The night was deep and quiet, the moonlight like flowing water.
It was very late before the banquet slowly dispersed. Ye Chen hadn't said much about the events on the Trial Path, but based on what the clan members understood, Ye Chen had already dominated the Trial Path.
What an astonishing achievement this was. One must know that the Trial Path was a grand feast of geniuses that gathered almost all the young talents from across the Tian Du Continent. Merely standing out was already extremely difficult, with less than a hundred managing it. Yet Ye Chen had already become the sovereign of the Trial Path, sweeping through it invincibly. This was enough to show just how powerful Ye Chen was.
But then, remembering that he could even suppress and kill a Martial God, everyone felt a sense of release.
Everyone knew that this generation of the Ye family had produced a peerless genius, destined to lift the small Ye family up. Perhaps one day, it would become another superpower dominating the Tian Du Continent.
The night grew deeper. After the banquet ended, Xia Wei, who hadn't seen Ye Chen for a full year and was already filled with longing in her heart, couldn't wait. She dragged Ye Chen into a room, not allowing him to resist, and only let him out after talking for a long time.
Ye Chen sat on the eaves of his own courtyard. Although a year had passed, the courtyard was often cleaned, so no dust had accumulated, and nothing had changed. His parents had instructed that everything be maintained as it was. It had also become a forbidden area, not to be entered casually.
He took out a pot of fragrant, mellow wine and drank freely under the moon alone, silent and wordless. Even the usually talkative Old Yan didn't come out to disturb him, as if understanding his state of mind.
Suddenly, a delicate fragrance assailed his face. A graceful, charming figure appeared and sat gracefully beside him. Her beautiful eyes blinked not at all as she looked at him, saying nothing. Ye Chen turned his head and smiled slightly, rubbing the newcomer's soft hair, appearing very intimate. "Zimei, you've come too."
The newcomer was precisely Ye Zimei. After more than a year apart, the young girl had grown even more graceful and elegant. Though barely sixteen, she already had a curvaceous figure, possessing the initial bearing of a great beauty—a mix of charm and purity.
In a few more years, Ye Chen believed the young girl would become a stunningly beautiful woman of peerless elegance.
"You're messing up my hair..." Ye Zimei mumbled, showing a rare childishness as she pouted her rosy little lips, appearing very cute and unaffected. But her eyes curved into crescents, clearly happy with the youth's intimate gesture.
Now a young girl just over fifteen, her reputation was no longer confined to Luo Feng City. Even in the northwestern region, she had gained some fame for her beauty, with many young, talented gentlemen pursuing her, even including members of the royal family with noble bloodlines, not lacking princes.
It was just a pity that Ye Zimei, whether because her heart belonged to another or her standards were too high, had politely refused them all, not accepting anyone.
Ye Zimei's bright eyes shimmered with a faint light as she looked at Ye Chen. Suddenly, her bright eyes smiled lightly, as if a hundred flowers were blooming, making the bright moon in the sky seem dim in comparison. She said softly, "Brother Ye Chen, can you tell me about the things that happened after you left home?"
Ye Chen smiled slightly. For this young girl who had never kicked him when he was down during his most destitute times, but had instead helped him repeatedly, he regarded her like a younger sister. Naturally, he wouldn't refuse. He began to narrate slowly, recounting a series of dreamlike, wondrous events.
On the eaves, the young girl, like a jade carving, rested her chin on her hands, her beautiful eyes fixed unblinkingly on Ye Chen, listening to the youth's tales of all the experiences he had after leaving home.
Her large, dark, distinct eyes were filled with surprise and admiration. The youth's experiences were too rich—from the Demonic Beast Mountain Range to Xia Feng Academy, to the Demon-Suppressing Battlefield, and then to the Trial Path. Each event was enough to astonish people; one might not experience one or two such things in a lifetime.
The so-called adventurous deeds of those young masters from great families who usually pursued her were simply not worth mentioning compared to the youth before her. They were merely young masters relying on their fathers' influence, completely incomparable.
Only when she heard about Vivian and the Sixth Princess Yang Miaoxue, for some reason, the young girl's gaze flickered rapidly for a moment, but she didn't speak.
A long time later, Ye Chen was still speaking when he felt a weight on his shoulder. The young girl had already fallen asleep.
Looking at Ye Zimei's peaceful, innocent sleeping face, Ye Chen harbored not a single inappropriate thought. Carrying the young girl, he took a step forward, traversing the air to land in the young girl's boudoir. This was his first time entering the young girl's room. The pink and purple color scheme quite matched the young girl's style—cool and elegant with a touch of cuteness.
Naturally, this earned him another round of Old Yan being impatient with his failure to live up to expectations, lamenting the wasted golden opportunity.
But Ye Chen said nothing. Regarding Ye Zimei, he merely saw her as a blood-related younger sister, without a single inappropriate thought.
Only after Ye Chen left did the young girl suddenly open her tightly closed eyes, a flash of dim light passing through them.
"Since I've returned, I should pay a visit to the Demonic Beast Mountain Range," Ye Chen murmured to himself. He knew that if not for Great Sage Hong Tian's indication, various major forces would likely have captured his parents to use as leverage, demanding the Great Dao Blood.
This kindness, no matter what, deserved proper repayment.
He left the demonic flood dragon to guard the Ye family, while he himself ascended into the sky and entered the Demonic Beast Mountain Range.
