Chapter 2418: Taking the Lead

Bang! Boom! Bang!

Outside Heng Yue Shan, thunderous sounds erupted immediately.

Then, Ye Ling returned, clapping her hands as if nothing had happened, and went back to the dining table to eat. As for the Lie Huo Zhan Ti who had gone out with her, he did not come back.

By "did not come back," it meant he was lying there, sprawled out in a perfect spread-eagle pose, radiating an air of over-the-top dominance. His back was covered in delicate footprints, suggesting he had been stepped on.

To be precise, he had been beaten up, and his attacker was Ye Ling. That little girl had a fierce temper when it flared up—she was incredibly ferocious, and even the Lie Huo Zhan Ti was no match for her.

This proved that the Sheng Ling Ti was not only good at causing trouble but also exceptionally skilled in combat. The title "little troublemaker of the world" was well-deserved.

What a sight!

Ye Chen and the women sighed in admiration. They could see through the mountain that the Lie Huo Zhan Ti was not tough enough—if he couldn't even handle Ye Ling, he had no business dreaming of becoming a son-in-law of Jade Maiden Peak. He was in the wrong place entirely, and forget about Ye Fan.

It was unclear when, but the Lie Huo Zhan Ti finally got up, clutching his lower back and wiping away his nosebleed. He limped away, now understanding why Ye Ling had asked if he could take a beating. He also realized why Nan Ming Yu Shu had given him healing medicine—Ye Chen's wife had been quite prescient.

After the meal, more people arrived, and quite a few at that.

They were mostly from the younger generation: Dao Yuan Shen Ti, Zi Fu Xian Ti, Jiu You Mo Ti, Xiao Man Wang, Da Di Zhi Zi, Tai Yin Tai Yang. It was as if they had coordinated in advance, coming together to wander around Da Chu.

Along the way, they also looked for opponents to challenge.

The targets of these challenges were naturally Ye Fan and Yang Lan.

Earlier, in the competition among the younger generation, the two of them had only fought against Tai Yin Tai Yang before vanishing. They had rarely appeared afterward. Now, they came to make up for that regret, wanting to see if the child of the Sheng Ti was truly as terrifying as the legends said. They needed to test it out.

Thus, a battle among the younger generation unfolded in Da Chu.

Boom! Bang! Boom!

The rumbling sounds came one after another, rising and falling in waves. There were multiple battle circles, with Ye Fan and Yang Lan both joining the fights. The visitors were not idle either, each finding their own opponents.

The younger generation's commotion created significant shockwaves, damaging many ancient cities and immortal mountains in the process.

"This bunch of little brats."

On a mountaintop, Gu San Tong stroked his beard and glared in anger.

He was not the only one cursing like this.

Because of the earlier brawl in the Red Dust Six Paths, Da Chu's mountains and rivers had been devastated, and everyone was busy repairing their sects. Now, these youngsters had shown up, not helping at all and only adding to the chaos.

While some cursed, others watched the spectacle.

Whenever there was a challenge, there were spectators. It wasn't just people from Da Chu—cultivators from the starry skies had heard the news and flocked over in droves to watch.

As a result, Da Chu was filled everywhere with dense crowds of people.

"All these kids, and yet other people's kids are so much better at fighting!"

On a small hilltop, Xie Yun stood with his hands tucked in his sleeves, squatting there as a spectator. He watched from start to finish, sighing and clicking his tongue in amazement.

"You three, have you no shame?"

Si Tu Nan turned his head, glaring at Si Tu Yun, Xie Nan, and Xiong Xiao Er as he grumbled. They were all from the younger generation, but while Ye Fan and Yang Lan were battling and dominating, these three didn't even qualify to join the fight.

"If you're not strong enough yourself, at least marry a tough wife!"

Xiong Er shot back.

The three sons hung their heads in embarrassment, feeling deeply reflective. They couldn't help but mutter to themselves: And you're criticizing us? Weren't you from that generation also crushed by Uncle Ye? If the father isn't up to par, how can the son be? And you have the nerve to say that to us?

Speaking of Uncle Ye, he actually showed up, descending from the sky and making the hilltop rumble and shake. This left Xie Yun and the others with dark expressions. Do you have to bring that arrogant aura everywhere you go?

