Chapter 2274: The Blessing and the Curse

Bang! Boom! Bang!

Under the dim starlit sky, the light of the apocalypse shone, and the thunderous roars grew even more intense.

"Attack, attack!"

The enraged Hong Huang forces had all gone mad, their faces twisted in ferocity as they recklessly activated their Di Qi. Strands of emperor-level immortal light bombarded the protective barrier of Youming Dalu, unable to break through but shaking the entire star domain with a deafening hum.

"Hold on!"

Across the peaks of Youming Dalu, resolute shouts echoed. As the Hong Huang side attacked with all their might, their mission was to defend to the death. Breaking the barrier wouldn't be that easy.

"The black hole has quieted down; Diliu Tian is dead," Canglong Huang said, looking up.

"After activating the Great Wheel of Reincarnation Heavenly Burial with a tenfold combat power boost, the Bumie Xian Ti is still far inferior to the Ancient Sacred Body," Xuanwu Huang murmured, steadying the formation while gazing into the void.

"The legend of the Bumie Xian Ti's indestructibility has likely been shattered."

"Old Sun is wondering, if we swallow the Bumie Xian Ti, can Ye Chen advance to the Quasi-Emperor realm?" Sheng Yuan Huang scratched his monkey fur, his fiery golden eyes flickering with brilliant divine light.

This remark made all the Quasi-Emperors' eyes light up with keen interest.

The Bumie Xian Ti was a heaven-defying bloodline, its indestructibility legend even surpassing that of the Ancient Sacred Body. Whether in bloodline, origin, divine treasury, or immortal blood, it harbored terrifying power. Swallowing it would surely bring immense fortune, potentially allowing a breakthrough against all odds.

For a moment, all the Quasi-Emperors of the various heavens looked up in unison, gazing into the ethereal distance, hoping for a scene where Da Chu's Tenth Emperor would emerge from the black hole, accompanied by his Quasi-Emperor heavenly tribulation.

Unaware of their hopes, Ye Chen remained seated in the black hole.

His current state was poor. His golden-cast sacred body trembled violently with a buzzing sound, his aura chaotic and wild. Rampant immortal light raged, entangled with an inexplicable, invisible force that carried a dreadful demonic power, disrupting his mind.

It was clear from his furrowed brow.

Looking into his divine sea, wisps of dark energy flickered in and out, darting back and forth. Several times, it gathered into a vast ocean, surging and rolling. In that black sea, vengeful ghosts struggled, their bodies contorted in agony, their wails piercing the soul and sending chills through the heart. The eerie scene resembled the sinful sea of the underworld.

These were the things he shouldn't have swallowed—forces from Diliu Tian's past: his Dao, evil thoughts, wicked thoughts, obsessions, beliefs, karma, and karmic obstacles. Too many intangible powers, nearly indestructible, scattering and merging at times, intent on devouring Ye Chen's mind.

As the two supreme beings of the underworld had said, if Ye Chen lost control of his mind, it could lead to Diliu Tian's resurrection, potentially taking over Ye Chen's Ancient Sacred Body.

This was the strange nature of the Bumie Xian Ti.

"Suppress it for me." Ye Chen gritted his teeth, his resolute shout echoing through his divine sea, desolate and cold. Accompanying it was the sound of the Great Dao, his own Dao manifesting as heavenly sounds fused with the Sacred Heart Secret, aiming to eradicate Diliu Tian's karmic ties.

Unfortunately, he failed; whatever he erased would regenerate.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

Not far away, metallic clashes rang out clearly. Though Diliu Tian was dead, his two Bumie Xian Swords still resisted stubbornly, though weakened without their master. They were pinned down by the Chaos Cauldron and the Dragon Chair, constantly trying to flee despite being outmatched.

The Chaos Cauldron and Dragon Chair wouldn't allow it, blocking their path relentlessly.

Crack!

At some point, a cracking sound was heard. The great saint weapon, the Bumie Xian Sword, finally fell, exploding with a boom. Shards of the sword, all glowing with immortal light, scattered across the black hole, attempting to reform, only to be swallowed whole by the domineering Chaos Cauldron, becoming nourishment for its body.

This cauldron was quite clever. After devouring the Bumie Xian Sword, it darted straight toward the Quasi-Emperor weapon version. Extremely sly, it hopped around, refusing to clash head-on with the Quasi-Emperor sword. As a great saint weapon, it was outclassed by a level.

Buzz! Buzz!

The cauldron's hum was deep and resonant. It circled the outskirts, seemingly cheering for the White Jade Dragon Chair, occasionally charging in to strike the Bumie Xian Sword before darting away. It would strike, flee, strike again, and flee once more.

Undeniably, Diliu Tian's Bumie Xian Sword was extraordinary. Though at a disadvantage, it fought fiercely and was incredibly durable. The White Jade Dragon Chair's repeated collisions failed to shatter it.

At this, the Chaos Cauldron could no longer hold back and joined the battle.

Besides them, the Lingxiao Iron Staff also flew over from Ye Chen's side. The three surrounded the sword from different angles, coordinating perfectly to pummel it, landing hit after hit and creating gashes.

