ISWI Chapter 886-888 (Patreon)

Chapter 887: Ye Chen Is Truly Done For!

A deathly silence blanketed the scene.

Everyone was utterly stunned by Ye Chen's feat. The Heavenly Emperor's heir had proven even more terrifying than the Heavenly Emperor of old. Yet as they sensed his severely weakened aura and the injuries that showed no sign of healing, dark undercurrents began to stir in many hearts. Their gazes gradually turned sinister.

High in the sky, Ye Chen watched the Celestial Prince's incarnation finally perish and let out a long, relieved breath. Suppressing his injuries and forcing automatic recovery for so long had been exhausting. But he still had to hold on a little longer.

As for the stares from the surrounding crowd, Ye Chen paid them no mind whatsoever. The Celestial Prince's incarnation had left behind no origin essence—only a few strands of divine soul power. Just enough to feed into his Human Emperor Banner and contribute a little.

If someone wanted to deliver themselves, so be it. He could hardly be blamed. After all, he had only feigned injury to deliver the Heavenly Heart Immortal Crystal to Yan Qingcheng. It had absolutely nothing to do with fishing for fools.

And so, Ye Chen raised a seemingly frail hand and collected the remnants of the Celestial Prince's divine soul power. Then he reached into the void. A crystal shimmering with faint immortal radiance appeared in his palm. A thin crack marred one side.

The moment Saint Kings present laid eyes on it, their gazes locked. At their level, all were widely knowledgeable. Even if they had never personally seen such a supreme treasure, they had certainly heard of it.

Heavenly Heart Immortal Crystal. It allowed Saints to condense a perfect Heavenly Heart Imprint and break through to Saint King. Its value to cultivators was incalculable. Its worth rivaled that of a supreme Extreme Dao weapon.

Though they themselves no longer needed it, they could pass it to juniors or auction it for whatever treasures they desired. The weakened Heavenly Emperor's heir had clearly been gravely wounded by the Celestial Prince.

Given the Celestial Prince's methods, such injuries would not heal easily. That was only natural. Right now, the Heavenly Emperor's heir was undoubtedly at his weakest moment.

Greed flared brighter and brighter in many eyes…

Yet still, no one dared make the first move. That final punch had been too horrifying—it had counter-killed even the overwhelmingly powerful Celestial Prince. Who could be sure whether Ye Chen still had another punch like that in him? No one wanted to be the first to stick their neck out.

Ye Chen lifted his gaze and swept the crowd with an icy stare. Then he turned and drifted slowly toward the exit of the sixth realm.

Behind him, undercurrents surged. Some who knew each other exchanged voice transmissions and chose to follow from a distance. Others slipped into the void in small groups.

But a portion of the cultivators did not pursue. Worry flickered in their eyes. They, too, could read the situation. The Heavenly Emperor's heir had indeed counter-killed the Celestial Prince. But his own injuries were far too severe. Leaving the sixth realm might not be as smooth as he hoped…

…

Ye Chen flew at a leisurely pace—far slower than when he had arrived.

One day later.

A streak of golden light suddenly blasted down from the sky. Rage flashed through Ye Chen's eyes. His aura surged violently. With a single punch, he shattered the golden light. His Heavy Pupils activated. A Kun Peng phantom coiled around him as he reached toward a patch of empty void.

Space tore open.

A mid-stage Saint King who had been hiding there appeared—terror in his eyes—before Ye Chen's fist obliterated him on the spot.

A cold smile tugged at Ye Chen's lips. He glanced back at the empty space behind him with clear warning in his eyes, then continued forward.

Seeing Ye Chen instantly kill a mid-stage Saint King, a trace of wariness rose in the hearts of the pursuers. But they were all Saint Kings. They quickly noticed something: At the spot where Ye Chen had shattered the golden light, a single drop of blood remained…

Their gazes toward Ye Chen's retreating figure turned playful. The Heavenly Emperor's heir appeared as dominant as ever. But perhaps… not quite as dominant as he seemed.

