Chapter 2326: Chaos Small Realm

Upon returning to Yu Nü Peak, Ye Chen was greeted by the enticing aroma of food.

He helped himself without hesitation, but the women watched him with sidelong glances, still remembering the events of the previous day. This shameless fellow always seemed to have shameless ideas on his mind.

Though they watched, their worry was palpable. At most, in two days, Ye Chen would have to face his heavenly tribulation.

Ye Chen smiled confidently and, after the meal, made his way to the peak's summit.

Bathed in the morning light, he sat cross-legged and entered a state of enlightenment, determined to create a small world within his body before the tribulation arrived. This was a hallmark of the Zhun Di realm.

He had already thoroughly comprehended the concept of a small world, which required mastery of spatial laws.

Ye Chen had delved into such domains many years ago, techniques like shrinking the ground into inches or turning the universe into dust—all aspects of spatial laws, though they paled in comparison to temporal laws.

As he meditated, his sacred body trembled lightly, and spatial forces overflowed, gradually forming a small world. It was inscribed with his Hun Dun Dao, infused with his bloodline power, and rooted in the essence of his sacred body.

Since he cultivated the Hun Dun Dao in reverse, his small world naturally reflected it—a vast, murky expanse resembling a dust space but far more profound. Within the chaos, one could see the evolution of sun, moon, and stars. The lighter chaotic energy rose, while the heavier sank, giving birth to heaven and earth.

Soon after, majestic mountains rose one by one, towering and imposing, with mighty rivers coursing across the land, flowing from west to east.

The evolution of all things was not overlooked—every flower, blade of grass, tree, and plant brimmed with vitality, glowing with chaotic light. These were not illusions; they were real, embodying his Hun Dun Dao.

Like a master sculptor or painter, Ye Chen meticulously crafted his internal Hun Dun Xiao Jie, making it a perfect replica of a true world, complete with mountains and waters. Infused with spiritual energy, it became enveloped in swirling clouds and mist, hazy and ethereal, like a pure paradise belonging solely to him.

The Hun Dun Ding buzzed and darted straight into the Hun Dun Xiao Jie.

The immortal fire and heavenly thunder were not idle either, entering one after the other and darting about wildly. Compared to Ye Chen's dantian sea, this Hun Dun Xiao Jie was far more intriguing, like a little heaven where they could roam freely. But when the dragon chair and Ling Xiao iron staff arrived, the three of them quieted down.

Ye Chen did not open his eyes yet; he was still fully focused on the crafting.

His Hun Dun Jie was only just taking shape and needed to be imprinted with his Dao, settled with time, and refined through the ages to become a truly vast realm.

Seeing him in deep enlightenment, Chu Xuan and the others did not disturb him, quietly awaiting his heavenly tribulation.

Night fell quietly.

Ye Chen finally opened his eyes and took out the soul-nurturing treasure, the Bao Lian Lamp, suspending it before him.

Dividing his attention, he gazed upward at the vast expanse, absorbing the power of starlight and moonlight into his eyes while circulating the techniques passed down by Di Huang, transforming it into strands of pupil force.

As he restored his pupil power, he continued to evolve the Hun Dun Xiao Jie.

At some point, his aura became increasingly unstable and turbulent, as if a force in the shadows was trying to break through some seal, only to be forcibly suppressed by him each time.

It was the power of the heavenly tribulation, stirring unpredictably and attempting to drag him into crossing it.

In response, Ye Chen was resolute: he would not face the tribulation until the last moment.

By late night, his Hun Dun Xiao Jie had been carved with even greater detail, including an ancient city with its pavilions, towers, streets, and gardens all brought to life. If he pushed himself, he could create a fully real world—this was just the first step. Everything found in a true world, except for living beings, he could replicate entirely.

As dawn approached, he finally stood up, put away the Bao Lian Lamp, and stretched lazily, feeling refreshed and energetic. Vast amounts of heavenly spiritual energy gathered into whirlpools, flowing toward the Hun Dun Xiao Jie.

"Not bad," Ye Chen thought as he examined it internally, a satisfied smile on his lips. He stuffed various treasures into the small world—magical artifacts, source stones, secret scrolls, and elixirs.

