ISWI Chapter 1021-1029 (Patreon)

Chapter 1021: The Origin Spirit Body Is Merely a Vessel!

The Yao Family.

Deep within the family's sacred mountains.

The Yao Family's aged quasi-immortal walked with unsteady steps. He stood inside a grand formation.

Around him stood the Yao Family's upper echelons—the Divine Son, the Divine Maiden, the clan leader, and a few others, totaling no more than a handful of people.

"Elder Brother, what are we doing today?"

Yao Xi looked at the Yao Family's Divine Son with some confusion. Half a year ago, she had reached the Great Saint realm. The divine ability of her Origin Spirit Body had finally awakened.

She could use her own origin spirit qi to act as a wedding dress for others, helping them awaken a divine ability. Once used, it would severely damage her vitality. Without a thousand years, she would not be able to recover.

Yet Yao Xi had wanted to use it on Ye Chen right away. The Yao Family was currently lacking in talent. Their former Divine Son was now only a Saint King, and even weaker than her. There was no point in helping him awaken a divine ability. It would be better to give it to her junior brother and help awaken a divine ability somewhere in his body.

Of course, Yao Xi was not ungrateful. She had grown up eating the Yao Family's food and did not intend to only think about her junior brother. She planned to discuss it with him and see if she could secure a slot for the Yao Family. She thought this was a good idea. The Yao Family had no chance of contending for immortality anyway. Trading her immortal spirit qi for a quota to enter the immortal realm would be an absolute steal.

However, the Yao Family's clan leader had been rather ambiguous about it. He had not refused outright. He had only said there were matters to handle first and that they would discuss it after everything was settled.

Two days ago, Yao Xi learned about Hua Yunfei, the immortal realm female prodigy, and the Eight-Crowned King's overwhelming display of power. Her heart had tightened with worry for Ye Chen. She feared her junior brother might not be a match for the Eight-Crowned King and would fail to achieve immortality or enter the immortal realm.

With his talent, he deserved to enter the immortal realm. If he were forced to remain in this world and live as a mere quasi-immortal for the rest of his life, she could not accept it. Therefore, Yao Xi had brought up the matter again.

This time, the clan leader had not refused. Instead, he had brought her here. He said that once today's matter was over, she could go to the Heavenly Evolution Holy Land.

This had undoubtedly filled Yao Xi with joy. Yet for some reason, at this moment, an uneasy feeling lingered in her heart. That was why she had asked.

The Yao Family's Divine Son gave her a complicated look and shook his head. "Don't overthink it. The ancestor's lifespan is nearing its end, and he has some final instructions for us. Just wait here quietly…"

Upon hearing this, Yao Xi felt slightly relieved.

A hundred years ago, the Yao Family had a Great Emperor who broke through to the quasi-immortal. Having two quasi-immortals in one sect was actually quite powerful. But they had always kept a very low profile and had barely participated in major events outside these years.

Yao Xi had been puzzled at first, until she later learned that the old quasi-immortal's lifespan was almost exhausted. His vitality had declined, and his combat strength was now only slightly stronger than a Great Emperor's. Now that his end was truly approaching, it made sense for him to have matters to entrust to her, the Divine Maiden.

…

Inside the grand formation.

The Yao Family's old quasi-immortal sighed and looked at Yao Xi.

"Originally, I planned to wait another two years. With the treasures given by that Heavenly Emperor's heir, you might have been able to advance to the Great Emperor realm. Unfortunately, I really cannot wait any longer. The appearance of the immortal realm prodigy and the overwhelming strength of the Eight-Crowned King have also made me anxious.

"Most importantly, only two and a half years remain until the Immortal Qi appears, but who knows if it will emerge earlier. If we wait any longer, the core prodigies of my Yao Family will have no chance to enter the immortal realm."

Yao Xi's eyes widened. The Yao Family wanted to contend for immortality? How was that possible?

She knew the Yao Family's strength better than anyone. Their Divine Son was only a Saint King. He probably could not even withstand a single glance from her junior brother. Where did the Yao Family get the courage?

At this moment, an intense sense of foreboding surged in Yao Xi's heart. Without hesitation, a jade token appeared in her hand as she prepared to crush it. But in the next instant, her expression changed drastically.

Under the gaze of the quasi-immortal, everything about her had been sealed. Her body could not move an inch, not even to tremble. Her Qi, divine abilities, and inner world were all the same. Her soul felt as if it had been isolated into a tiny corner, unable to control anything. Only her eyes could still move.

She looked desperately at the Yao Family's Divine Son and clan leader beside her. Ever since returning to the Yao Family, both of them had treated her very well. She had genuinely regarded them as an elder brother and seniors. Yet both of them avoided her gaze and turned their heads away.

Yao Xi's heart instantly turned ice-cold. It was obvious that they also knew what was about to happen. At this moment, her heart was filled with regret. She possessed all kinds of treasures given by her junior brother. If she had been on guard, she might not have been subdued so easily.

But the mistake was that she had harbored no wariness at all. Ever since returning to the Yao Family, even when she went out for training or entered secret realms, elders had always protected her. She had also received various treasures from her junior brother to aid her cultivation. Everything had gone smoothly, and her vigilance in all aspects had grown far too weak.

Right now, the old quasi-immortal's aged and turbid eyes looked at Yao Xi. He let out a trembling sigh. "I know you feel unwilling… But you are a member of the Yao Family. Back then, you chose to return and become the Divine Maiden. Over these years, all the resources of my Yao Family have been poured into you. Even the most important Divine Son was given lower priority than you. The Yao Family does not owe you anything. On the contrary, you owe the Yao Family. Now is the time for you to repay us… We will use your body as the vessel for our ancestor's true immortal soul to descend. Only a physique like the Origin Spirit Body can briefly carry a true immortal soul without collapsing rapidly."

