Chapter 3112: Where are you from?

At dawn, the crowd left the valley. Afterward, in many corners of Sen Luo Jie, one could see the figures of several people, like a group of worldly travelers, wandering and pausing along the way, inquiring as they went. As Ye Chen had anticipated, the sources of Dun Jia known to Shen Yun Suan Yuan—whether individual cultivators or hidden sects—had all met with disaster. If not a Zhizun, they were merely decorations. The opponent was Wu Tian Xue Zun, a Tian Di-level god. Once targeted by him, numbers were useless; killing and plundering happened in an instant.

"It's way too clean."

"Supposedly a Zhizun? But they struck way too ruthlessly."

"Good thing Shishu isn't here."

The little old man grumbled all the way, full of pent-up anger. Every place they visited showed scenes of carnage. For the sake of the Tian Zi, Wu Tian Xue Zun had indeed been ruthless. The Dun Jia Tian Zi was originally a supreme secret treasure, but this time, it had become a harbinger of deadly calamity. An ordinary person bears no guilt, but possessing a precious jade invites trouble—any cultivator or force with a Tian Zi had been wiped out without exception, not only losing their treasure but also facing total clan extermination or complete destruction of body and spirit.

As another Zhizun, Ye Chen was far more humane than Wu Tian Xue Zun. Although he had taken some Tian Zi characters, he hadn't harmed lives. For example, with the Chi Yan Xiong Shi, the sect disciples, or the Qing Lou patrons, he had basically exchanged treasures for the characters.

Ye Chen himself had been the most silent throughout the journey. He had expected this, so seeing it didn't surprise him much. When a Zhizun made a move, it was always on a grand scale.

More often, he gazed at the sky. This so-called immortal realm was unimaginably vast, seeming much larger than the various heavens in his mind. There had originally been more than one Zhizun, but now they were all nowhere to be found, beyond his perception. Either they were hiding, or they were impossibly distant, far enough to escape his senses. He knew it was all because of the Dun Jia Tian Zi. Eventually, there would come a day when they met again, leading to a fierce battle. Perhaps he would be ganged up on, locked down tightly, turning into a living target if surrounded.

"Senior, you're not from around here, are you?"

Shen Yun Suan Yuan suddenly spoke, addressing Ye Chen, and only Ye Chen could hear it.

Ye Chen remained silent, implicitly agreeing.

Seeing this, Shen Yun Suan Yuan pulled out a scroll and unfurled it in front of Ye Chen. The painting depicted Ji Ning Shuang.

"My wife."

Before Shen Yun Suan Yuan could ask, Ye Chen spoke up.

"No wonder."

Shen Yun Suan Yuan sighed, confirming his guess. Clearly, he had seen Yao Chi before. The little old man had seen it too, his expression quite peculiar. Back in the day, he was just a minor junior. The first time he saw Yao Chi, it was with Zhao Yun, and he had thought she was Zhao Yun's wife. Little did he know, the person beside him now was the real one. As expected, the husband of a generation's female demon lord must be an unparalleled fierce figure. Seeing it now proved true—a single slap from Ye Chen had sent a Zhizun flying, making him even more terrifying than Yao Chi.

"Stop."

Ye Chen suddenly spoke and stood up.

The crowd halted, all turning to look at him.

For three breaths, Ye Chen said nothing.

"East."

Only on the fourth moment did he speak.

"Hold on tight."

The little old man didn't hesitate, forming a seal with one hand. The wine gourd they were sitting on shot off like a divine light, heading straight into the eastern haze.

"A Tian Zi?"

Shen Yun Suan Yuan glanced at Ye Chen, asking cautiously.

"A Tian Mo."

Ye Chen replied calmly.

Indeed, it was a Tian Mo. Though surprised, he wasn't shocked. If the heavenly dao of this universe was like that of the various heavens, then the birth of a Tian Mo wouldn't be strange.

The others scratched their heads, clueless about what a Tian Mo was, but they could tell Ye Chen was very interested.

Buzz!

The wine gourd trembled with a buzz, moving at incredible speed. Ye Chen's eyes grew deeper, able to pierce through the void and, across the vast distance, see the peak of a mountain in the east. There stood a figure in black robes, their body flickering between illusion and solidity, with red hair fluttering and bathed in moonlight, exuding a demonic aura. Their face was blurred and chaotic, obscuring their features—it seemed they had used some profound concealment to hide the truth. But in Ye Chen's eyes as a quasi Huang Di, it was all meaningless.

"Di."

Ye Chen murmured to himself, discerning the figure's cultivation—at least that of a Di, possibly even a Tian Di.

Hm?

The Tian Mo turned their gaze, peering through the void as well, their eyes narrowing slightly. They had sensed the scrutiny and saw a wine gourd approaching, carrying people whose cultivations were pathetically weak. But that child—Ye Chen—was different.

"A Zhizun?"

Shen Yun Suan Yuan pondered aloud, knowing the Tian Mo was watching. The feeling was like being stared at by a demon god.

"Where do all these Zhizun come from?"

The Chi Yan Xiong Shi muttered, trembling all over as his cowardice resurfaced. He subconsciously hid behind Ye Chen. This trip out had shown him how terrifying the outside world was— no wonder their ancestors had warned against leaving the wilderness lightly. Compared to him, Zi Xin was much calmer, knowing Ye Chen's strength made even Zhizun insignificant. He still vividly remembered Ye Chen slapping a god flying earlier.

By the time they spoke, they had arrived in that realm.

The Tian Mo hadn't left, watching with great interest. They ignored the little old man and Shen Yun Suan Yuan, focusing solely on Ye Chen—that child was unfathomable to them.

