Chapter 2368: Let Him Sleep

Ye Chen, under Zi Xuan's scrutiny, felt a slight twitch in his eyebrows and a sense of foreboding.

Zi Xuan remained silent, slowly lowering her gaze, though a deep meaning flashed in her eyes. Both Di Huang's slumber and Hong Chen's dreamlike mutterings were connected to Ye Chen.

Beside him, Chu Lingyu and Hong Chen Xue frowned, as did Di Ji. They had waited a full year for Di Huang's arrival, but instead, they found a sleeping emperor, suffering from some terrible backlash. When he would awaken was anyone's guess, leaving the atmosphere awkwardly tense.

"Tianhuang Dila, Bianhua Kai."

In the quiet stillness, Hong Chen, lying on the stone bed, murmured these eight words again. His dreams as the Six Paths were perfectly synchronized—truly a pair of unfortunate brothers, identical in appearance and even in their sleep-talk.

"Tianhuang Dila, Bianhua Kai."

To everyone's astonishment, Di Huang was also mumbling in his sleep.

Even Ye Chen, with his steady composure, couldn't help but scratch his head in bewilderment.

The expressions on Chu Lingyu and the others were equally strange. Was sleep-talking the latest trend? And those eight words had become the standard phrase in dreams, identical down to the letter.

Zi Xuan, however, remained the most composed. She was already accustomed to Di Huang's sleep-talking.

This habit dated back to a year ago, when, every night in the dead of silence, Di Huang would act like he was possessed. She had her own reasons for staying by his side, listening to his mutterings for an entire year.

A woman's feelings could be strangely persistent; even knowing it was just sleep-talk, she listened intently, yearning for a secluded haven like a hidden peach blossom grove, where she could stay alone with him, ignoring the world's chaos.

"Tianhuang Dila, Bianhua Kai."

In the serene and peaceful atmosphere, these words became the only sound.

Looking at the scene, it was quite a sight: a Da Cheng Sheng Ti, a Yan Huang Sheng Zhu, and the ruthless Six Paths, all asleep and murmuring in their dreams. The witnesses were no less impressive—a Chu Huangzhe, a Di Ji, a female emperor's remnant soul, a Dan Zun disciple, and a Jian Shen disciple—all quietly observing the three.

In the end, it was Di Ji who moved first. She suddenly turned and, with a wave of her hand, took the Six Paths into her artifact. Cloaked in the dust of ages and treading the ancient, desolate path, she walked away step by step, fading into the distance.

Ye Chen watched her go, knowing exactly where she was headed—to the forbidden zones. With even Di Huang fallen into slumber, perhaps only the forbidden zones could unravel this mystery.

Zi Xuan also took Di Huang and left, but unlike Di Ji, she headed toward Heng Yue. If there were secrets to be known, Heng Yue held them too; the female Sheng Ti knew just as much as the forbidden zones.

"This is quite a mess," Ye Chen muttered, standing there and rubbing his brow.

"Follow me," came Zi Xuan's ethereal voice from the skies.

Ye Chen ascended in a single step, pursuing her.

The charming little peach grove fell back into tranquility with their departure, leaving Chu Lingyu and Hong Chen Xue behind, still at Hong Chen's bedside. Like gentle wives, they stroked their husband's face.

Outside Tian Xuan Gate, Ye Chen caught up to Zi Xuan. "What do you make of this?"

"I don't know," Zi Xuan replied softly.

Ye Chen couldn't help but pout, convinced that Zi Xuan knew more than she let on.

Indeed, the female emperor's remnant soul was aware of the secrets. The reasons behind Hong Chen, the Six Paths, and Di Huang's conditions all traced back to the tenth Chu Huang. Hong Chen was the future Ye Chen, and the Six Paths was the future Hong Chen—a memory pact so overpowering that it even affected the Six Paths.

As for Di Huang's backlash, it stemmed from the same memory pact, likely touching upon Ye Chen's deepest memories, more precisely, those from his first life, thus violating a taboo.

"The Shen Guan Tian Jie—surely you can explain that," Ye Chen said.

