Chapter 808: Emerging from Seclusion

In Heng Yue Zong, within the stone chamber of the cave dwelling on Yu Nü Feng, the elders still stood solemnly, their gazes fixed intently on the air above. There, Ye Chen's soul and physical body had reconnected, with Ji Ning Shuang guiding the profound spiritual force and Chu Ling Er controlling the soul energy, enabling Ye Chen's soul and body to merge once more.

"Return!"

Following Fu Ling's soft command, radiant light emanated from her jade-like palms on either side. This time, Ye Chen's soul and body did not repel each other, and the soul's return was smoother than anticipated.

A collective sigh of relief rippled through the group as they witnessed Ye Chen's soul settling securely. Only then did Fu Ling withdraw her hands, exhaling softly, and with a wave of her hand, guided Ye Chen back into the cave dwelling's stone chamber.

"Aunt, how is Ye Chen?" Bi You inquired cautiously, looking at Fu Ling.

"His out-of-body soul has returned, and everything is fine," Fu Ling replied with a gentle smile. "However, it will take some time for his soul and body to fully integrate."

"That's a relief," Bi You said, finally easing her worries.

"Now that he's out of danger, let's discuss some serious matters," Gu San Tong said from the side, not forgetting to cast a meaningful glance at Du Gu Ao. "The reason we haven't launched a war against Zheng Yang yet is to wait for all of you. With Dao Huang now out of seclusion, it's time to go to war!"

"Honestly, I can't defeat the Zhan Wang," Dao Huang admitted, taking a deep breath and smiling wryly. "Not only am I not at my peak right now, but even at my full strength, I wouldn't be his match."

"Back in the day, the Zhan Wang forced the Zhan Wang to flee to the remote borders of Da Chu, making his combat prowess nothing short of godlike," Tian Zong Lao Zu mused.

"We're not fighting one-on-one," Wu Ya Dao Ren said casually, shrugging. "Our cultivator forces outnumber Zheng Yang Zong's by more than six times. No matter how strong the Zhan Wang is, one person alone can't turn the tide of battle!"

"I like the sound of that," Zhu Ge Lao Tou Er said, stroking his beard. "In war, it's all about numbers. If one isn't enough, send two; if two aren't enough, send three; if three aren't enough, send a whole group. I don't believe he can hold off an entire cultivator army."

"In that case, let's mobilize the troops!" Zhong Jiang declared immediately, glancing towards the cave dwelling's stone chamber. "Once he awakens, it will be our true final showdown with Zheng Yang Zong."

With that, the elders dispersed to their respective positions.

The once quiet night turned chaotic as powerful cultivators shot out of Heng Yue Zong like streaks of divine rainbows. Under the moonlight, the armies of Heng Yue, Qing Yun, Yan Huang, and the major families surged like vast oceans towards Zheng Yang Zong, moving with incredible speed and surrounding the area for hundreds of thousands of li.

Back in the cave dwelling's stone chamber, Ye Chen remained seated like an old monk in meditation, utterly still. His black hair fluttered without wind, his body enveloped in golden holy light, with demonic energy raging and Buddhist radiance illuminating everything. It was as eerie as his previous soul form, embodying elements of saint, demon, and Buddha all at once.

Days turned into nights, and in the blink of an eye, three days passed.

At some point, the golden holy light, black demonic energy, and white Buddhist radiance on Ye Chen's body all retracted into him.

He exhaled a long breath of turbid air and slowly opened his eyes, two nearly tangible beams of light shooting out and piercing through the stone wall with fearsome sharpness.

"What a familiar feeling!" Ye Chen said with a slight smile, clenching his fist and sensing the surging power within, which gave him an unprecedented sense of security.

"I can see again, but what about this Xian Lun Eye..." In his excitement, Ye Chen subconsciously touched his left eye. Although his vision and spiritual perception had recovered, the pupil power of his Six Paths Xian Lun Eye had fallen into dormancy—or rather, it had lost its offensive capabilities for now.