Listening to the old quasi-immortal's words, Yao Xi's mind trembled violently. At this moment, everything finally made sense. No wonder the Yao Family had been so desperate to find a new Divine Maiden after the previous one died, even searching outside the family.

No wonder, after she arrived at the Yao Family, she had received the best resources. Whenever there was only one opportunity, it was always given to her first. No wonder the Yao Family had been unwilling to let her spend much time with her junior brother. Every time her junior brother came, she would suddenly have some opportunities that required her to leave the Yao Family.

Over the years, they had barely met. It turned out they had been afraid he would discover the truth.

At this moment, Yao Xi's heart was filled with regret. If she had known, she would have secretly left a month ago to help her junior brother awaken a divine ability.

Unfortunately, there was no medicine for regret in this world. But could the Yao Family really get away with this? With her junior brother's personality, he would definitely avenge her. He could even kill immortal thoughts, let alone a true immortal soul.

The old quasi-immortal seemed to guess what Yao Xi was thinking and spoke calmly, "The reason I explained everything clearly is ultimately because you carry the Yao Family's bloodline. As for Ye Chen… He merely killed an immortal thought. After lingering for so many years, its soul power is probably less than one ten-thousandth of a true immortal's… How can it be compared to a true immortal soul?

"Moreover, after you die, the ancestor who descends will naturally use your body to first suppress and kill the Heavenly Emperor's heir. After all, he has a past connection with you. Rather than waiting for him to come looking, it is better to strike first and eliminate future troubles.

"This person possesses countless treasures. If we can bring them to the immortal realm later, they will be excellent resources that can help the Divine Son achieve immortality sooner…"

Upon hearing this, Yao Xi's face turned deathly pale.

Chapter 1022: I'm Evenly Matched with the Heavenly Emperor's Heir!

The old quasi-immortal's voice fell. He turned back and gave the crowd one final glance. "Today, I shall use my life to summon our ancestor… I only hope that once you reach the Immortal Realm, you will not let my sacrifice go to waste. May the Yao family remain an eternal and undying clan in the Immortal Realm…"

Boom—The moment his final words faded, the old quasi-immortal exploded violently. A bloody mist filled the air, dyeing the entire grand formation crimson.

In the next instant, the blood-colored grand formation shot into the sky. Instead of breaking out of the hall, countless beams of bloody divine light surged into the void and churned violently, slamming against the fabric of space again and again as if trying to communicate with something beyond.

At this moment, whether it was the Yao family's Divine Son, the clan leader, or the few great saint realm elders present, all of them watched with eyes full of anticipation, fully focused.

Every cultivator who had reached their current realm in the cultivation world possessed outstanding talent. If they could ascend to the Immortal Realm and cultivate in a superior environment, their chances of achieving immortality would be extremely high.

Once their ancestor from the Immortal Realm descended, they would finally have a real Immortal Path. How could they not feel excited?

As the blood-red light continued to hammer deep into the void, faint cracks began to appear. A profound and ancient aura accompanied by a majestic voice drifted through: "I never expected that after a million years, the Yao family in the cultivation world has not yet declined… Leave the rest to me!"

The next moment, a violent crashing sound rang out. It was as if some terrifying existence from another world was furiously smashing against the barrier, desperately trying to force its way in…

Everyone present was overcome with wild joy, even forgetting the old quasi-immortal who had just sacrificed himself. They had truly made contact with their ancestor.

Crossing realms was never simple. Their formation had only served to let the ancestor sense their summons. What came next was for the ancestor himself to exert his power from the Immortal Realm and widen that tiny crack.

Judging from the intensity of the disturbance, it would not take long for him to descend. The ancestor's arrival would be their greatest opportunity to achieve immortality.

The Yao family's Divine Son was ecstatic. So was everyone else. No cultivator could resist the allure of immortality.

Amid his joy, the Divine Son noticed Yao Xi's gaze. His smile instantly froze, and a trace of guilt flickered in his heart. Over the years, he could clearly feel that Yao Xi had genuinely treated him as an elder brother. But what was a sister compared to the chance of becoming an immortal?

The Divine Son turned his head away and stopped looking at Yao Xi. He simply waited in silence for the immortal venerable's descent.

Meanwhile, Yao Xi had already recovered from her despair. Her mind replayed the countless memories she shared with her junior brother. From the very beginning, she had treated him like a frivolous young master and deliberately took advantage of him to obtain cultivation resources.

To the later days when she realized his sincerity and began to approach him of her own accord. Then to the time when she had given him her whole heart, yet he would walk past her door a hundred times without entering, driving her so mad that she even considered forcing herself on Ye Chen.

Later, she had even taken a different approach and begun to suspect that her junior brother had strange preferences… Until finally, he had poured everything he had into teaching her, and she had gotten what she wished for.

Everything had been so blissful. Now that she was about to perish, she felt she had few regrets. The only pity was that she could no longer use her Origin Spirit Body to help her junior brother awaken his Divine Ability. And her only worry was that her junior brother would feel heartbroken and grieve once he learned of her death.

Yao Xi now understood that the Yao family had deliberately kept her from meeting her junior brother in order to let their feelings fade. At this moment, she actually hoped that her junior brother had truly grown distant toward her because they rarely saw each other, or even forgotten her entirely. That way, if she died, he would not be too devastated.

Outside the Yao family estate.

Yao Gu, a peak-stage Unity realm cultivator, lounged in a reclining chair with a pleased expression as he chatted with an elder beside him. A group of younger Yao family members surrounded them.

