Chapter 2569: The Jade Emperor Abdicates

Chapter 2569: Yu Di Abdicates

Dan Zong had departed, chasing after a group of Xian Jun.

Meanwhile, Ye Chen's Purple Bamboo Forest was bustling with people. All were Xian Jun who possessed their own Zhen Huo, and they had come to ask Ye Chen to refine pills for them.

Ye Chen didn't hesitate, accepting the pill materials, Dan Fang, and Zhen Huo as payment without a second thought.

It wasn't until dawn that the Dao Fu finally fell quiet.

One thing worth mentioning was that as each person left, they couldn't help but click their tongues in amazement. They had thought Ye Chen defeating Dan Jun was impressive enough, but who would have expected that even Dan Shen's junior wasn't a match for him? The younger one lost, but the elder lost even more miserably.

After all, Ye Chen was only a minor Xing Jun, still in the Da Sheng realm. If he broke through to Zhun Di, his alchemy skills would surely evolve once again.

Not just them—even Yu Di, upon hearing the news, was stunned and took a while to recover. He knew full well how skilled Dan Zong was in alchemy, yet he had still lost to Ye Chen. That minor Xing Jun must be terrifyingly powerful, virtually unbeatable below Dan Shen.

Ba Tai Zi Yin Ming's smile remained as playful as ever. The more astonishing Ye Chen proved, the more excited he became. After all, destroying a peerless genius was the most entertaining game of all.

In the Purple Bamboo Forest, Bi Xia Xian Zi was still there.

She had served as the impartial witness and observer of the alchemy duel, truly seeing just how heaven-defying Ye Chen was.

By now, Ye Chen had already sat down cross-legged, drawing in one strand of Five Elements Xian Huo and dozens of strands of Zhen Huo into his Dan Hai, merging them with his purple Xian Huo.

Bi Xia glanced at him.

"Aren't you going to thank me?"

"Thank you, senior."

Ye Chen's response was straightforward, the three words delivered without any awkwardness.

In the past, he might have pulled out a rare collector's edition something for Bi Xia Xian Zi to enjoy as a thank-you.

But after returning to Da Chu and seeing his homeland in ruins, he had no heart for such lighthearted antics anymore. He only wanted to fuse the flames as quickly as possible, seeking a breakthrough opportunity, and reach Zhun Di in the shortest time. The Hong Huang was on the verge of war at any moment, and he needed to be ready to return to the Zhu Tian to fight, using the blood of Hong Huang to quench his fury.

Bi Xia felt amused and frustrated, sensing it was pointless to linger, so she turned and left.

That day, the Dan Fu remained far from peaceful, with many visitors arriving.

These visitors generally fell into two groups. One group was from Dan Shen Dian, and from the moment they entered the Dao Fu, they had nothing good to say—just threats and intimidation, trying to force Ye Chen to return the two strands of Xian Huo. In essence, they were shamelessly going back on their word.

Ye Chen simply ignored them.

As for the other group, they were there to ask him to refine pills, and their payments were all uniformly strands of Zhen Huo, totaling over twenty.

Fusing the flames took Ye Chen a full three days.

On the fourth night, he finally stood up. In his palm hovered the fused flame—it was undoubtedly Xian Huo, but its color had changed, turning a brilliant gold that shimmered radiantly under the moonlight. Its power was overwhelmingly dominant, with the essence of fire surging powerfully.

Next came the pill refining. He had accepted the payments, so he had to get to work.

For the following month, the skies above Zi Wei Dao Fu were constantly lit by Dan Lei, without exception, all eight-pattern Dan Lei. Every time a Dan Lei appeared, an Xian Jun would arrive, happily collecting their pills. The elixirs Ye Chen produced were always of the highest quality.

The pill refining continued for three full months before it truly came to an end.

On a quiet night, Ye Chen sat under an old tree with a wine jug in hand, quietly gazing up at the stars. He longed to return home, but the Tian Jie barrier stood in his way.

