Chapter 958: An Interesting Matter

Chapter 958: A Very Interesting Thing

In the dead of night, Ye Chen walked out of the di gong.

The Heavenly Court at night was peaceful and tranquil, yet a few diligent disciples were still training hard.

Ye Chen smiled faintly and ascended swiftly, reaching the Heavenly Court main hall in a few steps.

In the hall stood a graceful figure gazing up at the ancient stars; upon closer inspection, it was Hong Chen Xue.

"You're quite dedicated!" Ye Chen said with a smile.

"I'm waiting for you." Hong Chen Xue withdrew her gaze from the ancient stars and waved her hand to summon a water screen. Within the screen appeared a woman in purple robes, surrounded by divine light, like a banished immortal descended from the nine heavens.

"You're not unfamiliar with her, right?" Hong Chen Xue looked at Ye Chen.

"Zi Xuan, my puppet." Ye Chen replied lightly, a trace of sorrow flashing in his expression.

Only he and Tai Xu Gu Long knew Zi Xuan's true identity.

She was indeed a puppet, but within her body lay a remnant soul of the female emperor Yue Shang. This was somewhat similar to Tai Xu Gu Long, as both had intricate connections to once supreme rulers of the world.

The sorrow on his face stemmed from memories of events in Nan Zhao Guo.

He sometimes wondered, if Zi Xuan hadn't flown away back then, she could have escorted him back to Nan Chu, and the tragic events that followed might never have happened.

But fate played its tricks; Zi Xuan's departure shattered his last hope, leaving him to pin his expectations on Li Xiao, the state master of Tian Xiang Gu Guo. In the end, complications arose.

"She’s more than just a puppet, isn't she?" As Ye Chen pondered, Hong Chen Xue spoke, her words laden with deeper meaning.

"No need to beat around the bush; just say it straight."

"My shizun is pursuing the purple-robed figure who descended in Bei Chu, and she is also chasing that purple-robed figure." Hong Chen Xue said softly.

"She’s also after that purple-robed figure." Ye Chen murmured, his eyes flickering with uncertainty.

"The facts prove she's no ordinary being; her combat power rivals my shizun's."

"Both your shizun and Zi Xuan are transcendent experts. Extinguishing that purple-robed figure should be no trouble."

"He escaped." Hong Chen Xue shook her head helplessly. "He fled into the headquarters of the Shi Xue Dian. With the protection of the Shi Xue Dian, even my shizun and Zi Xuan could only stand by and watch."

"So, you're saying the purple-robed figure has a significant connection to the Shi Xue Dian?" Ye Chen furrowed his brow as he looked at Hong Chen Xue.

"Not yet confirmed." Hong Chen Xue pondered. "Based on the current intelligence, they've certainly reached some agreement. But whatever form their alliance takes, it's bad news for the Nan Chu Heavenly Court."

"What about the troops I asked you to mobilize?"

"They arrived at the designated position yesterday."

"Keep investigating that purple-robed figure, as well as Zi Xuan and your shizun, Hong Chen." Ye Chen said, already rising and stepping out of the hall. A faint voice echoed behind him, "Xi Yan is in your hands now."

"Understood." Hong Chen Xue took a deep breath, clearly grasping the implication in Ye Chen's words—this meant training her to the brink of death!

Still in the dead of night, Ye Chen left the hall and descended upon a modest mountain peak in the Heavenly Court.

From afar, he spotted an elderly figure seated cross-legged on a cloud, absorbing the essence of heaven and earth.

It was Yu Feng, a young man aged before his time. Only in his teens, he was already withered and frail. His cultivation and bloodline weren't particularly extraordinary, but his resilience stood out among his peers.

"Greetings, Holy Lord!"

Seeing Ye Chen approach, Yu Feng hastily stood and bowed respectfully.

"No need for formalities!"

Ye Chen smiled slightly, placing a hand on Yu Feng's shoulder. His bloodline power and sacred body essence surged forth aggressively, entering Yu Feng's body.

"Uh..."

Yu Feng grunted in pain, his face twisting, but he gritted his teeth. He knew Ye Chen was helping him—this was the highest honor. His fate might be reborn here, like a phoenix rising from the ashes.

Soon, his white hair visibly turned black, his hunched body straightened, his wrinkled skin became smooth and elastic, and his murky eyes regained clarity, as clear as spring water.

"This is what a sixteen-year-old should look like." Ye Chen chuckled, not withdrawing his hand. Instead, he used his bloodline power and sacred body essence to refine Yu Feng's body and expand his meridians.

Buzz! Buzz! Buzz!

Yu Feng's body trembled continuously, with a series of popping sounds as his cultivation steadily rose.

This wasn't Ye Chen directly helping him break through; it was because Yu Feng's foundation was incredibly solid—the principle of building up for a breakthrough. His body was like a vast treasure trove, and Ye Chen's bloodline power and sacred body essence were the key unlocking it.

As Ye Chen had said earlier, what Yu Feng lacked wasn't the will to cultivate, but an opportunity.

It was nearly dawn when Ye Chen finally withdrew his hand.

"Huff!"

Yu Feng exhaled deeply, his expression filled with excitement.

Now, he was no longer aged; he was a vibrant young man, full of energy and vitality.

"Thank you... thank you, Holy Lord!"

Yu Feng's eyes welled with tears as he moved to kneel.

"Focus on consolidating your cultivation!"

Ye Chen summoned a gentle force to lift him up, then turned and vanished from the mountain peak. Only after he was gone did a faint voice echo back, "You seem like someone with a story. Go ahead and pursue it; the Nan Chu Heavenly Court will be your strongest support."

On the mountain peak, Yu Feng stood like an unyielding stele.

