Chapter 2724: Peaceful

Under the moonlight, Yu Nu Peak was shrouded in mist, serene and elegant.

After returning, Ye Chen stood there for a long time, his heart filled with a desolate feeling. The tribulation had lasted for three years, but in the Chaos Sea, it felt like over a thousand years, much like the ancient Six Paths of Reincarnation or the thousand years in Great Chu. If you counted all the time, he was already thousands of years old, covered in the dust of ages.

Chu Xuan and the others were all there, silent as well. The tribulation felt like reincarnation, like a dream.

Since it was a dream, Ye Chen needed time to wake up.

It wasn't until sometime later that Ye Chen smiled faintly and began to walk, heading towards the bamboo grove behind. The women followed him, bringing turbid wine and burning musk incense to pay respects to Bei Sheng and the Fox Immortal.

That night, Great Chu was quite peaceful.

More accurately, the entire Zhutian was peaceful. The war had dragged on for over a year, from peak Quasi-Emperors to the lowest Qi Condensation novices, everyone was exhausted and slept soundly. When the sun rose again, the mortal world would enter an era of recuperation and recovery.

At Yu Nu Peak, under the old tree, Ye Chen and his companions sat close together, gazing at the vast starry sky. They didn't know how much time had passed, but for the first time, they felt such tranquility. It was enough to bring tears to their eyes, for only after experiencing war, treading over mountains of corpses, and wading through seas of blood could one truly appreciate the value of peace.

"Jiu Niang, Dad's back! When will you overcome your tribulation?"

The long silence was finally broken by Ye Ling's words. She gently stroked the little Yao Chi in her arms, who was sleeping peacefully, occasionally murmuring in her dreams and curling up her body.

Ye Chen lowered his gaze from the stars and looked at little Yao Chi.

His ninth child was still in her dream tribulation, which was the first of its kind in all the Zhutian domains. To this day, she showed no sign of any cultivation at all, just like an ordinary little girl—plump and rosy-cheeked. Over the past few years, she hadn't grown an inch. Ye Chen didn't know when Yao Chi would complete her tribulation, but once she achieved nirvana, it would surely be terrifying.

The night passed without incident, and dawn arrived in the blink of an eye.

In the morning, Great Chu remained quiet. People had slept deeply, and many were still not awake, with countless others in seclusion to heal. The war had ended, ushering in an era of recuperation.

This tranquility lasted for three full months.

By the fourth month, figures began to appear in the shattered starry sky. Armored cultivators patrolled in teams, formed from various factions' alliances, still searching for the Hong Huang.

Besides that, people were rebuilding their homes.

Crowds bustled on many ruined ancient stars, repairing the celestial bodies. Some forces and races simply relocated to the Xuan Huang Continent or the You Ming Continent, while even more came to Great Chu, even moving their ancestral stars along to settle outside Great Chu. It wasn't surprising—they came because Great Chu had a Sacred Body, a half-step fully formed one.

Great Chu's Tenth Emperor had become a towering tree.

In the fifth month, many who had been in seclusion in Great Chu emerged, bringing life back to the once-quiet Zhutian gates as they rebuilt their mountains and rivers. The war that had swept across Zhutian had not spared this place either.

Now, Heng Yue Sect was bustling with visitors.

Before dawn fully broke, Kui Yu Jiang arrived, accompanied by other kings from various eras, all coming to visit Ye Chen. They set out a few jugs of turbid wine and, when speaking of the Ren Wang's reincarnation, the kings looked utterly astonished, sighing at Ren Wang's legendary experiences. He had died to the underworld the first time and gone to the heavens the second.

Following them were the descendants of emperors: Long Teng, Zhou Tian Yi, Xiao Chen, Huang Yan, and Di Fan, arriving together. Three years later, reuniting after the war, their cultivations had all advanced. Even the son of the War King, who had never admitted defeat before, just smiled and shook his head upon seeing Ye Chen. In this life, he could never surpass Ye Chen unless he achieved emperorhood.

