Chapter 2302: Protecting the Dao Through Ascension

Boom! Bang! Boom!

In the chaotic Great Chu, thunderous roars echoed through the dusk, as the dark heavens trembled and buzzed.

Kill!

Ferocious roars filled the air, savage and bloodthirsty, as more Honghuang warriors scaled the walls of Nan Chu, turning the vast eastern and western ramparts into piles of corpses, drenched in blood.

Fight!

The heavens' resistance was unyielding, with warriors falling only to be replaced, battling fiercely against the Honghuang.

To the north, flames of war blazed across the sky, and smoke billowed wildly.

In the southern borderlands of Nan Chu, Ye Chen was also in battle, not against the Honghuang, but against the damned Zhu Xian Jian. It struck without warning, each attack a deadly strike.

This sight made the two supreme beings of the underworld scowl with icy expressions.

What time was it now? The decisive clash between the heavens and the Honghuang was underway. To buy Ye Chen time for enlightenment, the entire heavens were fighting desperately, holding every inch of ground. Each second won came at the cost of lives and bones—utterly precious.

Yet, the Zhu Xian Jian refused to let up, causing chaos at this critical moment.

With it lurking, how could Ye Chen focus on enlightenment? Not only that, he had to stay on guard against its lethal strikes. Without time for insight, his chance to advance to Quasi-Emperor grew even more remote.

Bang!

As the two supremes watched, the Zhu Xian Jian was struck down again, then vanished in an instant.

Zing!

Ye Chen gripped his Dao sword, which hummed with vibration, fresh blood dripping from it—his own ancient sacred blood. A deep gash had been carved into his shoulder by the Zhu Xian Jian, the dazzling golden blood stark and vivid.

He said nothing, but his eyes burned red, his killing intent so bone-chilling that the surrounding world froze inch by inch. Without enlightenment, the hopes of the heavens would be lost.

Suddenly, he lifted his gaze toward the north.

Though the southern borderlands of Nan Chu were countless miles from the city walls, he could see clearly: the bloodstained figures of his wives, children, brothers, elders, and comrades, all fighting valiantly. Each one who fell made his heart ache fiercely.

Zing!

In a moment of distraction, the Zhu Xian Jian appeared again, thrusting from behind him—a strike of utter destruction. Its multicolored immortal light was dazzling yet ice-cold, intent on ending the sacred body.

Before Ye Chen could move, a faint, ethereal immortal shadow materialized behind him. With a casual palm strike, it shattered the heavens and earth, sending the incoming Zhu Xian Jian flying.

"Yu Hua Xian Wang." Ye Chen, having turned around, saw only a silhouette. Though its face was unseen, he knew exactly who it was. It was Yu Hua Xian Wang, single-named Qing, who in ancient times had been a suitor of Donghua Nvdi and a rival to Di Huang.

Ye Chen was stunned, not expecting Yu Hua Xian Wang to appear.

"Focus on your enlightenment." Yu Hua Xian Wang spoke calmly, without emotion, standing with his back to Ye Chen. His figure was desolate and weathered, ancient and distant. Dressed in white with white hair, he truly resembled a banished immortal, living up to the name of Xian Wang, standing eternal against the river of time.

"Thank you, senior, for protecting my path." Ye Chen bowed in respect, then quickly sat cross-legged.

In an instant, he entered a state of deep enlightenment. The more urgent the situation, the calmer he became. With little time to hesitate, he had to seize every moment, not betraying the heavens' trust.

The jagged mountaintop fell silent due to his meditation.

Yu Hua Xian Wang stood like an unyielding monument, guarding the path as Ye Chen sought insight.

Circling to face him, one could see his youthful appearance belied an inner weariness. His entire body was dusted with the grime of ages, impossible to wipe away. He belonged to another era, long overdue for burial, surviving only by defying the heavens and time.

Beings like him were plentiful across the heavens and realms—like the Great Chu emperors, the Di Zun divine generals, and the four great sword cultivators. Each was an ancient soul, buried in endless dust, their essence a mix of deepened Dao and weathered years, living in a numb, muddled existence.

A gentle breeze blew, and blood trickled from the corners of the Xian Wang's mouth.

Indeed, he carried hidden wounds. In the earlier war of the gods, he had been a key player, though unseen by the world. The Honghuang Quasi-Emperors he had slain numbered in the hundreds, striking fear into the Honghuang ranks and sending countless foes retreating in defeat.

With his protection, the Zhu Xian Jian did not appear again.

The spirit of the Zhu Xian Jian was more intelligent than most supreme emperor weapons. It knew full well the power of Yu Hua Xian Wang. With him guarding here, it had no chance. Though it refrained from attacking, it lingered nearby.

The Xian Wang's expression remained indifferent, like a carved statue, unmoving and unblinking—or rather, overlooking all, yet constantly watchful of the Zhu Xian Jian.

At some point, he raised his eyes to the hazy void.

His gaze held a touch of complexity, as if he could see straight to the Ming Shan.

