Chapter 3069: Second Batch

In the ancient primordial realm of Taigu Honghuang, peace and tranquility reigned.

The Female Emperor had departed, and the assembled emperors remained dutifully at their posts, steadfastly maintaining the formation without any desertion.

"Boring."

The Little Ape Emperor yawned and scratched his ears, restless as ever. As an emperor himself, he was assigned to the outer perimeter of the formation, but he was the type who couldn't sit still and always wanted to slip away for a stroll.

Kui Niu was much the same.

The two of them stared each other down, their eyes narrowed with mischief, as if on the verge of a fight.

"Fact is, having a wife makes all the difference." Ren Wang stood with his hands tucked in his sleeves, contentedly by Ren Huang's side. He gazed enviously at Di Huang and Yue Shang, occasionally glancing at Mo Yuan and Hong Lian. While they all guarded the formation, the couples chatted and laughed, leaving this single emperor green with envy.

"When will I advance to Heavenly Emperor?"

Long Ye had been muttering the same line ever since he sat down, repeating it hundreds of times. Long Yi and Long Wu joined in the grumbling, sneaking glances at Taixu Long Di as they spoke.

As free-willed remnant souls, they all harbored a grand ambition: one day, to team up and give their original self a thorough beating. What a delightful thought that would be.

"I am quite gratified."

Taixu Long Di stroked his beard, speaking with deep sincerity. He could read minds, and if they weren't in the formation, those three remnant souls would be in serious trouble.

"Stop staring. Staring won't make it happen."

"I respect you as a powerhouse, but the common people may not lose."

"It's best to stay put."

Within the Great Ancient Formation, conversations buzzed endlessly. Many of the older supreme beings, especially the Heavenly Court emperors, kept their eyes fixed on the First-Generation Saint Demon, that formidable demon lord who was scheming to break his seal.

The Saint Demon gritted his teeth, his face twisted in savage fury. He had underestimated these ants. Even though the situation had shifted, he still couldn't escape.

On another front, Ye Chen glanced at the altar before rising and heading toward the edge of Taigu Honghuang. Along the way, he passed many divine generals, all seated in meditation. Xie Yun and Situ Nan stood out for their determination, as if they wouldn't emerge until they achieved the emperor's path.

Ye Chen had glimpsed their potential before—both possessed the qualities of an emperor, but their opportunities were lacking, so they still needed time.

At the farthest point, Hong Yan was already waiting, standing like a statue. From her, one could still see traces of Qi Huan.

"Can you... revive my sister?"

Hong Yan parted her lips lightly, her eyes on Ye Chen filled with hope. She knew about Ye Fan's revival and had witnessed Ye Chen's miraculous abilities.

"I don't know."

Ye Chen shook his head gently. Reviving Ye Fan didn't mean he could revive others. He knew without trying that resurrecting a Quasi-Desolate Emperor was far more difficult than resurrecting a Quasi-Emperor. The laws within made it no simple matter to overturn, and a small child-like entity held sway over it.

Hong Yan pursed her lips and fell silent. Having awakened her Eternal Bloodline, she stepped off the mountaintop and into the illusory void, seeking enlightenment there. She had reached the peak of her bottleneck and aimed to advance to Dao Heavenly Emperor.

Not long after, Di Huang descended from the sky, just like Hong Yan, awakening his Eternal Bloodline to seek his own fortune in the void.

The once strongest Sacred Body had become the weakest today, but he refused to hold back the Sacred Body lineage. It wasn't that he lacked brilliance; it was just that Ye Chen and Hong Yan were extraordinarily heaven-defying.

After they left, Ye Chen sat down on the mountaintop, both to meditate and to wait. If the Female Emperor didn't return after several days, he wouldn't mind going in to check.

Soon, the sounds of the Dao echoed through the air, and visions of the Dao unfolded in the vast expanse. Countless emperors looked up, their minds lost in a trance. The visions of the Sacred Body lineage were unmatched by any other bloodline.

