Chapter 2558: The Human Realm Divides

After leaving the Yu Di's sleeping palace, Ye Chen went straight to the Tian Lao.

The Tian Lao had been sealed for half a year, but the guards were finally withdrawn, mainly because Xiu Luo Tian Zun had been behaving himself. Even so, security remained extremely tight. Visitors could come to see prisoners, but the forbidden areas were off-limits. For instance, the realm where Xiu Luo Tian Zun was held, within a hundred li radius, was inaccessible—no matter how many bribes you offered, you couldn't get through.

"Brat, why are you alone? Where's that fairy?" As soon as Ye Chen entered, he heard Xiu Luo Tian Zun's voice. It was the middle of the night, and the old man's eyes were wide open, staring intently. He could spot Ye Chen's figure from a great distance.

"She'll come tomorrow."

Xiu Luo Tian Zun deflated instantly, his bright eyes dimming considerably.

Ye Chen glanced away and headed toward the cell of the Chu Wang.

"Xing Jun, your information network is impressive. The Tian Lao was just unsealed, and here you are," said the same Zi Fa Tian Jiang. Ye Chen had visited a couple of times before, but this was the first time he saw him without a drink in hand. The general was sitting on a cloud, quietly meditating.

"Just passing by."

Ye Chen smiled and casually pulled out a storage bag, offering it generously. This time, he wasn't giving Tian Shi; instead, it was magical artifacts—specifically, Xian Guo.

The Zi Fa Tian Jiang took a look. Oh? Pan Tao.

The guarding Tian Bing also got a share. Ye Chen was generous, handing out bags to each one. Not just the generals, but the soldiers too were delighted. Pan Tao from the Heavenly Court wasn't something just anyone could eat. The grand Pan Tao banquet happened only once every hundred years, and only officials of at least second rank could attend—folks like Xian Jun. Even peak Quasi-Emperor soldiers like them had never seen so much as a peach pit before.

Who would have thought that a young Xing Jun like Ye Chen would be so lavish, just giving them away?

Ye Chen chuckled and stepped into the prison.

In the deepest cell, Chu Wang sat like he was in deep meditation, still as a statue.

"Senior, have a drink."

"Half a year apart, and your cultivation has advanced again."

Chu Wang didn't hold back. Ye Chen hadn't visited in six months, so he hadn't had a drop to drink in that time—he was craving it badly. Though his powers were sealed, his insight was intact. He could see that Ye Chen had reached the Quasi-Emperor bottleneck. If it were anyone else, he'd be shocked, but with Ye Chen, he was used to it by now. The young master was just that extraordinary.

"When I become a Quasi-Emperor, I'll get you out."

"Don't be reckless." Chu Wang sat down, his words heavy with experience and sorrow. "I've lived two lives—that's more than enough. Life and death are just fleeting clouds to me. Just take my ashes back to my homeland, and that'll be fine."

"This isn't the Chu Wang I remember." Ye Chen took a bite of a peach. Mmm, it was sweeter than the ones from Yao Chi Holy Land. He made a mental note to swing by the Pan Tao Garden later and stock up a cartful, then plant some on Hua Shan.

Chu Wang shook his head with a smile and quietly drank.

"Back in the day, Da Chu had reincarnation. Maybe your loved one is still in the mortal world."

Ye Chen's words lingered in the air.

They made Chu Wang freeze. The wine jug he had raised paused mid-air, and he subconsciously set it down. His dim eyes sparked with hope. Ye Chen's mention reminded him of something he'd forgotten: Da Chu once had reincarnation, so his beloved might truly still be alive.

Thinking of his loved one brought back fragments of the past, painting a heartbreaking scene: a simple girl standing under a peach blossom tree, on her tiptoes, gazing at the horizon, waiting for her lover. She waited a lifetime, through countless springs, summers, autumns, and winters, until her hair turned white and her back bent, never seeing him return.

And he was that man.

"When I conquer the world, I'll come marry you."

That was the last thing he said to her, promising to use the entire world as her dowry, making her the supreme empress.

But fate played cruel tricks. He was defeated by the Zhan Wang.

In the midst of the heavenly tribulation's thunder sea, as he perished, he finally understood: that ordinary girl didn't want the world or the title of empress. She just wanted a simple life with him. But he realized it too late and ended up betraying her.

Chu Wang's eyes suddenly grew moist. Through one life and one death, he had missed so many cycles of reincarnation. That ancient promise reignited his will to live. He yearned to return home, to see her again, and make up for that regret.

"Take me home."

Chu Wang's smile was tinged with tears.

"That's more like it!"

"Drink up."

It wasn't until sometime later that Ye Chen left the cell.

"Brat, the Heavenly Court isn't a good place—get out while you can." Xiu Luo Tian Zun was still awake—or maybe he'd just woken up—and his voice echoed again as he stretched and yawned. "Even I've been suppressed here. You'd better watch yourself."

"Maybe it's because you're not strong enough."

"Hey!"

"How much do you know about the Yu Di?"

Ye Chen's tone turned serious.

"That guy is no simple matter—he has Tian Mo Qi in him."

"You know about Tian Mo?"

"I've been locked up so long, listening to those old-timers chat all day—my ears have calluses from it." Xiu Luo Tian Zun picked up his wine jug and spilled a secret. "Back in the Xiu Luo Realm, I once saw that black pillar—full of demonic energy and savagery."

"There's a Qing Tian Mo Zhu in the Xiu Luo Realm?" Ye Chen frowned.

"I saw it once, but the next second, it was destroyed by some world-shattering force. The Tian Mo that escaped from it was wiped out too." Xiu Luo Tian Zun spoke slowly. "This heaven must have someone even stronger than the Yu Di."

Ye Chen understood—it was clear who had destroyed it.

