Chapter 780: Another Great Helper

Inside Wan Hua Gu, silence reigned, broken only by Ye Chen's soft murmuring.

Around him, Zhuge Laotou and the others watched Ye Chen with strange expressions, sensing the many secrets surrounding this young man.

"I don't think I need to teach him any secret techniques," Ye Chen muttered to himself. Dao Huang smiled awkwardly again. "Senior Hong Chen's secret methods are all incredibly powerful, and they must have been passed down to his descendants."

"Who would have thought!" Zhuge Laotou exclaimed with a click of his tongue. "This kid has such an impressive background."

"Hearing this, I really feel a pang of regret!" Dugu Ao sighed. "That legendary senior, and I never had the chance to meet him."

"No wonder he was able to unify Yan Huang," Fu Ling said with a gentle smile.

"It's no wonder he knew so many secret techniques during the San Zong Da Bi." Bi You glanced at Ye Chen, who was still lost in thought. "His ancestor, Hong Chen, was truly an all-knowing great cultivator!"

Ye Chen shook his head, trying to clear his mind. After thinking for so long, he still couldn't figure it out; in fact, the more he thought, the more confused he became.

"Come, let's drink!"

Unaware of Ye Chen's internal struggle, Dao Huang laughed heartily and boldly.

Soon, Ye Chen, still a bit dazed, was pulled over to join the group, who had already gathered together.

Sitting beside Dao Huang, Ye Chen felt an immense pressure, not from bloodline, but from a sheer aura. Even though Dao Huang was restraining it, Ye Chen still felt as if a colossal mountain was pressing down on his chest.

"What exactly happened a hundred years ago?" Dugu Ao's question turned the previously cheerful atmosphere solemn.

Everyone's gaze turned towards Dao Huang, eager to know what calamity had befallen this once-dominant figure, leaving him on the brink of death.

Ah!

Under their collective gaze, Dao Huang first sighed, then a flicker of apprehension flashed in his dark eyes. "I went to You Ming Zhi Gu."

You Ming Zhi Gu?

Hearing those four words, everyone's brows furrowed.

Da Chu's five forbidden lands: Shen Ku, Huan Hai, Huang Mo, Wu Wang Da Ze, and You Ming Zhi Gu. No one expected that Dao Huang's disappearance a hundred years ago, followed by his near-death return, was because of You Ming Zhi Gu.

"Why would you go to You Ming Zhi Gu without reason?" Zhuge Laotou asked Dao Huang, puzzled.

Dao Huang shook his head gently. "I didn't intend to go to You Ming Zhi Gu. I didn't realize that's where I was."

Upon hearing this, everyone frowned again.

You Ming Zhi Gu, as its name suggests, is a netherworld-like place. Among Da Chu's five forbidden lands, each is strange, and this one is no exception—no one knows its exact location. It's like the netherworld itself; you might stumble into it without even knowing it.

"That place is truly terrifying." As everyone frowned, Dao Huang took a deep breath, and they could see the fear in his eyes. "There are many strange creatures inside that cannot be killed. I thought I was dead, but when I woke up, I was already in Nan Yan Da Ze."

"Even you, trapped for a hundred years and nearly dying, find it so daunting—You Ming Zhi Gu is terrifying beyond words," Dugu Ao murmured.

"No wonder we couldn't find you all these years." Zhuge Laotou stroked his beard involuntarily.

"Indeed," Ye Chen sighed. "Senior, you vanished for a hundred years, and many in Da Chu believed you had attained the Dao. If you reappear, it will shock the world."

"It's just empty fame." Dao Huang smiled faintly and waved his hand dismissively.

"However, I discovered something interesting in You Ming Zhi Gu." After waving his hand, Dao Huang couldn't help but stroke his chin.

"Father, what interesting thing?" Bi You asked eagerly.

"You Ming Zhi Gu seems to connect to an unknown realm." Dao Huang stroked his chin, his voice uncertain. "I could clearly sense an aura not from Da Chu. The breath from that unknown realm was incredibly vast, and most importantly, in that instant, when I caught a whiff of it, my cultivation stirred, almost breaking through to the Tian Jing."

"That's impressive," Zhuge Laotou said in surprise.

"Just sniffing that aura nearly broke through to Tian Jing—it's no ordinary strangeness!" Ye Chen stroked his chin and pondered.

"What a pity." Dao Huang looked regretful. "You Ming Zhi Gu is full of dangers. That moment of stirring vanished in an instant, and I could never find that breakthrough opportunity again."

"Such things depend on fate; you can't force them. Brother, don't dwell on it," Fu Ling said with a comforting smile.

"Regardless, I'm still alive, and being alive is hope." Dao Huang didn't seem too bothered and laughed freely.

"Now that you're back, we should settle some old scores from a hundred years ago with those people," Dugu Ao said, gently sipping his wine, his words filled with meaning.

At the mention of "those people," Ye Chen and Bi You both frowned, while Zhuge Laotou and Fu Ling's eyes flashed with a cold glint.

