Chapter 2826: Emperor's Realm

Crack!

In an instant, the Emperor Armor shattered.

What followed was too gruesome to behold. The domineering Desolate Ancient Sacred Body was battered beyond recognition. If the Emperor Weapon hadn't held on, he likely would have perished.

"Kill, kill for me."

The Heavenly Demons and Calamity Demons howled furiously. Their numbers swelled like an endless sea, engulfing Ye Chen. Their twisted faces were more terrifying than ghosts.

Even the Emperor Sword could no longer withstand the onslaught. It exploded along with Ye Chen's arm and flew off, its imperial light greatly dimmed, its supreme imperial might plummeting.

Puff!

Then, a spray of golden blood bloomed in the darkness, stark and vivid.

It was Ye Chen, devoid of consciousness and without his Emperor Weapon for protection. His Desolate Ancient Sacred Body was destroyed, leaving only a faint primordial spirit.

Seeing this, the Heavenly Demons and Calamity Demons grew even more ferocious. With his physical body obliterated, destroying his primordial spirit would complete their mission.

At that moment, Ye Chen merged with another shadowy figure. His vacant eyes instantly ignited with golden light.

Roar!

A thunderous dragon's roar echoed as eight massive golden divine dragons, each tens of thousands of feet long, materialized. Their tails swept through the heavens and earth with devastating force. Anyone who charged forward—whether Calamity Demon Lords, Heavenly Demon Lords, Calamity Demon Generals, or Heavenly Demon Generals—was sent flying in an instant. Over ninety-nine percent had their bodies exploded, and half were utterly annihilated. In the vast black ocean of foes, a space of ten thousand feet suddenly cleared around Ye Chen, turning it into a forbidden zone no one dared to enter. Even the Demon Lords were instantly slain, let alone the others. Most Heavenly Demons and Calamity Demons began retreating step by step, their hands trembling as they gripped their weapons, their eyes filled with sheer terror.

"You really think highly of me."

Ye Chen casually stretched his neck. His scattered Sacred Body essence and blood returned to him. Inch by inch, he reformed his sacred form, reconstructing his limbs, organs, and meridians. His Sacred Body once again radiated its most brilliant divine glow, dazzling the Heavenly Demons and Calamity Demons until blood overflowed from their eyes.

Buzz!

The Immortal Martial Emperor Sword returned, settling back into Ye Chen's hand. Under his control, its Emperor's might erupted, surrounded by supreme laws that hummed with the sound of imperial heavenly tunes. To the Heavenly Demons and Calamity Demons, it was like a demonic sound. Countless Heavenly Demon soldiers and Calamity Demon soldiers were shaken to ashes, while even the Demon Lords and Generals had blood streaming from their ears.

"Since you've come, don't think about leaving."

Ye Chen said flatly, his words carrying a somber authority.

Boom!

No sooner had he spoken than he moved, stomping through the darkness like a divine ray and plunging into the sea of enemies. He struck without discrimination, his sword rising and falling. From Demon Lords to common soldiers, no one could withstand a single blow from him.

Puff! Puff! Puff!

The slaughter began—not a war, but a one-sided massacre. The densely packed Heavenly Demons and Calamity Demons were routed by Ye Chen alone, wailing as they fled for their lives.

Ye Chen showed no mercy, manifesting his Dharma Body to pursue and kill on both flanks.

"Damn it, damn it all."

The Heavenly Demons and Calamity Demons snarled in fear and rage. They had followed Ye Chen for so long, finally mustering the resolve to surround and kill him, even gathering countless allies. But who could have foreseen that he would awaken at the critical moment? All their schemes were thwarted by this twist, and their millions-strong force was scattered by one man, with no one daring to face him head-on.

The screams eventually faded.

When Ye Chen finally stopped, his killing intent surged like a tide, his body drenched in blood—not his own, but that of the Heavenly Demons and Calamity Demons. He was like a great demon, having killed until his eyes were red with bloodlust.

Only after a long while did his killing aura recede into his body.

"Why did I fall into such a daze?"

He murmured to himself, full of doubt, his eyes flickering uncertainly. At his level, his mind was incredibly steadfast. He wouldn't succumb to confusion unless he had a cultivation deviation or suffered backlash from some forbidden force.

Buzz! Buzz!

The Immortal Martial Emperor Sword vibrated, unable to speak but conveying some message.

"Two figures?"

Ye Chen frowned, as if he could understand the sword's words. Precisely because he could, it felt even more bizarre. Out of nowhere, a second figure had appeared, sometimes merging with him, sometimes separating.

He thought of Emperor Venerable, recalling Emperor Venerable's law body, and also the mysterious strike that had hit Ye Fan during his tribulation. Clearly, it wasn't that simple. Ever since then, he had been acting strangely, often dreaming of a shadowy figure that he was sure belonged to Emperor Venerable.

"Boss, there's another vortex."

His Dharma Body pointed into the distance, where a dark force tore at the void in the depths of the blackness, accompanied by thunderous roars.

Ye Chen stepped forward to investigate. It was another pitch-black vortex, leading to an unknown realm and filled with Devouring Gods Insects.

Without hesitation, he sealed it.

The peerless Sacred Body felt a lingering fear. Back when he was just a minor cultivator, if he had accidentally fallen into such a vortex, he would have been consumed without a trace. These black holes were full of pitfalls, and he truly believed it now. He just didn't know where these Devouring Gods Insects had come from. One or two weren't frightening, but in swarms, they made his scalp tingle.

