Chapter 2289: The Ultimate Peak

Boom! Bang! Boom!

The silent cosmos was shattered by thunderous roars.

It all started when Ye Chen, the young master, escaped from the Hong Huang headquarters, leading a horde of Hong Huang experts in pursuit. He dashed ahead while they chased from behind, fighting as they went, leaving a trail of destruction through the stars. Countless desolate celestial bodies crumbled in their wake.

Ye Chen's speed remained swift, leaving the Hong Huang forces far behind.

The Hong Huang experts were furious beyond measure. Their headquarters had been raided by a single person—a tale no one would believe, and no one dared to. They never expected Ye Chen to strike their command center, catching them completely off guard and inflicting heavy losses. Their rage only fueled their pursuit, with each one clinging like stubborn dog-skin plaster, impossible to shake off.

Eventually, the thunderous sounds faded away.

The Hong Huang experts had to retreat; they had no choice. As they chased, they lost track of Ye Chen's trail. Though angry, they were helpless. Repairing the Xing Tian Tu was their top priority.

Not long after they left, Ye Chen emerged from hiding and fled with all his might.

He was in high spirits. His raid on the Hong Huang headquarters had been a resounding victory. Destroying the Hong Huang Xing Tian Tu was a monumental feat, with far-reaching implications. It meant that, for the foreseeable future, Hong Huang could no longer pinpoint the locations of those fleeing across the realms. Without position locking, the pressure on the Zhutian cultivators would ease considerably, giving them a better chance to survive and return to Da Chu.

Strangely, Ye Chen thought of the Zhu Xian Jian. It was a love-hate relationship.

If not for the Zhu Xian Jian, he wouldn't have stumbled upon the Hong Huang clan's headquarters by chance. In a way, it had been a huge help, and he owed it his thanks.

But Hong Huang was in an awkward spot. They were all waiting for headquarters to provide locations.

Instead, they received devastating news. Who could have imagined their own base being raided, and by their old enemy no less—the Tenth Emperor of Da Chu?

While Hong Huang felt embarrassed, the Zhutian cultivators experienced a sudden relief from pressure.

In recent days, no matter where they fled, Hong Huang would surround them immediately. But from some unknown moment, the Hong Huang assaults had become less ferocious. Their pursuers seemed like headless flies, scouring the cosmos in droves but coming up empty. Those with sharp minds could easily guess what had happened.

Return to Da Chu at once!

In the Tianxuan Gate, Fu Ya issued the order. Earlier, Ye Chen had been ambushed by the Zhu Xian Jian, causing Fu Ya's avatar to collapse. As one of the few quasi-emperors in Tianxuan Gate, Fu Ya took the initiative to command their withdrawal. They couldn't stay out any longer; they needed to return quickly.

Launch an all-out assault on Zhutian Gate!

At the same time, Hong Huang headquarters gave their orders. They abandoned the hunt for Zhutian forces scattered across the stars—since they couldn't find them, there was no point in trying. Instead, they focused on attacking Da Chu. The timing was right, and their hatred for Ye Chen had reached an uncontrollable peak. They had to conquer Da Chu, raze Zhutian Gate to the ground, and quench their fury.

As a result, the once-thunderous cosmos grew quieter.

From a bird's-eye view of the void, Hong Huang armies from various star regions converged like streams flowing into a single point—that point being the star region of Da Chu.

The Zhutian cultivators in exile weren't idle either. With the pursuit lifted, they each activated their domain gates, racing back before Hong Huang's assault on Da Chu to defend Zhutian Gate.

Buzz! Buzz! Buzz!

The imperial artifacts of Zhutian and Hong Huang were also summoned. Zhutian's returned to Da Chu for defense, while Hong Huang's charged toward Da Chu for attack. As for the six Hong Huang imperial artifacts in the black hole, they remained trapped, just as Ye Chen had said—they could only emerge at specific times.

The absence of thunder didn't mean the war had paused. Both sides shared an unspoken understanding: a far more brutal battle was on the horizon, with Zhutian Gate in Da Chu as the spark.

Meanwhile, Ye Chen entered a domain gate and set off on his return journey.

As the supreme commander of Zhutian, he had exhausted every effort. His repeated disruptions had truly aided Zhutian greatly. Without them, the cosmic war would have been even more devastating.

In the domain gate passage, his expression was grim.

Though he had resolved the immediate crisis, he had accelerated a greater one. Da Chu was sure to be besieged, and its fall to Hong Huang was only a matter of time.

In short, time was running out for Da Chu. Once a critical point was reached, it could follow in the footsteps of Youming Continent, facing total annihilation. It would be just like the ancient invasion by the Tianmo—how horrific it was back then, and how horrific it would be soon.

Helpless, he turned his inner vision to his dantian sea, gazing at the Tai Chu Shen Huo.

He said nothing, just watched with hope, wishing for the second-ranked flame to merge with the Xian Huo. That would be his key to sealing his position as a quasi-emperor.

