Chapter 2841: Awakening

Boom!

Ye Chen took a firm step, crushing a swathe of black holes beneath his feet. When he looked across, the Zhuxian Jian had already vanished without a trace. Even extending his divine sense to its limits yielded no sign of it.

Who was it?

He frowned, unable to fathom who in this era could possess such heaven-defying power to repel him with a single strike. If not for that hidden figure, the Zhuxian Jian would surely have met its end today. Unfortunately, he had focused all his attention on the Zhuxian Jian, completely overlooking the uncertain threat lurking in the darkness. Had he been prepared, it wouldn't have been so easy for them to rescue it—not even the Tianmo Di could have managed that.

Who was it?

Gripping his Dao sword, he pressed onward, his blood-red eyes gleaming with cold light as he scanned the surrounding darkness, leaving no inch unexamined in his search for clues. The one who repelled him with a palm strike was no simple matter; it could very well be a Tianmo Di or even an E Mo Di. He had underestimated the spatial black holes, where both opportunities and dangers coexist, hiding experts of that caliber. Precisely because he hadn't anticipated it, he was caught off guard, wasting this prime chance to eliminate the Zhuxian Jian.

Deeper and deeper into the darkness he went.

Outside, the Tianzun ruins had sealed shut.

The starry sky was shrouded in gloom, thick with sorrow. Numerous races, forces, sects, and lineages had hung white banners to mourn their fallen descendants.

Heng Yue's Yu Nu Peak was no exception.

Under the moonlight, the white banners fluttered, evoking deep melancholy.

In the small bamboo grove, a modest grave had been built, with a tombstone inscribed with Yang Lan's name. Before it burned incense, offerings of fruit were placed, and fresh flowers were scattered everywhere.

Ji Ningshuang and the others had already paid their respects.

Now, they sat silently beneath the old tree, saying nothing.

Yao Chi sat like a statue, utterly still.

Nanming Yushu and the others had tears shimmering in their eyes. They had only learned of the ruins' events later, not until Ji Ningshuang returned and brought the two children home. That's when they heard the tragic news: Ye Ling had been controlled by the Zhuxian Jian, killing Yang Lan, and Ye Fan had gone mad with grief. A once harmonious family was now shattered by this calamity.

Little Ye Ling and Ye Fan were there too, one on each side, lying quietly on the clouds, still deep in slumber. Both had heads full of white hair, with undried tears at the corners of their eyes and unmistakable sorrow on their faces.

Ji Ningshuang had raised her hand several times but hesitated to lift their seals. She didn't know how these two children would face each other upon waking—whether it would turn them into enemies.

The women mostly bit their lips, having gone so many years without their pillar of strength, hoping for Ye Chen's return. As a father and husband, they hoped he could resolve this grudge.

Alas, after waiting a long time, Ye Chen had not returned. He was likely still in the black hole, frantically searching for the Zhuxian Jian. He wouldn't rest until he destroyed it completely, quenching his raging fury.

"Damn that Zhuxian Jian."

On the opposite mountain peak, Long Yi's words were ice-cold, spoken through gritted teeth. Lord Long and Long Wu's expressions were no better. Once again, it was Ye Chen's family suffering tragedy—misery from the previous generation had carried over to the next.

"What fine children they were."

The older generation like Yang Dingtian murmured to themselves, aged significantly overnight. Whether Ye Fan, Ye Ling, or Yang Lan, they had all watched them grow up. Now, one was dead and two were in deep grief. A once happy family was drowned in sorrow, a heartbreaking sight. The pain of white-haired elders burying the black-haired young was beyond words.

Throughout Yu Nu Peak, many people came and went, including Xie Yun, Situ Nan, and Xiong Er. Several times, they approached but stopped themselves. It was best not to disturb now. The Heng Yue Sect people shared a tacit understanding: in the coming days, Yu Nu Peak would be Heng Yue's forbidden ground—no one would go up, and no one would intrude.

Ah!

The supreme Zhundi sighed deeply. Annoyed figures like Ren Wang had already taken to their sickbeds, their faces pale and blood oozing from their mouths, their expressions full of agony. It was all from forcibly divining the Zhuxian Jian, suffering terrible backlash. The same went for figures like the Fortune God King, who were also gravely injured.

Boom! Rumble!

The rumbling in the vast sky never ceased.

The elders knew it originated from the black hole.

It was still Ye Chen, like a madman, streaking through the endless darkness like divine light. He had sensed the auras of Tianmo and E Mo but didn't pause, his mind fixed only on finding the Zhuxian Jian and that mysterious person.

Unfortunately, the black hole was too vast and boundless. After searching for nine full days, he found not a single trace.

On the tenth day, he emerged from the black hole.

In the quiet night, he landed on Yu Nu Peak.

Seeing him, the women all rose, their eyes red and puffy from days of crying.

Ye Chen was eerily silent, standing before the clouds, quietly gazing at his son Ye Fan and his daughter Ye Ling. His heart ached repeatedly. Should he let them continue sleeping or wake them? He hesitated.

In the end, he raised his hand, first attending to Ye Ling before awakening Ye Fan.

Ye Fan awoke, staring blankly for a moment before slowly sitting up.

"Lan Er is in the bamboo grove."

Ji Ningshuang spoke gently, full of a mother's warmth.

"Thank you, Mother. Thank you, Father."

Ye Fan's smile was forced and weary. He went alone into the bamboo grove, his back desolate, his expression forlorn, like someone who had lost all vitality.

No one followed behind.

In the bamboo grove, there were no wails of grief.

Everything seemed eerily calm.

At Yang Lan's tombstone, Ye Fan took sheets of yellow paper, one by one, and placed them in the brazier. Tears streamed uncontrollably down his face. Through the blur, he vaguely saw that graceful figure turning back with a smile—it was Yang Lan, his wife, who had blocked that fatal strike for him.