"I wonder how long it will take to recover that pupil power," he muttered, scratching his head in frustration. The Xian Lun Eye was his greatest trump card, and without it, his combat strength was severely diminished, all because of this ridiculous situation.

However, what puzzled him even more was a strange sensation deep within his soul.

"Why do I feel like I've gained something extra?" Ye Chen shook his head, unable to pinpoint what exactly had changed inside him. Pondering this, he stepped out of the cave dwelling's stone chamber.

"Hmm?" he murmured as soon as he emerged.

"Is this the prelude to war?" Ye Chen looked up at the sky, where figures darted back and forth, each exuding immense aura and clad in armor. The atmosphere was tense, signaling the approach of a major battle.

With that, he withdrew his gaze and vanished in an instant, shooting like a divine ray into the grand hall of Heng Yue Zong.

Upon entering, he saw Zhong Jiang and the others standing in the hall, along with the towering figures of Dao Huang and Du Gu Ao.

"Greetings to all the seniors," Ye Chen said respectfully, bowing deeply with a look of surprise on his face. He had figured out why Heng Yue Zong was mobilizing troops so urgently—it was because Dao Huang had emerged from seclusion.

"No need for such formalities," Dao Huang said, patting Ye Chen on the shoulder with his usual hearty demeanor.

"How are your injuries?" Chu Ling Er asked from the side, her face full of concern.

"Everything's fine except for the Xian Lun Eye being in a dormant state," Ye Chen replied with a cough.

"Kid, you're something else!" Zhu Ge Lao Tou Er chimed in, approaching with a sigh of admiration. "You managed to have your soul project out of your body without even forming a Yuan Shen. You're basically cheating your way to the top!"

"Soul projection?" Ye Chen asked, startled, his expression showing he was unaware of what had happened.

"During your seclusion, your soul projected out," Chu Ling Er explained through a mental message. "If not for Senior Fu Ling, you might have become a wandering ghost."

"There's such a thing?" A few seconds later, Ye Chen's face turned a mix of colors. If Chu Ling Er hadn't told him, he would never have known, and the thought sent shivers down his spine.

He wasn't as knowledgeable about souls as Chu Ling Er, but he knew the consequences of soul projection without a Yuan Shen—it could be worse than being struck by lightning.

"Young friend, have you ever experienced soul projection before?" Fu Ling asked while Ye Chen was lost in thought.

"Never," Ye Chen answered firmly. As for his soul entering the consciousness realm of the Xian Lun Eye, known as Xian Xu Jie, that was different from soul projection. The Xian Lun Eye was part of his body, so even if his soul entered Xian Xu Jie, it remained within his physical form.

"It's hard to say," Gu San Tong remarked. "You didn't realize it this time, so who knows if it's happened before."

"After some divination, I sense it's quite possible," Wu Ya Dao Ren added, playing the role of a mystic as always.

"By the way, do you know you have three souls?" Chu Ling Er asked Ye Chen curiously amid their banter.

"Three? What on earth is going on?" Ye Chen replied, completely baffled.

"See for yourself!" Chu Ling Er transmitted a divine sense image of that night to him.

Soon, Ye Chen's expression grew even more vivid. In the image, he clearly saw his three soul forms—one saintly, one demonic, and one Buddhist—utterly bizarre and unconventional.

"You have the potential to form a Yuan Shen before reaching the Tian Jing realm," Fu Ling said to Ye Chen, her words laden with meaning.

"You're giving me too much credit, Senior," Ye Chen said, scratching his head and coughing. "My soul level is only at Tian Jie initial stage, still light-years away from Tian Jie peak, let alone forming a Yuan Shen."

"Soul projection is a precursor to forming a Yuan Shen," Fu Ling said calmly.

"Is that really true?"

"We can debate the truth later. For now, let's talk about tonight's war," Tian Zong Lao Zu interjected, looking at Ye Chen. "While you were in seclusion, the armies of Heng Yue, Yan Huang, Qing Yun, and the major families have already advanced to the battlefield. Tonight is the final decisive battle."

"I'm prepared for it," Ye Chen said, taking a deep breath, his eyes flashing with sharp resolve.