"That goes without saying—we must settle them." Dao Huang snorted coldly, his domineering aura emerging.

"And there's more." Dugu Ao slowly twirled his wine cup. "Da Chu today is nothing like the past. The great enemies from the era of the nine emperors of Da Chu have all emerged, and those ancient powerhouses are each like kings, their combat strength absolutely on par with yours or even surpassing it."

"Is that so?" Dao Huang furrowed his brows, a subtle, uncertain light flickering in his deep eyes.

"It's not just them," Ye Chen pondered. "Many descendants of Da Chu's nine emperors have also unsealed themselves. I've met Qian Shang Yue, the daughter of Yue Huang, Nan Ming Yu Shu, the daughter of Xuan Huang, and Da Chu Huang Yan, the princess of the Da Chu imperial clan. I've heard that Zhou Tian Yi, the son of Dong Huang, has also been unsealed. As for the other emperors' descendants, they should have appeared one by one by now."

"It seems this era is destined to be extraordinary." Dao Huang furrowed his brows slightly. "With so many sealed ancient forces unsealing successively, does that mean something major is about to happen in Da Chu?"

"We're not afraid." Zhuge Laotou showed no pressure at all. "Now that you're back, what do we have to fear?"

"Zhuge, you still don't know enough." Dao Huang shook his head lightly. "This land is far more complex than we think. I don't consider myself weaker than others, but I know there are at least five in Da Chu whose strength surpasses mine, and at least ten who are on par with me. Don't underestimate Da Chu—this vast land hides far too many hidden dragons and crouching tigers."

"The perspective of a master is truly different." Nearby, Ye Chen murmured to himself. "It seems that at Dao Huang's level, he sees many things differently. The mysteries of Da Chu are endlessly unfathomable."

"There's one more thing I need to mention." As Ye Chen murmured, Dugu Ao spoke again. "When I saved Ye Chen, I encountered Mo Wang, who was suppressed by Zhan Wang. He was incredibly powerful, his strength even surpassing yours by a bit."

"Wasn't Mo Wang killed by Zhan Wang?" Dao Huang frowned at Dugu Ao.

"The reality isn't what you think, senior." Ye Chen took a deep breath. "Perhaps the world has been deceived by Mo Wang. Back then, he didn't die but survived through some strange method. He's been lurking in Heng Yue Zong and even commands a Yin Ming army."

"If that's the case, I'd really like to face that former king." Dao Huang took a deep breath, his fighting spirit already surging.

"That's perfect." Ye Chen quickly picked up the thread, smiling awkwardly. "Senior, to be honest, we're planning to attack Zheng Yang Zong in the next few days. If you have time, please come and help. After all, a powerhouse like Mo Wang can only be matched by someone of your level."

"Attacking Zheng Yang Zong?" Dao Huang sized up Ye Chen. "Little guy, although Yan Huang is strong, the gap with Zheng Yang Zong isn't small. Are you sure about this?"

"Father, you're underestimating him!" Bi You smiled playfully and transmitted a divine sense to Dao Huang, summarizing Ye Chen's experiences over the past year and the forces he now controlled.

After three to five seconds, Dao Huang suddenly looked at Ye Chen, his expression changed—he was as shocked as Zhuge Laotou and the others, realizing that a junior at the Kong Ming Jing had amassed such vast power.

"If you're busy, senior, that's fine," Ye Chen said with an awkward smile.

"Of course I have time." Dao Huang's expression returned to normal, and he laughed heartily. "How could we refuse such a great favor from you, little friend? But please give us some time; I need to recover to my peak state."

"Excellent!" Ye Chen grinned widely. With his persistent efforts, he had finally brought Dao Huang and the others into their camp. With Dao Huang and Dugu Ao on board, their overall strength would rise to a whole new level.

Most importantly, since Dao Huang was on the same level as Mo Wang, his presence would restrain Mo Wang, making many things much easier.

By late night, Ye Chen, flushed and unsteady from drinking, finally stood up unsteadily. "I have to go. This junior will await your arrival at Heng Yue Zong."

"No problem at all." Zhuge Laotou twisted his neck vigorously. "I've been itching to deal with Zheng Yang Zong for ages. You go back and wait—once Sui Han recovers to his peak, we'll all charge into Zheng Yang Zong together."

"You got it." Ye Chen grinned and bowed respectfully to Dao Huang and the others. He then took a deep breath and stepped into the void sky, vanishing like a divine rainbow into the horizon.

"What a formidable young talent!" Watching Ye Chen's departing figure, Dao Huang smiled with satisfaction.

"I say, Sui Han, haven't you noticed something?" Nearby, Zhuge Laotou remarked casually, gesturing for Dao Huang to look at his precious daughter.

At these words, Dao Huang instinctively turned to Bi You and saw her beautiful eyes fixed on the direction Ye Chen had left, gazing with unusual intensity.

"Has she taken a liking to that boy?" Dao Huang asked, stunned, as he looked at Zhuge Laotou and the others.

"Nonsense."