Hell Emperor.

Chapter 602 Medicine White - Predestined Marriage
Thunder roared through the sky, like a dazzling sword cleaving through the Milky Way. Under its intense light, even the brilliance of the stars paled in comparison, and the entire starry sky fell silent.

The lightning bolt meandered along its path, landing precisely outside the courtyard where Ye Jie was. A deafening roar was heard, and a towering figure of a man appeared at the point where the lightning struck.

The man trod on lightning, his posture as straight as a pine tree, his eyebrows like cold blades slanting into his temples. Just by standing there, one could feel the awe-inspiring pressure descending upon him. No evil spirit in the world dared to be presumptuous in front of him.

"That aura is almost on par with that of the Mystic Maiden... Just who is this person?"

Looking at the completely unfamiliar face, Ye Jie was also somewhat surprised. The intense pressure emanating from that person was in no way inferior to that of the Xuan Nu herself, which also proved one thing.

The Immortal Venerable before us is undoubtedly stronger than the Saint Realm, having entered the true Ninth Revolution level! Throughout the entire Three Realms, he can be considered one of the strongest beings!
The Immortal Venerable ignored Ye Jie. With only the strength of the eighth level, Ye Jie was nothing in the eyes of a true ninth-level supreme being. Moreover, Ye Jie's true realm was still far from the eighth level. The Immortal Venerable's gaze was entirely focused on the Mystic Maiden not far away.

"A whisper came from the thunder: You were just angered. It's hard to imagine that someone of your current level would get so angry. What happened? Have you encountered some trouble? Tell me, and I'll help you sort it out!"

The Immortal Venerable's lips curled up, revealing only arrogance and confidence, as if he didn't care about anything at all.

"No problem."

Xuan Nu spoke softly, her tone devoid of any emotion, as if she were recounting something completely unrelated to herself.

The Immortal Venerable snorted angrily, seemingly dissatisfied with the answer, and turned his gaze to Ye Jie: "By the way, who is he? Could it be that you were angry just now because of him? Hmm?"

As the words fell, an immense pressure descended. Before the Nine Revolutions Supreme who stood tall between heaven and earth, even saints were like ants, beings that could be slaughtered at will.

An oppressive aura descended, a heavy force pressing down on Ye Jie's back, as if the entire human world was pressing down on him.

Under that immense force, even the Demon God Xiang Liu would be instantly crushed into dust, with no chance of survival. Even Ye Jie gradually couldn't hold on any longer. He wanted to explain, but he couldn't move an inch under that immense pressure. All that spread in his mouth was the taste of blood rushing up from his ruptured internal organs.

The power of a Nine Revolutions Supreme was so terrifying. In front of that Immortal Venerable, all of Ye Jie's accumulated strength was powerless to put up the slightest resistance. And this was only the pressure he was releasing. If they were to really fight, the Immortal Venerable would only need one move to make Ye Jie's soul disappear.

Under immense pressure, Ye Jie's entire body cracked and popped. He could almost feel his bones deforming, and his whole body was about to be crushed by that enormous force.

In the moment of crisis, a slender figure stood in front of Ye Jie, completely dispelling the oppressive force coming from the front.

Finally freed from the oppressive force, Ye Jie was drenched in sweat. His soul had almost been completely obliterated under the pressure, and even so, he was still severely injured.

“This matter has nothing to do with him.”

The cold voice in his ear made Ye Jie tremble as he raised his head, only to see that the one who had blocked the oppressive force for him was none other than Xuan Nu herself.

"Who is he to you? Why are you helping him?"

The Immortal Venerable asked in a deep voice, endless lightning gathering in his pupils, the violent intent emanating from them causing even Ye Jie's heart to tremble.

“I don’t know him, but I think you should control your temper and not let your anger control you.”

Xuan Nu remained indifferent, but the Immortal Venerable persisted: "Since he has nothing to do with you, even if I kill him, you won't have any complaints?"

Xuan Nu stopped trying to stop her, her expression calm and undisturbed. Nothing could shake her resolve. Having already aligned herself with the Dao, she naturally wouldn't be swayed by external influences: "Of course."

The Immortal Venerable lowered the corners of his mouth, but did not continue to make things difficult for Ye Jie: "It seems that he really has nothing to do with you. Never mind, I have no intention of making things difficult for you. If you encounter any trouble next time, don't forget to tell me, and I will help you deal with it."

Xuan Nu did not answer; her expression remained unchanged, as if everything happening in the outside world had nothing to do with her.

