ISWI Chapter 845-847 (Patreon)

Chapter 845: Some Stinking Outsider Come Begging for Scraps?

Only after seeing his daughter agree did the golden-robed elder finally nod in satisfaction. If not for the fact that his own cultivation technique had reached a critical juncture, he would have had no choice but to send someone else to guard her on this trip. He would have preferred to accompany her personally.

"In short, obtain the Heavenly Will Dao-Entrust Jade and return as soon as possible. After your breakthrough, head straight to the Origin Pool for cultivation. Push your cave heaven to its absolute peak and reach the pinnacle of the Saint realm. From there, advancing to Saint King and Great Saint will be smooth sailing.

"In any case, I have already laid out the entire path ahead for you, Qingcheng. Before you ascend to immortality, do not get involved in any nonsense. Once you enter the Immortal Realm, do whatever you wish—I won't interfere anymore…"

The golden-robed elder went on and on.

Logically speaking, with her Chaos Body, venturing into the Fourth Realm should allow her to sweep through everything without issue. But this era had produced Ye Chen—a man notorious for his insatiable lust for women—and that alone made the elder uneasy. He worried that his daughter, who possessed the potential to ascend, might be led astray by this boy.

"Mhm, mhm…"

Yan Qingcheng responded helplessly, nodding quickly before stepping onto the teleportation array and drifting away. She left the golden-robed elder standing alone, his mind restless. He couldn't shake the fear that without him there, someone might deceive his daughter. But soon enough, another figure floated over.

"Ye Chen has already returned to Heavenly Evolution Holy Land. There has been no news of the Heavenly Will Dao-Entrust Jade within Heavenly Evolution Holy Land either… So Ye Chen most likely will not show up."

At those words, the golden-robed elder let out a long breath of relief.

Good—as long as Ye Chen stayed away…

...

In the Fourth Realm of the Immortal Path.

Deep within an extremely remote grand canyon, untouched by ordinary footsteps. Mists of dense spiritual qi rose like clouds, continuously billowing upward. Any cultivator who stepped inside would instinctively feel a surge of awe and reverence.

A grand formation had already been laid here, guarded by several peak Half-Saints. All of them belonged to Violet Radiance Holy Land.

In the Central Continent, the Violet Radiance Holy Land ranked among the top-tier holy lands. It was no weaker than Alkaid, Jade Pool, or the others.

At this moment, anticipation filled every heart: "In another half year, the Heavenly Will Dao-Entrust Jade will officially emerge. The Holy Son can use it to achieve perfect sainthood. His combat power will surge dramatically. If he can further comprehend the Violet Radiance Immortal Scripture and grasp the Violet Radiance Vast Surge, he may even contend with those outside the Heavenly Emperor's heirs. Even if immortality remains out of reach, the Holy Son's future attainment of Quasi-Immortal status would be enough to safeguard Violet Radiance Holy Land's lineage through eight thousand years of the Age of Dharma's End!"

The Violet Radiance cultivators sat in meditation, conserving their energy.

Suddenly, a masculine figure arrived with explosive momentum.

In an instant, every Violet Radiance Half-Saint narrowed their eyes.

The newcomer stood tall and straight, like an ancient pine defying the heavens. He measured over eight chi in height. Jet-black hair spilled freely across his shoulders. An untamed, rebellious aura radiated from him, while golden blood qi soared skyward from his physique.

At first glance, he gave the Violet Radiance cultivators the exact same oppressive feeling they had once experienced when facing the Holy Prince.

"This place has already been claimed by Violet Radiance Holy Land! The Violet Radiance Seven Glories Formation has been deployed—even ordinary Saints would struggle to break through! Our Holy Son is currently in secluded cultivation deeper within! Fellow Daoist, please leave!"

Though the Violet Radiance cultivators felt no fear toward the intruder, they could sense his extraordinary presence. Unwilling to stir up unnecessary trouble, they spoke to persuade him to depart. At those words, lightning flashed through the newcomer's cold, sword-sharp eyes—eyes as deep and dark as ink.

"I can already sense the aura of the Dao-Entrust Treasure right here. Natural treasures of heaven and earth are born of the world and belong to no one. If your strength is insufficient, then step aside voluntarily."

The man's voice boomed like rolling thunder. His words left the Violet Radiance Half-Saints staring in disbelief. This felt utterly absurd.

