Chapter 3106: Familiar

"I have seen the senior."

The disciple stepped forward, bowing respectfully. He dared not breathe, his whole body trembling in fear. To be sought out in the dead of night was likely not for a good reason. When he saw Zi Xin, his expression changed to surprise. If he wasn't mistaken, she seemed to be from a Qing Lou.

Is this a raid on vice?

This guy's imagination was quite something. In an instant, he had conjured up all sorts of bizarre scenarios.

Ye Chen said nothing. He simply waved his hand casually and took the wine gourd from the disciple's waist. The Tian Zi was engraved on it, a character for "small," gleaming under the starlight with a golden hue. He pried it off and casually engraved it on his own chest.

The others didn't react much, but Zi Xin looked quite odd. She had seen the ancient characters engraved on Ye Chen's chest before, and with this new "small" character, reading them together was even more awkward: "Small Jian Ren."

Ye Chen paid it no mind and sat down cross-legged. As the Tian Zi was engraved, a scorching heat surged through him, and the three ancient characters trembled together, overflowing with divine light. The first Tian Zi had once broken a corner of the Zhou Tian seal; the second had unlocked a trace of divine ability; this third Tian Zi seized a wisp of Di Dao Gan Zhi.

Everyone present felt a night breeze brushing by, weak yet forceful enough to make them unsteady on their feet. It was the aura triggered by Ye Chen's Di Dao Gan Zhi, its power suppressed to the minimum. Otherwise, it could instantly obliterate the entire sect.

All was silent.

Ye Chen sat like a steadfast rock, his demeanor dignified and serene, while those around him dared not move, only occasionally glancing at each other sidelong, unsure of what Ye Chen was doing. They noticed his brows furrowing more than once.

"How do you read those three characters?"

In the stillness, the Chi Yan Xiong Shi spoke up, pointing with its paw at the stone stele standing at the sect's gate. Three bold characters were inscribed on it, presumably the sect's name. Unfortunately, as a demon beast, it didn't recognize many words.

"Hao Miao Zong."

Zi Xin replied lightly.

"So this is Hao Miao Zong?"

The Chi Yan Xiong Shi raised an eyebrow. It had heard of it before. Back in the ancient city, many people had mentioned it—an reclusive sect with few who ventured out. After this brief exchange, silence fell again. The restless Chi Yan Xiong Shi always wanted to chat with someone, but Zi Xin had a aloof demeanor. Ever since leaving the Qing Lou, she spoke little, or rather, she rarely bothered to respond. Most of the time, she seemed like an ice sculpture, a far cry from her usual self, which felt unsettling.

"Strange."

Ye Chen, still sitting cross-legged, suddenly murmured, slowly opening his eyes and gazing up at the vast sky.

This time, having unlocked a wisp of Di Dao Gan Zhi, he could perceive the faint rules of the universe. What puzzled him was that the heavenly dao of this universe sometimes existed and sometimes vanished, appearing elusive.

Calling it strange boiled down to two possibilities: first, the Tian Zi had only unlocked a trace of the seal, greatly diminishing the power of the Di Dao Gan Zhi, so he couldn't grasp the full rules; second, there was indeed something wrong with this universe's heavenly dao, a conclusion that would need to wait until the Di Dao Gan Zhi was fully restored.

"Have you ever seen such ancient characters?"

Once he lowered his gaze, he used Zhou Tian to manifest the form of an ancient character, suspending it in the night sky. He was asking the sect's leader and everyone present. It was possible that, aside from Zi Xin, someone might have seen it.

Regrettably, they all shook their heads.

"If you see any, come find me."

"There will be great rewards."

Ye Chen said indifferently, tossing out a sound transmission stone. At the same time, he produced a spirit mirror, which wasn't of low grade—it was a gift for the disciple. He couldn't take the Tian Zi for nothing; karma needed to be settled.

The disciple was stunned, overjoyed as if he'd stepped in dog shit luck. This bronze mirror was a genuine treasure. Not even the elders of Hao Miao Zong, or the leader himself, could hide the gleam in their eyes. This junior was incredibly generous.