"This time, we're here first to catch up, and second, for this."

After the wine, Xiao Chen opened his inner world, revealing a massive head.

Ye Chen recognized it at once—it was the head of the God of War, Xing Tian.

Back on Wang Xuan Star, it was the first time he had seen the God of War's head, which had passed on the inheritance to the son of the War King. Now, looking at it again, it was enveloped in divine light, faintly visible, and hid a mysterious power that even made Ye Chen feel uneasy. Though dead, it still retained a trace of divine consciousness.

"I've tried to awaken the consciousness, but failed," Xiao Chen said, revealing a secret. "From some point, the head has been restless, occasionally opening its eyes without warning."

Ye Chen furrowed his brow, his eyes narrowing slightly as he detected a familiar aura from the head, strikingly similar to that from the entrance of the Taigu Hong Huang.

After a long while, he spoke, "Have you shown it to Ren Wang?"

"Taigu Hong Huang," Xiao Chen didn't hide it. "Ren Wang only said those four words."

Ye Chen's eyes flickered. He could see what Ren Wang could see.

When they had sent Di Huang and Hong Yan away, Fu Xi was present, and through the entrance of Taigu Hong Huang, they could faintly sense its aura, identical to that on Xing Tian's head. This left him puzzled—had Xing Tian also entered Taigu Hong Huang?

As evening fell, the descendants of emperors left one by one.

Those who came to Yu Nu Peak afterward were Ye Chen's old friends: Wu San Pao, Tai Er Zhen Ren, Niu Shi San, and Man Shan, arriving together and bringing several baskets of Great Chu specialties.

Once done, the group was promptly thrown out of Yu Nu Peak.

Compared to them, the later arrivals—Hua Yun, the sect master of Zheng Yang, and Zhou Ao, the sect master of Qing Yun—were more reserved. Each held a baby in their arms, their edges softened by fatherhood.

On the fifth day, Wu Ya Dao Ren and Gu San Tong arrived. From the moment they set foot on Yu Nu Peak, they couldn't stop tsking in amazement. A half-step fully formed Sacred Body had a certain aura that surpassed even before the tribulation—it was quite dazzling.

On the sixth day, Yan Lao Dao came for a visit, laughing a bit awkwardly. Only then did he learn that the one who had communicated with the underworld that night was Great Chu's Tenth Emperor. For this, Ren Wang had scolded him bloody.

On the seventh day, a particularly arrogant donkey entered Heng Yue Sect—it was Qi Wang. In the dead of night, he made a racket and got thoroughly beaten by Xiong Er and Situ Nan.

On the eighth day, a group of emperor's sons ascended Yu Nu Peak, not to fight, but to discuss scriptures and the Dao.

On the ninth day, the Chaos Body arrived gracefully. He glanced at little Yao Chi and shook his head helplessly. He had come to spar, but seeing Yao Chi's state, it was clearly not the right time. Among the young emperors, besides Ye Chen, the only one he truly respected was Ji Ning Shuang.

After venturing into the Chaos Sea, Ye Chen had gained opportunities, and so had the Chaos Body, advancing to Quasi-Emperor peak. In terms of combat power, he could stand shoulder to shoulder with Ye Chen. The difference was that a half-step fully formed Sacred Body could slay a great emperor, but a Quasi-Emperor peak Chaos Body could not wield that divine power.

Once again, the two sat facing each other in a game, without any grand battle fluctuations, yet it still caused a big stir.

During this, Ye Chen asked about the abilities of the Chaos Eye, and the Chaos Body answered everything, explaining each one. Even Ye Chen couldn't help but sigh—the perfect pupils had formidable abilities.

Unfortunately, he still hadn't awakened the Chaos Eye's immortal techniques.

This game had a winner and a loser—the Chaos Body was the one defeated. He had come all this way only to get stimulated again. In theory, the Chaos Body should suppress the Ancient Sacred Body, but in Ye Chen's case, it had overturned the norm, breaking the eternal taboo.

