Chapter 3088: One Word at a Time

In the ancient Taigu, all was peaceful and serene. On Yu Nu Peak, Ye Chen sat in quiet meditation. He had successfully overcome the Zhǔn Huāng Jie and purified his body of the killing intent. His damaged Dao roots had been remolded by the power of eternity.

Ji Ningshuang and the others were also seated, cultivating. Some were immersed in comprehending the Dao, others solidifying their foundations. A sense of harmony pervaded the scene.

“Little sisters, don’t be afraid.”

“Your master and my big boss are a couple.”

“We are all good people.”

While Ye Chen and the others were in secluded meditation, the Hun Dun Ding, Hun Dun Huo, and Hun Dun Lei were incredibly energetic, zipping around and chasing after the various Di Qi.

The Hun Dun Ding was particularly eye-catching. With Ye Chen’s advancement to Zhǔn Huāng, it too had become a Zhǔn Huāng Di Bing. Although its Dun Jia Tian Zi had been extracted piece by piece, its power remained overwhelming. Its body was indestructible and it hummed with power. No other Di Qi could rival it, unless it was a true Huāng Di Bing.

As for the other Di Qi, they belonged to Yao Chi and the others – immortal swords or mystical realms, each radiating divine light and exuding Di Wei.

The scene looked like three hooligans harassing virtuous ladies, their laughter sleazy and unbecoming.

“Not bad.”

On a distant mountain peak, Shen Zun sat cross-legged under a tree, occasionally glancing towards Yu Nu Peak in the Taigu. The sight was incredibly warm and inviting. He looked at Ye Ling with growing affection, but whenever his gaze fell upon Ye Chen, a surge of irritation welled up. What a fine pig he was, so dedicated to uprooting cabbages.

Shen Zun was also quite pleased with the performance of the Hun Dun Ding. It truly lived up to being Ye Chen's cauldron – a genuine Zhǔn Huāng Di Bing, with a temperament just like its master's, an aura that couldn't be suppressed.

He withdrew his gaze and turned towards the Nv Di.

After all, their family’s good sister could be considered half of Ye Chen’s wife, which made him fume just thinking about it.

The Nv Di remained silent, focused on her tasks.

Before her floated a white-haired elder, still in a deep slumber. She had revived him from the unknown. He was a member of the Tian Ting and a Zhǔn Huāng Di. By seniority, she had to address him as Shī Shū.

“Boring.”

Such remarks frequently echoed from the direction of the Taigu array, coming from figures like Xiao Yuan Huang and Kui Niu, who were restless and itching to wander elsewhere.

As for Long Ye, Long Yi, and Ren Wang, they kept yawning incessantly, finding guard duty at the array utterly tedious.

The emperors of the Gu Tian Ting watched the Nv Di’s peak intently, their eyes sharp on the white-haired elder. As fellow members of the Tian Ting, they recognized him, and more than half of them addressed him as a predecessor.

“What a pity, the Tian Zi are limited.”

The Yan Wang Tian Di sighed.

This sentiment was shared by everyone among the Zhi Zun. If there were enough Dun Jia Tian Zi, many more could have been revived.

“The Tian Mo assault on the Seven Sha is drawing nearer.”

Tian Xu Tian Di remarked, occasionally looking up to see vague omens in the vast sky, signs of impending destruction.

That meant the final battle was not far off.

Precisely because it was imminent, the Nv Di was working relentlessly, entering the unknown almost every few days. Each return brought another emperor back to life.

She was building up their forces.

Their current lineup was far from sufficient. Once war broke out, it would be against three domains. Time was of the essence, and boosting their combat power was crucial.

Three days passed quietly.

On the fourth day, another Ji Dao Di Jie descended.

This time, it was for Hu Wa.

His path to enlightenment left many sighing, especially people like Xie Yun, Situ Nan, and those from Heng Yue.

They all knew Hu Wa’s background: once a wasted body in the Xiao Ling Yuan, brought into the immortal path by Ye Chen. His talent wasn’t exceptional, but his Dao heart was unyielding. Later, he became Ji Ningshuang’s disciple and even defeated Ye Chen’s disciple Xi Yan during the Three Sects Grand Competition.