The outcome was inevitable. No matter how ferocious the Quasi-Emperor weapon Bumie Xian Sword was, it couldn't withstand the trio's assault. Amid destruction, it exploded completely.

Buzz!

In such situations, the Chaos Cauldron became especially active, its mouth facing downward to suck up every fragment of the Bumie Xian Sword without leaving a trace. Its speed was incredibly fast, its actions self-assured, as if afraid the Lingxiao Iron Staff and Dragon Chair would snatch some.

In response, the Dragon Chair and Iron Staff didn't move, hovering on either side of the Chaos Cauldron, trembling slightly, as if saying: "You little cauldron, no one's competing with you—don't choke yourself."

The Chaos Cauldron was shameless about it, buzzing defiantly. After fully devouring the two Bumie Xian Swords, its body gained strands of immortal light. Numerous divine patterns etched themselves across it, traces of the Dao, with the Dun Jia heavenly characters arranging themselves spontaneously. Accompanied by ethereal Great Dao sounds, it manifested profound visions.

The cauldron had become even more extraordinary. For it, these two Bumie Xian Swords were a stroke of fortune, aiding its transformation and rebirth. Originally just a great cauldron, it now possessed a terrifying power at its peak, bordering on myth. At this moment, it could clash with Quasi-Emperor weapons without issue.

However, despite having the potential of a Quasi-Emperor weapon, it was limited by its master's cultivation level and couldn't advance. One could only say it was infinitely close to a Quasi-Emperor weapon, much like Ye Chen himself.

The Lingxiao Iron Staff and White Jade Dragon Chair remained suspended, both possessing high spiritual intelligence. They could see the cauldron's fearsomeness; in a battle of the same level, no artifact would be its match. It was truly like its master—an invincible existence in its tier.

Hmm!

As the Chaos Cauldron rejoiced, a low roar suddenly came from Ye Chen.

Upon hearing it, the three artifacts trembled with a buzz and flew over together.

Ye Chen's expression was no longer just furrowed; it was one of pain, with veins bulging on his forehead and a hint of ferocity on his face. His mind was in turmoil, blurring reality and illusion, enveloped by dark energy that made his aura even more violent, on the verge of turning demonic on the spot.

In response, the White Jade Dragon Chair trembled lightly and hovered above Ye Chen's head.

From it, strands of immortal light descended. Listening carefully, one could hear an ancient, melancholic immortal melody that cleared the mind upon hearing.

Remarkably, bathed in the Dragon Chair's immortal light, Ye Chen's pained expression eased somewhat. The dark energy shrouding his sacred body dissipated instantly upon contact with the light.

The Chaos Cauldron and Lingxiao Iron Staff weren't idle either, entering Ye Chen's divine sea one after the other to guard his divine platform and protect his primordial spirit. They stirred wisps of profound immortal sounds—calming techniques unleashed on their own—to continually dispel that mysterious force.

Thanks to the three, Ye Chen's violent state gradually stabilized.

Only then did the black hole truly fall into dead silence, like Ye Chen himself. No matter how the artifacts cast their spells, they couldn't fully dispel the force disrupting his mind—it was simply too persistent.

Pop!

In the void, a sound like a barrier breaking rang out.

Suddenly, an ethereal armor appeared on Ye Chen's sacred body. More precisely, it was an illusory armor with divine patterns flowing across it. Each phantom plate was coated in a radiant sheen, as if forged from diamond, gleaming brilliantly and incredibly tough.

"Da Lunhui Tian Gang?" The Ming Emperor raised an eyebrow, sighing in amazement. In such circumstances, he could still awaken a Reincarnation Eye forbidden technique—truly beyond expectation.

Di Huang's expression showed curiosity; he had seen Blood Wheel Tian Gang and Immortal Wheel Tian Gang before, but this was his first time witnessing Da Lunhui Tian Gang. This defensive technique was a heaven-seizing creation, the genuine article, far superior to what Blood Wheel Eye or Immortal Wheel Eye could offer.

Pop!

As the two supreme beings watched, another sound suddenly echoed, making them raise their eyebrows again.

Indeed, Ye Chen had awakened yet another Reincarnation Eye forbidden technique.

At first glance, Ye Chen looked no different, except for an ancient curse mark on his forehead. After manifesting, it slowly retracted into his brow, vanishing from sight. All that remained was a mysterious power on him: curse power.

"Da Lunhui Tian Zu." The Ming Emperor clicked his tongue.

"It must be due to swallowing the Bumie Xian Ti," Di Huang pondered. "It brings both benefits and drawbacks; the mind's disruption is a calamity, while unlocking two forbidden techniques is a fortune."

"The nine great forbidden techniques of Da Lunhui have now unlocked six. This junior of yours is as monstrous as ever." The Ming Emperor sighed again.

Hearing this, Di Huang straightened his posture proudly. His junior bringing honor meant the senior had face too.

The Ming Emperor glanced sideways at Di Huang, disliking that smug look. Whenever this happened, he thought of the collector's edition and made a mental note to study it later.

