Although it was just a slight movement of his arm, it felt as if Ye Chen had exerted all his strength; a searing, tearing pain shot through every fiber of his being, agonizingly sharp, as if his tendons and flesh were being meticulously extracted from his body.

Ye Chen let out a muffled groan, his face flushed crimson, the muscles twitching subtly. Though he had no mirror, he knew his complexion must be ghastly.

He gritted his teeth as waves of intense pain washed over him. Before long, the entire world faded, and he fell unconscious.

In a hazy void, after an unmeasured passage of time, Ye Chen slowly opened his eyes. The bizarre, bloody moon and the myriad stars flooded his vision, soft starlight dusting his face with a hint of icy clarity.

A fierce resolve ignited in Ye Chen's eyes. He clenched his jaw and slowly shifted his arm, his entire palm trembling violently. His meridians spasmed as if his hand were being scorched by flames, millions of ants devouring him from within. Veins bulged on his neck as he bit down, eyes squeezed shut, enduring the torment with all his might.

Soon after, he succumbed to unconsciousness once more.

For the next ten days or so, Ye Chen attempted to move his body daily. Even the slightest shift brought an unbearable, tearing agony that forced him into darkness.

One day, Ye Chen woke up groggily. He suddenly felt an itch in his ear and detected faint, warm breath nearby. Startled, he tried to turn his head, but his neck protested with a grating pain as if it might snap. His brow furrowed deeply, his teeth involuntarily chattering.

Then, a soft, furry thing slowly crawled over, navigating his armor until it settled on his chest. It blinked its large, glossy black eyes, regarding Ye Chen with clear curiosity.

Seeing it was Little White Rabbit, Ye Chen couldn't help but offer a bitter, internal laugh. After such a brutal fight, the little creature had only just woken up—truly the reincarnation of a lazy pig.

The rabbit’s gem-like eyes darted left and right, blinking rapidly, its tiny mouth shaped into an 'o'—a picture of utter curiosity and bewilderment. After a moment, it seemed to grow drowsy, let out a small yawn, and then, with ears drooping, it curled up, nestled deep within the soft inner lining of Ye Chen’s armor, and drifted back to sleep.

Ye Chen couldn't help but roll his eyes. "You brute..."

For the following month, Ye Chen diligently practiced, moving his limbs slowly. He progressed from managing mere twitches to gradually being able to raise his arm.

Having achieved this much, Ye Chen immediately opened a Spatial Folding Bag. The faint, translucent form of the Old Man of the Green Talisman floated out, regarding him with clear astonishment. "What kind of mischief did you get into? Why are you in such a wretched state?"

(The Rune Ship, containing the plundered Pseudo-God-grade vessel, was stored within the Spatial Folding Bag.)

Ye Chen shot him a look and cut him off. "Enough nonsense. Hurry up and bring out the Demigod Stones!"

The Old Man of the Green Talisman propped his chin, scrutinizing Ye Chen from head to toe, clicking his tongue. "To be injured this severely, your opponent must have been truly vicious. Tell me, what if I lunged now and claimed your body?"

Ye Chen glanced sideways at him. "Try me!"

The Old Man of the Green Talisman chuckled wryly. "My old bones are too frail; I couldn't possibly handle the body of a menace like you!" Saying this, he hastily spun around and scurried back into the Rune Ship, manipulating its machinery to send out tens of thousands of Demigod Stones.

Ye Chen barely managed to summon the strength to grasp one Demigod Stone in his palm. A surging devour power frantically sucked the energy from within it.

Thump, thump, thump...

Demigod Stones shattered around Ye Chen in succession. The dense energy enveloped his entire body. Every inch of skin, flesh, tendon, and bone absorbed the tempering of the Demigod power, rapidly healing and regenerating.

One day passed.

Ye Chen opened his eyes again. His face radiated vitality, his gaze sharp and focused. He slowly moved his body, discovering with elation that the agonizing pain was completely gone. He quickly rose from the ground, shook himself off, and stood tall.

Ye Chen had never before understood how utterly blissful it was to have complete, free control over his own body.

He stood atop the peak, gazing out over the distance, a spirit that could swallow ten thousand li bubbling in his chest. The entire world seemed beautiful; even the hazy night sky appeared softened and lovely.

"Ahem, Boss, you've recovered?" The Old Man of the Green Talisman rubbed his hands together, slowly drifting out of the Rune Ship, offering a nervous, dry laugh.

Ye Chen turned his head and gave him a pointed look. "What did you say yesterday?"

The Old Man of the Green Talisman instantly adopted a stern, upright expression, his face full of righteousness. "I said yesterday that Master’s body must recover swiftly! For your healing, I would gladly give my life! My loyalty to you is verifiable by the sun and moon, known to heaven and earth! My adoration for you flows like a surging river, never-ending, like..."

Ye Chen waved a hand, too weary to argue. "Let's go. I need to get to a certain place."

The Old Man of the Green Talisman breathed a sigh of relief and quickly executed a formal salute. "Yes, sir!"

"No proper behavior," Ye Chen muttered, flicking his gaze at the old man. With a flash, he entered the Rune Ship and settled onto the soft sofa in the living area. He happened to catch his reflection in a mirror and realized that after so many days, he looked rather like a wild beast—a face full of stubble, unkempt hair, and his Godflame Suit stained with blood, a truly desolate sight.

