Chapter 2317: A Thought Through Eternity

In the early morning at Hengyue Zong, there was a vibrant energy, like a pure land on earth, as the sun slowly rose, bringing a touch of everyday warmth. People who had been asleep awakened, stretching lazily as they stepped out of their caves, breathing in the fresh spiritual energy with contented expressions, enjoying an indescribable sense of ease.

In contrast, the scene at the top of Yunu Peak was extremely bloody.

The so-called bloodshed referred to Ye Chen, who was huddled on the ground like a prisoner, holding his head and looking utterly dejected. His face was bruised and swollen with black eyes, his dark hair like a waterfall now tangled like a bird's nest, and blood was dripping from one nostril. It was clear at a glance that he had been beaten.

Even now, he had no idea why he was being beaten or where the gods had gotten such fury from. They hadn't treated him like a person at all, pummeling him until he doubted his own existence.

“Hengyue Zong is full of talents!”

“The young ones are full of vigor, just like we were back in the day.”

“We're getting old.”

Meanwhile, the gods were in high spirits, chatting casually as they admired the beauty of Hengyue and reminisced about their trivial lives, acting as if nothing had happened.

It was evident from their faces that each one was thoroughly satisfied. Although they had beaten Ye Chen, they had treated him as if he were Di Zun, and it had been an unprecedented thrill.

Figures like Sansheng and Di Xuan were more restrained and hadn't joined in the beating. Each held a small mirror, tidying their slightly disheveled hair while acting completely nonchalant, as if they had only come to watch someone get pummeled.

“Mother, it looks like Father is getting beaten!” Below, Ye Ling tilted her little head, her bright eyes blinking curiously. She had witnessed the bloody scene from start to finish.

“I can see that.” Ye Chen's wives all struck the same pose, each with one hand supporting their chin as they gazed toward the top of Yunu Peak. They had known when the gods arrived and had watched the group beating of Ye Chen clearly. The sight was quite entertaining, and strangely, none of them felt any sympathy—it seemed they weren't acting like devoted wives at all.

At the dining table, the three little ones were the most dedicated, happily enjoying their meal.

The Female Saint Body stood out for her enormous appetite and great enjoyment, only occasionally glancing toward the top of Yunu Peak. She didn't know why the nine gods had beaten Ye Chen, but watching him get pummeled was incredibly satisfying, bringing immense joy.

Ye Chen's face had turned completely dark, and for the umpteenth time, he confirmed that this group of old-timers were all lunatics. There were so many people in Great Chu, so why were they singling him out for a beating?

“One day, we'll come back for more.” The gods patted Ye Chen on the shoulder with a meaningful look, arriving quickly and leaving just as fast, their steps smooth and their backs straight. After all these years, they finally felt vindicated and utterly refreshed.

Among them, Ming Di's expression was the most profound.

The gods of Xianwu Di Zun were indeed of the same ilk, banding together to beat Di Zun's reincarnation body. This showed that Wan Nian ago, Di Zun must have bullied his gods relentlessly.

As the saying goes, fortunes turn like a wheel, and even he had a day to endure such a beating.

Ye Chen's face darkened even more. He clutched his sore waist and limped down from the mountaintop, cursing under his breath. He was truly an unlucky kid—beaten as a Great Saint and still getting beaten as a Quasi-Emperor. At this rate, he wouldn't dare walk with his head high until he achieved full Saint Body.

When he reached the dining table, the women couldn't help but cover their mouths and stifle their laughter. It was just that Ye Chen's disheveled state was too comical, especially his hair, which looked like a nest where birds could build a home.

Ye Chen took a deep breath and suppressed the urge to flip the table, while mentally cursing heavenly tribulation a thousand times over. Without it, his life would be so much more comfortable, at least allowing his wives to experience the full might of a Saint Body.

After the meal, the women cleared the dishes, some went to meditate, others to weave clothes, each occupied with their own tasks. The peaceful tranquility after the war was more ordinary than imagined, yet it carried a unique vitality.

Xiao Ye Fan and Xiao Yang Lan had run off again, playing innocently and joyfully.

That little troublemaker Ye Ling had sneaked out once more, who knows where to cause mischief.

In a secluded spot in the bamboo grove of Yunu Peak, Ye Chen took out a precious box containing Hu Xian'er's ashes and buried it amid the birdsong and flowers. He erected a tombstone for her, engraving her name. This fox clan fairy had used nine lifetimes of reincarnation to save his life, a debt of gratitude he could never fully repay.

It was only as night fell that he quietly left.

But he didn't notice that a pure white lotus had bloomed on Hu Xian'er's grave, dotted with a drop of dew. In the dew, a woman could be seen dancing gracefully.

