Chapter 2272: History Repeats

Chapter 2272: History Repeats

Because Lu Tian emerged from the black hole, the tranquility of the starry sky was instantly shattered. Billions of thunderclaps shook the hearts of people across the world, and a will from the heavens enveloped the realm.

Boom! Rumble!

Looking from afar, Lu Tian, plummeting toward the Hong Huang army, was as insignificant as an ant, but his heavenly tribulation was extraordinarily fierce. Lightning in all colors—red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet—interwove and danced, forming a massive thunder hand that blanketed the sky. It carried the power of world destruction as it swept toward the Hong Huang army, as if intent on erasing these first beings from the dawn of creation.

"Asshole."

The angry roar from Hong Huang echoed like ancient thunder, shaking the starry domains and the immortal firmament. Seeing Lu Tian approaching, no one dared to linger; they fled desperately. It wasn't Lu Tian they feared, but his heavenly tribulation. Even the people of the heavens couldn't withstand it, and neither could Hong Huang.

The scene in the starry sky became grand beyond measure.

The Hong Huang army surrounding You Ming Dalu stretched out like a vast, dark ocean, but due to the heavenly tribulation, it turned into a scene of retreating tides. From peak-level tribal emperors to imperial-level soldiers, all were in full retreat, discarding their armor and scattering in disarray.

Even so, some were too slow and got pulled into the tribulation involuntarily.

Splash! Splash! Splash!

Splashes of brilliant blood flowers bloomed vibrantly in the starry sky. Groups of Hong Huang people were obliterated under the tribulation, including many great saints and quasi-emperors. Lifeless stars couldn't withstand the lightning and exploded one by one, while stellar rivers of sand were reduced to flying ash. The surging blood mist rolled thickly, adding a layer of crimson veil to this stretch of space.

"Damn it." The various tribal emperors roared in fury, spitting blood on the spot—not from wounds, but from rage. How many times had this happened? Every time Hong Huang gathered in force, a heavenly tribulation would strike as punishment. It was one thing for the people of the heavens to face tribulations, but when Hong Huang's imperial sons underwent them, we still ended up getting struck. Could it be that all of us from the great Hong Huang race have faces that just beg to be hit by lightning?

"Damn it." Lu Tian also howled, his eyes blood-red and his hair disheveled. Mid-flight, he forcibly stabilized himself before fleeing desperately, distancing himself from the Hong Huang army.

"Where do you think you're going?" Ye Chen charged straight at him, skipping any preamble and swinging his staff to send Lu Tian flying. Lu Tian's speed in retreat was even faster than the fleeing Hong Huang forces.

The top-ranked imperial son of Hong Huang landed right in the midst of their army. His heavenly tribulation clung to him like a persistent plaster, following wherever he went, with lightning striking accordingly.

Splash! Splash! Splash!

It was another bloody spectacle. No matter how mystical the Hong Huang experts' evasion techniques were, they couldn't escape the lightning's aim.

As mentioned before, when it comes to heavenly tribulations, the heavens are fair. Anyone within its range—whether quasi-emperor or great saint—is struck without mercy. Each bolt of lightning hit with deadly precision, causing minor strikes to shatter flesh and major ones to scatter souls, a gruesome sight to behold.

Ah!

Roars of anger, howls of fury, and screams of agony mingled with the funeral-bell-like thunder, weaving into a dirge that echoed across the four seas and eight wastelands, all originating from the wretched Hong Huang army.

"Fact proves that if you don't want trouble, don't bunch up—it's just asking to get struck by lightning." Watching the fleeing Hong Huang army from You Ming Dalu, the people of the heavens all rose into the ethereal void, standing on tiptoes and craning their necks to see the young master Ye in action, displaying his divine might.

"This kind of grand scene is truly fitting for the Desolate Ancient Saint Body." The quasi-emperors of Xuan Huang all laughed, their earlier gloom completely dispelled. The current sight was incredibly satisfying.

"The tenth emperor of Great Chu is indeed a master at handling lightning." The quasi-emperors of You Ming Dalu stroked their beards meaningfully. How many years had it been? Hong Huang had been struck down countless times, each assault more spectacular and devastating than the last. The Saint Body might not have its own tribulation, but it could borrow others' divine punishments and wield them effortlessly, targeting the Hong Huang race perfectly.

"At last, we've turned the tide." The quasi-emperors of Great Chu stood tall and straight, beaming with joy and relief. Among Great Chu's eleven emperors, Ye Chen stood out the most. Wherever he was, no crisis was insurmountable.

In that moment, the quasi-emperors of the heavens looked at Ye Chen with eyes full of profound meaning. From him, they saw a sense of security like an unyielding belief. His silhouette shimmered with the light of dawn, capable of illuminating hope even in the darkest world.

"Sacrifice the imperial artifacts and obliterate him."

This roar came from the Hong Huang tribal emperors, who fled in a sorry state and took refuge on various dead ancient stars. Each one stood atop an eight-thousand-zhang mountain peak, brandishing their swords and pointing toward one direction—specifically, toward the imperial son Lu Tian. As the one undergoing the tribulation, eliminating him was the quickest way to end it.