Like him, Di Huang was also watching.

Across the boundary between the human and underworld realms, a great sacred body and a Yu Hua Xian Wang exchanged glances. Both were out of their time, both loving the same woman named Yue Shang.

After endless ages, the two of them still endured, but Donghua Nvdi had long perished. Their ancient bond had faded with her, leaving only memories.

Suddenly, Yu Hua Xian Wang raised his hand and struck a palm toward the east.

Bang!

Accompanied by this sound, the Zhu Xian Jian, attempting another stealthy attack, was forced out by Yu Hua Xian Wang's palm. It fled swiftly, vanishing before he could strike again.

Only then did the Xian Wang turn to Ye Chen, his expression as complex as if gazing at Di Huang.

He and Di Huang were rivals in love, and he had never favored sacred bodies. Yet now, for a certain hope, he stood by this young sacred body, protecting his path and shielding him from the Zhu Xian Jian.

Indeed, with his guard, Ye Chen had no worries. The Zhu Xian Jian, wandering in the shadows, behaved itself, not at its peak and unwilling to clash directly with Yu Hua Xian Wang.

As Ye Chen continued his enlightenment, the standing Xian Wang manifested a clone—or more precisely, a Dao body—which stepped off the peak and disappeared in a few strides.

His Dao body headed north, to the bloodstained city walls, where it precisely located Zi Xuan. It was there to protect her, for she was, after all, a remnant soul.

This was an obsession, Yu Hua Xian Wang's unique obsession. Even though Donghua Nvdi was gone, he would safeguard her remnant soul, extending their ancient, regretful bond.

"Thank you." Zi Xuan murmured softly, biting her lip lightly. As the remnant soul of Donghua Nvdi, she carried fragments of the empress's memories, feeling an inexplicable guilt toward Yu Hua Xian Wang. Yet, like Donghua Nvdi, her heart belonged to Di Huang from beginning to end.

The Xian Wang's Dao body said nothing, wielding an immortal sword and slashing out a galaxy. A charging Honghuang Quasi-Emperor was obliterated, body and soul, in a single absolute strike.

Zi Xuan snapped back to focus, releasing her seals and attacking a Honghuang warrior.

The Xian Wang's Dao body shadowed her every step, never leaving her side—not for the heavens, but solely to protect her.

Though it was merely a Dao body, it possessed the full power of his true form.

Though Zi Xuan, as a remnant soul, was at the Great Saint level, she could slay Quasi-Emperors.

The two fought side by side, one on the left and one on the right, creating a striking scene.

Such scenes were everywhere on the city walls—beautiful, yet stained with blood. The heavens' obsession was to defend this vast land. Holding Great Chu meant holding the heavens. No one feared the fight; even knowing it was like moths to a flame, they pressed on relentlessly.

"Attack! Attack for me!"

"Retreat, and die!"

Outside the city, the Honghuang clan emperors howled, standing amid their armies on jade chariots, wildly swinging their killing swords. Their eyes were blood-red, teeth gritted, for the Honghuang forces assaulting the Nan Chu walls were on the verge of being repelled again, despite their overwhelming numbers.

"I can't stand that guy." On the eastern side of the walls, the Sixth Divine General Hua Qing Luo glanced toward the outside, itching to charge out and finish him.

"Back then, we should have convinced Di Zun to flatten the Honghuang." The Fourth Divine General Bei Lin shook his head helplessly.

"No use regretting it—let's just kill." The Fifth Divine General snorted coldly, his divine sword carving a path of destruction, leaving mountains of corpses and rivers of blood in his wake. As one of Di Zun's foremost warriors, he wasn't joking around. Honghuang fighters who made it to the walls fled at the sight of him—a peerless killer. Those not skilled enough best avoided the challenge.

Even more ferocious was Di Xuan, who fought in silence, unleashing emperor-level immortal arts with every move. Among the supreme women on the walls, she was one of them, drawing sidelong glances from Di Ji. With the First Divine General fallen, she had taken the place of the Divine General Peacock, even more terrifying than Tian Qing.

"Ye Chen might be the reincarnation of Di Zun."

Amid the battle, Tian Jiu smiled faintly, his words echoed to all the divine generals.

This statement made them all turn their heads in unison.

Tian Jiu focused on fighting, responding to their expectant gazes with just a smile.

But that smile made their hopeful eyes collectively shine with brilliant light, understanding it wasn't a casual jest.

Especially Di Xuan, whose icy, beautiful eyes welled with mist, reflecting bloody hues that froze into frost. In the dim sky, her vision brightened remarkably.

Fight!

Tian Jiu's words truly boosted morale. In that moment, the divine generals rallied, their aged forms suddenly youthful. Their attacks grew more dominant, wiping out waves of Honghuang warriors before they could even stand firm.

Fight!

With the divine generals in full force, the heavens' cultivators boiled with passion, fighting fearlessly. An invincible will surged through everyone's hearts, elevating their combat power as one.

