Chapter 2545: Purple

"I'll return another day."

With those words, Ye Chen slowly turned and left. Since it was a forbidden area of the Heavenly Prison, it wasn't wise to linger. One wrong move could be disastrous.

Just a few steps away, a divine sense entered his sea of consciousness. This divine sense, transmitted by Xiu Luo Tianzun, contained a secret technique—a profound immortal art for eavesdropping, a high-level Eavesdropping Immortal Technique.

"Thank you."

Ye Chen smiled, casually waving a hand behind him. The wine he had given hadn't been for nothing; in return, he had gained this immortal art. While the Eavesdropping Immortal Technique had no offensive power, it was incredibly practical, especially for intelligence gathering, similar to Hua Shan Xianzi and Bi You Xianzi.

Watching Ye Chen's figure gradually disappear into the distance, the heavenly general guarding the pagoda had a strange expression, puzzled by Ye Chen's kindness towards Xiu Luo Tianzun.

He was observing, and so was Xiu Luo Tianzun.

In the Tianzun's eyes, a flicker of wariness was evident, and he couldn't hide it. From Ye Chen, he sensed an aura akin to Zhao Yun's—a heaven-defying aura, not something just anyone possessed.

"Zhao Yun, your friend is quite capable," Xiu Luo Tianzun said with a smile, then raised his head for another drink, truly drowning his sorrows in alcohol.

"I need to find a way to get him out."

As he walked, Ye Chen muttered to himself, contemplating how to rescue the Tianzun. That guy was incredibly powerful; if he could escape the Heavenly Prison, he would be a significant asset.

Of course, it wasn't just for that reason—it was also for Zhao Yun. After all, the Tianzun was Zhao Yun's friend, and Ye Chen was Zhao Yun's sworn brother!

"If I had known this, I should have asked Lao Jiu about Zhao Yun's wife back then," Ye Chen stroked his chin, muttering to himself.

As he thought this, he stepped into the void and headed straight for Bi Xia Palace.

This journey held many surprises. The three thousand clones he had left in the lower realm had found two reincarnated individuals—one from the Da Chu imperial clan and one from Zheng Yang Sect. Both had already regained their past memories and were currently heading collectively to Hua Shan.

Ye Chen chuckled and picked up his pace.

Behind him, hidden figures shadowed him like specters, occasionally revealing a trace of killing intent, as if ready to strike and rob him.

Sure enough, while passing through a mountain range, the hidden assailants attacked. They were all cloaked in black robes, each at the Quasi-Emperor level, with one having reached the fifth heaven of Quasi-Emperor, exuding an overwhelming momentum and fierce pressure.

But to Ye Chen, none of this was a challenge.

By the time Ye Chen emerged from the mountains, the three Quasi-Emperors had been eliminated. He had stripped them of all their treasures and even devoured their life-bound primordial spirits.

At that moment, in the Crown Prince's palace, Zi Yang Xianjun was in disbelief, his face growing even darker. In his hand were three more shattered primordial spirit jade tablets.

The esteemed Xianjun was utterly stunned.

Ever since Ye Chen had appeared, he had suffered setback after setback. First, the ambush in the lower realm had cost him troops; then yesterday's interception at the Yang family had resulted in the loss of over a dozen Quasi-Emperors; and now, another three had been killed.

"How could this be?" Zi Yang Xianjun gritted his teeth, his eyes flashing with murderous intent. Facing a mere Great Saint and constantly running into trouble—how could a Xianjun like him endure it?

Bathed in immortal light, Ye Chen landed in front of a magnificent estate.

This estate was exquisitely beautiful, shrouded in mist and ethereal haze, with radiant glows enveloping it entirely—it was Bi Xia Palace.

"May the Xianzi announce my arrival? I wish to see Bi Xia Xianzi," Ye Chen said with a smile, standing politely at the palace gates.

"A mere Star Monarch dares to seek an audience with the Xianzi?"

The gate-guarding heavenly soldier was extremely arrogant. Ever since he started as a guard at Bi You Palace, people came knocking every few days, most of them improper, and plenty thinking they were handsome enough to woo her. Each one tried their luck to catch a glimpse of the Xianzi's beauty or flirt, putting on all sorts of acts.

Ye Chen said nothing and stepped back.

Then, he took a deep breath, gathered his strength, and let out a booming shout.

"Purple color!"

That's right, he shouted those three words, his voice loud and resonant, echoing like thunder, so powerful that it made the other gate guards dizzy and unsteady on their feet.

As soon as those three words rang out, a jade hand extended from Bi Xia Palace, crystalline and translucent, grabbing Ye Chen and pulling him inside.

The one who acted was, of course, Bi Xia Xianzi. She had been in meditation when Ye Dasha's shout startled her, making her immortal body tremble. Glancing out, she saw it was Zi Wei Star Monarch, and she understood the meaning behind that shout all too well—it really was about the purple color.

Thud!

Deep within Bi Xia Palace was a grove of lush bamboo. Ye Chen was flung to the ground.

Bi Xia Xianzi stood there gracefully, her immortal face flushed with a rosy hue, her watery eyes now blazing with fire. If her gaze could kill, Ye Chen would likely be sipping Meng Po soup by now.

Ye Chen got up, his laugh awkwardly forced, though he felt quite pleased inside. How could this be my fault? It was your people who wouldn't let me in, forcing me to use my trump card. And it proved effective.