Unfortunately, the Tai Chu Shen Huo remained as proud as ever, ignoring his hopeful gaze completely. It showed no sign of submission.

Hm?

Before he could sigh, Ye Chen suddenly frowned.

Boom!

In the next instant, the domain gate passage shattered from an external attack—or more precisely, someone had locked onto it and struck with pinpoint accuracy, destroying his gate.

Without hesitation, Ye Chen burst out.

Zing!

Before he could steady himself or identify his attacker, he heard the sound of a sword. A blade thrust straight at him, its tip mere inches from his brow, gleaming with a dark aura and carrying destructive killing intent. Even before it pierced, his forehead split open, and golden blood flowed.

Ye Chen's face turned pale, and his soul trembled. This was a strike of absolute death.

He dared not linger, retreating at full speed. Even a moment's hesitation could mean his skull being pierced, and an attack aimed at his primordial spirit and true body could end him in an instant.

Only then did he see his assailant—a Hong Huang expert from the Kui Ba clan, a genuine peak quasi-emperor, and not just any; in terms of combat power, he rivaled any of the Nine Emperors. His killing techniques were unparalleled throughout history.

"You can't escape."

Kui Ba Quasi-Emperor's words were ice-cold and desolate, laced with supreme demonic power. Even Ye Chen felt his mind blur upon hearing them. Kui Ba's eyes were a deep, lifeless void, manifesting principles of annihilation, with terrifying visions that made one afraid to meet his gaze.

Ye Chen said nothing, not even daring to breathe. Flames erupted across his body, pushing his retreat to its peak. He couldn't afford to be killed in one blow.

Pfft!

In the end, blood still sprayed.

But what was pierced wasn't his head—it was his shoulder. In that split second, he had used Tai Xu Relocation to evade the vital spot; otherwise, he would have been sent to the underworld.

Bang!

A thousand zhang away, he halted, his foot collapsing a section of the cosmos. He staggered a step before steadying himself, then spat out a mouthful of fresh blood. He had dodged the fatal blow, but the killing intent had still wounded him. The dark aura around the wound rapidly drained his vital energy.

"Ye Chen, I truly underestimated you."

Kui Ba Quasi-Emperor sneered eerily, gripping his blood-stained sword as he advanced step by step. His desolate eyes gleamed with a sinister light, his form flickering between illusion and solidity, like a ghost. Each step he took echoed with the essence of the Dao, utterly bizarre.

"A peak quasi-emperor resorting to such sneaky ambushes—it's quite an eye-opener for this junior."

Ye Chen stabilized himself, wiping the blood from his mouth and forcefully dispelling the lingering killing intent. His face grew even darker. The Kui Ba Quasi-Emperor before him was terrifyingly strong.

As he had anticipated earlier, Hong Huang had many experts who could match the Nine Emperors. He just hadn't encountered them before.

But this time, he had hit the jackpot, facing a formidable opponent beyond his ability to handle. To battle someone of this level, he would need at least quasi-emperor cultivation.

"You killed my clan's imperial son. Pay with your life."

Kui Ba Quasi-Emperor's gaze turned even colder.

Before his words finished, he vanished and reappeared right in front of Ye Chen.

Ye Chen's expression changed, and he instantly used Flying Thunder God to escape.

To his shock, this Kui Ba Quasi-Emperor could keep up with Flying Thunder God's speed. A domineering finger of divine light pierced his chest, creating a bloody hole.

Pfft!

More blood gushed out, golden and dazzling, adding a splash of color to the cosmos.

Ye Chen came to a stop, looking utterly wretched. In an instant, he had suffered two severe wounds—his chest pierced and one arm torn off. He was completely outmatched.

"The Ancient Sacred Body? What a joke."

Kui Ba Quasi-Emperor laughed darkly, crossing the void and slamming down a palm like an eight-thousand-zhang mountain. Before it even landed, the cosmos collapsed. Even the domineering Ancient Sacred Body cracked under its pressure.

Roar!

In a flash, Ye Chen activated the Eight Divisions Heavenly Dragon.

But Kui Ba's palm was too powerful; the Eight Divisions Heavenly Dragon couldn't hold up and was crushed on the spot. The eight golden divine dragons barely managed to block the strike.

This brief moment gave Ye Chen a chance to breathe. He used Flying Thunder God again, fleeing ten thousand zhang away. His form wavered as he coughed up blood continuously. The torn arm regenerated rapidly, but the hole in his chest healed slowly, hindered by the chilling killing intent.

"What other tricks do you have?"

Kui Ba's laugh carried demonic power, his fangs bared. As his words fell, the entire cosmos overturned, heaven and earth reversed, yin and yang shattered. A mysterious force merged into the void, sealing the space. Even the floating blood mist froze in place.

Ye Chen's expression grew grave; he felt as if his Sacred Body was crushed under a great mountain, unable to move. Even the blood trickling down hung suspended in the air. Such a divine ability was unheard of—it seemed to be a force of laws. His Flying Thunder God, Heaven-Swapping Earth, Shen Shang, and countless other secret techniques were rendered useless, leaving him utterly immobilized.