"Elder Gu, did you really fight the Heavenly Emperor's heir back then?"

"That's impossible. The Heavenly Emperor's heir is almost at the quasi-immortal realm now, while Elder Gu is only at peak Unity. You two aren't even in the same league."

"Elder Gu, I heard you went looking for women together with the Heavenly Emperor's heir?"

"Are you and the Heavenly Emperor's heir really that close?"

Now an elder of the clan, Yao Gu smiled at the questions from the younger generation. "The current Heavenly Emperor's heir is indeed very strong… But back then, he wasn't much stronger than me. I fought him once, and the battle ended in a draw!"

"After that, we got to know each other through fighting. Later, when the Heavenly Desire Divine Maiden chose her Protector, the Heavenly Emperor's heir and I went together. The Heavenly Desire Divine Maiden looked at me a few more times at first, but I'm not interested in women. As for the Heavenly Emperor's heir's personality… You all know what he's like. For the sake of our brotherhood, I stepped back and helped him become the Divine Maiden's Protector…"

Yao Gu spoke calmly, as if recounting an ordinary part of his past.

The younger Yao family members, however, were deeply shocked. The Heavenly Emperor's heir was an extraordinary figure. For their Elder Gu to have once been evenly matched with such a person—even if only for a period of time—meant the rumors circulating outside were true.

The Heavenly Emperor's heir had not been particularly powerful in the beginning. It was only later that he revealed his astonishing talent and was discovered by a Supreme Elder of the Heavenly Evolution Holy Land, after which he soared to the heavens.

No one found the matter of the Heavenly Desire Divine Maiden surprising. After all, most renowned female cultivators in the current cultivation world were Dao companions of the Heavenly Emperor's heir.

The younger generation of the Yao family held the Heavenly Emperor's heir in great awe.

Especially since their own Divine Maiden was one of his Dao companions. This connection made them feel as if they too shared a relationship with him, as if they were his juniors. It filled them with pride.

The elder beside Yao Gu chuckled inwardly upon hearing this. After so many years, Yao Gu still loved to bring up that old "draw" with the Heavenly Emperor's heir.

As the one who had served as Yao Gu's Protector at the time, he knew the truth better than anyone. However, with so many juniors present, he chose to remain silent.

"Yao Xi said she was going back to the Heavenly Evolution Holy Land. Why hasn't she left yet? I wanted to go with her and take a few recording stones to capture some footage. That would be solid proof of the five-five draw back then!"

Yao Gu spoke with a hint of regret, treating that event as the highlight of his life.

The elder beside him smiled and replied, "There seems to be some clan matter that requires Yao Xi's attention, but it should be finished soon… After all, our Yao family isn't qualified to compete for immortality. With Yao Xi here, we have some favor to leverage. We might be able to secure a spot in the Immortal Realm for the Divine Son. Bringing Yao Xi back to become our Divine Maiden back then was indeed the wisest decision."

Yao Gu nodded in agreement. Indeed, back then, Ye Chen had not yet amounted to much. He had only just begun to show his edge and was even inferior to the Son of Heavenly Intent.

But now? Even the Son of Heavenly Intent's fiancée belonged to Ye Chen. Legends like Alkaid, the Exiled Immortal, and the Celestial Prince had all suffered defeat at the hands of the Heavenly Emperor's heir.

As the two continued reminiscing about the past, their eyes suddenly widened as they stared into the void beyond the Yao family estate.

An incomparably terrifying aura descended with a deafening boom. It was the massive shadow of a Kun Peng. Wherever it passed, the void collapsed, the endless earth below cracked open, mountain peaks shattered, and giant trees were pulverized.

This was clearly the Kun Peng Treasure Technique. And the only person in the entire cultivation world capable of cultivating the Kun Peng Treasure Technique to such a terrifying level was none other than the Heavenly Emperor's heir.

Chapter 1023: I'm Going to Fight the Heavenly Emperor's Heir?

"Brother-in-law, why are you here? Did you miss my sister?"

Yao Gu immediately stood up, his face lighting up with excitement. But the excitement had barely appeared before it instantly turned deathly pale.

Yao Gu felt as if he had fallen into an ice cave. His entire body trembled violently, and his spiritual power refused to circulate.

The moment the Kun Peng divine form entered his sight, he sensed overwhelming killing intent. Even as a peak Unity realm cultivator, he could barely withstand it. If he had not been inside the protective formation, that killing intent alone might have killed him outright.

While he could barely endure it, the other clan members with lower cultivation had no such ability.

They immediately coughed up blood, their faces filled with terror as if the end of the world had arrived.

"Brother-in-law, what's wrong? Did some enemy come near our Yao family?"

Yao Gu spoke incoherently in panic. The elder beside him, however, darkened his expression. The direction from which the Heavenly Emperor's heir was flying was clearly toward the Yao family.

So was the killing intent. This was obviously directed at the Yao family. Yet the Yao family had always maintained close ties with the Heavenly Evolution Holy Land. They had even fought the Heavenly Intent Holy Land together in the past. There was only one possible reason for the Heavenly Emperor's heir to suddenly turn hostile like this.

Something had happened to Yao Xi!

Over the years, the few times the Heavenly Emperor's heir had flown into a rage were all because of a woman. The elder recalled the complicated look on the clan leader's face when he had first brought Yao Xi back. He also remembered how the clan had seemingly kept Yao Xi busy with ordinary tasks while deliberately preventing her from meeting Ye Chen.

