Chapter 2377: A Long Story

Ye Chen remained silent, his brow furrowed as he stared at Chu Xuan. Xiao Ling Wa could see the Emperor's essence in her body, and he could see it too—there was no mistaking it. It was genuine Emperor's essence, even purer than that of Sheng Zun, Di Ji, Ming Jue, Bai Zhi, and Hei Lian Tian Mo.

"Where did this Emperor's essence come from?" Ye Chen murmured to himself, his mind adrift.

Those who survived the Emperor Tribulation would possess Emperor's essence.

However, having Emperor's essence didn't necessarily mean one had survived the Emperor Tribulation. For example, the essence in Ming Jue and Bai Zhi came from a mysterious force, not from the tribulation itself.

Chu Xuan was only at the Quasi-Emperor realm, so she hadn't faced an Emperor Tribulation. It must have come from somewhere else.

"Could it be from the divine repository of the Taishang Xian Ti?" Xiao Ling Wa ventured.

"Plausible," Ye Chen said, stroking his chin.

As they spoke, the pool water rippled again, shimmering with waves and enveloped in a hazy mist. Strands of radiant light cascaded down, making Chu Xuan appear even more ethereal. She stood gracefully, accompanied by celestial phenomena, with faint sounds of the Great Dao echoing like a beautiful symphony.

Ye Chen's thoughts were stirred, leaving him even more captivated.

Xiao Ling Wa stood there dumbfounded, feeling as though Chu Xuan radiated an invisible force that tugged at his mind. Even with his Quasi-Emperor level composure, he couldn't escape its disruptive pull.

"Truly extraordinary," Xiao Ling Wa muttered blankly.

"I really underestimated the Taishang Xian Ti," Ye Chen said, taking a deep breath.

"You'd better behave yourself from now on. Your wife has quite the temper."

"As if I needed you to tell me that?"

The two chatted away with great enthusiasm, their conversation quite lively.

Mid-conversation, Xiao Ling Wa was suddenly sent flying, tracing a graceful arc through the air, past the chirping birds and fragrant flowers, over the majestic mountains and rivers, and straight out of Tianxuan Gate.

The one who struck him was Chu Xuan, who had just emerged from the pool.

During her seclusion, she had been fully aware, knowing that this little troublemaker had been lingering by her side, his sneaky hands wandering where they shouldn't.

That rascal was, of course, Xiao Ling Wa.

Ye Chen stood with his hands behind his back, sighing and clicking his tongue. With such a fierce wife, he wouldn't have to worry about anyone teasing him when he went out—unless they had a death wish or wanted to be launched into the sky.

Chu Xuan, however, acted as if nothing had happened. She stretched lazily and contentedly, her slender figure on full display, enhanced by her stunningly beautiful face, which was enough to stir anyone's impulses.

Ye Chen smiled and asked, "Where did your Emperor's essence come from?"

"I don't know," Chu Xuan shook her head. "A gift from the Shen Guan Tian Jie when I crossed it?"

Ye Chen pondered for a moment and found the guess plausible.

In the past, Tian Zhi had survived the Shen Guan Tian Jie and gained the Emperor Dao Black Shore. Similarly, Chu Xuan had crossed it and received a reward, likely this Emperor's essence. It was like drawing lots—they both won prizes, but Tian Zhi drew the Emperor Dao Darkness, while Chu Xuan drew the Emperor's essence.

Ye Chen sighed to himself, wishing he could cross a Shen Guan Tian Jie too and bring back some treasures, like Emperor-level immortal techniques or divine essence. Those were priceless gems.

"What does this kind of heavenly tribulation signify?" Chu Xuan asked, puzzled.

"You're just too beautiful and made the heavens jealous," Ye Chen said meaningfully.

Hearing this, Chu Xuan's eyes flashed with fire, knowing he was just teasing her.

Still, even though it was teasing, the words warmed her heart.

Ye Chen took Chu Xuan's hand and said, "Let's go."

Once they left the immortal pool, they saw a group of elders, all relaxed and occupied—some playing chess at stone tables, others sipping from wine pots, and some strolling with hands behind their backs. There were over a hundred of them, each busy with their own activities.

As soon as Ye Chen appeared, they all gathered around, smiling cheerfully.

Chu Xuan raised an eyebrow slightly, finding their grins a bit sleazy.

Ye Chen, on the other hand, understood perfectly—it was probably another shortage.

Di Lao sighed and said, "Today we part ways, and who knows when we'll meet again. Take these and keep them safe."

With the demeanor of a senior, he handed Ye Chen a large storage bag.

"Thank you, senior," Ye Chen replied solemnly, and in return, he presented his own storage bag.

"Take care."

"Take care."

Whether it was Ye Chen or the elders, they all wore serious expressions.

The scene looked unmistakably like a farewell, and the atmosphere unwittingly turned somewhat melancholic.

Chu Xuan, standing beside him, was completely baffled.

Were these senior elders going into seclusion? Is that why they were giving Ye Chen treasures out of conscience?

Unfortunately, she only got half of it right.

The treasures were indeed real, but the farewell was pure nonsense. One storage bag contained alchemy materials, and the other held the collector's edition.

