Chapter 2788: Ruoxi's Aura

Ye Chen's "I don't know" plunged the bamboo forest into silence. Some people stood with their hands tucked into their sleeves, some drank tea, and some stroked their beards. Everyone was deep in thought.

Characters like Ren Wang and Ye Chen occasionally glanced at each other, exchanging a look before resuming their own activities. The two Zhou Tian successors knew more than others, sharing a tacit understanding unique to them. Their guesses about the matter were likely in perfect alignment.

"If you can't figure it out, then don't think about it."

"I think the most urgent task is to attack the Honghuang Clan."

Tian Lao's words finally broke the long silence. His eyes gleamed with a cold light, filled with killing intent towards the Honghuang great clan.

Upon hearing this, all the quasi-emperors gathered their thoughts.

Like Tian Lao, every quasi-emperor present had an icy expression. After many days of recuperation, their suppressed anger had only grown more intense.

However, they were still waiting – waiting for the vital energy of the heavens to recover and for their own injuries to heal further. All of them had participated in the emperor slaying, leaving wounds that were extremely difficult to mend.

Night fell quietly.

The quasi-emperors all rose and went their separate ways.

Ye Chen didn't leave; instead, he headed deeper into the Tianxuan Gate.

He arrived at that small bamboo grove again. Little Ruoxi was sealed atop it, the young girl sleeping peacefully, spending most of her time in slumber.

Ye Chen stood before the altar, gazing quietly.

As before, he couldn't see through this little girl. At first glance, she seemed ordinary, yet she inspired an inexplicable sense of dread in him, even making a half-step Dacheng feel pressured.

After a long while, he waved his hand and brought out a small gourd. Then, he squatted beside the altar like a diligent guard performing an inspection, scanning Ruoxi's body repeatedly.

In doing so, he detected faint strands of qi flowing out, which were absorbed into the small gourd. It was genuine emperor's qi, formless and ethereal, appearing and disappearing intermittently.

Ye Chen looked from Ruoxi to the small gourd, his eyes nearly narrowed into slits. The qi emanating from Ruoxi's body was extremely domineering, causing all other emperor's qi to avoid it, as if harboring some deep fear.

This scene wasn't hard to interpret.

The fact that other emperor's qi feared Ruoxi's proved that Ruoxi was stronger than those great emperors, and by far more than just a little. Even their qi was suppressed!

"Is she truly the ancient Heavenly Court Empress?"

Ye Chen stroked his chin, his gaze towards Ruoxi changing. Such terrifying qi, capable of making emperor's qi fear it, was likely only possessed by the empress.

Buzz!

As he watched, the purple-gold small gourd hummed. The strand of Ruoxi's qi it had absorbed earlier was expelled – or rather, it seemed to escape on its own – before merging back into Ruoxi's body.

Ye Chen raised an eyebrow. This strange occurrence was a first for him, leading him to wonder if the small gourd's level was simply too low to contain Ruoxi's qi.

At this point, he was mostly certain that the one who had defeated the Black Lotus Empress was Ruoxi. She must have faced an emperor-level threat, instinctively launching an attack. As for whether she was the ancient Heavenly Court Empress, that remained unknown.

"It seems you've already found an answer."

A leisurely voice suddenly sounded as the Ren Wang appeared.

"It's absolutely her."

Ye Chen replied casually, drawing a drop of fresh blood from little Ruoxi's body and suspending it in his palm for careful examination. The blood was bright red, no different from ordinary blood, lacking any divine power or trace of immortal light.

He returned the blood to her.

Then, this fellow began circling around Ruoxi, occasionally reaching out to pinch her little arms and legs, even gently touching her face.

"You must know her identity."

The Ren Wang stroked his beard as he ascended the altar steps.

"The ancient Heavenly Court Empress."

Ye Chen replied offhandedly.

Thud!

No sooner had the words left his mouth than a thud echoed. The Ren Wang, who had been composure itself, misplaced his step and nearly tumbled, crashing into the stone steps with a bang.

Once he righted himself, he stared intently at Ye Chen. This was no joke – the ancient Heavenly Court Empress was an existence of unparalleled stature! Legends said she surpassed even the great emperors and had been buried for eons. How could she still be alive?

"It's fifty-fifty."

Ye Chen lacked confidence in his assertion. What was certain was that little Ruoxi had an extremely close connection to the ancient Heavenly Court's empress – perhaps she was the empress herself. This wasn't just wild speculation.

The Ren Wang was stunned, striding onto the altar. The empress was no trifling matter; she was even older than Pangu the Great. Even if the Ren Huang himself were here, he would have to address her as a senior and show utmost respect.

"This could be the empress."

This fellow also stepped forward, following behind Ye Chen. The two of them moved with a certain rhythm, one after the other, circling Ruoxi. They occasionally squatted down, pinching and prodding her body in a dedicated study.

Under the moonlight, their figures looked exceedingly shady, like a pair of thieves up to no good, their methods quite practiced.

This is a real treasure.

Only after some time did the two of them finally stop and utter these words. More than a treasure – she was a heaven-defying entity!

"Next time the Tianmo Emperor appears, lead it to Da Chu."

"Who knows, she might just send it flying."

"I'm confident in this little girl."

The Ren Wang stroked his beard, speaking with great conviction.

As for Ye Chen, he didn't share that view. The Black Lotus Empress's aura wasn't something to take lightly. Ruoxi's foundation was likely limited; she might act twice, but not necessarily a third time.

