Chapter 2607: Abandoning the Godhood

Chapter 2607: Abandoning the Shenwei

Inside Yinhang Yixian Tian, blood mist swirled thickly.

Beneath the dim starlight, a blood-soaked figure stumbled along, clutching a gore-stained Shen Dao, barely able to stand upright.

Wasn't that Xiu Luo Tian Zun?

Last night's siege by the Tian Court had left him clinging to life. He had fought his way out, but now he was left with only half his strength, far from his peak, and bearing new wounds on top of the old.

A gentle breeze blew, and his swaying form finally collapsed.

"Tian Zun."

Yue Xin stepped out of the copper furnace and caught him.

Emerging with her were Si Ming and the others. They had fled all the way to the border between the upper and lower realms.

Unfortunately, entering the Upper Immortal Realm required passing through Nan Tian Men, and the same went for the Sanxian Realm.

Though they could see the Sanxian Realm across the Yinhang, they couldn't cross it. For countless ages, countless great powers had tried and failed to bridge that galaxy, blocked by some mysterious force, like an insurmountable chasm.

"No problem."

Xiu Luo Tian Zun managed a weary smile. Perhaps from exhaustion, he leaned back into Yue Xin's arms, his dim eyes fluttering shut as if drifting off to sleep.

How many years had it been? Since arriving in this universe, he felt true peace for the first time, and in his hazy state, he mistook Yue Xin for Zhao Yun's wife.

That blind woman had been so gentle, so kind.

Yue Xin said nothing, gently brushing aside the Tian Zun's disheveled hair and stroking his bloodied face, as if trying to wipe away all his scars.

This Xiu Luo Tian Zun, who seemed so carefree, was actually covered in the dust of ages, hiding an ancient story.

Si Ming and the others weren't idle either. They surrounded Xiu Luo Tian Zun, dispelling the killing intent within him. At his level, the wounds themselves weren't the issue—the real problem was the killing intent rampaging through his body, threatening to destroy his Dao roots.

"Ye Chen! Hurry back! We're holding on by a thread here."

Tai Bai grumbled while healing the Tian Zun.

To be precise, it was the Tian Zun holding on. They were all weak fighters, more of a burden than help.

If not for the Tian Zun's relentless charge, they would likely be on the Zhu Xian Tai by now, waiting for the axe to fall.

"Maybe he's being chased by the Tian Court too," Tai Yi mused. "If they can track us, they can track him. There must be some expert guiding the Tian soldiers."

"The Tian Court is full of hidden talents," Si Ming Xing Jun stroked his beard. "They can lock onto our positions for sure."

Before long, a hint of color returned to the Tian Zun's face. He sat up steadily, grabbed a handful of Dan Yao, and popped them into his mouth. Though the killing intent was gone, his vital energy remained weak. His injuries hadn't fully healed, and the recent battles had only made them worse.

It was truly a case of the tiger falling to the plains and being bullied by dogs.

If he were at full strength, things wouldn't have gotten this bad.

Boom! Rumbling sounds echoed.

As they spoke, distant booms rolled in.

Looking out, clouds billowed and killing intent surged. The clash of weapons and armor shook the eight directions—it was the Tian Court's war chariots, each one carrying an Xian Jun, with countless Tian soldiers swarming like a dark ocean, devouring everything in their path.

"Like a pack of hounds!"

Tai Bai cursed under his breath and jumped to his feet.

Ever since Ye Chen left, their escapes had all been like this—breaking through sieges, shaking off pursuers, only to be found again without fail.

"Someone's secretly divining us."

Xiu Luo Tian Zun said calmly, already gripping his Shen Dao and rising, his eyes flickering with uncertain light as he gazed into the distance.

"Pity Ye Chen isn't here."

Xiong Wang took a deep breath, knowing Ye Chen had inherited the Zhoutian Yanhua, the pinnacle of divination. With him around, they could block any spying.

"Those with Shenwei, hand them over."

Xiu Luo Tian Zun extended his hand.

"Does the Tian Zun mean someone's using our Shenwei for divination?" Tai Yi raised an eyebrow but quickly handed over his own.

The so-called Shenwei was like a spirit tablet, somewhat similar to one for the deceased.

"I get it—someone's divining our Shenwei to pinpoint us," Si Ming pondered, also surrendering his.

"Sounds legit." Tai Yi followed suit promptly.

Once he had collected the Shenwei, Xiu Luo Tian Zun flung them into the Yinhang.

Being surrounded and tracked so precisely time after time was no coincidence.

The flaw had to be the Shenwei. With it, the Tian Court could chase them to the ends of the earth.