As he pondered this, he escaped the black hole. When he reappeared, he was in the central region of the Profound Wasteland. Standing on a mountain peak, he could vaguely see the Tianxu Forbidden Zone, still sealed and shrouded in mist.

He pulled out a wine flask and sat down heavily.

Ten years had passed—he had been in the black hole for a decade, never once emerging. The latter years had been spent in a daze. A solitary journey was lonely, and as this cold god of slaughter, he made the Heavenly Demons and Calamity Demons tremble at the mere mention of his name.

Returning to the myriad heavens, the human world's warmth thawed his icy heart a bit. Though it was night, stars twinkled above, and the moonlight was gentle, unlike the bleak desolation of the black hole, which was colder than the Nine Nethers.

Accompanied by a buzz from the Emperor Sword and a gentle breeze,

In that instant, the world in Ye Chen's eyes became clearer than the second before, as if he could see the most fundamental essence. Gazing toward the Tianxu Forbidden Zone, the hazy mists could no longer obscure his view, revealing clear mountain ranges and rivers.

Ye Chen rubbed his eyes and looked again—it was indeed much clearer.

This left him baffled. Out of the blue, his vision had improved.

This guy has quite the connection to the Emperor!

The Taichu Divine Thunder gave a slight twitch, unable to speak, but that was exactly what it wanted to say. It had witnessed Ye Chen's daze over these years and could vaguely see that blurry figure—the shadow of the Emperor, originating from the Emperor's law body. No one else knew, but the vanished Emperor Venerable's law body had merged into Ye Chen. The Taichu Divine Thunder had pondered and observed for a full ten years to figure this out. It was even more astonishing than imagined. It didn't know why, but it knew Ye Chen's relationship with Emperor Venerable ran deep.

Now, his improved vision wasn't for nothing—it was likely due to Emperor Venerable's law body. This Sacred Body was gradually viewing the world through the Emperor's eyes.

In the future, even stranger things might happen.

"Interesting."

Ye Chen blinked rapidly, glancing around. The flowers, plants, and trees at his side—he could see their most fundamental essence in a single look. All things in the world seemed more vivid in his eyes, as if nothing could hide from his gaze anymore.

"Has she truly manifested a spirit?"

"Is that even a question? It's spread throughout the myriad heavens."

"We get to see the Northern Saint's peerless grace again."

In the void, some passersby appeared: two young men and an old man, all with cultivations only at the Saint level. They flew like streaks of rainbow, chatting leisurely as they went.

Ye Chen had set aside his thoughts and reached out, grabbing the leading old man who was running ahead. He did so because he had heard the words "Northern Saint."

"The Sacred Body?"

The old man trembled at the sight. He had seen the glory of the Tenth Emperor of Great Chu before, and he knew the man's notorious ways—scheming, deceptive, and quick to snatch treasures. He just didn't know where this fellow had popped up from.

"Greetings, senior."

The two young men with the old man also halted and bowed from afar. Though Ye Chen had restrained his aura, the inherent pressure from his being was overwhelmingly terrifying. After all, he was someone who had slain a great emperor; even his breath was beyond what they could endure.

It could be said that a single fart from Ye Chen could blast them to dust—an apt description, as that's how the world put it.

"You just mentioned the Northern Saint?"

Ye Chen ignored the two young men, fixing his gaze straight on the old man, his eyes burning with eager light that made the old man shudder all over.

"The Northern Saint has manifested a spirit. Doesn't this young friend know?"

"Now I do."

No sooner had the old man spoken than Ye Chen vanished from the mountaintop with a boom. Perhaps in his excitement, he hadn't controlled his strength properly. Centered on his foot, an invisible force spread out, shattering space inch by inch and collapsing the mountain. Amid the flying debris, the old man was caught in the mess. Before he could steady himself, he was swallowed by a spatial rift. If not for the two young men pulling him back, he would have been gone for good.

"She manifested a spirit, she manifested a spirit."

Ye Chen had already opened an Emperor's Domain Gate, overcome with emotion, his brilliant golden eyes glistening with tears. The woman who had sacrificed herself for him was returning to the world.

The Jiuli Clan at night was peaceful and harmonious.

The former gloom had long dissipated, replaced by overwhelming joy that drowned out any sorrow.

It was the same mountain peak, the same bamboo grove, and the same altar. On it sat an ever-burning lamp, a gift from the evil demons. The lamp's wick was formed from soul force, its faint flame nurturing a spirit that was slowly reviving.

The Jiuli Holy Lord was there, bathed in starlight, using his primordial spirit to nourish the flame. Many elders joined him, all with joyful expressions, especially the Jiuli Holy Lord, who seemed years younger. His daughter's return was his greatest solace.

"I knew you would come back."

Ye Chen arrived, stepping out of the void with a commanding stride, rushing over in a flurry of wind and thunder.

This guy was quite brazen. He walked up to the altar, picked up the ever-burning lamp, and tucked it away as if it were his own. His movements were seamless and natural.

"Where do you think you're going?"

The Jiuli Holy Lord reacted fastest, grabbing Ye Chen's arm. You scoundrel, I've painstakingly nurtured this flower—did you really think you could just take it?

The group of elders also grabbed hold, their faces dark with anger. Is this how the emperors of Great Chu act? That's the spirit of our Jiuli princess you're taking—have you no shame?