"The Yu Di is probably a Tian Mo himself, one whose bloodline and memories have been altered. Too bad it wasn't thorough enough—some Tian Mo Qi remains, clashing with his own essence. For endless ages, he's been tormented by it."

"Do you have any basis for that?"

Ye Chen stared intently. If this secret was true, it would be a huge boost for the transmigrated people—like Dan Mo, who could use that power to purge the Tian Mo bloodline and memories, returning to Da Chu's homeland.

"No basis—just a guess." Xiu Luo Tian Zun tossed aside his wine jug and stuck a toothpick in his mouth, looking meaningful. "In the future, if another Mo Zhu appears, just bring the Yu Di over. You'll know right away if it's true or not."

Ye Chen didn't reply, but he thought to himself: If a Qing Tian Mo Zhu really appeared, why bother testing? He'd just ask the Dao Zu directly. Once that pillar showed up, the Dao Zu would be on it faster than anyone— no exaggeration.

"How did that Zhao Yun guy get back?"

Xiu Luo Tian Zun changed the subject.

"Someone sent him off. Don't worry, when your time comes, someone will send you on your way too." Ye Chen said casually. The Ming Di had done it back in the day, so the Dao Zu could surely manage it—just a matter of timing, waiting for the two universes to align.

"In that case, help me keep an eye on that fairy—make sure no one steals her away."

"You still thinking of taking her back with you?"

"If she's willing, why not?" Xiu Luo Tian Zun laughed.

"I thought someone like you, staying in the Zhutian, would really stand out." Ye Chen spoke earnestly. That guy's combat power was on par with Zhao Yun's—he needed to convince him to join Da Chu. Another prodigy like that would be a huge asset. Ye Chen didn't know if he'd reach Emperor level, but he was definitely stronger than Emperor Son level. Even the Yu Di couldn't take him down alone—that's how formidable he was.

Little did Ye Chen know, Xiu Luo Tian Zun was thinking the same thing—plotting how to lure Ye Chen to their universe.

As they spoke, Ye Chen had already left the Tian Lao. He was mulling over the Dan Fight in three days. He needed to get some treasures from Dan Jun. Since it was a Dan Fight, there had to be some stakes. Besides the Long Xian Cao, he planned to fleece that guy good—otherwise, he'd never learn his lesson.

Under the moonlight, Ye Chen started daydreaming again. He really valued Dan Jun's Wan Mie Xian Yan. For refining pills, he only lacked the Feng Huang Hua. Once he had that, the rest was about the Xian Huo. Crafting a Hun Dun Huo might be the key to advancing with the Wan Mie Xian Yan.

In his homeland, the rumbling sounds had finally faded.

The great war between Zhutian and Hong Huang had ceased—or rather, both sides had called a truce and signed an agreement. The Yin Ming Star Domain would be the boundary: everything east belonged to Hong Huang, and everything west to Zhutian. Thus, the Human Realm was divided, creating a standoff.

"This might be the best outcome."

Tian Xu Tian Wang took a deep breath, and the other four forbidden zone Tian Wang sighed and shook their heads. Though they felt unjust for Zhutian, there was nothing to be done.

Zhutian wasn't weak, but Hong Huang's foundations were terrifyingly strong.

Put it this way: in terms of Quasi-Emperor numbers, even if Zhutian and its forbidden zones combined, they still couldn't match Hong Huang's forces. If the war continued, Zhutian's living forces would be decimated. And if the Tian Mo Domain attacked, how would they defend the universe?

The forbidden zones understood the situation, and so did Zhutian.

Hong Huang had far more Quasi-Emperors; Zhutian had more peak Quasi-Emperors. In a balanced fight, neither could destroy the other. If it dragged on to mutual destruction, it would be catastrophic. Trucing with Hong Huang was the only feasible option—this war couldn't go on.

This ending was exactly what Hong Huang wanted.

As the saying goes, a strong dragon has a hard time suppressing a local snake. The real issue was that back in the day, Di Huang was too ruthless, wiping out too many races and crippling others. Hong Huang's overall strength was no longer what it used to be. They desperately needed time to regroup. Seizing half of Zhutian's territory was just the first step. Once they recovered, they'd ignite the flames of war again.

Zhutian knew their intentions—it was all about waiting.

Hong Huang needed time to restore its vitality, and Zhutian had its own hopes: expecting Di Huang and Hong Yan to return. By then, even if Hong Huang regained its former glory, it wouldn't matter. No one could withstand two Great Cheng Saint Bodies—they'd be wiped out.

And so, this battle of flames ended.

In the war's aftermath, the entire starry sky was shrouded in blood. Too many star domains, too many stars, had turned to ruins from the chaos. As far as the eye could see, it was all devastation. No one knew how many had died or how many lay buried in foreign lands.

This war had been brutally savage.

"Damn war."

Chu Xuan stood in her battle armor, holding a bloodstained Xian Jian. She was utterly exhausted, her dim eyes unable to make out the world clearly. The once beautiful mountains and rivers were now piled with corpses and flowing with blood. The surging blood mist obscured everything.

"Sis, let's go home."

Chu Ling called out, with Nan Ming Yu Shu and the others nearby. They were all in battle form, wielding bloodied killing swords, each wounded and swaying unsteadily. Their faces were pale with fatigue, painting a poignant scene at the edge of the starry sky.

Ye Chen's wives were no less heroic than men.

Though the Tenth Emperor of Da Chu was absent, they had held up the sky.

That night, Hong Huang deployed heavy troops, and Zhutian did the same, garrisoned at the Yin Ming boundary. Across the starry sky, their eyes were filled with hatred. No one knew how long this standoff would last.

It might erupt into war again before tomorrow's sun even rose.