By the time he looked again, Ye Chen had already left.

"What an interesting little fellow."

The Hao Miao Zong leader sighed, his expression peculiar.

As soon as he said that, Ye Chen, who had just left, turned back, making the leader tremble with fright. Had he overheard and come back to deal with him?

In reality, Ye Chen had no time for him. After returning, he was carried by the Chi Yan Xiong Shi into the sect, heading straight for the deepest part, as he had sensed a familiar aura within.

Seeing this, the Hao Miao Zong leader hurriedly followed. Only in the depths, amid a bamboo grove, did they see Ye Chen standing before a statue—of a woman.

"Boss, does she look familiar?"

The Chi Yan Xiong Shi circled the statue, pacing around it.

Familiar? Of course she did.

Ye Chen stood with his hands behind his back, his expression also strange. It was Ji Ning Shuang's statue. How could he not recognize it? He didn't know who the sculptor was, but it was lifelike, bathed in moonlight like a dream or an illusion. The familiar aura he had sensed earlier came from this statue—it contained a drop of blood, Ji Ning Shuang's blood. Below the statue was an altar with an incense burner, the incense burning steadily. It was clearly an act of worship that had gone on for years, at least several thousand based on the time.

"Why is there a statue of the female demon here for worship?"

The Chi Yan Xiong Shi scratched its mane.

"Watch your words, young friend."

The Hao Miao Zong leader's face darkened, and the elders present didn't look pleased either. If not for your master being here, we'd have you for dinner.

The Chi Yan Xiong Shi didn't care.

"Where did you go?"

Ye Chen reached out, touching the statue's cheek, but divination yielded nothing, and there was no trace of her, as if she had vanished from the world.

"Senior."

The Hao Miao Zong leader spoke up, quickly stepping forward, with the elders gathering nervously. To them, this statue was like a divine idol, a symbol of their faith, not to be profaned by anyone.

"What is her connection to your Hao Miao Zong?"

Ye Chen asked flatly, still touching it. Touching his own wife's statue—was that a crime? Even if the real person were here, he'd touch her just the same.

"She is the founding ancestor of our sect."

The Hao Miao Zong leader replied hastily.

"No wonder."

Ye Chen smiled. The worship was so solemn, the power of the offerings so vast. Clearly, his little Jiu held an extraordinary status in Hao Miao Zong. He hadn't expected her to have a lineage in this universe, and he had stumbled upon it. The sect's formations looked familiar now, which made sense—they must have been passed down by Ji Ning Shuang to protect the sect. They were indeed profound, and the chosen location was domineering, just like her style.

"May I ask, senior..."

The Hao Miao Zong leader chuckled awkwardly, hesitating. He was a sharp-eyed one. Seeing how Ye Chen looked at their founding ancestor, it didn't seem normal. If there was no connection, no one would believe it.

"She is my wife."

Ye Chen laughed.

Wife?

The elders were astonished, their expressions quite colorful, sizing up Ye Chen. They'd never heard their ancestor mention a husband—where did this one come from?

Ye Chen said no more, suddenly turning his head to gaze through the void toward the mountains outside. He had sensed another familiar aura, related to the red-haired youth who had divined him before.

Boom! Rumbling!

As he watched, booming sounds erupted. Looking closely, he could see clouds and mist churning in the distant void, filled with overwhelming killing intent, as if thousands of troops were charging, making the heavens tremble.

"Gui Yu Mo Zong."

The Hao Miao Zong leader's face changed instantly.

"Damn it, how did they find this place?"

"Quick, activate the protective grand array."

The elders' shouts echoed through the heavens.

"His inheritance?"

Ye Chen muttered to himself, referring to the red-haired youth. The Gui Yu Mo Zong forces charging in all bore a resemblance to the youth's aura. It must be the legacy he left in the immortal realm before ascending to the divine world. What a coincidence that Ye Chen had run into it. Tonight's visit was clearly for revenge. Back then, Ji Ning Shuang had slaughtered Gui Yu Mo Zong, leaving mountains of corpses and rivers of blood. Now, they were here to wipe out her lineage.