Chapter 2701: Slaughter the Supreme (II)

In the Milky Way's one-line sky, blood mist lingered.

Under the dim starlight, a blood-soaked figure stumbled along, clutching a stained divine knife, barely able to stay upright.

Wasn't he Shura Tianzun?

Last night, during the Heavenly Court's siege, he had barely escaped with his life, fighting his way out but left with only half his strength, his old wounds unhealed and new ones added.

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

"Tian Zun."

Yue Xin stepped out from the bronze furnace and caught him.

Accompanying her were Si Ming and the others. They had fled all the way to the boundary between the upper and lower realms.

Unfortunately, to enter the Upper Immortal Realm, they had to pass through Nan Tian Men, and the same went for the Scattered Immortal Realm.

Though they could see the Scattered Immortal Realm across the Milky Way, they couldn't cross it. For countless ages, countless powerful beings had tried, but none could overcome that barrier—a mysterious force blocked the way, like an insurmountable chasm.

"No problem."

Shura Tianzun managed a weary smile. Perhaps from exhaustion, he leaned into Yue Xin's arms, his dim eyes fluttering as if he might fall asleep right there.

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

That blind woman had been so gentle and kind.

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

This seemingly carefree Shura Tianzun was, in truth, covered in the dust of ages, hiding an ancient story.

Si Ming and the others weren't idle either, surrounding Shura Tianzun to dispel the killing intent within him. For someone of Tian Zun's 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 Tian Zun.

To be precise, it was Tian Zun holding on; they were just weak fighters, more of a burden than help.

Without Tian Zun's fierce charge, they would likely be on the Zhu Xian Tai by now, waiting for execution.

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

"The Heavenly Court is full of hidden talents and masters," Si Ming Xing Jun stroked his beard. "They can pinpoint our location for sure."

Before long, a hint of color returned to 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 was still weak—his injuries hadn't fully healed, and the recent battles had only made them worse.

It was truly a case of a tiger fallen on the plains, bullied by dogs.

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

Boom! Rumble!

As they spoke, thunderous booms echoed.

Gazing into the distance, clouds roiled and killing intent surged. The sounds of golden armor and warhorses shook the eight directions—it was the Heavenly Court's war chariots, each one carrying an immortal lord, with countless heavenly soldiers forming a dark tide that swallowed everything in its 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 been like this—breaking through sieges, shaking off pursuers, only to be found again without fail.

"Someone's secretly divining our location," Tian Zun said calmly, already gripping his divine knife and rising, his eyes flickering with uncertain light as he stared at the horizon.

"Pity Ye Chen isn't here."

Fa Lun Wang took a deep breath, knowing Ye Chen had inherited the Zhou Tian evolution technique, the pinnacle of divination. If he were here, he could block any spying.

"Hand over your shen wei," Tian Zun demanded, extending his hand.

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

The so-called shen wei was like a spiritual tablet, somewhat similar to one for the deceased.

"I get it—someone's divining us through our shen wei to lock onto our position," Si Ming murmured, also surrendering his.

"Sounds reliable," Tai Yi added hastily.

Once he collected the shen wei, Tian Zun flung them into the Milky Way.

Being surrounded and tracked so precisely was no coincidence—the flaw had to be the shen wei. With them, the Heavenly Court could chase them to the ends of the earth.

"My shen wei!" Tai Bai winced, as it contained a lot of merit. Tossing it away was heartbreaking.

"Is the shen wei more important, or your life?"

"The shen wei... well... life."

"Let's go." Tian Zun spoke briefly, waved his hand to tuck everyone into the bronze furnace, draped a black robe over himself, and vanished in an instant.

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

"Damn it, they've discarded their shen wei."

An elder clutching a bagua pan stepped out from the crowd, standing at the Milky Way's edge. His narrowed eyes seemed to peer into the river, spotting the tablets that had sunk to the bottom.

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

Now that the shen wei were gone, hunting them down would take more planning.

Bu Zhou Shan.

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

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

He had obtained the phoenix flower and thought about leaving, but hearing the heavenly book's celestial sounds, he decided to stay a few more days. He needed to get that blank heavenly book to use for borrowing laws and send it back to Da Chu.

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

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

Speaking of borrowing laws, he looked up at the vast sky countless times, unable to pierce through the chaos. He wondered if the barrier between the Heavenly Realm and the Human Realm was still intact.

Even if it had weakened, Bu Zhou Shan likely still blocked any borrowing of laws.

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 concealing techniques hiding their face. Only two pairs of sinister eyes gleamed.

This was a Zhun Di at peak level, also here for treasure hunting. Seeing someone weaker, they decided to rob them.

Ye Chen, a mere first-heaven Zhun Di, would be easy pickings—a free treasure, why not?

"No."

Ye Chen pocketed the shen tie, spat on his iron staff, and wiped it with his sleeve. Robbing others was something he did often; one more wouldn't hurt.

Spotting the staff, the black-robed Zhun Di narrowed their eyes, recognizing it—or perhaps having felt its blow before.

