Chapter 2757: The Black-Robed Man's Identity

In the vast starry sky, Ye Chen moved like a ghost, appearing and disappearing unpredictably. His traces could be found on many ancient stars, as he searched for the Hunlun Ti and Xuluo Tianzun, much like he had once sought out reincarnated individuals.

This search lasted three months.

Over these three months, aside from the Zhun Di who remained on guard, more than ninety percent of the powerful experts from the heavens had ventured into the starry sky. They scoured star domain after star domain, each holding a Tianji Shenjing, as if hunting for hidden treasures.

In all that time, there was no word from the two missing individuals, as if they had vanished from the world.

No one knew where they were, only that they were still alive, for their Yuan Shen jade tablets emitted a very faint glow.

In the Eastern Starry Sky, Ye Chen suddenly stopped and scanned his surroundings.

After searching relentlessly, he still found no clues. Xuluo Tianzun and the Hunlun Ti were nowhere to be seen, alive or dead. This uncertainty was truly frustrating and deeply unsatisfying.

One thing was certain: that mysterious person was an enemy, not a friend.

This was evident from the Hunlun Ti's bloodstained robe and Tianzun's divine blade. Both were severely injured, indicating it was no mere sparring match but a life-or-death battle, and the mysterious person had the upper hand.

A gentle star wind blew, carrying a faint feminine fragrance.

Ji Ningshuang arrived, having shed her usual feminine attire and tied up her three thousand strands of black hair, adopting a male disguise. She had crossed countless star domains to find Ye Chen in this part of the sky.

The two exchanged smiles, understanding each other without words.

Even with Tianzun and the Hunlun Ti teaming up, they had been badly wounded. If they found that mysterious person, Ye Chen might not defeat him alone. He needed assistance, someone to coordinate with him. Across all the heavens, no one was more suitable than the Dong Shen Yaochi. Their unspoken rapport spanned past and present lives.

"What do you think?"

As they walked side by side, Ye Chen handed over Tianzun's divine blade and the Hunlun Ti's bloodstained robe.

"It's not a Tianmo, not the Zhuxian Sword, and not a Honghuang powerhouse."

Ji Ningshuang spoke softly, examining the bloodstained robe and broken blade. They were marked with the fresh blood of the Hunlun Ti and Tianzun, as well as a trace of the mysterious person's aura. With her insight, she could tell at a glance.

After this brief exchange, both fell silent, stepping deeper into the starry sky and scanning every inch of space, wary of any hidden dimensions.

Bathed in starlight, their figures exuded a warm harmony, appearing perfectly matched.

The starry sky was filled with figures—some patrolling, some hunting Honghuang clan members, and others searching for the Hunlun Ti and Tianzun. Groups crossed paths, and acquaintances often exchanged casual greetings.

"Hey?"

Many noticed Ye Chen and Ji Ningshuang, their eyes filled with awe. Whether as the emperor of Da Chu or the Dong Shen Yaochi, both were legendary figures who had forged myths—genuine young emperors. And remarkably, they were a couple, a match made in heaven, beyond just talent and beauty.

"What a pair of monsters— they stand out wherever they go."

"Across the entire heavens, the only woman who can stand alongside the Sheng Ti is probably the Dong Shen."

"Speaking of the Dong Shen, this is the first time I've seen her since the Zang Shen Gu Di incident back in the day."

The onlookers gradually moved on, their murmurs still audible even as they walked away.

Though they had left, Ye Chen and Ji Ningshuang suddenly halted. One furrowed his brow slightly, the other deepened her gaze, all because they had inadvertently overheard four words: Zang Shen Gu Di.

Mentioning Zang Shen Gu Di inevitably brought up a lineage of unparalleled dominance.

That was the Huang Gu Sheng Ti, the first lineage of the ancient sacred bodies, innately equipped with god-level abilities.

In the past, there had been a first-lineage Sheng Ti in the Zang Shen Gu Di.

In that battle, even with the two of them plus Tianxu Dizi, the three had been beaten to a pulp. Who could guarantee that another first-lineage Sheng Ti wasn't hiding somewhere in the heavens?

If there was one, could it be that mysterious black-robed person?

Why were they such a perfect couple? In a flash of insight, they both thought of the same thing.

This guess wasn't unfounded.

At the same level and cultivation, someone who could severely injure Tianzun and the Hunlun Ti—Ye Chen could do it, and so could the first-lineage Huang Gu Sheng Ti, perhaps even more dominantly. They could activate their bloodline limits at will, which was incredibly troublesome.

In battles of the same tier, the second lineage was far inferior to the first.

Ye Chen stroked his chin, his eyes flickering uncertainly. He wouldn't have connected it to the first Sheng Ti if not for hearing about Zang Shen Gu Di. Now, thinking it through, the first Sheng Ti perfectly matched the mysterious person's power. The Hunlun Ti and Xuluo Tianzun facing him would be in for a beating.

So the question arose: if it really was the first Sheng Ti, where could he be hiding?

As Ye Chen pondered, Ji Ningshuang at his side suddenly vanished with a whoosh.

"Dream Return to Antiquity?"

Ye Chen raised an eyebrow, recognizing the immortal technique she had used. It was likely connecting dreams to reality, but he had no idea where she had gone or whose dream she had entered.

The thought of dreams set his mind wandering again. He mused about finding time to chat with his ninth one—it might lead to another dream encounter. Though it was all in dreams, the feeling was strikingly real, almost wondrous.

As he pondered, he couldn't help but chuckle, his smile turning a bit lecherous.

