Chapter 2962: Why Not Bring Them

Chapter 2962: Wei He Bu Dai Shang Ta Men

A buzzing sound echoed as the colossal gate sealed shut.

The million divine generals felt a sudden blur before their eyes, plunging into darkness for a moment. When they opened their eyes again, they were greeted by a bizarre and surreal sight, resembling a space-time tunnel where ethereal lights darted about chaotically.

Apart from Ye Chen and the Nu Di, everyone's expressions were filled with curiosity, including Jian Shen and Ren Wang, who were scanning their surroundings. This passage was extraordinarily strange, with forces surging back and forth, carrying the essence of space and time, devoid of any concepts of time or space.

“Is this the Taigu Lu?”

Xie Yun asked, his eyes darting around in every direction.

“Not yet.”

From the front, Ye Chen replied calmly.

If counting his first life, this was the second time he had traveled through this passage. Indeed, they hadn't reached the Taigu Lu yet. The entrance opened by the Nu Di was safer and more stable than the previous rift, with the forbidden forces overflowing in a more refined and elusive manner. The power of space and time dominated, intertwined with various taboo forces, creating moments of eternal stillness.

The million divine generals continued to observe, and even the well-traveled Ren Wang gazed with shining eyes. He had never imagined being selected as a divine general under an emperor to conquer the Taigu Lu—this was perhaps the ultimate honor.

Beside him, the Fourth Divine General's expression carried a hint of weariness and nostalgia. Back in the day, Xian Wu Da Di had led a million divine generals on an expedition, only to end in total defeat, leaving him as the sole survivor. He would bear the mission of all the divine generals.

“Is this the path my brother once walked?”

Di Xuan murmured softly, her mind in a daze. She didn't know whether to grieve or sigh. In moments like this, she couldn't help but glance toward the front at Ye Chen. His silhouette was so similar to her brother's that even she struggled to distinguish whether it was Ye Chen or Xian Wu Da Di.

“Master.”

Jian Shen's whisper was hoarse. Regardless of who it was, he would regard him as Xian Wu Da Di.

“Lao Xuan, help me steady myself. My head's a bit dizzy.”

Zao Hua Shen Wang swayed and grabbed onto Xuan Huang. Among the group, his face was the palest, and he occasionally shook his head, still feeling disoriented. Having been sealed for many years, upon waking, he felt utterly drained, instinctively thinking he had truly grown old.

Xuan Huang stood straight as a rod, occasionally glancing sideways at him with a critical eye. He looked somewhat malnourished, to say the least.

“After losing so much blood, it's no wonder you're dizzy.”

Xiao Ling Wang said with a tsk, hands tucked in his sleeves as he perched on Dong Huang Tai Xin's shoulder. He eyed Zao Hua Shen Wang with sympathy. Ye Da Di was undoubtedly to blame for his dizziness. To devour the holy demon, he had used an immense amount of creation force and drained so much of Zao Hua Shen Wang's blood—it was downright unscrupulous.

“If I could, I'd stay here to comprehend the Dao for a hundred years.”

“Heroes think alike.”

“What incredible power it must take to forge such a path.”

“The Heavenly Court Nu Di truly possesses great divine abilities.”

In the surreal passage, conversations buzzed incessantly.

The new million divine generals were all acquaintances, and since entering the light gate, their chatter hadn't stopped. Many expressed a desire to comprehend the Dao here—it was simply because this passage was so extraordinary that it left them in awe of the Heavenly Court Nu Di's heaven-defying methods.

When speaking of the Nu Di, their eyes were filled with reverence.

They still couldn't discern her exact level of cultivation; they only knew she surpassed Ye Chen and was even more terrifying. Though she was nearby, she felt as distant as a dream.

“One wife is the Dong Huang Nu Di, and another is the Heavenly Court Nu Di. Our old seventh sure knows how to show off.”

Xiao Yuan Huang scratched his monkey fur, sighing endlessly.

“What I'm curious about is whether the Nu Di is Chu Xuan, Chu Ling, Ruo Xi, or Wu Lei.”

“If they end up in bed together, would it be awkward?”

“Whether the holy body can even get into bed is up for debate.”

There were always a few unserious types among them, all with limited lifespans, turning into nonstop talkers as they eyed Ye Chen and the Nu Di up front. When it was the wives of the holy body lineage, there were always one or two who were extraordinarily fierce, more than capable of holding their own. If provoked, even a mid-level emperor like Ye Chen could be dragged away for a beating.

Ye Chen's expression remained indifferent, his steps steady.

At his side, the Heavenly Court Nu Di was even more aloof, uttering not a single word from beginning to end. Though she had fully restrained her aura, Ye Chen still felt immense pressure. He had once glimpsed the source of the Heavenly Court Nu Di and realized upon seeing it that this woman seemed to lack a source entirely.

In other words, even after merging two souls and seven spirits, the Nu Di remained incomplete, missing not only one soul but also her source.

“Why not bring them along?”

The Nu Di suddenly spoke, her voice clear and melodious, like an ancient immortal melody, with every word a vibrating note.

By “them,” she meant Ye Chen's wives.

“Always need to leave something to remember.”

Ye Chen smiled and took a deep breath.

He had glanced back for a moment at those behind him.

The new million divine generals were all his selections, with over ninety percent of them on the brink of their lifespans—nearly all the peak forces of the heavens aside from the great emperors. The reason he hadn't brought Nan Ming Yu Shu and the others was indeed to leave something to remember, because no one knew if they would return alive from this journey.

The dangers of the Taigu Lu were something he had experienced firsthand.

