Chapter 2290: It's Good You're Back

"Truly arrogant," Kui Ba roared, his eyes blazing like the starry sky. Ancient divine patterns were etched on his pupils, and his aura surged wildly, his combat power skyrocketing to the peak of the Zhun Di level. He had never been so disdained before. Among his peers, who dared claim they could absolutely destroy him?

Boom!

Accompanied by a thunderous roar, he shattered a section of space with one foot and launched an attack with a Sha Sheng technique. His palm fused the essence of Qian Kun and Yin Yang, fully manifesting profound Dao principles, descending from the heavens like a cataclysm.

"Return to Da Chu quickly," Wu Tian Jian Zun said, and in an instant, he vanished, reappearing in another part of the starry sky. With a single palm strike from across the void, he shattered Kui Ba's hand seal. Even a powerhouse like Kui Ba the Zhun Di was forced to grunt and retreat, his palm bones exploding as he coughed up blood in large mouthfuls.

Ye Chen was stunned. He knew too well the strength of Kui Ba the Zhun Di, yet before Wu Tian Jian Zun, he was defeated in a single move. It truly lived up to the old saying: among the strong, there are always stronger ones. For a supreme figure like Jian Zun, Ye Chen was certain he couldn't even withstand one strike.

Suddenly, he summoned a domain gate and stepped inside.

Before leaving, he glanced back one last time. That section of the starry sky had descended into chaos, with the star domain collapsing, lightning flashing and thunder roaring, and forces of annihilation rampaging everywhere, as if the apocalypse had arrived.

In his eyes, Wu Tian Jian Zun resembled an unparalleled immortal king, every attack a world-shattering assault. His sword immortal arts dominated through the ages, unmatched and destructive, pounding Kui Ba the Zhun Di from the western star dome all the way to the eastern starry sky. He truly deserved the title Wu Tian Jian Zun.

Ah!

Compared to Jian Zun, Kui Ba's roars were filled with rage. Despite inheriting an immortal legacy, mastering numerous emperor-level immortal arts, and standing at the pinnacle of the Zhun Di level, he still couldn't withstand Jian Zun's onslaught. He was beaten relentlessly, unable to lift his head, his domineering divine body exploding repeatedly, with blood and bones scattering across the stars. Several times, he nearly met his end.

As the domain gate passage closed, the scene of the battle vanished, leaving only the rumbling sounds and Kui Ba's unwilling howls. He was truly driven to madness by Jian Zun.

Ye Chen took a deep breath and finally closed his eyes.

He had no worries about Wu Tian Jian Zun, who was a supreme expert on par with the Zhutian Jian Shen, his realm infinitely close to that of an emperor. If he wanted to leave, no one could stop him.

In contrast, Ye Chen, as a minor Da Sheng, had become a burden. With his insufficient combat power, he was like a small fry—it was better to head home. A battle of that level was beyond his ability to help.

Putting those thoughts aside, he raced toward the end of the passage.

He could see a glimmer of hope in his eyes, which had been clouded with gloom.

Wu Tian Jian Zun's heaven-defying return was a promising start, signaling that the frenzied tribulation of the Zhutian would soon come to an end. Experts of the caliber of Huang Zhe, Shen Jiang, and Jian Shen would all return, strengthening the feeble forces of the Zhutian Wanyu.

Three hours later, he emerged from the domain gate into a stretch of starry sky.

He had visited this star domain during his training adventures; it was once filled with vibrant life force. But now, it was a scene of utter devastation, scarred and barren, with no living ancient stars in sight. It was deathly silent, crossed by vast star rivers stained with the blood of beings, a glaring crimson. Shattered artifacts, blood-soaked bones, torn war banners, and wrecked war chariots littered the stars.

Star domains like this were common throughout the Zhutian, ravaged by the accursed Hong Huang war flames, turning the vast mountains and rivers into chaotic wastelands, far from their former glory.

Sigh!

Ye Chen sighed, waving his hand to summon another domain gate.

But before he could enter, he heard rumbling from the distant starry sky.

Ye Chen halted abruptly and gazed into the distance.

What he saw were towering domain gates materializing one after another in the stars—not ordinary ones, but of the emperor-level, inscribed with profound immortal patterns.

Buzz!

The gates hummed with energy, and before any figures appeared, waves of killing intent emerged.

"Kun Peng Clan." Ye Chen murmured softly, transforming into a speck of dust in space and vanishing instantly. From within the dust space, he watched as the first gate revealed a surging tide of people, like an ocean.

As he expected, it was indeed the Kun Peng Clan.

Almost simultaneously, the second gate unleashed another flood of people—the Jin Wu Clan.

Following them came the Jiu Tou Niao Clan, Jin Chi Da Peng Clan, Shang Gu Xue Yan Clan, Yuan Gu Chi Niao Clan, and countless others—over eight thousand races in total—emerging from the gates. Each one's formation was more formidable than the last, their expressions more ferocious.