In the black hole, Ye Chen, still seated in meditation, finally relaxed his brow. He sat motionless, like a Zen monk, dignified and serene. Unaware of unlocking two forbidden techniques, all his focus was on combating the indestructible force.

Thus, two days passed quietly.

In those two days, the starlit sky remained unsettled. The Hong Huang army's relentless bombardment had created a few cracks in the protective barrier, even with the various heavens' Quasi-Emperors repairing it desperately; otherwise, it might have been breached.

There was no choice—the Hong Huang forces were too vast, and their Di Qi too numerous. Youming Dalu could only defend passively,不敢 rashly use their own Di Qi. The extreme Dao emperor weapons bolstered the Ren Huang Immortal Array's foundations; moving them would lead to endless trouble.

"Attack, attack!"

The more resilient Youming Dalu proved, the more it fueled the Hong Huang's rage. The various clan emperors had gone mad, gripping their immortal swords and wildly pointing at Youming Dalu. Their faces were grotesquely twisted, like malevolent ghosts, their bloodshot eyes seeming to drip blood.

How could they not be angry? The first battle of the Hong Huang offensive had turned out so absurdly. With absolute superiority in numbers and Di Qi, after two or three days of assault, they hadn't even breached the defenses. Add to that the losses from Diliu Tian's heavenly tribulation, and fury was inevitable.

By the third day, Hong Huang still hadn't broken through, maintaining a standoff with the various heavens.

In response, the Hong Huang's first and second allied armies transferred all their extreme Dao emperor weapons to the third allied army. With the increased number of Di Qi, each attack was world-shattering.

"Hold on!"

The people of the various heavens roared. As Hong Huang attacked fiercely, they defended fiercely. Divine light pillars shot up from each peak, upholding the protective barrier. Source stones burned without restraint to maintain the formation, everyone channeling their mana to the extreme to activate the Di Qi.

"Suppress it for me!"

This command echoed from the black hole. Seated Ye Chen had finally launched a counterattack. His Dao principles and Reincarnation principles trembled together, forming a swath of golden immortal light that swept through his divine sea, eradicating the surging dark energy and suppressing it completely—though only suppressing, not erasing.

In that instant, he opened his eyes, two beams of divine light shooting from his pupils.

His smile carried a hint of sigh. He had truly underestimated Diliu Tian and the Bumie Xian Ti. Swallowing it brought both fortune and calamity; he gained opportunities but also backlash. Even now, he couldn't fully eliminate that indestructible force.

Buzz!

The Chaos Cauldron flew out of his divine sea, buzzing as it circled Ye Chen, seemingly excited and thrilled.

Ye Chen noticed and could tell the cauldron had transformed. He easily guessed it had devoured the two Bumie Xian Swords.

In that moment, his heart ached. Two swords forged from Bumie Xian Jin, and you just swallowed them like that! Why didn't you leave one for me? Hope you choke on it.

However, he had no time to deal with the cauldron now. His gaze strangely fixed on his sacred body, where the illusory armor glowed with golden light.

Da Lunhui Tian Gang?

A look of surprise flashed in Ye Chen's eyes. Upon careful sensing, besides Da Lunhui Tian Gang, there was also Da Lunhui Tian Zu. Unlocking two forbidden techniques was a delightful surprise. He had experienced Xian Lun Tian Zu before and knew its profundity—able to cast curses without seals, a perfect secret for scheming.

As for Da Lunhui Tian Gang, it was his first awakening, so he felt curious. This defensive technique was extremely domineering. With this Tian Gang armor, harming him would require breaking the armor first. Only by wearing it did he realize its toughness; shattering it wouldn't be easy.

Ye Chen was delighted. Unlocking two forbidden techniques meant the Bumie Xian Ti hadn't been swallowed in vain.

Speaking of the Bumie Xian Ti, he quickly examined his sacred body internally.

The origin of the Bumie Xian Ti had merged perfectly with the Ancient Sacred Body's origin, without conflict. The missing half of his sacred body origin was supplemented by the Bumie Xian Ti's origin, and their bloodline power didn't repel each other, enhancing the sacred body's bloodline.

"The power of Bumie is indeed domineering."

Ye Chen murmured to himself, his body brimming with surging mana, making every drop of his Ancient Sacred Blood seem to burn. His combat power now surpassed before.

Unfortunately, after swallowing a Bumie Xian Ti, he still hadn't found the breakthrough opportunity.

As before, he could vaguely see the gate to the Quasi-Emperor realm in the distance, yet it remained ethereal and unattainable. The gap was vast, like a chasm between life and death, impossible to cross. He lacked that crucial stepping stone to leap forward.

"The Bumie Xian Ti has been swallowed by me, so stop resisting."

"Follow me, and you'll have a good life—why are you so stubborn?"

"Serving under a sacred body—is that so humiliating?"

Once again, Ye Chen summoned the Tai Chu Divine Fire, holding it like a revered ancestor, coaxing and threatening it. He hoped this divine fire would gain sentience; its submission and fusion would surely trigger his breakthrough, aiding his heavenly advancement.

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