"You're... Ye Chen?"

As they stared, the black-robed Zhun Di paled and stepped back abruptly.

No mistake—it was the Ding Hai Shen Zhen, and its owner was infamous. Even millions of troops couldn't catch him.

Who'd have thought the one the Heavenly Court was hunting across the heavens was right here in Bu Zhou Shan?

And they'd run into him.

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

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

Without hesitation, the black-robed Zhun Di fled. Someone even the Four Great Immortal Venerables couldn't take down was far beyond a peak Zhun Di like them.

"Where do you think you're going?"

Ye Chen moved like a ghost, stepping forward and swinging his staff down.

Wow! What a hit!

The black-robed Zhun Di dropped on the spot, skull shattering with blood and bone flying everywhere, nearly extinguished. Before they could steady themselves, over a hundred seals were placed on them, binding them tight.

"Spare me, spare me."

They cowered, all former arrogance gone, face deathly pale and body trembling in fear.

"I recognize you—you've asked me to refine dan yao before."

Ye Chen prodded with his iron staff, flipping back the black robe to reveal a familiar face. They'd visited his Zi Wei Dao Fu often, always cheerful.

"Xing Jun, spare me!"

"What's happening outside?"

As he asked, Ye Chen reached into the black-robed Zhun Di's inner world, taking anything valuable— heavenly stones, dan yao, artifacts—without leaving a thing, all stashed in his own world.

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

The black-robed Zhun Di's voice shook; treasures meant nothing compared to their life. They could earn more, steal more, rob more—as long as they survived.

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

Ye Chen hefted his staff and whacked them three times, nearly bursting their head.

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

Ye Chen understood—it was clear this one had entered before him.

He wondered what Yin Ming's reaction would be. Sent to find Ye Chen, and here they were, slacking off, wandering into Bu Zhou Shan for treasure. Served them right to get robbed.

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

"Easy enough."

Ye Chen smiled, shooting a beam of immortal light into the black-robed Zhun Di's sea of consciousness, erasing their memories, then knocking them out cold. He wasn't killing them.

With that done, he hoisted his staff and headed deeper.

Boom! Bang! Boom!

Bu Zhou Shan at night was far from quiet, filled with explosive sounds from battles.

No need to look—he knew treasure hunters had found goodies, encountered evil spirits, or were fighting among themselves. It was chaotic, with blood scent thick 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 utterly disoriented, unsure which way led out. The ever-shifting world made Bu Zhou Shan like a maze.

Along his path, he'd seen other hunters in the same boat, looping back repeatedly.

It was all because they'd gone too deep—the deeper they went, the more the world changed.

Some even vanished mid-step, shifted elsewhere by the chaos.

It was that same cliff again. Ye Chen hauled up the hanging bronze coffin.

Opening the lid revealed only a long-decayed skeleton inside, nothing else—no burial goods, or at least, any that had been there were taken by other hunters, who then rehung the coffin.

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

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

"Look, we're stuck now!"

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

"Is that so?"

Bickering voices suddenly echoed, drawing Ye Chen's attention. Through the dark mist, he spotted two figures.

At a glance, they were familiar—Shui De Xing Jun and Huo De Xing Jun, arguing as they walked. They were probably sent to find Ye Chen but ended up in Bu Zhou Shan.

Ye Chen took a deep breath. The Heavenly Court was full of slackers—none of them were actually doing their jobs.

Not to boast, even if they found him, they'd pretend not to see.

It was all just for show—why take it seriously?

"Hey, there's a coffin."

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

"That person found it first. Robbing outright isn't right."

"A first-heaven Zhun Di—we can take him."

"Achoo!"

As they spoke, Ye Chen suddenly sneezed, full of presence.

Turning back, he saw Shui De Xing Jun and Huo De Xing Jun were gone.

Those two had bolted faster than rabbits, scared witless by his sneeze, nearly wetting themselves.

"Back when you borrowed laws, you weren't this cowardly!"

Watching their fleeing backs, Ye Chen sighed. With that level of nerve, who knew how they became Xing Jun? At least they were pros at escaping.

As he withdrew his gaze, Ye Chen prepared to step off the cliff.

But before his foot landed, a burst of radiant light erupted from deep in Bu Zhou Shan, and the ethereal dao heavenly sounds rang out again.

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

Boom!

Then came the rumble—he'd stepped out, but forgot Bu Zhou Shan's suppression prevented flying, so he slipped and smashed 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 entertainment.

Ye Chen ignored them, climbing out of the rubble and hurrying toward his target. The fall only made him move faster, leaving the crowd raising their eyebrows—he was tough.

Elsewhere, Ye Chen had vanished.

This time, his aim was precise. Bu Zhou Shan's shifting world was met with his own adapting divination, zeroing in on the spot.

Ah...!

That piercing scream echoed again, carrying a turtle-like vibe.

Ye Chen raised an eyebrow—it came from the blank heavenly book's direction, making him think the book and the screamer were together.

As for why the scream, he'd find out once he got there.