Violet Radiance Holy Land enjoyed resounding prestige. Their Holy Son possessed talent no inferior to the Holy Prince, Alkaid, or any of the others.

Aside from the Heavenly Emperor's heir and a scant few others, who dared claim they could steadily suppress their Holy Son? Was this unknown Half-Saint insane?

Immediately, one peak Half-Saint could endure it no longer. He roared in fury: "Fellow Daoist, you've gone too far! Let me test your methods…"

As the words fell, he sacrificed a violet-gold purifying vase. The vase erupted with vast Extreme Dao might. It soared out of the formation. The mouth of the vase became a black hole, unleashing terrifying suction that began devouring even the surrounding space…

Within the body of the vase surged endless divine water, capable of refining anything. This was an extremely fearsome high-grade Extreme Dao weapon—one the man had spent over a thousand years accumulating resources to forge.

Most opponents of the same realm could do nothing but avoid its edge. Yet the unfamiliar man who had suddenly appeared merely curved his lips in a faint smile. He offered no Extreme Dao weapon in response. Hands clasped behind his back, he watched calmly.

The suction force—strong enough to tear the world apart—failed to move him even half a step. His physique stood like an eternal divine mountain, rooted unshakably in place.

The sight left every cultivator inside the formation staring wide-eyed. The one who had attacked turned ashen. Without hesitation, he formed hand seals. The purifying vase swelled dramatically and slammed toward the man, intent on swallowing him whole.

The newcomer didn't dodge or evade. In an instant, he was engulfed.

The corners of the Violet Radiance Half-Saint's mouth lifted in a sneer. The divine water inside his vase had been painstakingly gathered from thousands of wondrous waters across the cultivation world, blended with countless exotic poisons and spiritual flames. Even a Saint swallowed inside would suffer grievous wounds.

Yet the next moment, a terrifying impact rang out. Before the Violet Radiance Half-Saint could react, his purifying vase exploded into countless fragments with a deafening boom.

Amid the endless shards, the man stood there completely unruffled. His raised right fist glowed with golden light. Dragon-like blood qi coiled around it, roaring with power.

The crowd was stunned once more. A single punch had shattered a high-grade Extreme Dao weapon?

Though the vase wasn't designed for direct clashes like swords or blades, it was still a high-grade Extreme Dao weapon.

And it had been pulverized with one bare fist? Just how monstrously powerful was this man's physique? He didn't seem the slightest bit inferior to the Holy Prince. When had such a supreme prodigy appeared in the cultivation world?

This was indeed a golden age, but why did top-tier prodigies keep popping up one after another? It almost made them seem cheap.

"Who are you?"

The Violet Radiance Holy Son had finally been alarmed. He emerged from deep within the canyon, his expression grave as he spoke.

Purple qi flowed around him. His eyes resembled violet stars, carrying an incomprehensibly profound aura.

The arriving man met his gaze and answered solemnly: "Ling Yu of the Extreme Martial Realm. Disciple of the Martial Ancestor. Born with a Martial Dao Sacred Embryo—ten thousand laws cannot touch my body! I have come to the Immortal Path for one purpose alone: to achieve immortality! Fellow Daoist, step aside willingly."

At those words, thoughtful looks crossed the faces of the Violet Radiance cultivators. So he wasn't from the cultivation world after all. He came from another realm.

The Immortal Realm stood as the supreme upper realm. Below it, the cultivation world served as the core. Back when the Jianmu Tree still existed, there had been considerable exchange with other worlds.

But the cultivation world had rarely taken them seriously. After all, it was the center: strongest in combat power, deepest in heritage, richest in prodigies, densest in inheritances. Most minor worlds were beneath notice.

After the Jianmu Tree was severed, certain small worlds might have retained a trace of its root fibers. That was why, when the Immortal Path opened in the cultivation world, they too could gain entry.

Unlike the cultivation world's open gateways, however, those small worlds usually had only one or two teleportation arrays. Some were monopolized by dominant powers. Others, lacking such control, held grand tournaments or arena battles to allocate the limited spots.

Still, even the few cultivators from minor worlds who managed to enter the Immortal Path usually fell far short when compared to the cultivation world's prodigies.

In the past million years, aside from three or four immortals of unknown origin, every renowned immortal had come from the cultivation world. Not a single person from a minor world had ever ascended.

