Chapter 2620: Four Heavenly Books

The night in Da Chu was peaceful and serene.

Ye Chen emerged from Tianxuan Men, one hand clutching his lower back and the other covering his face, limping along with blood still streaming from his nose, impossible to stop. Originally, his injuries weren't this severe; it was all thanks to the chi-mei evil gods that he ended up in such a state. As he had anticipated, once he took out the alchemy materials, the chi-mei evil gods became wildly excited. He had imagined they might reward him with a kiss, but instead, they pinned him down and gave him a thorough beating. Overjoyed as they were, they didn't hold back at all. Not to exaggerate, if the quasi-emperors hadn't held them back, he probably would have already taken Meng Po's bowl and crossed over.

This proved that the chi-mei evil gods truly didn't care about propriety—they hit people when happy and when unhappy alike. He really couldn't fathom how Mu Liuqing ended up with one of them. It was probably under duress, and she likely never thought about waking up. Better to stay dead and at peace that way.

It also showed that Da Chu was full of vitality even without him as the Tenth Emperor. The people's spirit remained as fierce as ever. Every time he left Tianxuan Men, he was covered in wounds. It seemed like those old folks had turned beating him into a necessary habit. If they went three days without thrashing him, they'd feel restless.

Tonight, Yu Nu Feng was not quiet at all; it was even livelier than his last visit. As soon as Ye Chen arrived, he saw several figures flying out, including Xiong Er, Xie Yun, and Situ Nan. They had probably mouthed off again and gotten a solid beating from their wives, then been sent off Yu Nu Feng in the special Hengyue Zong style.

"Dad."

Ye Ling spotted him first, her eyes sharp as she bounded over and threw herself into Ye Chen's arms. They say a daughter is her father's little sweetheart from a past life, and it was true.

Chu Xuan and the others also rose, having just emerged from seclusion after many days. Seeing Ye Chen covered in injuries, none of them asked about it. It was obvious he'd just come from Tianxuan Men. They were used to it by now—given Ye Chen's nature, he got beaten every time he went back there. It had become his exclusive routine, something no one else could pull off.

Ye Chen cleared his throat and changed into plain clothes before heading to the small bamboo grove. Every visit, he paid his respects to the fox spirit and Bei Sheng.

That night, Yu Nu Feng was filled with the aroma of food. It was a rare return home with the family all together, so Ye Chen tied on an apron and stepped into the kitchen.

His wives weren't idle either—some set the tableware, others picked vegetables, each one a gentle and considerate spouse.

The most amusing was Xiao Yao Chi. Though short in stature, she was eager to help, climbing onto the stove on tiptoes and reaching out with her little hands toward a fresh cucumber, always trying to grab something to eat.

The scene was heartwarmingly cozy, free of schemes or bloody battles, just simple everyday life.

"Dad, what's the Tianjie like?"

Ye Ling's eyes sparkled with curiosity.

"It's no different from the Zhutian," Ye Chen replied with a smile, not elaborating further. Some mysterious force restrained him, and the backlash would be fierce if he said more.

The dinner was filled with laughter and chatter, exceptionally warm.

Afterward, Ye Chen sacrificed the Wuzi Tian Shu and merged it into Yao Chi's body. She already had three tian shu, and with this one, the four were complete.

Under his watchful gaze, the four tian shu appeared together, circling Xiao Yao Chi's body. Their pages flipped rapidly, overflowing with Dao essence. The books were wordless, yet they expounded the supreme Dao, intertwined with a mysterious, elusive power that seemed to flicker in and out of existence.

Ye Chen watched with gleaming eyes, and Chu Xuan and the others did the same. They'd only heard of the Wuzi Tian Shu before; this was their first time seeing the four gathered, and it was truly extraordinary.

Soon, the four tian shu descended and returned to Xiao Yao Chi's body all at once.

Immediately, a divine radiance shot from her tianling cap straight into the sky, piercing a massive hole in the vast night. The light scattered, outlining profound visions: all things flourished, with mountains, rivers, trees, and plants full of vitality, accompanied by mysterious Dao heavenly sounds echoing across the four seas and eight wastelands.

"What's that?"

Xie Yun and his two companions, who were limping back, all looked up.

It wasn't just them—Hengyue Zong was stirred as well. Elders and disciples who were asleep mostly awoke, and passing cultivators gathered in droves, staring in astonishment at the distant, ethereal sight. Someone had triggered such a massive phenomenon, sketching a vast world in the void.

"The four tian shu are finally complete."

In Tianxuan Men, Ren Wang gazed toward Hengyue and murmured. The jade slip he had asked Si Ming to deliver earlier referred to the Wuzi Tian Shu as the treasure, and he hadn't expected Ye Chen to actually obtain it.

"It seems the treasures in Tianjie are quite abundant," Sheng Zun sighed, aware of the Wuzi Tian Shu and surprised that the last one was there.

"Once the four are gathered, if Dong Shen Yao Chi returns to her position in the future, her achievements will be no less than Ye Chen's," Zao Hua Shen Wang said leisurely. He had once reversed the heavens for Ji Ningfrost and knew all too well how extraordinary that little girl was. The Zhutian's young emperor-level figures weren't just for show.

