As that news exploded, Ye Chen was already soaring back to the Light Base City aboard the Rune Spaceship.

Whoosh!

Across the azure sky, beneath the corona, a platinum vessel sped past, dragging a long trail of clouds in its wake as it returned.

To the inhabitants of the Light Base City, this ship was no longer unfamiliar; thus, upon sighting the Rune Spaceship, the entire city erupted in a deafening roar of cheers!

The whole city was boiling!

Countless people shouted wildly, meeting him on the city streets in ecstatic welcome. In this great battle, Ye Chen's contribution was almost self-evident. Had he not tied down the enemy leader and secured the help of powerful allies, the Base City would have been annihilated!

Before the fighting even began, panic and darkness had enveloped the city. At their most desperate moment, everyone discovered that the supposed calamity had been averted, leading them to weep with overwhelming joy.

The moment Ye Chen returned to the Light Base City, the ship docked high above the most majestic hall in the city center. The guards here were numerous; ordinary people were forbidden from approaching, let alone flying directly overhead.

Looking down.

On the white jade plaza stood a dense array of dark figures—all the high-ranking officials of the Base City had come to welcome him, standing in perfect formation. Seeing Ye Chen, they all executed graceful bows.

Xu Tianguo stood at the forefront of the crowd. Watching Ye Chen return safely, he let out a breath of relief and smiled faintly, "You've finally returned."

Ye Chen nodded slightly, and then a blur of azure light flashed before his eyes as a figure lunged into his embrace, a faint, delicate fragrance drifting into his nose from her fragrant shoulder.

Scent could anchor memories.

So Ye Chen knew instantly who she was without even looking. His gaze softened, a slight smile curved his lips, and he spoke in a gentle tone, "Silly little sister, I'm fine."

Ye Zhu stood up from Ye Chen's embrace, her face flushing slightly. She huffed, "For such a dangerous undertaking, you didn't even tell me! Hmph, next time I’ll punish you by making you eat Mo Feng’s cooking!"

Ye Chen’s expression seemed to flicker for a moment, and he forced a dry laugh, "I will certainly obey in the future."

Xu Tianguo and the other officials standing nearby were stunned by Ye Chen's demeanor, half-doubting their eyes, and silently musing that indeed, every master has their match.

"My cooking isn't for just anyone to consume."

A cold voice drifted from a distance. The figures of Bai Long, Mo Feng, and others came into view.

Zhuge Fan laughed, "That's for sure!,"

Mo Feng shot him a sidelong glance, "The nutrition from one bowl of my rice can equal three bowls of ordinary rice! A regular person needs three bowls; eating just one of mine is enough!"

Bai Long pouted, "If they can even stomach it." [Provided by Po Xiao Shen Ling, First Release on Baidu]

Duo Ji said flatly, "It’s just that you all are too picky."

After a few casual jabs, they reached Ye Chen. There were no grand reunion gifts, no handshakes or hugs, but Bai Long said in an infuriatingly teasing manner, "Oh, Little Chen Chen seems to have grown stronger in aura. Don't tell me you were off molesting some innocent maiden again?"

"Sister, don't hold me back..."

"Ahem, what was I just saying? Hmm, the weather is truly fine today, perfect for an outing, tsk tsk..."

"Bang!"

"Don't hit the head, you—you—you..."

Amidst the entourage of other executives, Ye Chen and his group walked toward the main assembly hall. At the threshold of the magnificent structure, a man leaned lazily, entirely wrapped in white bandages, eyes half-closed as if basking in the sun.

"You're back?" Kaba asked without opening his eyes, speaking languidly.

Ye Chen glanced at him, a meaningful look in his eyes, "You did well this time. Go board the ship first. In a while, we'll be heading to the Ancient World; you might need to lend some strength then..."

Kaba’s eyes brightened slightly, then he rose lazily, stretching. "Fine, then!" He moved in a flash and entered the Rune Spaceship hanging in the sky.

The others were slightly startled by his astonishing speed and couldn't help but look at Ye Chen, secretly filled with admiration. To make a figure of this caliber willing to assist was no ordinary feat.

Entering the great hall.

Once everyone was seated, Ye Chen flipped his palm and produced the 'Pseudo-Epic Divine Armor' from the Rune Space. He surveyed the room and announced, "This armor is the peak Ghost Treasure produced from the ruins. Attacks below the fifth level of the Ghost God Realm are completely nullified; all others are weakened by ninety percent of their destructive power. Wearing this armor, one can inflict damage upon even Ghost God Realm experts."

At these words, the atmosphere in the hall instantly solidified.

Everyone's gaze fixed upon the "Pseudo-Epic Divine Armor" in Ye Chen's hands. It shimmered with a continuous radiance, intricately carved with ancient, mysterious characters that resembled sacred scriptures, emanating an aura of loftiness, nobility, and purity.

Those present were all discerning people who knew that Ghost Treasures were divided into four grades: Low, Medium, High, and Peak!

Even those unfamiliar with the grading system understood the immense value of armor that could resist attacks below the fifth level of the Ghost God Realm. In other words, a Super-level expert of several thousand rank could slaughter Ghost God experts wearing this armor! Provided, of course, the opponent lacked their Super Mode.

Ye Chen seemed to sense the rapid quickening of many breaths, and he stated calmly, "This was the armor belonging to the leader of the Heavenly God Alliance. I already possess a set myself; this one will be awarded to the person in the Base City with the greatest merit and highest strength!" As he spoke, he scanned the entire assembly.

Upon hearing this, every heart sank, and they sighed inwardly, lowering their heads, though secretly shocked. They hadn't expected Ye Chen to actually kill Samshit, the Super Evolution expert, especially considering that opponent also possessed a Super Mode and was a Ghost God Realm powerhouse!

