Chapter 2539: I'll Be Quiet First

As soon as Ye Chen finished speaking, the pagoda trembled with a buzz, causing the numerous sealing talismans to destabilize. The iron chains binding the pagoda rattled loudly, drawing crowds of heavenly soldiers and generals to gather.

“You’ve seen that jerk Zhao Yun?”

Shura Tianzun exclaimed in surprise, his emotions so stirred that he sneezed midway through his sentence, and even added three more words after Zhao Yun's name.

“I have.”

Ye Chen replied with just two words, his expression turning peculiar. From Shura Tianzun's tone, it was clear that he and Zhao Yun came from the same universe and were very familiar—close enough for him to casually call him a jerk.

“I knew it! That kid’s got nine lives.”

Shura Tianzun chuckled, his laughter echoing from the pagoda like ancient thunder booming. The surrounding heavenly soldiers and generals hadn’t even reached the spot before they were knocked out in waves.

“Be a pal and pass on a message—tell that guy to come rescue me.”

After laughing, Tianzun spoke again.

“This might be a bit tricky.”

Ye Chen coughed dryly.

“How tricky?”

“He’s already returned to his original universe.”

“You go ahead, I’ll just be quiet for now.”

“Alright.”

Ye Chen was straightforward and turned to leave. He didn’t want to agitate the guy any further and risk bringing trouble to Yu Di. They could chat later. For now, the priority was to escort the Yang Shi family away.

Indeed, Shura Tianzun kept his word and fell silent, with no sound for a long while.

Peering into the pagoda, the fellow was squatting on the altar with his hands tucked in, his already dark face now as black as charcoal. He muttered curses under his breath, “Good one, Zhao Yun, you didn’t even take me with you when you left.”

“The timelines don’t match up!”

On his end, Ye Chen muttered to himself as he walked.

Considering how long Shura Tianzun had been sealed—likely centuries—while Zhao Yun had only been around for a few decades at most, the two didn’t seem to have arrived together. More accurately, Shura Tianzun had come first.

There was another possibility: they arrived at the same time, but some forbidden taboo in the void disrupted the timeline, filling in the gaps of the years.

What happened next was easy to imagine—one entered the underworld, the other fell into the heavenly realm; one was thrown into the eighteen layers of hell by Ming Di, and the other was probably tossed into the Shura realm by Dao Zu.

To think people from that universe are quite something—actually crossing universes after death, and each one so formidable. One like Zhao Yun, unbeatable in his realm; another like Shura Tianzun, causing chaos in the heavenly court.

And Dao Zu and Ming Di were clever about it, sending them to fitting places.

“We’re here.”

Shangguan Yu suddenly spoke, coming to a stop.

Ye Chen snapped out of his thoughts and halted as well.

Before them stood a pavilion, guarded by heavenly soldiers and generals.

The heavenly general guarding this pavilion was different from the others, with a head of purple hair. He sat on the stone steps, sipping from a wine gourd, his sleepy eyes full of a carefree, unrestrained aura. This reminded Ye Chen a bit of Xie Yun.

“Another visitor.”

The purple-haired heavenly general belched, looking utterly relaxed.

“We’re here to pick someone up.”

Shangguan Yu smiled.

“Pick someone up?”

The purple-haired heavenly general looked up, stunned. Someone who offended Ba Taizi actually getting released? That was a first.

Ye Chen waved his hand, manifesting Yu Di’s decree.

“You actually got Yu Di’s decree.”

The purple-haired heavenly general gave a thumbs-up and casually dispelled the pavilion’s seal.

Ye Chen and Shangguan Yu stepped inside.

The pavilion was eerily quiet, with rows of cold, dim cells. Some held one person, others two—all members of the Yang Shi family, from elders to infants. Their faces were pale, and they all looked gaunt and sallow. Even the children hadn’t been spared these years of torment from the curse seals—who knew how much suffering they’d endured?

“Father, I’m late.”

“Yu’er?”

Shangguan Yu had already broken open the cell door and knelt with a thud. The past life was the past, and this life was now—these were his kin, bound by blood.

Sobs of grief erupted, filling the pavilion.

Ye Chen watched in silence, his eyes flickering with cold glints—that was his killing intent toward Ba Taizi. When the time came, he would settle the score with Yin Ming, even if it meant causing a uproar in the heavenly palace. If Yu Di played favorites again, he wouldn’t hesitate to turn the entire heavenly court upside down.

“No time to delay—let’s go quickly.”

Ye Chen transmitted his voice.

Shangguan Yu hastily wiped away his tears, and Ye Chen swept his sleeve, taking the entire Yang Shi family into his magical artifact.

The two arrived quickly and left even faster.

As they departed, they didn’t forget to bid farewell to the purple-haired heavenly general.

“He’s not a bad guy—always looked after my family.”

Shangguan Yu said with a smile.

Ye Chen chuckled and handed over a great saint weapon to the purple-haired heavenly general.

“How could I accept this?”

The purple-haired heavenly general sobered up instantly, grinning from ear to ear. Though he said that, his hands moved swiftly to take it, then he glanced sideways at Shangguan Yu. “Your friend here is way more generous than you.”

Shangguan Yu gave an awkward laugh. In the past, when visiting, he often slipped the purple-haired heavenly general some red envelopes—like heavenly stones, pills, or good wine—all cheap stuff. What could he do? He was broke.

“Come on, share the wealth.”

