Chapter 3024: Trials Along the Way

In the boundless Xu Wang, a dazzling streak of light shot through the void.

That was the Taigu Lu.

From a distance, the continuously extending Taigu Lu looked like a beam of light, moving at an astonishing speed.

Nü Di was in control of the direction, having already navigated around that section of Xu Wang.

However, the path ahead remained perilous. The terrifying vortices increased in number, and the Xu Wang grew even more unstable. Beyond the vortices, frequent lightning and thunder tore through the void, not real thunder but far more dreadful than the actual kind. Each bolt carried destructive power, not only blindingly bright but also shaking the soul to its core.

The remnants of the great heavenly destruction included far more than this—mysterious gales that could sweep away everything, and illusory flames capable of burning through the universe.

So many forms of destruction abounded that even the gods and generals turned pale, let alone the emperors. If anyone fell into it, their body and spirit would be utterly annihilated. Even Ye Chen and Nü Di dared not venture recklessly; the visible dangers were already overwhelming, and the unseen ones must be even greater.

"The closer we get to the Honghuang of Taigu Lu, the more dangerous it becomes."

Ren Wang murmured to himself. Everything he had witnessed along the way shattered his understanding. He truly wondered what divine abilities the ancient Heavenly Court’s Nü Di had used to carve out such a path through the Xu Wang. She was the true deity.

"What a miraculous road, where opportunities and disasters coexist."

Zao Hua Shen Wang took a deep breath, having seen countless creation opportunities and calamities.

Thud!

As they watched, a burst of blood light exploded at the end of Taigu Lu.

It was Di Huang.

In the previous instant, a bolt of lightning from the oncoming Xu Wang had struck him by chance. As powerful as he was, his sacred body nearly exploded on the spot. Every wound was infused with destructive thunder essence, relentlessly eroding his vital energy, causing the injuries not only to fail to heal but to spread outward. Not just his flesh, but his Dao roots and Yuan Shen were also ravaged by destruction, leaving him unrecognizable.

Hong Yan's face changed, and so did the expressions of the emperors and gods.

The lightning from the Xu Wang was terrifyingly formidable. Di Huang was a mid-tier great emperor's sacred body, yet in a single encounter, he had nearly perished. If it had been any of them, they would likely have already entered the gates of hell, emperors included.

Ye Chen's emperor body stirred, sending out a ray of Yongheng light that entered Di Huang's body, transforming into an immortal sword that severed the lingering destructive forces within him.

Only then did Di Huang stabilize, staggering back.

Xing Tian stepped forward to take his place.

Meanwhile, Ye Chen and Nü Di had summoned Yongheng, forming a protective light shield to guard the emperors at the end of Taigu Lu.

Di Huang's injury served as a bloody warning.

That lightning from the Xu Wang might not have been intentional—likely just a coincidence—but it had to be guarded against.

Fortunately, it was Di Huang who had been hit first. If it had been Jian Shen or Jian Zun, they would probably have been obliterated on the spot. Even an emperor's sacred body couldn't withstand it, let alone them.

Afterward, such incidents occurred repeatedly.

The Xu Wang was restless, with lightning tearing through and flames surging. Occasionally, one or two destructive forces would enter Taigu Lu from the Xu Wang, battering the Yongheng light shield until it was riddled with scars. Without the shield, the losses would have been catastrophic.

Ye Chen furrowed his brow slightly, while Nü Di's expression remained unchanged.

Compared to Ye Chen, Nü Di had long been prepared. From the moment they entered Taigu Lu, she had been fully aware.

Boom! Rumble!

As they spoke, thunder roared ahead, revealing a massive sea of lightning in the Xu Wang. Bolts tore through the air and cascaded down like waterfalls, forming a thunderous ocean below, each carrying devastating power that made hearts tremble just from the sound.

Even Nü Di frowned at this.

The sea of lightning was too vast; they had to go around it. Upon spotting it, she immediately changed direction, putting as much distance as possible between them. Any contact would mean destruction.

As if bad luck came in waves,

The direction they had chosen for Taigu Lu now revealed a sea of fire, not real flames but with colors shifting unpredictably—sometimes red, sometimes purple. It was even larger than the sea of lightning, and the oncoming fire waves scorched the Yongheng light until it dimmed.

Helpless, Nü Di changed direction again.

This adjustment left even her composure frayed; she nearly wanted to curse. They had dodged the sea of lightning and skirted the sea of fire, only to face flying rocks and debris hurtling like meteors. Even a single grain of sand landing on Taigu Lu could shake the heavens and earth.

"You, withdraw."

Nü Di parted her lips slightly, speaking to Ye Chen.

Ye Chen understood her meaning. The flying rocks and debris carried too much destruction; even a speck of dust could shatter the sky, let alone the larger meteors. The Yongheng shield alone couldn't hold them back. Someone had to block ahead, and Ye Chen was the most suitable—perhaps the only one. It couldn't be Nü Di.

Ye Chen left the formation, manifesting the Yongheng sword in his hand.

In that same instant, Nü Di altered the formation, and Hou Yi instinctively stepped up to fill the gap.

