Chapter 2949: Enough Touching

A night passed quietly.

In the early morning, as the sky had just brightened, many visitors arrived to pay homage to the two emperors, with most being from the older generation.

Yunu Peak was bustling like a marketplace, with visitors coming continuously for several months.

Over these months, Ye Chen and Yao Chi had not left Yunu Peak. She was focused on enlightenment, while he was deep in meditation, pondering how to create an entrance. Every second of delay could lead to loss of life.

At some point, he developed a fondness for gazing at the vast sky, spending most of his time looking up at the emptiness, though no one knew what he was observing.

The world was unaware, but the Tianming and Ming emperors knew the truth.

The absence of a proper entrance did not mean it was impossible to go. In those years, countless foreign domain sovereigns had fallen from the Taigu Road. Thus, people from the various heavens could also reverse through those cracks. Ye Chen could not do it back then, but now, as a proven emperor with a saint body, he could withstand the mysterious forces and forcibly traverse.

The awkward part was that after gazing for three to five months, Ye Chen still saw no cracks emerging. It only fueled his frustration. In the past, when the various heavens were weak, foreign domain emperors fell one after another toward them.

Now, with the five emperors of the various heavens guarding it, none came at all.

While the cracks did not appear, a crowd of people did.

At the entrance of Yunu Peak, a bull and a monkey were visible—Kui Niu and Xiao Yuan Huang—striding with an air of arrogance.

What could be said? They had the capital to be arrogant. Their brother was a supreme emperor, and their sister-in-law was the most stunning female emperor. No matter where they went, people from the various heavens would show them some respect.

Not to boast, but on their way from Xuan Huang, they had not hesitated to freeload. Wherever there were treasures, they headed there.

Not everyone was as shameless as them.

Accompanying them were Dongzhou Wuwang, Riyue Shenzi, Chen Yi, Hunluan Ti, Long Jie, Xuanyuan Dizi, Yao Xin, Nandi, Xizun, and Zhonghuang—they had come as a group.

There were also people from Great Chu, such as the descendants of the emperor, Ming Jue, Bai Zhi, Xie Yun, and Situ Nan—they had all arrived.

Ye Chen lowered his gaze from the sky and looked over.

At this sight, his heart ached fiercely. His dear companions were mostly white-haired and aged, with little life left. This visit was likely to bid him farewell.

"Time is like a knife!"

Xiao Yuan Huang sighed with melancholy, found a comfortable spot to sit, and though his words sounded shocked, his furry head was scanning around like a radar, glancing here and there. Compared to his brother, those sisters-in-law seemed even more captivating.

"Getting old, and now my eyesight is failing."

After sitting down, Kui Niu rubbed his eyes. He had activated his x-ray vision to catch a glimpse of something more alluring, but the sisters-in-law were all shrouded in immortal light, so he saw nothing and even blinded his own bull eyes.

"This little girl is becoming more extraordinary."

Xie Yun stroked his chin, his eyes on Ye Ling.

Ever since Ye Chen became an emperor, Ye Ling had been imbued with a mysterious power. Though it was not fully awakened, as a quasi-emperor, he already felt an immense sense of unease.

Upon reflection, Xie Yun felt relieved.

After all, who was Ye Ling's parent? Her father was a great emperor, and her mother was part of the ancient Tian Ting female emperor. No matter how you looked at it, she was destined for greatness, and extraordinary greatness at that.

Just think: among the imperial dao inheritances of the various heavens, which emperor's child could compare to her? Her parents were simply too heaven-defying.

By now, Ye Chen had already waved his hand to set up a wine table.

Everyone knew that after today, they would enter self-sealing, perhaps lingering on for many years in a state of suspended animation.

During this time, Ye Dadi offered many life-extending spiritual medicines, but they were all politely declined. Consuming too many such divine materials would be ineffective, and continuing would be a waste.

"Let's sleep through this era first."

Ye Chen smiled, his words carrying deep meaning.

The various heavens might not extend life, but Taigu Honghuang could.

When past great emperors departed, they often took divine generals with them. It was not for leisure; Taigu Honghuang had no imperial dao suppression, so those divine generals might achieve emperorship, as with Zhanshen Xingtian, a prime example.

Thus, if a proper entrance existed, he would take people through. He did not expect them to fight; just reaching Taigu Honghuang would give them a chance at proving emperorship.

As night fell, the crowd dispersed.

That night, they all entered self-sealing. Many others joined them in sealing, all those with little life left. They had been awakened by Ye Chen's tribulation earlier and now fell back into slumber.

That same night, Ye Chen used his imperial arts to seal Xiyan and the others. During the great calamity of the various heavens, they had sacrificed too much of their lifespan and were now aged with white hair.

Seeing his wives grow old left him helpless.

An emperor could shake the ancient and illuminate the present, standing supreme, but he was not all-powerful. Certain limits were beyond his control.

"Mother, I will watch over you all."

Ye Ling was quite sensible, sweeping away the dust every day.

Under the moonlight, Ye Chen arrived at the small bamboo grove again.