"Where are you from?"

From a distance, the little old man shouted boldly, his confidence boosted by Ye Chen's presence. Without Ye Chen, he would have run faster than anyone.

Buzz!

As soon as the words fell, the heavens and earth shook. The crowd felt a sudden darkness before their eyes, and when they opened them again, the world had changed dramatically. Lightning flashed and thunder roared above, while blood rivers raged below, filled with resentful spirits howling. The demonic heavenly sounds disrupted their minds.

A separate space.

Ye Chen's eyes flickered, instantly realizing it was the Tian Mo's divine ability, pulling them in.

"We've been caught."

The little old man cursed under his breath, barely able to stand. Shen Yun Suan Yuan and the others all looked pale.

Only Ye Chen remained calm and composed.

A Zhizun could casually create a separate space with a wave of their hand. Judging by the changes in this space, it was no ordinary Di—it belonged to the strongest kind.

Boom!

Accompanied by a thunderous boom, the lightning intensified, and amid the flashes, a ghostly face materialized, twisted and grotesque. Shen Yun Suan Yuan and the others still couldn't see its true features, only those eyes—desolate as an abyss—from which visions of mountains of corpses and seas of blood unfolded, displaying utter destruction. Gazing down from above, it made their hearts tremble. Though alive, they felt as if they had already fallen into the nine underworlds, their bodies ice-cold and lifeless. Of course, in the eyes of a god, they were mere ants, easily crushed.

"Boss, can you handle this?"

The Chi Yan Xiong Shi coughed, repeating his question.

"How interesting."

Before Ye Chen could respond, the Tian Mo's eerie laugh echoed. Their voice was deeply demonic, turning Shen Yun Suan Yuan and the others into mindless zombies, their expressions dull and eyes vacant. Only Ye Chen stood firm, tilting his small head to look at the Tian Mo's ghostly face. Honestly, that laugh was a bit nauseating. Whenever he saw such a smile, he felt an inexplicable urge to kill.

Under his gaze, the Tian Mo's ghostly face transformed back into human form, stepping toward him step by step, laughing more mockingly. Their blood-red eyes narrowed further, still unable to see through Ye Chen. They only knew he was a Zhizun, but his physical state seemed off—completely sealed, perhaps even unable to fly, or maybe in worse shape than imagined.

Ye Chen didn't even glance at them, lightly waving his hand to store Shen Yun Suan Yuan and the others in his storage bag.

The Tian Mo approached, circling around him like he was some curiosity, their eyes full of greed.

"Had enough of a look?"

Ye Chen said indifferently, glancing at the Tian Mo. Did they really think he was just a monkey for entertainment?

"Not from this universe."

"Such a domineering seal."

"Interesting."

The Tian Mo chuckled eerily again, muttering one phrase after another, whether to themselves or to Ye Chen. That's why they were a Zhizun—their vision was vast. Unfortunately, they only saw half the iceberg. They could tell Ye Chen's origin and sense his seal, but they couldn't recognize his true cultivation. Otherwise, they wouldn't be idly watching like this—they'd have fled.

After circling countless times, they finally stopped, standing directly in front of Ye Chen, laughing even more sinisterly.

"What a handsome face."

Ye Chen extended his small hand, touching the Tian Mo's face. He was quite in the mood, his plump little hand roaming over their features like caressing a fine work of art.

The Tian Mo just laughed and didn't speak, playing along. Earlier, they had circled Ye Chen, and he hadn't moved; now, as Ye Chen touched their face, they stood still too. This little one was more interesting than expected.

Touch, keep touching.

Once done, I'll take you back and stew you.

That should taste pretty good.

That was the meaning in the Tian Mo's eyes.

Ye Chen was straightforward.

As he touched, his small hand shifted direction, reaching the Tian Mo's neck and grabbing it firmly.

"With you?"

The Tian Mo laughed mockingly, demonic light flashing.

But awkwardly, they couldn't break free.

"Go on, why aren't you laughing?"

Ye Chen looked at the Tian Mo with a smile, lifting them by the neck with his small hand. Zhou Tian force surged, forming chains of runes that etched into the Tian Mo's body one by one. If you run, I might not catch you, but if I get hold of you, don't even think about leaving. The brain is a good thing—coming here to amuse me comes at a price.

The Tian Mo's eyes filled with shock. They had truly underestimated Ye Chen; this little one was stronger than imagined. Even sealed, he was terrifying enough. As a Zhizun, they couldn't escape, and those runes engraving into their demonic body had become a seal—domineering beyond compare and impossible to break. This situation was embarrassingly awkward; not a single move had been made, and they were already pinned. All Zhizun dignity was gone.

"Nicely done."

In the storage bag, Shen Yun Suan Yuan had awakened, and the little old man was beaming. See? Ye Chen could handle the scene.

"Who exactly are you?"

The Tian Mo snorted coldly, still struggling against the seal.

"This character is mine now."

Ye Chen was all business, with no time for small talk, already seizing the treasure. The so-called treasure was the Dun Jia Tian Zi—a character "Chi"—etched in the palm of the Tian Mo's left hand. He had spotted it earlier when the Tian Mo circled him. Luck was exploding; after searching so long without finding a Tian Zi, someone delivered it right to him. This Zhizun from the Tian Mo's side was quite reliable in handling things—a point he appreciated.

"Open for me!"

The Tian Mo roared, etching a demonic pattern on their forehead, likely activating a forbidden technique to forcibly break the seal. For this, they paid a heavy price, with half their demonic body exploding into blood mist.