Chapter 2856: A Protracted War

"Kill them, kill them all for me!"

In the darkness, Hei Pao Di's roar was savage and filled with kingly authority, though his disheveled state hardly suited the command. He had been relentlessly pursued by Sheng Zun and Di Ji for an unknown amount of time, yet he fled while simultaneously using cursed seals to order the Tian Mo and E Mo to launch a fierce attack on the altar.

Behind him, Sheng Zun chased relentlessly, as did Di Ji.

Honestly, these two peak supreme beings were starting to doubt their own existence.

That incomplete emperor was indeed in a sorry state, but his escape techniques were unparalleled. His footwork was fluid, his movements swift, truly living up to the title of emperor. At this rate, they could chase him until they dropped dead and still not catch up.

Indeed, no emperor was a pushover. Anyone who reached that level had a reason. True power was secondary; certain divine abilities, like creating formations or mastering escapes, were far beyond what any Zhun Di could handle.

Kill!

Hei Pao Di's orders were absolute, and the Tian Mo and E Mo dared not disobey. Under the control of the cursed seals, they charged forward. Many retreated only to be instantly obliterated. This emperor was serious.

To the supreme peaks of the heavens, the line between reality and illusion meant nothing.

An army of several million might sound formidable, but they were essentially paper tigers. Without a commanding general or a world-shattering Di Bing, their numbers were useless. Breaking through the altar was impossible. The dozens of supreme beings guarding it formed an unbreachable chasm, like a divine tribulation that no Tian Mo or E Mo could cross.

That's why Ye Chen remained perfectly at ease, not a single worry in the world. When those old-timers got serious, they were truly formidable. He had complete faith in the veterans.

"Chaos, reincarnation."

Ye Chen murmured softly and sat down cross-legged, one eye manifesting the Chaos Eye, the other the Reincarnation Eye. It was quite a sight at first glance; he was undoubtedly the first in the history of the heavens to possess both.

Mysterious powers intertwined in his eyes. The Reincarnation Eye evolved into a single thought of eternity, while the Chaos Eye transformed space into a mere step. One governed time, the other space, both brimming with profound forces that flowed within his gaze.

What he sought was still that elusive point of balance in the void.

He sat like that for three full days.

Over those three days, Hei Pao Di's roars echoed incessantly, and the attacks from the Tian Mo and E Mo never ceased.

However, it was clear that the demons' offensive had weakened significantly. They hadn't even reached the altar and had suffered devastating losses; an army of several million had been reduced to less than a million.

In contrast, the defending Zhun Di were breathless but still drawing on their deep reserves, swallowing handfuls of pills. If the demons kept up their frenzy, the defenders would ensure a total annihilation.

Pfft!

Deep in the darkness, Hei Pao Di spat out blood, as if he could peer through the eyes of his minions and see the outcome of the battlefield.

He had overestimated the Tian Mo and E Mo while underestimating the Zhun Di of the heavens. Numbers alone meant nothing without the Mo Zhu for support and under the heavens' suppression. They were just cannon fodder, unable to pave the way.

"Retreat."

In the end, he gave the order. If several million couldn't take the altar, what chance did less than a million have? His next step was to summon even more Tian Mo and E Mo, escalating the assault to overwhelm the altar in one fell swoop.

Upon receiving the command, the attacking Tian Mo and E Mo scattered like pardoned criminals, many discarding their armor as they fled.

This wasn't a battle of offense and defense; it was sheer suicide. Those opponents were monsters, their group immortal techniques more dominant than the last, wiping out enemies in swaths rather than one by one.

"Where do you think you're going?"

The Fifth Divine General roared, charging out with the Kaitian Axe. Even powerhouses like the Zhan Wang and Chu Jiang Wang, wielding their Di Bing, joined the pursuit. It was rare to see the Tian Mo and E Mo clustered like this; what better opportunity to slaughter more and avoid hunting them down later?

Pfft! Pfft! Pfft!

The scene remained as bloody as ever. After defending for days, the Zhun Di launched their counterattack, their small force of dozens chasing the million-strong army in utter disarray through the black hole.

It wasn't until some unknown time that the rumbling and screams finally faded. The Zhun Di returned, covered in blood—all from the Tian Mo and E Mo—with an overwhelming aura of killing intent, honed only through slaughter.

The black hole finally fell silent.

"Some people just have no shame at all."

Di Lao plopped down by the copper pillar, pulled out a wine flask, and while speaking, couldn't help but glance at the cross-legged Ye Chen. No wonder you're the youngest! You don't even treat us old folks like people!

And I won't take the blame for this thunder.

Ye Chen said nothing, but his expression conveyed the same sentiment: Back in the day, you didn't treat me like a person either! Every trip to Tianxuan Gate ended in a beating; some thick skins were forged by your hands.

"Enough chatter, restore your energy."

Dong Huang Tai Xin stood at the altar's edge, still vigilantly scanning the darkness. The Tian Mo and E Mo's retreat didn't mean they wouldn't return; countless more lurked in the black hole, and the several million were just a fraction. Who knew what massive force might come next? When Hei Pao Di went berserk, it was terrifying.