On the tenth day, Zi Xuan returned from the starry sky, bringing the Holy Emperor Dou with her.

The remnant soul of the female emperor was even more world-weary; Di Huang's junior brother, after the passage of time, had regained some of his senses. In his wooden expression, there was now human emotion, especially when looking at Ye Chen, his mind would momentarily blur, evoking ancient memories of the Ancient Sacred Body.

On the eleventh day, Ye Chen's nine Dao bodies arrived, each bringing their own families.

Thus, Ye Chen's seniority jumped from grandfather to great-grandfather.

Indeed, the grandchildren of his nine Dao bodies already had children, toddling around with round faces, coming up to kowtow and saying in childish voices,"Grandpa says kowtowing gets you candy.""There is, there certainly is."

Ye Chen chuckled dryly and casually took out some Great Chu specialties—candy.

"We've seen the great-grandmothers."

The little ones got up and knelt again with a thud, this time to Chu Xuan and the others.

"In another ten years or so, the seniority will go even higher."

The women's expressions were more awkward than Ye Chen's. They hadn't even married him yet and were already great-grandmothers, making them feel like they were old hags or ancient monsters.

The nine Dao bodies grinned widely."Boss, aren't you pleased?""Pleased."

Ye Chen took a deep breath and spoke earnestly, but his eyes on the nine Dao bodies turned sideways. You guys are really dedicated! In just a few years, your cultivations haven't advanced, but your ability to start families has skyrocketed. You've all got descendants galore.

Hee-hee-hee!

Yu Nu Peak became lively, filled with the laughter of children.

Little Yao Chi, also a child, ran around the grass with them.

Ye Chen rubbed his brow, and Chu Xuan, Chu Ling, and the others did the same. At first glance, his ninth child mixing with this group didn't seem out of place at all. It was just the seniority that was a bit off—one was at great-grandmother level, while the rest were great-grandchildren.

"Little brother, when are you two going to have one?"

Watching the kids everywhere, Ye Ling blinked her beautiful eyes and glanced at Ye Fan and Yang Lan.

"Not in a hurry."

Ye Fan chuckled dryly, while Yang Lan's cheeks flushed. Things are lively enough at home as it is.

Before long, Yang Ding Tian and his group of old fellows arrived.

The legend of being closer to the next generation proved true—they swarmed in, each snatching a child to hold. Pang Da Chuan was the most brazen, trying to sneak off with Yao Chi and getting hammered half to death on the spot.

Night gradually deepened.

Ye Chen paid respects to Bei Sheng and the Fox Immortal, then sat under the old tree, quietly carving wood.

Since returning to Yu Nu Peak, he hadn't gone out at all.

Great Chu's Tenth Emperor was quite greedy, greedily savoring this hard-won ordinary life, guarding his home and family, not as the holy lord of the Heavenly Court or the god of war of Zhutian, just an ordinary husband who got up every morning to make breakfast for his family.

Bathed in moonlight, a dark figure climbed up Yu Nu Peak.

To be precise, it was a person, but so black that it was hard to make out—it was Tang San Shao, carrying a large sack and panting heavily, waddling like a meatball wherever he went.

"Senior, I'm here to propose marriage."

The little black fatty set down the sack and chuckled.

Ye Chen laughed."Your family proposes marriage in the middle of the night?""Don't sweat the details."

Tang San Shao coughed dryly, rubbing his dark hands and grinning."Ling Er and I are truly in love. You can't break up a loving couple.""You're pretty tough.""Not bad."

No sooner had the words left his mouth than the little fatty was flat on the ground, dazed by Ye Chen's slap. He liked that response—"not bad." Coming in the dead of night to steal his little cabbage was quite bold.

After knocking down Tang San Shao, Ye Chen set down his carving knife and looked up at the void.

The feeling of being watched grew stronger. It wasn't the Zhu Xian Sword, but it still made him uneasy. He didn't know who was spying in the shadows— even with his insight, he couldn't find a trace. He only knew that the eyes in the dark were extremely terrifying.