So, it was just a transaction that accidentally turned into a heartfelt parting.

If Chu Xuan knew, she'd probably give them both a thumbs-up for pulling off such a shady deal with such emotional flair. Where was the integrity in that?

In the end, Ye Chen left, striding away with a bold and imposing air.

"During my seclusion these years, has anything major happened?" Chu Xuan asked curiously.

"Why do you say that?" Ye Chen asked with a smile, raising an eyebrow.

"These senior elders are suddenly being so nice to you—it's unnatural," Chu Xuan said with a laugh.

"Well, that's a long story," Ye Chen said meaningfully.

Chu Xuan waited for more, but Ye Chen wouldn't elaborate. His wife had an Emperor Weapon and Emperor-level divine essence in her body—if he got pinned down and beaten, he'd be the one crying.

By the time they reappeared, they were back at Hengyue Sect.

The Jade Girl Peak under the moonlight was draped in a sacred veil, but it felt eerily quiet.

Under the old tree, a beautiful woman sat alone, quietly.

Upon their return, she slowly lifted her eyes, not looking at Ye Chen, but at Chu Xuan. The expression in her eyes was hazy and unsteady, barely concealing an ancient sense of weariness.

That night, Ye Chen tied on an apron and headed to the kitchen to prepare dinner for his wife.

After ten years, his cooking skills were still as masterful as ever.

Chu Xuan sat nearby, resting her chin in her hands, quietly watching him. Her eyes were full of tenderness—her Ye Chen was still so charming, leaving her utterly captivated.

While she watched Ye Chen, the beautiful woman was silently watching her, with that same inexplicable gaze.

In moments like this, Chu Xuan felt confused. Why did the beautiful woman look at her that way? It made her feel uncomfortable all over. Did we know each other? Or did we have some deep grudge?

Dinner was still warm and cozy.

Ye Chen added a touch of romance with two red candles, creating a classic candlelit meal. The atmosphere was incredibly romantic, making the beautiful woman feel awkward from start to finish.

An nearly fully realized female Holy Body had somehow become a third wheel.

So, the beautiful woman had good sense and ate quickly before leaving. It had been ten years since she'd had Ye Chen's cooking, and this time, she was just hitching a ride on Chu Xuan's coattails.

Without the third wheel, it was a true candlelit dinner.

Under the moonlight, Ye Chen and Chu Xuan were the perfect match—one an ancient Holy Body, the other a Taishang Xian Ti; one her student, the other his master. They looked incredibly well-suited.

Normally, scenes like this would lead to some activities after dinner.

But Ye Chen couldn't—more precisely, with the heavenly punishment on him, he couldn't. So, with his stunning wife right there, all he could do was admire her. Any thoughts of getting closer remained just thoughts.

The stars sparkled, and the moon shone brightly.

The two sat at the peak, the peerless Taishang Xian Ti now like a delicate young woman, clinging to Ye Chen's arm with her cheek on his shoulder, as sweet as could be.

Ye Chen's smile was full of warmth.

How many years had it been since they'd been alone like this? He couldn't help but recall his early days at Jade Girl Peak, when this woman by his side hadn't held back on disciplining him. Those memories held a special beauty.

"They truly are a perfect pair," said the beautiful woman from the North Saint, gazing up at the peak. She gave a self-mocking smile and quietly turned away, her lonely figure carrying a hint of desolation.

Qi Yue was the same, silently closing the door to her seclusion chamber.

The next day, before dawn fully broke, Ye Chen was up, making breakfast for his wife.

Afterward, he went to the mountaintop and set up his alchemy furnace.

As for Chu Xuan, she chose a secluded spot to sit in meditation. Now a Quasi-Emperor cultivator, she needed to open her internal small world—a privilege exclusive to the Quasi-Emperor realm.

The beautiful woman also found something to occupy herself with, quietly carving wood.

Everything proceeded smoothly and orderly.

In the following days, alchemy tribulations appeared frequently—one from the Spirit Pill Pavilion and one from Jade Girl Peak. One was from Dan City Elder Xu Fu, and the other from Dan City City Lord Ye Chen. The two seemed to be competing in alchemy; as soon as one tribulation ended, the other began, making Hengyue Sect quite lively.

"Have those two gone mad?" Pang Da Chuan sighed, always dropping by for visits. Whether at the Spirit Pill Pavilion or Jade Girl Peak, he found them both refining pills.

"You'll get used to it," Zhou Da Fu yawned, his eyes ringed with dark circles.

It wasn't just him—most disciples and elders in Hengyue Sect were the same, unable to sleep well with the constant thunder waking them from dreams. They all looked exhausted.

To help, some thoughtful people added barriers around the Spirit Pill Pavilion and Jade Girl Peak.

With no disturbances, Ye Chen and Xu Fu became even more intense.

Ye Chen was refining eight-pattern pills, each triggering a pill tribulation, while Xu Fu had grasped the secrets of alchemy and was making two-pattern pills, also drawing tribulations. They refined nonstop, day and night.

Nine days later, Chu Xuan emerged from seclusion, having formed her internal small world.