Ye Chen was quite generous, giving treasures to the pavilion’s heavenly soldiers as well before turning to leave.

Behind them, the heavenly soldiers were delighted. After guarding this prison for so many years, they’d received red envelopes before, but none as lavish as Ye Chen’s.

“I’ll send you all to the Scatter Immortal Realm.”

“Go to Hua Shan and find Hua Shan Zhenren. He’ll take good care of you—just wait quietly.”

“Don’t set foot in the heavenly court again.”

Along the way, Ye Chen kept giving instructions.

“Understood.”

“Hurry up, stop dawdling.”

Up ahead, heavenly soldiers shouted, escorting a prisoner inside.

The prisoner was a young man with messy hair, shackled at the neck and ankles. His body was covered in bloody wounds, his face deathly pale, and blood trickled from his mouth. His powers were sealed, leaving him as weak as a lamb, pushed along by two heavenly soldiers on either side. Any hesitation earned him a whip.

Ye Chen’s body trembled at the sight—the young man was a reincarnated soul.

He might not believe it if he said it out loud, but this was the King of Hell.

Yes, the King of Hell, a great figure from a certain era in Great Chu. He once vied for supremacy with the War King, later joined Zhengyang Sect, dabbled in Yinming dead soldiers, and caused numerous bloody calamities. He perished during his tribulation and fell into the underworld. When the heavenly demons invaded, he was summoned by Lin Shuhua at the cost of her life to aid Great Chu, forging an eternal life-and-death pact with her.

In that battle, Lin Shuhua died, and the King of Hell, as part of Great Chu’s expeditionary force, fought the demon lord to the death.

Ye Chen never expected someone like the King of Hell to reincarnate. First, he died to the underworld, then was summoned to fight and die again, only to reincarnate into the heavenly realm. Among Great Chu’s ninety million heroic spirits, he stood out the most.

“Move it, move it.”

The shouts came again, snapping Ye Chen from his thoughts.

Ye Chen quickly stepped forward, while Shangguan Yu looked on in confusion, not recognizing the reincarnated King of Hell due to his changed appearance.

“My fellow daoists, may I ask what crime he’s committed?”

Ye Chen inquired politely, handing each of them a storage bag containing ten thousand heavenly stones.

With the money in hand, the two heavenly soldiers were in high spirits and readily explained, “A while back, he crossed paths with Ba Taizi and got caught.”

“It’s Ba Taizi again.”

Ye Chen clenched his fists, his knuckles cracking. Though he suppressed his killing intent, a trace still leaked out—ice-cold and terrifying—making the two heavenly soldiers stagger and turn pale instantly. The killing intent was too overwhelming.

Not just them, even the reincarnated King of Hell glanced over, unsure if Ye Chen’s killing intent was aimed at him or Ba Taizi. But upon seeing Ye Chen’s face, his heart trembled faintly, feeling as if he’d seen this stone spirit somewhere before.

“Go, go, go.”

Startled by Ye Chen, the two heavenly soldiers hurried the prisoner along, eager to finish and leave.

Ye Chen followed silently.

Coincidentally, the King of Hell was imprisoned in the same place where the Yang Shi family had been held. Seeing a new prisoner, the purple-haired heavenly general waved casually, but upon noticing Ye Chen, he raised an eyebrow.

Ye Chen didn’t speak, just waved another great saint weapon.

“Got it.”

The purple-haired heavenly general understood immediately—Ye Chen meant for him to take good care of the newly imprisoned one.

Ye Chen remained silent, standing quietly outside the pavilion. Through the walls, he could vaguely see the King of Hell locked away. Past grievances were in the past—regardless of the King’s grave mistakes, he had once fought to protect Great Chu and was one of its ninety million heroic spirits.

From the King of Hell, Ye Chen could faintly see Lin Shuhua’s shadow, for in his previous life, the King was brought back by the sacrifice of her life.

“Don’t act rashly—think things through.”

The purple-haired heavenly general took a swig of wine, his words drawn out. Seeing Ye Chen linger, he sensed he might be planning a prison break.

Ye Chen did have that idea, but he forced it down. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to save him—it was impossible. Even if he broke him out, they couldn’t escape this prison. If he were in the quasi-emperor realm, maybe, but as a great saint, stirring trouble here would be suicide.

He wasn’t afraid of death; he just couldn’t die yet. There were still many reincarnated souls in the heavenly realm he hadn’t found, and he hadn’t returned home for a look. So, the purple-haired heavenly general’s words made sense—think things through. Acting impulsively would cost not just his life but endanger the reincarnated ones too.

“Let’s go.”

Ye Chen took one last look and turned abruptly. He’d calculated that the King of Hell wasn’t in immediate danger, giving him time to handle other matters.

“kid, next time you come, bring me a good bottle of wine.”

From behind, a faint voice drifted over, from Shura Tianzun.

“Sure thing.”

Ye Chen laughed and left with Shangguan Yu, heading straight for the Milky Way’s edge.

Behind him, space twisted continuously as several figures trailed in secret, all cloaked in black robes, their faces hidden, only their cold, desolate eyes visible, gleaming with a sinister light.

No need to guess—they were Ba Taizi’s people.

Ye Chen could sense them, his eyes flashing with cold intent. He couldn’t move against Ba Taizi yet, so he’d start with them. This was just a small interest payment. Once he advanced to quasi-emperor, he would definitely execute Yin Ming.