Ye Chen's words made his blood boil.

He had never felt such warmth, nor had he ever sensed the Nan Chu Heavenly Court as powerful as it did now. As Ye Chen said, the Heavenly Court was more than just a title—it was a formidable backbone.

By the time dawn broke, Ye Chen arrived at the teleportation array leading to Heng Yue.

There stood a figure waiting for him; it was Tai Xu Gu Long.

"You're so slow!" Tai Xu Gu Long glanced at Ye Chen irritably and stepped into the teleportation array.

"I didn't make you wait!" Ye Chen shrugged indifferently and followed into the array.

"The Heavenly Court's Holy Lord is quite the considerate type, huh?" In the spatial passage, Tai Xu Gu Long remarked sarcastically as he looked at Ye Chen.

"Yu Feng is a promising talent; he's got real potential."

"I believe that." Tai Xu Gu Long stroked his chin thoughtfully. "Come to think of it, he reminds me a lot of a certain great emperor from the past—not in appearance, but in temperament and perseverance."

"Which great emperor?" Ye Chen's eyes lit up; he was always eager to hear about great emperors.

"Yuan Tian Da Di." Tai Xu Gu Long said slowly, his eyes filled with reverence. "If Dong Hua Nu Di Yue Shang is the only one among the Xuan Huang 130 emperors to achieve emperorship before five thousand years, then Yuan Tian Da Di is the only one among the Xuan Huang 130 emperors to do so after nine thousand years."

"The longest-lived great emperor was Yan Di." Ye Chen began counting on his fingers. "The shortest-lived was Dou Zhan Sheng Huang, the strongest in battle was Xuan Yuan Da Di, the only one who died in battle was Xuan Gu Da Di, the most glorious ruler was Xian Yu Da Di, the youngest to achieve emperorship was Dong Hua Da Di, and the oldest was Yuan Tian Da Di."

"Yuan Tian Da Di was a unique myth." Tai Xu Gu Long continued. "Legend has it he was just an ordinary cultivator in his early years—no special bloodline, no innate dao lineage, one of many such people. Even more remarkably, in his early days, he was three major realms behind his peers. Yet, this unassuming person possessed an extraordinary perseverance that his contemporaries lacked, and he steadily climbed to the peak of the emperor's path."

"So, you can't judge by appearances!" Ye Chen sighed. "Take Hu Wa, for example—who would have thought that six years ago, when he was just a mortal, he would become the first true successor of my Heavenly Court six years later?"

"Enough about Yuan Tian Da Di; let's talk about you." Tai Xu Gu Long shifted the topic, his tone meaningful. "The Nine Yang Day is approaching."

"I remember." Ye Chen took a deep breath.

"You might want to settle your affairs first."

"What, you have no faith in me?" Ye Chen looked at Tai Xu Gu Long with interest.

"You might not know this, but the Ji Mie Shen Ti is the nemesis of the Huang Gu Sheng Ti." Tai Xu Gu Long revealed a secret.

"Nemesis?" Ye Chen was stunned. "How come I've never heard you mention it?"

"It's not too late to say it now."

"In what way is it a nemesis?"

"In every way." Tai Xu Gu Long said flatly. "The Ji Mie Shen Ti and Huang Gu Sheng Ti have been natural enemies since the ancient era. The Ji Mie Shen Ti even regards slaying a Huang Gu Sheng Ti as its greatest glory. I can tell you responsibly that a god king of the Ji Mie clan once killed a fully realized sacred body that could rival a great emperor."

"Really?" Ye Chen was shocked. "If it can kill something on par with a great emperor, could that god king of the Ji Mie clan kill a great emperor too?"

"A fully realized sacred body may have power equal to a great emperor, but killing one and killing a great emperor are different matters." Tai Xu Gu Long explained slowly. "As I said, the way of heaven cycles, and one thing counters another—just like the relationships among a fully realized Hun Dun Ti, Huang Gu Sheng Ti, and great emperors. Great emperors are supreme beings; only a fully realized Huang Gu Sheng Ti can challenge them."

"This world is truly wondrous!" Ye Chen took a deep breath.

"I've discovered something very interesting; do you want to hear it?"

"Just spit it out; no need for all that preamble."

"The saint son of the Sha Shou Shen Chao and their god king, Shen Xuan Feng, seem to be the same person." Tai Xu Gu Long stroked his chin.

"That's not funny at all." Ye Chen looked at Tai Xu Gu Long with a mix of surprise and skepticism.

"I've seen the saint son of the Sha Shou Shen Chao, and I've encountered their god king, Shen Xuan Feng, more than once." Tai Xu Gu Long said thoughtfully. "They share the same bloodline, the same dao principles, and most importantly, the same innate soul imprint."

"The same innate soul imprint? Are you sure?" Ye Chen eyed Tai Xu Gu Long doubtfully.

"Don't question the insight of the Tai Xu Gu Long clan."

"So, you're saying the one challenging me is the god king, Shen Xuan Feng?" Ye Chen knitted his brows. "With his status, level, and cultivation, he'd actually condescend to issue a challenge to me?"

"Hold on." Ye Chen seemed to recall something. "I've met the god king Shen Xuan Feng, and I've also seen the saint son of the Sha Shou Shen Chao. Their temperaments are completely different."

"That's why I haven't concluded they're the same person." Tai Xu Gu Long said slowly. "Having the same innate soul imprint but vastly different temperaments usually points to one possibility."

"I get it." Ye Chen's eyes flashed suddenly.

"What do you get?" Tai Xu Gu Long asked with interest.

"The saint son of the Sha Shou Shen Chao is Shen Xuan Feng's dao body."

"Not bad for a quick learner."