Whenever Yao Xi wanted to go find Ye Chen, they would always find excuses to refuse. Once or twice might have been a coincidence, but why did it happen every single time? And today, why had the ancestor suddenly summoned Yao Xi and the Divine Son?

In an instant, many things clicked in the elder's mind. Even though he was not qualified to know the full truth, he sensed that something was terribly wrong.

Anger and guilt surged in his heart. Yao Xi was one of their own. How could the family turn against their own people? Not to mention that he himself had been the one who brought her back.

The elder stood up at once and shouted with all his strength, "Ye Chen, please calm down! I—"

He hoped the Heavenly Emperor's heir would calm down. He would definitely give him a proper explanation. But before he could finish speaking, Ye Chen seemed not to have heard him at all.

The next moment, the elder's pupils shrank sharply. He saw the Heavenly Emperor's heir, who was charging over with terrifying momentum, now holding a blood-colored long saber that radiated overwhelming killing intent.

Ye Chen swung the saber down with a thunderous slash. The blade light illuminated the entire sky. The mountain-protecting grand formation that had guarded the Yao family for countless years exploded instantly. The blade light did not diminish in power and continued crashing downward.

In that instant, the entire Yao family trembled violently. Countless sacred mountains collapsed, endless buildings crumbled, and the whole clan descended into apocalyptic chaos.

Numerous disciples and clan members died directly under the blade light or were shaken to death by the shockwaves. A massive canyon ten thousand meters long and unfathomably deep appeared on the Yao family's grounds.

Because Ye Chen had deliberately aimed the slash toward the edge of the estate, fearing he might accidentally kill the people he came to save, he had held back slightly.

As a result, Yao Gu and the elder were not directly struck. Even so, they were still blasted back, coughing up blood with pale faces and damaged origins.

Their eyes were filled with utter despair. They had always heard how powerful Ye Chen was, but whenever they had seen him before, he had been courteous and never acted arrogantly despite his superior cultivation, nor had he treated them like ants. Because of that, they had never truly felt the depth of his terror.

Only now, standing on the opposite side of Ye Chen, did they finally understand how frightening he truly was. If this continued, the Yao family might be wiped out today.

Watching Ye Chen charge straight toward the clan's central grand hall, the elder forced down his injuries and spoke again urgently, "Ye Chen, please calm down! I don't know what happened, but I will definitely give you an explanation!"

Ye Chen heard the voice and swept his cold gaze over. His voice boomed like thunder: "If the Yao family no longer has Yao Xi, then who the hell are you to give me any explanation?"

Perhaps due to the influence of his modern worldview, Ye Chen had always treated others with courtesy. Even when facing lower-ranked cultivators, he rarely acted overbearing. With those he had some friendship with, even if the cultivation gap widened greatly, his attitude usually did not change much. But all of this was under one condition: no one had touched his reverse scale. Once that line was crossed, Ye Chen would not hesitate to turn hostile.

Hearing these words, the elder's face turned deathly white. At this moment, he finally understood. The person standing before him was not the Yao family's son-in-law. He was one of the most powerful peak existences in the current cultivation world. He was a being who wielded immortal artifacts and could single-handedly destroy an ancient immortal family. In front of such an existence, what qualifications did he have to offer any explanation?

Yao Gu had originally wanted to say something as well, but he wisely shut his mouth. The Ye Chen before them was terrifyingly cold. Neither of them doubted that if anything had truly happened to Yao Xi, the entire Yao family would be buried with her. Anxiety surged in their hearts. What on earth were the Divine Son and the ancestors thinking?

Even a fool knew that one must never provoke the women of the Heavenly Emperor's heir. Why had their own ancestors insisted on charging straight into the muzzle of the gun? This was not only suicide—it would drag the entire Yao family down to the grave with them.

…

"Boom…"

A sudden rumbling sound and violent tremor erupted from the depths of the Yao family, causing everyone's expression to change drastically. An even more terrifying aura surged over like a tidal wave.

The Yao family's Divine Son shuddered violently.

"This is Ye Chen's aura! Why is he here?"

The Divine Son cried out in alarm. Everyone else present also revealed expressions of panic. They had clearly cut off Yao Xi's communication. Why had the Heavenly Emperor's heir still managed to arrive?

Thinking of the Heavenly Emperor's heir's terrifying battle record, dread filled their hearts. Although he might not be able to defeat the Eight-Crowned King, crushing them would be all too easy.

For a moment, everyone felt as if death itself had descended upon them. The clan leader remained relatively calm. He looked at the rapidly widening cracks in the void and bowed deeply to the only remaining quasi-immortal of the Yao family beside him.

"Ancestor, I beg you to take action. Please use the immortal artifact to temporarily hold back the Heavenly Emperor's heir for a short while. Once the True Immortal Ancestor's divine soul descends, everything will be different!"

Hearing this, the Yao family's quasi-immortal looked both stunned and bitter. He was only at the early stage of the quasi-immortal realm. It had taken him four thousand years to break through, making him one of the weakest among his peers. He couldn't even compare to the early-stage quasi-immortal Exiled Immortal, let alone the Celestial Prince or the Lotus Emperor. Asking him to stop Ye Chen? Wasn't that the same as sending him to his death?

Yet even if they abandoned the plan now, they had already offended the Heavenly Emperor's heir. There was no easy way out. Thinking of the glorious future the family would enjoy once the plan succeeded, and the power of their immortal artifact, the quasi-immortal gritted his teeth and nodded.

In the next instant, he raised his hand. A mirror flew out from the depths of the Yao family with a resounding boom. Carrying terrifying and vast immortal energy, it landed in the quasi-immortal's hand. It was an ancient-looking mirror. The back of the mirror was engraved with strange and intricate divine patterns. Its front surface was incredibly clear, less like a mirror and more like a deep pool of water. The mirror face seemed to connect to another world, unfathomably profound at a single glance.

