Chapter 2456: Deep Schemes

In the shattered heavens and earth, darkness reigned everywhere.

Tianxu Dizi's expression was grim, and Ye Chen and Ji Ningshuang didn't look much better.

It had escaped again—the Zhuxian Jian had slipped away once more.

Overt threats were easy to evade, but hidden dangers were hard to guard against. That sword would undoubtedly bring more calamity.

Tianxu knew this all too well.

In ancient times, when the Ancient Heavenly Court was destroyed, the Zhuxian Jian had played a pivotal role.

He understood it, and so did Ye Chen and Ji Ningshuang.

After all these years, that damned Zhuxian Jian was like an unrelenting ghost. Every time it emerged, it triggered a bloodbath. Previously, it had been held in check by Di Huang and Hong Yan, preventing it from acting recklessly. But now, with no supreme beings in the heavens, who could restrain it? Given enough time, it would become even more terrifying.

Ming Di and Dao Zu paid no attention to the three; they stared into the hazy void.

As supreme beings, their vision pierced through creation itself. They could see clearly that while the Zhuxian Jian had fled, it hadn't truly left. It was hiding in the void, seemingly plotting something.

Meanwhile, Ye Chen and the others had surrounded the Shenmi Shengti.

Once again suppressed, the Shenmi Shengti's face was twisted in a grotesque snarl, its features distorted beyond recognition against the dim starlight, like a demon from hell. Especially its eyes, which should have been golden, were now threaded with blood vessels, dyed a bloody red.

"As fellow Shengti, you should be able to devour his origin."

Tianxu Dizi said casually, addressing Ye Chen. He felt no pity for the Shenmi Shengti, which had slaughtered countless Heavenly Court warriors, amassing an unforgivable blood debt.

"I can't devour it."

Ye Chen shook his head. He had known this all along. Though they were both Shengti, their origins were opposing forces. Attempting to devour it would only invite disaster.

"Beauty, how about pulling out his treasures?"

As they spoke, the Huntun Ding sidled up to Ji Ningshuang, chuckling eagerly. It had caught the scent of a feast—the Shenmi Shengti's artifacts would make for a satisfying meal.

Unfortunately, the Shenmi Shengti's treasures were all stored in its small world. The ding wanted to retrieve them but lacked the ability. Even its master, Ye Chen, couldn't do it.

Ji Ningshuang said nothing, just smiled faintly and formed a seal with one hand.

"Divide!"

With a soft command, she invoked some unknown secret technique, separating all the treasures from the Shenmi Shengti's small world. Artifacts, pills, secret scrolls, source stones—they poured out in an unimaginable quantity, each piece of high quality.

This sight made Tianxu Dizi raise an eyebrow, and he couldn't help but glance at Ji Ningshuang again. Was this woman some kind of divine being? How could she pull this off? With a secret art like this, no treasure was safe.

Ye Chen was also surprised; he hadn't realized his wife possessed such a divine ability. He made a mental note to learn it later—for future lootings, the treasures in any Quasi-Emperor's small world would be ripe for the taking.

"How about we split them?"

The Huntun Ding laughed heartily, though it had already started helping itself. It ignored the pills and scrolls, focusing solely on the artifacts. With its mouth facing down, it swallowed everything—mirrors, seals, immortal swords, divine blades—in one gulp. It didn't leave a thing.

Among them was the Shenmi Shengti's natal artifact.

With its master suppressed, the artifact couldn't put up a fight. It was crushed by the Huntun Ding's overwhelming power, becoming nourishment for the ding's body. Just that one artifact alone was enough to satisfy it fully.

Tianxu Dizi stroked his chin, growing fonder of this ding by the second. It was incredibly useful.

"Huh? Why is the Wangchuan Dinv not wearing any clothes?"

Ye Chen exclaimed in surprise, glancing that way with sparkling eyes. His acting was spot-on—so convincing that anyone unaware would think it was genuine.

Even Tianxu Dizi fell for it, instinctively turning to look. But there was no Wangchuan Dinv in sight, not even a bird.

Realizing he'd been tricked, Tianxu Dizi quickly averted his gaze.

When he looked back at the Shenmi Shengti's treasures, more than half were already gone, leaving only some third-rate items. Not even exaggerating, you couldn't find a single six-pattern pill among them.

As for the missing treasures, they had all ended up in Ye Chen's bag, stashed away in his Chaos Small Realm. Divvying up loot was his specialty, and he had smoothly taken all the good stuff.

"Finders keepers—help yourself."

Ye Chen said with a smile, acting generously. His eyes seemed to say: You go first.

Tianxu Dizi's handsome face darkened completely. What a sly Chu Emperor, what a cunning Archaic Shengti! He had underestimated Ye Chen's shamelessness. All the best treasures were gone, so what was there left to pick? These third-rate junk—were they meant to be taken home for stew?

The young emperor from the forbidden zone was truly astounded today. In their era, there were no such schemes. Now, in this time, he was caught off guard and duped.

For treasures, you don't even care about your face anymore!

The way Tianxu Dizi looked at Ye Chen was full of meaning. Someone like him, if in the Ancient Heavenly Court era, wouldn't survive as a Quasi-Emperor—heck, even as a Great Emperor, he'd be struck down.

Ye Chen acted as if he hadn't noticed, casually picking through the remaining items as promised. He'd taken the good stuff, but he wasn't above grabbing the third-rate junk either, sifting through it without a hint of embarrassment.

For treasures, he was resolute in discarding his pride.