Boom! Boom!

The once desolate starry sky erupted into turmoil. The various races filled the void, a dark mass like an overshadowing cloud, blotting out the remaining light and plunging everything into darkness.

In the dust space, Ye Chen narrowed his eyes slightly.

Clans like the Kun Peng and Jin Wu were part of the Nan Yu Wanzu. They had sealed themselves away in their ancestral lands hundreds of years ago, vanishing without a trace, even during the two Tian Mo invasions. Yet, they returned at this critical moment.

To be honest, Ye Chen had significant grudges with these races.

In fact, he had likely eliminated over eighty percent of their crown princes and imperial heirs. Back then, they had even issued a domain-wide manhunt for him, their enmity stretching back centuries.

He didn't see the Tai Gu Feng Diao Clan, Ba Qi Da She Clan, or Jiu Yi Shen Peng Clan—those three emperor-level lineages had been wiped out by the Jiu Huang long ago after Da Chu's return.

"Kill!"

As he watched, the Kun Peng Clan's imperial leader let out a sinister laugh and charged forward first. The other races followed suit, merging their armies into a vast black ocean that swallowed the starry sky, making the stars tremble and rumble.

Ironically, despite their numbers, none detected the dust space.

Gazing at the retreating figures of the races, Ye Chen's face darkened, even turning grave. He didn't need to ask to know their intent—they were heading to besiege Da Chu.

Clearly, they stood with the Hong Huang clans.

This was bad news. Over eighty percent of the Nan Yu Wanzu were hostile to Da Chu, and with such a massive force, it was like adding insult to injury for the Zhutian. Many of these races had emperor-level inheritances, complete with ultimate emperor weapons.

Without hesitation, he exited the dust space and summoned another domain gate.

Upon arriving at Da Chu, what he saw was a shocking sight. As far as the eye could reach, the starry sky was blanketed in a black carpet of Hong Huang beings, some in human form, others in their true bodies. Dozens of ultimate emperor artifacts hovered in the void, like brilliant suns radiating dazzling light, their emperor aura flowing and emperor Dao laws entwining, relentlessly bombarding Da Chu's barrier. Countless attack formations fired billions of divine beams.

Da Chu, in contrast, was like a tiny speck in the vast sea, almost invisible.

Though he was far away, Ye Chen could clearly see the faces of the Hong Huang people—grotesque like demons, their grins revealing fangs, their blood-red eyes filled with savage bloodlust.

Boom! Bang! Boom!

The roars echoed like heavenly tribulation thunder, shaking the eight directions of the universe.

Ye Chen fell silent, his face pale. It was evident that the Hong Huang forces besieging Da Chu were far greater than those that attacked You Ming before—perhaps eighty percent of Hong Huang's total strength had gathered here, with more arriving continuously. It seemed they intended to mobilize the full power of Hong Huang to utterly crush the Zhutian gates. Such a terrifying force made one's heart tremble.

What gave him slight relief was Da Chu's formidable defenses, far surpassing those of You Ming Continent. Though the Hong Huang assaults were fierce, they couldn't breach the barrier in the short term.

"Boom it! Boom it for me!"

The howls of the Hong Huang clan leaders echoed across the star domain. They stood on jade chariots, brandishing killing swords like mad dogs, roaring wildly in frenzied excitement.

The Hong Huang army was even more ecstatic, unleashing kill arrays, secret techniques, and divine abilities in waves, repeatedly engulfing Da Chu and making its barrier hum and shake.

Ye Chen said nothing, activating Fei Lei Shen and vanishing in an instant.

He reappeared in the Tian Xuan Gate. Before leaving earlier, he had left a wheel of reincarnation mark, allowing him to return anytime within the technique's range.

In Tian Xuan Gate, all the Zhun Di were present: Dong Huang Tai Xin, Yue Huang, Shen Jiang, Weimian Zhi Zi, Sheng Zun, Xie Mo, Tian Lao, and Di Lao. They all looked disheveled, with many still bleeding from their mouths uncontrollably. Di Lao was in the worst state, his Yuan Shen on the verge of collapse. It was easy to imagine how grueling their battle had been after You Ming Continent fell.

Seeing his return, the Zhun Di all breathed a sigh of relief.

Ye Chen stepped forward, scanning the room, and his heart ached fiercely. So many were missing—most had likely perished in the stars, obliterated under the Hong Huang's iron hooves.

"Coming back is good." Dong Huang Tai Xin smiled faintly, though it was laced with strain.

"How many casualties?" Ye Chen asked.

Dong Huang Tai Xin parted her lips but ultimately said nothing.

No one answered his question; they all shook their heads and sighed, their expressions somber and grief-stricken.

Instead, Fu Ya handed him an ancient scroll.