At that time, Xiao Xi Yan was the most talented in the entire Da Chu Tian Ting, so defeating her highlighted Hu Wa’s formidable nature.

Then, during the Tian Mo invasion, Xi Yan fell in battle, and Hu Wa did too. In response, his master Ye Chen and Ji Ningshuang charged into a million-strong army and slew a Mo Jun as a tribute to their disciple.

As fellow fallen warriors, Xi Yan and Hu Wa’s fates diverged: one reincarnated to the Zhū Tiān, the other was reborn in the Tian Mo Domain before returning.

Thus, the once naive boy had lived a legendary life of cultivation, perfectly demonstrating the saying: diligence can make up for inadequacy.

In this regard, he was much like Yuan Tian Da Di. Among ancient enlightenment seekers, who hadn’t risen smoothly? Yuan Tian was an exception, suffering many defeats on the path to imperial dominance, only achieving it at nine thousand years old. His legend endured through the ages.

Boom! Rumbling!

As they spoke, the Ji Dao Di Jie had already descended. Hu Wa gripped his immortal staff and charged straight into the vast heavens.

In that instant, Ye Chen, deep in enlightenment, opened his eyes, smiling with pride. He was the one who had guided Hu Wa into the immortal path, and to this day, he wasn’t sure if that choice was right, but Hu Wa had never disappointed him.

Ji Ningshuang also opened her eyes, smiling just as proudly. If Ye Chen was Hu Wa’s initial mentor, then she was his true teacher.

Her disciple might not have had outstanding talent, but his Dao heart was indestructibly firm. Without that, he wouldn’t have achieved enlightenment today.

“What a powerful Di Jie.”

Xi Yan opened her eyes too, her large eyes blinking curiously. In terms of talent, she surpassed Hu Wa, but in resilience, she fell far short.

In her life, she had only lost once in battles of the same level – during the Three Sects Grand Competition, defeated by Hu Wa. His enlightenment came as no surprise to her.

“Our family’s seniority is all messed up.”

Ye Ling muttered to herself, hands cupping her cheeks as she gazed at the Ji Dao Di Jie, multitasking by watching Hu Wa’s tribulation while comprehending the Dao.

And she wasn't wrong.

Hu Wa and Xi Yan were of the same generation, but tracing back through Ye Chen and Ji Ningshuang, Xi Yan ended up a generation above Hu Wa.

That was nothing.

If you traced it through Chu Xuan and Chu Ling, Xi Yan was even further ahead of Hu Wa. Going back to Bei Sheng, the gap grew even larger.

All of this was thanks to Ye Chen.

Uprooting cabbages was a real skill.

On the fifth day, another Di Jie appeared.

This one was related to Ye Chen: it was Ye Xingchen, once one of his Dao bodies, now independent, with talent that was truly astonishing.

“Awkward.”

The other Dao bodies chuckled awkwardly; they had all been Ye Chen’s Dao bodies once, and the difference was stark.

After Ye Xingchen, someone else achieved enlightenment: an old Shen Jiang who had been stuck at Zhǔn Di pinnacle for who knows how many years, finally taking that step.

Beyond him, signs of enlightenment kept emerging, just as Xuan Yuan Di had said – the stronger the Sheng Ti lineage, the weaker Tian Dao’s suppression on the world.

With Ye Chen breaking through to Zhǔn Huāng, another layer of restraint had been lifted. Given time, more would achieve the Dao.

On the ninth day, Ye Chen slowly opened his eyes. His deep gaze was as vast as the universe, manifesting endless Dao insights, with profound Xian Ze intertwining and dancing.

“Below Huāng Di, no one can match him.”

Yan Di stroked his beard.

No one among the generations of Zhi Zun disputed this. The Sheng Ti and Sheng Mo had the capital for cross-level battles; a Zhǔn Huāng level Sheng Ti could spar with the Nv Di. Short of a true Huāng Di, who could hold him down?

“From the looks of it, Shen Zun is in for a beating.”

