ISWI Chapter 863-864 (Patreon)

Chapter 863: I Never Knew He Was That Kind of Person!

"You are no longer my senior sister. Second, refrain from speaking ill of my senior brother. Finally, I have absolutely no interest in your proposal…"

Even if everything Dantai Xuan said was true, Ye Chen still felt nothing. Especially with Yan Qingcheng—the wealthy, generous, and supremely talented Chaos Body—standing right beside him. He would have to be insane to accept Dantai Xuan's offer and do anything improper in her presence.

In Ye Chen's mind, female cultivators were strictly tiered. The first tier consisted of women for whom he would devote himself wholeheartedly, even without any multipliers: his master, Senior An, his fiancée, and his senior sister Yao Xi.

The second tier included the little demoness, Yao Yuezhi, Lan Nuo, and others—priorities only slightly below the first. Given Yan Qingcheng's demonstrated potential and genuine gratitude, despite their limited encounters, Ye Chen had already placed her firmly in the second tier.

In comparison, Dantai Xuan—who offered no critical hit potential—belonged on the same level as the former Li Feihuang and Luo Bingling. She held no status whatsoever.

…

Ye Chen's flat, utterly unmoved rejection caused a faint smile to curve Yan Qingcheng's lips, even as fresh guilt welled up inside her. Though she herself had not been the one to tarnish his reputation, her father had. The responsibility still fell partly on her shoulders.

Meanwhile, Dantai Xuan narrowed her eyes. Seeing that Ye Chen was not playing hard-to-get, not feigning reluctance while secretly tempted, she turned sharply to leave without another word.

But Ye Chen immediately called out: "Holy Maiden, please wait!"

Dantai Xuan turned back with cool indifference.

"Have you changed your mind?"

Ye Chen gave a light smile and shook his head.

"I already told you—I would never touch the Holy Maiden. Before I entered this place, my senior brother entrusted me with the task of capturing you. He has found several techniques that might help restore you to normal… So you cannot leave, Holy Maiden. I intend to deliver you into his hands."

Dantai Xuan's voice turned icy.

"You meddle far too much. I have my own path to walk. There is no need for you to decide things on my behalf…"

In the next instant, her body transformed into a streak of divine sword light and shot toward the horizon. Ye Chen's expression remained unchanged.

"Then forgive my offense…"

As the words fell, he raised a hand from afar. The sky instantly churned with violet-gold clouds. A massive golden hand descended with terrifying speed—matching Dantai Xuan's exactly—and closed around her true form.

Dantai Xuan stared coldly at the approaching hand, her voice carrying an aura of chilling menace: "Ye Chen, do you truly believe you can handle me…"

In that moment, two divine swords erupted from her pupils. Each blade was horrifyingly powerful, as though they could pierce straight through the entire fourth realm. This was clearly her ultimate killing move—one she had kept hidden even during her earlier clash with Yan Qingcheng.

Yet in the very next breath, the divine swords shattered. Dantai Xuan was caught in the grip, unable to resist in the slightest.

For the first time, shock flickered through her normally impassive eyes. She had known Ye Chen was strong—far stronger than her. But only when he truly acted against her did she realize just how terrifying he was.

A trace of genuine anger finally surfaced in her gaze as she spoke in a flat, icy tone: "I am who I am. I am Dantai Xuan! Do you really think forcing your so-called 'help' on me is truly for my benefit? If you truly wished to help, you would simply give me the immortal qi—rather than interfering with my cultivation under the guise of doing me a favor!"

Those words might have moved Hua Yunfei. He was sentimental and clung to old ties. But Ye Chen acted as though he had heard nothing at all. With a casual lift of his hand, he executed the minor sealing art—the introductory technique to the Great Sealing Art among the three thousand great daos—that had once been returned to him as feedback when he gifted Lan Nuo the incomplete spatial technique.

The minor sealing art proved extraordinarily potent. In an instant, it effortlessly sealed Dantai Xuan's flesh, Qi, cave heaven, divine soul—everything. At that moment, she might as well have been a mortal.

Ye Chen did not toss her into his own cave heaven. His cave heaven held far too many secrets. A woman in her strange state—neither clear enemy nor ally, yet carrying such a sensitive identity—could not be allowed inside.

