Chapter 996: Why Is It You

Boom! Rumble!

The heavens and earth were vast and desolate, with thunderous roars echoing through the nine skies.

The Tian Ting army filled the void, their momentum overwhelmingly powerful, shaking the very heavens and earth. All eyes were fixed on that patch of land, only a thousand zhang in radius.

There, Ye Chen battled the white-haired woman in a world-shaking clash.

In his Xue Ji Xian Jie state, Ye Chen was utterly dominant, launching attack after relentless attack. Hatred had clouded his eyes, making him oblivious to pain.

In contrast, the weakened white-haired woman was on the defensive, her body enveloped in dimming seven-colored divine glow.

Kill!

Ye Chen's eyes were blood-red as he charged forward in an instant, his fist piercing through the void.

The white-haired woman swung her sword, slicing his fist and sending blood and bone flying, but she was also forced to stagger back.

Buzz!

A radiant light burst from Ye Chen's forehead, and a small cauldron emerged, instantly growing massive and radiating brilliant divine splendor. The Hun Dun Shen Ding's spirit awakened from its slumber, spotting its old enemy that had once harmed it, and charged into battle unbidden.

Not only that, the damaged Di Jue also flew out and embedded itself into the Hun Dun Shen Ding.

Buzz!

The Hun Dun Shen Ding trembled, its divine power reviving as various visions intertwined, collapsing a section of the void.

The white-haired woman was immediately thrown off balance.

At her peak, she would not have taken the Hun Dun Shen Ding seriously, but in her weakened state, with the Di Jue assisting it, even her strength nearly failed her in an instant.

Zing!

In a moment of crisis, the Zhu Xian Jian trembled again, its dim seven-colored divine light flaring brightly, sending the Hun Dun Shen Ding flying with a single strike.

Tai Gu Long Tian!

Ye Chen struck, unleashing a massive sky-covering seal inscribed with dragon-shaped runes—the supreme suppression technique of the Tai Xu Gu Long clan, said to have been created by the Tai Xu Long Di and once used to suppress emperor-level experts from foreign realms.

The white-haired woman was wounded, her seven-colored blood spraying out as the divine glow overflowing from her body was ground into ashes strand by strand.

Suppress it for me!

Ye Chen snorted coldly, channeling his cultivation power, bloodline force, and Dao principles. The Tai Gu Long Tian seal's divine might surged.

In response, the Zhu Xian Jian trembled once more, as if in a final burst of light. The divine sword's power erupted, cleaving the Tai Gu Long Tian seal apart and sending even Ye Chen hurtling backward.

Pfft!

After repelling Ye Chen, the white-haired woman spat out a mouthful of fresh blood.

Bang!

Not far away, Ye Chen halted his momentum, his heavy body causing the ground beneath his feet to crack.

Blood for blood!

Ye Chen charged again in a flash, summoning ten thousand swords with the wind, carrying overwhelming killing intent and entwined with apocalyptic thunder.

The white-haired woman vomited blood again. Ye Chen hadn't even struck yet, and she was already struggling under the pressure, her body faltering as if she might collapse. After her final burst, she was truly at her limit, the seven-colored divine glow around her nearly extinguished.

Pfft!

Seven-colored blood splattered everywhere, each drop dazzling and piercing. The white-haired woman was run through by Ye Chen's sword.

Boom!

The emperor's dark shore crumbled, and the spatial black hole dissipated.

With the collapse of the emperor's dark shore, the mask covering the white-haired woman's face dissolved bit by bit in the wind, revealing a peerlessly beautiful countenance to all.

This...!

Seeing that face, Ye Chen's body shuddered violently, as if struck by lightning, his bloodshot pupils widening in that instant.

This...!

Everyone froze in place. Even from a distance, they could clearly make out that face.

Even Tai Xu Gu Long and the others, with their steadfast resolve, were shocked. Who would have thought that the ghost-like white-haired woman, with her unmatched combat prowess, was actually Chu Xuan from Heng Yue Zong?

How could this be!

Chu Ling'er trembled, her eyes brimming with tears as she rushed forward madly.

Damn it!

Tai Xu Gu Long and his companions also charged ahead, each forming seals for divine abilities, but not to seal Chu Xuan—they aimed for the Zhu Xian Jian.

With things at this point, given their insight, they could see that none of this was Chu Xuan's doing. The true culprit was the Zhu Xian Jian, which had controlled her mind and wrought this great slaughter.