Another day passed.

A top-grade Extreme Dao weapon—a divine blade—suddenly cleaved down from the sky. It tore open ten thousand li of void with effortless ease, aiming to split Ye Chen in half.

Ye Chen immediately summoned the Heavenly Emperor Sword and blocked the strike. Then, executing the Travel Secret with a single step that left countless afterimages, he located the enemy through his Heavy Pupils and unleashed two fists, followed by a sword strike to kill him outright.

Ye Chen gave a cold laugh and continued on his way. But the Saint Kings lurking in the shadows grew even more excited. Though he had still effortlessly slain a mid-stage Saint King, this time he had been forced to use the Heavenly Emperor Sword—and it had taken him longer than before. Two full fists and one sword. Clearly, something was wrong.

Their greed burned hotter, and their courage swelled…

…

From then on, more and more people began to act. No longer alone—they came in twos and threes. And on Ye Chen's side, the speed at which he killed his enemies grew slower and slower. Even dispatching an early-stage Saint King now required dozens of punches. His pace visibly declined. Several times, onlookers could clearly see Ye Chen's face flush red before he swallowed something back down his throat…

The pursuers grew increasingly thrilled. The Heavenly Emperor's heir was truly running out of steam. And it wasn't just the Heavenly Heart Immortal Crystal on him. He had surely moved the entire Heavenly Emperor treasury into his cave heaven.

The sheer volume of treasures was staggering. The ambushes grew more frequent. Even several peak Saint Kings joined the fray.

Ye Chen was forced into genuine hardship. He even had to deploy multiple array disks before finally eliminating all the attackers.

Among those tailing him was a peak Saint King from the Dao One Holy Land. He possessed an innate divine eye capable of piercing through concealed auras. He was extremely patient.

He knew that striking first—even if he killed Ye Chen and claimed the treasures—would only invite a siege. The spoils might not stay in his hands, and he could easily lose his life.

Besides, he could see through everyone else's concealment. So he planned to be the oriole that struck last. He waited and waited, watching the Heavenly Emperor's heir grow weaker by the moment.

Eventually, Ye Chen could no longer swallow the blood—he began coughing it up openly. Even the light in his Heavy Pupils had begun to dim, clouded over. Clearly, the Heavenly Emperor's heir was now all bluster with nothing left inside.

As the teleportation array leading to the exit drew nearer, he could barely hold himself back. He decided to wait for just one more attacker, then strike with full power.

Yet he waited and waited. The Heavenly Emperor's heir's speed grew slower still. The teleportation array appeared in view—and still no one else moved.

What was going on? If he didn't act now, the man would escape!

A golden opportunity would slip away. But when he turned to scan the surroundings, he was stunned to realize… There was no one left.

More than thirty Saint Kings who had originally followed seemed to have all died. The discovery hit him like ice water. His bloodshot eyes instantly cleared.

Something was wrong. Very wrong…

Every time the Heavenly Emperor's heir finished a fight, he looked on the verge of collapse. Yet when the next enemy appeared, he still managed to fight.

His aura seemed to decline bit by bit, but each time he scraped together just enough to ascend once more—Exactly enough to overcome the foe.

Could it be… the Heavenly Emperor's heir had been deliberately doing this all along? Fishing? And why was he flying slower and slower now that the teleportation array was so close?

He should be rushing to leave the Immortal Path as quickly as possible. Yet his pace had only dragged. And those sidelong glances from the corners of Ye Chen's eyes—had they lingered on his position several times?

He had even deliberately coughed blood in this direction a few times. It almost felt like deliberate bait.

The more the Dao One Holy Land's peak Saint King thought about it, the more uneasy he became. Staring at Ye Chen's back, every hair on his body stood on end. If his suspicion was correct, then the Heavenly Emperor's heir's scheming ran far too deep!

The thought completely extinguished his daring impulse. He gave Ye Chen's retreating figure one final, long look.