Ye Chen sat under the old tree, one hand holding a carving knife and the other a piece of wood. Though he didn't look, he knew the scene inside.

He understood Ye Fan's state of mind all too well.

Back when Chu Xuan died, and when Ji Ningshuang and the others died, he had felt the same heart-wrenching pain. But they were luckier than Yang Lan—Da Chu had reincarnation, allowing rebirth. That little girl, however, was truly gone once dead.

For three full days, Ye Fan did not emerge.

The women were all there, but no one entered or called out. They needed to give him space for his grief. Even someone as strong as Ye Chen had awakened with a full head of white hair from his slumber—what more for Ye Fan? This pain would linger for a very long time.

Two days later, Ye Chen lifted Ye Ling's seal.

The little girl cried with tear-streaked eyes.

"Silly child, it's not your fault."

The women's words were as gentle as ever, not mere comfort—they truly didn't blame her. The real culprit was that damned Zhuxian Jian.

Under the moonlight, Ye Ling entered the small bamboo grove.

From afar, she saw Ye Fan, his mouth covered in stubble, looking utterly disheveled. He sat quietly, guarding the grave and his wife.

Ye Ling's heart trembled, tears falling like rain.

This was nothing like the Ye Fan in her memories. For so many years, it was the first time she had seen him so wretched, his eyes devoid of any light, like a puppet.

"Ye Fan, I'm sorry."

Ye Ling choked out, her head bowed in remorse, her apology as humble as it could be.

"Sis, don't say foolish things. It's not your fault."

Ye Fan's smile was still forced, pale and weak. He took out a handkerchief and gently wiped away Ye Ling's tears. Though grieving, he hadn't let hatred cloud his judgment. The grievance had a source and the debt a payer—the killer was the Zhuxian Jian, not Ye Ling. His sister was also a victim.

Ye Ling cried even harder, her tears endless. She would have preferred Ye Fan to slap her or stab her—even if it cost her life, she would have no regrets.

At the tombstone, another figure joined. Ye Ling also picked up yellow paper, placing it sheet by sheet into the brazier.

She knelt there, repenting.

That scene made Xi Yan and the others ache with heartache. Scars weren't the worst; it was the guilt that could become a nightmare, haunting Ye Ling for eternity.

In their heartache, there was also a trace of relief.

Their Ye Fan was still reasonable. The imagined scene of the two children turning against each other with weapons hadn't happened. If it had, that would have been true agony.

Meanwhile, Ye Chen had gone alone to the peak of Yu Nu Peak.

Following him were the Chaos Cauldron, Chaos Fire, and Chaos Thunder. Knowing their master's sorrowful state, the three didn't cause any mischief; they trembled slightly, as if weeping in grief over little Yang Lan's death.

Ye Chen steadied himself and with a wave of his hand, produced a broken sword along with many small fragments, all chipped from the Zhuxian Jian's body.

Now, he intended to refine them. Since he couldn't find the Zhuxian Jian, he'd settle for this to vent his anger. He would turn the remnants of the Zhuxian Jian into nourishment for the Chaos Cauldron, ensuring it could never recover.

"The Sacred Body is truly the bane of the Zhuxian Jian."

Through the illusory water curtain, the Zhundi could see Yu Nu Peak, spotting the broken sword and fragments. The Desolate Ancient Sacred Body, Ye Chen, was incredibly powerful—able to shatter the Zhuxian Jian and leave so many pieces.

It wasn't hard to imagine how miserable the Zhuxian Jian must be now: a broken sword covered in gashes. This injury was likely worse than any before, making recovery difficult in the short term.

On Yu Nu Peak, Ye Chen had already summoned the Chaos Thunder and Chaos Fire, including the broken sword and fragments. In the midst of thunder and fire, he infused his Sacred Body essence. Since Sacred Body essence could suppress the Zhuxian Jian, he would use it to refine them.

Buzz! Buzz! Buzz!

The Chaos Cauldron hummed, not in anger but in excitement. Once refined, it would unhesitatingly devour them, turning them into its own nourishment.

By then, the Zhuxian Jian's recovery would probably have to wait until the next lifetime.

This refinement process lasted nine days.

For nine days, Ye Chen never stopped, his eyes bloodshot and his sockets sunken.

However, the broken sword and fragments showed no sign of being refined at all. He could shatter the Zhuxian Jian, but he couldn't refine it—perhaps his level wasn't high enough, or maybe the Zhuxian Jian's rank was simply too superior. The entire nine days were futile.

Still, he didn't give up. Since he had climbed to the peak of Yu Nu Peak, he had no intention of descending until it was done.

In the small bamboo grove, Ye Fan and Ye Ling had both fallen asleep, sister and brother side by side, leaning on each other. Each still held yellow paper in their hands. Whether from deep wounds, profound guilt, or sheer exhaustion, they slept peacefully, though tears slid from the corners of their eyes.

On the tenth day, figures like Luan Shi Dao Kuang and Tian Gang Yang Xuan arrived, along with Dugu Jian Sheng, who had just passed his tribulation and come to pay respects upon hearing of Yang Lan's death.

That little girl was the daughter of an old friend, and mentioning Old Yang inevitably brought sighs. Time had slipped away so mercilessly!

After them, people from Heng Yue Sect also came up, though they feared disturbing the tranquility of Yu Nu Peak, so only Yang Dingtian, Xie Yun, and Shao Yu ascended, representing three generations of the Heng Yue Sect.

Following that, the Children of the Earth arrived together, standing in neat rows and bowing to Yang Lan's tombstone. As fellow entrants to the Tianzun ruins, they were luckier than her—at least they were still alive.