"My Shenwei!" Tai Bai winced, as it contained a lot of merit. Tossing it away like that was heartbreaking.

"Is the Shenwei more important, or your life?"

"The Shenwei... well... life."

"Let's go." Xiu Luo Tian Zun said no more, with a wave of his hand, ushering everyone into the copper furnace. He donned a black robe and vanished in an instant.

Soon after, the massive horde of Tian soldiers and generals arrived from three sides. The Xian Juns scratched their heads, scanning around but seeing no one.

"Damn it, they've discarded the Shenwei."

An elder clutching a Bagua Pan stepped out from the crowd and stood at the edge of the Yinhang, his aged eyes narrowing as if he could spot the sunken Shen Pai in the drifting river.

Indeed, as Xiu Luo Tian Zun had guessed, they were using the Shen Pai for tracking. Otherwise, how could they find anyone so easily in the vast Upper Immortal Realm?

Now that the Shenwei was gone, hunting them down would take more planning.

At Buzhou Mountain,

Ye Chen was full of energy again, retracing his steps through the dark forest.

The Qiankun was constantly shifting—he'd lost count of how many times he'd looped back. The treasure-hunting cultivators were used to it, and so was he, just wandering back and forth.

He had planned to leave after getting the Feng Huang flower, but hearing the Tian Shu's celestial sounds, he decided to stay a few more days. He needed to get that Wuzi Tian Shu to borrow a method and send it back to Da Chu.

Once that was done, even if Dao Zu awakened, there'd be no taking it back.

His family's Lao Jiu already had three Tian Shu; with this one, she'd gain a great fortune.

As for borrowing methods, he wasn't the first to look up at the vast sky, unable to pierce through the Qiankun. He didn't know if the barrier between Tian Realm and Human Realm was still there.

Even if it had weakened, Buzhou Mountain likely still blocked any borrowing.

Crack!

As he walked, he casually smashed a rock and pulled out a fist-sized piece of Shen Tie from the fragments. It was rough and impure, needing refinement to extract its essence.

"Hand over the treasure, and I'll let you leave in peace."

A cold, desolate voice suddenly rang out.

Before the words faded, a figure materialized, cloaked in black robes with obscuring secret arts, hiding their face. Only their two eyes gleamed with a sinister light.

This was a Zhun Di, at the peak level, also here for treasure hunting and seizing the opportunity to rob someone weaker.

Ye Chen was that weaker target—a mere one-heaven Zhun Di, easy pickings. Why not take the free treasure?

"Not giving it."

Ye Chen tucked the Shen Tie away, spat on his iron stick, and wiped it with his sleeve. Robbing others was something he did often; one more wouldn't hurt.

Seeing the stick, the black-robed Zhun Di narrowed his eyes, as if recognizing it—or perhaps having been smacked by it before.

"You're... Ye Chen?"

As he looked closer, the black-robed Zhun Di paled and stumbled back a step.

No mistake, he recognized the Dinghai Shen Zhen, and its owner was well-known. Even millions of troops couldn't catch him—what a force to reckon with.

Who would have thought the one the entire Tian Court was hunting was right here in Buzhou Mountain?

And he'd run into him.

"Don't be afraid, just one stick."

Ye Chen grinned, flashing two rows of white teeth. His smile seemed bright, but to the black-robed Zhun Di, it was chilling.

Without hesitation, the black-robed Zhun Di turned and fled. If even the four great Xian Zun couldn't take him down, a peak Zhun Di like himself stood no chance.

"Where do you think you're going?"

Ye Chen moved like a ghost, closing in with one step and swinging the stick down.

Wow! So satisfying!

The black-robed Zhun Di dropped on the spot, his skull shattering with blood and bone flying everywhere, nearly extinguishing him. Before he could steady himself, over a hundred seals were slapped on him, binding him tight.

"Spare me, spare me."

He cowered, all his earlier arrogance gone, his face deathly pale and body trembling in terror.

"I recognize you. You've asked me to refine Dan for you before."

Ye Chen prodded with the iron stick, flipping back the black robe to reveal a familiar face. The guy had visited his Ziwei Dao Fu many times, always cheerful.

"Xing Jun, spare me!"

The black-robed Zhun Di was frantic with fear.

"What's happening outside?"

As Ye Chen questioned him, he reached into the Zhun Di's inner world, grabbing anything valuable— Tian Shi, Dan Yao, Fa Qi—sweeping it all into his own world.

Getting robbed was just the risk of robbing others.

"I... I don't know."

The black-robed Zhun Di's voice quivered; he couldn't care less about treasures now. Compared to his life, wealth was nothing—lose it and he could earn more, steal if needed, but only if he stayed alive.

