Chapter 2287: Enemies Face Each Other

Chapter 2287: When Enemies Meet, Eyes Burn with Hatred

Boom! Bang! Boom!

The attacks filling the sky did not cease because of his disappearance, raining down relentlessly and shattering that stretch of starry space. The universe was upended, yin and yang fractured, and the collapsing void was filled with apocalyptic light.

"Damn it." The first Honghuang Zhun Di to arrive roared in fury, realizing that Ye Chen had not been obliterated but had escaped into the black hole. In that instant, as peak Zhun Di, they had seen it clearly.

Yet they could not fathom where Ye Chen had gotten the pupil power to unleash the Heavenly Dao.

This turn of events caught them completely off guard. Had they known Ye Chen had recovered his Lunhui Yan pupil power, who would have foolishly rushed to capture him, or even been able to catch him?

Tricked again.

The Honghuang Zhun Di's rage was uncontrollable. Only now did they understand they had been duped by Ye Chen once more. Without a powerful backer, how dare he boast about being kidnapped? Unfortunately, they had realized it too late.

Boom! Bang! Boom!

The outside world was chaotic, and the black hole was no calmer.

Listen carefully, and you could hear the rumbling, as if a great battle was raging.

Look closely, and indeed, there was a fierce fight.

One of the combatants was Ye Chen, who was in a wretched state—utterly miserable. He had lost his head, which had been severed by someone. His Sheng Ti was covered in countless bloody gashes, each wound laced with multicolored ethereal glows. Terrifying killing intent rampaged through his body, tormenting his limbs, organs, meridians, origin, and Sheng Gu.

Indeed, it was the Zhuxian Jian. The moment Ye Chen entered the black hole, it had struck with a deadly blow, severing his head and nearly extinguishing his Yuan Shen. Only Ye Chen's deep foundations had saved him from being utterly destroyed, not even leaving ashes.

"Good, very good." Ye Chen snorted coldly, his Yuan Shen's eyes filled with icy menace. He dared not linger, fleeing like a streak of golden immortal light at full speed. It wasn't that he feared the Zhuxian Jian, but because he was gravely injured and needed to regenerate his head before fighting it.

As for being ambushed by the Zhuxian Jian after entering the black hole, it was beyond his expectations. Who would have thought the Zhuxian Jian would be waiting inside, as if it had known he would come, lying in wait to deliver that lethal strike.

Zing!

The sword's cry pierced the air as the Zhuxian Jian attacked, its form elusive and phantasmic, slashing out a multicolored immortal river.

Pfft!

Ye Chen was hit, sent tumbling through the air with golden blood spraying out, stark against the darkness. Before he could steady himself, the Zhuxian Jian struck again, its sword carrying devastating divine power that pierced his chest. It even employed secret techniques targeted at his Yuan Shen, aiming to annihilate his true form.

Ye Chen let out a cold shout, his Yuan Shen instantly leaving his body. He unleashed a massive Palm Strike, flipping the Zhuxian Jian away. In a flash, his Yuan Shen returned, and he vanished into the distance, manifesting his Sheng Zhan Fa Shen to buy time.

"Boss, I can't hold out much longer." The Fa Shen appeared and immediately spat out blood. Formed while Ye Chen was severely wounded, it bore the same injuries, and even worse than the original body.

"Just do your best." Ye Chen replied as he retreated further, forcibly regenerating his severed head. He mobilized the essence of his Sheng Ti, bloodline power, Dao principles, and Lunhui force, fusing them into a dominant energy that filled his entire body, desperately eradicating the Zhuxian Jian's killing intent.

Beyond that, he crammed healing sacred medicines into his mouth without restraint, hoping to recover as quickly as possible. Otherwise, he stood no chance against the Zhuxian Jian.