The Old Man of the Green Talisman entered from outside, gave a characteristic chuckle, and then ambled toward the central control room. "Boss, where are we headed?"

Ye Chen didn't hesitate. "The location I gave you last time. The coordinates are Fei—"

"Done! Auto-navigation engaged!" the Old Man of the Green Talisman beamed.

Ye Chen waved his hand, retrieving the Xuanyuan Divine Sword from the Rune Space. He went to the ship's washroom, shaved his beard in front of the mirror, and washed himself thoroughly, emerging completely refreshed.

"I wonder how Kaba is doing?" Ye Chen changed into a clean, soft training suit and leaned back on the sofa, slowly savoring a cup of fragrant wine—a special blend of beast blood mixed with various medicinal herbs.

"In this White Lotus Divine Continent, without using a teleportation array, how many years would it take the Rune Ship to reach the Ancient Continent given its speed? If we head for a teleportation array, the Fengyue Family and the Scarlet Extinction Sect will surely have meticulous surveillance. They will undoubtedly have mid-to-high-tier Pseudo-God realm experts stationed there!"

"With my current strength, dealing with even one mid-tier Pseudo-God expert is difficult. If I were trapped at a teleportation array and surrounded, I would certainly face death!" "I must become stronger!"

A strange light flickered in Ye Chen’s eyes as he stared blankly out at the night sky beyond the tinted glass.

Not long after, the Old Man of the Green Talisman’s voice rang out. "We've arrived!"

Ye Chen drew his gaze back and turned. The Rune Ship was docked on an air corridor. The hatch opened, and a blast of cold, fierce wind rushed in.

Ye Chen flashed out of the ship, hovering in mid-air, looking down. Below was a landscape of lush, towering green mountains and forests, ancient trees like firewood, all suffused with a faint, primal energy.

A sharp glint flashed in Ye Chen's eyes. He raised a hand and gripped the air, retracting the Rune Ship into the Spatial Folding Bag. Then, with another movement, he plunged into the towering green canopy. After traversing layers of foliage, he landed on a stretch of rocky ground.

Ye Chen shimmered, activating Ghost-God Mode. A rolling cloud of faint golden divine power manifested around his body, turning him into a phantom-like silhouette that slowly permeated the rock beneath him.

At the Ghost-God Realm, the body could become ethereal in Ghost-God Mode! At the Demigod Realm, it could become ethereal in Divine-Ghost Mode! At the Pseudo-God Realm, it could become ethereal in Pseudo-God Mode!

In some star fragments of the Ancient World, the density of certain rocks, plants, and trees far exceeded that of Earth’s flora, and they contained unique energies. Ghost-God Mode might not always penetrate them; only Divine-Ghost Mode would suffice.

Ye Chen descended through the sand and gravel. After about a thousand zhang, he discovered a vast, oval-shaped grotto. Its interior walls were smooth and pitch-black, studded with strange, sharp stones. Inside was a barren clearing overgrown with weeds and scattered rubble. Against one rock face stood a magnificent stone gate!

This gate was imposing and eternal, seeming to prop up the very heavens and anchor the earth. Moss and weeds clung to it, bearing countless marks of wind and frost, suggesting it had stood for billions of years.

Ye Chen slowly approached the stone gate, gazing up at the familiar structure. "In my previous life, it was in this nameless cave that I secluded myself for a hundred years to reach the Ghost-God Realm. Back then, I only received the most rudimentary outer sect inheritance—barely even an inheritance. Now, with my current power, I should be able to approach the true inheritance within!"

Ye Chen glanced to the east, where a dark opening gaped. A faint white light emanated from it, accompanied by the muffled sound of wind being sucked inward. In his past life, he had fallen into this grotto after being chased relentlessly, tumbling down a cliff and barely managing to grab a vine on the wall to slow his descent.

Now, there was no need to jump off a cliff; he could simply enter directly.

He paused for a moment in reflection, then strode forward to the stone gate. In the center of the seemingly immovable structure was a cryptic rune, resembling an ancient seal character, yet it was blurred and indistinct, obscured as if by a veil of mist.

Ye Chen reached out and touched it. The gate, which looked so solidly fixed, yielded easily to a gentle push. A blinding, dazzling light spilled from the opening, forcing him to narrow his eyes until he gradually adjusted.

A narrow fissure opened in the stone door, just wide enough for Ye Chen to pass. Inside was a spacious area paved with white jade. The railings were intricately carved with coiling dragons. A small, gurgling stream circulated continuously, and at the far end stood another stone door marked with a faintly golden, mysterious seal that rotated silently.

Flanking this small plaza were two side chambers. Their architecture was peculiar, hinting at Greek and European styles, and they were sealed by faint golden runes, making them impossible to open.

Ye Chen’s mood was excellent. He walked slowly toward the stone door at the far end. Before he could fully stop, a grand and profound aura washed over him, pressing down like Mount Tai, causing his entire body to tremble slightly.

In his previous life, Ye Chen had instantly staggered back three feet, spitting out a mouthful of blood.