Get used to it!

Ye Chen's expression perfectly conveyed that sentiment, full of swagger. He seemed to say: All of you, behave. If anyone dares to complain, I'll beat not just you three, but your sons too.

Awkward!

Xiong Er and Si Tu Nan also squatted down, heads drooping like prisoners in a labor camp. After being suppressed by Ye Chen for two reincarnations, they still couldn't hold their heads high.

Ye Chen ignored them and just watched the battles. He could see in a distant deep forest that Ye Fan was locked in an intense fight with Zi Fu Xian Ti, like an immortal king versus a war god, quite dazzling to behold.

Looking at the spectators, there were crowds of real people packed around, with figures covering the surrounding hilltops. Cheers rose like ocean waves, one crashing over the next.

It had to be said, Zi Fu Xian Ti was truly extraordinary. His strand of Zi Fu Xian Qi was incredibly domineering. But Ye Fan from his family was no slouch either. His pitch-black thunder was unparalleled, shaped by the power of heavenly tribulation, full of destruction. Even Zi Fu Xian Qi struggled to break through the tribulation thunder.

This battle lasted three full days and nights.

In the end, Zi Fu Xian Ti was defeated, still falling short against the Tian Ze Zhi Ti.

Only then did Ye Chen leave.

Before departing, this guy couldn't resist kicking Xie Yun and the other three once. Every time he saw his three good brothers, he had to get in a kick—it was a must. He still remembered the grudge from when he was turned back to youth; recalling it made him feel the pain all over again.

Then, he arrived at Tian Xuan Men, where all the old folks were gathered.

Upon seeing his figure, no one asked about the secrets anymore. It seemed they had asked Di Lao quite a bit in the past few days, but hadn't pried out anything useful. The clever old folks could guess that it wasn't that Di Lao and Ye Chen wouldn't say—it was that Di Huang wouldn't allow it, as the implications were too significant.

Ye Chen was quite casual. He greeted them and headed straight for the Immortal Pond.

Hong Yan was still healing there. Her Sheng Ti showed no bloody gashes; the wounds were all on her primordial spirit, or rather, they were dao wounds. She was incredibly powerful, using her bloodline force to transform into thunder, thereby mending the wounds on her primordial spirit. Her recovery was only a matter of time, and once done, it would be the Great Accomplishment Tribulation.

"Once I truly reach great accomplishment, I will return your origin to you."

Hong Yan said softly with her eyes closed.

"Don't be so polite."

Ye Chen chuckled. In reality, he was eager for Hong Yan to give it to him right then. He was just a half-baked Sheng Ti, still missing half of his origin—it didn't sit right.

He stayed for three days before turning to leave.

Behind him, Hong Yan opened her eyes, sparks of fire flickering in them. She was holding back her anger. If she weren't healing, she would definitely have a chat with Ye Chen about what happened back then—it wasn't settled yet.

Three days passed, and then another three. Once Ye Fan had recovered, Dao Yuan Shen Ti arrived and challenged him on the spot.

Ye Chen didn't see Di Huang; he was probably not in Da Chu, likely searching for the Zhu Xian Jian or perhaps in the You Ming Continent. The heavenly demon invasion had caused the heaviest casualties there.

The emperor's prohibitions had been broken and needed supreme beings to repair.

And Di Huang was a supreme being. While he might not achieve what emperors could, he could barely inscribe prohibitions. Fixing You Ming was just as important as Da Chu—it couldn't be underestimated.

Three days slipped by quietly.

Ye Fan's wounds had healed, and after four days and nights, another challenge came.

This time, it was from Dao Yuan Shen Ti.

This battle was quite stunning, with the two fighting over eight hundred rounds, ending in Dao Yuan Shen Ti's defeat. They battled until their magical power was depleted and they could barely stand.

Under the moonlight, he smiled self-mockingly. Only after truly fighting the Tian Ze Zhi Ti did he realize its terror. Even with his full combat power and all his trump cards, he couldn't take down Ye Fan.

"Someday, we will fight again."