As the Ren Wang said, not only should they avoid it, they must prevent it altogether. Drawing the Tianmo Emperor once would consume Ruoxi's foundation. If it reached a certain limit, calamity would follow. Since she was connected to the empress – or was the empress herself – they needed to guard her carefully.

If the ancient Heavenly Court Empress were to return one day, it would be a great fortune for the heavens. With a supreme being protecting the common folk, it was better than the people fighting bloody battles. At least, until Ye Chen achieved Dacheng, or until a new emperor emerged in the heavens, they had to protect Ruoxi. She was tied to ancient secrets that only great emperors could touch.

"You can see the path to Dacheng now."

The Ren Wang pulled out a wine flask and glanced at Ye Chen.

Ye Chen shook his head. Achieving Saint Body Dacheng was no different from attaining the Dao; it wasn't that simple. Throughout history, every ancient Saint Body that reached that level had defied the heavens.

"Just do your best."

The Ren Wang patted Ye Chen on the shoulder, his tone serious and free of jest. As a senior, he had been too harsh in his expectations. At merely a thousand years old, Ye Chen had cultivated to the peak of quasi-emperor, a talent unmatched in the Saint Body lineage for ages. What more could he ask for?

Crackle! Crackle!

Ye Chen didn't respond, but dark lightning tore across his Saint Body – the overbearing thunder of heavenly tribulation, constantly tormenting him.

The Saint Body lineage was unyielding, all defying the heavens, and he was no exception. He had always resisted the will of the heavens, enduring it until he was covered in wounds.

In the dead of night, Ye Chen left the Tianxuan Gate.

When he reappeared, it was in a small mortal garden.

From afar, he saw the house shaking rhythmically. Listening closely, he heard a woman's soft moans and a man's heavy breathing – quite pleasing to the ear.

Ye Chen stopped and did not go further.

In the night, Ye Xingchen was still quite industrious, already starting to have children. In his previous life, he had married here in this garden; in this life, he was tying the knot here as well.

Leaving the mortal world, he went to the Guanghan Palace.

Under the moonlight, the Guanghan Palace was crowded with people. He could hear the awakening melodies of the Xing Shi Pian and see the kings of Da Chu from various eras gathered around a table, drinking.

Looking at Shen Xuanfeng, he was awake but furrowed his brow.

He had remembered something, yet his body was sealed.

Since waking, he had been in a daze, unaware of what had happened or why his cultivation had advanced several levels beyond before.

Ye Chen did not reveal himself, just watched quietly.

Shen Xuanfeng, Hong Chen, and Liu Dao were of the same type, all from the future. They had reversed time and space, suffering backlash from fate, making it hard to recall future events.

Unless they comprehended the laws of time and space.

In the midst of the calm, he left again.

Before departing, he whisked away all the kings. They were all mountain lords – how could they have no sense at all? The young couple was sharing tender moments; what were they doing crowding around? Go wherever you're comfortable!

In the peaceful night, Ye Chen walked through the void.

Many cultivators in Da Chu were still awake, especially those on the southern Chu city walls. Many were sharpening blades, polishing war spears, all awaiting a command.

As Ye Chen passed by, quite a few stood up.

"We don't have wives, so we won't say anything, but you, with your wife, what are you wandering around for in the middle of the night?"

Gu San Tong tucked his hands in his sleeves and glanced sideways at Ye Chen.

Everyone in the heavens knew that the Saint Body had a house full of beauties. After so many years, he had only fathered Ye Ling and Ye Fan. What a waste of the Saint Body bloodline! While he was young, he should have more children – that was the way. Just look at his nine Dao bodies; even his great-grandsons were running around causing trouble.

Ye Da Shao glanced back with a sideways look. If not for the heavenly tribulation, would he be out wandering? Sleeping on a warm bed was comfortable – who wouldn't know that?

"Having too many wives isn't necessarily a good thing."

"Don't mess around; the Saint Body is tough as nails."

"If he married one a day, how many gifts would he have to give?"

"Da Chu specialties, care to learn more?"

Even in the dead of night, there were plenty of interesting people around, like Tai Er Zhenren, Niu Shisan, Wu San Pao, and the others. They were clustered everywhere, gathered around a large iron pot stewing fragrant meat, chatting happily.

Ye Chen rolled his eyes and turned to leave.

He would definitely marry his wives, and when that day came, all the prominent figures in the heavens would be invited. Anyone who came would have to bring gifts, and if they tried to pass off Da Chu specialties, he'd note it down in his little book. The Saint Body would make them pay.

Returning to the Jade Maiden Peak, it was still deep night.

Chu Ling and the others were asleep, but only Ji Ning Shuang was still awake, dressed in flowing robes and dancing gracefully, bathed in the starlight and moonlight, like a dreamlike fairy, pure and flawless.

Ye Chen carried a wine flask and sat under the old tree, quietly admiring it. Lao Jiu's dance, though not as exquisite as Nanming Yushu's, was still quite graceful.

Ji Ning Shuang did not notice him and continued dancing.

To be precise, she was comprehending the Dao, much like Ye Chen when he danced with his sword, her mind immersed in it. If she knew Ye Chen was there, she would likely stop; the bookish one would feel embarrassed!

Ye Chen set down the wine flask and pondered the dream path. If he could grasp its true essence, he could build dreams. Unable to do certain things in the real world, he could in dreams.

That night, he didn't sleep well.

And neither did Xiong Er; for some reason, he dreamed of Ye Chen. He had wanted to beat Ye Chen in the dream, but perhaps his posture was wrong, because he ended up being pinned down and thoroughly thrashed by Ye Chen.