But he was well aware that what he had seen was only the tip of the iceberg. The closer they got to the Taigu Hong Huang, the more perilous it would become, with more heavenly emperors, emperor-level holy demons, and even quasi-wild emperors. That path was far from as easy as imagined.

Thus, everyone in this passage, including him, the Ancient Heavenly Court Nu Di, and the million divine generals, might fall on that road. The Taigu Lu could very well be a dead end.

“I will do my utmost to get you to the Taigu Hong Huang.”

Today's Ancient Heavenly Court Nu Di seemed to have more to say, her tone laced with a resolute determination.

“You're stronger than me, so if anyone's dying, it's me first.”

Ye Chen chuckled, knowing his own limits.

The lesson Wu Lei had given him back then was still fresh in his memory. Even now, as a mid-level great emperor, in the presence of the Ancient Heavenly Court Nu Di, he was still like a three-year-old child.

The Nu Di fell silent, offering a faint smile for the first time, though her eyes held an unyielding resolve, etched with an immortal belief. If that day came, she would stand before Ye Chen without hesitation, for he had become the true player in this game. From the moment he achieved the Dao and became an emperor, she had become a pawn, ready to sacrifice herself at any time. What she couldn't accomplish, Ye Chen might be able to.

It wasn't long before a flicker of light appeared ahead.

The passage reached its end, and Ye Chen and the Nu Di stepped out together, with the million divine generals following suit.

Emerging, they could see the sky and earth clearly. Lightning flashed in the void, the ground was scorched and barren, and hazy mists obscured any clarity, creating an oppressive atmosphere like that of the underworld.

“This is the real Taigu Lu.”

Ren Wang stroked his beard, confident in his guess.

“Is this where Xian Wu Da Di fell in battle?”

Long Ye spoke, gazing into the distance.

Di Xuan's eyes were already misted with tears, as if she could sense a trace of her brother's ancient warmth in the air.

Ye Chen was also observing; the memories from his first life were still vivid. After nine lives, returning to this place evoked an ancient sentiment unique to him—one of vague emotion and world-weariness.

The Nu Di said nothing, merely gazing quietly at the heavens and earth.

The extent of destruction on the Taigu Lu was more severe than she had imagined, with the universe appearing calm on the surface but chaotic underneath.

A hum resonated as Ye Chen summoned the Chaos Cauldron, drawing in the million divine generals who were still surveying their surroundings. With their lifespans nearly exhausted, he needed to seal them until they reached the Taigu Hong Huang.

Boom! Bang! Boom!

No sooner had he stored the cauldron than rumbling sounds echoed from the depths of the Taigu Lu—undoubtedly the waves of a massive battle, its scale enormous. Even from millions of miles away, the vibrations reached them.

Both Ye Chen and the Nu Di vanished in an instant.

As they had heard, it was indeed a battle. Di Huang, Hong Yan, and Xing Tian were once again surrounded and outnumbered, with over a hundred foreign supreme beings joining the fight—sky demons, calamity demons, holy demons, and shadows blotting out the sky.

Di Huang was trapped in the western sky, his golden sacred body drenched in blood, fighting desperately. He had nearly fallen from the void several times and come close to annihilation more than once. It wasn't that he wasn't strong enough; the enemy's forces were just too overwhelming, including initial to advanced emperors and domineering fully realized holy demons.

The headless Xing Tian fared no better, lacking a head and clear consciousness, which meant he couldn't fight at his peak. Fortunately, his foundations remained, and he wielded his black battle axe in a frenzied assault. In single combat, even Di Huang might not match him, but unfortunately, the enemy was too numerous, including those skilled in taboo laws.

The one in the worst state was Hong Yan. Her battle armor was soaked in blood, her body covered in gashes, each wound emitting a demonic glow that voraciously devoured her essence. These injuries weren't ordinary and refused to heal; instead, they worsened, with various killing intents disrupting her Dao roots and source. Her heavily damaged primordial spirit was riddled with terrifying cracks.

“Today, no one can save you.”

Tian Mo Di sneered, slamming down a palm from the heavens.

Zing!

Hong Yan forcibly channeled her divine power, slashing a sword that carved out an immortal river, shattering the palm print and even forcing Tian Mo Di back.

But this came at a heavy cost; she was struck by E Mo Di's finger and hadn't steadied herself before a fully realized holy demon attacked, nearly splitting her in two with a palm blade. The other foreign supreme beings weren't idle either, with chains of order snaking from their feet to bind her sacred body and even her primordial spirit.

Hong Yan staggered, barely able to stand, vomiting blood uncontrollably. She lacked the strength to break free, having fought almost daily for over a thousand years. She was too injured and exhausted, her powers completely depleted.

Witnessing this, both Di Huang and Xing Tian tried to rush to her aid, but the foreign supreme beings blocked them relentlessly. Forget rescuing; they could barely protect themselves, with someone as foundationally weaker as Xing Tian nearly being obliterated by a sword.

“Die!”

E Mo Di grinned viciously, thrusting a spear from the sky that ignored her sacred body and targeted her primordial spirit directly. He had already locked onto it; if this strike hit, Hong Yan would surely perish.

“Ye Chen.”

Amid the red bloodlight, Hong Yan's figure appeared poignantly beautiful, her murmuring voice laced with weary affection. Her eyes, once bright, were now dim. In her haze, she seemed to see that slender silhouette again—the one she had kept in her heart for over a thousand years.

Buzz!

In the next instant, the war spear arrived, carrying destructive force.

Hong Yan smiled sadly and wearily closed her eyes.

Yet, in that same instant, a warm hand wrapped around her waist, pulling her into a graceful spin. A golden fist then shattered the spear.

Her Ye Chen had arrived.