When Ye Chen returned to the old tree, the stars filled the sky.

The Female Saint Body was there, one hand holding a carving knife and the other a block of wood, quietly at work. Her carving skills had improved greatly, though still far behind Ye Chen's.

“Di Huang predecessor has returned—don't you have anything to say?” Ye Chen sat down, pulled out a flask of wine, and took a leisurely sip as he spoke casually. He believed the Female Saint Body could understand the deeper meaning in his words and knew she would grasp it.

The Female Saint Body paused briefly but said nothing, continuing to carve the wooden figure.

Under the moonlight, she appeared exceptionally serene, not knowing what to say. In her beautiful eyes, there was a hidden trace of worry, along with fleeting moments of distraction.

Perhaps she still couldn't believe it—that Ye Chen had truly brought back Di Huang, and that the myriad realms had truly fought for a bright and clear world.

This battle perfectly illustrated the saying: even the smallest hope in the face of despair holds infinite possibilities, stirring massive waves in her state of mind.

“You—who are you, why did you help the Heavenly Demons, and why are you seeking the Ancient Hong Huang?” Ye Chen took a swig of wine and fired off three questions in a row, hoping for answers from the Female Saint Body. These weren't just his doubts but those of the entire realm, demanding an explanation.

“The current you still aren't qualified to know, and neither is Di Huang.” The Female Saint Body replied indifferently. Though her tone lacked its former decisiveness, she still refused to answer his questions.

Ye Chen furrowed his brows slightly, his eyebrows twitching. The Female Saint Body's words truly startled him—if even a fully realized Saint Body wasn't qualified, just how much was involved?

Could it be that only someone who had attained emperorhood would be worthy of knowing these eternal secrets?

“Are you just trying to fool me?” Ye Chen glanced sideways, his face full of skepticism.

“If Di Huang were here, I'd say the same.” The Female Saint Body kept her head down, focused on carving.

Ye Chen pursed his lips, still looking doubtful.

If he could, he'd bring Di Huang over right now to see if this little Saint Body would dare say the same thing. Calling him Di Huang so casually—how high did she think her status was?

But he had no idea that the Female Saint Body had never taken Di Huang seriously from the start. A fully realized Saint Body was merely a small stream, not worth mentioning. In their era, someone like Di Huang would only meet with instant defeat.

The night grew deeper, and all was silent.

The Female Saint Body finally finished her carving, brushed off the wood shavings, and lazily stood up. She tossed the wooden figure to Ye Chen as if saying: a gift from me.

Ye Chen looked down and saw it was a carving of Chu Xuan, or perhaps Chu Ling—lifelike and masterful, a vast improvement from the days of the toad-like figures.

The Female Saint Body rose and shuffled toward her room.

Ye Chen stood up as well. “I still don't know your name. You can at least tell me that, right?”

“Hong Yan.” The Female Saint Body didn't stop, replying casually over her shoulder.

“Honestly, that name isn't very appealing.” Ye Chen couldn't help but stroke his chin. It was the first time she'd answered so straightforwardly, leaving him a bit caught off guard.

The Female Saint Body left, and the elegant Yunu Peak fell into quietness.

Ye Chen put away the carving and glanced at the void, hoping Di Huang would arrive soon so he could get answers to his many questions, such as those about Chu Xuan and Chu Ling, and the Female Saint Body.

Unfortunately, Di Huang had been missing since the great battle, with no word on when he might return.

“Wait a bit longer, and the predecessor will surely revive you.” Ye Chen lowered his gaze to the immortal fire in his Dantian Sea, then descended from Yunu Peak and headed to Long Yi Peak. There, he checked on the young Eternal Body, who was sleeping peacefully and murmuring about his mother, still without his past life's memories.

In the dead of night, he left Hengyue Zong and wandered through the void.

This was his first time surveying Great Chu since the war. The vast mountains and rivers remained, but they looked more desolate, with patches of un dried blood—from the cultivators of the myriad realms and the Hong Huang clans. Strands of blood mist floated in the air, tinged red by the starlight and moonlight.

That night, he visited many places, roaming all of South Chu and traversing North Chu.

The war with Hong Huang had been brutal for the myriad realms, and Great Chu was no exception. Many factions had their lineages severed, and countless friends and family had perished. Under the moon, sobs could still be heard.

At the border between South and North Chu, figures bustled about, including Great Chu cultivators, Tianxuan Gate Quasi-Emperors, and newly joined experts. Bathed in starlight and moonlight, they were hard at work.

This busyness referred to rebuilding the South Chu city walls. After the Heavenly Demon invasion and the Hong Huang bloodbath, the ancestors of Great Chu realized even more the walls' importance. Now that they had collapsed, they needed to be reconstructed as a precaution. The Di Dao formations wouldn't skimp on resources.