It was truly a case of meticulous planning with one fatal oversight. He had accounted for many variables but overlooked the Zhuxian Jian entirely. The two surprise attacks had left him, who should have been at his peak, unable to unleash even half his combat strength. And it was all because the current Zhuxian Jian was terrifyingly powerful.

Pfft! Pfft! Pfft!

Not far away, the Sheng Zhan Fa Shen was in a pitiful state. With less than half its strength, it was no match for the Zhuxian Jian, bleeding repeatedly as it desperately blocked the sword. As it had said, it couldn't last much longer.

Buzz!

Seeing this, Ye Chen's Chaos Ding flew out unbidden, along with his Immortal Fire and Heavenly Thunder, rushing to join the fight. However, they seemed to have little effect, unable to erupt with peak power without their master's strong support.

"Be destroyed by me." Ye Chen's divine eyes blazed as he forcefully wiped out the Zhuxian Jian's killing intent.

The Huanggu Sheng Ti was the nemesis of the Zhuxian Jian, yet the Zhuxian Jian was the bane of all bloodlines. Struck by its heavy blows, even the Huanggu Sheng Ti couldn't withstand it. If this had been any other cultivator of the same level—whether Zhao Yun, a Chaos Body, or Ji Ning Shuang—they would have been just as miserable.

The only blame lay with how gui yi the Zhuxian Jian was. When weak, even a Sheng Ren could suppress it; when strong, even a Da Di would fall short.

Pfft!

While he healed, the Sheng Zhan Fa Shen was destroyed, split in two by the Zhuxian Jian's sword.

Normally, the Fa Shen's death wouldn't affect the original body, but since it was destroyed by the Zhuxian Jian, it did impact him. Ye Chen, already in poor condition, spat out blood and suffered severe backlash, adding insult to injury.

Buzz!

With the Fa Shen gone, the Chaos Ding charged forward, simply colliding head-on without any secret techniques.

Bang! Clang! Clatter!

The sound of metal clashing rang out crisply. Even something as sturdy as the Chaos Ding couldn't withstand the Zhuxian Jian's assault, its surface etched with sword marks as its glow dimmed, on the verge of annihilation.

The battle's outcome was inevitable.

The Chaos Ding was defeated, sent flying by the Zhuxian Jian's sword, with countless restrictions inside shattered. It had only managed to hold its own thanks to devouring many artifacts and incorporating Imperishable Immortal Gold and two Imperishable Immortal Swords. Any ordinary Da Sheng Bing would have shattered long ago.

Defeated, the Immortal Fire and Heavenly Thunder surged forward, one transforming into a sea of flames, the other into a sea of thunder. Their powers merged into a thunder-fire ocean.

Zing!

The Zhuxian Jian hummed and struck with a heaven-piercing sword, cleaving through the Immortal Fire and Heavenly Thunder in one move.

Pfft! Pfft!

Ye Chen coughed up blood twice over. The Chaos Ding's injury caused backlash, and so did the Immortal Fire and Heavenly Thunder's defeat. His newly healed Sheng Ti exploded open again, spraying golden blood.

In such a weakened state, the Zhuxian Jian showed no mercy, its sword streaking like a rainbow straight for his brow, targeting his Yuan Shen in a true killing blow.

Unfortunately, though its sword was domineering, it missed Ye Chen. How could it outpace the Fei Lei Shen?

The innate divine ability of the Jimi Shen Ti was being used masterfully by the Sheng Ti as well. Ye Chen relied on it to evade the Zhuxian Jian's repeated kills, teleporting via the Lunhui marks he had left, buying precious time to heal.

In the end, Ye Chen's evasion proved a stroke of genius, forcing the Zhuxian Jian into a frenzy. It knew Ye Chen was vulnerable but couldn't land a hit.

While it raged, Ye Chen made the most of the time. As he fled, he completely eradicated the killing intent in his body. With that gone, the other wounds were minor. The Sheng Ti's recovery was formidable, after all.

Zing!