"Stones are coming!"

Xiao Ling Wa howled, making Kui Niu's ears ring.

No reminder was needed; they could all see it. A light was rushing toward them—a stone about the size of a fist. Apart from its shimmering surface, it looked unremarkable.

Yet, this small stone was infused with destructive power. Even before it arrived, the emperors felt the devastation approaching. If it hit, it would mean instant annihilation of body and soul.

Clang!

Ye Chen had already entered the Xu Wang, slashing the stone with his sword.

A metallic clang echoed as the stone was destroyed, but Ye Chen's Yongheng sword nearly shattered from the backlash. The recoil forced a muffled grunt from him as he was affected by the destruction.

Nü Di's decision proved correct. Without him blocking, if the stone had struck, not even the Yongheng shield or the emperors could have survived.

Having resolved the crisis, Ye Chen returned to Taigu Lu and reformed his Yongheng sword. Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth.

The emperors' hearts were filled with shock and self-mockery. In the Zhutian, they were supreme overlords, but on Taigu Lu, they were so vulnerable. Even Ye Chen was like this; if it were them, they would have already perished.

Ye Chen didn't glance aside, his eyes fixed on the Xu Wang. Any approaching anomaly would be met with immediate thunderous strikes. Compared to the outer domains, the destruction in the Xu Wang seemed even more threatening. The remnants of the great heavenly destruction were this ferocious; if the actual destruction occurred, it would be utter apocalypse!

Nü Di also dared not be careless. Without Ye Chen, her burden increased dramatically. By borrowing Ye Chen's Yongheng Xianhe, she was both extending and maintaining Taigu Lu, bearing ninety percent of the pressure alone.

Beyond that, she had to carefully maneuver the direction, avoiding dangers ahead at the first sign. Only if they couldn't evade would Ye Chen step up to clear the path.

Their coordination was seamless, resolving crises along the way and ensuring the emperors' safety while keeping Taigu Lu extending steadily.

"How much farther?"

Hong Yan murmured softly, asking for what felt like the umpteenth time.

"We're close."

Nü Di's response was the same as always. The next segment of Taigu Lu wasn't far, but due to the constant detours, the distance had stretched out.

"Outer domain supreme beings."

The fourth Shen Jiang, restoring his divine power from behind, glanced back and saw rolling demonic aura and booming sounds—likely outer domain forces slipping into Taigu Lu through cracks.

Di Huang said nothing, dragging his battered emperor body straight toward them, detecting the aura of a Tian Di.

Accompanying him were Mo Zun and Jian Zun. The outer domain supreme beings entering Taigu Lu included not just Tian Di but also great emperors.

With Nü Di focused on extending and connecting Taigu Lu, Ye Chen guarding the end, and the emperors mostly in the formation, no one else was available. They had to handle the battle to prevent disruption from the outer domains.

Boom! Bang! Boom!

Soon, the sounds of battle erupted. Di Huang clashed with the outer domain Tian Di, while Mo Zun and Jian Zun fought other outer domain Tian Di. As for the demonic soldiers, they were ignored.

The battle's fluctuations were immense. From the end of Taigu Lu, they could see the heavens collapsing and beams of Jimie light flying back and forth, painting scenes of destruction.

The rear was troublesome, and the front wasn't any better.

Another meteor approached, about the size of a wine jar. Nü Di wanted to steer around it, but one side had a sea of lightning and the other a sea of fire. Any directional change could trigger fallout, leading to catastrophe if not careful.

With no choice, she signaled Ye Chen to handle it.

Ye Chen charged out of Taigu Lu and immediately felt the destructive intent rushing at him. Even with his profound foundation, he was knocked off balance, his Yuan Shen nearly jolted from his body.

This was just the destructive aura on the meteor. If it truly struck, Ye Chen had no confidence in stopping it. The meteors from the Xu Wang were too powerful and terrifying.

One thought: Yongheng.

Ye Chen mentally shouted, employing his emperor Dao immortal technique. The meteor was too fast and its destruction too fearsome; charging straight at it would mean being smashed. Fixing it in place was the right approach.

What made him frown was that One Thought Yongheng failed.

Or rather, the destructive intent on the meteor neutralized the temporal laws of One Thought Yongheng.

Still, though not fully stopped, its speed slowed slightly. It seemed One Thought Yongheng had some effect.

Ye Chen stood firm, manifesting his Dharma body. The two—one on the left, one on the right—repeatedly used One Thought Yongheng to weaken the meteor's speed.

Even so, the meteor's force remained world-shattering.

"Boss, I'll handle it!"

The Dharma body roared and lunged from Ye Chen's side, colliding like a divine ray. Compared to slowing it with One Thought Yongheng, this heavenly emperor Dharma body's direct impact was more straightforward—a suicidal block.

Thud!

The Dharma body charged quickly and was destroyed just as fast, shattered by the meteor and reduced to ashes, with even its scattered blood and bones ground to dust.

Gulp!

The emperors and gods on Taigu Lu swallowed hard at the sight.