"You're not talking? Time for a beating!"

Ye Chen hefted the iron stick and whacked him three times, nearly bursting his head.

"I really don't know!" The black-robed Zhun Di cried out desperately. "I was on a mission to search, passed by Buzhou Mountain, and came in for a look. I've been here for days."

Ye Chen pieced it together—this guy had entered before him.

He wondered what Yin Ming would think.

Sent to find Ye Chen, and here you are slacking off, wandering around, even treasure hunting in Buzhou Mountain. Serves you right to get robbed.

"Xing Jun, please... spare me."

"Sure."

Ye Chen smiled, shooting a ray of immortal light into the Zhun Di's Shen Hai, erasing his memories, then knocking him out cold. He wasn't killing him.

With that done, Ye Chen hoisted his iron stick and headed deeper.

Boom! Bang! Boom!

Buzhou Mountain at night was far from quiet, filled with explosive sounds—the waves of battles raging.

No need to look; it was probably treasure hunters finding loot and clashing with evil spirits, or maybe even fighting among themselves. Either way, it was chaotic, with the stench of blood in the air.

Another day passed before Ye Chen stopped, standing atop a mountain peak and gazing into the distance.

After wandering so long, he was getting dizzy, unsure which way led out. The ever-shifting Qiankun turned Buzhou Mountain into a maze.

Along his path, he'd seen other treasure hunters in the same boat, revisiting old spots everywhere.

It was all because they'd gone too deep—the deeper you went, the more the Qiankun shifted.

Sometimes, mid-step, the changes would whisk you away to who knows where.

There was that cliff again. Ye Chen hauled up the hanging copper coffin.

Opening the lid, inside was just a long-decayed skeleton, nothing else. Any burial goods that might have been there were probably taken by other hunters, and the coffin had been hung back up.

Ye Chen was no different—he pulled it up from where it was and hung it back.

"You idiot, I told you not to come to this damned place, and you insisted."

"Look, can't get out now, can you?"

"Go to hell! You're the one who dragged me in here."

"Is that so?"

A flurry of noisy voices suddenly erupted, drawing Ye Chen's glance. Through the dark mist, he spotted two figures.

One look and—hey, acquaintances.

They were Shui De Xing Jun and Huo De Xing Jun, arguing as they went. They were probably sent to find Ye Chen too, but ended up here somehow.

Ye Chen took a deep breath. The Tian Court really had a den of slackers. Not a single one was actually doing their job.

It wasn't an exaggeration to say that even if they found Ye Chen, they'd pretend not to see him.

Just going through the motions—who takes it seriously?

"Hey, there's a coffin."

The two muttered, climbing up the cliff. From afar, they spotted someone standing at the edge—a figure in black robes, face hidden.

"That guy found it first. Robbing him outright doesn't feel right."

"A one-heaven Zhun Di? We can take him."

"Achoo!"

As they spoke, Ye Chen suddenly sneezed, radiating an aura of dominance.

He turned back, but Shui De Xing Jun and Huo De Xing Jun were already gone.

Those two had bolted faster than rabbits, scared witless by Ye Chen's sneeze, nearly wetting themselves.

"Back when we borrowed methods, you two weren't this cowardly!"

Watching their fleeing backs, Ye Chen couldn't help but sigh. With that level of nerve, who knew how they'd become Xing Jun? At least their escaping skills were top-notch.

Ye Chen withdrew his gaze and was about to step off the cliff.

But before his foot landed, bursts of strange light erupted from deep within Buzhou Mountain, and the ethereal Dao Tian Yin rang out once more.

Ye Chen's eyes sparkled as he locked onto that direction, and his foot finally touched down.

Boom!

Then came the rumbling. He had stepped out, but forgot Buzhou Mountain suppressed flight, so he stumbled, smashing a rock pile to pieces.

"Tsk tsk, that looks painful."

"From way over here, I saw someone on the cliff. Didn't think they'd try to end it all."

"What a nasty fall."

Passing immortals clicked their tongues, watching like it was a show.

Ye Chen ignored them, climbing out of the rubble and hurrying toward that direction. The fall only made him move faster, leaving the crowd raising their eyebrows—tough as nails!

Elsewhere, Ye Chen had vanished.

This time, his target was precise. With Buzhou Mountain's Qiankun shifting, his own divination shifted too, zeroing in on that spot.

Ah...!

That same piercing scream echoed, carrying a distinct aura, coming from the direction of the Wuzi Tian Shu.

Ye Chen raised an eyebrow, as the scream seemed to originate from near the Tian Shu, making one wonder if the book and the screamer were together.

As for why the scream—well, he'd have to get there to find out.