Instead, he activated his Heavy Pupils. Chaos Qi flowed as he forcibly opened a pocket of Heavy Pupil Pure Land. Without ceremony, he threw the still-protesting Dantai Xuan—"I am who I am"—straight inside.

Later, once they exited the Immortal Path, he would hand her over—furnace and all—to his senior brother. This side quest his senior brother had assigned would then be perfectly complete.

…

With everything settled, Ye Chen looked up.

Ling Yu had slipped away at some point without a word.

Yan Qingcheng, meanwhile, gazed toward where Dantai Xuan had been with open curiosity about her condition. Toward female cultivators who knew gratitude, Ye Chen had always been forthright. Besides, there was nothing here he couldn't share.

Yan Qingcheng stood behind the Heavenly Emperor Hall; she might even know of a solution. So without holding anything back, Ye Chen began explaining the sinister scripture—known sometimes as the Supreme Scripture, sometimes as the Supreme Emotionless Scripture.

He recounted, step by step, how Dantai Xuan had gradually been transformed into what she was now. When he finished, shock flickered unmistakably through Yan Qingcheng's eyes. She sighed at the existence of such a perverse technique in the world.

Once cultivation began, there was no stopping it. And the deeper one delved into mastery of the immortal scripture, the more one's original self would be eroded, little by little, until nothing remained but a completely different person.

"If this continues to the end, wouldn't the cultivator simply become someone else entirely? I suspect the scripture was left behind by an Immortal King-level existence. And upon reaching great completion, the practitioner might very well become nothing more than clothing for another—completely used up."

Yan Qingcheng shared her conjecture.

Ye Chen immediately nodded in strong agreement.

"Fairy, your insight is sharp. I share the exact same suspicion—there is definitely a conspiracy lurking behind this scripture."

Finding that their views aligned perfectly lifted Yan Qingcheng's spirits and gave her a rare sense of kindred understanding. She felt even more warmed by Ye Chen's complete openness toward her. He truly held nothing back when speaking with her.

That realization only strengthened her resolve. She would return the Heavenly Emperor Hall—and every opportunity it contained—to Ye Chen. But that alone was not enough; it would merely restore what had always rightfully belonged to him. Her father must also apologize to Ye Chen—for forcing him into the role of a false successor and for deliberately tarnishing his reputation. If her father refused, then she would no longer acknowledge him as her father.

Lost in these thoughts, Yan Qingcheng grew curious about the method planned for treating Dantai Xuan. She asked Ye Chen about it, though she was careful to add that she was merely curious—if it was inconvenient to discuss, he need not say anything.

Ye Chen, still waiting out his cooldown anyway, saw no harm in raising her favor a little more. So he gave her the broad strokes.

"My senior brother scoured ancient records and concluded that the Divine Maiden Furnace might prove useful. It could briefly restore her clarity, allowing her to cultivate the scripture once more and attempt to sever the 'new self' that has taken root. That's why he came to me. The last time the Divine Maiden Furnace appeared in the world, it was in the hands of the Heavenly Emperor…

"I didn't know its whereabouts either, so I searched—until I finally found it deep within the treasury. To be honest, I never imagined something so disrespectful toward female cultivators would be hidden in the Heavenly Emperor's vault. If it weren't still needed, I would have destroyed it on the spot. In any case, just looking at it makes me feel unclean. Once the Holy Maiden is restored, I will obliterate it completely!"

Yan Qingcheng listened without the slightest doubt. She even spoke up gently to dissuade him: "The Divine Maiden Furnace is merely a weapon. It has no inherent good or evil—it depends entirely on who wields it. Fellow Daoist Ye possesses a pure and upright character; you would never misuse it. I simply never expected the Heavenly Emperor to have kept it.

"In those days, the Heavenly Emperor used this very artifact to capture Holy Maidens from various sects and clans, extorting vast resources in exchange for their release. Eventually, under immense pressure from the female cultivators of every major holy land and aristocratic family, he was forced to destroy the Divine Maiden Furnace in public view… I never imagined… he never truly destroyed it at all… Truly, no one in this world is perfect."

Ye Chen: "…"

"Exactly. I never would have guessed the Heavenly Emperor was that kind of person either!"