The Zhuxian Jian unleashed its power, activating secret divine abilities. It stood in the void, radiating outward layers of multicolored halos from its center. The Lunhui marks etched in the void were all forced out, neutralizing Ye Chen's Fei Lei Shen.

This came at a cost, however, as it consumed a great deal of energy. The multicolored glow on its sword dimmed slightly. Lacking blood or flesh, this fading glow was a sign of its weakness.

Once more, it slashed heavenward, its sword fused with destructive might.

This time, Ye Chen did not dodge. He instantly transformed into a Dao Sword, enhanced with Chaos principles, delivering a stroke that defied the heavens.

Bang!

The two swords collided, sparking brilliant flames.

In the ensuing clash, the Zhuxian Jian remained unmoved, while Ye Chen was pushed back half a step, his Dao Sword shattering with a boom.

"You're truly exceptional." Ye Chen sneered, now weaponless, charging bare-handed. He threw a punch that gathered the power of eight desolate regions, infused with countless secret techniques and divine abilities, sending the Zhuxian Jian tumbling.

This punch weakened the sword's glow even further.

Struck by Ye Chen, the Zhuxian Jian refused to back down, countering with a strike as swift as lightning.

Pfft!

Ye Chen was wounded, his dominant Sheng Ti nearly split open. The Zhuxian Jian was not only incredibly tough but also unmatched in offense. So-called physical defenses were meaningless before it—or rather, nothing in this world could withstand its blade.

Boom! Bang! Boom!

One man and one sword erupted into full battle. Ye Chen was not at his peak, and neither was the Zhuxian Jian. The two seemed fated rivals. Their previous fight had no clear victor, and now it continued in this black hole—one Huanggu Sheng Ti against a fearsome immortal sword, fighting fiercely.

It was clear they were evenly matched. The Zhuxian Jian had grown stronger, but Ye Chen had not been idle. His recent insights into the Dao had reached a profound state, giving him a powerful edge, complemented by his Sheng Ti essence. Each attack heavily damaged the Zhuxian Jian.

This battle was not without spectators, though the common people were unaware. The two supreme beings of the underworld watched it all clearly, including Ye Chen's earlier ambushes. Sadly, the barrier between the human and underworld realms prevented them from warning him.

Fortunately, Ye Chen did not disappoint the supremes. He counterattacked from the brink of defeat, gradually turning the tide.

"Once you return to the Zhutian, remember to guard against the Zhuxian Jian," the Ming Di said leisurely. "It's far more than it appears. If possible, erase it completely."

"No need for you to say it." Di Huang's words were calm, but the Ming Di could hear the raw killing intent in his tone. His gleaming golden eyes held deep-seated resentment.

In ancient times, it was the Zhuxian Jian that delivered the final blow to the weakened Di Huang. It had also slain the first Sheng Ti Ba Yuan, the epochal Chen Zhan, and countless other Huanggu Sheng Ti. This was hatred, an overwhelming grudge.

As the two supremes watched, Ye Chen's fight with the Zhuxian Jian grew even more brutal.

Ye Chen bathed in his own sacred blood, fighting like a madman. Every pore of his body exhaled Sheng Ti essence, turning him into a blazing inferno. The grudge between the Sheng Ti lineage and the Zhuxian Jian spanned eras, and he could feel the hatred and fury of his predecessors. Thus, his attacks carried an extra force born of conviction.

Compared to him, the Zhuxian Jian fared no better. Though it shed no blood, its multicolored glow weakened repeatedly, just as it inflicted wounds.

The difference was that Ye Chen fought with his life, attacking relentlessly without defense, like a true lunatic. The Zhuxian Jian, however, seemed to value its own existence and dared not go all out.

Because of this, the battle's momentum shifted from even to favoring Ye Chen. Without a physical body to sustain it, the Zhuxian Jian couldn't match him in endurance.

Boom! Bang! Boom!

The battle's roars echoed frequently, even reaching the outside world.