"The rise of the next generation is a great fortune for the Zhutian."

The elders all smiled, enduring hardships in the Honghuang for this very reason—to buy time until Ye Chen's generation could catch up to their predecessors.

In the years to come, even if they fell in battle, others would hold up the Zhutian's banner.

Ye Chen and Yao Chi were those pillars. With the emperor path suppression weakening, their cultivation advanced rapidly.

Perhaps when Ye Chen returned, he would be a fully realized Sheng Ti.

And Yao Chi might become a peerless empress.

Ye Chen lowered his gaze and quietly watched Xiao Yao Chi.

The little girl tilted her face up, staring in confusion at the sky, mesmerized by the splendid and profound scenes.

"Little Jiu Niang, hurry and pass your tribulation!"

Ye Ling giggled, scooping up Xiao Yao Chi. Her own Sheng Ling body was remarkable, but her family's Jiu Niang was truly heaven-defying.

The visions faded away unnoticed, and Xiao Yao Chi might have been tired—or perhaps due to the tian shu—she dozed off in Ye Ling's arms. Her body was enveloped in immortal light and Dao principles, with a terrifying, vast power lurking within, even making Ye Chen wary.

Peering closely into her body, one could see a graceful figure dancing lightly under the bright moonlight. It was Yao Chi in her dreams, undergoing her tribulation there, her divine form hazy and purely sacred.

Ye Chen smiled and produced the Mingjing Xian Yan.

This immortal eye was quite spirited; once taken out, it circled around before darting into Nanming Yushu's beautiful eyes.

"This..." Nanming Yushu was startled.

"It chose you on its own. Meditate and sense it," Ye Chen said with a smile, then waved his hand again.

A stream of treasures flew out—magical tools, pills, immortal garments, hairpins—each a rare worldly gem, specially selected for his wives. Since he brought the Wuzi Tian Shu for Yao Chi and the Mingjing Xian Yan picked Nanming Yushu, the others couldn't be left out.

"Wow!" Ye Ling exclaimed in surprise, dazzled by the treasures' glow. "Dad, how many people did you rob?"

"Nonsense, I bought them all."

"No need to explain; I get it, Dad."

"Hey!"

"Thank you, my husband." Chu Xuan and the others were more considerate, smiling sweetly, their voices tenderly affectionate.

With those words, the Jie Fa Xian Guang manifested on Ye Chen's body again—the time limit was up; he had to return.

"If there's chaos again, don't rush foolishly into it. Wait for me to come back."

His wives smiled and nodded, understanding his worries. But if war truly came, none of them would back down. As his wives, they wouldn't embarrass him: gentle women at home, but fierce generals on the battlefield.

As always, without Ye Chen, they would hold up the sky for him and protect this vast land with their lives until his return.

Ye Chen vanished, and the women watched him go.

It wasn't just them sending him off; many elders and disciples of Hengyue Zong looked up as well. Though they didn't know how he had returned, they knew he had unspoken secrets. One day, he would come back.

Ye Chen reappeared on Huashan Chiyan Peak.

Then, he summoned the reincarnated ones, giving each a jade slip containing images of Da Chu's mountains and rivers, which moved them to tears.

The night grew deeper.

Ye Chen finally sat cross-legged, no longer dwelling on it. He focused his mind, healing while comprehending the Dao, aiming to restore his peak state as quickly as possible. Advancing further would be ideal.

It wouldn't be long before Yin Ming noticed something amiss.

By then, the Tianting army would descend.

It would be a fierce battle, and Huashan alone couldn't withstand the assault. Even he alone couldn't turn the tide.

So, even at night, the Huashan elders were busy, seeking alliances and uniting the major forces of the Sanxian Realm to fight Tianting together.

Huashan's influence was considerable, attracting many allies, especially the great demons and devils of the Sanxian Realm, who had long been itching for a fight against Tianting.

With Huashan leading the way, how could they not join? Besides, even without an alliance, Yin Ming's nature meant he wouldn't spare them.

They had all been involved in the chaos at Tiangong earlier, but Yin Ming had been too occupied catching Ye Chen to deal with them. If Tianting freed up, they'd be picked off one by one. Better to unite now than face defeat in isolation.

On the second day, Niu Mo Wang arrived, his demonic aura surging.

On the third day, Jiao Long Wang came in person, his monstrous energy rampant.

Also on the third day, Man Xiang Wang visited, bringing an alliance agreement.

The alliances proceeded smoothly, with visitors arriving daily.

While some joined Huashan, others opposed them, like the inheritances of the other four sacred mountains, who simply shut their doors and refused guests. Huashan's attempts to visit ended in rejection; they couldn't even meet anyone, let alone form alliances.

They might even stab them in the back when Tianting's army arrived. The only reason was Ye Chen's extraordinary talent—they couldn't let him rise fully.

As for the Kunlun lineage, they remained neutral, guarding their Fengshan Xian Di without favoring Huashan or aiding Tianting.

They even kept trying to bring back the Kunlun Shen Zi, and along with him, the Huashan Shen Nu, leaving the Kunlun Zhang Jiao quite troubled.

But the Kunlun Shen Zi's mind was set, and the Huashan Shen Nu was even more resolute, prepared to live or die with Huashan.