He had underestimated Hong Huang. Experts like Kui Ba Quasi-Emperor were ancient and terrifying, far surpassing ordinary peak quasi-emperors. He might slay an average peak quasi-emperor in a specific window, but not this one.

Quasi-emperors varied in strength, and Kui Ba belonged to the absolute pinnacle. Even Donghuang Tai Xin might not match him.

"Your look of despair is truly pleasing."

Kui Ba laughed mockingly, not killing Ye Chen outright but savoring the sight of his helplessness.

Ye Chen's eyes turned blood-red, veins bulging on his forehead as he tried to mobilize his origin to break free. But no matter how hard he strained, he couldn't shatter the seal—not even a twitch.

The once-dominant Ancient Sacred Body now resembled a lamb waiting to be slaughtered.

"I will refine you into a puppet, groveling at my feet for eternity."

Kui Ba's lips curled as he flicked his palm from afar, infused with annihilating power.

"Break! Break for me!"

Ye Chen roared inwardly, from the depths of his soul. If he couldn't break the seal, his fate was sealed—he would be turned into a puppet, even more miserable than death.

But his efforts were in vain. He could only watch as Kui Ba's hand reached for him, ready to crush him to dust in an instant. It wasn't that his power was lacking; Kui Ba was simply too terrifying, beyond his reach.

Then, suddenly, a sword hum echoed.

In the next moment, a sword light shot from the distant stars, piercing the cosmos, upending heaven and earth, carrying overwhelming divine force capable of shattering all defenses. This was a strike of total annihilation, strong enough to instantly kill an ordinary peak quasi-emperor.

"Sword God?"

Ye Chen was startled, his eyes lighting up. In his memory, only the Zhutian Sword God could unleash such a fearsome sword strike.

Kui Ba Quasi-Emperor also furrowed his brow, retracting his hand and forming a seal with one hand, summoning a black vortex that swallowed the sword light whole.

"Attacking a Great Saint with your status—aren't you afraid of being shamed by future generations?"

A calm voice rang out, coming from the depths of the stars.

Though the words were plain, they carried supreme divine power, easily breaking Kui Ba's seal.

Ye Chen was shocked again, regaining his mobility, and instinctively looked back.

In his sight, a figure in white robes appeared ethereal and hazy, as if from a distant era, stepping along the river of time. More ancient than the ages, his eyes were like still ancient wells, embodying the essence of the Dao, with no trace of cultivator aura. He seemed like an ordinary person, but he was no mere mortal—he was an immortal who had returned to simplicity.

Ye Chen paused, his expression turning peculiar.

It wasn't the Sword God; it was the Jian Zun—Wu Tian Jian Zun Mo Qin, another master of the sword path, not inferior to Jian Fei Dao or Jiu Jian Xian, a supreme peak quasi-emperor.

The reason for Ye Chen's odd expression was the absurd connection between them.

Back in the day, those shameless paintings of his had been sold by the tribulation-bound Jian Zun, spreading across the myriad domains and Zhutian, making Ye Chen, the Tenth Emperor of Da Chu, infamous. Everyone probably had a copy by now, using them to ward off evil.

During that time, he had wanted to drag Jian Zun out and beat him senseless.

Who would have thought that upon meeting Wu Tian Jian Zun again, he had survived his tribulation and arrived just in time, delivering a devastating sword strike to break the seal and deter Kui Ba?

"Fate isn't ready to claim you yet."

Ye Chen chuckled, his fingers in his sleeve moving as he performed Zhou Tian Evolution, divining with all his might. After so many years, Zhutian finally had a peak quasi-emperor survive their tribulation. Was this a sign? A harbinger that the tide of tribulations was ending?

In other words, Zhutian's quasi-emperors, like the emperors, divine generals, and Sword God, might return against the heavens. If so, Zhutian's pressure would lessen once more.

Regrettably, after his calculations, only Jian Zun had survived—no one else.

Kui Ba, on the other side, narrowed his eyes into slits, his furrowed brow deepening. The wariness in his gaze was unmistakable; he recognized Mo Qin and knew the terror of Wu Tian Jian Zun. Among Zhutian's peak experts, his power was among the elite.

As he spoke, Wu Tian Jian Zun arrived like the wind, silently, blocking Ye Chen from view. His demeanor was as indifferent as ice, emotionless, like an otherworldly immortal. This was a stark contrast to his tribulation-bound self—one playful, the other aloof.

Ye Chen fell silent, gazing at Jian Zun's back, his mind in a daze. This was another peerless powerhouse, a legendary figure. Though close, he felt as distant as a dream.

This sensation was identical to when he once stood behind the Sword God.

"You've truly surprised me by still being alive."

Kui Ba sneered coldly, though he couldn't hide the deep fear in his eyes—it was etched into his soul.

"I live, and you die."

Jian Zun replied flatly. His serene aura shifted abruptly, and the sword hum grew piercing, as if he were not a man but a supreme divine sword.