Pfft! Pfft! Pfft!

Blood rained down on the crimson walls, a torrential downpour of scarlet, from both the heavens and the Honghuang, washing the Nan Chu walls repeatedly in gore.

This day was another of blood.

As night fell, the brutal war finally paused, the Honghuang repelled once more, retreating in disarray. The clan emperors' orders had become a joke.

What a joke—such a massive Honghuang alliance, with forces utterly crushing the heavens, yet after a full day of assault, they still hadn't taken the walls.

"If we don't pull back, we really can't hold on." On one section of the wall, the Zhu Xian Emperor's Son coughed up blood, staggering as he gripped his notched immortal sword, blood streaming from it.

The other emperor's sons were in no better shape, upholding their fathers' imperial legacies with honor, each holding off hundreds, forging their own legendary names.

"Lucky I prepared an extra one." The Little Ape Emperor grumbled while coughing blood, his black iron staff shattered. He tossed it aside and pulled out another, swinging wildly in a frenzy until his life-bound staff exploded.

"Still, my battle axe is tougher." Kui Niu said, stuffing a handful of pills into his mouth.

As the leader, he looked after his brothers, handing some pills to the Little Ape Emperor and, of course, to Xiao Chen beside him—all sworn brothers.

South Heaven Gate Mountain was also a scene of blood and bodies.

The women were still there, each with injuries. The weaker ones, like Xuan Nu and Luo Xi, were hurt the most, with Chu Xuan and Chu Ling sparing no pills to heal them.

The most wretched sight was Tang San Shao.

That little black fatty was incredibly tough and reliable. In this battle, he had activated his bloodline limit multiple times, fighting alongside Ye Ling and the Son of the Earth. Unkillable and unwounded, he served as the perfect meat shield. Their trio worked in sync: he tanked up front while Ye Ling and the Son of the Earth dealt damage. Even a peak Great Saint would retreat defeated.

"You're stronger than me." The Son of the Earth said plainly, not stingy with pills as he infused them into Tang San Shao's body. Now out of his bloodline state, Tang San Shao was severely wounded, blood still gushing from his mouth, his body covered in shocking gashes.

His words weren't flattery—they were fact.

Counting this era, among their generation, many could fight, but only a few were truly terrifying. Tang San Shao, with his bloodline activated, sat firmly at the top. Neither the Son of the Earth, the Heavenly Tribulation Body, nor the Sacred Spirit Body could match him.

To the Son of the Earth, Tang San Shao had nothing to say, but he looked eagerly at Ye Ling, grinning widely. "After this battle, let me spend a night with you!"

Slap!

As soon as he spoke, a palm struck—Ye Ling's hit packed real force, twisting the little black fatty's chubby face.

"Say that again, and I'll strangle you." Ye Ling snapped angrily. She was used to teasing others, but with this little black fatty, she was the one getting provoked every few days.

Tang San Shao quieted down, head bowed, just wiping his nosebleed.

"Now that's a real talent." On the walls, the Little Spirit Child remarked meaningfully.

If anyone was the most entertaining, it was this little one. Clearly a Tyrannosaurus Rex, he insisted on a child-like form, moving with blinding speed without killing. Whenever a Honghuang warrior charged, he'd kick them right in the crotch, then follow up with a big move.

For this, the Tyrannosaurus Rex Emperor's face darkened completely. The Tyrannosaurus clan's reputation was built on direct strength, but his son preferred sneaky strikes and had no shame.

"Hurry, hurry—reinforce the lines." Fu Ya stood on the watchtower, calling to the city interior. Too many had fallen; they needed fresh forces to fill in—what people called the heavens' reserves.

No need for his urging—the heavens' cultivators were already swarming the walls, each taking their posts.

"In this life, I haven't lived in vain." Tian Gang Yang Xuan from Zhu Xian Town sighed, gazing outside. He'd seen it all: the heavenly demon invasion, now the Honghuang chaos. These grand spectacles were unseen in the mortal world—truly eye-opening.

"Same here, no regrets." Shangguan Jiu smiled, still holding his purple gold divine blade. No longer just a blade maniac from the mortal world, he was now a true cultivator.

Compared to them, Ling Feng remained silent, gripping his immortal sword and staring at the outside.

His arrival drew collective glances from the Sword God, Wine Sword Immortal, Sword Sovereign, and Nine Swords Scatterer—the four peak sword cultivators—all frowning slightly, their expressions puzzled. It wasn't Ling Feng's strength that surprised them, but his profound comprehension of the sword Dao, beyond their expectations.

"If there's ever a fifth great sword cultivator in the heavens, it will be him." Jian Fei Dao smiled.

Sword Sovereign, Nine Swords Scatterer, and Wine Sword Immortal all withdrew their gazes in agreement. The Sword Gods of the heavens could see it, and so could they—the realm of the sword lay not in cultivation, but in insight into the Dao.

"Attack! Attack for me!" The Honghuang clan emperors' roars suddenly rang out from outside the city.