Chapter 3102: Good Combination

Seeing Ye Chen muttering to himself, the Zi Yi Lao Zhe bent his back and bowed obsequiously, as humble as could be. Sweat poured down his forehead like a stream, his face still pale, and his frail body trembled occasionally.

What bad luck, truly bad luck.

He thought to himself that he shouldn't have gone out for a stroll today and ended up crossing paths with this tough opponent. Up until now, he still couldn't discern Ye Chen's cultivation level; he only knew that this young kid was overwhelmingly powerful. Even with his own realm and foundation, he had been sent flying with a single palm strike. It was truly bizarre—when had such a formidable figure appeared in this vast realm? And unluckily, he had run right into him. He had to be extremely respectful, or else his life would be at risk.

"Do you have a map?"

After a long while, Ye Chen finally spoke.

The moment he said this, the Zi Yi Lao Zhe felt a pang in his heart.

Maps were precious items in the cultivation world. Without one as a guide, venturing too far would surely lead to getting lost, for the world was too vast, and even the strongest individuals were as insignificant as grains of sand.

Though it pained him, he still handed it over. It was a star chart, not complete and missing quite a bit, but it was his family heirloom. His ancestors had poured immense effort into creating it.

Ye Chen took it, glanced at it with his eyes, and then casually tossed it back to the elder. As a Quasi Huang Di, he had already imprinted it into his mind with the Zhoutian technique; just one look was enough for the so-called map to merge into his divine sea.

The elder was overjoyed. It seemed he had encountered a principled senior who took the treasure and even returned it. What an unexpected honor!

"Hand over the treasures quickly."

While Ye Chen was examining the map, the Chi Yan Xiong Shi was up to no good, circling around the elder. It was a bit thick-headed, remembering its ancestors' words: after winning a fight, you had to claim the spoils from the opponent. Given the elder's cultivation, he must be quite wealthy.

The elder's face darkened a shade. Your master hasn't even said anything, so why are you making a fuss? If not for this kid, I'd slap you dead with one palm.

Ahem!

Ye Chen gave a light cough, not saying a word, but his expression clearly conveyed: It's rare for me to come out like this, so you should show some courtesy.

The Zi Yi Lao Zhe was a worldly old hand, a genuine sly fox, and he understood immediately. He hurriedly took out his Qiankun Bag, holding it up with both hands as an offering, his face twisted in pain. He regretted his earlier thoughts—this guy might seem principled, but in reality, he had no shame.

He grumbled internally, but he still had to hand over the treasures. Better to lose wealth and avoid disaster; compared to his life, treasures were useless if he was dead.

"Get on with your business."

Ye Chen said casually.

The moment the words left his mouth, the elder turned and fled, scrambling away at the fastest speed he'd ever mustered in his cultivation path. Walking wouldn't do; he had to run, and run fast.

"This stone is interesting."

Ye Chen ignored him and opened the storage bag. To him, the various bottles and jars were just junk, but he was particularly intrigued by a glowing crystal stone. It was square, about the size of a baby's palm, with a shimmering light that flickered faintly.

"This isn't just a stone; it's a Xian Shi. My elders said that in the outside world, this is money."

The Chi Yan Xiong Shi explained.

"No wonder."

Ye Chen smiled. It was quite similar to the source stones from his own heavens, containing origin essence, making it perfect as a universal currency.

He picked through and took a few items at random, then tossed the rest of the treasures to the Chi Yan Xiong Shi, implying: Follow me, and you'll eat well and drink fine.

The Chi Yan Xiong Shi was thrilled, bouncing around with excitement.

As they say, following a great figure might not get you the meat, but you'll at least get the soup—and this one was generous. Any treasure pulled from inside was no ordinary item.

With that little interlude over, the two set off again.

Having gotten the treasures, the Chi Yan Xiong Shi was full of energy, its steps quickened as it dashed along. Due to its massive size, it made the void rumble with each step. Passersby couldn't help but glance over, their eyes on it a bit strange—a Kong Ming realm beast acting so arrogantly while walking.

"Have you seen them?"

Ye Chen was diligent, pulling out the scroll to ask anyone they encountered.

Unfortunately, most knew Ji Ningshuang as some kind of female demon, but neither Kuang Yingjie nor Zhao Yun rang a bell. This left Ye Chen feeling a bit frustrated, strongly suspecting he had come to the wrong place. Not to mention the Shura Tianzun, even Zhao Yun, whose cultivation wasn't much weaker than his, should be a universally renowned figure. Yet asking around yielded nothing—it was too low-key.

"Good, not bad."