The mirror constantly emitted the power of the void, as if it had created an entirely separate realm, making its wielder detached from the mundane world.

Looking at the ancient mirror, the people of the Yao family finally regained a trace of confidence. There was no doubt—this was their clan's immortal weapon, the Void Mirror. Whoever held it would possess unparalleled control over space. While it was not the strongest in direct offensive power, it was the most mystical and effective when it came to stalling and obstructing enemies.

Chapter 1024: Can't Come Down? I'll Help You!

The moment Ye Chen entered the Yao family grounds, he sensed his senior sister's aura. He immediately charged in that direction.

However, in the next instant, a terrifying divine might swept out. Over a thousand formless and traceless beams of void light shot toward him with murderous intent.

The attacker did not reveal himself. It was as if he had dissolved into the formless heavens and earth, leaving behind not a single trace.

Feeling the void lights surging toward him with killing intent, Ye Chen didn't even bother to move. He allowed the beams to crash into him.

In an instant, endless divine light slammed against his body. Terrifying rumbling sounds echoed throughout the entire Yao family. The power of an immortal artifact was horrifying.

In mere moments, another group of low-level Yao family cultivators was shaken to death. Yet Ye Chen, standing at the center of the explosion, remained completely calm. Even as he took the terrifying void lights head-on, his physical body showed not the slightest sign of damage. It was as if nothing more than harmless raindrops had fallen on him.

Hidden within the void and wrapped in the protection of the Void Mirror, the Yao family's quasi-immortal widened his eyes in utter disbelief as he stared ahead. Although he was a weakling who could only barely activate thirty percent of the Void Mirror's power, it was still an immortal artifact. Even a Sacred Body would find it difficult to withstand such an attack.

Yet the Heavenly Emperor's heir had simply stood there without moving and blocked it directly?

At this moment, the Yao family's quasi-immortal trembled even harder.

At the same time, chaotic light flickered in Ye Chen's eyes. As if piercing through countless layers of void, he looked straight toward the quasi-immortal's location. A cold smile curved his lips. "Found you."

In the next instant, Ye Chen threw a punch.

The Yao family's quasi-immortal felt his heart race. Only the Void Mirror in his hand gave him any sense of security.

The Void Mirror could stack over a thousand layers of void to protect its wielder. With it, he could ignore any spatial lockdown and escape instantly. No matter how terrifying the Heavenly Emperor's heir was, he wouldn't die. He only needed to stall for a short while. Once the True Immortal Ancestor's soul descended, the one who would die would be the Heavenly Emperor's heir. The advantage was on his side!

However, the next moment, his expression froze. The thousand layers of void shattered like paper in front of Ye Chen's fist. The layers began to crack and collapse even before the punch fully arrived. When the fist force reached him, the void was pierced and dissolved at an unimaginable speed.

The quasi-immortal shuddered. Although he had expected the Heavenly Emperor's heir to be terrifyingly strong, only now, standing directly against him, did he realize that Ye Chen was even more frightening than he had imagined.

The Heavenly Emperor's heir had already been invincible at the Great Emperor realm. What about now, at the peak of the quasi-immortal realm? Could he really stall him with the Void Mirror?

At this moment, the quasi-immortal felt the urge to retreat. He wanted to escape with the immortal artifact and hide in any corner of the world. He would only come out after the Heavenly Emperor's heir had fallen or successfully ascended to immortality. As for the Yao family, he could no longer care about them.

However, the moment he activated the Void Mirror and tried to teleport away, he discovered something horrifying. Divine light shone from the mirror and its divine patterns flowed, yet it could not shake the surrounding void in the slightest. He was completely unable to leave.

How was this possible? The Heavenly Emperor's heir had locked down the void so tightly that even an immortal artifact could not break through?

His mouth fell open as he screamed in despair, "Ye Chen, this has nothing to do with me… It was the old quasi-immortal who did this for the Divine Son to enter the Immortal Realm—"

But Ye Chen merely looked at him indifferently. The fist force pierced through all barriers. The power of reincarnation stirred, and before the quasi-immortal could finish speaking, he exploded into a cloud of blood mist.

His divine soul and origin were completely annihilated. Even the Void Mirror dimmed under that single punch. Countless cracks appeared across its surface, its spirituality greatly damaged. It was now half-ruined.

At this moment, the entire Yao family fell deathly silent. Yao Gu and the elder trembled violently. This was the first time they had personally witnessed the true terror of the Heavenly Emperor's heir. With just one strike, a quasi-immortal had fallen and an immortal artifact had been crippled.

The shock and despair they felt were overwhelming, but even stronger was their fury. What exactly had their clan been doing? How insane were the clan leader and the Divine Son?

They had dared to touch the woman of the Heavenly Emperor's heir, risking the wrath of the entire world. Until today, the Heavenly Emperor's heir had never destroyed any major power. Even when the Alkaid Holy Land's Holy Master and the others had fled, he had not pursued them to the bitter end.

But now, looking at Ye Chen, they had a sinking feeling that he might truly intend to wipe out the entire Yao family. This filled them with both terror and rage. What in the world had the clan leader done?

Above the sky, Ye Chen waved his hand. The core area of the Yao family was ripped open directly.

Inside, the Yao family clan leader, the Divine Son, and several great saint realm elders looked up at Ye Chen, their faces filled with utter despair.

They had actually taken Ye Chen very seriously. They truly understood how terrifying he was. But they had never imagined he could be this terrifying.

