly and finally left.

He wandered along until he arrived at that mortal imperial palace, coming to check on his second reincarnation body.

It had been three or four years now, and his second self had grown taller.

His timing was perfect this time, as his second self was just being crowned as the crown prince. At seven or eight years old, though still childish, he already carried the bearing of a ruler, destined to become an emperor one day.

This time, Ye Chen simply stayed in the palace.

As his second self studied diligently, Ye Chen sat across from him, propping his chin with his hands, bored out of his mind. He even said smugly to himself, "Even as a kid, I was this handsome—what will I be like when I grow up? It's only right you have the fate of an emperor. Not becoming one would be against the natural order."

Over time, Ye Chen noticed something odd: his twelfth reincarnation body would occasionally look up absentmindedly and glance in his direction.

Every time that happened, Ye Chen's eyes would flash with intensity, and he'd wave vigorously to confirm if his second self could see him. This might be a clue to getting back.

But each attempt ended in failure.

Time slipped away quietly, with days and nights cycling endlessly.

In the blink of an eye, five years had passed.

In those five years, Ye Chen watched his second self grow from a tender child into a sharp, prominent young man, evolving from a frail prince into a capable heir apparent, step by step.

One day, he would rule the world and become the king of this land.

In five years, Ye Chen had gradually come to see this thousand-year Da Chu as just a dream. Dreams always end upon waking, and he would return to his original time someday.

Every so often during those five years, Ye Chen would return to Tianxuan Gate.

And remarkably, each visit happened at just the right moment.

By "just the right moment," I mean Donghuang Taixin was either undressing or bathing, and Ye Chen, ever the opportunist, would reluctantly take in the view.

In the sixth year at the palace, the emperor passed away, and a new one ascended the throne.

Ye Chen was present on the day his second self was enthroned, but the ceremony didn't go smoothly. Some rebels raised an army to seize the throne, and with three hundred thousand troops surrounding the imperial city, it was sealed off tight. One command, and they would storm the gates.

Unfortunately for the rebels, their three hundred thousand soldiers couldn't withstand the new emperor's words alone. Standing on the city wall, he spoke of everything from the dawn of heaven and earth to the mundane details of daily life, and managed to persuade the rebels to retreat.

That day held great historical significance, recorded in the dynasty's annals: a fourteen-year-old emperor used nothing but his words to deter three hundred thousand troops.

What followed was extremely bloody. As the saying goes, a new emperor means new officials. Though only fourteen, he ruled with an iron fist, suppressing the rebellion and forcefully restructuring the court.

This bloodshed lasted three years. The sons of the previous emperor were nearly all killed by the new one, staining the royal court and city red with blood.

Ye Chen witnessed it all and couldn't help but sigh.

From ancient times, imperial families have been the most ruthless. He had truly learned a lesson: to consolidate power, even blood brothers could be slain, stepping over bones to become utterly alone at the top.

"In my lifetime, I will expand the borders and build an eternal dynasty."

These words came from his second self's mouth, and at just eighteen years old, he was indeed exceptionally talented, excelling in both civil and military affairs far beyond previous emperors.

Even a heartless emperor had his romantic side, and his empress came from a noble family, a model of virtue and grace, personally selected by him as the mistress of the harem.

But his empress's appearance left Ye Chen with a look of utter surprise.

The moment the red veil was lifted, Ye Chen was stunned, recognizing the woman instantly—she looked exactly like Qi Yue, Xu Fu's disciple.

However, she wasn't Qi Yue, but one of Qi Yue's reincarnations. Her features, voice, and smile were identical to those from the Hengyue Sect days, leaving Ye Chen in a daze.

In that life, Ye Chen and Qi Yue had been husband and wife.

That night, Ye Chen was completely thrown off, marveling at the unpredictability of reincarnation. In such a vast world with so many people, how could they end up as a couple? It must be fate from a past life.

A moment of spring bliss is worth a thousand gold pieces; the wedding night scenes were quite enchanting.

And the tenth emperor of Da Chu fully embraced his shameless spirit, sneaking over in the dead of night to peek through the window for a live view. If it wasn't free, why not watch?

By mortal laws, someone like him would get off lightly with lingchi execution.

Still, it had to be said, his second self's skills in that department were quite accurate.

After ten months of pregnancy, the emperor and empress brought a new life into the world—a prince of the realm.

However, when the child was born, Ye Chen was totally baffled.