"The appearance of the Shen Guan Tian Jie means the Di Zun era has passed," Zi Xuan said leisurely.

"So, you're saying the Di Zun's imprint suppression has completely dissipated?"

"The emperor may fall, but the dao endures; existence is truth," Zi Xuan said faintly. "From ancient times, the imperial dao imprints of any great emperor only weaken indefinitely, never vanish entirely. The imperial dao laws in the heavenly tribulation are the best proof. In this era, beyond the Di Zun's imperial dao imprint, the imprints of all previous great emperors from the heavens will exert some degree of suppression on people. Though the suppression from other emperors can be largely ignored, achieving emperorship is different—it's a life-or-death calamity. Every additional layer of suppression could become an insurmountable chasm or gulf, potentially impossible to cross in a lifetime."

"I understand," Ye Chen said, his eyes filled with realization. "No wonder over sixty percent of emperors emerged in the Hong Huang period. It's because becoming an emperor in later eras is far more difficult than in ancient times. Each new emperor adds another layer of imprint suppression, making the path increasingly arduous."

"Just as you said."

"You mentioned the Di Zun era has passed, so what's next?"

"The Shen Guan Tian Jie signals the rise of imperial dao contenders—it's an omen that a new emperor's era is dawning. From the moment the Shen Guan Tian Jie ended, it became the age of the new emperor."

"Di Zun fell only a millennium ago—will there be a new emperor so soon?"

"The Shen Guan Tian Jie isn't random; every era has someone who triggers it, regardless of cultivation or talent—it's simply whose turn it is. Tian Zhi happened to be the one; she's the winner. The imperial dao black shore, one of many immortal laws, is her reward. Even if she hadn't triggered it, someone else would have. Whenever the Shen Guan Tian Jie appears, it's a symbol of the era, heralding the age of a new emperor." Zi Xuan continued slowly, "This time is different from any previous era, with fortunes, opportunities, disasters, and upheavals coexisting, introducing innate variables to the imperial dao. This era will produce a new emperor, and it must."

"So that's it," Ye Chen said, taking a deep breath and murmuring to himself, "No wonder the golden great world is coming—it's because this era will see a new emperor."

"This is also your doing," Zi Xuan said, quickening her pace.

Ye Chen was stunned by her words and hurried to catch up, but Zi Xuan had already pulled ahead.

Before long, the two landed on Yu Nu Peak.

The beauty was still there, but the graceful Yu Nu Peak felt cold and deserted. She sat alone under the old tree, lost in thought, like a child without a mother.

Zi Xuan descended without a word and released the slumbering Di Huang.

The female Sheng Ti glanced at him and immediately saw through the situation, saying indifferently, "Let him sleep."

Her words were straightforward, leaving Ye Chen and Zi Xuan both feeling awkward.

The female Sheng Ti didn't bother saying more and got up to leave, plucking a spirit fruit on her way out.

Behind her, Zi Xuan hesitated but ultimately said nothing.

Ye Chen, however, remained unfazed. From the female Sheng Ti's expression, he knew Di Huang was fine. After all, this was a Da Cheng Sheng Ti, a ruthless figure who had fought five emperors alone—a nap wouldn't hurt him.

For some reason, watching the sleeping Di Huang, Ye Chen felt a sudden impulse—what kind of impulse? The urge to draw some blood from him. The blood of a Da Cheng Sheng Ti must be incredibly valuable.

But he quickly dismissed the thought.

Though the blood of a Da Cheng Sheng Ti was precious, with his current level, he couldn't even break through Di Huang's sacred body, even with an extreme dao emperor weapon. Di Huang could stand there and let him attack, and he still couldn't harm him.

As he watched, Ye Chen suddenly felt a chill run through him and noticed Zi Xuan glancing his way.

The female emperor's remnant soul seemed to have read his mind, her stunning face darkening slightly. You little rascal, you're truly shameless—who's blood do you dare to think about drawing?

Ye Chen quickly averted his eyes, staring off into the endless void, and sealed his thoughts. He couldn't let this woman read any more improper ideas— he still needed to save face.