Compared to Ye Chen, the Chi Yan Xiong Shi was in high spirits. As it dashed along, it occasionally glanced down at its own Qiankun Bag, stuffed full of treasures.

Along the way, there were always those self-proclaimed powerhouses trying to pull off some robbery and murder. Ye Chen dealt with them handily, leaving them unable to lift their heads.

In fights, winning meant getting spoils—Ye Chen got the meat, and it got the soup, drinking its fill. The outside world was indeed exciting; with a badass boss, you had confidence wherever you went.

And there were treasures to collect, too.

Just thinking about it made it feel great.

As for those they'd swept through, they all fled as far as they could. It was a time of bad luck for them, every step a pitfall—not that they weren't strong enough, but the world was just too crazy.

It wasn't until near dawn that they reached an ancient city. To get to the major immortal sects, they'd need to use a teleportation array. Relying on the Chi Yan Xiong Shi's legs, who knew how many years or months it would take to fly there.

Thinking about this, even Ye Chen felt a bit awkward. A dignified Quasi Huang Di actually had to rely on a teleportation array. If a Tian Di came along, they might not withstand his palm, but if a Tian Di wanted to run, he'd be exhausted chasing them.

So, this supreme king, if he couldn't break the seals soon, would have to deal with the little fry and occasionally show off a bit.

The ancient city was quite bustling in the morning.

Their arrival drew quite a few gazes, mainly because of the Chi Yan Xiong Shi, still in its original form and walking so arrogantly. Ye Chen, sitting on its head, stood out too—a massive beast and a one- or two-year-old kid, what an interesting pair.

Because of the Chi Yan Xiong Shi, people's eyes on Ye Chen were full of meaning. A Kong Ming realm beast as a mount clearly indicated he wasn't ordinary. Most importantly, no one could see through his cultivation; at first glance, he looked like an ordinary kid, but he gave off an oppressive aura.

Some gathered in groups, and Ye Chen pulled out the scroll again, hoping someone might have seen them.

"I'll handle it."

The Chi Yan Xiong Shi finally transformed into human form and got the idea, taking the scroll from Ye Chen's hand. It even created clones, scurrying all over the city to ask around. Treasures weren't free, after all—it had to help the boss find people.

Ye Chen was happy to relax, strolling leisurely, looking left and right. Though from a different universe, this ancient city's setup was quite similar to the heavens: streets crowded with people, both human and demon cultivators, stalls lining both sides selling all sorts of items, with calls and hawking everywhere.

"Not even a single one comparable to the Huang realm."

Ye Chen muttered to himself. Though his perception was sealed, he could still use the Zhoutian evolution. Before entering the city, he'd already scoped it out. Such weakness suggested this was a remote part of the universe, basically the backwater. No wonder no one had heard of Zhao Yun and Kuang Yingjie—the universe was too vast, and their influence probably hadn't spread everywhere.

"Little kid, want some treasures?"

"Selling cheap."

"Pass by and don't miss out."

Such hawking calls came frequently, with stall owners waving at Ye Chen. His kid-like appearance made them think he was easy to fool.

Ye Chen tucked his hands in his sleeves and walked on. With not even a Huang realm expert around, he didn't expect any real treasures. A Quasi Huang Di's standards were high; anything less than a supreme emperor artifact wasn't worth his glance.

Of course, the Dun Jia Tian Zi was an exception.

Regrettably, there were none in this city. If there were, the Tian Zi on his chest would sense it. Everything was locked down, so finding one relied on intuition. He couldn't just go flipping through everyone's storage bags—the universe was huge, and people were countless; he'd never finish searching.

"What a cute little guy."

There were plenty of female cultivators on the street, their eyes lighting up at the sight of Ye Chen, probably their maternal instincts kicking in. They seemed eager to hug him, pinch his cheeks, or poke his belly.

Ye Chen was amused and wanted to laugh.

Little guy? Aside from being a bit short, where did I look like a little guy? Your grandfathers would have to call me "great one." A bunch of young lasses with no manners.

He ignored them, but people were still watching from all sides, making him the center of attention, like they were looking at a monkey. Being cute was one thing, but more were trying to probe him—how did such a little kid appear? He had an aura about him that was indescribable, quite extraordinary.

Not long after, the Chi Yan Xiong Shi returned.

From a distance, you could see it shrugging and gesturing—it was obvious nothing had been found; it had asked nearly everyone in the city, and no one had seen or heard of them.

"Head to the teleportation array."

Ye Chen said calmly. Wasting time on small fry was pointless; if he was going to ask, it should be the most powerful ones.

