Chapter 2697: The Most Awesome Reincarnation

The Da Chu emperor's raw outburst was filled with the power of his Yuan Shen.

The younger generation was stunned, their minds reeling in dizzying waves.

The older generation trembled in fear, their knees shaking uncontrollably.

At that moment, even Tai Shang Laojun and the others couldn't help but turn their heads, their eyes filled with curiosity as they looked at Ye Chen. This great emperor from the Tianmo Domain was actually a reincarnated soul from the human realm!

Taking a glance at Ye Chen, his mouth twitched back and forth more than a dozen times in that instant.

Indeed, it was a reincarnated soul—one who could be called his teacher, or his close comrade. They had fought side by side on the battlefield and had once shared the pain of a beating at Tianxuan Gate.

This reincarnated soul, both mentor and friend, was none other than Long Ye, the remnant soul of the Taixu Long Emperor.

"How is that possible?"

Daozu's eyes were the deepest, muttering to himself with a slight furrow in his brow.

He had seen the Taixu Long Emperor before and recognized the emperor's Yuan Shen, so he could also identify the remnant soul of the Long Emperor.

However, the reincarnation of Ye Chen and Di Zun was different from that of Long Ye and the Long Emperor.

The former had formed their own Lun Hui, capable of concealing their soul imprints.

The latter relied on external Lun Hui, unable to hide their soul imprints.

In the past, he hadn't recognized Ye Chen as the reincarnation of Di Zun, but today, he could see that this Tianmo emperor was the reincarnation of the Long Emperor's remnant soul. Both were connected to great emperors—one through self-formed Lun Hui, the other through external Lun Hui, representing a fundamental difference in some sense.

Ye Chen was shocked, and so was he.

A few hundred years between past and present life—despite the differing flow of time between the Tianmo Domain and the various heavens—was far too short for someone to become an emperor. It was nothing short of defying the heavens.

But the most defiant part wasn't even that.

Remnant souls of emperors, like Zi Xuan or the Human King, could never become emperors. From the moment they gained sentience, they were suppressed by the imprint of their original emperor self—a supreme shackle that no remnant soul of an emperor could break.

This shackle ignored Lun Hui entirely.

Now, the reincarnation of the Long Emperor's remnant soul had defied the heavens to become an emperor. How could he not be astonished? He wondered if it was the magic of the Tianmo Domain or the sheer defiance of this reincarnated soul, which had broken two shackles in a single Lun Hui.

"Is it because of the changes in the Emperor's Dao?"

Daozu murmured softly, his emperor eyes flickering uncertainly. Ever since the upheaval in the Emperor's Dao, too many events had exceeded his expectations, with things that upended common knowledge occurring endlessly.

"So, that's the emperor of the Tianmo Domain?"

"Even as emperors, the one from our Tian Realm is on a completely different level."

"The Emperor's illusion is truly domineering—it's affected even the emperors."

Discussions erupted from all sides, with people scrutinizing the emperor of the Tianmo Domain. Many took out memory crystals to imprint the emperor's true form, turning it into future conversation fodder over tea and meals.

As for the reincarnated Long Ye, he had just emerged from the magic pillar and hadn't even had a chance to speak before he was pulled into Daozu's illusion, frozen like a statue.

An entry-level Tianmo emperor was no match for a peak great emperor.

Yet, even trapped in the illusion, the emperor's Dao pressure from the reincarnated Long Ye was world-shattering. His earlier stomp had been devastatingly heavy, causing the universe to collapse upon impact. The entire world shook as his emperor body loomed like a massive mountain, suppressing the river of time. His divine emperor aura trembled across the four seas and eight wastelands, inherently carrying a destructive emperor Dao vision.

Ye Chen's eyes were already moist, his thoughts drifting back to the Da Chu of his past life. As part of the Da Chu expeditionary force, Long Ye, like Zi Xuan, had died protecting him, struck down by a Tianmo emperor.

That remnant soul of the Long Emperor was, to him, both a mentor and a friend, as well as a great benefactor. From their encounter in the Zhengyang Sect's forbidden ground in the past, it had set him on the path to rise. His current achievements owed much to Long Ye.

