Chapter 3087: Unapproachable

Boom! Rumble!

The Taigu Honghuang erupted with thunderous roars that shook the universe, but compared to the illusory force, it was still insignificant.

"Hand?"

The emperors guarding the formation all rose to their feet, staring in astonishment at the illusion, their expressions strange. They had witnessed many emperor tribulations, but one involving a hand was truly a first—it felt utterly novel.

"Even more than laws."

Di Zun murmured softly, sensing a tremor in his soul even through the hazy void. The aura of destruction was terrifyingly overwhelming.

"Have you ever seen one?"

Shen Zun had already entered the illusion, asking Nu Di. At least in his vast experience, he had never encountered an emperor tribulation with a hand.

Nu Di shook her head lightly.

This was her first time seeing a hand in a tribulation. She didn't know where it came from or what it symbolized; she only knew that this hand was frighteningly powerful. Even as an illusion, it carried the might to destroy worlds.

"Truly giving face."

Ye Chen stood firm, his expression grave. Having experienced its power before—one palm wiping out an entire universe—this illusory version was still terrifyingly formidable. Under the hand's shadow, he felt as insignificant as an ant.

Yet, he felt no fear.

Though the hand was dreadful and wielded world-ending power, it was still within the realm of tribulation. He couldn't withstand the real hand, but this one in the tribulation was different.

Boom!

Suddenly, a thunderous rumble echoed as the massive hand pressed down, indeed carrying world-ending force. Everywhere it passed turned to ash. Not just the emperors and gods, even Nu Di's face paled—it was too horrifying.

Ye Chen said nothing, instantly activating his Hegemon Body form and erecting the Eternal Great Realm. Various laws intertwined, forming armor that elevated his emperor-level defenses to the maximum. Since he couldn't evade it, he had to face it head-on. As long as the Dao endured, his body would not perish.

Under the watchful eyes of all, he raised his hands to the sky, his figure unyielding as he directly resisted the hand that covered the heavens.

Boom!

In an instant, the Eternal Great Realm shattered, followed by his Hegemon Body form exploding on the spot. Even the armor woven from laws collapsed with it.

It seemed that his so-called Dao, defenses, and laws were nothing but a laughable facade before that hand.

Crack! Puff!

A gruesome scene unfolded as his indestructible emperor body cracked repeatedly, with blood and bones bursting out and being ground into dust. Even his staunchly straight legs bent under the pressure.

"This..."

The emperors' faces turned deathly pale, their souls trembling. They knew the hand was fearsome, but only upon its descent did they realize they had underestimated its power. At this rate, Ye Chen might truly be obliterated by a single palm.

"Where did that hand come from?"

Nu Di murmured, her delicate brows furrowed. The Quasi-Huang Emperor Tribulation of the Holy Body had far exceeded her expectations.

"Why punish the common people?"

Ye Chen roared, his voice echoing through the illusion like that of the ancient supreme being in the cosmic vision—an anguished cry from the soul, filled with the same grief and rage. Why must the lofty gods destroy the world? Why show no mercy to all living beings?

"Why punish the common people?"

The emperors murmured, hearing in Ye Chen's roar not just grief and rage, but also unyielding defiance and determination.

It was precisely this unyielding spirit that allowed him, on the brink of collapse, to hold firm against the world-ending hand. The divine patterns etched on it lost a certain Dao intent, its power still devastating but no longer able to destroy Ye Chen.

"Why punish the common people?"

Ye Chen roared again, his bent legs straightening with the sound of cracking bones. His deep eyes were filled with bloodshot veins, turning them crimson, like a maddened demon questioning the gods above.

His roar went unanswered.

But the hand gradually lost its power. Already illusory, it became more transparent due to Ye Chen's resistance, and the divine patterns on its fingers faded one by one until it dissolved completely into nothingness.

Thus, the Quasi-Huang Tribulation ended.

Puff!

Ye Chen spat out a torrent of fresh blood, swaying unsteadily, barely able to stand. His exterior was drenched in blood, and his interior was even worse—his blood and bones crumbling inch by inch from the lingering killing intent of the hand.

Nu Di appeared in an instant, channeling Eternal energy. To her surprise, the killing intent in Ye Chen's body carried a power that seemed unrelated to this universe, bearing some resemblance to the origins of the little child. Even as a Huang Emperor, she could only suppress it, not fully eradicate it.

"Eternal Xianyu."

Nu Di murmured, still unsure about the hand, but it must be connected to the Eternal Xianyu. It was because Ye Chen had fused with the Tian character that they sought to erase him.

Shen Zun arrived as well, raising his hand to help, clearly seeing that Nu Di alone couldn't contain the killing intent.

"Don't approach."

Nu Di said calmly, a halo of light spreading from her body to push Shen Zun away. If even she could be eroded by the killing intent, Shen Zun would fare far worse, and the consequences would be dire.

In fact, Shen Zun had already been affected. In that brief moment, a trace of the killing intent had seeped into him, instantly shattering his emperor bones.

Even Shen Zun was startled by its overwhelming strength. Merely residual killing intent was this destructive—if it were the real hand, it could obliterate the entire universe with one strike.

Fortunately, the trace that entered him was quickly extinguished by his Dao essence.

Ye Chen, however, was in a far worse state. The residual killing intent continued to rampage within him. Without Nu Di's suppression and Eternal protection, he would have been utterly destroyed.

"Good, very good."

