Chapter 2283: Evacuation

Boom! Bang! Boom!

Jiuyang Xing under the moonlight was far from peaceful. Constant rumbles echoed everywhere. Majestic mountains, ancient palaces, and stone-carved statues were exploding without warning, and not just in one area—multiple directions were affected, creating a chaotic uproar that rose and fell incessantly.

This had exhausted the Honghuang Zhun Di experts. Every boom prompted them to rush over for a look, while the Honghuang powerhouses below the Zhun Di level were equally startled and on edge.

All of this was thanks to Ye Da Shao, who had scattered countless Tianlei Zhu, Dilei Dan, and Yinbao Fu. He wasn't using them to harm anyone directly but to divert attention.

As the art of war says, feinting in one direction to attack another—he had mastered this strategy. Whenever he entered a new territory, many Honghuang people suffered, captured into the Hunlun Ding before they even knew what hit them.

Peering inside the Hunlun Ding now, it was packed with people, over five hundred in total, mostly Honghuang Da Sheng, with some Sheng Wang and Sheng Ren huddled together in a group.

Ye Da Shao was merciful and wasn't killing them—at least, not yet.

Each Honghuang person was a valuable asset, perfect for ransom demands to make a profit.

The only regret for him was that, despite capturing so many, he hadn't seen any special eye pupils except for the pair of purple ones he had acquired earlier; there was no second pair.

"The Honghuang Clan won't let you get away with this." Inside the ding, curses filled the air. The crowd of Honghuang captives couldn't break free, so they vented through words, their roars coming from the depths of their souls. Pairs of blood-red eyes glowed menacingly in the murky chaos.

Ye Chen paid them no mind—he had no time for it.

But the Hunlun Ding wouldn't tolerate it. That unreliable ding had a fiery temper and couldn't stand anyone insulting its master. So, it condensed whips from Hunlun Qi and lashed out at whoever cursed the loudest, showing no mercy.

"It's really stepping up." Whenever this happened, Ye Chen, as its master, would sigh with approval. His natal artifact hadn't been raised in vain; it knew how to share his burdens.

"You brat, stop messing around and get back to Da Chu right now." From the Tianxuan Gate side, Fu Ya's scolding voice came through again. The old man was fuming, his face flushed red as he stroked his beard. With the war between Honghuang and the various heavens unfolding on such a grand scale, the supreme commander putting himself in danger was a grave military taboo.

"Don't rush. I need to put on a big show for the Honghuang Clan." Ye Chen chuckled.

"A big show?" Fu Ya raised an eyebrow and tugged at his beard. Hearing those two words from Ye Da Shao's mouth meant things would definitely get intense—everyone at Tianxuan Gate knew that.

"How many cultivators from the various heavens who are out there have returned to Da Chu?" Ye Chen asked.

There was no immediate response, only Fu Ya's repeated sighs.

Ye Chen fell silent and didn't press further. His question was indeed heavy. Without thinking about it, he knew not many had made it back to Da Chu. The Honghuang forces were overwhelmingly superior in both numbers and imperial artifacts. In such an unbalanced battle, surviving to return was incredibly difficult. Based on his experience, if even one out of ten managed to get back, it would be a blessing.

"You should understand, you are the hope of the entire various heavens." After a long while, Fu Ya's words came again, his tone solemn. "For this hope, the beings of my Wanyu Domain will stand unhesitatingly in front of you, willing to shatter themselves for your sake, just as in the past when the Tianmo invaded, and Da Chu's ninety million heroic souls fought to the death to help you achieve your Sheng Ti greatness."

Ye Chen remained silent, recalling that brutal war from years ago. It had been so bloody, with countless predecessors and successors charging like moths to a flame, all for that fragile glimmer of hope.

Now, it was eerily similar to back then.

Yet, this immense responsibility had fallen on him, weighing him down until he could barely breathe. How he wished he could seal his position as a Zhun Di, but he knew it was easier said than done. That half-step distance felt more remote than life and death itself, like an insurmountable chasm.

Suddenly, he turned his inner vision to his Dantian Sea, gazing quietly at the Tai Chu Shen Huo, and murmured with a hint of humble plea, "What must I do to earn your recognition?"

Unfortunately, the Tai Chu Shen Huo hovered silently, offering no response whatsoever.

Sigh!

Ye Chen let out a sigh and headed toward a forested area.

Before he could step in, three figures emerged from within—three Da Sheng from the Gui Xi Zu. Seeing Ye Chen about to enter, one of them said indifferently, "We've already searched it. No need to go in."

Ye Chen said nothing, his eyes flickering with a sharp glint as he fixed his gaze on the central Gui Xi Da Sheng. There was a crack on his forehead, clearly indicating a special eye pupil. Though it hadn't opened, Ye Chen could sense the immense pupil power—it wasn't ordinary, and its level was undoubtedly high.

Thus, Ye Da Shao instinctively uttered a soft command in his mind, "Explode."

Bang!

A thunderous boom erupted from the north, where a towering ancient statue collapsed due to a Yinbao Fu.

The Honghuang Zhun Di overseeing that territory abruptly turned his head.