At that exact moment, Ye Chen turned his head—as though meeting his gaze across the void. In that brief instant, the Saint King vaguely caught a flicker of disappointment in those eyes. A violent shiver ran through him. Without another thought, he turned and fled backward.

Ye Chen glanced toward the man's former position, briefly tempted to strike first. After all, the man had followed him the entire way—he was hardly innocent. But the fellow was sharp.

Ye Chen considered it and decided: since he had committed to the act, he might as well see it through to the end. Let the man count his blessings.

This return journey had yielded enormous gains. Once back in Great Yan Continent, he could finally present the gift to his fiancée. The only regret was that the Alkaid Holy Son had not appeared. Otherwise, he could have settled that score once and for all.

Ye Chen suspected the old schemer Alkaid had been faking his cultivation level all along. Unfortunately, the timing wasn't right—he was in a hurry to return and build favor through gifting. Otherwise, he wouldn't have minded hunting Alkaid down and crushing him along the way.

Near the teleportation array, countless cultivators had gathered. They had already heard the full story: how Ye Chen had defeated the Celestial Prince, only to be ambushed and hunted the entire way back. Now they watched him approach—covered in blood.

Awe filled every gaze. Yet not a single person dared block his path. They simply stood aside as Ye Chen stepped onto the array. When the divine light flared, his figure vanished completely.

...

Outside the Immortal Path, the news spreading from within had already set the entire world ablaze. Most cultivators drew in sharp, cold breaths. The atmosphere in Immortal City grew feverish.

Every eye was filled with sheer disbelief. The Heavenly Emperor's heir had battled the Celestial Prince for a full week. The grand formation had been shattered, the Heavy Pupils Pure Land torn apart. And in the end, the Celestial Prince's incarnation had actually been counter-killed.

It was simply too unbelievable. That was the Celestial Prince—the one who had slumbered for a million years, whose true cultivation had undoubtedly reached the peak of quasi-immortal. Even a mere wisp of incarnation carried terrifying power.

Yet the Heavenly Emperor's heir had truly won. Some were shaken to their core, some disappointed, and in others' eyes, the killing intent only grew thicker. The golden-robed elder's mouth fell open. Shock filled his gaze, mingled with a trace of joy.

Ye Chen hadn't died. At least now he wouldn't have to carry such crushing guilt, and he could face his daughter with a clear conscience. But the relief was short-lived.

When he heard the follow-up reports—Ye Chen's injuries refused to heal, and Saint Kings from the sixth realm had ambushed him along the way, leaving him weaker and weaker—the elder's heart rose into his throat again.

Could it be that Ye Chen hadn't fallen to the Celestial Prince, only to die at the hands of a rabble of opportunists?

If that happened, it would be far too tragic.

Meanwhile, those who had secretly sighed in regret at Ye Chen's survival now brightened with hope. They wished he would simply perish inside the Immortal Path. He was too monstrous—capable of slaying even the Celestial Prince's incarnation. Better he died sooner rather than later!

…

And so, amid the crowd's wildly divergent thoughts and expectations, the teleportation array finally lit up. A figure emerged slowly—its aura frail, its body drenched in blood. When the onlookers saw who it was, their pupils shrank sharply.

The Heavenly Emperor's heir had actually made it through the final stretch of ambushes alive? Then what about all those Saint Kings who had hunted him?

In an instant, the hearts of many powerful figures from major factions skipped a beat.

Ye Chen paid no attention to the stares sweeping over him. After a single glance around, his eyes found the golden-robed elder. A pale smile forced its way onto his bloodless face.

"Fortunately… mission accomplished."

The golden-robed elder looked at Ye Chen—so battered, so weakened, wounds still refusing to mend. He remembered that Ye Chen had only come here for the sake of his daughter, enduring all of this. His nose stung. The guilt that had been simmering in his chest surged to an unbearable peak.

Chapter 888: No More Tough Talk!