Ye Chen's expression remained manic, his eyes blood-red as if about to bleed, his anger causing laws to swirl around him.

Just you wait. One day, I'll storm the Eternal Xianyu and settle this score with you.

"Who is it?"

Nu Di asked without pausing, her lips parting slightly.

"Not to be trifled with."

Ye Chen replied, transmitting a divine sense that contained the earlier cosmic vision—everything he had seen and heard, laid out completely.

Upon seeing it, Nu Di's expression changed again.

If Ye Chen hadn't revealed it, she would still be in the dark. It seemed only he had been pulled into that cosmic vision. Even among those who fused with the Tian character, there was a difference between having roots and not—precisely because he entered the vision that the strange hand appeared.

A single palm to destroy a universe.

Nu Di's soul trembled repeatedly. As a Huang Emperor, she admitted she couldn't achieve that.

If that lofty god directed a palm at their universe, it would surely mean destruction.

"He won't come."

Ye Chen spoke, as if sensing Nu Di's worry.

"How can you be sure?"

"That Eternal Xianyu must have problems. He's got no time to bother with us right now."

Ye Chen said leisurely. The hand in the tribulation had been like a window to secrets, unintentionally revealing a glimpse of the Eternal Xianyu. It wasn't just troubled—it was on the edge of collapse.

Nu Di fell silent.

The Eternal Xianyu opened another realm for her, transcending the Heavenly Dao itself—that was the true domain of gods. Even if they were preoccupied, it was still a massive threat to their universe.

If he ever found the time, a single palm from him could reduce everything—the Heavenly Dao, all living beings—to ashes.

"Is my treasure with you?"

Ye Chen asked again.

Compared to Nu Di, he seemed unburdened. That so-called god wasn't all-powerful; not every universe could be destroyed with one strike.

Hearing this, Nu Di temporarily set aside her thoughts and gently waved her hand, sprinkling another layer of Eternal Immortal Light.

And then... nothing more.

Ye Chen's face darkened a shade. Throughout his journey, he had underestimated Nu Di the most—not her cultivation, but her sense of propriety. She seemed to have no concept of shame, yet she lectured him every few days. How could she have the nerve?

"Comfortable."

Nu Di didn't speak, but her demeanor perfectly conveyed those words. Nothing was more pleasing than seeing Ye Chen at a loss.

It wasn't until sometime later that she eradicated the killing intent, stepping into the void toward Taigu, refusing to mention the treasure.

Behind her, Ye Chen clutched his chest again, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth—he couldn't tell if it was from injury or frustration.

Cultivation... it's a wonderful thing.

If he were a Huang Emperor, if his power surpassed Nu Di's, things would be so much easier.

Find a secluded spot, share some local specialties, and handle it directly.

But as a mere Quasi-Huang Emperor, he couldn't beat that woman, so he could only curse under his breath.

Once he composed himself, he set off as well.

At the peak of Taigu, the crowd was still dense, and the gods and generals looked at him with profound respect. He was the youngest Quasi-Huang Emperor in both ancient and modern eras!

"Everywhere I go, I'm held down. It's frustrating."

Situ Nan muttered, shaking his head with a sigh. From the days of Hengyue to now in Taigu Honghuang, he had never once felt triumphant.

"I once defeated him."

Xie Yun said meaningfully, recalling the outer sect competition where he had beaten Ye Chen.

"Two fools."

Shen Zun passed by like the wind, full of composure.

"I really don't like him."

Di Zun muttered, adjusting his sleeves.

"Nine lives, and I agree."

Ye Chen added.

Just wait until I recover.

I might not beat your sister, but pounding you half to death is no problem.

"Any thoughts on becoming Quasi-Huang?"

Hongyan turned to him with a smile.

"It hurts."

Ye Chen's answer was straightforward.

It was bizarre—no matter where he went or how strong he became, there was always a woman holding him down. It wasn't just painful; it hurt all over.

Hongyan seemed to read his thoughts, giggling delightfully. Seeing Ye Chen suffer was especially satisfying.

When Ye Chen reappeared, he was at Yunu Peak.

"Dad."

Ye Ling's eyes were filled with tears as she cried bitterly. In his absence, she had faced despair more than once, and after the war's trials, she knew how precious life was.

Ye Chen smiled warmly, his father's gentleness assuring her that the dark era would pass, and light would shine upon the world.

He went to see Ji Ningshuang and little Ye Fan, who had already passed their emperor tribulations and were meditating to heal. The women surrounded them, nourishing their bodies.

Yaochi glanced up, smiling tenderly.

Ye Chen returned the smile with warmth and channeled Eternal energy.

Though there were a thousand words, they all turned to silence, bound by an ancient bond and understanding.

That day, the aroma of food filled Taigu as Ye Chen personally cooked for his wives and children.

"I want to crash their meal."

Many emperors said meaningfully. It wasn't about the food; it was the atmosphere.

"But you can't just eat his food carelessly."

Xiao Yuan Huang spoke gravely.

Nearby, Kui Niu, Ren Wang, and Long Ye wore the same serious expressions, their bodies tense.

Eating meant getting beaten.

The sky was as high as you'd be thrown; the earth as far as you'd be tossed.

This was from experience.

That day, the sacred demon was unusually quiet, with no roars or howls—only sinister laughter, occasionally glancing at the vast void.

The invasion of the Tianmo Chong Qisha was drawing nearer.