"It might take a while." The Chi Yan Xiong Shi coughed. "There's an auction in this city tomorrow, drawing people from all sides, including rival forces. I just asked, and apparently, some fighting broke out in the teleportation channel, damaging the array. It's still being repaired."

What to do? He felt like cursing.

Ye Chen didn't speak, but his expression said it all. As a Quasi Huang Di level expert, he wasn't usually this awkward, but trouble seemed to follow wherever he went.

Not to brag, but if an emperor showed up now, he could make them cry. But if he had to fix the teleportation array himself, he couldn't do it—that strange force had him locked down tight, basically no different from a useless person.

"It's just one day."

"With forces from all sides coming, there'll be plenty of powerful experts. We can wait it out."

"Saves us running back and forth."

The Chi Yan Xiong Shi shook its head thoughtfully, speaking as if it made perfect sense.

"Go wherever you're comfortable."

"Got it!"

The Chi Yan Xiong Shi chuckled and vanished, heading straight for the brothels in the city. It had scouted them out earlier—plenty of pretty girls there, so today it would indulge.

Ye Chen was more upright, finding a teahouse to sit in.

Not that he didn't want to join in, but with his current look, he didn't even know what to do.

"Little guy, you look unfamiliar."

The teahouse elder smiled warmly.

"Get back to your work."

Ye Chen replied indifferently. He could see through the elder's cultivation—it was higher than the Chi Yan Xiong Shi's, likely a secluded senior in the eyes of the world. People like him running a teahouse were probably just experiencing the mortal world or having seen through the vanities of life.

You can't judge by appearances.

That's how the world was, just like back in the day when he was in Zhuxian Town—who would have thought the mighty Ancient Holy Body would set up a stall for fortune-telling?

The elder gave a dry laugh, not getting angry.

He was quite curious about Ye Chen. Such a little kid, easily overlooked on the street, but he couldn't see through him at all.

Ye Chen rested his little hands on his cheeks, bored out of his mind. A Quasi Huang Di reduced to this state—probably the only one in both universes.

He became a spectator, watching the hustle and bustle of the world.

Once, he was just one among the masses, stepping over blood and bones to become a supreme being. Overlooking the world from above was different from being immersed in it.

For a moment, his brows furrowed slightly.

In the shadows, a mysterious force was wandering around him—or rather, someone was divining him and had traced it back to his source.

Of course, he had deliberately let it happen. If he wanted to block it, no one short of a Huang Di could succeed.

"Interesting."

Ye Chen chuckled lightly, glancing at the vast sky. For someone to use divination to trace him back like this, their cultivation was at least on his level, or even higher. Instead of blocking them, he used the Zhoutian technique to follow their divination force all the way back, wanting to see just who it was and why they were divining him.

Truth be told, this was a risky move.

After all, this wasn't his universe, and his current state was awkward. If he really drew a peer-level expert, he'd be asking for trouble.

The strong dragon doesn't suppress the local snake.

An age-old truth.

Even if the female emperor came, she might not dare claim to be the strongest. This universe was far more complex than he thought.

But the risk was necessary.

What if it was one of Zhao Yun's friends? That would save him from searching the entire universe.

As the Zhoutian turned, he parted layers of mist and saw a vague figure. It seemed to be a youth, tall and slender, with an ancient aura. He had a head of blood-red hair dyed in demonic light, blood-red and eerie; his eyes were vast like the universe, with destructive visions unfolding, accompanied by mountains of corpses and seas of blood. From any angle, he looked like a great demon.

He didn't seem like a good person.

That was Ye Chen's first thought upon seeing him. With such a demonic nature, divining him couldn't be for anything good.

"Interesting, truly interesting."

The other spoke, his face unclear, but you could see the slight curve of his lips, his words full of demonic tone. Even Ye Chen felt a momentary daze just hearing it.

"Not someone to mess with lightly."

Ye Chen cut off the divination.

It wasn't out of fear; he just didn't want to clash with that guy in his current state. He couldn't even call upon the heavens, and with all the seals and restrictions, he'd be a sitting duck in a fight—what was the point?

He wanted to sever it, but the other was persistent, divining again and again, trying to uncover his identity and location. Clearly, he wanted to come find him for a chat.

"No time for that."

Ye Chen was straightforward, cutting it off completely. Unless it was Huang Di level, no divine ability or secret technique would work on him. If he didn't allow it, no one could find him through divination.

"How fun, really fun."

In a cold grand hall, a demonic laugh echoed, from that blood-haired youth, his lips curved in a mocking smile.

"Find him for me, search carefully. I want to see just who has come to this universe."

"That Zhao Yun."

"A half-dead man, how long can he hold on? In another hundred years, I'll refine him completely."

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