Chapter 940: Excuse Me, Everyone

Hee hee hee!

On Yǔ Nǚ Fēng, the joyful laughter of Chǔ Líng and the others filled the air, their voices echoing down from the peak and leaving passing disciples sighing in amazement. The Tiān Tíng Shèng Zhǔ title wasn't just for show—such a collection of peerless beauties.

Watching the women chatting and laughing, Yè Chén felt quite uncomfortable, especially seeing Hào Tiān Shī Yuè blending in so effortlessly, which made him feel even stranger.

"You, come over and eat." While Yè Chén was lost in thought, Chǔ Líng'ér called out to him.

"Coming, coming." Yè Chén cleared his throat, his expression odd, but he still walked over.

Just like the first time, the group sat around the table, but the atmosphere was unusually awkward.

Just like the first time, Yè Chén focused solely on eating.

Normally, cultivators didn't need to eat; spiritual energy could ward off hunger. But who said they couldn't indulge in nostalgia?

Sān Niáng, I want that one!

At some point, the awkward silence was broken by Xiǎo Ruòxī's words.

Cough, cough!

Yè Chén choked on his food and spat it all out.

Looking at Bì Yōu, her cheeks flushed red in an instant, because Xiǎo Ruòxī's words were directed at her.

No wonder the little girl was so clever—she didn't need anyone to teach her; she had already sorted everything out herself. Her single remark didn't matter much, but it instantly gave her many mothers and Yè Chén many wives.

Now, the entire table was awkward, with everyone's expressions more strained than the last.

Yè Chén's face was the most entertaining; even as the Tiān Tíng Shèng Zhǔ, his composure couldn't handle this scene.

Whoosh!

Just as the table was steeped in awkwardness, a divine rainbow streaked across the sky and landed on Yǔ Nǚ Fēng.

This woman was extraordinarily beautiful, truly peerless. She wore a spotless white robe untouched by worldly dust, her three thousand strands of black hair swaying without wind, each thread tinged with divine radiance. She was like a banished immortal, the epitome of elegance.

Upon closer inspection, this woman was none other than Chǔ Língyù, the daughter of Tiān Zōng Lǎo Zǔ.

Hào Tiān Shī Yuè glanced at Yè Chén, though she didn't speak, her eyes said it all: Is this one also a sister-in-law?

Where are all these sister-in-laws coming from!

Yè Chén shot Hào Tiān Shī Yuè a look in return, then began sizing up Chǔ Língyù. She was breathing heavily, with beads of sweat on her cheeks that had dampened her hair, as if she had flown here in a rush.

"Come out, I have something to ask you." Chǔ Língyù spoke, her eyes fixed straight on Yè Chén, her expression somewhat cold.

As soon as she said this, all the women's gazes turned sharply to Yè Chén. From the way Chǔ Língyù looked, it seemed like she was here to settle a score, easily leading one to think that Yè Chén had wronged her.

Under their stares, Yè Chén felt completely off-kilter. Heaven and earth as my witnesses, I didn't bully her.

Whoosh!

Soon, another divine rainbow cut through the sky and landed on Yǔ Nǚ Fēng—it was an elder with an extremely powerful aura.

Upon closer look, it was Tiān Zōng Lǎo Zǔ. He was also breathing heavily, as if he had chased Chǔ Língyù all the way here, but he was just a bit slower, arriving about ten seconds later.

"Everyone, I have interrupted." Tiān Zōng Lǎo Zǔ quickly cupped his hands and smiled at the group, his voice carrying a hint of apology.

"Senior, not at all." Yè Chén smiled, unsure what this father-daughter pair was up to today.

"Since you two seniors have rarely come to Yǔ Nǚ Fēng, why not join us for a meal?" Chǔ Xuán'ér had already stood up, her tone very humble.

"I appreciate the Jade Maiden Peak Master's kind offer, but this old one will decline. I'll visit properly another day." Tiān Zōng Lǎo Zǔ smiled, then immediately turned and grabbed Chǔ Língyù's arm, saying sternly, "Come back with me."

"Can you stop me for a moment? Can you stop me forever?" Though held by Tiān Zōng Lǎo Zǔ, Chǔ Língyù stood firm, unmoving.

"Don't make a scene." Tiān Zōng Lǎo Zǔ's expression darkened.

"I won't leave without the answer I want."

"You—"

"Senior, it seems your daughter really has something important with me." Yè Chén's voice rang out as he slowly approached. Today the atmosphere was awkward, but he still had his wits about him. With Chǔ Língyù and Tiān Zōng Lǎo Zǔ arriving one after the other, and both acting strangely, something was clearly up.

"You, follow me." Chǔ Língyù said softly, glancing at Yè Chén before turning and vanishing from sight.

"You all carry on." Yè Chén left a word for the women, took a step, and disappeared as well.

Ah!

