Chapter 2674: I Don't Steal

In the early morning, Ye Chen stretched lazily and got up.

For the first time, he stepped out of the Xiao Zhulin and truly took in the sight of Taishang Xianyu. Mountains rose majestically, rivers stretched far and wide, and every tree, plant, and stone seemed infused with spirituality. The air was thick with immortal energy, mist swirling around, and immortal cranes danced gracefully in the clouds. If you listened closely, you could hear the faint sounds of the Dao, purifying the mind and spirit.

"Good place."

Ye Chen breathed in the immortal energy, looking quite content. The land sealed by the Dao Ancestor was truly extraordinary; even the ambient power here was far superior to that below.

"You're awake." A voice called out, and Jiang Taigong appeared out of nowhere, hands tucked in his sleeves and yawning lazily, as if he hadn't fully shaken off sleep.

"Where's your master ancestor?" Ye Chen asked.

"In seclusion."

"In that case, I'll just wander around."

After this brief exchange, Ye Chen tucked his hands in his sleeves and strolled off, glancing around with keen eyes. The treasures in Taishang Xianyu were no joke—even the spiritual herbs planted along the paths were rare finds outside, and there were plenty of spiritual fruit trees, their crystal-clear fruits emitting a rich, fragrant aroma.

From what he could see, Taishang Xianyu was vast and boundless, but there wasn't a soul in sight. It seemed like, aside from Jiang Taigong, everyone else was in self-seclusion.

Speaking of Jiang Taigong, he was still trailing behind Ye Chen with his hands tucked away, not saying a word, just following at a steady pace. The Dao Ancestor had given him orders, and he couldn't afford to be careless—he had to keep a close eye on Ye Chen.

"Go about your business. You don't need to mind me."

"Understood."

Jiang Taigong gave a light response, but his steps didn't falter, and he didn't move away, though his answer was quick enough.

"Why are you following me like I'm a thief?" Ye Chen shot him a sideways glance. Was he really a thief?

It seemed like he was? Jiang Taigong didn't say anything, but his expression said it all.

The Dao Ancestor had told him, and he believed it without question. Based on the earlier incident with the stolen teacup, he had a good measure of Ye Chen's character. If Ye Chen dared to steal right in front of his master ancestor, what would stop him now that the Dao Ancestor was in seclusion and no one was watching?

"Let's go! I don't steal things."

"Following you makes me feel at ease."

"You're the one forcing my hand."

Ye Chen suddenly shouted and thrust his hand into his small world. Anyone watching would think he was about to pull out a weapon for a fight.

In fact, that's exactly what Jiang Taigong thought. He jolted back a step, summoning three emperor artifacts at once—fully armed, with the Di Qi Da Shen Bian gripped in his hand, the Di Qi Feng Shen Bang hovering above his head, and the Wu Xing Ling Qi blazing around him, their emperor aura radiating outward. Facing someone like Ye Chen, he had to be thoroughly prepared.

"Come on!"

Ye Chen roared, and in a flash, he pulled a fruit from his small world, biting into it with a bold flair. "Mmm, not bad."

Uh...

Jiang Taigong's mouth hung open, his lips twitching.

"All this fuss—are you trying to beat me up?" Ye Chen stood there straight as a rod, munching on the Pan Tao without a hint of shame, while sizing up Jiang Taigong.

Jiang Taigong's face darkened. Realizing he'd been tricked, he thought back to Ye Chen's loud outburst and that dramatic motion—it had clearly looked like he was gearing up for a brawl. Who could've guessed he'd just pull out a fruit? Making such a big scene over a snack had nearly scared him half to death.

"The Dao Ancestor's grandson, your nerves aren't up to par!" Ye Chen circled around Jiang Taigong, clicking his tongue in amazement. "Did you get in through the back door?"

"You little brat, you..."

"Hey? Why is that woman not wearing any clothes?"

Before Jiang Taigong could finish, Ye Chen cut him off. The tenth emperor of Da Chu was still a master of acting, and with that line, he tiptoed and craned his neck to peer in a certain direction, his eyes gleaming.

At the words, Jiang Taigong instinctively turned to look.

But in the direction he glanced, there wasn't a single unclothed woman in sight—not even a bird.

Realizing he'd been fooled again, Jiang Taigong's face turned pitch black in an instant. He whipped around, determined this time to land a hit on Ye Chen with the Da Shen Bian.

Unfortunately, Ye Chen had already vanished.

Jiang Taigong clutched his chest, even his good temper flaring up with an urge to curse. In such a short time, he'd been played twice by this guy. As an ancient god of the heavens, he'd truly lost face, getting outmaneuvered by a minor quasi-emperor.