Many emperors from the Zhū Tiān said solemnly.

The Tian Ting emperors felt no pressure – not because they had faith in Shen Zun, but in the Nv Di. Defeating Shen Zun wasn’t impressive; the real test was taking on the Nv Di and getting hammered.

“That damned Tian Qian.”

On Yu Nu Peak, Ye Chen had muttered this phrase countless times. Now a Zhǔn Huāng Di, the Tian Qian still lingered, even in the unknown domain, impossible to erase. It was his personal tribulation.

“If there were no Tian Qian, things would be so lively.”

Ye Ling sighed.

A Huang Gu Sheng Ti had such vigorous vitality; with his father’s nature, without the Tian Qian’s torment, he could produce a whole bunch in a year.

“Dad, that one isn’t afraid of Tian Qian.”

Ye Ling poked Ye Chen.

The one she meant was the Nv Di, a Huāng Di level Zhi Zun, standing shoulder to shoulder with Tian Dao, so naturally unafraid of Tian Qian.

“I can’t beat her.”

Ye Chen’s response was tinged with regret.

The women’s gazes slanted sideways; this father-daughter pair were like a comedy duo, always up to no good when together.

Afterward, the scene remained warm and peaceful.

The women continued their enlightenment, some seated under ancient trees, others on jade stones, each like a fairy in a dream.

Ye Chen, however, was exceptionally relaxed, hands behind his back as he wandered the peak, glancing here and there.

He looked just like a pig admiring the cabbages he had uprooted – quite the sight.

As he walked, he vanished from view, meandering all the way to the Nv Di’s peak.

His arrival energized the emperors; he wasn’t just sightseeing – he had business to attend to.

Boom! Bang! Boom!

Soon, thunderous roars echoed.

A great battle had erupted: Ye Chen versus Shen Zun, fighting from the vast skies all the way to the ethereal peak.

“You guys, why aren’t you cursing anymore?”

Gui Di said with his hands clasped, grinning mischievously as he glanced at Xuan Di and then Yan Wang Tian Di. In the previous battles, these two had cursed the most, but now they were oddly quiet.

“We’re tired, taking a break.”

The Tian Ting emperors replied.

It wasn't without reason.

Shen Zun was completely on the defensive; from the start of the fight, Ye Chen had him pinned down.

Cursing was pointless now.

As fellow Zhǔn Huāng, Shen Zun’s cultivation and realm might surpass Ye Chen’s, but Ye Chen was a Sheng Ti – and not just any Sheng Ti, enhanced by Yong Heng bloodline. It was overwhelmingly dominant, practically defying heaven.

“Your sister, take my fist!”

“Your sister, where do you think you’re going?”

“Your sister, who made you Shen Zun?”

Ye Chen’s shouts echoed across Taigu, each “your sister” delivered with dominating flair.

“You’re impressive.”

The Tian Ting emperors all gave a thumbs-up.

He was fighting Shen Zun but cursing the Nv Di – the Zhū Tiān’s Sheng Ti Zhi Zun was truly unparalleled.

“Refreshing.”

The Zhū Tiān emperors laughed heartily; the Sheng Ti family’s Zhi Zun had brought honor to their elders.

As for the Nv Di, her peerless face had darkened slightly; those three words, “your sister,” were particularly grating.

Ye Chen ignored it all, cursing with even more gusto. Someone had stolen his treasure, and he needed to vent.

“Can he fight like this?”

The newly revived Zhi Zun looked stunned; since waking, they’d heard plenty of legends about Ye Chen, and seeing it firsthand, it was utterly dominating.

What kind of figure was Shen Zun? The Tian Ting’s war god, with a realm above Ye Chen’s, yet he was being beaten senseless, unable to tell directions.

“The Nv Di’s choice is indeed exceptional.”

After watching for a while, the old Zhi Zun chuckled. All the shock boiled down to that one sentence.

The era had changed, and so had the times. No one would doubt the one who would contend with Tian in the future.

As for the Sheng Ti Zhi Zun’s character, well, that was another story – one “your sister” after another left the Nv Di in an awkward spot.