Buzz! Buzz! Buzz!

At their command, dozens of imperial artifacts trembled in unison, wrapped in imperial dao principles and radiating ultimate imperial might. Each one fired a beam of annihilating immortal light toward Lu Tian. After all, he wasn't their own imperial son, so they wouldn't mourn his loss. The main goal was to dispel the tribulation.

"See that? Even your own Hong Huang people don't want you around." Ye Chen instantly appeared at Lu Tian's side, grabbed him, and teleported into the black hole.

Boom! Bang!

The devastating strikes from the dozens of imperial artifacts didn't stop just because the two had vanished. That section of the starry sky was instantly blasted to pieces. With Lu Tian's disappearance, the heavenly tribulation also dissipated.

"Retreat! Retreat immediately." The Qiong Qi tribal emperor shouted hoarsely. He knew they hadn't hit Lu Tian and realized Ye Chen had taken him into the black hole. Who knew where the two would emerge next? As the saying goes, it's easy to dodge an open attack but hard to guard against a hidden one. Better to flee far away.

Boom! Rumble!

Within the black hole, thunder raged once more, erupting after a brief lull.

"If I had the Blood Wheel Eye, I'd cut you down." Lu Tian roared.

"If my origin were complete, you'd die even more miserably." Ye Chen snorted coldly. His words rang true; with an incomplete origin, he could still gain a slight edge at night, let alone with a full one. The myth of the Desolate Ancient Saint Body being invincible at the same level wasn't empty talk.

As he spoke, Ye Chen stepped forward and swung his staff to send Lu Tian flying. Before Lu Tian could steady himself, Ye Chen was already upon him again. Grabbing Lu Tian, he exited the spatial black hole, calculating their direction and position with perfect accuracy.

Sure enough, the moment they emerged, more Hong Huang people suffered.

Splash! Splash! Splash!

Vibrant blood flowers bloomed in succession—not just a few, but in waves. Many Hong Huang individuals had their bodies destroyed, with their primordial spirits barely escaping. Those with weaker foundations, whether quasi-emperors or juniors, turned to ash in an instant under the tribulation.

"The more people there are over there, let's go that way."

"Don't worry, I won't kill them outright—I'll leave them breathing."

"Where do you think you're running?"

Ye Chen's shouts echoed throughout the starry sky. He was treating Lu Tian like a ball, with his Lingxiao iron staff as the bat, swinging toward wherever the crowd was thickest. He held back just enough; Lu Tian's value was too great to smash to death in one blow.

And so, history repeated itself.

Not only the people of the heavens felt this way—the Hong Huang forces did too. They recalled how the Huang Jiang imperial son, in a crisis, had once drawn a quasi-emperor tribulation, intending to trap the heavens but ending up suppressed by Ye Chen, severely damaging Hong Huang. The scene now was strikingly similar. As imperial sons—one ranked second, the other first—they had both made massive contributions to the heavens, turning what should have been strong hands into utter disasters.

Ah!

Lu Tian gritted his teeth, his face twisted like a malevolent ghost. His roars came from the depths of his soul, hysterical and furious. As the son of a great emperor and the top-ranked of Hong Huang, with his indestructible immortal body, he was completely powerless against Ye Chen at the same level. He was truly being used as a ball, battered across the starry sky, and had no idea how many of his Hong Huang comrades he'd taken down with him.

Ah!

The Hong Huang tribal emperors howled in anguish, their hearts breaking with rage as they fled without stopping. They cursed Ye Chen inwardly and even Lu Tian. "You bastard, you came all this way not to help, but to sabotage your own side! Not only did you fail to break through You Ming's protective barrier, but you've also gotten wave after wave of our Hong Huang people killed. You truly live up to your title as Hong Huang's number one—first at betraying your own!"

"Tsk, tsk, tsk." Watching the starry sky spectacle, the people of the heavens clicked their tongues again.

Once more, facts proved that in certain situations, a heavenly tribulation was more effective than imperial artifacts. The more crowded the group, the stronger the power; the purer the bloodline, the more ferocious the tribulation. Hong Huang and Lu Tian embodied both conditions perfectly—and on top of that, they encountered a freak like Ye Chen.

"There's a whiff of roasted meat." One of the quasi-emperors sniffed the air.

It wasn't just him; everyone present could smell it. Some tough Hong Huang individuals survived the tribulation but were left smoking all over, charred black.

"Anyone want to go out for a stroll?" The Saint Venerable ascended to the heavens, stepping out of You Ming Dalu while holding the Xuanyuan Sword.

Among the multitude of people from the heavens, he was the only one who ventured out. Who else but him, with his fearless nature? He had survived an imperial dao divine tribulation from ancient times, so what was Lu Tian's tribulation to him?

It was fortunate that the Empress and the Sixth Divine General weren't there; otherwise, the three would have gone together. One had passed her own emperor tribulation, and the other had strolled through the Emperor Venerable's tribulation—they were the types who could endure and fight without fearing divine punishment.

Sadly, the Empress and the Sixth Divine General were both in the midst of their own tribulations and couldn't join this grand event.