In the starry space, the Honghuang experts who had pursued Ye Chen all looked up simultaneously, their eyes narrowing as they gazed into the void, their expressions flickering.

"One of them must be Ye Chen," the Taotie Zhun Di said menacingly.

"The one fighting him—could it be our Honghuang clan's emperor, or perhaps an ultimate Dao artifact?" the Kuibai Zhun Di pondered. "If so, Ye Chen is surely doomed."

His words made the Honghuang people's eyes gleam with excitement.

This guess was not unfounded. Ye Chen was in the black hole, as were the Honghuang clan emperor and Honghuang artifacts. It was possible they had encountered each other. Enemies meeting would ignite fury, leading to an immediate clash, and the one destroyed would undoubtedly be Ye Chen. How could a single Da Sheng take on hundreds of clan emperors plus six ultimate Dao artifacts?

They had to admit, their hopes were quite optimistic, and their reasoning sound—but the outcome would disappoint them.

Pfft!

In the black hole, Ye Chen spat blood, taking a hit from the Zhuxian Jian.

True to his nature, after being struck, he retaliated without hesitation, slapping the Zhuxian Jian away.

This palm was no joke, engraved with the Ni Shi Lunhui immortal technique.

Buzz! Buzz! Buzz!

The Zhuxian Jian trembled, suffering greatly from the Ni Shi Lunhui. Its already dim multicolored glow was rapidly dissolved by the Lunhui force, impossible to stop.

"Ni Shi Lunhui." Ye Chen flashed forward and struck another palm.

Awkwardly, the Lunhui immortal technique worked intermittently, and this time it failed, making Ye Chen want to curse. Dropping the ball at a critical moment.

Zing!

The Zhuxian Jian was afraid now, truly afraid. It turned and fled, no longer daring to fight Ye Chen.

"Where do you think you're going?" Ye Chen snorted coldly, pursuing relentlessly.

One man and one sword switched from battle to chase and escape, one like divine light, the other like immortal radiance, adding two brilliant hues to the dark black hole.

This scene always evoked a sigh. The Zhuxian Jian was truly troublesome, always trying to cause chaos for Ye Chen, but after each attempt, it ended up fleeing wildly. It had underestimated him, always thinking it could destroy him—that was its unfounded confidence.

The Zhuxian Jian was embarrassed, and Ye Chen was no less so. In terms of combat power, the Zhuxian Jian couldn't compete, but in speed, he was far behind. After chasing for who knows how long, he couldn't catch up, and eventually, it vanished from sight.

You're impressive!

The furious tenth emperor of Great Chu couldn't help but swear. The Zhuxian Jian wasn't just fast—it was damn fast. All these years, it served no one but itself in that regard.

Hm?

As he cursed, Ye Chen raised an eyebrow and looked toward the outside world.

Out there was a vast realm resembling a Honghuang demonic land, surging with Honghuang qi. Ancient bronze pillars stood tall, and majestic palaces loomed like mountains, floating in the void. Honghuang experts could be seen flying about everywhere.

Ye Chen narrowed his eyes, fixing his gaze on this Honghuang demonic land.

What made his eyes sharpen was the vast starry sky above it, resembling the Taigu Star Heaven Map but even more profound and expansive. Even through the black hole, he could clearly see the stars on the map, of various colors, some clustered together into patches, all in constant motion.

"This couldn't be the Honghuang coalition's headquarters, could it?" Ye Chen stroked his chin, raising an eyebrow slightly.

Headquarters meant the command center and main camp, like the Tianxuan Gate for Great Chu. Such a star heaven map was essential for warfare, used for scouting and deploying troops. Without concealment secrets, it revealed everything clearly—including the enemy's numbers.

"Arriving early is not as good as arriving just in time!" Ye Da Shao laughed, grinning mischievously. It was rare to stumble upon the Honghuang headquarters, so he had to stir up some trouble and go wild for a bit.