Having said that, the Immortal Venerable had no intention of lingering any longer. His figure rose from the ground, transforming into divine lightning that pierced through the Milky Way, and he leaped off to who knows where.

After the immortal venerable left, Ye Jie couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief. For a moment, he really thought he was doomed. The killing intent he felt from the immortal venerable made Ye Jie realize that he was not just joking.

"Thank you for your help. If you hadn't blocked that oppressive force and persuaded that person to leave, I'm afraid I would be in grave danger... I wonder who that immortal venerable is, that he is so ferocious..."

Ye Jie sighed, "If Xuan Nu hadn't used a 'retreat to advance' tactic at the last moment, making that person give up, the consequences would have been hard to predict."

Xuan Nu shook her head: "I didn't persuade him to leave; he gave up on his own."

Ye Jie's eye twitched. Was she serious? Was she really going to let that person kill him?

However, judging from the current signs, it is not impossible to do so. With Xuan Nu's state of mind, she would not be swayed by a stranger. She is detached from everything and her heart is close to the indifference of the Heavenly Dao. Of course, she would not protect Ye Jie, who has nothing to do with her.

"Since everything is alright, let's leave."

Xuan Nu uttered a cold remark, and before Ye Jie could speak, she flicked her sleeve, and a tremendous force blew Ye Jie out of the courtyard.

Understanding that Xuan Nu did not want to see him again, Ye Jie could only sigh. Although her appearance was similar to the person in his memory, she was ultimately not that person. There was not even a trace of her. Even if Ye Jie really died, the expression on her face would not change.

Before coming here, Ye Jie had hoped that he could awaken Xia Wei's consciousness by relying on the bonds he had built up in the past, but the final result greatly disappointed him, and this attempt ultimately failed.

Ye Jie stood up, but the excruciating pain in his bones still reminded him of what he had just experienced.

Fortunately, the Supreme Saint-level cultivation technique was no joke. As long as it wasn't a fatal blow, no matter how severe the injury, Ye Jie could recover quickly, so there was no need to worry too much. However, the Immortal Venerable's furious expression still lingered in Ye Jie's memory, and he wondered what his relationship with the Mysterious Maiden was. With these questions in mind, Ye Jie quickly returned to his companions. Just then, the Taiyin Star Lord had also gathered enough information and intended to tell him.

“Your idea is not wrong. Compared to searching for Fairy Zixia, searching for the Great Sage Equaling Heaven is much easier. I have already learned about his activities in the mortal world from other immortals... Are you even listening to me?”

Halfway through her speech, the Moon Goddess suddenly noticed that Ye Jie's gaze had lost focus, as if he were preoccupied with something else and looking distracted. She couldn't help but show a hint of displeasure.

What time is it? The news she just said concerns everyone's hope of returning. If it fails, the whole world will be unrecognizable. It is the most important thing. But looking at Ye Jie's expression, he is clearly immersed in something else and cannot extricate himself. This inevitably makes Taiyin Xingjun quite angry. She doesn't know what he is doing.

Ye Jie sighed, but the complex thoughts in his heart could not be calmed instantly, so he could only say, "Have you ever seen such a Ninth-Rank Immortal Venerable? That person also wields thunder, and his aura is no less than that of the Mystic Maiden..."

Ye Jie recalled the appearance of that immortal venerable and recounted what he had just seen. After hearing Ye Jie's question, the Taiyin Star Lord was also slightly surprised:
"Wait a minute...where did you hear about that immortal venerable one?"

"I saw him just now."

Ye Jie spoke, and as he spoke, he couldn't help but rub his sore shoulders, as if the boundless pressure that had just descended was still ravaging his body.

The Moon Goddess's expression was solemn: "If I remember correctly, that Immortal Venerable was the Nine Heavens Responding Origin Immortal Venerable. His realm was comparable to that of the Mysterious Maiden, and like her, he wielded the Dao of Thunder Punishment. However, he perished at the hands of the Heavenly Demon hundreds of years ago..."

Ye Jie understood. It turned out that the immortal venerable he had just met had such a powerful background. However, he was not polite at all when he did things. Even Ye Jie himself was almost killed by him in a fit of rage.

After learning the identity of that Celestial Venerable, Ye Jie couldn't help but feel a little puzzled: "What is the connection between the Nine Heavens Responding Origin you mentioned and the Mysterious Maiden?"