"So he's just some cultivator from outside the cultivation world. A mere outsider begging for scraps in our realm, and he dares provoke the Violet Radiance Holy Land? Extreme Martial Realm? Never even heard of such a backwater! A trifling minor world dares speak of achieving immortality?"

The cultivators looked down on outsiders with open contempt. Just as Central Continent cultivators scorned those from other continents, so too did cultivators from other continents look down on those from external realms.

Most outsiders who entered the Immortal Path stayed low-key, aware they lacked the destiny for true ascension. They simply used the opportunity to raise their cultivation. Those bold enough to stir trouble were exceedingly rare.

Ling Yu paid no mind to their reflexive disdain. He had already been warned by his elders before coming: The cultivators of the cultivation world looked down on those from minor worlds the most.

But he was brimming with confidence. No one from a minor world had ascended since the Jianmu Tree was severed? Then he would be the first—and the last. One great advantage of the Immortal Path was that, even alone, he didn't have to worry about elders intervening. So the corners of Ling Yu's mouth curved upward.

"Since you refuse to step aside willingly, then I'll make you."

In the next instant, the heavens darkened. Endless thunder surged from the void and poured toward Ling Yu, instantly coalescing into a suit of battle armor. The terrifying aura caused every face inside the Violet Radiance formation to change color.

Before they could even shout in rebuke, Ling Yu threw a punch.

In a flash, the Violet Radiance Seven Glories Formation—which ordinary Saints could hardly breach—crackled and groaned. Cracks spread across its surface like spiderwebs.

Ling Yu's fist carried blazing thunder-light. Thunder naturally suppressed array patterns.

Every Violet Radiance cultivator stared in shock. One punch—and the grand formation was already on the verge of collapse? This man came from a minor world—how could he be so terrifying? Just what in the world was a Martial Dao Sacred Embryo?

The Violet Radiance Holy Son's expression turned ugly. He already knew he was no match. A head-on clash would mean certain death. Losing to the Heavenly Emperor's heir or the like was one thing—no shame in that. But being suppressed by an outsider? That was utter humiliation. He could barely lift his head.

At that moment, Ling Yu's second fist roared forth. Layers of blood qi fused with boundless thunder, as though determined to annihilate everything in its path.

The Violet Radiance Seven Glories Formation could endure no longer. It exploded apart with a deafening blast.

The Holy Son's face darkened further, but the gap was simply too vast. With a sweep of his sleeve, he gathered the cultivators of his holy land and retreated at once.

Yet rage burned in his heart. If he couldn't have it, then neither could this filthy beggar. He would spread word of the Dao-Entrust Treasure immediately.

The Heavenly Emperor's heir surely needed this item. Once the true heir arrived, let's see whether this outsider could withstand even a single punch!

At the thought of the Heavenly Emperor successor's overwhelming might, even in his current humiliation, the Violet Radiance Holy Son couldn't help but straighten his chest with pride…

Chapter 846: The Demon-Exterminating Great Saint Can't Keep Flipping Over Forever!

When the Heavenly Emperor's heir was still in the King realm, he slaughtered Half-Saints as easily as chickens or dogs. Now rumors said he had already broken through to Half-Saint. Killing a Half-Saint would be even simpler for him.

So before departing in humiliation, the Violet Radiance Holy Son couldn't resist sneering: "The Heavenly Will Dao-Entrust Jade still needs half a year to fully gestate and emerge. You, an outsider cultivator—do you really think you have a chance? Defeating me means nothing. I'm merely one of the many prodigies in the cultivation world. When the Heavenly Emperor's heir arrives, you'll finally understand what true terror feels like."

Ling Yu watched the other party retreat on his own and chose not to pursue and kill them all. Though confident, he was ultimately from an external realm. Stirring up widespread outrage would only bring trouble.

Still, hearing those words, Ling Yu laughed.

"In our Extreme Martial Realm, there is only one slot for the Immortal Path. Within the Blood Lotus Secret Realm, the sole survivor automatically claims it. In our generation, seven people stood at your level. They feared me—so the moment we entered the Blood Lotus Secret Realm, they joined forces to surround and attack me. Yet I killed them one by one and took the slot. My martial path requires true powerhouses to temper it. The Heavenly Emperor's heir? Let him come!"

Ling Yu brimmed with confidence. This generation in the Extreme Martial Realm had also seen an explosion of prodigies, each more monstrous than the last. Someone like the Violet Radiance Holy Son would normally have suppressed an entire era, unrivaled.