And moreover...

He possessed this set of Peak Ghost Treasure!

How difficult must the killing have been?

Xu Tianguo's eyes flickered, and he pondered aloud, "If we speak of the greatest contribution this time, it must be Ye Zhu. Moreover, within the Base City, in terms of strength, she is also the strongest, her constitution having surpassed 8,000 levels, and during the battle, she single-handedly held back over thirty Super experts from the enemy side!"

Everyone turned to look at Ye Zhu beside Ye Chen. The girl seemed somewhat shy, lowering her head slightly, her cheeks faintly rosy.

Ye Chen nodded, handing the armor to his sister. "This armor can change form; both males and females can wear it. With this armor, if you encounter a Ghost God Realm expert without Super Mode, you can absolutely slay them."

Joy flickered in Ye Zhu’s eyes. She glanced at the others, hesitated for a moment, and then directly accepted it.

Seeing this, the crowd could only offer wry smiles and accept the outcome. After all, whether for public or private reasons, Ye Chen had no logical reason not to give it to Ye Zhu. In fact, they secretly felt relieved; at least Ye Chen hadn't secretly handed it over to Ye Zhu behind closed doors. Distributing it so publicly was also a gesture granting them face.

Subsequently, Ye Chen produced the Shadow Hunter Spear. After explaining the origin and function of this spear, he did not hand it to anyone present but instead summoned the Island Master of Purple Cloud.

When the Island Master of Purple Cloud walked into the hall, suspicion etched on his face, Ye Chen personally presented the Shadow Hunter Spear to him. "This is a High-Grade Ghost Treasure. Once you break through to the Ghost God Realm, wielding this spear, you can dominate within that tier, provided you don't encounter someone possessing a Peak Ghost Treasure."

The Island Master of Purple Cloud froze. Having lived for several centuries, he certainly knew what a High-Grade Ghost Treasure signified. His hand trembled slightly, betraying the intense unrest in his heart. Though he tried hard to suppress it, everyone could still detect a trace of excited shaking in his voice, "Really? For me?"

Ye Chen nodded slightly. "During this time, the Base City has relied on your care. A mere weapon is nothing." With that, he placed it directly into the Island Master’s hand.

The Island Master gripped the cool gun barrel, yet his heart boiled like a furnace, surging uncontrollably. He was a man of extremely strong mental fortitude, but a High-Grade Ghost Treasure was simply too precious. After a brief moment, he slowly regained composure and exhaled slowly. He declared resolutely, "Caring for you is what we should do. Since you have gained the recognition of the Divine Sword, you are the Chief of our Xuanyuan Clan!" [Provided by Po Xiao Shen Ling, First Release on Baidu]

Ye Chen nodded slightly.

The Island Master looked at the long spear in his hand and sighed softly, "It’s a pity; I’ve been stuck at the threshold of the Ghost God Realm for over a decade... unable to break through, alas!"

Ye Chen’s expression remained normal. He reached out and placed his hand on the Island Master of Purple Cloud’s body, unleashing a surge of turbulent Ghost Qi into the man’s core. He immediately discovered that this imposing man’s meridians were unusually wide. Because they were wide, the accumulated vital energy was even denser, far exceeding the peak of the tenth level of the Qi Source Realm!

Ye Chen couldn't help but feel a bit surprised, but he channeled even more of his internal Ghost Qi.

"Chief..." The Island Master of Purple Cloud gasped, feeling the vital energy within him being mobilized, an unprecedented sense of elation spreading throughout his body, as if every cell had come alive.

A moment later, Ye Chen withdrew his hand. "The bottleneck in your body has been cleared. You only need to circulate your energy slightly, and you can step into the Ghost God Realm. Go find a quiet place; under no circumstances should you be disturbed mid-process."

The Island Master felt the transformation within him. He sensed that with just a thought, he could step into that long-desired domain, and he was overcome with surprise and joy. "Thank you, Chief!"

Ye Chen waved his hand dismissively.

In reality, what seemed simple had consumed nearly 1,000 points of his internal Ghost Qi! However, if the Island Master of Purple Cloud could break through, the Light Base City would gain another peak Ghost God expert!

The people nearby heard the Island Master’s address and their eyes showed envy.

After the Island Master departed, Ye Chen returned to the main topic, asking Xu Tianguo, "How many members of the Base City have yet to be relocated to the ruins?"

Xu Tianguo pondered, "Recently, 200,000 people, mostly the elderly, weak, women, and children, have been migrated into the Xuanyuan World. Now, apart from the essential staff of major departments like the Intelligence Bureau and Production Department, everyone else has been evacuated."

"How many people does the Base City still have?" Ye Chen inquired.

Xu Tianguo reported truthfully, "The military still has 300,000 personnel; some were lost in the fighting, leaving 400,000. Considering the future of humanity, 100,000 were kept and migrated into the ruins. As for the other major guilds and small groups, they total about 100,000 people!"

Ye Chen nodded. "Proceed according to the plan. After another two days, lead everyone into the Ancient World. Anyone unwilling to go can voluntarily apply to transfer to the ruins."

Xu Tianguo nodded gravely.

The meeting concluded, and Ye Chen entered solitary cultivation. Having just broken through to the Ghost God Realm, the meridians within his body were still contracting slightly; he needed to solidify his foundation now, otherwise, it would become unstable.

Two days later, Ye Chen suddenly received an urgent notification from Xu Tianguo. The message read: "All major base cities across the world have now united and gathered in the Supreme Conference Hall through the virtual world of the Atlantean Civilization. A meeting is being held, reportedly to select representatives to migrate to the Ancient World—meaning, the leader of the entire Earth Alliance!"