Chapter 2622: Before and After the Tribulation

On Chi Yan Peak, Ye Chen sat cross-legged with his eyes closed, quietly healing his wounds. That Hao Miao Xian Zun was doing the same. The two had secretly engaged in a round of divination, and both found it quite exhilarating.

The siege of Bu Zhou Mountain had dragged on for half a month. In the Tian Ting, the immortals had skipped their morning assemblies for just as long. The heavenly prison had collapsed, the Dan Shen Hall was in ruins, the Pan Tao Garden was destroyed, and even the Ling Xiao Treasure Hall had crumbled. Countless immortal mountains, ancient cities, and palaces lay in ruins, leaving the entire upper immortal realm's Tian Ting in a state of utter devastation.

Yet, Yin Ming paid no mind to any of this. His sole focus was on Ye Chen. Once Ye Chen was eliminated and the upper and lower realms unified, rebuilding the Tian Ting would be a simple task.

Most importantly, as the ruler, he remained intact, and the Tian Ting's foundations were still strong. The casualties and losses were merely a drop in the bucket.

From some unknown day onward, the immortals stationed in the Tian Ting began leaving their residences, hanging their divine plaques outside their doors. Many packed their belongings and headed to remote areas, but even more made their way to the scattered immortal realm, heading straight for the Feng Shan Xian Di.

They all sensed that war was imminent. Once Yin Ming recovered, their days would be anything but easy. One by one, they resigned their positions and retired early.

With so many departures, the once vibrant and flourishing Tian Ting now felt desolate. Empty residences dotted the landscape, immortal mountains stood barren, and even the formerly bustling markets saw sparse crowds.

Before Yin Ming could unify the realm, the Tian Ting already showed signs of mass defection and isolation. The entire upper immortal realm was shrouded in a thick atmosphere of sorrow.

In contrast, the scattered immortal realm was bustling with activity. Various clans and factions were seeking alliances to support one another when the Tian Ting attacked.

That night, Ye Chen's body trembled slightly.

Suddenly, illusory scenes appeared. Though he was one person, it seemed like there were two shadows—one separating, then merging, sometimes fading into illusion, sometimes solidifying. This left Tai Yi, Tai Bai Jin Xing, and Si Ming all stunned.

"What's going on?"

Tai Bai Jin Xing stroked his chin and circled around Ye Chen, scrutinizing him from head to toe but finding no clues.

"It must be some kind of sudden enlightenment."

Tai Yi pondered, sensing a aura of the Dao from Ye Chen—vast, majestic, and profoundly mysterious.

Si Ming narrowed his eyes, watching without speaking.

Compared to Tai Yi and Tai Bai Jin Xing, he knew more of Ye Chen's secrets. Ye Chen hailed from the human realm, a monstrous talent who underwent ying jie with his memories intact, shrouded in strangeness from head to toe.

As the three observed, Ye Chen's body trembled again.

This time, brilliant golden light enveloped him. His golden qi and blood surged wildly. If you listened closely, you could hear the roar of dragons mixed with ethereal Dao heavenly sounds echoing across Chi Yan Peak.

"The Desolate Ancient Sheng Ti?"

Tai Bai Jin Xing was shocked.

"No mistake, that's the aura of the Sheng Ti."

Tai Yi exclaimed in astonishment, his eyes wide. He had heard the legends of the Sheng Ti but never seen it firsthand.

"How is that possible?"

Si Ming furrowed his brows, his eyes filled with shock and confusion. The person before him was indeed Ye Chen, but it was the Ye Chen from before the ying jie. The earlier dual shadows now made sense—one from before the ying jie, the other from after.

But he couldn't understand why Ye Chen, in the midst of ying jie, would manifest his pre-ying jie form, revealing the Dao principles and the origin of the Sheng Ti.

Abruptly, the golden qi and blood around Ye Chen dissipated, and everything returned to normal. He sat as still as a stone statue.

"Why would there be the aura of the Sheng Ti?"

"He's clearly made of stone, yet he has the origin of the Sheng Ti."

"This is strange, truly strange."

Tai Yi and Tai Bai Jin Xing chattered back and forth, circling Ye Chen again. At times, they even reached out to pinch his little arms. Just moments ago, that domineering bloodline pressure had been suffocating.

Si Ming stroked his chin and joined them, the three circling forward twice and backward twice. Si Ming's gaze was the deepest; he always felt that this little stone spirit would successfully pass the ying jie in the heavenly realm.

If that happened, the heavenly realm would become incredibly lively.

It wasn't until the second night that Ye Chen awoke.

Opening his eyes, he saw the three of them squatting in front of him like three eager dogs, hands clasped behind their backs, staring at him with wide eyes.

"What are you staring at?"

Ye Chen said casually, stretching as he stood up. He felt a surge of strength throughout his body, and the injuries from before had healed considerably.

"What's your connection to the Desolate Ancient Sheng Ti lineage?"

Tai Bai Jin Xing was the first to speak, eyeing Ye Chen probingly in hopes of an accurate answer.