Ye Chen sat as still as a rock, with various laws swirling around him, faintly visible as he pushed them to their extremes, tracing back to their truest essence. The deeper he comprehended the Dao, the stronger his Eternity became. Regrettably, while he grasped many laws, none were fully perfected. In a battle against an equal, he might not match the Female Emperor, for her comprehension was more complete.

As the saying went, living a long life wasn't necessarily a bad thing. If he had lived as long as the Female Emperor, his understanding of the Dao would surely surpass hers. Some Dao insights required the sedimentation of time.

He remained seated for three full days.

In a hazy state, he seemed to glimpse a barrier, the one blocking the path to Quasi-Desolate Emperor. But he could only vaguely see it. His recent advancements had been too rapid; his Dao roots at the peak of Heavenly Emperor were not yet stable and needed time to settle.

On the fourth day, an imperial tribulation suddenly appeared.

Many divine generals were awakened, looking up to see three graceful figures: Bai Ying, Bei Yan, and Mu Ying, all supreme generals under their respective lords. They had gained opportunities from their seclusion and achieved enlightenment on the spot.

For three female emperors to undergo tribulations simultaneously was unprecedented, even drawing Ye Chen's momentary glance from his meditation.

Following them, Xi Zun and Zhong Huang also defied the heavens to become emperors.

At the same time, Tian Zhi of the Seven-Colored Peacock Clan became the second emperor in their lineage.

On the ninth day, a roaring vortex erupted in the void. Ye Chen, deep in meditation, opened his eyes, his gaze narrowing slightly. Without needing to look, he knew a great battle was raging inside—clearly, the Female Emperor couldn't overcome the small child.

On the tenth day, a halo burst forth from the void, followed by flashes of lightning and thunder.

It was Hong Yan.

She had broken through against all odds, advancing to Heavenly Emperor. Only ten days had passed in the outside world, but a millennium had elapsed in the void. After a thousand years, she finally took that step. The terrifying imperial tribulation made the emperors of past eras tremble; the tribulations of the Sacred Body lineage were beyond compare.

Hong Yan had her fortune, and Di Huang had his opportunities. After a millennium in the void, he reached the peak of Great Emperor, though not on par with Ye Chen and Hong Yan. Still, his advancement speed left the ancient supremes in awe.

The Sacred Body lineage now had only three Sacred Bodies, but each was overwhelmingly dominant. Fewer in number meant nothing as long as they were strong enough.

On the fifteenth day, Ye Chen rose to his feet.

Immediately after, a deep hum resounded.

The gates of Taigu Honghuang swung open, revealing over a hundred thousand figures outside, led by the five young forbidden zone emperors. The rest were all from the various heavens, each at the Quasi-Emperor level. Over ninety percent were nearing the end of their lifespans—some Ye Chen had met, others he hadn't.

The Taigu road had been repaired, making travel effortless. With opportunities in Taigu Honghuang, it naturally drew divine generals here. Once they achieved enlightenment and became emperors, they would return to guard the various heavens. This back-and-forth was all part of preparing for a prolonged war.

"You're still alive?"

Nanming Yushu gave Ye Chen a sideways glance.

Indeed, she was among them.

Liu Ruyan, Lin Shihua, and Xiyan were there too—or rather, all his wives except for Yaochi had come. Their eyes were teary, but their expressions were full of feigned annoyance.

Ye Chen stood frozen, pondering which one to hug first or tease first.

"Out of the way."

The newly arrived divine generals were blunt, shoving Ye Chen aside as they entered, flooding in like a tide without a second thought for him.

"So this is Taigu Honghuang."

Like the earlier arrivals, the newcomers were full of wonder, and seeing the emperors of past eras stirred their emotions profoundly—legends come to life.

"What a rugged culture."

The emperors of bygone eras watched with satisfaction. The way these newcomers carried themselves was unyielding and self-centered; in their own eras, such types would have been beaten to death on sight.

"What a stunning sight."