At the graves of Ye Fan, Yang Lan, and Huxian, he stood quietly. In the past, he could still burn incense, but now he could not, for he was an emperor, and they could not bear it. The mysterious laws were strangely like that.

He performed the wheel of reincarnation, enveloping the three small graves, trying to summon a trace of their spirits from the ethereal cycle.

He did this every day.

Unfortunately, no spirits emerged. Not even he could reverse that cycle; even the first generation would struggle.

He withdrew his hand and vanished.

When he reappeared, he was at Tianxuan Gate.

Tianxuan Gate was now desolate, with figures like Zaohua Shenwang, Mozun, and Renwang all self-sealed.

Ye Chen had visited before, paying special attention to Renwang. He had pulled the man out for a stroll and swept away all his hidden treasures.

In front of Lingxiao Hall, he manifested his true form.

After proving emperorship, Lingxiao Hall could no longer bar him; he could enter effortlessly, just to see his wife.

Tonight, the Tian Ting female emperor was awake, sitting quietly in meditation.

"How to open the entrance to Taigu Road?"

Ye Chen sat down and began discussing it—a question he had asked many times, bringing it up every visit.

"Wait."

The Tian Ting female emperor's response was consistently the same.

With that, she fell back into slumber.

Ye Chen knew she was not truly sleeping but merging with some divine power. Without that power, the entrance could not be opened.

Suddenly, he reached out, gently brushing aside a strand of her loose hair and lightly touching her cheek. He was touching not the ancient Tian Ting female emperor, but his two wives.

"A straightforward person doesn't resort to hints. This emperor also wants to touch."

Mingdi was not asleep, his words full of earnestness. If given the chance, he would not just touch—he would pinch her face hard.

Daozu, fishing in his raincoat, glanced at Mingdi through the barrier. That guy never learned his lesson. He recalled when Mingdi was slapped out of the forbidden zone years ago—his posture was impressively dramatic, with thunder and lightning trailing behind, quite a sight.

Now, wanting to take liberties with the female emperor again? Was he not afraid of being struck dead?

Ye Chen was different; his touch was smooth and natural.

"Have you touched enough?"

A ethereal female voice echoed in the hall, belonging to the Tian Ting female emperor, like a clear and wondrous immortal melody.

"Not bad."

Ye Chen replied seriously, still touching earnestly. I'm touching my own wife, not you.

"Or perhaps I should undress and let you have a good look."

The ancient Tian Ting female emperor slowly opened her eyes.

"How could I impose?"

Ye Chen spoke, but felt his feet leave the ground.

Then, Daozu and Mingdi's eyes shifted left and right, watching Ye Chen fly out of Great Chu—it was the ancient Tian Ting female emperor herself sending him off.

Thud!

Mingdi swallowed secretly, feeling a chill down his spine.

That was the female emperor, the most formidable one. Though not in complete form, in certain moments, she could unleash power surpassing great emperors, even heavenly emperors. Otherwise, he would not have been slapped to the edge of the universe back then.

Seeing Ye Chen sent flying brought him some balance.

When Ye Chen stopped, he was in Tianhuang, unsteady on his feet and swaying. The palm print on his face was delicate and strikingly clear, his entire face skewed.

The guy straightened his face, found a meteorite, sat down with legs crossed, pulled out an old pipe, and puffed away, exhaling deep smoke rings. Amid the swirling smoke, he looked like he was cultivating immortality.

His life was legendary, deeply entangled with women. No matter how strong he became, there was always a fierce woman to keep him in check—even as an emperor.

"Feeling good?"

Mingdi approached with hands behind his back, gloating.

Ye Chen ignored him, still puffing away. Wait until I finish this pipe, and we'll have a proper chat, brothers.

While smoking, he did not forget to glance at Tianhuang.

Years ago, he and Renwang had seen Dihuang and Hongyan off from here, vaguely remembering that gate.

He had come a few times before, using imperial immortal arts to try manifesting the entrance, but his cultivation was not yet sufficient.

Such technical work seemed truly meant for the Tian Ting female emperor.

As he spoke, he finished the pipe.

Ye Dadi stretched lazily, cracked his neck, and looked toward the Ming realm, smiling at Mingdi with genuine delight.

Mingdi's heart skipped a beat, sensing something ominous.

Before Ye Chen could enter the Ming realm, a loud boom echoed, shaking the entire starry sky.

Looking up, they saw a crack explode in the void, with a figure tumbling out, carrying rolling demonic aura and supreme emperor power—specifically, heavenly emperor level.

"I've been waiting for you a long time."

Ye Chen, about to enter the Ming realm, vanished in an instant, his eyes blazing. He had waited many days for this crack.

"Yao Chi, destroy him."

Ye Chen sent a divine message to Ji Ningshuang via his emperor dao.

He himself dashed toward the crack.

"Come back."

A light rebuke came from Tianxuan Gate, from the Tian Ting female emperor.

But her words came too late. Ye Chen had already slipped into the crack before it healed. If all went well, he could pass through the crack's channel and reach Taigu Road in reverse.

As for the various heavens, he had no worries. If Yao Chi could not defeat that fallen heavenly emperor, there was still the ancient Tian Ting female emperor—her combat power was absolutely ferocious.