Chen Xia's reputation grew increasingly prominent across the entire frontline of All Heavens.
He was the only Great Saint who could be mentioned in the same breath as the Great Emperors.
When people spoke of him, they used the same tone as when discussing Great Emperors, sometimes even more reverently.
This was because Chen Xia's battle achievements were simply too shocking.
He had slain countless Saints, killed one Great Emperor, and severely wounded several others.
It was said that recently, he had even confronted the entire Dark Invasion, striking down three Great Emperors with a single sword strike before making a clean escape.
Such a hero commanded respect even from ordinary Great Emperors, who would respectfully address him as Saint Chen, let alone other Saints.
Chen Xia had single-handedly pushed the upper limits of what a Great Saint could achieve.
The Great Emperors' evaluation of Chen Xia was direct and concise.
"One of a kind."
Chen Xia had become the iconic figure of the left battlefront - he could fight on the frontlines, help with logistics by refining medicines when needed, and even ride horses in his spare time. He had truly captured the hearts of all cultivators.
When Chen Xia was present, the atmosphere always felt lighter.
However, the number of cultivators on the frontline was dwindling, with many dead or wounded.
Some Saints suffered injuries that caused their cultivation to regress, cutting off their future path of cultivation. Unable to fight anymore, some returned to their home star regions, while others switched to logistics work.
As for the dead cultivators, there were too many to count. Chen Xia only knew that numerous wandering souls now floated beneath the city walls at the frontline.
These wandering souls were extremely fragile and couldn't be actively salvaged, or they would shatter.
Chen Xia often sat on the city walls, watching the wandering souls drift below.
These were all the remnant consciousness of deceased cultivators, their lingering attachments still clinging to the city walls, unwilling to depart, becoming masterless wandering souls.
Emperor Tianhe told Chen Xia not to think too much about it, saying that these wandering souls might naturally disappear after a few thousand years.
Of course, there might also be more of them, possibly including himself one day.
Emperor Tianhe said this with an expressionless face, as if he had long anticipated his own death.
Chen Xia shook his head and sighed, "You're just spreading negativity."
In the days that followed.
A figure in blue robes appeared on the city walls, holding a fishing rod - not to catch fish, but to fish for the wandering souls below.
If the souls voluntarily took the bait, it wouldn't count as forced salvage, and they could safely ascend the city walls.
Perhaps later, these souls could even be sent back to their respective star regions, allowing them to return to their homeland.
Chen Xia's intentions were good, but no soul ever took the bait.
This continued until a new batch of cultivators arrived at the left battlefront. These cultivators were notably weaker in combat power, with only three Great Saints among them, though there were more at the Peak of Heaven Mending Realm.
Chen Xia stood beside Emperor Tianhe, holding his fishing rod, and asked with a shake of his head.
"Is it really useful to send these cultivators to sacrifice their lives on the frontline?"
It wasn't that he was soft-hearted, but what could those at the Peak of Heaven Mending Realm actually do except get killed by the dark remnants with a single strike?
Emperor Tianhe spoke softly to Chen Xia with a calm expression.
"Haven't you figured it out yet? These cultivators are actually here to die. The Great Emperors were already displeased when you let those Saints escape last time."
Chen Xia furrowed his brows, thinking carefully until he understood.
The Way of Heaven's reckoning was actually targeting cultivators - only by continuously sending cultivators to their deaths could they resist the reckoning.
In other words, cultivators at the Peak of Heaven Mending Realm came here seeking death.
Chen Xia lowered his head, saying nothing as he turned and left.
He knew that wars required sacrifices of lives, but he hadn't expected it to be so direct.
He also knew this wasn't good, but it was necessary, so he could only remain silent. He returned alone to the city walls, watched the wandering souls, shook his head, and continued fishing.
The new cultivators quickly integrated into the left battlefront and heard about Saint Chen, who often sat fishing on the city walls.
Their first reaction to Saint Chen's reputation was disbelief - how could any Great Saint be so formidable?
After interacting with him, they found Saint Chen to be approachable, unlike other Great Emperors who remained aloof. He would chat with them endlessly.
Though he sometimes made shocking statements, like threatening to slap Great Emperors to see if they would still act crazy, he was generally well-liked.
Besides his combat prowess, he was also extremely skilled at medicine refinement. Even Great Emperors would respectfully request his services.
The medicine refiners in the logistics department regarded Saint Chen as a deity, each carrying a wok ladle to show off their skills at crucial moments.
Chen Xia had become a legendary figure on the left battlefront, and his silhouette fishing on the city walls had become an unchanging sight for hundreds of years.
Until the battles began again.
The new cultivators witnessed the dark remnants emerging in full force - these enemies were also Saints and Great Saints, even including Great Emperors.
They came with murderous intent, like crazed beasts, charging toward the city walls formed by dozens of star regions.
The new cultivators, participating in battle for the first time, had never seen such a scene. Unable to cope, they suffered heavy casualties even when fighting opponents of the same level.
Blood drifted before the city walls as the Great Emperors stood above.
All eleven Great Emperors of the left battlefront were present, conversing with each other.
"These beasts who have abandoned their true selves have finally gone mad. This battle will be difficult."
"Speak not of difficulty, I shall lead the charge," Emperor Tianhe said calmly.
"If eleven Great Emperors can't defend the left battlefront, we'll be recorded in history as a disgrace."
"We're all skilled in battle, pillars of the great All Heavens. Earlier we said the Heaven Mending Realm cultivators and Saints came seeking death, but aren't we Great Emperors the same?"
"We shall not retreat in this battle. Let's see who can kill the most. Brother Chen Xia, shall we compete?"
The eleven Great Emperors turned to look.
The blue-robed figure on the city walls had already risen, holding his long-sheathed Immortal Sword. The River of Time flowed through his eyes, and without responding, he had already departed.
He grabbed a Great Saint remnant's head with one hand, the River of Time swirling from his palm like an eerie vortex, instantly reducing the Great Saint's body to nothingness.
He casually threw his Immortal Sword, which traveled tens of thousands of miles, decapitating a Great Saint before returning.
Catching the sword.
He then fought across thirty thousand miles, taking heads as easily as reaching into a bag.
In just moments.
He had claimed the lives of three Great Saints.
Once again, he stood at the forefront, like a pillar supporting the heavens, an anchor stabilizing the seas.
In short, he was simply invincible.