Ye Chen raised an eyebrow. "Why do you say that?"

"Last night, you suddenly revealed the aura of the Desolate Ancient Sheng Ti. It was only a fleeting glimpse, but we all saw it."

Tai Yi Zhen Ren stroked his beard. "Come on, tell us! Are you related to that domineering lineage? Maybe you're kin, or perhaps your father is a Sheng Ti."

Ye Chen didn't respond. He simply grabbed Tai Yi with one hand and Tai Bai Jin Xing with the other, swung them around, and tossed them down the mountain, leaving only Si Ming.

Some things Si Ming knew, but Tai Yi and Tai Bai Jin Xing did not. And what was coming next wasn't for them to hear. If it wasn't suitable, they could go cool off elsewhere.

Si Ming coughed awkwardly. Seeing his two good buddies thrown down, he felt uneasy all over, afraid Ye Chen might swing again and send him flying too. That kind of fall would be quite painful.

"You damn lunatic!"

From below the mountain, the two shouted curses. They had likely landed and were now clutching their old waists, yelling at the foot of the peak. What did we do to you? You've thrown us twice in three days! Are we that throwable? And why only us? What about that jerk Si Ming?

Ye Chen ignored them and just looked at Si Ming.

"As they said."

Si Ming took a deep breath and pulled out a jade slip, which had recorded the strange scenes from last night.

Ye Chen examined it, his brows furrowing slightly. He had no idea such things had happened last night. How could he, in the midst of ying jie, manifest his pre-ying jie form and even reveal the qi and blood of the Sheng Ti without realizing it?

"A sign of ying jie integration?"

Ye Chen muttered, turning to Si Ming.

"You've only been in the heavenly realm for two years. It's impossible for it to happen this fast."

Si Ming shook his head.

"Then what is this?"

"Even if Ren Wang Fu Xi were here, he probably couldn't explain it. You're undergoing ying jie with your memories, which is different from the ordinary. Strange phenomena are normal. Who knows, it might get even weirder later."

Si Ming said leisurely. As he spoke, he slowly clasped his hands and looked at Ye Chen. "You'd better prepare yourself mentally. It's possible you'll complete the ying jie right here in the heavenly realm."

"I've been prepared for that."

Ye Chen frowned slightly. Completing ying jie in the human realm would be ideal, but if it happened in the heavenly realm, the path back would be incredibly difficult.

This was like the ancient Six Paths of Reincarnation. Just thinking about it still filled him with dread. Any moment of compassion could lead to getting lost, and without Di Huang's emotional tribulation, he might have perished in the human path.

Si Ming patted Ye Chen on the shoulder and turned to leave.

At the foot of the mountain, Tai Yi and Tai Bai Jin Xing were fuming, seeing that Ye Chen hadn't thrown Si Ming down. Why the special treatment? We were supposed to be a trio!

After Si Ming left, Ye Chen stood at the peak, silent, lost in thought.

After a while, he glanced sideways, his eyes shifting left and right, spotting figures on several peaks. They were spies planted by various factions, and not just one.

No need to guess—it was the scouts from different sects on Hua Mountain, and likely some from the Tian Ting. This was normal. Hua Mountain had its own spies from major forces and the Tian Ting.

But having spies was useless.

The entire Hua Mountain was completely isolated from the outside world. No one could leave, and transmissions were blocked from the start. The scouts might know Ye Chen had returned to Hua Mountain, but they couldn't report it.

The Tian Ting's spies were especially anxious, desperate to get out but unable to. They knew Ye Chen wasn't on Bu Zhou Mountain, yet they had no way to inform the Tian Ting, leaving them frustrated.

Ye Chen withdrew his gaze and headed down the mountain. The various spies were something Hua Mountain Zhen Ren was aware of. Keeping them around could be useful at key moments, employing strategies of deception and counterplots.

As he passed an old tree, he paused briefly and witnessed a romantic scene: Xiu Luo Tian Zun sat under the tree, sipping from a wine flask.

Yue Xin was there too, not far away.

Under the moonlight, she danced gracefully, like a butterfly taking flight. Her movements were elegant, bathed in the pure moonlight, exuding flawless sanctity. The woman's gentle smile was full of tenderness.

Ye Chen smiled and continued on his way, happy to see lovers unite.

That night on Hua Mountain was full of activity, with many figures bustling about. Elders moved through the mountains, inscribing defensive array patterns and reinforcing the protective heavenly barrier. Even the nine great true disciples of Hua Mountain were pulled in to help.

When they saw Ye Chen, no one said much—just sighs and tuts of admiration. They were all from the same generation, but compared to Ye Chen's feats, theirs were worlds apart. Every stir Ye Chen caused in the Tian Ting utterly overshadowed them.

As Ye Chen walked, he observed the mountain's arrays, which were impressively powerful. The central array hub was tied to Hua Mountain's Di Yun. Every array line connected to it, making it no simple feat to breach Hua Mountain's barriers.