This was his life motto. Back when he robbed Ji Ningshuang, he'd done the same. This spirit had been upheld for centuries, and everyone in the heavens knew it.

Ji Ningshuang covered her mouth and stifled a laugh. She'd watched the whole scene of Ye Chen tricking Tianxu Dizi. Not just him—even she had fallen for it more than once. Anyone unfamiliar with Ye Chen would be an easy mark; this emperor was full of schemes.

Tianxu Dizi's face remained dark as he waved his hand, taking all the remaining treasures. If it was just third-rate junk, did Ye Chen still have the nerve to take it?

The loot-sharing ended on a sour note.

Once the treasures were divided, the three turned their attention back to the Shenmi Shengti. It was still standing there, having witnessed the whole spectacle. But beyond that, it couldn't hide its rage and resentment. Its blood-red eyes were fixed solely on Ye Chen—the one it hated most among the three.

"It's over."

Tianxu Dizi said coldly, an immortal sword appearing in his hand, his expression icy.

The Shenmi Shengti showed no fear. Instead, it grinned ferociously, its laughter directed at Ye Chen, carrying a demonic power like the gaze of death itself. Even Ye Chen felt a chill run through him.

"One day, I will return."

The Shenmi Shengti chuckled eerily, its pale teeth bared like a savage ghost.

Zheng!

Accompanied by a sword cry, Tianxu Dizi's sword finally fell, infused with destructive force. In an instant, the standing Shenmi Shengti was reduced to ashes, its body obliterated and soul scattered. Its mission in this life was finally complete.

To the surprise of all three, a beam of blood light shot out from the dissipating ashes and pierced into Ye Chen's brow.

Then, a vague, sinister, and desolate voice echoed through the heavens and earth: "By the name of my master, I curse you to wander in darkness, lifetime after lifetime, for all eternity."

No sooner had the words faded than Ye Chen staggered back, feeling his sea of consciousness roar and his head on the verge of exploding. The Shenmi Shengti's words were like a curse etched into his soul.

Ji Ningshuang's face changed, and so did Tianxu Dizi's. They hadn't expected the Shenmi Shengti to have one last trick—a curse this powerful.

"Be gone!"

Ye Chen snorted coldly, summoning the power of reincarnation to envelop the curse's seal.

He could dissolve memory contracts, so he could certainly eliminate this curse.

But before he could wipe it out, another mysterious force surged forth, brimming with malice, resentment, killing intent, and evil, overwhelming his clear mind.

In the haze, he saw a twisted ghostly face grinning at him.

It was Lutian Dizi, the legendary immortal body that wouldn't die. Though its divine form was destroyed and its origin devoured, its force of will remained, hidden within Ye Chen and now striking back.

And that wasn't all—another curse manifested at the same time: the Motian Di curse. Its mystery and dominance far surpassed the Shenmi Shengti's curse, let alone the undying malice.

Ugh...!

The two curses and one force of will intertwined, causing Ye Chen to roar in agony. In an instant, his mind and consciousness were engulfed, plunging him into demonization.

"Seal him!"

Tianxu Dizi barked sharply, a sealing mark forming in his palm.

He didn't need to say it—Ji Ningshuang was already casting her spells.

The two worked together, imprinting over a thousand seals on Ye Chen in a single breath. They didn't know why he was demonizing again, but sealing him was the safest option until they could purge the demonic nature.

Unfortunately, they couldn't hold him.

In just a moment, Ye Chen broke through the seals. Rolling demonic energy erupted, surging wildly, followed by a layer of destructive halo that spread out, knocking both Tianxu Dizi and Ji Ningshuang flying.

Now, Ye Chen's hair had turned blood-red, and his once wise eyes were once again shrouded in demonic fury. The light of violence and bloodlust in them was terrifyingly red, like a true demon god. His demonic might soared to the heavens, his oppressive aura even stronger than before, and his demonic nature more dreadful.

He had become a demon again. He twisted his neck contentedly, greedily inhaling the blood essence in the air. The scent of blood was like a drug, an addictive poison that drove him into a frenzy. With every breath, his demonic nature grew stronger.

Boom! Boom!

The skies rumbled with thunder and lightning, the earth trembled, mountains collapsed, unable to withstand his demonic essence. The black demonic energy gathered into a vast ocean, blotting out the last traces of light in the world.

Zheng!

A sword cry rang out as the fleeing Zhuxian Jian returned, materializing from the void like a streak of rainbow light, plunging straight into Ye Chen's body. It overlaid his demonic nature with a layer of rainbow halo.

This was its scheme, as if coordinated with the Shenmi Shengti. The Shenmi Shengti's final curse had been enhanced by its power, all to awaken the latent Motian Di curse and Lutian Dizi's undying force of will within Ye Chen.

Now, it had succeeded. Abandoning one Archaic Shengti, it had chosen a new one—and this Shengti was even more terrifying than the Shenmi Shengti.

Ye Chen laughed, his lips curving in a playful, mocking smile, laced with sinister violence.

This laugh was his, the Zhuxian Jian's, the Motian Di's, the Shenmi Shengti's, and the Lutian Dizi's. They had dragged his consciousness into the abyss of Jiu You.

In this moment, he was no longer Ye Chen but a great demon, intent on turning the world into a sea of corpses and rivers of blood, marching over mountains of the dead until the heavens were plunged into darkness.

Ah!

Ming Di rubbed his brow, and Dao Zu did the same. Though they hadn't wanted to see this, it was as they had anticipated. This demonization was the true one, and the so-called pure immortal force could no longer erase his demonic nature.

This demon would need to be cleansed with blood.