Chapter 3118: Stealing Treasures

"Good, very good."

Wútian Xuèzūn stepped back into the void, his anger giving way to laughter as waves of bloodthirsty aura surged forth, blotting out the sky and dimming the stars. His once deep and vast eyes were now tinged with bloody red, radiating a savage fury that spanned the eight directions. As a supreme being, this was the first time he had lost face so utterly, being flung millions of miles by a single dragon.

Boom! Rumble!

Under his pressure, the star domain buzzed and roared. Not only ordinary people, but even the other supreme beings present felt their hearts tremble. It was rare to see Wútian Xuèzūn in such a rage, and today they were witnessing it firsthand. Anyone who provoked him would face a grim fate.

"What a dazzling presence."

Hùndùn Dǐng trembled slightly, its tone filled with admiration.

"So he had hidden depths after all."

Yè Chén murmured to himself, his eyes growing deeper. Across the two universes, below the Zhǔn Huāng level, few could match him as an opponent. That foe had one foot already in the Zhǔn Huāng Dì realm, and even someone of the same rank, like his companion, might not defeat him. Indeed, this universe was extraordinary, teeming with talent, a shining star even among the myriad heavens.

"You have angered me."

Wútian Xuèzūn said faintly, his words echoing like a desolate decree from the heavens, carrying an irresistible authority. It was as if he were a true god, commanding the universe.

Yè Chén did not respond. If someone said your presence was dazzling, you really started to act high and mighty. If not for my own restrictions, I'd kick you all the way back to your mother's womb.

As he spoke, the star sky rumbled again.

It was Wútian Xuèzūn unleashing a great divine ability, summoning billions of thunderbolts that formed a vast ocean of lightning, shrouded in blood and apocalyptic glow, with the power to devour the heavens and destroy the earth. In an instant, it engulfed Yè Chén, collapsing the surrounding star sky under its weight.

"Open for me."

Yè Chén snorted coldly, swinging the Zhōutiān Shén Jiàn. Regrettably, he could not cleave through the thunder sea. It wasn't that he lacked strength; the thunder was too strange, both real and illusory, carrying sealing and annihilating forces. Each bolt of lightning was like a dancing chain of order, engraving itself into his body—a terrifying restraint, like marks branded into his soul.

The supreme beings all drew in a sharp breath and stepped back, eyeing the thunder sea with clear wariness. Yè Chén might not know, but they did all too well. Wútian Xuèzūn had used this technique to destroy countless supreme beings before. Every bolt of lightning was stained with the blood of the sovereigns. If they were the ones swallowed, even without being sealed or annihilated, they would be crushed to dust by the thunder. It was incredibly heavy; even the stray thunder essence could shatter the cosmos. This thunder sea was nothing less than a grave for the supreme beings.

"Open for me."

Yè Chén snorted coldly once more. In that moment, he unleashed an Emperor Path Immortal Law, his sword carving out an eternal star river from south to north, splitting the thunder sea in two. Unfortunately, due to his own restrictions, the immortal law was incomplete and greatly weakened. He only managed to part the sea, not destroy it. Soon, the divided thunder sea reformed and submerged him again, surging like a mighty river that left him unsteady. By the time he swung his sword again, the immortal law had lost its effect.

"Seal."

Wútian Xuèzūn shouted coldly, changing his hand seals. The roiling thunder sea instantly dried up and transformed into a thunder altar. Four thunder god pillars stood upon it, spanning the upper and lower realms. From each pillar, chains of order shot out, crisscrossing and piercing into Yè Chén's body, locking his limbs, organs, meridians, and even his primordial spirit, true form, and sacred bones. All were sealed tight—these were restraints far beyond what other supreme beings could achieve.

Truly outstanding.

Yè Chén said nothing, but his expression clearly conveyed those words. He wanted to break free, but it was futile; no divine abilities or secret arts would work—they were all rendered useless.

With him sealed, the star sky fell silent.

"Why aren't you running anymore?"

Before Wútian Xuèzūn could speak, Guǐ Shā Mó Jūn sneered maliciously. He was another exceptional supreme being; his previously destroyed physical form had already been reformed. Seeing Yè Chén sealed, he was the first to step onto the thunder altar, a buzzing divine sword in hand, clearly intent on stabbing a few bloody holes into Yè Chén.

Yè Chén remained silent, glancing sideways at him. With which eye did you see me running?

"Why aren't you hopping around, little thing?"

The other supreme beings closed in, each laughing with sinister cruelty, their grotesque faces like demons, grinding their teeth as if ready to kill.

Yè Chén ignored them.

Though these figures were putting on a big show, they were no different from clownish pests. The real threat was Wútian Xuèzūn. When he descended, the supreme beings all stepped aside knowingly, making way for him. It was clear he was the leader; the rest were just along for the ride.

"What surprises can you still offer me?"

Wútian Xuèzūn chuckled darkly, placing a hand on Yè Chén's crown, divine light blooming from his fingers as he performed a soul-searching technique, eager to probe Yè Chén's memories. He wanted to know how such a supreme being had emerged and what secrets he hid.

"This is it; we're done for."