But he never imagined that his Da Chu reincarnated soul—the Long Emperor's remnant soul—would become a great emperor in the Tianmo Domain. Even with the mindset of an emperor, he couldn't suppress his shock.

Buzz!

As Ye Chen was lost in thought, Daozu made his move, sending a strand of emperor light descending from the sky.

This strike instantly destroyed the emperor Dao origin of the reincarnated Long Ye, forcibly stripping him of his emperor status.

Ye Chen understood this all too well.

Dao Hua Wan Qian and Ni Shi Lun Hui were profound, but they had no effect on emperors unless he was one himself. To erase Long Ye's Tianmo bloodline and memories, he had to first strip away his emperor status—a necessary, if regrettable, action.

"A great emperor... just like that, wasted?"

The people were astounded, swallowing hard. As emperors went, Daozu was the true force of domination.

They were even more puzzled—why send the demoted Tianmo emperor to Ye Chen?

Without hesitation, Ye Chen immediately used Dao Hua Wan Qian and Ni Shi Lun Hui, enveloping the Long Emperor's remnant soul and forcefully erasing Long Ye's Tianmo bloodline and memories.

One could say the reincarnated Long Ye was truly unfortunate. He had become an emperor in the Tianmo Domain, but he was the most awkward Tianmo emperor since the invasion of the three Tianmo realms. He had barely arrived before being dragged into the emperor Dao illusion, his emperor Dao origin destroyed in an instant, and his status stripped away. Afterward, he had no connection left to the Tianmo or the Tianmo Domain.

"You're the most outstanding one, really bringing glory to the various heavens."

Ye Chen said with a teary smile, giving the reincarnated Long Ye a light punch before swiftly placing him into his inner world.

His words weren't exaggerated. Among the Da Chu reincarnated souls, this one was the most impressive. A remnant soul of an emperor had actually become an emperor in the Tianmo Domain, returning with the highest cultivation among them.

Unfortunately, Long Ye's emperor status had been stripped by Daozu.

Now, he was merely a quasi-emperor and wouldn't recall his past life. He certainly wouldn't know that in some bygone year, he had once been a supreme ruler dominating the Tianmo Domain.

"If the Long Emperor were here, he would be quite pleased."

Daozu shook his head with a smile, still puzzled about how a remnant soul of an emperor had become one. In this era of Emperor's Dao changes, strange events were indeed plentiful.

"Probably taking him for research."

Over eighty percent of the people were watching Ye Chen, witnessing him take in that Tianmo emperor. The sharp-eyed ones even saw Ye Chen erase the Tianmo emperor's bloodline—such a technique was nothing short of miraculous.

"What an awkward emperor."

Tai Yi sighed, and everything after entering the illusion had been nothing short of disastrous.

Buzz!

Suddenly, the towering magic pillar trembled again, spreading a dark halo laced with emperor might.

"Another emperor?"

The immortals exclaimed in unison.

No sooner had the words fallen than a thunderous boom echoed from the sky. The second emperor stepped out of the magic pillar—it was the Chi Ye Mo Emperor, his step causing the universe to quake. His long red hair billowed toward the heavens, his emperor might shaking the eight wastelands, accompanied by a destructive vision that made everyone's hearts tremble.

Hm?

The moment he emerged, Chi Ye Mo Emperor furrowed his brow. Where was the Tianmo army? Where was the previous Tianmo emperor? Why was everything so eerily quiet, sending chills down his spine?

In an instant, his expression changed drastically—this wasn't the human realm; it was the Tian Realm.

In the next instant, he tried to retreat back into the magic pillar, but the light of the Zaohua Yu Die had already enveloped him, unwittingly pulling him into the emperor's illusion.

"The first and second Tianmo emperors, plus our Tian Realm's emperor—now there are three emperors."

The people watched in a daze, murmuring to themselves. Emperors were rare across eternity, with no precedent of them coexisting in the same era. Now, with three emperors present, it truly broke ancient taboos.

This day was worth commemorating and was destined to be recorded in the annals of history.

They, too, were witnesses to it.

Ye Chen felt a pang of regret—this Tianmo emperor wasn't a reincarnated soul. If he were, that would have been something special.

Buzz!