It wasn't his first time entering the Demonic Beast Mountain Range, but each time he felt its extraordinary nature. In the pitch-black night, if one stared intently, one could see strands of powerful blood energy permeating the mountain range. Numerous fearsome great demonic beasts lived here, with Martial God realm great demonic beasts existing as lords, entrenched in their territories.
In the deepest parts of the mountain range, there were even more terrifying great demonic beasts of the Heavenly God realm, far more than just the Silver Ape King.
For when Ye Chen's eyes turned into glazed gold, he could see from afar that in the deepest part of the mountain range at night, there were beams of blazing blood energy light pillars shooting into the sky, filling the firmament. They were just isolated by the grand formation at the deepest part, so they couldn't be seen from the outside.
This time, Ye Chen no longer entered cautiously and stealthily as he had before. Instead, holding the Slaying the Heavens alliance leader's token granted by Great Sage Hong Tian, he walked with leisurely steps, each stride covering several dozen to a hundred zhang, extremely fast.
Throughout the journey, no great demonic beast attempted to block him. They were all subdued by the pressure emanating from the Slaying the Heavens alliance leader's token.
Not long after, he arrived at the deepest part of the Demonic Beast Mountain Range, that cluster of pitch-black mountain peaks shrouded in endless mist.
This time, he didn't need to break through anything. The Slaying the Heavens alliance leader's token emitted a circle of hazy radiance that enveloped Ye Chen, guiding him as he charged into the mist. Soon, he arrived at the core area.
Just after entering, he saw a tall, burly figure shimmering with silver light. It was the Silver Ape King, who had restrained his vast demonic aura and shrunk to a height of one zhang. Like a steward, he stood before Ye Chen and said, "Young friend Ye Chen, the master has been waiting for you for a long time. Please enter."
"Troubling the Silver Ape King," Ye Chen replied with a smile.
"No trouble at all," the Silver Ape King said.
A silver great path spread out from beneath the Silver Ape King's feet, extending deeper within. The Silver Ape King led Ye Chen quickly through layers of pitch-black mountain peaks, arriving at the foot of the towering, lofty Hong Tian Divine Mountain Range. A familiar ancient hall stood before them.
The Silver Ape King stopped beside the main gate of the ancient hall and said, "Young friend Ye Chen, please enter."
Ye Chen nodded and stepped into the ancient hall.
This ancient hall was not his first time entering. Last time, he had entered as Sir Qian. This time, however, it was with his true identity.
He saw that the great hall was brightly lit, with a huge glowing sphere illuminating everything within.
And it was no longer empty. On the contrary, it was filled with many flowers, plants, and vegetation. Fluorescent light flowed, delicate fragrances assailed the nose, and the scent of medicinal herbs overflowed. There was no lack of precious Heaven and Earth Treasures, and sweet, fragrant spiritual springs flowed with a tinkling sound, forming small streams. All of this was as if one had arrived in a paradise, refreshing and delightful.
Within the ancient hall, there was a simple, unadorned stone table with several stone stools arranged around it. Great Sage Hong Tian, a peerless Supreme Divine Spirit who in the eyes of the world should have been lofty and aloof, was dressed in simple clothing, sitting on a stone stool, studying a Heaven and Earth Treasure.
Hearing the footsteps, he then turned around. On his body, there was not the slightest ancient divine might. He was like an ordinary old man, giving Ye Chen a gentle smile. "Young friend Ye Chen, you've finally come."
Ye Chen stepped forward, clasped his fists, and performed a slight bow of respect. "This junior pays his respects to Great Sage Hong Tian."
Although Ye Chen's cultivation in his previous life was stronger than Great Sage Hong Tian's, in this life, it was not. Moreover, the other had helped him greatly, deserving this bow of respect.
Great Sage Hong Tian smiled slightly. "Counting this meeting, this is already the second time we've met."
The first time was in the Trial World, when he had summoned the divine shadow of Great Sage Hong Tian from within the Slaying the Heavens alliance leader's token for a battle, indirectly meeting then.
Only, Great Sage Hong Tian didn't know this was actually the third time. The first time was actually when Ye Chen, as Sir Qian, had gone to meet him. But this Divine Spirit was unaware. Ye Chen also gave a light smile, neither confirming nor denying.
"Young friend Ye Chen is truly a hero emerging from among the youth. Even the Ancient Talents were no match for you."
As a Divine Spirit, he naturally also understood what had happened in the Trial World. The potential of this youth before him was far greater than he had imagined. He had actually successively defeated the Ancient Talents sealed by the four superpowers. In his view, it was unbelievable.
If not for the mysterious Sir Qian having already taken him as a disciple, he would have been tempted. He was absolutely a fine piece of uncut jade, rare in the world. Becoming a Divine Spirit in the future, he felt, would at least not be a problem, not much inferior to those Ancient Talents sealed by the superpowers.
However, what he cared about more was what method this youth had employed during the confrontation at the spatial channel with the alien race Divine Spirit, actually making that most terrifying alien race Divine Spirit, the War King, retreat. To this day, it remained a puzzling mystery for several Divine Spirits. But naturally, the several Divine Spirits also didn't take action to capture Ye Chen for questioning. They all knew of the mysterious existence of Sir Qian behind him and couldn't provoke him casually.
Because Sir Qian was too unfathomable.
"Great Sage Hong Tian flatters me. I was merely forced to use some trump cards, managing to win by luck," Ye Chen said, appearing very humble.