That quiet night, she sat under the old tree, gazing silently at the peak, not disturbing him. She knew Ye Chen's frenzied pursuit of alchemy was preparation for refining the Nine Revolutions Soul-Returning Pill.

A breeze blew by, and the beautiful woman arrived, sitting down quietly without a word, not carving wood or eating spirit fruits. She sat like a small ice sculpture.

"Senior, have we met before?" Chu Xuan asked softly, turning her head.

"Of course, I know you," the beautiful woman replied with a smile tinged with inexplicable ancient weariness. She didn't need to hear Chu Xuan's words; just seeing her face evoked memories of long-forgotten past events.

Chu Xuan frowned, deeply puzzled. The little one before her was a female Holy Body, with a seniority even higher than Di Huang. How could they be old acquaintances? That would span countless eras.

Boom!

As they spoke, Ye Chen succeeded in his alchemy again, and before the pills even left the furnace, a pill tribulation appeared.

Almost simultaneously, lightning manifested from the Spirit Pill Pavilion.

But their tribulations paled in comparison to the thunderous boom that followed. Dark clouds rolled in, with flashes of lightning and thunder, carrying a terrifying pressure.

Indeed, someone was triggering a heavenly tribulation—and not just one, but two.

Chu Xuan stood up, and Ye Chen looked down toward the two chambers.

Under their gaze, Nan Ming Yu Shu and Liu Ru Yan emerged from their rooms one after another. They were the ones invoking the tribulation, having seized a breakthrough opportunity and taken that half-step forward.

No wonder they were close friends—one the daughter of an emperor, the other the eleventh princess of Great Chu. It was unclear if they'd planned it or if it was coincidence, but they broke through together.

The two exchanged smiles, glanced at Chu Xuan and Ye Chen, and left Hengyue Sect.

Seeing this, Ye Chen and Chu Xuan followed suit.

Close behind were cultivators from Great Chu, along with hordes of spectators eager for excitement. Ye Chen the Holy Body's two wives were triggering heavenly tribulations together—what a novelty! They had to watch, especially to see if it might summon the Shen Guan Tian Jie.

Nan Ming Yu Shu and Liu Ru Yan's tribulations were quite domineering, both bathing in lightning as they reached the ethereal peak, each summoning nine Emperor-level Dharma Bodies.

Unfortunately, no Shen Guan Tian Jie appeared.

When the tribulations ended, the two barely escaped destruction, surviving nine deaths and one life before finally achieving nirvana.

Thus, Tianxuan Gate's immortal pool gained two more beauties.

And those elders at Tianxuan Gate put on another farewell performance in front of Chu Xuan, openly trading the so-called collector's edition treasures.

Two months later, Nan Ming Yu Shu and Liu Ru Yan both emerged from seclusion, having solidified their realms, opened their internal small worlds, and exuding the poise of empresses, like two living exiled immortals.

There was supposed to be another candlelit dinner, but it was interrupted by yet another tribulation.

This time, it was the second mistress of the Holy Body family—Ye Ling Er's mother.

Her tribulation was no weaker than Liu Ru Yan's, though it fell short of Chu Xuan's. She battled nine Emperor-level Dharma Bodies alone, fighting fiercely under the heavens and nearly perishing several times.

"The whole family's a bunch of Quasi-Emperors—unbelievable."

"You get used to it. Don't mess with his family—it's the origin of Great Chu's bold spirit."

"Comparing people is just depressing!"

As the Holy Body family walked further away, the murmurs and sighs from the crowd lingered.

The interrupted candlelit dinner resumed two months later.

Ye Chen occasionally glanced toward the chambers. The wives who went out for training had all broken through, and those in seclusion at home had mostly advanced. Only Ji Ning Shuang and Shangguan Yu Er remained.

Ji Ning Shuang would break through eventually—it was just a matter of time.

As for Shangguan Yu Er, she was lagging behind. After ten years of seclusion, she had only reached the peak of Great Saint. Without some fortuitous encounter, she'd be stuck there for another decade.

Time slipped by quietly, inching closer to the tenth year.

Three days later, one night, Xi Yan returned from her cultivation, as playful as ever.

On the eighth day, Shangguan Han Yue also returned to Jade Girl Peak.

On the eleventh day, Luo Xi and Xuan Nu came home hand in hand, covered in travel dust.

On the nineteenth day, Lin Shi Hua stopped at the gates of Hengyue Sect.

On the twenty-seventh day, Hao Tian Shi Yue and Bi You and the others returned together.

On the thirty-fifth day, Shangguan Yu Er emerged from seclusion, her head drooping in resignation. After ten years, she still couldn't break through and needed more time to settle.

That night's dinner was quite lively. The usually quiet Jade Girl Peak was full of energy, and even the little beautiful woman smiled a bit. She hated loneliness the most.

"Ning Shuang, you're the only one left," Ye Chen said with a smile, gazing toward the chamber.

In the chamber, Ji Ning Shuang was bathed in immortal light, sleeping peacefully. She cultivated the Dream Dao, so sleeping was her form of seclusion. With her talent, she could have broken through long ago, but she was still accumulating her Dao essence. One day, with a single thought, she could summon the Quasi-Emperor Tribulation.