Chapter 2594: That's all?

At the entrance to Tiān Láo, a massive crowd gathered, with war flags fluttering fiercely in the wind. The ranks of heavenly soldiers and generals were arrayed in perfect formation, like a black carpet spreading across the earth or a dark cloud veil obscuring the sky, completely sealing off the area where Yè Chén had vanished, leaving no escape.

In addition to this, barriers and spell formations of the sealing type had been set up, leaving no chance for Yè Chén to turn the tables.

"By now, he should be back."

"I still feel there's a chance for a turnaround in this matter."

"Are you still half-asleep? If he can escape from a setup like this, I'll take your last name."

"It's a dead end, just a matter of time."

Discussions erupted from various groups on the surrounding hills, as people waited anxiously, their hearts filled with conflicting emotions. They both wanted Yè Chén to return quickly to watch the spectacle and hoped he wouldn't come back too soon, because his return would mean his death.

"Do you think Yīn Míng will hand over Yè Chén to the Jade Emperor once he has him?"

"Of course he will!"

"I doubt it."

Many people turned their heads, glancing toward Yīn Míng in the jade carriage.

He looked utterly relaxed, lounging on his dragon throne in a state of feigned slumber, his slightly upturned lips full of amusement. This wait felt slightly anxious to others, but for him, it was thoroughly enjoyable.

As for whether he would hand over Yè Chén or the Emperor Dao Divine Pill to the Jade Emperor,

The answer was no.

He was also a quasi-emperor, his cultivation having reached its peak, and he had a chance to prove his dao and become an emperor. The Emperor Dao Divine Pill might just be the opportunity he needed.

Once he became an emperor, he would be the true ruler.

Sovereign over the nine heavens and ten earths, with no one his equal.

In his eyes, an imperial throne was far more important than his own father.

For this, he was prepared to suppress even the Jade Emperor.

In other words, anyone who stood in his way, even the Jade Emperor, would not be spared.

Now, he was the king of the Heavenly Court.

It could be said that even if the Jade Emperor were unsealed at this moment, he could not take back the position of supreme ruler.

No one knew what the Jade Emperor would think if he learned of his intentions.

This was the son he had carefully raised.

As for Dān Shén, he was even further from the mark.

The Jade Emperor might not even compete with him, let alone the lord of Dān Shén Hall.

If Dān Shén provoked him, a single command could raze Dān Shén Hall to the ground.

Speaking of Dān Shén, he had not left yet, still clinging to a sliver of hope, his eyes burning with desire for the Emperor Dao Divine Pill, which had ignited into flames.

"Senior brother, don't act rashly."

The elders of Dān Shén Hall sent a mental message, fearing that the lord of Dān Shén Hall might lose his temper and confront Yīn Míng directly, which would be tantamount to challenging the ruler of the Heavenly Court—a sure path to death.

"I know my limits," Dān Shén snorted coldly, his face twisted in a grotesque expression.

The elders wanted to say more but ultimately held their tongues.

At that moment, all the elders felt an inexplicable regret; they should have withdrawn earlier. Now that they were on Dān Shén's sinking ship, they could lose their lives at any time. They should have followed Dān Zōng's example and stayed far away from the Heavenly Court's troubles.

In fact, some elders of Dān Shén Hall had already slipped away quietly, and not just a few.

Dān Shén had gone mad; he had even swallowed Dān Jūn, losing the wisdom he once had. He might truly clash with Yīn Míng, and they had no desire to get caught in the crossfire.

More and more people were leaving, not even bothering to say goodbye before departing.

Dān Shén ignored it all; his eyes were fixed only on the Emperor Dao Divine Pill. He was so oblivious that he didn't even notice when the elders left.

When he finally looked up, only a few people remained behind him.

Those who stayed were, like him, complete madmen, ready to go down with him.

Boom! Boom!

The heavens were far from peaceful, with continuous rumbling from the distant sky.

No need to look; it was clear that the great demons and devils of the scattered immortal realm were being hunted, fleeing frantically across the Heavenly Court while cursing loudly, determined to cause chaos.

If they couldn't fight, at least they could run, right?

Yet, no matter how much noise they made, no one paid attention; everyone stood rigidly in place, waiting for Yè Chén's return.