It was a good thing Tianzun and the Hunlun Ti weren't around, or they would have cursed him: "You jerk! We're fighting for our lives, and you're thinking about bed? Skipping it once won't kill you!"

Ye Chen started walking again, still stroking his chin, lost in the moment.

A long while passed with no sign of Ji Ningshuang returning, but he wasn't worried. She was no joke these days—aside from her own combat strength, her mastery of Dream Return to Antiquity was profound. Unless an emperor stepped in, no one could catch her, not even Flying Thunder God.

Eventually, he stopped in front of a flowing star river.

The river meandered from south to north, having traversed the starry sky for countless ages, witnessing endless changes of seas and mulberry fields. Its end likely marked the end of time itself.

In that instant, Ye Chen had a moment of enlightenment.

The immortal path was like this star river—who knew if reaching the end of time meant reaching the ultimate dao.

"Idiots, the Honghuang are all idiots."

A burst of noisy scolding shattered his thoughts.

Looking up, he saw a large group approaching, led by Niu Mowang and Jiaolong Wang. One carried a battle-axe, the other a war spear, cursing as they went. They seemed less concerned about the Hunlun Ti and Tianzun, focusing instead on provoking the Honghuang to draw them out.

Oh?

Spotting Ye Chen, the two rushed over eagerly. What a small world—they bumped into this guy everywhere. From afar, he stood out with an air that was hard to match.

Ye Chen eyed Niu Mowang sidelong, then Jiaolong Wang. If he stewed them, they'd make a fine dish to go with wine. Most people in the heavens probably thought the same.

"Honestly, we don't like that look in your eyes."

Niu Mowang and Jiaolong Wang both darkened their faces. They were sworn brothers, after all—why treat them like a meal?

Ye Chen reached out, grabbing one with each hand and pulling them close. He extended his other hand into their Dantian seas, extracting a purple thunderbolt from Niu Mowang and a red thunderbolt from Jiaolong Wang. Both were of high grade, surpassing ordinary true thunder.

"Good brothers."

Ye Chen said sincerely, then casually tossed the two aside after taking the thunderbolts.

The two kings' faces turned pitch black. Sure, they had helped find the thunderbolts for Ye Chen, but this level of self-service was over the top. It was basically robbery.

Ye Chen wasn't completely inconsiderate. In exchange for their thunderbolts, he gave each an eight-pattern pill and a longevity fruit, which more than made up for it.

"This is more like it."

The two grinned, realizing having a master alchemist as a brother had its perks.

The group walked off arm in arm.

Behind them, Ye Chen had already absorbed the two thunderbolts into his Dantian. The heavenly thunder was quite active.

He glanced at them—the thunder's level was decent but still far from Hunlun Lei. After all, fusing the Hunlun Huo had required merging countless flames.

Whoosh!

With a gust of star wind, a figure appeared ghost-like at Ye Chen's side—Ji Ningshuang had returned.

"Where did you go?"

Ye Chen asked.

"Zang Shen Gu Di."

Ji Ningshuang replied with a light smile.

Ye Chen was stunned. Zang Shen Gu Di only manifested at specific times, yet she had dreamed her way there. Dream Return to Antiquity was incredibly powerful, or perhaps Ji Ningshuang was just that extraordinary. Anywhere she had been likely left a dream imprint, allowing her to visit even if the place wasn't present.

Of course, other universes were different, bound by innate laws, and the path of dreams was no exception.

"I didn't find the first Sheng Ti."

Ji Ningshuang shook her head lightly—that was why she had gone to Zang Shen Gu Di.

"As expected."

Ye Chen said, then handed her a tattered ancient scroll— the immortal technique Da Meng Wuji, obtained from Huashan Zangjing Ge, though incomplete. He had planned to master it first before giving it to her, as dream path techniques were dangerously unpredictable. He had experienced it himself, and even Meng Hui Dadi had once been lost in confusion.

Now, though, his concerns seemed unnecessary.

Ji Ningshuang's comprehension of this path far exceeded his expectations—she might even grasp its true essence.

"Thank you."

Ji Ningshuang took it, flashing a faint smile. Dream path techniques were rarely passed down, even scarcer than emperor-level ones, and most were incomplete. Obtaining one was supreme serendipity.

"You and me, no need for thanks. Find time to build another dream—that's more worthwhile than anything."

Ye Chen said suggestively, his eyes gleaming.

Ji Ningshuang's cheeks flushed instantly, and she lowered her gaze. Being a bookish type didn't mean she was naive; certain intimate scenes always surfaced in her mind unexpectedly.

Thinking about it, none of her moments with Ye Chen had been normal—one involved an evil demon playing seductive music; another was Donghuang Tai Xin tricking them into a room; and another was Kui Niu ruining their dawn intimacy. Though they shared a bed, it was always in dreams.

Their married life was truly hard to describe.

"We need to find that mysterious person quickly."

Ye Chen took a deep breath, pulled out a purple-golden flask, and drew out a wisp of emperor-level essence, which he fused into his palm. He gently pressed it against Yaochi's body, letting it merge within.

His placement was quite deliberate—right where it was softest. He acted all serious while being shamelessly bold, and when he withdrew, he even gave it a quick squeeze. That legendary feel was indeed impressive.

This was only possible with Ji Ningshuang—if it were Chu Xuan or the others, they'd have kicked him by now.

Ji Ningshuang's face turned even redder. Who would guess that the most stunning female young emperor in the heavens could show such a demure side, and only to Ye Chen.

"Let's go."

Ye Chen chuckled and started walking, sniffing his hand as he went.

Hmm... truly fragrant.