Their quasi-immortal had gone out with an immortal artifact capable of attacking, defending, and escaping, yet he had not lasted even ten breaths before his body was destroyed and his soul completely annihilated. And now, the Heavenly Emperor's heir had arrived.

The True Immortal's soul, however, had yet to descend. All their plans had turned to nothing. The only path left for them was death.

The most emotional person present was undoubtedly Yao Xi. She had thought she was doomed to die. She had never expected her junior brother to come. The restrictions on her body had already been removed.

She looked up at Ye Chen, who was holding a blood blade, her eyes filled with infatuation. In this life-and-death moment, the scene of the man she loved charging over with an immortal weapon in hand struck her heart with overwhelming force.

"Junior brother…"

Thousands of words surged in her heart, yet Yao Xi could only utter these two words. Ye Chen did not rush to kill. He simply swept his cold gaze across everyone in the hall. The moment his eyes fell on them, the Yao family members felt their entire bodies turn ice-cold.

With a wave of his hand, Ye Chen sent an array disc soaring into the sky. In an instant, countless streams of light shot out in all directions, drawing arcs across the sky and completely sealing off the entire Yao family.

Seeing this scene, the hearts of the Yao family members sank once more. They all understood that the Heavenly Emperor's heir was truly furious this time. He had no intention of letting even a single Yao family member escape. This attitude made their despair even deeper.

Ye Chen paid no attention to any of the Yao family members. He calmly descended and pulled Yao Xi into his arms. Having found support, Yao Xi's body instantly softened. The tension that had gripped her heart finally loosened, and tears rolled down her cheeks.

"Junior brother… why did you come to save me?"

Yao Xi let the tears fall freely as she looked up at Ye Chen with dazed eyes. The Yao family members also couldn't help turning their heads to look. This was the question they couldn't understand either. Why had the Heavenly Emperor's heir come today?

On Ye Chen's side, seeing that Yao Xi was unharmed, he finally relaxed. He gently raised his hand to wipe away the tears on her face and spoke softly, "I dreamed of you, so I came to find you."

Upon hearing this, Yao Xi's eyes reddened once more. The Yao family members widened their eyes in disbelief. If they were defeated because of such a reason, it would be utterly ridiculous.

However, Ye Chen ignored them completely. His gaze shifted to the grand formation in the center of the hall, where something was clearly attempting to descend into this world. But the crack was still not large enough.

A cold smile curved at the corner of Ye Chen's mouth as he said indifferently, "So this is what gave you the courage to disregard me and lay hands on Yao Xi? Struggling so much just to cross a realm? Let me help you."

In the next moment, Ye Chen threw a punch directly at the crack. Infinite chaotic power surged forth, forcibly widening the crack…

Chapter 1025: The Yao Family's True Immortal!

In the Immortal Realm.

Inside a cave dwelling located in a desolate wasteland. A True Immortal named Yao Yuanshan had excitement written all over his face. Since the first True Immortal of the Yao family ascended to the Immortal Realm a million years ago, he had been invited to join a major sect.

After all, anyone capable of opening the Heavenly Gate and ascending from the harsh lower world was considered a genius even in the Immortal Realm. The Yao family's True Immortal ancestor had been full of ambition, believing he would one day become an Immortal King and establish an Immortal King clan in the Immortal Realm.

However, he soon discovered that the Immortal Realm was not so different from the cultivation world. Cultivation still required wealth, companions, techniques, and land. Unable to compete with the native prodigies, the resources he received gradually dwindled. By the time of his death, he had only reached the second level of the True Immortal realm.

His descendants fared even worse with each generation, to the point where later generations struggled even to achieve immortality. It was not until Yao Yuanshan's generation that a second True Immortal finally appeared in the Yao family.

But someone like him was far inferior to their ancestor. At best, he could only become an elder in a small sect in the Immortal Realm. He didn't even qualify to enter a major sect.

Without wealth, companions, techniques, or land, Yao Yuanshan felt nothing but despair. If nothing changed, he would remain a mere first-level True Immortal for the rest of his life.

However, their ancestor had once cultivated the Forsight Secret. Before leaving the cultivation world, he had witnessed the Heavenly Emperor smashing the Jianmu Tree and deduced certain things from it, leaving behind a contingency plan.

In a jade slip, he had instructed future generations: If their cultivation did not go smoothly, they could set up a formation after a million years and wait for a summons from the lower world. If everything went well and the clansmen from both realms cooperated, they could send their divine souls into the cultivation world to plunder its resources.

Although the cultivation world was far less resource-rich than the Immortal Realm, it was still an entire world. If they could plunder it, their Immortal Path would become smooth and unobstructed. In a world without true immortals, a True Immortal soul possessing half the combat power of a real True Immortal would be the sole immortal.

Moreover, if they could receive the support of an Origin Spirit Body and refine it into their own physical form, they could display seventy percent of a True Immortal's might. As for the possibility of encountering monstrous geniuses like the Heavenly Emperor, the Devouring Immortal, or the Moral Immortal who could defy and slay True Immortals?

Neither the Yao family ancestor nor Yao Yuanshan had ever considered it. In their view, after the Jianmu Tree was severed, the Immortal Qi in the lower world had been cut off, causing the environment to continuously deteriorate. Each generation would only grow weaker. How could such freaks possibly appear again? It was simply not something worth considering.

Thus, Yao Yuanshan calculated the timing and treated this as his only chance to turn his fate around. He had prepared the materials early and set up the formation, waiting for the summons from the lower world.

He had waited in this desolate place for a full two hundred years. Just when he was beginning to worry that the Yao family in the lower world had already been destroyed, the formation he had set up finally reacted!