Like him, the three Qiong Qi Da Sheng in front of Ye Chen all looked up.

"Now!" Ye Chen's eyes flashed with brilliance as he swept out a palm.

In an instant, the three Qiong Qi Da Sheng vanished, reappearing inside the Hunlun Ding, where they were immediately sealed by its restrictions.

The three Qiong Qi Da Sheng were baffled, feeling as if they had blinked and ended up in this strange place. They had no idea where they were or why there were so many Honghuang people around.

As they were still confused, a golden hand reached in and grabbed the central Qiong Qi Da Sheng, forcibly extracting the third eye from his forehead, causing blood to spurt out.

"Taiji Shen Mou." Ye Chen's eyes lit up with excitement as he identified it. In terms of level, it was on par with the Xiushi Xian Yan. The pupil resembled a yin-yang wheel, merging both yin and yang pupil powers. As for its specific abilities, he didn't know and didn't need to—he was using it to replenish his own pupil power. No matter how powerful it was, it was meant to be absorbed.

Accompanied by a gentle breeze, he engraved the essence of the Taiji Shen Mou into his Lunhui Yan.

That was why the Taiji Shen Mou and Xiushi Xian Yan were considered equals—the replenishment from each was similar. Combined with his previous boost, it could barely allow him to perform one Tian Dao technique, the kind that let him enter a black hole but not escape. So, Ye Da Shao's journey was still a long one.

"Waste, a bunch of waste." As Ye Chen reveled in his success, furious roars echoed across the heavens.

It was the Taotie Zhun Di, who had lost his patience and was unleashing his thunderous rage in the sky. As a genuine peak Zhun Di, his outburst made the world tremble, with lightning flashing and thunder roaring. His overwhelming killing intent was so chilling that it froze the heavens and earth inch by inch.

No need to see his face to know how ferocious he looked—standing in the night like a demon, his red eyes seemed ready to spew blood, and his sharp fangs gleamed with a cold light.

Ye Chen dismissed it. You can roar all you want; I'll keep capturing my targets.

Boom! Bang! Boom!

The dark night grew restless again, with rumbles erupting from various hidden corners. Each boom made the Honghuang people's eyes light up, thinking they had found Ye Chen, only to be disappointed time and again—there was no sign of him.

Little did they know, Ye Da Shao was right among them, diligently conducting his guerrilla warfare, appearing and disappearing like a ghost across many parts of Jiuyang Xing.

It was certain that every boom signaled another Honghuang person being captured, and the spoils were substantial. Each Honghuang individual was incredibly wealthy, with genuine treasures in their storage bags. If he ran short on medicinal pills, he could just rob one and get everything he needed.

Glancing into the Hunlun Ding, it was extraordinarily lively, with over a thousand people from various races. Some were tough and kept cursing non-stop since entering.

Given their vigor, Ye Chen didn't even need to act—the Hunlun Ding handled it, whipping them with lashes formed from Hunlun Qi that cracked loudly.

Even then, some remained defiant, cursing relentlessly from start to finish without pause, and the Hunlun Ding responded in kind, beating them just as continuously.

"What kind of eye pupil is this?" In a ruined small city, Ye Chen held a ethereal eye pupil, examining it from every angle. Its level was average, but he had never heard of or seen it before. It was dark and shadowy, with pupil power resembling demonic energy, wild and violent. He was sure it was a demon eye, which he had dug out from a Tianxie Sheng Wang's forehead.

Unable to identify its origins, he simply raised his hand and fused it into his Lunhui Yan. It did increase his pupil power, but only slightly—far less than what the Xiushi Xian Yan had provided.

"Waste, a bunch of waste." On the peak of the sky, the Honghuang Zhun Di's scolding erupted again.

This time, it wasn't just the Taotie Zhun Di—more voices came from all directions, as the Zhun Di from various clans vented their fury like they had eaten gunpowder. Unable to catch Ye Chen, they took it out on their own people.

As fellow Honghuang members, why should we take your abuse? If you're cursing, we'll curse too. That was the mindset of the Honghuang Zhun Di. If you're in a bad mood and yelling, we're full of rage as well!

Boom! Rumbling!

With all the Honghuang Zhun Di cursing in unison, the sky over Jiuyang Xing triggered a heavenly tribulation, rumbling with thunder and lightning, while the Zhun Di's auras reached new heights of intimidation.

Seeing their own Zhun Di so fired up, the Da Sheng followed suit, berating any Sheng Wang they could find. The Sheng Wang, unwilling to back down, turned and scolded the Sheng Ren.

This created a chain of venting, with the lowest-level Honghuang Sheng Ren bearing the brunt.

The Sheng Ren, not ones to swallow their pride, started cursing Ye Chen's ancestors for eighteen generations.

And so, the vast Jiuyang Ancient Star descended into utter chaos.

With millions of Honghuang powerhouses cursing, the scene was massively overwhelming, drawing in passersby who flooded in. Seeing this, they were all furious. Didn't you know there's a war going on? Instead of fighting, you're all gathered on an ancient star cursing— is that appropriate? Over a million people just standing around complaining?