That meteor was overwhelmingly dominant!

It was Ye Chen's Dharma body, equal to him in cultivation, combat power, foundation, and Dao roots, yet it was obliterated in an instant. If Ye Chen's true body had charged, it would likely have met the same fate.

Clearly, they had underestimated the objects from the Xu Wang. The meteor itself wasn't the issue; it was the destructive power it carried that was terrifying enough to smash even a heavenly emperor's sacred body.

The Dharma body's sacrifice wasn't in vain; it drastically reduced the meteor's speed in that moment, further slowed by Ye Chen's One Thought Yongheng.

Clang!

Ye Chen drew his sword in a flash, slashing out an immortal river.

Bang!

A metallic collision rang out as his dominant sword strike hit the meteor like steel, only carving a groove without destroying it.

Thud!

Ye Chen spat blood and was flung back, his sword-holding arm exploding from the shock.

The emperors felt a chill in their hearts. That was Ye Chen! A heavenly emperor-level sacred body was so fragile before the meteor.

But everyone knew it wasn't that Ye Chen was too weak; the meteor's destruction was just too strong, powerful enough to overwhelm even Yongheng.

Boom!

Ye Chen steadied himself, and the meteor followed closely.

Gritting his teeth, he instantly reformed his arm, activated his Ba Ti outer form, layered Yongheng armor over it, and enveloped everything in his Yongheng visions—a vast world with mountains, rivers, and vegetation, where he stood like an ancient deity, maximizing his defenses.

"Stop for me."

Ye Chen snorted coldly, truly going mad. He stepped forward and shoved his hands out to block the meteor head-on. He had no choice; behind him was Taigu Lu, and letting it hit would bring catastrophic disaster.

Bang! Crack! Bang!

In an instant, his Yongheng immortal world vision collapsed.

Then the Yongheng armor shattered with a boom.

Next, his Ba Ti form disintegrated.

The so-called defenses of a heavenly emperor's sacred body were like paper before the meteor.

Thud!

Ye Chen vomited blood and flipped through the air, hurtling from the Xu Wang back into Taigu Lu, flying over eight million li.

Along the way, his arms exploded, and his emperor Dao flesh cracked inch by inch, with blood and bones scattering across the vast sky.

At the end of Taigu Lu, the meteor was destroyed—it was Ye Chen who, in that final moment, etched a Yongheng seal onto it, blowing it apart.

The meteor was gone, but the aftermath wasn't over. A destructive halo spread out, affecting Taigu Lu and smashing the Yongheng shield Nü Di had formed.

Thud! Thud! Thud!

Cries of blood echoed as, aside from Nü Di stepping back, all the other emperors—including Hong Yan—were flung away. Those with weaker foundations, like Jian Shen, had their emperor bodies reduced to just a head.

The destructive halo was too fearsome, cracking the skies wherever it passed and extinguishing even the lightning.

Thud!

Ye Chen, who had just staggered up, was knocked down again.

Thud! Thud! Thud!

In the distance, Di Huang, Mo Zun, and Jian Zun, still in battle, were also hit, along with the outer domain Tian Di and great emperors, sent flying everywhere.

The gods' faces turned ashen, their hearts pounding as they watched from the great cauldron. If they had been outside, they would likely be lining up for Meng Po's soup by now.

Truly formidable was the Heavenly Court Nü Di.

She withstood the destructive vortex head-on and still stood at the end of Taigu Lu, supporting it alone.

Looking at her back, it was stained with glaring blood.

Ye Chen was severely injured, so it was no surprise she was hurt. Though it didn't show on the surface, her internals were decaying in a battle against the immortal. If she hadn't blocked the destructive halo and weakened its force, the emperors wouldn't have just been flung away—they would have been collectively obliterated.

Ye Chen shakily rose, dragging his ruined sacred body toward the end of Taigu Lu. He had no time to rescue Hong Yan and the others; they were still alive.

As for him, he had to guard the end. If another meteor came, Taigu Lu could break again.

"Help me."

Nü Di called out, her breath weak.

Ye Chen descended from the sky, landing beside her and forcibly channeling Yongheng to share her burden.

It wasn't that Nü Di was stubborn; she had already spotted the opposite segment of Taigu Lu. Once connected, all would be well.

Boom!

Soon, a thunderous boom resounded. After enduring countless hardships, the two segments of Taigu Lu, separated for endless ages, finally merged as one.

"It's not in vain that we were injured so badly."

The fourth Shen Jiang and the Son of the Plane supported each other, swaying as they faced the eastern Taigu Lu with a weary smile, blood overflowing from their mouths uncontrollably.

No sooner had the words fallen than another boom echoed.

Then, they saw Nü Di and Ye Chen being sent flying from the eastern sky, their blood-soaked emperor bodies a shocking sight, as if struck by someone.

Boom! Rumble!

Before the emperors could react, more booms followed, with dark demonic aura sweeping across the sky like a tidal wave, carrying a world-ending pressure that filled the Taigu universe.

"Quasi Huang Di."

Hong Yan looked that way, staggering back with a pale face, her voice trembling.