At a bend in the mountain path, Ye Chen spotted Hua Mountain Shen Nu and Kun Lun Shen Zi.

They were the real romantics, supposedly reinforcing the arrays but wandering to secluded spots. A certain Shen Zi's hands were particularly unruly.

Upon seeing Ye Chen, Hua Mountain Shen Nu's beautiful eyes sparked with fury, her chest heaving. If looks could kill, Ye Da Shao would be done for.

Kun Lun Shen Zi, however, grinned shamelessly, thoroughly enjoying himself. He was quite fond of Ye Chen's wine, its effects still lingering from that day.

Given Kun Lun Shen Zi's good nature, Ye Chen slipped him a storage bag as he passed, containing pills specially refined by Dan Sheng—the highest quality kind.

Not to boast, but one pack of this would make even an iron bed creak.

"Take good care of her."

Ye Chen said with a smile as he walked away.

By the time he reappeared, he was in the grand hall of Hua Mountain. Hua Mountain Zhen Ren and the elders were all there.

Looking up, he saw a vast star map, similar to the ancient starry skies, with shimmering stars in various colors. Golden ones represented quasi-emperors, silver ones great saints. From here, they could clearly see the troop deployments of each faction.

If war broke out with the Tian Ting, this hall would serve as Hua Mountain's central command.

"We were just about to find you. Come here."

Di Yuan Zhen Ren pulled Ye Chen over. "You're skilled in divination. Figure out where that old Yu Di is sealed away."

"What's the point of finding him?"

Ye Chen asked, puzzled.

"That Yin Ming is a madman. He'll be at war with Hua Mountain soon. If we find Yu Di and wake him, there might still be a chance to turn things around."

Di Yuan said.

Hearing this, Ye Chen couldn't help but chuckle and shake his head.

"What's so funny?"

Di Yuan eyed him sideways.

"Does the elder really think Yu Di chose Yin Ming as ruler for no reason?"

Ye Chen said, finding a comfortable spot to sit and casually grabbing a handful of pills, munching them like candy.

"Why else? Because he likes Yin Ming!"

"Why does he like him?"

"You're beating around the bush. Spit it out!"

"As a father, who doesn't know their own child? Knowing Yin Ming's nature, he still passed the throne to him, which means he's tacitly approving a certain decision—like unifying the upper and lower realms."

Ye Chen spoke leisurely.

Di Yuan Zhen Ren raised an eyebrow, and the elders exchanged glances. They were experts in cultivation and combat, but when it came to reading people's hearts, especially royal affairs, they fell short compared to Ye Chen.

It was because Ye Chen had experienced it firsthand—he had once been an emperor in another life, fully understanding the twists and turns of royal matters.

"Compared to Yin Ming, Yin Yang is a better person. He could make a decent ruler of the Tian Ting."

Hua Mountain Xian Zi said with a light smile.

Ye Chen shook his head again. "Yin Yang isn't ruthless enough and lacks Yin Ming's determination. He can't be that solitary figure, so he won't make a Tian Ting ruler. The other princes are the same. They're fit to be generals, able to command armies but not the Tian Ting. Yu Di won't change his goal of unifying the heavenly realm, so he couldn't choose any other prince. Yin Ming has ambition and is most like him—he'll expand territories and create new glory. As for Yin Yang and the others, they can only hold onto the Tian Ting's small plot of land. That's the difference. Yu Di isn't foolish; though he's in his twilight, his grand ambitions remain, and Yin Ming is the one to inherit them. Perhaps only Yin Ming has a chance to achieve it."

"You're wasted not being an emperor yourself."

Di Yuan Zhen Ren grinned and clicked his tongue, sizing up Ye Chen. "After one trip to the upper realm, you've got the Tian Ting's affairs figured out inside and out!"

"Without a brain, I'd have died eight hundred times over."

Ye Chen said, popping another pill into his mouth. The elders watched with sighs of admiration. This was the guy who defeated Dan Jun, won against Dan Zong, and triumphed over Dan Shen—eating pills like peanuts, crisp and crunchy!

Hua Mountain Zhen Ren just smiled, truly pleased with Ye Chen's insights. He had analyzed the ways of emperors perfectly. With his great ambition, heaven-defying combat power, and sharp wisdom, it would be a injustice if he didn't become Hua Mountain's leader.

Once Ye Chen finished his pills, he waved his hand, and a jade slip flew out. It contained the map of the ancient starry skies, created by Tai Xu Long Di. It was more profound than Hua Mountain's star map. He had studied it in the past and grasped its essence.

The elders skilled in arrays gathered around, stunned by this star map.

"Where did this star map come from?"

Huang Yuan Zhen Ren asked, eyeing Ye Chen tentatively.

"It was passed down by my master."

Ye Chen replied with a smile, then turned and headed out of the hall.

"Who on earth is his master?"

Gazing at Ye Chen's departing figure, the elders' eyes grew deep. Just who had nurtured this heaven-defying monster? It was utterly remarkable.