Chapter 820: Nine Emperors' Descendants

Boom!

Just as Ye Chen was lost in thought, the Yan Huang Divine Stele came crashing down from the sky.

This was a terrifying weapon, the natal artifact of Yan Huang. It had grown to over a hundred zhang in size, with ancient runes constantly circulating on its surface, radiating a mysterious aura and enveloped in the principles of an emperor. It was like a massive mountain, majestic and oppressive.

In response, Ye Chen hastily summoned the Chaos God Cauldron to meet it head-on, barely managing to block Yan Huang's assault.

Buzz!

The heavens trembled as Chen Huang arrived, his Jiuzhou Divine Diagram hanging above his head like a vast, ethereal sky, resembling a river of stars. Within it, mountains, rivers, and great lands came to life, forming a vast world brimming with overwhelming power.

Without hesitation, Ye Chen sacrificed his own damaged Jiuzhou Divine Diagram—also known as Jiuzhou Xuan Tian Diagram—to counter Chen Huang's.

Though both were Jiuzhou Divine Diagrams, Chen Huang's was formed from principles and not the true artifact, while Ye Chen's was already broken. As a result, the two diagrams clashed in the void without a clear victor.

However, even as Ye Chen blocked the Yan Huang Divine Stele and Chen Huang's Jiuzhou Divine Diagram, he was crushed by Tai Wang's Qiankun Tower, causing his sacred body to shatter.

Get up!

Ye Chen roared thunderously, relying on the powerful physique of his Desolate Ancient Sacred Body to forcibly lift the Qiankun Tower.

But no sooner had he risen than he was pierced through the chest by a finger from Yue Huang. Almost simultaneously, Xuan Huang's sword struck his back, carving a deep gash. Had Ye Chen's body not been so strong, he would have been cleaved in two.

Xiantian Gang Qi, activate!

Eight Trigrams Array, activate!

Ye Chen gritted his teeth, donning the Huntian Battle Armor and enveloping himself in Xiantian Gang Qi. He even laid down the Eight Trigrams Array at his feet, summoning hundreds of spiritual artifacts at once to maximize his defenses.

Boom!

With a thunderous roar, Zhan Wang struck with a palm, collapsing half the sky. The hundreds of spiritual artifacts hovering above Ye Chen's head had just unleashed their divine power when they were swept away by Zhan Wang's strike.

On the spot, Ye Chen spat out a mouthful of fresh blood, his sacred body cracking open once more as holy blood gushed forth.

Dong! Dong! Dong!

The deep, resonant toll of a bell echoed as Dong Huang's attack arrived. The massive Dong Huang Bell expanded rapidly, exploding with world-shaking divine might. Ye Chen, who had barely escaped, stumbled again.

Zing!

The sharp ring of a sword pierced the air as Chu Huang's strike remained as domineering as ever, carrying devastating penetrating force.

This time, Ye Chen advanced instead of retreating, clenching his fists and charging forward aggressively.

Yet, just as Chu Huang's sword was about to pierce his brow, Ye Chen used Taixu Teleportation to redirect the blow to his shoulder. As his shoulder was impaled, he swung the Overlord Dragon Saber in his hand with full force.

Puff!

Before the eyes of all, Chu Huang's body was instantly split in half.

This scene made everyone's hearts race with shock. Even though it wasn't the true Chu Huang, the sight of him being cleaved in two was still horrifying.

Kill one if I can!

Ye Chen bellowed, lunging forward to deliver another strike to Chu Huang.

However, in slaying Chu Huang, he paid a heavy price, being struck by Tian Zang Huang's Tian Zang Divine Furnace and Tai Wang's Qiankun Tower in succession, fracturing half the bones in his sacred body.

Worth it!

Ye Chen's face was manic as he fled at top speed for over a hundred zhang.

But to his dismay, the Chu Huang he had desperately killed re-formed in the sea of thunder, his aura as powerful as ever and his combat strength still at its peak.

Damn it!

Ye Chen let out a furious roar, his insides churning as he spat out a mouthful of old blood that flew more than three zhang away.

"How the hell are we supposed to fight this?" Watching Ye Chen, bloodied and battered in the thunder sea, the Su family ancestor stammered.

"Even if you destroy them, they can regroup. This is a dead end!"

"Even the peerless God King has fallen. This heavenly tribulation far exceeds our expectations." Zhong Jiang sighed deeply, his expression grave. "The nine emperors of Great Chu, joining forces—who can stand against them?"

"Ye Chen." In the crowd, Shangguan Yuer was already in tears, her eyes brimming with them as she clenched her jade hands until they turned white. Her voice trembled, as if she knew Ye Chen was about to vanish from her blurred vision forever.

Like her, Biyou and Xuan Nu were pale with fear, while little Luo Xi and little Xi Yan were so frightened they burst into tears, their small bodies shaking uncontrollably.

"At this rate, it's certain death!" Ji Ning Shuang's face was more serious than ever, but she was powerless to help.

In contrast, Chu Ling Er was eerily silent, her beautiful eyes filled with tears fixed unblinkingly on Ye Chen in the thunder sea, as if etching his figure into her very bones in these final moments.

"Waking up to this is quite the surprise!" In the grand hall of Tianxuan Gate, Donghuang Tai Xin stretched lazily, her eyes rippling as she gazed at the massive illusory water screen before her, which displayed Ye Chen's battle against the nine emperors.

"It's truly nostalgic!" Beside her, Fu Ya smiled with a touch of weariness. "Who would have thought the nine emperors of Great Chu would appear in this form in the same era? All emperors of one age, nine legends forming a myth!"