Taiyin Xingjun glanced at Ye Jie and recalled, "They are both wielders of the Thunder Punishment Path, each possessing a portion of its power. Only when these powers merge can the Thunder Punishment Path reach its full potential. Jiutian Yingyuan Immortal Venerable seems to be interested in discussing the Dao and cultivating together with Xuan Nu, so that the Thunder Punishment Path can reach perfection, but Xuan Nu has no interest whatsoever."

Ye Jie remained silent. No wonder that person was so furious when they saw him.

As the two were talking, Yao Bai suddenly remembered something and couldn't help but exclaim:
"Wait a minute, I think I know, that person must be the lover of the Goddess Xuan Nu!"

"Insolence! What nonsense are you spouting?"

Upon hearing this, before Ye Jie could even speak, the Moon Goddess rebuked him sternly: "The Mysterious Maiden has long since abandoned worldly desires. Do you think she is one of those mediocre mortals who would still have such meaningless worldly emotions? How dare you slander her like this!"

Faced with the reprimand from the Moon Goddess, Yao Bai shrank her ears and dared not say another word. As a Moon Rabbit, she dared not offend the master of the moon.

Ye Jie frowned. From Yao Bai's sudden realization, he also noticed something amiss and asked, "Wait a minute, it wouldn't hurt to hear what she has to say. Xiao Bai, how did you come to this conclusion?"

Yao Bai glanced warily at Taiyin Xingjun, seeing that she had narrowed her eyes but hadn't reacted, seemingly prepared to hear his speculation. Only then, under Ye Jie's protection, did he speak:

"This isn't my opinion, it's written in the marriage register!"

"A marriage certificate?"

Everyone was slightly taken aback, not understanding what the "Mandarin Duck Register" Yao Bai mentioned was. Only a few knowledgeable companions realized that it was a divine artifact in the hands of the Old Man of the Moon.

Ye Jie said, "The Mandarin Duck Register you mentioned, I remember it was also a document-type divine artifact... Every document-type divine artifact has unpredictable divine power. Could it be that you saw something in the Mandarin Duck Register?"

Seeing everyone looking at him, Yao Bai nodded vigorously and embellished his account of that day's events:
"Of course! The Mandarin Duck Register clearly records that Xia Wei will have a predestined marriage in a past life! The so-called predestined marriage means that she also had a lover in her previous life, right? Isn't that the Nine Heavens Yingyuan? ... That's clearly written in the Mandarin Duck Register. If it's wrong, don't blame me, blame the book instead!"

Mentioning the marriage register, Yao Bai seemed to recall something, and his gaze involuntarily drifted to Ye Jie standing to the side.

The Old Man of the Moon had said that she would die alone, without a companion. It was only thanks to Xia Wei's consent that her name was added to the register of lovers alongside Ye Jie's. If the register's records are accurate, then it means…

After listening to Yao Bai's story, Ye Jie frowned, not noticing her slightly excited expression, and then spoke:
"I have also heard of the name 'Mandarin Duck Register'... Every magical artifact of the literary type contains the power to distort reality. Since it is written in the Mandarin Duck Register, it must be true. Xia Wei will have a predestined marriage brought about by her past life."

Ye Jie had the most direct understanding of the power contained in document-type artifacts. His strength came from modifying the records in the Book of Life and Death. In addition, there were document-type artifacts in the world that could help people become immortals simply by writing their names on them.

Each type of magical artifact has a different focus. The Book of Life and Death records the basic files and life experiences of all living beings, while the Marriage Register records the marriages of all living beings.

"A predestined marriage from a past life..."

Recalling the appearance of the Nine Heavens Responding Origin Immortal Venerable, Ye Jie couldn't help but frown. It seemed that this marriage was not a good match.

However, thinking of the strength of the Nine Heavens Responding Origin Immortal Venerable, Ye Jie felt somewhat powerless. Even a saint's realm was like an infant who had not yet learned to walk in front of the Nine Revolutions Supreme Venerable who was above heaven and earth; they were simply not on the same level.

"So, this is what's bothering you?"

After hearing what Ye Jie said, Taiyin Xingjun couldn't help but glare at him. It was clearly a crucial moment, yet he was still distracted by such trivial matters. She really didn't know what to say to him.

"This is not our time. Although some things have already happened in the past, instead of worrying about that, we should worry about the most important thing right now, which is the whereabouts of the Monkey King."

Ye Jie sighed and could only look at the Moon Goddess: "Where is he now?"

The Moon Goddess answered slowly, reporting the situation: "The last time the immortals found traces of him was outside the Bodhi Hall in the west."

(End of this chapter)