"Clever me."

Meanwhile, Ye Chen bolted like a wild horse with the reins cut loose, darting deep into Taishang Xianyu. He admired the stunning scenery while sweeping up treasures along the way. It wasn't an exaggeration to say that wherever he passed, the spiritual fruit trees were stripped bare of fruit, and the spiritual herb gardens were left completely empty, turned into barren patches.

The tenth emperor of Da Chu always stuck to his style—wherever he went, he took something with him. The old quasi-emperors of Tian Xuan Men were used to it by now; every time he returned to Tian Xuan Men, he'd steal something without fail.

It was just a shame about Jiang Taigong. At his age, with such profound insights into the Dao, his intelligence just couldn't keep up with Ye Chen's pace.

So, someone like him really needed to be taken back to Da Chu for some training. Give it three or five months, and he'd surely smarten up, mastering every trick from deception to theft.

Here, Ye Chen was still running when he suddenly stopped, standing under a spiritual fruit tree and tilting his head up to look. The tree was enormous, like a mountain peak, with thick branches that would take several people to wrap their arms around—it had to be tens of thousands of years old.

"Zao Hua Chang Sheng Guo."

Ye Chen murmured to himself, recognizing the tree. He'd only heard snippets about it in legends, and this was his first time seeing one. Unexpectedly, Taishang Xianyu had a full-grown specimen, its branches laden with colorful immortal fruits, each one glistening and brimming with vast essence. These were fruits that could extend lifespan, and any single one in the outside world would spark a frenzy, especially among the elders who craved such divine items.

Ye Chen stroked his chin and glanced around, then rolled up his sleeves, intent on uprooting the entire Zao Hua Chang Sheng Guo tree and transplanting it into his inner world.

That was just how the emperors of Da Chu rolled—always ambitious. They didn't just steal for a quick bite; they went for the roots and took it all to enjoy later.

But he underestimated the tree. It was as massive as a mountain and just as heavy, and despite channeling his blood energy, he couldn't budge it. Hidden array patterns began to emerge, reinforced by powerful restrictions.

Ye Chen reached out and dispersed the array patterns, then activated his Ba Ti outer form, along with the forbidden techniques of Lun Hui Tian Zang, Sheng Dao Xian Zang, and Di Dao Tian Ji. His combat power surged to its peak in an instant.

"Up! Get up for me."

Ye Chen growled, his face flushing red with effort.

From afar, the scene looked downright comical. Who would've thought the mighty emperor of Da Chu, with his full power unleashed, wasn't heading into battle but trying to steal someone else's treasure? It was a perfect use of his forbidden techniques—staying true to his roots, utterly shameless in the pursuit of loot.

The awkward part was, even at full strength, he was straining himself and still couldn't shake the tree. It wasn't that he lacked power; the restrictions here were just too overwhelming.

"Need a hand?"

As Ye Chen poured all his effort into uprooting the tree, a voice chuckled, and a figure in purple robes slowly materialized not far behind him.

Ye Chen instinctively turned around, his eyes lighting up. The newcomer was no one else but the Hun Dun Ti, appearing without a sound, completely out of nowhere.

"Uh-heh-heh..."

Ye Chen gave an awkward laugh and finally let go, wiping the sweat from his brow. He even patted the trunk of the Zao Hua Chang Sheng Guo tree. "This tree is really something."

"If I'm not mistaken, you were stealing things." The Hun Dun Ti said with a smile.

"Nonsense. Am I that kind of person?"

Ye Chen glanced at him and pulled out his wine gourd, taking big gulps. All the while, his mind was still on the Zao Hua Chang Sheng Guo tree—he'd come back for it under the cover of night.

The Hun Dun Ti's gaze grew profound. He had followed the Dao Ancestor and observed Ye Chen in the human realm more than once; this guy had no shame whatsoever.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk."

Ye Chen clicked his tongue, now circling the Hun Dun Ti instead of the tree, marveling all the while. Since their parting at Chen Tang Guan three years ago, he realized the Hun Dun Ti's cultivation progress was no less impressive than his own. Their realms were evenly matched, and most importantly, the aura of the Hun Dun Ti's Dao made him wary.

As Ye Chen sized him up, the Hun Dun Ti was doing the same. Ye Chen was wary of him, and he felt the same about Ye Chen. After merging before and after the tribulation and returning to the heavens, the path of Hun Dun he cultivated was no weaker, a heaven-seizing creation of its own.

"Want to spar?"

"Sure, let's go!"