But in this generation, seven such figures had appeared at once. Some even surpassed him in cultivation. Yet before him, they were nothing more than dust—crushed and annihilated by his physique alone within the secret realm. Thus, he had earned the sole qualification to enter the Immortal Path.

He knew the cultivation world would have even stronger prodigies, but he felt no fear whatsoever. Every enemy was merely a stepping stone to hone his flesh. The Heavenly Emperor's heir? The Extreme Martial Realm had legends of the Heavenly Emperor, too. So Ling Yu's battle intent surged sky-high.

The Violet Radiance Holy Son's face darkened when he heard the outsider had slain seven people on his level. The humiliation was unbearable. But if he couldn't win, he couldn't win. He let out a cold snort.

"A frog at the bottom of a well. You step out from a minor world and think yourself invincible. Before the Heavenly Emperor's heir, you're nothing but an ant…"

Ling Yu had no interest in further words. In his own world, he had always preferred action over chatter. He drifted into the canyon, sensed the treasure still gestating within, and gave a satisfied nod. Indeed, it would take another half year. For him, that was nothing. He could wait in peace.

The Violet Radiance Holy Son's expression turned livid. He turned and left without another word. The group transformed into a streak of Violet Radiance and vanished. But at that very moment, a white figure floated over—clearly heading straight for the canyon as well.

The Violet Radiance Holy Son narrowed his eyes. Another blind fool daring to covet the Heavenly Will Dao-Entrust Jade?

Though he knew it no longer concerned him, rage still burned inside him. He needed an outlet. If he couldn't beat that filthy beggar outsider, surely he could crush this one. He raised his hand without hesitation. A massive purple palm condensed and slammed toward the newcomer.

As the white figure drew near, it resolved into a woman—stunningly beautiful, yet chillingly cold. Sensing the attack, she merely lifted her gaze. In an instant, two sword-like beams of light shot from her eyes.

The purple giant palm exploded with a bang. The unexpected scene caused the Violet Radiance Holy Son's expression to twist.

Who was this now? How could she be so terrifying? Another prodigy from the outside?

Before he could speak, the woman raised her hand and made a casual, diagonal slash through empty air. A heaven-shaking sword Qi infused with pure slaughter intent roared forth.

That sword Qi seemed capable of piercing through anything. Every layer of defense the Violet Radiance Holy Son raised felt like paper before it. Together with the Half-Saints of Violet Radiance Holy Land beside him, he was sliced cleanly in half. Endless blood sprayed across the void.

At this moment, the Violet Radiance Holy Son truly panicked. He—a Holy Son—had been bisected by a single strike?

This was beyond absurd. Worse, the attack carried an annihilating chill that severed nearly every healing technique. He frantically circulated Violet Radiance Holy Land's recovery arts, but they did nothing.

"Fellow Daoist, I am the Violet Radiance Holy Son! My grandfather is a Great Saint, and we have an Emperor Ancestor! Please listen—I mean no harm! I only wanted to warn you—there's a filthy…"

Seeing the woman's indifferent eyes and her jade hand rising once more, the Violet Radiance Holy Son felt the cold grip of death. He rushed to explain himself.

Yet the woman's gaze remained calm as an abyssal pool, without the slightest ripple. Her jade hand made another empty slash. Then she clenched it into a fist.

In an instant, endless terrifying sword qi converged from every direction, as though determined to slice apart reality itself.

The next moment, not a single sound remained from the Violet Radiance Holy Land group. Not even a trace.

The woman was none other than Dantai Xuan.

Dantai Xuan swept her gaze around, confirming no one survived, then looked ahead.

Ling Yu narrowed his eyes as he watched her. A trace of wariness flickered in his gaze, along with a spark of battle intent—but mostly, sheer amazement.

Dantai Xuan, however, remained perfectly composed. Her eyes were deep and unfathomable. Slowly, she raised her jade hand.

Ling Yu's voice rang out loud and clear: "The Heavenly Will Dao-Entrust Jade still needs half a year to fully gestate and emerge. Let's save our battle for later—lest someone else takes advantage of the chaos!"

A faint ripple finally stirred in Dantai Xuan's otherwise indifferent eyes. Without a word, she chose a spot in the canyon and sat down.

Ling Yu watched her decisive action, appreciation flickering in his gaze. Such bearing and grace—he had never seen a female cultivator quite like her in the Extreme Martial Realm. The cultivation world truly was a land of hidden dragons and crouching tigers!