A voice chuckled,

"Drinking alone—don't you find it dull?"

Si Ming Xing Jun walked in, carrying two jars of wine. By the looks of their age, they were at least a thousand years old, true vintage brews with a rich aroma that was utterly invigorating.

"You've already passed your calamity," Ye Chen said, taking a swig.

"Most people pass through a calamity before reaching Zhun Di," Si Ming Xing Jun replied with a smile as he sat down.

"Do you know how to get through it?"

"In a person's life, the killings they've committed, the evils they've done, the resentment of the dead, and the unresolved karma—all of these can become Ye Zhang. When they accumulate to a certain limit, they trigger some hidden force, bringing disaster upon you. That's entering the calamity of the world. You'll pass through it only when you've washed away all your Ye Zhang. It's a form of rebirth—if you succeed, it's a heaven-defying transformation; if you fail, your body and soul will be destroyed."

"It's so mysterious," Ye Chen said with a laugh and a shake of his head. He knew the origins of the calamity, but not how to overcome it, or what it meant to fully wash away his Ye Zhang.

"Finish this jug of wine and head to the lower realms," Si Ming Xing Jun said casually. "Tomorrow at the early court, Yu Di will abdicate and seal himself away. Then, Yin Ming will take control of the Tian Ting. Given your grudge with him and his nature, he won't let you off easily."

"It's not come to that yet," Ye Chen replied calmly. Yin Ming destroying him was inevitable, but he couldn't leave just yet. He still had to find the remaining reincarnations, rescue Xiu Luo Tian Zun, and obtain Long Xiang Cai. His mission was far from over.

"I'm not joking—don't be reckless."

"I know what I'm doing. Let's drink."

Si Ming Xing Jun couldn't argue further and just sighed in resignation.

The next day, before dawn fully broke, Ye Chen had already left the Purple Bamboo Forest. It had been several months since he'd attended early court, and he wanted to see Yu Di one more time, to observe the Yu Di's Tian Mo Qi. If he didn't now, he might never get the chance.

That day's early court session had quite a crowd.

When Ye Chen entered the Ling Xiao Dian, the atmosphere was solemn and imposing. He could sense many terrifying auras—veteran immortals, all at the peak Zhun Di realm, some even at the supreme level. A few of them were nearing the end of their lifespan, their eyes dim and their bodies shrouded in the aura of death, as if they were about to pass on.

Their status was undoubtedly prestigious. Even figures like the Xian Jun were standing, while these individuals had seats. All the immortals showed them respect, and even Yu Di treated them with deference.

"Do you know who they are?" Tai Yi poked Ye Chen.

Ye Chen shook his head lightly—it was his first time seeing them.

"They are all veteran Xian Zun, holding ranks even above the Da Xian Jun," Tai Bai explained through a sound transmission.

Ye Chen nodded inwardly, understanding the hierarchy of the Tian Ting. Positions from ninth to sixth rank were called Xing Jun, fifth to third were Tian Jun, second were Xian Jun, first were Da Xian Jun, and above that were Xian Zun—the most honored below Yu Di. Each of them held some military power.

"These old fellows all fought alongside Yu Di to conquer the Tian Jie and establish the Tian Ting," Si Ming Xing Jun added through a transmission. "You could say that half of the Tian Ting's territory was won by them."

Ye Chen said nothing, observing them one by one.

Clearly, most of them knew Yu Di was about to abdicate and seal himself, which was why they had come to court—it was a form of farewell. Who knew when he might unseal himself? By then, many of them might already be gone. Time spares no one!

After looking over the Xian Zun, Ye Chen turned his gaze to Yu Di, the ruler of the Tian Ting. He was a fortunate man, blessed with so many old comrades who had helped him unify the realm and build a dynasty. Even in self-seclusion, there were people to see him off.

That day, Ye Chen gained a new wariness of the Tian Ting.