Speaking of Hei Pao Di, one couldn't ignore Di Ji and Sheng Zun, who returned one after the other—one clicking their tongue in exasperation, the other shaking their head in resignation. They had chased for days without catching him, and then he vanished without a trace, leaving no clue to follow.

"By my estimate, this will be a prolonged war."

Chu Jiang Wang sat down, popping a handful of pills into his mouth, and in passing, glanced at Ye Chen. Mastering time and space wasn't something achieved overnight; it would take a long period.

They had to hold their ground here. If they left, Hei Pao Di would surely move the altar, turning it into a prime target. He was undoubtedly plotting a more ferocious attack.

Thus, however long Ye Chen needed to comprehend time and space and heal his Dao wounds was how long they would guard this place—until he unlocked those secrets and could safely relocate the altar from the black hole.

Pfft!

As they watched, Ye Chen suffered another backlash, half his body exploding into pieces, exposing glistening bones and dripping blood. It was horrifying just to look at, and each incident was more gruesome than the last. Anyone delving into time and space had to be prepared for explosions or even total annihilation.

Ye Chen sighed and used his Reincarnation Eye to open a spatial path, tossing Di Lao out. His intent was clear: Di Lao needed to fetch reinforcements, as this was indeed shaping up to be a prolonged war. They had to stay put and defend the altar while he comprehended time and space, healed his wounds, and prepared to move it.

Di Lao understood the implication perfectly. Once in the starry sky, he opened a domain gate, returned to Da Chu, and summoned aid from all directions.

"Middle-tier emperor?"

"Phagocytosis bugs?"

"Emperor Dao altar?"

Exclamations of surprise erupted, one after another, even making Ren Wang furrow his brow.

Di Lao didn't bother explaining; he simply infused the details into their divine senses for all to grasp.

"Can communicate with the ancient primordial chaos?"

"How intriguing."

Long Ye arrived, along with Sheng Huang and Zi Xuan.

Following them, experts from Xuan Huang and You Ming descended, including ancient clan emperors, major southern domain families, and imperial lineages. Even Ba Wang Long Huang and Bao Long Huang came to join the fight, many carrying Di Bing. The crowd was vast, a sea of people—all Zhun Di, all at peak level, with several supreme peaks among them.

Once again, Tianxuan Gate activated their heaven-defying secret art, transporting the reinforcements into the black hole.

"You stay put."

Ren Wang had sharp eyes and pulled someone from the crowd—Dong Shen Yao Chi. With all the strong ones heading out, someone had to guard Da Chu, and this weakling couldn't hold the fort.

Unfortunately, he couldn't hold her back. Ji Ning Shuang vanished in an instant, and Nan Ming Yu Shu and the others followed—Ye Chen's wives, not one left behind. They all went.

Now, the black hole was lively. Their defenses were already solid, but with the heavens' reinforcements, they were unbreakable.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Clang!

Clink!

Those on the altar were restless, most carrying sticks and knocking as they went—this altar was a treasure trove, forged by a middle-tier emperor over millennia, truly extraordinary.

Ye Chen had already reformed his sacred body and closed his eyes again. Ji Ning Shuang and Nan Ming Yu Shu kept their distance, not daring to disturb him. The heavens' massive mobilization was to protect Ye Chen and guard the altar. Its significance was immense, and so was his—they needed him to remove the altar, but only in peak condition, free of Dao wounds.

"How reliable is this?"

Di Lao stood with his hands tucked away, chuckling cheerfully, surrounded by a few mischievous old-timers doing the same, glancing around with knowing eyes, their gazes spelling out one word: reliable.

Di Lao's trip had brought quite a few female cultivators as reinforcements, like Zi Xuan, Jiu Tian Xuan Nu, and Zhu Que Queen—each a stunning beauty. Guarding the altar was monotonous, so stealing a few glances lifted the spirits.

"Keep looking, and get back to work."

Dong Huang Tai Xin tossed over a divine talisman, landing among the old troublemakers. It was an Emperor Dao Thunder Curse; with a single thought from her, they'd be blown sky-high.

The group coughed awkwardly and quickly stood up straight.

Time for serious business.

The new arrivals weren't idle; they brought not only imperial artifacts but also Emperor Dao killing formations, setting them up around the altar in layers upon layers. Each formation was piled with source stones, ensuring that any assault would hammer the Tian Mo and E Mo into oblivion.

"Now it's as solid as a fortress."

With the defenses in place, the Zhun Di settled down, waiting patiently for the Tian Mo and E Mo to return. If they came, even better—just wipe them out completely and be done with it.

"A word of advice: don't get too close to him."

Song Di Wang said casually, referring to Ye Chen. What he was comprehending wasn't ordinary—it was time and space, which could explode, and you'd get caught in the blast if you weren't careful.

Even so, some ignored the warning: a bull and a monkey, namely Kui Niu Huang and Sheng Yuan Huang, bored out of their minds, approached from left and right.

Hey, just like that, Ye Chen exploded again, more violently than before—his entire sacred body reduced to ashes. Kui Niu Huang and Sheng Yuan Huang, who had just arrived, were flung back, their bodies shattering from the shockwave.

Only then did the old-timers settle down.

Many more gazes held wariness and shock; time and space were indeed overbearing, and Ye Chen was incredibly bold. What looked like enlightenment was really dancing on the edge of death.