Chapter 864: The Gift of the Dao-Severing Technique!

One the true heir of the Heavenly Emperor, the other a false one. The two chatted casually about the Heavenly Emperor for a while before quickly reaching the same conclusion. It was impossible for the Heavenly Emperor's character to actually be decent.

"Fellow Daoist, why not place her in the Divine Maiden Furnace first?" Yan Qingcheng suggested. "The sooner the treatment begins, the sooner she can recover."

Ye Chen raised an eyebrow and glanced at her. For a moment, he wondered whether Yan Qingcheng was taking petty revenge for Dantai Xuan's earlier refusal to fight back properly. But he quickly dismissed the thought and shook his head.

"It wouldn't be appropriate for me to handle this. After all, she is still my senior sister. Better to let my senior brother or one of the elders take care of it. My reputation is already in ruins. It would be far too easy for people to misunderstand."

Hearing that, fresh guilt surged in Yan Qingcheng's heart. Ye Chen's tarnished name was entirely her father's doing. She spoke up at once to comfort him: "Pay no mind to the gossip and slander outside. Even if the entire world refuses to believe in you, I will always believe in you."

Ye Chen was mildly surprised.

I don't even believe in myself, and you do?

He had no idea where her unwavering trust came from. Still, he raised his hand and summoned the Divine Maiden Furnace. He could simply hand both the woman and the furnace over to his senior brother later.

In an instant, the jade-beauty-like vessel appeared before Yan Qingcheng. She showed neither embarrassment nor disgust. Instead, she examined it with genuine curiosity, discussing with Ye Chen the principles of human desire woven into its design. Once their conversation wound down, Ye Chen withdrew the Heavy Pupil Pure Land.

Inside the Divine Maiden Furnace lay a small sacrificial altar. With a thought, Dantai Xuan was drawn directly onto it. Sensing the aura of human desire permeating the space, she frowned slightly. But then she let out a cold laugh. Even though Ye Chen's seal prevented her from using any cultivation techniques or arts, her disdain remained unshaken.

"A mere supreme Extreme Dao Weapon—how could it possibly affect me? Nothing but wasted effort!"

With those words, she closed her eyes and sat cross-legged in meditation.

Ye Chen said nothing. He simply channeled his divine power slowly, inscribing Dantai Xuan's name onto the altar. Instantly, the boundless power of human desire boiled up and surged toward her.

Dantai Xuan's body shuddered once. Yet she quickly regained her composure, as though completely unaffected.

Ye Chen raised an eyebrow. Could the Divine Maiden Furnace actually be useless?

But Yan Qingcheng spoke up: "The scripture she cultivates is extraordinarily terrifying. It may not be so easy for her to be influenced. Still, she has not reached perfection without flaw. As long as she remains immersed in the Divine Maiden Furnace long enough for refinement, sooner or later, a crack will appear in her defenses. Then we can drive straight through and see whether we can awaken even a trace of her original will."

Ye Chen found the reasoning sound and nodded. He then replaced the furnace lid. Now they could only wait for time to reveal the answer. With her sealed inside the furnace, there was also no risk of Dantai Xuan glimpsing the secrets within his cave heaven.

Ye Chen casually lifted his hand and stored the entire Divine Maiden Furnace inside his cave heaven. The Heavenly Will Dao-Entrust Jade had not yet appeared. His gift cooldown had not yet ended. So he and Yan Qingcheng simply continued talking—about cultivation, about the Heavenly Emperor Scripture, about all manner of ancient events and legends. Their shared topics were endless.

Meanwhile, the onlookers who had previously kept their distance—already unnerved after Alkaid Holy Son's fall—now dared not approach at all. They spread the news far and wide while watching from afar.

Soon enough, someone recognized the peerless woman Ye Chen had subdued and sealed away. The Holy Maiden of Heavenly Evolution Holy Land—Ye Chen's own senior sister.

What could have happened to turn them against each other? Could it be that the Heavenly Emperor's heir had been rejected in his pursuit?

While the crowd speculated, they watched Ye Chen produce a crystalline, jade-like vessel radiating the might of a supreme Extreme Dao Weapon.

The moment male cultivators laid eyes on its subtle, alluring curves, their gazes widened.