Soon after, another figure descended upon the canyon. Clad in azure robes, the newcomer arrived with ethereal grace. Both Dantai Xuan and Ling Yu opened their eyes.

It was a woman, shrouded in swirling chaotic Qi that obscured her features. Only her flawless, perfectly proportioned figure was visible—no excess, no flaw.

Yet her face remained hidden. A strange glint passed through Dantai Xuan's eyes, but the indifference quickly returned. Confirming the newcomer had no immediate intent to fight, she closed her eyes once more.

Ling Yu, however, was far more shocked.

"Chaos Qi? A Chaos Body—and a woman at that!"

Though the Extreme Martial Realm lacked Chaos Bodies, ancient exchanges with the cultivation world had left behind legends of them. They were the supreme physique beneath immortal physiques.

Still, Ling Yu was confident that his Martial Dao Sacred Embryo was no weaker. What truly stunned him was her gender. In his realm, very few women ever reached the absolute peak. Yet here in the cultivation world, he had already encountered two such women in a single day.

Ling Yu, who had devoted himself solely to cultivation since birth and harbored no thoughts of desire, suddenly felt that these two might have been arranged by the Heavenly Dao itself—for him.

In time, he would subdue them both with his strength. The Heavenly Will Dao-Entrust Jade would be his. And these two women would become his companions on the path to immortality in this realm.

So Ling Yu gave a slight smile and spoke first: "The Heavenly Will Dao-Entrust Jade still needs half a year to emerge, Fellow Daoist. Why not wait together with us? When it appears, we can fight fairly to decide its owner. I am Ling Yu, from the Extreme Martial Realm."

The newcomer was none other than Yan Qingcheng. There was no longer any need to conceal her physique. Hearing his words, she merely glanced at him, gave the faintest nod, and said nothing more.

Outer-realm cultivators were rare, but not unheard of across the ages. This man was strong, but Yan Qingcheng had absolute confidence. Her gaze lingered a moment longer on Dantai Xuan.

Dantai Xuan was not particularly famous in the cultivation world, and few knew her. But because of Ye Chen, Yan Qingcheng recognized her identity. For Ye Chen's sake, she decided she would go easy on Dantai Xuan when the time came.

Soon enough, Yan Qingcheng withdrew her gaze, found a spot, and sat down calmly. Chaos Qi flowed around her, completely enveloping her form!

Ling Yu sensed her aloofness and the corners of his mouth curved upward. In the Extreme Martial Realm, countless female cultivators adored him. Yet he had never been interested. Now these two barely spared him a glance—and that only made him more intrigued.

Women like them were the only ones worthy of standing beside him and ascending the immortal path together. Still, his Dao Heart remained unshaken. He quickly settled into serious cultivation.

But only a few days later, Ling Yu frowned and looked into the distance. Several figures were speeding toward the canyon. Both women were alerted and opened their eyes.

Ling Yu soon smiled.

"Two of them are on par with that Violet Radiance Holy Son—nothing more. They're not qualified to wait here with us. Fellow Daoists, no need to act. I'll handle it."

Ling Yu wanted to display his strength. With those words, he shot forward like a cannon. Soon, booming sounds echoed across the sky. But the commotion quickly subsided.

Ling Yu returned calmly, only his wildly dancing black hair and slightly unsteady aura betraying that a fierce battle had just taken place. He was certain his performance would leave the two women in awe. Yet neither Dantai Xuan nor Yan Qingcheng so much as lifted their eyelids.

Ling Yu's brow furrowed slightly, but he soon smiled confidently again. In the Extreme Martial Realm, female cultivators almost always "married up."

A woman with first-grade spirit roots, for example, would never pair with a man of the same grade. She would at minimum seek a second- or third-grade male cultivator. Top female prodigies followed the same pattern—always choosing partners stronger than themselves. These two were undoubtedly among the very best in this realm. How could they possibly be impressed so easily?

No matter. Their high-cold demeanor had successfully captured his interest. He had both the strength and the patience. There was nothing to worry about…

After the group of newcomers was wiped out, no one else dared approach the canyon.

Ling Yu tried to strike up a conversation, but neither woman bothered to respond. Thus, the canyon fell into complete silence. They waited quietly for the Heavenly Will Dao-Entrust Jade to be born.