Tiān Zōng Lǎo Zǔ sighed quietly to himself and followed suit, leaving Chǔ Xuán and the others baffled.

Deep within Héng Yuè Zōng, at the summit of a mountain peak, Chǔ Língyù landed there, followed by Yè Chén's appearance. Tiān Zōng Lǎo Zǔ came along but only gazed at the mountaintop from afar, ultimately not stepping forward, though he took a deep breath.

On the mountaintop, Yè Chén found a rock, pulled out a flask of wine, and looked at Chǔ Língyù with interest. "You can speak now?"

"Have you seen Hóng Chén?" Chǔ Língyù stared straight at Yè Chén on the rock, her beautiful eyes filled with hope, eagerly awaiting a clear answer from the young man before her.

Yè Chén furrowed his brow, momentarily stunned—he hadn't expected Chǔ Língyù's question to be about Hóng Chén.

This was his first point of confusion.

As for the second, it was how Chǔ Língyù had learned about this. Matters related to Hóng Chén were known only to him and the Yán Huáng Four Venerables, a highly confidential secret of Tiān Tíng.

Moreover, from Tiān Zōng Lǎo Zǔ's earlier expression, he clearly knew about it too.

This put Yè Chén in a difficult position. They couldn't have overheard that day's conversation, so the only possibility was that Zhōng Jiāng and the others had leaked the information.

"Have you seen Hóng Chén?" Seeing Yè Chén's silence, Chǔ Língyù pressed again.

"Yes." Yè Chén replied lightly, not pursuing who had leaked the information. He couldn't exactly hold Zhōng Jiāng and the others accountable for that.

"Where is he?" Chǔ Língyù stepped forward instinctively, her emotions clearly agitated, far beyond what Yè Chén had anticipated.

"I've answered your question, so shouldn't you answer one of mine?" Yè Chén smiled as he looked at Chǔ Língyù.

"It was something I overheard." Chǔ Língyù's tone grew a bit calmer, as if she knew what Yè Chén was going to ask.

"I'm not investigating who leaked it to you." Yè Chén chuckled leisurely. "What I'm curious about is why you're so invested in Hóng Chén's affairs, even going so far as to come to Héng Yuè Zōng and offend the Tiān Tíng Shèng Zhǔ's authority."

At his words, Chǔ Língyù lightly bit her lip but said nothing, standing there like a statue, her body trembling slightly now and then.

"You need to give me a good reason."

"I am his wife." Chǔ Língyù finally spoke.

Pfft!

It was a bombshell. As soon as Chǔ Língyù finished, even Yè Chén, with his Tiān Tíng Shèng Zhǔ composure, was shocked, spitting out the wine he'd just sipped more than three meters away.

He was dumbfounded, unsure if he'd misheard or if Chǔ Língyù had misspoke.

"For asking about my husband, is this reason sufficient?" Chǔ Língyù looked quietly at Yè Chén, her expression not suggesting a joke, which made his own face turn extraordinarily complex.

"Hold on, let me sort this out." Yè Chén hugged his wine flask, bit his nail, and sat there in a daze, completely baffled. Among all the shocking events over the years, this one was the most startling.

"Hóng Chén's wife." Yè Chén's expression was a picture as he pondered, occasionally glancing up and down at Chǔ Língyù. But this was just too unbelievable.

"It doesn't make sense!" He squatted there, muttering to himself, looking a bit deranged, as if he'd been struck by lightning.

"I'm waiting for your answer." Chǔ Língyù took a deep breath, speaking with some urgency.

"Honestly, this secret of yours has shocked me greatly."

"That's not what I want to hear. Tell me, where is he?"

"We fought, I was completely defeated and passed out. When I woke up, he was gone." Yè Chén answered slowly. "As for where he went, I want to know that too."

"I see." Chǔ Língyù said, then abruptly turned and stepped away from the mountaintop.

"Stop her." Behind her, Yè Chén's voice boomed, carrying authority that echoed throughout Héng Yuè Zōng.

Immediately, over a dozen figures stepped into the sky from different directions, all Zhǔn Tiān Jìng experts. They deployed binding formations, blocking Chǔ Língyù on the spot and sealing her spiritual energy.

"You once searched desperately for Chǔ Xuán, so you should understand my feelings right now." Chǔ Língyù looked coldly at Yè Chén.

"We're different." Yè Chén replied flatly. "I don't need you to say it; I know who leaked the secret to you. Didn't she tell you at the same time that the Hóng Chén of today is no longer the Hóng Chén of the past?"

"So what?"

"You're part of Tiān Tíng, and I'm the Tiān Tíng Shèng Zhǔ. I have to be responsible for you." Yè Chén slowly stood up. "I'll give you a satisfactory answer, but for now, you'll have to stay in Héng Yuè Zōng for a while."

With that, the dozen or so Zhǔn Tiān Jìng experts all coughed awkwardly. "Senior Chǔ, we... we mean no offense."