In the small world, the Chì Yàn Xióng Shī felt a chill run through him, while Shén Yùn Suàn Yuán and the little old man saw the light of hope fade from their eyes. Earlier, as a living target, there had still been a chance to fight back, but now, sealed, he was just a lamb waiting to be slaughtered.

"Uncle, where the hell did you run off to?"

The little old man muttered curses. That guy was always lurking around when nothing was happening, but now that they needed him, he was nowhere to be found in the immortal realm.

Wútian Xuèzūn found it awkward. He had indeed used the soul-searching technique, and it was powerful enough, but he found nothing—just a vast chaos, with no memories uncovered. Instead, he lost himself in it.

What a joke; he should have known better. Yè Chén was a genuine Zhǔn Huāng Dì, restricted or not. The seals on his primordial spirit remained intact. Trying to search his soul—forget a Heavenly Emperor; even a Zhǔn Huāng Dì couldn't do it easily. Unless it was an Huāng Dì level being, anyone else was out of luck.

Wútian Xuèzūn refused to believe it, reinforcing the search with laws, determined not to stop until he uncovered the secrets.

"Found anything?"

Yè Chén looked at Wútian Xuèzūn with a smile, though he was actually prodding him. The soul search, enhanced with laws, was an external force that kept weakening the seals. In those moments, the restraints had loosened a bit more.

"We'll see how long you can hold out."

Wútian Xuèzūn sneered, noticing the seals had weakened slightly, but with a wave of his hand, he added over a hundred more layers.

"This guy really knows his stuff."

Yè Chén's eyes deepened. Standing so close, he could sense the essence of the Eight Trigrams within Wútian Xuèzūn, and quite a bit of it.

"Break it for me."

The Yín Páo Zhìzūn snorted coldly, repeatedly casting spells to breach Yè Chén's small world, hoping to extract treasures from within, like that great cauldron, the golden flame, or the thunder essence—all supreme divine objects.

He wasn't the only one; the other supreme beings were busy with their own techniques.

The scene was quite a sight: over a dozen supreme beings surrounding a one- or two-year-old child, groping and prodding. Those in the know would say they were searching for souls and treasures; those who didn't might think they were about to gang up on him.

The spectacle was eye-catching but also awkward.

As for Wútian Xuèzūn, he couldn't search the soul, and as for the supreme beings, after tinkering with Yè Chén for ages, they still couldn't break into his small world.

On this point, the Tenth Sovereign of Great Chǔ had prepared well. Trying to take treasures from him was impossible. Once a Zhǔn Huāng Dì sealed their small world, outsiders needed at least that level to open it—and even then, it might not work. As for these underlings, their cultivation was far too lacking.

"This is safer."

Chì Yàn Xióng Shī muttered, coughing dryly. If Yè Chén hadn't moved them from the storage bag to the small world earlier, they would likely have been dragged out and killed by now. Seeing the supreme beings fail to breach the small world, he felt relieved. As long as Yè Chén was alive, they were safe.

"How profound."

Zǐ Xīn whispered softly. Since entering the small world, she had spent most of her time gazing around. Yè Chén's inner realm was incredibly vast, with mountains and rivers stretching as far as the eye could see—it was like a whole world in itself. Perhaps only someone of Yè Chén's caliber could create such a small world.

"There are so many treasures."

Shén Yùn Suàn Yuán and the little old man, while watching the outside, couldn't help but glance at the inner realm. Yè Chén's collection was truly impressive; over eighty percent of it was unfamiliar to them.

"Dammit, this is infuriating."

Outside, the supreme beings cursed nonstop. Yè Chén was sealed, yet they couldn't open his small world. They knew it held a treasure trove of endless wonders, but they lacked the key to unlock it.

Wútian Xuèzūn said nothing, though his expression suggested he was seething inside. There were moments when he truly considered killing this strange little thing outright.

But he couldn't bear to.

And neither could the other supreme beings. If they were going to kill him, they had to get the treasures first.

"If you're tired, take a break."

Yè Chén spoke leisurely. He was the one sealed, yet he remained the most composed. He was certain the supreme beings wouldn't kill him—at least not yet—so he still had a chance to turn things around. Whether they were trying to break his small world or search his soul, it was constantly chipping away at his seals. The more the restraints weakened, the greater the chance he could use his immortal laws. If he could summon the Eightfold Heavenly Dragon amidst this crowd, the scene would be quite the spectacle.

"I underestimated you."

Wútian Xuèzūn chuckled coldly, finally withdrawing his hand. Though still annoyed, his smile now carried excitement. He had plenty of time; he'd find a way eventually. At worst, he could take Yè Chén back to the divine realm—someone stronger there would surely succeed.

"Was that dragon of mine impressive?"

Yè Chén grinned, flashing two rows of white teeth, speaking to Wútian Xuèzūn and the supreme beings alike.

For some reason, seeing that smile, including the Five Heavens Supreme, all the supreme beings present felt an ominous premonition. Yè Chén's grin seemed cheerful, but it was eerily unsettling.

Soon, their premonition proved true.

The sacred body supreme of the various heavens counterattacked, gathering his power to unleash the Emperor Path Immortal Law—just as he said, the authentic Eightfold Heavenly Dragon.