...

Back in Heavenly Evolution Holy Land.

Under Elder Lin's deeply aggrieved stare, Ye Chen slowly stepped out from the portal.

"Alright, alright—just a little temporary business. I'll come find you again in a bit… I still prefer the peach-heart tail. Keep it just like that!"

After returning to his own holy land, aside from cultivating his Dao and techniques, Ye Chen had almost no serious matters to attend to. It had been so long since he last spent time with Elder An—he missed her terribly.

Though Elder An was usually emotionally steady and showed no overt signs of longing, she kept asking whether he wanted detoxification, whether the nether poison was tormenting him.

Clearly, she missed him too. So he had stayed with Senior An for quite a while. Only now was it Elder Lin's turn. But barely a day later, he had to leave again. Ye Chen understood Elder Lin's mood and quickly offered an explanation.

Then he drifted lightly toward the holy land's exit. He had just received a transmission from the Demon-Exterminating Great Saint, asking to meet outside the holy land.

It seemed the Dao-Entrust Treasure had been secured. After all, the Demon-Exterminating Great Saint was still a Great Saint—he couldn't possibly fail every single time.

Even though the other party was on the Conferred God List, Ye Chen felt he should offer some reward. But when Ye Chen arrived at the agreed location and saw the Demon-Exterminating Great Saint, the corners of his mouth couldn't help but twitch again…

Chapter 847: A Holy Son Could Never Dislike Women!

The Devouring lineage had considerable depth. Scheming for a treasure from Violet Radiance Holy Land—with preparation against the unprepared—stood a strong chance of success.

That was why Ye Chen had arrived with genuine anticipation. Gaining such a prize without ever leaving home would be ideal. Yet now he stood with his head lowered, staring silently at the severed head clutched in the Demon-Exterminating Great Saint's hand.

After a long pause, the Demon-Exterminating Great Saint spoke in shame, the head dangling from his grip: "Young Master, this servant deserves death a thousand times. Were it not for the need to deliver this message to you, I would have shattered my own divine soul long ago…"

The words sounded oddly familiar. Ye Chen waved his hand helplessly.

"Put your head back on before you speak!"

The Great Saint hurriedly released his grip. The head flew back into place on its own.

"What happened? A Half-Saint from the Devouring lineage couldn't handle Violet Radiance Holy Land?"

Ye Chen asked for the details.

The Great Saint shook his head frantically.

"I dispatched six Half-Saints in total—all at the peak. Two of them even possessed prodigious talent, no weaker than most Holy Sons. Suppressing the Half-Saints of Violet Radiance Holy Land would have been effortless. But after they entered the Fourth Realm… the entire group was annihilated. Only one managed to send a dying message. He spoke of encountering a man whose physique was terrifyingly powerful—capable of withstanding the killing techniques of the Heaven-Devouring Demonic Art head-on…"

"This man fought six against one and suppressed them all. Besides that man, two women were also present in the canyon, both extraordinarily remarkable… One of them was shrouded in Chaos Qi, inspiring instinctive awe from the bloodline itself—suspected to be a Chaos Body! The other was none other than the Holy Maiden of Heavenly Evolution Holy Land… your Senior Sister, Dantai Xuan."

Because Alkaid had once targeted those close to Ye Chen during the ten years he was away, the prodigies of the Devouring lineage had recognized Dantai Xuan.

The news made Ye Chen's brow twitch. An unknown male Half-Saint? A female Chaos Body cultivator? Could it be Yan Qingcheng—no longer concealing her physique?

And Dantai Xuan being there was truly rare. Though they belonged to the same holy land, the two of them had met only a handful of times.

Ye Chen still remembered his astonishment the first time he saw her, when he discovered her 2,000× multiplier and was utterly stunned. But the version had changed. His system now filtered out notifications for any female cultivator at 2,000× or below.

So compared to Dantai Xuan, the appearance of a Chaos Body drew far more of Ye Chen's attention. A 7,000× Chaos Body still held strong competitive value.

Moreover, if she was no longer hiding her physique, it meant she was likely about to make her move. Delivering the war chariot right now would be perfect timing. And since she was present, the Dao-Entrust Treasure could be given to her as well.

From their previous interactions, Ye Chen knew Yan Qingcheng was not heartless. She was fully capable of triggering critical hits. He still vividly remembered the flood of feedback notifications she had once given him—utterly overwhelming.