"Have I caused all this chaos?" Watching the swarming figures, Ye Chen couldn't help but raise an eyebrow. The sight of those twisted faces was quite the spectacle; he had driven them all to madness.

"Waste, a bunch of waste." As he watched, the cursing grew even louder, shaking the heavens and earth, causing fragile mountains to collapse one after another. Even the incoming Honghuang people joined in, directing their abuse at the million-strong force. Couldn't even catch one Da Sheng? Weren't they just a bunch of waste?

The situation on the ancient star spiraled into complete disorder.

The Honghuang people were cursing like mad, while Ye Da Shao wasn't idle. In this messy environment, he seized the chance to fish in troubled waters—no need for diversions anymore, as booms echoed everywhere.

Groups of Honghuang soldiers fell victim one after another, vanishing into the Hunlun Ding without knowing what happened. Some even disappeared mid-step. If conditions allowed, Ye Da Shao could have captured the entire million-strong force.

"Search! Keep searching for me!" It was still the Taotie Zhun Di, the most conspicuous among the Honghuang Zhun Di and the angriest. He had essentially appointed himself as the commander of this million-strong army, issuing orders from on high.

"The Taotie Clan has quite the authority!" The Qiong Qi Zhun Di snorted coldly, fed up with this behavior. First, the arbitrary scolding, and now the random commands—who do you think you are? Are my Qiong Qi Clan's people yours to order around? How thick is your face?

It wasn't just the Qiong Qi Zhun Di; the other Honghuang Zhun Di shared the same sentiment. Couldn't catch Ye Chen and now taking it out on us? Who gave you the right?

"If you're scared, you can all scram." As expected of a peak Zhun Di, the Taotie Zhun Di spoke with utter arrogance, provoking cold glares from the others with that single line.

This made the atmosphere in the sky oppressively tense, with all the Honghuang bigwigs suppressing their anger, on the verge of starting a fight right there.

In reality, while the Honghuang Clan appeared united on the surface, undercurrents ran deep. As imperial dao inheritances, none were weaker than the others—who would willingly take orders, and who would submit? It was fine with various heavens people around, as they'd focus on exterminating them, but without Ye Chen to target, old grudges surfaced. Gathering like this without issues would be a miracle.

"Don't disrupt your own formation." As the tension peaked, a cold shout rang out, and the Kui Ba Zhun Di stepped through the air. In his hand, he held several spiritual talismans—upon closer inspection, they were Tianlei Zhu—which he casually tossed to the other Zhun Di.

Seeing them, the Zhun Di all narrowed their eyes slightly.

Over the past day and night, the unexpected booms had mostly come from these explosive talismans.

"As you can see, it's no accident—someone left them on purpose. And as for who, you all know full well." Kui Ba Zhun Di said gravely, his mind sharp as ever.

"A feint to strike elsewhere," the Honghuang Zhun Di replied coldly.

"I've checked—our forces here have mysteriously lost over a thousand people." Kui Ba Zhun Di said flatly. "Most likely, Ye Chen has either killed or captured them."

"Stop the nonsense and get to the point."

"Withdraw from this star and continue pursuing the various heavens people."

"Are you suggesting we let Ye Chen go?" Everyone frowned, reluctant to pull back like this.

"Having a million troops tied down by one person is foolish." Kui Ba Zhun Di snorted coldly. "He's doing this to alleviate pressure on the various heavens. So why bother with him? Once we've wiped out the various heavens people outside, the Honghuang army can surround Da Chu, and he'll show himself then."

These words made the Zhun Di's eyes flash, and they all broke into sinister smiles, understanding the next steps: hunt down the various heavens people, annihilate Da Chu, and destroy the various heavens entirely. They wanted Ye Chen to watch as the cultivators of the various heavens fell one by one—his helpless expression would be the most satisfying sight for the Honghuang Clan.

"Go!"

With that realization, the Honghuang Zhun Di issued orders and marched into the starry sky.

"Go!"

The over million Honghuang powerhouses converged from all sides and took to the skies.

Ye Da Shao, seeing this, hurriedly followed, shamelessly pretending to be a Honghuang person. He didn't dare get too close, staying at the back and keeping a steady pace to stay away from the Honghuang Zhun Di. If he was recognized, it would be a huge loss.

"Why withdraw? Aren't we catching Ye Chen?" Ye Chen asked, feigning surprise as he looked at those around him. They were in the midst of capturing people, and this sudden retreat caught him off guard.

"Just follow orders. Why so many questions?" A Taotie Da Sheng replied indifferently, his expression suggesting he looked down on the Kui Ba Clan's people. Ironically, Ye Chen was disguised as one, and this guy actually mistook him for a Honghuang person.

With that, the Taotie sped up, not wanting to deal with him anymore.

Behind him, Ye Chen pursed his lips, his brow furrowing slightly.

Plans couldn't keep up with changes; he needed to adapt.

For instance, find a crowded place to demand ransom.

As he thought this, he glanced at the Hunlun Ding—over a thousand Honghuang people, most of them Da Sheng. Taking them to the Honghuang Clan for ransom would earn a fortune.

"Forcing me back to my old ways, huh!" Ye Da Shao took a deep breath.