Bi Xia Xianzi said nothing, just stared at Ye Chen, making the young master feel a chill run through his entire body, as if she might strike at any moment.

Ye Chen gave another dry laugh. Since Bi Xia Xianzi wasn't speaking, he decided to stay silent too. His divine sense had already spread out, enveloping the entire Bi Xia Palace.

Soon, his eyes lit up. There really was a reincarnated person here—Bi Xia Xianzi's disciple. Back in the lower realm, Hua Shan Xianzi had shown him a portrait, and now he confirmed it.

He recognized this reincarnated individual; her name was Yue Xin. They had met once before. In her past life, she belonged to Xing Yue Palace, and in terms of seniority, she was of the same generation as the Xing Yue Shen Nu.

"What brings you here?" Bi Xia Xianzi finally spoke, her tone far from friendly. Every time she thought of those three words—"purple color"—it irked her immensely. Such a young man, up to no good, resorting to such shameless tactics.

"I'm here for your disciple," Ye Chen replied with a smile.

"Are you here to propose marriage too?" Bi Xia Xianzi sat down, shooting Ye Chen a stern glare. Though she wasn't particularly fond of him, the young man's talents did astonish her, so he might not be a bad match for her disciple.

"It's not about marriage; I have important business."

Ye Chen smiled and turned his gaze, for a woman was approaching from outside the bamboo grove. It was Bi Xia's disciple, the reincarnated Yue Xin. She was divinely graceful, her peerless beauty rivaling Bi Xia Xianzi's, her entire body enveloped in immortal radiance, like a ethereal exile from the heavens, untouched by mortal dust.

As she entered, Yue Xin's first glance at Ye Chen made her heart stir involuntarily. This young man before her felt oddly familiar, like a long-lost friend or relative, evoking a deep sense of closeness.

"Return to your true self," Ye Chen said with a laugh, summoning the Memory Immortal Light.

Ah...

Yue Xin let out a soft groan, her body staggering. Her once serene face was now etched with pain, and her clear eyes clouded over, blurring the line between reality and illusion. Her delicate form trembled in agony.

"What have you done to her?"

Bi Xia Xianzi snorted coldly and instantly appeared in front of Ye Chen, her movements profoundly mysterious. Her strike caught him off guard; before he could react, a jade hand had seized his neck, lifting him into the air.

Indeed, Bi Xia Xianzi was at the peak of Quasi-Emperor, and not just any peak—Ye Chen wasn't her match in a fight.

But Ye Chen was no ordinary person; with his imperial ethereal arts, he broke her restraints in a flash and darted to the other side.

"You little brat, I underestimated you," Bi Xia Xianzi chided coldly, appearing before him again in an instant.

"Just wait a moment; it'll be fine soon," Ye Chen said, his form like a ghost, matching her speed perfectly as he evaded with ease.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

The two chased each other through the bamboo grove, like streaks of light darting about. The peak Quasi-Emperor Bi Xia Xianzi couldn't catch Ye Chen, leaving her astonished once more. Had this boy mastered some divine art?

They finally stopped, standing one on each side, both panting—Ye Dasha heavily, and Bi Xia Xianzi with sweat on her face.

This scene would make anyone misunderstand; it looked far too intense.

But they didn't continue, for Yue Xin had awakened.

"You... are... Ye Chen?"

Yue Xin's eyes were misty, glistening with light that formed into frost. Crystalline tears streamed down her cheeks. She had regained her past memories, recalling her homeland and, of course, Ye Chen—the lord of the Heavenly Court.

In her bloody memories, it was this young man who led the Da Chu cultivators in a charge, fighting all the way to Bei Zhen Cang Yuan to avenge the Da Chu heroes.

"It's me," Ye Chen said, his smile laden with a sense of age and hardship.

"I greet the Holy Lord." Yue Xin dropped to one knee with a thud, her voice choked with emotion, equally full of weariness.

This sight left Bi Xia Xianzi baffled. They knew each other? Her disciple had been under Ye Chen before? When was this?

As she pondered in confusion, Ye Chen helped Yue Xin to her feet.

What followed left even Bi Xia Xianzi's composure in disarray; the two seemed to forget her entirely, lost in conversation. Especially her disciple, who cried and laughed, laughed and cried, her emotions a mix of tears and joy.

This made Bi Xia Xianzi feel awkward; after all, this was her own palace, yet she felt like the outsider, unable to join in.

Under her watchful eye, Yue Xin embraced Ye Chen—it was her initiative, her own choice. She held him tightly, as if using all her strength, her tears soaking Ye Chen's chest as she sobbed uncontrollably.

Bi Xia Xianzi frowned slightly, glancing between Yue Xin and Ye Chen. She knew her disciple well; the girl was reserved, rarely speaking to male cultivators. Seeing her hug Ye Chen like this completely upended her understanding.

When she looked at Ye Chen, her expression darkened. Was he here to whisk away the disciple I so carefully raised?

Ye Chen didn't notice her gaze, and the Yue Xin in his arms was the same, overwhelmed by thoughts of her homeland and oblivious to her master's presence.

This embrace held no romantic desires, only the bond of homeland. Listening to Ye Chen's heartbeat and feeling the warmth of the Heavenly Court's Holy Lord, she realized it was real, a warmth like never before. After a full cycle of reincarnation, her state of mind was beyond words.

Ahem!

Finally, Bi Xia Xianzi cleared her throat lightly, making her point clear: there was still someone here—could you two spare a moment for me?