However, they had underestimated the Zhu Xian Jian. Even in its weakened state, it remained incredibly powerful.

Zing!

With a sharp ring, it broke free from Chu Xuan's hand and shot away as a streak of seven-colored divine light.

At the sight, the Tian Ting cultivators swarmed forward, unleashing their supreme divine abilities.

But the Zhu Xian Jian was too fast; their attacks couldn't keep up.

Wherever it passed, cultivators turned to desiccated corpses in droves, their essence drained in an instant. As it absorbed the cultivators' essence, its faint seven-colored divine light began to shine brightly again.

Seeing this, Tai Xu Gu Long's expression changed, realizing the Zhu Xian Jian's intent—it was sacrificing them to replenish its own power.

Retreat beyond the barrier!

Tai Xu Gu Long roared suddenly. The Zhu Xian Jian's strength far exceeded his expectations; ordinary cultivators stood no chance against it.

Seal!

Zi Xuan, Ou Yang Wang, and Dao Huang advanced, each extending a hand wreathed in sealing techniques toward the Zhu Xian Jian.

Shatter the heavens!

A light rebuke echoed from within the Zhu Xian Jian, causing the entire void to collapse. Even the heavens-sealing array jointly cast by Tai Xu Gu Long and Zi Xuan was torn open at a corner, allowing it to escape.

Damn it!

Tai Xu Gu Long snorted coldly, having once again underestimated the Zhu Xian Jian. Its divine abilities surpassed even those of him and Zi Xuan.

Pursue it!

He took off first, chasing in that direction. Though the Zhu Xian Jian had broken the seal, it must have fallen into a more weakened state. If they let it escape now, no one in Da Chu would be able to control it.

Behind him, Zi Xuan, Ou Yang Wang, and Dao Huang followed suit, with the Tian Ting army spreading out in a massive pursuit.

On the ground, Ye Chen's eyes were completely blood-red as he clutched Chu Xuan tightly. His sacred body essence, bloodline power, soul force, cultivation power, and life essence were all surging madly into her body.

Chu Xuan was the white-haired woman—the one he had sworn to kill with his own hands—yet she turned out to be the person he loved most. He couldn't accept it.

His suspicions had been correct all along.

His Dao body had been killed by someone extremely familiar to them, someone so close that they never suspected a thing. How could they guard against Chu Xuan? How could they imagine that the one their true self cherished most would strike them down?

In that moment, Ye Chen understood everything: why Chu Xuan hadn't returned to Heng Yue Zong three years ago, why she had avoided him, who had repelled the Hong Chen in Yun Ruo Valley that night, why she had gone into seclusion, and why there was an ancient formation etched on the stone door of her cave dwelling.

But understanding it all now changed nothing—it was too late.

His sword had been too ruthless, leaving no mercy. It was a strike meant to kill.

Chu Xuan's life soul had been extinguished, and her soul flame could vanish at any moment.

Why is it you! Why is it you!

Tears of blood streamed down his face, his body trembling as he desperately tried to save her life soul.

Chu Xuan opened her eyes, the last trace of confusion fading from her beautiful gaze. She had regained her clarity and remembered everything.

"I'm... sorry."

Chu Xuan coughed up blood, her eyes blurred with tears. Her hands had committed too many atrocities.

"It's not your fault."

Ye Chen's voice choked with emotion. All grudges had dissolved. If he had known it was her, he wouldn't have been so merciless. He would have shouldered all the blame for her—what did it matter? Besides, the real wrongdoer was that damned Zhu Xian Jian.

"Don't... waste your essence."

Chu Ling'er trembled as she lifted her hand, reaching toward that face, hoping to etch it into her soul forever, never to be erased through lifetimes.

"I won't let you die. I won't let you die."

Ye Chen roared, giving it his all.

"The greatest regret of this life... is not being able to put on the wedding dress... for Ye Chen. If there is a next life..."

Her halting words sealed a fate across three lifetimes, filled with the tender sorrow of ages.

The hand she had raised never touched that face. Her eyes, which refused to close, finally lost their last glimmer, leaving only two trails of crystalline tears streaking down her sorrowful cheeks.

Ah...!

Ye Chen held Chu Ling'er in his arms, roaring toward the sky, his cry shaking heaven and earth.

In this life, he had let down another person.

The rolling mortal world had buried yet another destined love.