That's right, it was another familiar face: Xiong Dahai, the head of the Nanjiang Xiong family, or Xiong Er's father. Though now in the form of a baby, Ye Chen could tell at a glance.

"This seniority is all messed up."

"If we go by my second self, that chubby Xiong kid would have to call me grandfather."

"Having a grandson like that brings me great comfort."

Ye Chen's expression was one of deep sincerity.

He'd have to chat with Xiong Er about this when he got back. Calling him bro won't do anymore—it has to be grandfather, and Qi Yue would be grandmother.

The ever-sighing Ye Chen couldn't help but reflect.

His second life's memories were incomplete, fragmented, with nothing on this aspect. If he'd known about this earlier, things at Hengyue Sect would have been much more lively.

Now, as a non-existent observer, he had become a witness to history, seeing it all clearly and filling in those incomplete memories with what he'd witnessed.

Returning to his second self, he had indeed lived up to his bold words from back then.

His conquests spanned southeast, northwest, and beyond; in just ten years, he swept through seven nations. During his reign, the dynasty reached its greatest territorial extent and peak prosperity, with nations from all directions paying tribute and honoring him as the heavenly sovereign for generations.

Alas, heaven envies the talented. This legendary emperor, who forged a vast empire, couldn't surpass the age of thirty, meeting his end at just twenty-nine.

On his deathbed, his eyes held hope, wishing to live another five hundred years.

His life was extraordinarily glorious: at fourteen, he quelled rebellions; at seventeen, he pacified the court; at twenty-eight, he unified seven nations, elevating the dynasty to its zenith.

Ye Chen was by his side, and even knowing it was history, he couldn't hide his sorrow. His second self must have been unwilling, having sketched out grand plans only to die young.

Amid wails of grief, the emperor closed his eagle-like eyes reluctantly, carrying regret and indignation into the next reincarnation.

Ah!

Ye Chen sighed and turned to leave.

But as he walked, he suddenly spun back, returning to the bedside.

There, on his second self's forehead, a faint glow flickered, forming a mark—a illusory Lunhui mark—that slowly emerged and merged into Ye Chen's body.

Ye Chen felt a momentary daze, and his sacred body trembled.

Upon internal examination, he could clearly see the Lunhui mark, faint and elusive, containing the power of reincarnation. It was an inexplicable force, profound and mysterious, impossible to grasp, but Ye Chen knew this was reincarnation.

"I get it now." Ye Chen's eyes gleamed, as if he'd uncovered a secret and found hope of returning, all tied to this Lunhui mark.

When his second self died, the Lunhui mark appeared, so the third, fourth, up to the ninth lives must have them too. If he fused the marks from each life, it might unleash an unexpected power, like going back to his original era.

Realizing this, he immediately performed a hand seal to calculate, determining his third self's location. With his second self's passing, the third would soon be born—that's how reincarnation works, with life and death intersecting in an instant, cycling endlessly.

He left then, after a decade, departing the palace.

Before going, he glanced at Qi Yue; tears streamed down her cheeks, her expression full of sorrow. Their son with the emperor—that is, this life's Xiong Dahai—was also by the bed. With the old emperor gone, as the crown prince, he needed to ascend as the new emperor.

Sadly, he fell far short of his father, whether in vision, breadth, strategy, or imperial skills—he wasn't fit to rule. He lasted only a year on the throne before a coup turned him into a prisoner, truly shaming his predecessor's legacy.

Of course, that's a later story. His second self had expanded the borders, but with unworthy descendants, the so-called eternal dynasty was just a pipe dream. The foundations he built would inevitably become dust in the tides of history.

Meanwhile, Ye Chen crossed the southern and northern borders, going from Nan Chu to Bei Chu.

Still in the mortal realm, in a simple farmhouse courtyard, his third self was born, with a farmer holding the swaddled baby and chuckling foolishly.

His third life was that of a bandit!

Ye Chen rubbed his brow; he already knew this. As for the detailed memories, he didn't have them, only that his third self was a notorious villain, committing countless atrocities in his life.

This was history, unchangeable history.

What he needed was the Lunhui mark, desperately wanting to know if fusing the marks from each life could take him back to his original time.

So, he had to wait, wait for his third self to pass away, and go through each life one by one. That was reincarnation, with no other way, but for him, it was still a glimmer of hope.

"In the future, I'll come back."Ye Chen patted his behind and left the farmhouse courtyard, heading straight for Tianxuan Gate. At this time, Donghuang Taixin should be bathing.