Many emperors couldn't help but admire the wives of the Sacred Body lineage, each as beautiful as a flower, a feast for the eyes when together.

And there stood the Heavenly Emperor Ye Chen among them, looking every bit the boar rooting up cabbages.

"With the road fixed, it's so convenient."

The first batch of divine generals sighed in retrospect. They remembered the hardships of their journey, while this second batch arrived as if visiting neighbors. The former planted the trees, and the latter enjoyed the shade—truly fitting.

This was only the second batch; more would come continuously. After achieving enlightenment in Taigu Honghuang, they would return steadily to guard the various heavens.

Ah!

The First-Generation Saint Demon let out a piercing howl that shook the heavens and earth. He could see it clearly now—this was all about creating emperors here. The longer the delay before, the more advantageous it was for the Heavenly Dao. Now, the tables had turned; with this momentum, the number of enlightened ones would only grow, and their power in the future decisive battle couldn't be underestimated.

Soon, emotional reunions unfolded: Xiyan and the others met Ye Fan, the juniors met their ancestors, old friends met old friends—all shedding tears of bittersweet joy.

Meanwhile, Ye Chen had set up his stove and tied on his apron, once again showcasing his cooking skills. The aroma of the food was utterly enticing.

Even emperors like Hong Lian and the other female supremes couldn't help but eye him sideways. A peak Heavenly Emperor cooking like this was quite the spectacle. Watching longer, they realized he was just showing off his affection.

The Fighting Saint Emperor glanced at the Little Ape Emperor, and Kui Niu Emperor looked at his counterpart, their expressions full of disdain. You three seem like sworn brothers—how come none of you have wives?

After the meal, Nanming Yushu and the others each found a quiet spot to meditate and seek their opportunities; they had come to fight for a chance at becoming emperors.

Ye Chen headed back to the edge of Taigu Honghuang. The Female Emperor had been gone for over ten days now, which was quite a while, and she still hadn't returned. Occasionally, the vortex trembled, and rumbling sounds echoed out.

If you talked about rumbles, though, Taigu Honghuang was lively. The second batch of divine generals had arrived just three days ago, and already imperial tribulations were appearing. As the saying went, accumulation leads to breakthrough, and here in Taigu Honghuang, they were taking historic steps.

Once one started, it became unstoppable. Almost every two or three days, an imperial tribulation occurred, much to the meaningful nods of the ancient supremes.

They reminisced about how difficult their own enlightenments had been. Coming to Taigu Honghuang, it felt like becoming an emperor was child's play—rarely did anyone undergo a tribulation alone; they often came in groups.

Not just them—even Ye Chen sighed at the thought. Yaochi's enlightenment had been through mountains of corpses and seas of blood; his own had involved a Great Emperor paving the way, both paths harder than ascending to heaven. These newcomers, though, just kept succeeding one after another.

It proved that choosing the right place for enlightenment was crucial. Compare Taigu Honghuang to the various heavens, and without contrast, there's no harm felt.

"She’s out."

Hong Yan suddenly spoke softly, drawing Ye Chen's gaze to the void.

Through the emptiness, he could see the Female Emperor's figure. She no longer had a physical body, only a faint, damaged primordial spirit remaining.

Hiss!

The Heavenly Court supremes drew in sharp breaths upon seeing it. Across two eras, this was the first time they'd witnessed the Female Emperor so gravely wounded.

Ye Chen raised his hand and summoned the Eternal Immortal River, laying it across the void to guide her back.

The woman was terribly injured, yet she smiled radiantly, placing a sealed figure atop the peak of Taigu.

"Damn."

A collective howl erupted from the emperors of past Heavenly Courts, their tones strikingly uniform, stunning countless divine generals.

Even Hong Yan couldn't help but cover her mouth with her hand, as if recognizing the figure, her expression one of utter disbelief.

"If I'm not mistaken, this one is Shen Zun."

Ye Chen stroked his chin, circling around for a closer look. Though sealed and still asleep, the figure exuded an extraordinary aura that was strikingly prominent.