The depth of its foundations far exceeded his expectations. Just these Xian Zun alone showed how formidable it was. They didn't even need the Tian Bing or Tian Jiang—with them alone, no force from the lower realms would dare provoke them. Peak Zhun Di were rare, let alone supreme-level ones.

No one knew the full extent of this dynasty's hidden strength—only the ruler of the Tian Ting truly understood.

And as the next ruler, Yin Ming likely already had insight into it, which explained why the true power of the Tian Ting shocked even him.

That's why he had the confidence to speak of unifying the upper and lower realms—it wasn't empty boasting. The Tian Ting truly had that capability. The lower realms were fragmented and disorganized; without uniting, no single force could withstand the Tian Ting's assault.

Up above, Zi Yang Xian Jun was already proclaiming the imperial decree, his voice excited and authoritative.

At that moment, Yin Ming, standing beside Yu Di, stood straighter than ever, breathing heavily, his heart pounding. Though not yet in power, he already exuded an aura of dominating the eight directions.

That single decree had effectively made him the most powerful figure in the upper and lower realms. From tomorrow on, every word he spoke and every command he issued could lead to mountains of corpses and rivers of blood.

Below, the immortals all bowed in salute.

Yu Di's abdication and Yin Ming's ascension brought joy to some and worry to others. Those close to Ba Tai Zi were naturally delighted.

As for those who disliked Yin Ming, they were filled with anxiety, knowing his vengeful and tyrannical nature. Whether he was a wise ruler, they didn't know, but he was certainly a tyrant. Once in power, he would likely wage endless wars and sow chaos.

It wasn't an exaggeration to say that over thirty percent of the courtiers had already decided to resign and flee to the lower realms, seeking a hidden paradise to live as recluses.

In reality, their worries were well-founded.

A new emperor means a new court—once Yin Ming took the throne, he would reshuffle everything. Those who complied would be fine, but anyone who dared oppose him would face disaster.

Ye Chen paid no attention to Yin Ming, focusing only on Yu Di.

The black Tian Mo Qi on Yu Di's forehead was thicker than before. His self-seclusion this time was likely due to the Tian Mo Qi. His face was pale, indicating serious hidden injuries. Even as a supreme peak Zhun Di, he struggled to suppress it.

The early court session ended slowly with the sound of bells.

Afterward, the Xian Zun all went to Yu Di's palace for a farewell gathering, vowing not to leave until they were drunk.

As the immortals dispersed, some were joyful, others worried. Many had already packed their belongings and submitted their resignation letters.

Unfortunately, their hopes were too naive. Even if they fled to the lower realms, they couldn't escape Yin Ming's pursuit—especially those who had conflicts with Ba Tai Zi in the past. Not a single one would get away, and their fates would be tragic.

That was the Tian Ting for you—a change in dynasty always came with rivers of blood.

Ye Chen left silently, still remembering the look Yin Ming had given him before he departed—mocking and playful, no longer hiding the killing intent. The sinister, violent gleam in his eyes was meant to convey: I am the ruler now, and I'll make sure you suffer to your heart's content.

In response, Ye Chen only showed cold indifference.

Based on his understanding of Yin Ming, he wouldn't start a massacre right away. Newly ascended, he needed to play the role of a benevolent ruler for a while, until he fully controlled the Tian Ting. Only then would he act without restraint.

In that time, Ye Chen might have a chance to advance to Zhun Di. Once he crossed that threshold, he could barely stand on equal footing with Yin Ming. If possible, he would rescue Xiu Luo Tian Zun, rally the lower realms, and overthrow the entire Tian Ting.

As he spoke, he had already arrived at the Tian Lao.

With his reputation now known throughout the Tian Jie, he carried a certain influence. For instance, the guards would discreetly allow him to bring a few jugs of good wine to Xiu Luo Tian Zun—a perk for the alchemist who had defeated Dan Zong.