"Send me the location. I'll head there shortly."

Ye Chen spoke calmly.

The Demon-Exterminating Great Saint hurriedly transmitted the coordinates, then bowed his head in guilt.

"This matter should have been handled by this old servant on your behalf, Young Master. Instead, an accident occurred. This old servant truly deserves death without reprieve. Were it not for the need to continue assisting you, Young Master, this old servant would rather not live. But on this trip, this old servant has also brought a gift for you! Please take a look, Young Master—see if it suits your taste…"

As the words fell, the Great Saint's cave heaven opened. An ice coffin floated out from within. Through the transparent ice, the vague outline of a voluptuous female figure could be seen!

Veins bulged on Ye Chen's forehead. He couldn't even be bothered to speak. He simply waved his hand.

"Wherever you got her from, send her back! I'll say it one last time: I have zero interest in these women!"

With that, Ye Chen turned and left.

The Demon-Exterminating Great Saint's mind raced.

"My Young Holy Son seems uninterested in women. But a Young Holy Son could never truly be uninterested in women. Therefore, it must be this woman's status that displeases him… Sending her back is impossible. I'll keep her as a future bonus gift."

Having failed twice now, the Great Saint felt genuine worry for his future. The new Young Master lacked for nothing—except interest in women. So from now on, that would be his only avenue to win favor… If the Young Master ever felt truly satisfied, perhaps he would one day bring this old servant along to the Immortal Realm.

...

When Ye Chen returned to Heavenly Evolution Holy Land, the mere thought of what the Demon-Exterminating Great Saint had done made his mouth twitch again. His reputation was already bad enough. If word of the Great Saint's antics ever spread, he'd never be able to show his face in the cultivation world again. Still, though the Great Saint had failed miserably in execution, the information he brought was genuinely useful.

Ye Chen would head to the Fourth Realm next. Once he obtained the Dao-Entrust Treasure and finished presenting the gifts, he might even break through to the Saint realm directly. Perfect in every way.

As for that Senior Sister of his, Ye Chen felt nothing particular toward her. For the sake of his Eldest Senior Brother, as long as she didn't court death, he would protect her completely. The unknown male prodigy, on the other hand, didn't spark the slightest curiosity in Ye Chen.

Back when he was a Third-Heaven King, he had already stopped taking Half-Saints seriously. Now that he himself was a Half-Saint, there was absolutely no need to care…

But the Great Saint had also said the Dao-Entrust Treasure still needed time to emerge. Ye Chen saw no reason to rush off immediately. He drifted leisurely toward Elder Lin's cave abode to continue playing with the peach-heart tail. After all, constantly releasing water without replenishing it would be immoral.

Several days later, only after seeing Elder Lin looking refreshed, radiant, and utterly content did Ye Chen finally escort her out of the cave abode with satisfaction.

There was still a faint reluctance in her brows. She wished he would stay a few more days. But when she heard he was heading to the Immortal Path on important business, she stopped trying to persuade him. Pleasure was delightful, but the immortal path came first—she was fine waiting.

Just as the two were saying their farewells, however, a graceful figure with flowing red hair appeared at the entrance of the cave abode. It was Li Feihuang. Seeing them, she hurriedly bowed in greeting.

Lin Qingtan glanced at her disciple and shook her head helplessly. Whenever the Holy Son came to her cave abode, this disciple would linger outside the door. Sometimes she even reached the threshold but still lacked the courage to step inside.

Lin Qingtan had seen it all clearly from within. At times, it only heightened her own excitement.

Ye Chen looked at Li Feihuang—her once-proud red hair now soft and smooth, her cultivation having reached the peak of Spirit Transformation.

Memories of the past surfaced. The arrogant girl who had once declared she would confer him as her Golden Dragon King had completely changed.

"Feihuang, while I was on the Immortal Path, I killed two Half-Saints of the Undying Celestial Phoenix Clan and obtained their Phoenix Fire origin. I'll give it to you now. Refine it."

Ye Chen harbored no grudge—especially since Li Feihuang had once revealed exactly what he wanted. He raised his hand lightly and sent forth a small flame. Within the flame danced the illusory form of an Undying Celestial Phoenix, scorching the void with terrifying heat.

Gazing at the Phoenix Fire, Li Feihuang felt an instinctive craving surge from deep within her bloodline. Overjoyed and deeply grateful, she looked up at Ye Chen…