This was the exclusive privilege of a Zhun Di, leaving other cultivators feeling helpless. Once a small world was formed, it became one with the body, making it incredibly difficult to seize their treasures.

Ye Chen had experienced this firsthand; along his path, he had slain countless Zhun Di, plundering their storage bags, but the treasures in their small worlds were truly unattainable.

That night, he left Heng Yue alone and ventured out of Da Chu, seeking a place for his tribulation. He needed a deserted location; attempting it in Da Chu would surely lead to the destruction of the heavens' gates.

The starry sky was profound and vast, still carrying faint traces of blood from past battles.

Many star domains remained in ruins, with numerous battlefield remnants—shattered meteorites drifting everywhere, flickering dully. On the ancient stars inhabited by mortals, cultivators had already established sects, recruiting ordinary people and guiding them into the path of cultivation.

Ye Chen traveled while observing, a smile on his face. In this era of recovery and peace, there would be a long period without major wars. As long as Di Huang remained, no one would dare cause chaos. If this stability continued, in less than a hundred years, the heavens would shine with brilliant stars once more.

It was unclear when he finally stopped in a desolate star domain.

This star domain had always been lifeless; he had visited it during past training sessions. It was immensely vast, far from Da Chu, Xuan Huang, and You Ming, making it an ideal spot for tribulation.

He thought he had hidden far enough that no one would notice.

But he was wrong. When Ye Chen, the sacred body, crossed his tribulation, how could there be no spectators?

A domain gate opened, and Chu Xuan, Chu Ling, and the others stepped out one after another.

Chu Ling glared fiercely,"You've run so far; if you die, no one will send you off."

"This is impressive—you even found me here," Ye Chen sighed in admiration.

"Don't joke around; focus on your tribulation," Chu Xuan said irritably. The other wives remained silent, but their eyes spoke volumes, filled with unmistakable worry.

They were not the only ones watching. More domain gates opened across the surrounding starry skies, one after another.

"Still trying to sneak off for your tribulation? Us clever ones always track you down."

The voice came before the person, unmistakably Xiong Er's loud scolding.

People from Da Chu had arrived too—the older generation like the emperors and divine generals, and the younger ones like Xie Yun and Situ Nan. Nearly everyone who could come had come, crowding the eight directions of the starry sky in a grand spectacle.

To the unknowing, it might look like they were here for a battle.

From their shining eyes, it was clear they were worried, yet they had full confidence in Ye Chen. They had come not only to witness the tribulation but also to see the emperor's Dao laws manifest—sixty-four majestic emperor forms, a rare sight in centuries.

No one knew which busybody had leaked the news, but more people flooded in—from Xuan Huang Continent, You Ming Continent, and various star domains. The crowd was enormous.

"Sixty-four emperor forms—we can't miss this."

"A life-or-death tribulation; if the sacred body survives, nothing will stop his rise."

"It's strange without the Hong Huang clans around."

With so many people gathered, the atmosphere was lively. Everyone had claimed their spots on the stars, their discussions rising and falling as they waited for Ye Chen's tribulation.

Looking down from above, the starry sky was packed with people, a dense black mass like an遮天 cloud cover, dimming the starlight and blocking out the light.

In contrast, Ye Chen in the center seemed as insignificant as an ant.

Standing quietly in the central starry sky, Ye Chen said nothing, though his eyes darted left and right, scanning the eastern star domains and the western stars.

The face of Da Chu's tenth emperor darkened.

It wasn't just because of the crowd; many had brought snacks like melon seeds, cracking them rhythmically as if settling in for a show. Their expressions showed no worry—clearly, they had come for entertainment, traveling far just to enjoy the spectacle.

It was as if they didn't care about his fate, their faces seeming to say: We believe in you—who else would survive if not you?

Given that everyone in the heavens was so "enlightened," a whimsical idea formed in Ye Chen's mind. With such a crowd gathered, why not invite them all to join the tribulation for some excitement?

As he thought this, he took a deep breath and released the seal on his heavenly tribulation.