This filled Yao Yuanshan with wild joy. Without the slightest hesitation, he connected to the formation and poured all his immortal power into it. Using the tiny crack opened from below, he began trying to widen it. The fact that he could only send his divine soul instead of his true body due to insufficient resources was not a problem at all.

A True Immortal soul was more than enough in the lower world. It would be sufficient to make any force bow their heads and offer up their resources. He could even obtain an Origin Spirit Body as a vessel. By cultivating that body into an immortal, it would grant him a powerful Divine Ability, along with countless other benefits that would greatly assist his main body.

With the resources plundered from the lower world and an Origin Spirit Body avatar, his Immortal Path would be smooth sailing. In the future, he might even have a chance to become an Immortal King, establish a long-lived clan, join the ranks of the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths, and from then on be free from the Five Decays, achieving eternal life. What their ancestor failed to accomplish would be realized in his hands.

Thinking of this, Yao Yuanshan's immortal power surged even more violently as he poured it all into the formation, widening the crack bit by bit. In just another half an hour, he would be able to descend. But suddenly, the crack widened by several fractions.

Yao Yuanshan's eyes widened in confusion. Was this the doing of the Yao family descendants below? Not bad at all!

Originally, Yao Yuanshan had not planned to bring any of the lower world Yao family members up with him. What use was a bunch of trash? They were all mud-legged peasants, far inferior to those he could sire himself.

He had already made plans for his eight slots, intending to bring up eight female cultivators with top-tier aptitude. He would use them as cauldrons to bear his offspring and expand his bloodline.

After all, high-aptitude female cultivators in the Immortal Realm were extremely arrogant. They only chose Dao companions who were stronger than themselves and would not even spare a glance at someone like him.

However, seeing the current commotion, Yao Yuanshan felt that the Yao family in the lower world might actually have some good seedlings. He could bring one or two up to cultivate and have them assist him.

Noticing that the crack was now large enough for his divine soul to descend, Yao Yuanshan did not wait any longer. Just the divine materials needed to protect his divine soul had already bankrupted him.

As for protecting his physical body, the required divine materials were even more astronomical—he didn't dare to even think about it.

Even if the crack grew larger, his true body could not descend. Forcing it through would only result in annihilation. Under these circumstances, there was naturally no need to wait.

Yao Yuanshan's main body sat cross-legged, closed his eyes, and his divine soul shot out with a boom. Filled with excitement, it surged into the crack… He knew that his path to immortality would change forever today. His future was boundless…

In the next instant, Yao Yuanshan's divine soul vanished into the crack. Without anyone to maintain it, the formation lost its power. The crack slowly closed like a healing wound, disappearing without a trace in the blink of an eye. Only a True Immortal's physical body remained, sitting quietly in place. Waiting silently for the return of its divine soul.

…

The moment Ye Chen made his move and forcibly widened the crack, the Yao family members were stunned. They had never expected Ye Chen to be this insane… He was actually helping a True Immortal descend.

Yao Xi became extremely anxious. "Junior brother, you can't do that… They are summoning a True Immortal, and it's not some remnant thought like an immortal deity's will, but a complete True Immortal soul. It's said to possess at least half the strength of a real True Immortal… You absolutely cannot let him come down."

Hearing this, Ye Chen raised an eyebrow, his eyes showing clear disappointment. Only a True Immortal soul? With such a grand setup, he had thought the Yao family was actually summoning a real True Immortal!

Not to mention his current peak quasi-immortal cultivation—even when he was at the peak of the Great Emperor realm, if he couldn't defeat a mere True Immortal soul, he might as well commit suicide and stop pretending.

The Yao family clan leader and the others were extremely nervous. The True Immortal ancestor was their only chance of survival. If the Heavenly Emperor's heir stopped him, they would undoubtedly die.

However, Ye Chen raised his hand and condensed two massive palms, intending to tear the crack even wider. "Only a divine soul? That's not enough. I want you to bring your true body down with you…"

Everyone present was shocked. Was the Heavenly Emperor's heir being too arrogant? It was true that the cultivation world had records of quasi-immortals defying and slaying True Immortals.

But throughout history, only three people had successfully killed a True Immortal. The Heavenly Emperor had set up an incomplete immortal array in ambush and fought a bloody battle for three days to defy and kill a True Immortal.

The Devouring Female Immortal had launched a sneak attack on an elderly True Immortal from the myriad races whose vitality had already declined. She devoured his origin and killed him.

The last was the Moral Heavenly Venerable, who, with the support of three immortal artifacts and a grand formation, spent an entire month in a three-against-one battle to kill a True Immortal. It was said that the deceased True Immortal had previously suffered severe origin injuries.

In other words, every True Immortal who had died at the hands of a quasi-immortal had not been in their peak state. They were all damaged or weakened existences. They had needed various external aids to successfully slaughter an immortal, and the process had been fraught with danger… So, where did the Heavenly Emperor's heir get the confidence to be this arrogant?

Chapter 1026: The Ancestor Has Arrived, We Are Saved!

After Ye Chen widened the crack once more, that terrifying aura finally descended…

The aura was overwhelmingly oppressive. Just its mere presence caused the sacred mountain where the hall stood to tremble and crack apart.

Cultivators below the Great Emperor realm could not withstand it. They felt a crushing suppression on their bloodlines and coughed up blood in terror, staggering backward.

Meanwhile, the Yao family's Divine Son and the others had eyes full of wild ecstasy. Although they didn't understand why the Heavenly Emperor's heir was acting so arrogantly, their ancestor had truly come down.