"Ye Chen, you've worked hard…"

The golden-robed elder flew forward to meet him. He gazed at Ye Chen's blood-soaked black hair, the tattered Daoist robe missing even its yin-yang fish emblem. Guilt flooded his eyes…

Yet Ye Chen simply gave a carefree smile.

"It's nothing. Battling such a formidable enemy was a valuable experience for me… how could it be called hardship?"

His tone was light and unburdened.

The golden-robed elder, however, felt his respect for Ye Chen's character deepen even further.

Ye Chen's injuries were so severe that even now, days later, they showed no sign of healing. Clearly, the Celestial Prince's incarnation had inflicted grave damage. Had it not been for that final counter-kill, he might have perished on the spot.

Yet here he was, speaking as calmly as if nothing had happened. All the prejudice the elder had once held against Ye Chen now felt utterly misplaced.

Ye Chen finished speaking with the elder, then turned his head and swept his gaze toward the distant Undying Celestial Phoenix Clan powerhouses and the many experts from the myriad races. Their faces were ashen, expressions rigid with disbelief.

Though it had been only a wisp of the Celestial Prince's incarnation, losing to a mere early-stage Saint like the Heavenly Emperor's heir was something they could scarcely accept. The Celestial Prince had slumbered for a million years—how could his first battle upon awakening end in defeat?

It would have been better if he had never emerged at all. And to lose to the Heavenly Emperor's heir, of all people… A dark shadow now hung over their faith in the Celestial Prince.

Ye Chen looked at them and spoke in an icy voice.

"Pass this message to the Celestial Prince: tell him to come out sooner rather than later! Otherwise, once I reach quasi-immortal, I'll bring my immortal artifact straight to the Northern Domain and smash his shell to pieces."

The words sent a shockwave through the crowd. The Heavenly Emperor's heir rarely issued threats. He had never needed to—he had never suffered a true defeat. Yet now he was breaking character and speaking so harshly. It could only mean this battle had truly pushed him to the edge.

The Undying Celestial Phoenix Clan powerhouses, already seething, erupted in fury.

"Insolent! How dare you show such disrespect to the Celestial Prince!"

"Who do you think you are? You merely defeated a wisp of his incarnation. If his true body were here, a single glance would reduce you to ashes!"

"Insult our Undying Celestial Phoenix Clan—do you think you can bear the consequences?"

"When the Celestial Prince emerges, you will be the first he slays!"

Killing intent soared into the heavens, turning the air in Immortal City frigid. Even the protective arrays stirred, flaring with divine light. Some among them even began to move, itching to strike Ye Chen down on the spot.

But in the next instant, a surge of human auras rose in response. The Heavenly Evolution Holy Land, the Heavenly Emperor Hall, and many allied forces all stepped forward to declare their stance.

The golden-robed elder moved without the slightest hesitation, positioning himself directly in front of Ye Chen. He sneered.

"Do you want to start a war?"

The myriad races' powerhouses turned livid. Especially the Undying Celestial Phoenix Clan. They had counted on the Celestial Prince's overwhelming debut to rally confidence and unite the myriad races. Instead, his incarnation had fallen. All their plans had come to nothing. They were not prepared for all-out war.

The clan elders gave Ye Chen a few venomous stares, then turned and departed in a thunderous rush. They still held faith in the Celestial Prince. After all, it had been only a wisp of incarnation—far inferior to his true body in every respect.

And Ye Chen? He had barely scraped by against that wisp. This battle had revealed his ceiling. There was no way he could match the Celestial Prince's true self.

"I hope you can still be so arrogant when you reach the wheel of reincarnation…"

With that cold parting shot, the experts who had arrived alongside the Celestial Prince all left. Ye Chen's lips curved in faint amusement. He couldn't be bothered to respond. After offering a polite smile and nod of thanks to the surrounding crowd, he turned back to the golden-robed elder.