Ye Chen took it and gently opened the pages. When he saw the casualty figures, his hands trembled. The battle at You Ming Continent had been devastatingly brutal.

As the highest commander of the Zhutian, this might have been due to his strategic errors.

But if it happened again, he would still fight the same way. You Ming Continent couldn't be held, and neither could Da Chu's Zhutian Gates or Xuan Huang Continent. Without intervention, the Zhutian would be trampled flat—it was only a matter of time. At least, his approach had bought more time.

"Never mind the rest, just focus on comprehending your Dao. Leave everything to us old folks." Kui Niu Huang patted Ye Chen's shoulder. Perhaps from speaking too hastily or from his severe injuries, he coughed up fresh blood as soon as he finished, the blood threaded with wisps of dark ghostly light.

Like Kui Niu Huang, all the Zhun Di present were in the same condition.

Ye Chen put away the scroll but didn't dare meet their eyes, afraid to see the hope and resolve within. Countless ancestors and descendants had steeled themselves to shatter into pieces, standing resolutely in his path to buy him precious time.

In that moment, he felt a tightness in his chest, making it hard to breathe. It was the weight of a tremendous mission pressing down on him. He was only a Da Sheng, and it was almost too much to bear the hopes of the Zhutian.

Suddenly, he created a clone to take over as commander, while his true self silently left Tian Xuan Gate, forcing himself to walk with steady, resilient steps.

Watching his retreating figure, the Zhun Di felt a pang of sympathy. The burden of the Zhutian's hopes was indeed too heavy—if it were them, they might have gone mad, let alone a Da Sheng.

Boom! Bang! Boom!

The Hong Huang bombardment showed no signs of stopping; it only grew more intense.

Listening to the roars, Ye Chen exited Tian Xuan Gate and treaded through the void, wandering aimlessly.

Along his path, he saw Zhutian cultivators everywhere—some standing in the air, others on mountain peaks, some seated by array formations, and some rushing across the lands. Each one wore battle armor stained with blood, familiar figures flashing past his eyes like fleeting clouds.

He didn't know when, but he found himself on the walls of Nan Chu City.

Below the walls, crowds gathered as the Zhutian cultivators formed their ranks in perfect order, ready for war, just as they had against the Tian Mo in the past.

On the walls, he walked slowly, much like years ago when he was Da Chu's commander, inspecting the defenses. He didn't stop, walking and observing along the way, each glance feeling like a farewell. That mindset carried an indescribable sorrow, and the dim sky offered no light.

"We greet the commander."

He heard these words repeatedly along his route. Everywhere he went, people saluted—not just juniors or peers, but elders too, and not only from Da Chu, but from various forces across the stars. They all wore blood-soaked armor, gripping war spears, standing on the walls like unyielding monuments.

"This is sneaky—how did you get promoted without us noticing?" As he walked, two old men approached, one on each side, accompanying him. One was Gu San Tong, the other Wu San Pao.

These two were quite amusing, clad in armor with swords at their waists, looking every bit like Ye Chen's guards. Not only had Ye Chen been promoted, but so had they, now serving as minor captains, patrolling the walls just like him.

Ye Chen smiled but didn't respond. Well, he had indeed been promoted, but the responsibility and mission now far exceeded his days as Da Chu's commander. This time, he carried the weight of the entire Zhutian.

"Got any thoughts?" Gu San Tong scratched his ear.

"Tired."

"Tired, my foot!" Wu San Pao cursed, but Ye Chen had already walked away. As the highest commander of the Zhutian, coming up with just that word was unbecoming—Hong Huang was besieging them outside, and here he was, acting like he could sleep through it?

Ye Chen continued onward, encountering many familiar faces: the various kings of Da Chu, descendants of Huang Zhes, the lords of the nine halls, and the masters of the eighty-one gates, all part of Da Chu's heavenly court. As he passed, they all offered smiles. The scene was strikingly similar to the past, yet it felt like a lifetime ago.

The atmosphere remained solemn, but this seriousness was often disrupted by a few individuals' appearances. For instance, Xiong Er looked as comical as ever; Long Yi and Long Wu still had their shiny, bald foreheads; Tang San Shao, even in armor, remained as dark as before; and Xiao Ling Wa, clearly in his Bawang Long form, insisted on appearing as a small figure, complete with tiny armor.

Walking on, even Ye Chen himself felt that Da Chu had an abundance of characters, a colorful mix that never lost its spirit, no matter the circumstances. It was enough to make anyone itch for action.

Finally, he stopped at Nan Tian Men Mountain.

There, a stunning sight awaited: his wives, clad in battle attire like female generals, stood in neat rows. They exuded a heroic grace, each one as captivating as could be. Ye Chen stared in a daze—who said women were inferior to men? His wives embodied the spirit of female commanders, unmatched in poise.

"You're back." Seeing Ye Chen, the women turned and smiled warmly.