"When did you become so sentimental?" Donghuang Tai Xin glanced at Fu Ya with interest.

"The years take their toll!" Fu Ya shook his head with a laugh. "Seeing them makes me realize how old I've become, forgetting the passage of time. In the blink of an eye, ninety thousand years have passed. We've lived from the Hengyu Great Emperor's era to the Xianwu Emperor Venerable's era—such is the weight of time!"

"Saying that makes you sound pretentious." Donghuang Tai Xin shot him a look. "Anyone who didn't know better might think you've actually lived ninety thousand years. If you're tired of living, I wouldn't mind sealing you away for another slumber right now."

"Consider it unsaid." Fu Ya coughed awkwardly.

"You're ruining my enjoyment of the show." Donghuang Tai Xin gave him one last glance before turning back to the illusory water screen.

"Still, Holy Master, to be fair, Ye Chen's heavenly tribulation is indeed strange." Fu Ya set aside his melancholy, stroking his chin as he eyed the water screen with a sigh. "You know, not even the nine emperors of Great Chu summoned a tribulation like this."

"He's just that extraordinary." Donghuang Tai Xin replied casually.

"That's the truth." Fu Ya nodded without dispute. "If he ascends to the Heavenly Realm in this era, he'd be the strongest among all the emperors of Great Chu, bar none."

"That depends on whether he can survive this divine punishment of the nine emperors." Donghuang Tai Xin twirled a strand of her hair, gazing at the screen with deep meaning.

Puff! Puff! Puff!

As they spoke, Ye Chen in the thunder sea of the tribulation suffered continuous wounds. His sacred body cracked open several times, and though he reformed it with great divine abilities, even the Desolate Ancient Sacred Body had reached its limit of exhaustion.

"Lord Long, I can't hold on." Amid dodging and resisting the nine emperors' onslaught, Ye Chen said hoarsely, his voice weary.

"Hold on even if you can't." The Taixu Ancient Dragon responded firmly. "Survive this, and you'll have boundless freedom; fail, and you'll be reduced to ashes. Channel the fighting spirit you had against the divine beast's tribulation."

"You make it sound easy." Ye Chen's words were cut short as he was sent flying by Xuan Huang's sword. Before he hit the ground, Tai Wang and Tian Zang Huang's attacks followed, with Chen Huang and Yue Huang striking right after.

Puff! Puff! Puff!

Golden blood sprayed across the thunder sea. Ye Chen, sent tumbling through the air, crashed down as a mangled figure. After enduring another round of the nine emperors' assault, the holy light around him had nearly faded completely.

"When will this tribulation end?" Below, the old Zhuge man gritted his teeth.

"Does it only end when Ye Chen is slain?" Fu Ling murmured.

"His talent is too heaven-defying; he's truly provoked the heavens." Tian Zong ancestor took a deep breath.

Hmm?

As they spoke, Dao Huang and Dugu Ao simultaneously turned their gazes in one direction.

There, a young man in plain robes was slowly approaching through the void, like a frail scholar. He emitted no trace of a cultivator's aura, yet he exuded a pressure like a mountain. Who else could it be but Zhou Tian Yi, the son of Dong Huang?

"He's not from this era." Dao Huang's vast eyes narrowed slightly.

"That's the son of Dong Huang." Xiao Chen spoke up from the side. Even with his own brilliance, he couldn't help but show wariness upon seeing Zhou Tian Yi. As fellow sons of emperors, he admitted he was no match.

"Father."

Zhou Tian Yi ignored the gazes of Dao Huang and the others. His ancient, unwavering eyes were fixed on Dong Huang in the thunder sea. Though it wasn't the real Dong Huang, it still made his eyes well up with tears.

"Mother."

Soon, a voice like heavenly music rang out. At the horizon's edge, a dreamlike figure slowly appeared, like a fairy of the blue waves, pure and flawless. Upon closer inspection, it was Qian Shang Yue, the daughter of Yue Huang.

Like Zhou Tian Yi, she stopped and fixed her watery eyes on Yue Huang in the thunder sea. As she watched, mist gathered in her eyes, condensing into frost under the moonlight.

"Father."

"Father."

These two voices came simultaneously. On the east and west sides of the thunder sea, ethereal figures emerged, both with peerless grace—one in white robes like the Nine Heavens Xuan Nu, the other in battle armor like a supreme queen.

"The daughter of Chu Huang, Great Chu Huang Yan."

"The daughter of Xuan Huang, Nan Ming Yu Shu."

This time, it was Dugu Ao who spoke. Even with his aloof nature, he couldn't help but inhale sharply at the sight of the two daughters of emperors. Seeing Nan Ming Yu Shu, his eyes held deep wariness.

"The five direct descendants of the nine emperors of Great Chu have arrived—what are they planning?" Someone exclaimed in surprise.

"Another one is coming."

As the words were spoken, many eyes turned.

Under everyone's gaze, a youth in golden armor strode across the sky. His black hair was thick and lustrous, his eyes vast as the starry expanse, his form like a mountain, his steps heavy and regal, carrying the supreme dignity of an emperor.

"Judging by his appearance, he must be the son of Tai Wang." Someone glanced at the youth in golden armor and then at the domineering Tai Wang in the thunder sea, noting their ninety percent resemblance.

"He's Long Teng, the direct son of Tai Wang." Xiao Chen said slowly, his eyes still filled with wariness.

"And that one?" The old Zhuge man pointed to the horizon, his expression strangely uneasy.

Hearing this, Dao Huang and the others looked over.

At the edge of heaven and earth, an elderly figure appeared, walking slowly with a stooped back, hair already white, and turbid eyes visible even from a distance.