Was this not the Divine Maiden Furnace—the supreme ultimate weapon every man in the cultivation world dreamed of possessing? And it was actually in the hands of the Heavenly Emperor's heir?

Unbelievable.

Back in his day, the Heavenly Emperor had captured Holy Maidens from every major holy land and clan, making enemies of the entire world. To quell the outrage, he had been forced to shatter the Divine Maiden Furnace in public.

Yet now it appeared he had never truly destroyed it. Understandable, really—no man could bear to part with such a treasure.

Then, in the next moment, the onlookers' eyes bulged even wider. The Heavenly Emperor's heir had just thrown his own senior sister into the furnace. Some were shocked by his audacity—sparing not even his sect's Holy Maiden.

But when they recalled the rumors surrounding Ye Chen… The man who had openly declared his affair with the Divine Silkworm Clan Leader's wife right in front of the clan leader himself… Going after his own sect's Holy Maiden suddenly didn't seem so surprising.

In this way, all kinds of sensational news flooded out of the fourth realm of the Immortal Path. The entire cultivation world erupted in uproar.

Alkaid Holy Son had actually been the true inheritor of the devouring lineage?

Many forces whose peerless prodigies had died mysteriously on the Immortal Path immediately marched to Alkaid Holy Land, demanding answers. Yet Alkaid Holy Land publicly insisted it was all a baseless rumor. Their Holy Son was currently in secluded cultivation within the sect. They urged the broader cultivation world not to believe or spread falsehoods. Privately, however, word leaked out that the life lamp Alkaid Holy Son had left behind in the sect had already been extinguished.

Meanwhile, news of the Divine Maiden Furnace in the Heavenly Emperor successor's possession—and his actions against his own sect's Holy Maiden—spread like wildfire. Countless old tales about the Heavenly Emperor were dragged back into the light and hotly debated once more!

…

Inside the Heavenly Emperor Hall.

The golden-robed elder had been in secluded cultivation. When the news reached him, his eyes flew wide. That brat Ye Chen had actually gone through with it. And he even had the Divine Maiden Furnace in his possession? With his daughter traveling alongside Ye Chen, would she be safe?

He abandoned his cultivation at once. Face dark with worry, he stepped onto the teleportation array and headed straight for Immortal City. His heart burned with anxiety. Yet he could not enter the fourth realm of the Immortal Path. All he could do was wait in torment outside the entrance, desperately reassuring himself: "I raised my daughter well. She knows how to protect herself. Even if she can't win, there's no way she'll be captured! As for the Heavenly Will Dao-Entrust Jade—let it go if need be! Qingcheng, come back quickly!"

The anguished father waited in torment at the gates of the Immortal Path.

…

Meanwhile, back in the fourth realm.

Ye Chen had already set Dantai Xuan aside in his mind. He continued conversing freely with Yan Qingcheng. When he noticed that his gift cooldown had finally ended, a faint smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. Without hesitation, he retrieved the Martial Ancestor's Dao-severing technique that Ling Yu had once given him.

"Talking with Fairy Yan has been truly refreshing—my mind and body feel at ease. I almost forgot the important matter at hand. Fairy Yan, you yourself are on the verge of becoming a saint. This Dao-severing technique from the Extreme Martial Realm—I resolved the moment I obtained it that I would share it with you. Now I have made a complete copy. Please accept the original as my gift to you, Fellow Daoist."

Ye Chen presented the Martial Ancestor's Dao-severing technique to Yan Qingcheng without the slightest reluctance.

At the sight, Yan Qingcheng's pupils contracted sharply. She too had enjoyed their conversation immensely and gained many insights. Especially Ye Chen's profound understanding of the Heavenly Emperor Scripture—it far exceeded anything she had expected. His talent and comprehension were genuinely astonishing.

The guilt in her heart deepened even further. The true Heavenly Emperor inheritance truly belonged to Ye Chen. She had also heard of the Martial Ancestor. The Heavenly Emperor Hall held records: though the Martial Ancestor hailed from a minor world, even in the Immortal Realm he had been a terrifying figure.

The Dao-severing technique he left behind was extraordinary beyond measure. If auctioned, it would fetch an astronomical price. Yet Ye Chen had wanted to share it with her from the very moment he acquired it.

This really…