The universe trembled as Chi Ye Mo Emperor's dull eyes suddenly reignited with emperor Dao immortal light.

This emperor was exceptional, actually breaking free from the emperor's illusion.

"Exterminate!"

At the same time, Daozu struck, sending a towering beam of emperor light that destroyed the towering magic pillar.

Such pillars had their own levels.

This one could only transport two emperors; it couldn't handle a third. Combined with the earlier annihilation of the Tianmo army, it had reached its limit. Waiting longer would be futile, and if the Tianmo Domain discovered the various heavens' location, it would spell catastrophe. Better to destroy it now as a form of enlightenment.

Pfft!

Chi Ye Mo Emperor spat blood, staggering back and nearly falling from the void. With the magic pillar destroyed, he lost his source of support. The backlash was immense—even an emperor couldn't withstand it. If he were a mere Tianmo soldier, he would have been reduced to ashes by now.

"Dao friend, I trust you've been well."

Daozu said with a smile, clearly recognizing this Tianmo emperor.

"You... Hong Jun?"

Chi Ye Mo Emperor stepped back abruptly, his expression one of utter disbelief.

Even among great emperors, there were strengths and weaknesses, and he was clearly not on Daozu's level. At his peak, he couldn't match Daozu, let alone now, with the innate suppression and the magic pillar destroyed, his combat power greatly diminished.

It was their misfortune—they had meant to go to the human realm but had ended up in the Tian Realm by mistake. Now he understood why there was no sign of the Tianmo army or the previous Tianmo emperor; they had likely been wiped out. With a peak great emperor guarding the gate, any number of invaders would meet the same fate.

"I'll give you a chance."

Daozu spoke leisurely, casually pulling Ye Chen over.

"Defeat him, and you may live."

Ye Chen didn't resist, knowing Daozu's intention—this was to use the Tianmo emperor to temper him!

Such things had happened before; Di Huang had once used an emperor to hone his beloved, and she hadn't disappointed the various heavens, slaying that Tianmo emperor and seizing a breakthrough opportunity to advance to great completion against all odds.

History was repeating itself in a similar way.

The difference was, back then, she had been at quasi-emperor peak, half a step from great completion, while now, he was at quasi-emperor ninth heaven, half a minor realm short of her at that time.

"The Archaic Holy Body."

Chi Ye Mo Emperor turned his gaze, glancing at Ye Chen and recognizing the Holy Body bloodline.

It was indeed a Holy Body, but only at quasi-emperor ninth heaven, not even half a step to great completion, yet they wanted him to fight an emperor?

Chi Ye Mo Emperor's eyes instantly filled with blood, turning a terrifying crimson, his face twisting into a ferocious scowl.

Pitting a ninth-heaven cultivator against him? The pride of an emperor had been blatantly insulted.

"You have no choice. Defeat him, and live; lose, and die."

Daozu added, with a flick of his sleeve, he opened the vast Daoshang Heaven—a dedicated emperor Dao battlefield.

Then, he pushed Ye Chen into it, the meaning clear: to survive, he must destroy that emperor.

"Are you out of your mind?"

Xuan Emperor couldn't help but curse. The Archaic Holy Body could slay emperors, sure, but it depended on the cultivation level.

Though a quasi-emperor ninth heaven was only a step from quasi-emperor completion, it was worlds apart. Forcing Ye Chen to fight an emperor before reaching quasi-emperor peak wasn't tempering—it was a death sentence. It wasn't that he doubted Ye Chen; emperors were just too terrifying.

"This is pushing him toward death!"

Tai Shang Laojun coughed dryly. His master clearly wasn't treating Ye Chen as a person. First, the heart-refining tribulation, and now this trial, even more dreadful than the last. A ninth-heaven against an emperor? Could he even return alive?

"There's no way to do it like this."

The people muttered, their hearts pounding.

Ye Chen was strong, but this test seemed impossibly difficult—like walking through the gates of hell.

"You are an emperor; your word should be your bond."

Chi Ye Mo Emperor let out a sinister laugh, transforming into a beam of emperor light that shot straight into the nine heavens, entering the Daoshang Heaven. Pride and dignity no longer mattered; he wanted to survive.