“Oh, who is this?” As Ye Chen watched, Gu San Tong approached, along with a group of old-timers, circling him with sighs and tsks of amazement.

“A Quasi-Emperor Saint Body is something else—such overpowering presence.”

“If he fully realizes it, just imagine.”

Taiyi Zhenren stroked his beard, full of emotion. As fellow Archaic Saint Bodies, Ye Chen always seemed to cast the shadow of Di Huang, and given enough time as the Heavenly Court Saint Lord, he would surely surpass Di Huang in the future.

“I think we should beat him sooner rather than later.” Wu San Pao said meaningfully.

No sooner had the words left his mouth than he knelt down, knocked flat by Ye Chen's slap, with Gu San Tong and Taiyi Zhenren falling alongside him. The gods beating his father was one thing, but these three small fries had ambitions far too grand, always dreaming of challenging a sovereign—it was a habit they needed to break.

The Tenth Sovereign of Great Chu left, his departing figure exuding an aura of refined sophistication.

“Our sovereign has truly risen.” The Great Chu cultivators watched with a dazed expression, recalling past events. There was a boy named Ye Chen who had defied the heavens all the way, making countless old-timers feel ashamed. Now, even looking up to him was beyond their reach.

“What are you gawking at? Get back to work!” The burly Man Shan roared, hefting his massive battle-axe and grumbling. As he passed Gu San Tong and the others, he deliberately stepped on them, his footfalls heavy enough to make their bodies crackle.

Ye Chen had already gone far, strolling through the void with his eyes closed.

After the war, he was comprehending the Dao again, as his Quasi-Emperor tribulation wouldn't be delayed much longer. He needed to maximize his insights beforehand to increase his chances of survival. He wasn't afraid of the lightning tribulation itself but of the sixty-four Di Dao law bodies.

Gazing into the heavens, in his Chaos Great Realm, the Dao principles evolved into a thriving world of all things—towering mountains, vast rivers, every flower, grass, tree, and plant infused with spirituality. Each was an expression of his Dao, and the Chaos of Ten Thousand Paths was the ultimate sanctity of all existence.

What was different this time was that his Chaos Dao was now filled with blooming Manzhua flowers, fiery red as flames, each with both flowers and leaves, merging the concepts of life and death, one thought, and eternity.

And what Ye Chen was comprehending was precisely one thought of eternity.

This was the law of time. Back then, if not for that momentary epiphany, he would have been obliterated by the Zhuxian Sword.

The law of time, like the laws of space and reincarnation, was profoundly mysterious and inherently taboo, belonging to different domains with no clear superiority.

In that stretch of heaven and earth, due to his one thought of eternity, the falling leaves, flowing air, scattering starlight, and radiant moonlight—all seemed to freeze in an instant. It wasn't space that was halted but time itself, turning that moment into eternity with a single thought.

This was the dominance of the law of time. In a clash of experts, a single instant could decide life and death, and this eternal freeze would make an opponent lose that crucial moment.

Thus, this law was taboo, and truly mastering it could overturn the heavens. Such supreme laws were coveted even by great emperors, let alone lesser cultivators.

“How monstrous are you, Ye Chen?” Ming Di watched, murmuring to himself more than once. Through endless ages, even as an emperor, he had never touched the law of time. Seeing Ye Chen grasp it filled him with emotion. The Dao is boundless, and it's not about cultivation level—here, he fell short of Ye Chen.

“Was it passed down from his first life?” Qin Guang Wang couldn't help but stroke his chin. “I still can't believe that a mere Great Saint could comprehend the law of time back then.”

The other nine Yama Lords also wore expressions of deep meaning. If Ming Di hadn't comprehended it, neither had they. Supreme laws depended on fate, and once grasped, they brought immense fortune.

Sadly, they lacked such fate. Though they had lived longer than Ye Chen, their insights into the Dao were far inferior. Even the emperor of the underworld couldn't achieve it, let alone the ten Yama Lords.

Ming Di didn't respond to Qin Guang Wang's guess. Whether the law of time tied back to the first life, he didn't know, and even if Di Zun had passed it down, not just anyone could comprehend it.

Space, time, and reincarnation—the three most terrifying laws manifesting in one person—might be a sign, and even he, as an emperor, couldn't see through Ye Chen.

On Jieming Mountain, a deathly silence fell. One great emperor and ten Yama Lords all gazed at Ye Chen, yearning for those supreme laws and hoping to gain insight.

“Make your preparations,” Ming Di said faintly at some point.

At his words, the ten Yama Lords took a deep breath and bowed in unison. “Great Emperor, take care.”

With that, the ten turned and descended the mountain, each heading to their respective domains.