With the Saint Venerable's entry, the already domineering tribulation grew even more massive. He was undergoing a quasi-emperor tribulation, and it was particularly unruly; wielding the Xuanyuan Sword, he chased and slashed all the way.

One had to admit, someone who survived an emperor tribulation wasn't to be underestimated. Each of his sword strikes destroyed heavens and earth, carrying not only ultimate divine might but also the power of the tribulation. Ordinary Hong Huang quasi-emperors couldn't withstand even one blow; they screamed their way straight to the underworld—except they didn't even get to scream.

"Sacrifice the imperial artifacts and obliterate him." The Hong Huang tribal emperors continued to howl, dodging the tribulation from afar while madly swinging their killing swords, their eyes blood-red and ready to burst.

Buzz!

Dozens of Hong Huang imperial artifacts vibrated in unison, firing beams of imperial dao immortal light in the same instant.

This time, however, their target wasn't Lu Tian or Ye Chen, but the Saint Venerable, who was rampaging everywhere. "You think you're something? We can't hit Ye Chen, fine, but who the hell are you?"

Seeing this, the Saint Venerable's expression changed drastically. He instantly employed his imperial dao evasion technique. He could handle one or two imperial artifacts, but dozens united was another story entirely.

On the other side, Young Master Ye, staff in hand, kept chasing and striking Lu Tian. Whenever he caught up, he didn't hesitate to swing. From start to finish, he stuck to one strategy: hit where the crowd was densest.

As for the Saint Venerable, Ye Chen wasn't worried at all—that guy had a knack for survival.

And indeed, the Saint Venerable lived up to his reputation. He dodged the imperial dao onslaught, then calmly returned to You Ming Dalu with the Xuanyuan Sword in hand. He nearly stumbled mid-step, nearly falling from the void. Clutching his sword in one hand and his waist in the other, he limped back, having avoided the devastating attack but suffering severe injuries, spitting out mouthfuls of old blood.

"How about going out for another stroll?" Tian Lao stroked his beard, glancing sideways at the Saint Venerable with a hint of schadenfreude in his eyes. Or perhaps it was just that all the old-timers present felt the same—seeing him get beaten inexplicably brought them satisfaction.

"A bunch of cowards." The Saint Venerable dismissed it with a wave. So what if he got beaten? At least he dared to go out. Look at all of you, not even poking your heads out, and you have the nerve to criticize me.

The other quasi-emperors were thick-skinned too. "So we're cowards—so what? We're not going out. Hong Huang's dozens of imperial artifacts are just for show? Not even the Female Saint Body would dare take them head-on. That's called knowing your limits. Without Ye Chen's ability to evade imperial dao kills, we'd rather stay put."

"Run! Where do you think you're running?"

Speaking of Ye Chen, he was the real deal. Under the watchful eyes of the people of the heavens, he swung his staff repeatedly, sending Lu Tian tumbling.

Surveying the void, the Hong Huang army, vast as an ocean, was chased relentlessly by the two of them, with no one daring to turn and fight. Occasional counterattacks were imperial dao strikes, but to Ye Chen, they were mere decorations. He could freely enter and exit spatial black holes, so imperial dao kills meant nothing.

Looking at Lu Tian, he was in a truly pitiful state. His indestructible immortal body was a bloody mess, and even its powerful regeneration couldn't keep up with the tribulation's force and Ye Chen's iron staff. He was no longer recognizable as human.

With his power completely suppressed, he had no chance to fight back. He couldn't escape, and he couldn't win a fight.

Still, this imperial son had a resilient spirit, always feeling he could turn things around. Maybe, just maybe, he'd slip away if he played his cards right. After all, hope was essential—who knew the outcome until the very end?

Buzz!

The Hong Huang imperial artifacts weren't idle, unleashing beams of imperial dao immortal light amid the rumbling thunder, though they couldn't hit Lu Tian or Ye Chen. At least it bought them some time.

For the umpteenth time, Ye Chen grabbed Lu Tian and dove into the black hole.

The tribulation vanished instantly, and the fleeing Hong Huang army finally caught a break. Some escaped, some watched warily, and some activated domain gates. The entire starry sky was a chaotic mess.

This time, the interval was longer; it took ages for Ye Chen and Lu Tian to reappear. The longer it dragged on, the more cautious Hong Huang became. They might pop out any second and unleash another devastating strike.

Splash!

In the black hole, blood flowers bloomed as Ye Chen's staff exploded Lu Tian.

This time, Ye Chen had no intention of going back out. The time limit for the Great Wheel of Reincarnation Heavenly Burial was nearly up, and Lu Tian's tribulation was gradually weakening. The imperial dao law body's tribulation was imminent, so he couldn't risk any more variables.

As a Saint Body, Ye Chen had his regrets. If it were his own tribulation, things would be even more spectacular. No one else's worked as well as his own—he'd make it far more chaotic.

"I'm not willing to accept this." Lu Tian's howl carried raging fury. Even now, he had that fighting spirit, not engaging Ye Chen but fleeing desperately, using his powerful regeneration to heal his wounds as much as possible.

"You won't get away." Ye Chen snorted coldly, bathed in the tribulation's lightning as he pursued and struck relentlessly. No need to hold back anymore.