"Many thanks for your protection, Senior…"

The golden-robed elder: "…"

Look at this child—such excellent character. If not for the fact that he himself had forced Ye Chen into the role of false Heavenly Emperor heir, Ye Chen might never have been targeted so relentlessly by the Undying Celestial Phoenix Clan and the Celestial Prince. Yet Ye Chen showed not the slightest resentment and even thanked him.

The elder's guilt deepened to an unbearable degree…

Ye Chen's face was deathly pale as he spoke.

"Senior, I'm afraid I'll need to enter seclusion for a while to heal. I've already troubled you enough, so I won't be returning to the Heavenly Emperor Hall. Please give this to Qingcheng on my behalf. It's a pity there are several cracks… I'm not sure whether it can still help her condense a divine-grade Heavenly Heart Imprint…"

As he spoke, Ye Chen took out the Heavenly Heart Immortal Crystal and offered it toward the golden-robed elder.

The elder stared at the once-perfect, jade-smooth crystal—now marred by several fine cracks—and his eyes widened in shock. To break through from Saint to Saint King, a cultivator had to condense a Heavenly Heart Imprint and fuse with it.

Once fused, the cultivator could calculate heavenly secrets, gain enlightened wisdom, and perceive the truths of all things. It also allowed one to probe others while shielding oneself. In battle, its advantages were immense.

This step was the single most crucial gateway to the final three levels of the Mahayana realm. Heavenly Heart Imprints were divided into three grades: heaven, earth, and human. But there existed a higher grade still—divine-grade.

A divine-grade imprint could draw upon far greater heavenly calculation power. Some even awakened Divine Abilities as a result. Yet to condense a divine-grade Heavenly Heart Imprint required none other than the Heavenly Heart Immortal Crystal.

Such a treasure was so rare that even the Heavenly Emperor Hall no longer possessed one. Likely, the Undying Celestial Phoenix Clan had owned the only remaining piece in existence. Its value was beyond imagination.

And Ye Chen, to obtain this supreme treasure, had nearly lost his life—barely escaping death. Yet the moment he acquired it, his first thought was to give it to Qingcheng?

This…

In that instant, the golden-robed elder only wanted to slap himself. He truly was not human. Everything he had done before had been utterly deplorable.

The Heavenly Heart Immortal Crystal lay right before him. Of course, the elder desperately wanted to take it for his daughter. Even with cracks, it remained a Heavenly Heart Immortal Crystal. Though its effectiveness would be greatly reduced, Qingcheng's talent was high enough that she might still condense a divine-grade imprint.

Yet in the end, the elder shook his head and spoke gravely.

"No. Qingcheng's talent, compared to yours, falls short… You are the one with a true chance of ascending to immortality. In the future, you will contend with the Eight-Crowned King, the Celestial Prince, the Exiled Immortal, and others… Moreover, this treasure was won with your life on the line. It belongs to you."

Before, the elder had disliked Ye Chen and judged him unfairly. But now, weighed down by guilt, he could finally speak the truth and face reality. His daughter's aptitude truly could not compare to Ye Chen's.

This era's Immortal Path was absurd—freaks and monsters of every kind had emerged. In such circumstances, strengthening a prodigy like Ye Chen was the wisest course. And given how deeply Ye Chen cared for his daughter, in the future, when the qualification to enter the Heavenly Gate appeared, it would be enough if Qingcheng received one.

With that decided, the elder did not give Ye Chen any chance to insist on gifting it. He continued solemnly.

"The Heavenly Emperor Hall possesses sacred healing medicines. Where do you think you're going? Of course, you're coming back with me to the Heavenly Emperor Hall. From now on, you will cultivate together with Qingcheng in the Origin Pool and rapidly advance your cultivation.

"Unfortunately, the resources in the Origin Pool are not enough for both of you to reach the peak of the Saint realm simultaneously. But that's no problem—you take more. As for the rest, I will find a way…"

The same elder who had once wished he could kick Ye Chen into oblivion now refused to let him leave. He even summoned his immortal ship on the spot, determined to bring Ye Chen back to the Heavenly Emperor Hall…