"He's here."

Suddenly, someone shouted.

At the sound, the heavenly soldiers and generals gripped their weapons, the onlookers from all sides stretched on tiptoe to peer ahead, and even Yīn Míng, who had been feigning sleep, slowly opened his eyes.

All eyes turned to that patch of sky.

There, a divine light shot straight down from the heavens, landing in the exact same spot as before.

Bang!

As the light hit the ground, a powerful halo expanded infinitely in all directions, shaking not only the earth but also the heavens. Many of the weaker heavenly soldiers stumbled, nearly falling over.

On the surrounding hills, countless spectators tumbled down from the peaks due to the violent tremors.

Under the watchful eyes of all, Yè Chén, returned from the borrowing of power, revealed his true form.

Huh?

Seeing Yè Chén again, everyone around expressed surprise, their expressions strange.

"Where are his injuries? They're all gone?"

"After just one borrowing of power, his wounds are healed? That's insane!"

"Look at that surging vital energy—it's even stronger than before!"

Voices of doubt, astonishment, and shock echoed everywhere. Not just the onlookers, but even the heavenly soldiers, generals, and the immortal venerables in hiding furrowed their brows.

In particular, Miè Miè Immortal Venerable recalled his earlier sword strike, which was incredibly domineering; Yè Chén shouldn't have recovered without at least ten days or half a month in bed. Yet, here he was, fully healed.

No one could fathom what had happened—it was too bizarre.

"How interesting."

The only one remaining composed was Yīn Míng, exuding an air of supreme authority as he spoke those words.

Yè Chén's recovery would only add to the fun.

Yè Chén paid no attention to the discussions around him; he simply gazed at the pagoda.

The once-empty pagoda now had Yuè Xīn and Tiān Qīng and the others reappearing, all swaying unsteadily in place. Tiān Qīng, whose cultivation was weaker, was even rubbing his forehead, his head spinning.

Yè Chén's eyes lit up with joy, and he let out a deep sigh of relief.

Though he didn't know where they had been stored during the borrowing of power, seeing that everyone was unharmed filled him with delight. If the borrowing had caused them to disappear, that would have been truly absurd.

"It felt like a dream—Yè Chén's injuries are healed."

Tài Bái muttered, shaking his head vigorously, still feeling dizzy.

No sooner had he spoken than Sī Mìng slapped him across the face, snapping him out of it. It wasn't a dream; it was real—he had truly recovered.

"Your injuries are healed just like that?"

Tài Yī looked utterly baffled, staring with wide eyes.

"You don't know where he went, do you?"

Sī Mìng chuckled, his words laden with deeper meaning.

Aware of Yè Chén's secrets, he knew this borrowing of power had returned him to his homeland.

The talents of the various heavens could easily heal Yè Chén's wounds in such a short time.

He understood this, and so did Yuè Xīn and the Ghost King, their eyes full of joy. It must have been the ancestors of Dà Chǔ who had cured Yè Chén.

Moreover, they were certain that the ancestors had done more than just heal him—Yè Chén was now fully armed and ready.

This was evident from his aura.

"You all are quite something."

Xiūluō Tiān Zūn sighed, scanning Yè Chén up and down. The injuries had been severe, yet the recovery was too swift.

More importantly, Yè Chén's energy was far superior to before, with a terrifying power lurking within his body that even made Xiūluō Tiān Zūn's heart tremble.

His remark made Sī Mìng and the others turn to look at him, their gazes filled with curiosity—what did he mean by "you all"? Where did he fit in?

Yè Chén smiled and averted his eyes from the pagoda.

With everyone safe, it was now his turn to show his might.

"Yè Chén, this king has underestimated you once again."

Yīn Míng had risen and was standing at the edge of the jade carriage, hands clasped behind his back, looking down upon all beings.

"Underestimating me comes with serious consequences."

Yè Chén replied with a cold laugh, cracking his neck forcefully.

As he spoke, his body surface began to cover with a layer of illusory armor, formed from imperial essence and surrounded by forces of creation. The overbearing power within him gave him an unprecedented confidence, his deep eyes shining like two suns, piercing the hearts of all who beheld them.