Dao Yuan Shen Ti left but didn't depart from Da Chu. He found a secluded spot to heal. They were all prodigies, each with their own unique pride—who would admit defeat?

Ye Fan smiled, wiped the fresh blood from the corner of his mouth, and headed straight for Heng Yue. He needed to heal quickly because more challengers were waiting. He didn't love fighting, but he wasn't afraid of it. Since they had come all this way, he had to give them a good fight and not tarnish his father's reputation.

Ji Ning Shuang watched with a gratified, motherly tenderness.

Meanwhile, Ye Da Shao on the side was not so proper. He was even thinking of taking Ji Ning Shuang somewhere for some fun, to make another child while they were still young—it would surely be a talent.

Unfortunately, his wife wasn't cooperating and wouldn't listen to his persuasion.

At times like this, he felt extra regretful. Back when they were in the room, he should have gotten a big iron bed. That way, he wouldn't have broken it, and how many opportunities would he have wasted?

"Dad, here, some specialties."

Ye Ling grinned and handed Ye Chen a storage bag.

"With a daughter like this, what more could a husband ask for?"

Ye Chen said with a meaningful expression, but he still accepted it. He had plenty of specialties, but what he really valued was the Yin Yang Forbidden Curse.

Another three days passed, and Jiu You Mo Ti arrived.

This younger generation member lived up to the name of Mo Ti—he was truly demonic. With the amplification of demonic dao combat power, even Ye Fan suffered a loss, but despite that, Mo Ti was still no match for Tian Ze Zhi Ti.

After the battle, this little Mo Ti was taken away by Kui Yu Jiang.

As a demon king, he favored such demonic youngsters and wanted to pass on his mantle to him. Upon inquiry, it turned out Jiu You Mo Ti's seniority was shockingly high—he had been sealed in the ancient era and unsealed in this one. In terms of generation, he was even higher than Xiao Man Wang.

Speaking of Xiao Man Wang, he was also a dominant figure, the younger brother of Man Di. It wasn't that simple—he waited three days and finally got his wish to face off against Tian Ze Zhi Ti.

The battlefield was on the border of Nan Chu, where they fought until the heavens collapsed and the earth split.

Unfortunately, Xiao Man Wang couldn't win either. His physical body was strong, but it was no match for Ye Fan's emperor dao immortal techniques.

The subsequent Da Di Zhi Zi also failed to create a legend. The bloodlines of heaven and earth had always been opposed, and their battle stained the skies with blood. Da Di Zhi Zi was defeated, not because he wasn't strong enough, but because Tian Ze Zhi Ti was too terrifying, with a comprehension of the dao that surpassed him.

After Da Di Zhi Zi, prodigies like Tai Yin Zhi Ti and Tai Yang Zhi Ti also stepped up one after another, each losing more miserably than the last.

This competition among the younger generation lasted a full three months before truly concluding. The outcome was beyond doubt—Ye Fan, the son of the Sheng Ti, monopolized the top position, defeating all the heavenly talents.

As for Tian Sha Yang Lan, her combat power was slightly weaker; she fought a few draws, and in the rest, she had no losses. The power of Tian Sha was still being developed and needed more time to mature.

"The leader of the new era has to come from the Sheng Ti lineage."

"Even Dao Yuan Shen Ti was defeated—truly, a tiger father has no dog sons."

"Two young emperor-level figures combining to produce a child—it's bound to be a prodigy."

The cultivators who came to watch sighed endlessly, having seen it all from start to finish. No one could defeat Ye Fan, and no one could truly beat Yang Lan. These two youths and maidens already had the bearing of young emperors. In a few years, the heavens would gain two more young emperor-level figures.

With the event concluded, the spectators gradually dispersed.

However, some individuals wouldn't let them leave. The Quasi-Emperors of Tian Xuan Men, who had been holding back for a month, made a strong appearance. Anyone who came to Da Chu, regardless of age or gender, was detained. They had trashed the place and now wanted to leave? They could go, but only after repairing the sects first.

As a result, the young prodigies who came for challenges and the cultivators who came to watch all became forced laborers. No excuses worked—it truly lived up to Da Chu's fierce and unyielding spirit.