With the ancestor here, they were saved. With the ancestor here, they could achieve immortality.

Under the delighted gazes of the Yao family members, an illusory hand stretched out from the crack.

The giant hand violently tore through the void, leaving behind traces of collapsing space.

The owner of the hand soon followed, flying out of the crack and standing high in the sky, looking down at everyone.

Even though it was only a phantom, the moment it truly appeared, the temperature across the entire Yao family plummeted. Countless people felt as if they had fallen into an ice cave.

The figure they revered with all their hearts knelt down respectfully. The Yao family's True Immortal had descended!

"Which descendant was it that just helped me descend?"

After arriving in the lower world, Yao Yuanshan stood in mid-air and arrogantly scanned his surroundings. He felt that even the spiritual energy here was sweet and refreshing. In an excellent mood, he spoke calmly while looking at the crowd.

Hearing this, the Yao family clan leader and the others who had been about to complain exchanged awkward glances. They didn't have that kind of ability. Their True Immortal ancestor had been able to descend so quickly only because their enemy, Ye Chen, had personally helped widen the crack.

For a moment, they didn't know how to respond. Even so, they were still extremely excited. They had planned everything today according to their ancestor's instructions. They had also been constantly worried about whether the Yao family still had any True Immortals left in the Immortal Realm.

But now, it was clear they had worried for nothing. A True Immortal had truly descended. This meant the Yao family was still flourishing powerfully in the Immortal Realm. A million years had passed. Could it be that the ancestor who had ascended back then had already become an Immortal King? If that were the case, once they ascended, they would enjoy endless blessings.

"Greetings, True Immortal Ancestor. Has our Yao family become a major power in the Immortal Realm?" the clan leader couldn't help but ask.

Yao Yuanshan's divine soul twitched at the question.

A major power? Heh. He was nothing more than a loose cultivator. These collateral descendants from the cultivation world simply didn't understand how cruel and competitive the Immortal Realm truly was.

Yao Yuanshan couldn't be bothered to answer him.

Ye Chen looked at the True Immortal soul in front of him and frowned. "Why did only your divine soul descend? Where is your true body?"

Sensing the disappointment in Ye Chen's tone, Yao Yuanshan frowned as well. He looked at Ye Chen and noticed that there was no aura of the void on him. He immediately assumed that Ye Chen was an outsider the Yao family had roped in.

However, this young man's aura was indeed extremely powerful. One glance was enough to tell that his talent was top-tier and worth nurturing. Even so, this boy was far too disrespectful. He actually dared to question why his true body had not descended. Did he think he didn't want to? This kid needed to have his edges polished before he could be put to use.

"This Immortal's soul descending is more than enough to sweep across this world. Why would I need my true body? And you are being far too presumptuous! You fail to pay respect upon seeing an immortal. You have already lost your chance at a good fate. Kneel before me now, accept my slave imprint, and I can give you the opportunity to enter the Immortal Realm and become an immortal ancestor in the future."

After descending to the lower world, Yao Yuanshan felt unprecedentedly relaxed and joyful. In the Immortal Realm, as a mere True Immortal, he was not exactly an ant, but he still had to act cautiously for fear of offending someone stronger.

As for the weak, he didn't dare provoke them casually either, lest they had powerful backers. In short, as a loose cultivator, he had lived a very repressed life, constantly on edge and filled with anxiety.

But in the cultivation world, everything was different. Here, he was the only god. He no longer needed to worry about offending anyone. Instead, everyone had to worry about not offending him. Even a heaven-defying prodigy like Ye Chen, whose talent far surpassed his own, would have to bow his head and submit, becoming his slave. If he could enslave this boy early, whether he kept him around as a lackey or simply sold him off later, it would be an absolute profit.

Therefore, Yao Yuanshan looked down at Ye Chen with majestic arrogance. He unleashed his full pressure without holding back. The terrifying immortal might surged forth like a tidal wave, pressing down upon Ye Chen with overwhelming force.

The Yao family members' expressions changed drastically. This pressure was too terrifying—it could crush a Great Emperor to death. Although it was not directed at them, the residual might alone made their hearts tremble.

However, Ye Chen simply held Yao Xi in his arms and gently blew out a breath. The incoming pressure was blown back at an even more terrifying speed.

Yao Yuanshan's expression changed. He slapped out with his soul palm and scattered the returning pressure. His gaze toward Ye Chen had now completely changed.

Although he was currently in soul form, the pressure he had released was still immortal might. Even a quasi-immortal who could withstand it would have been left in a sorry state.

Yet this boy had blown his immortal pressure back with a single breath. It was simply ridiculous. It made him feel deeply wary.

"You are not one of the Yao family? Then why did you help me descend?"

Yao Yuanshan had already sensed something was wrong. Ye Chen was not on their side.

Hearing Yao Yuanshan's question, Ye Chen smiled. His aura suddenly exploded. His black hair danced wildly in the wind as he declared, "Why did I help you descend? Of course, it was to kill you!"

Yao Yuanshan's pupils shrank sharply, anger flashing in his eyes. "Insolence!"

A mere quasi-immortal dared to speak of slaughtering an immortal. To any quasi-immortal, this was the greatest humiliation. After all, the phrase "the divide between immortal and mortal" had never been empty words!

However, before Yao Yuanshan could continue his rage, his expression changed drastically. Ye Chen's momentum rose without reservation. His physique, divine abilities, bloodline, spiritual Qi, and cultivation techniques all erupted at once.

In this moment, countless divine patterns shone around Ye Chen like sacred flames, burning fiercely and incinerating everything in the world. Chaotic qi and the power of reincarnation boiled and swirled around him.

Endless divine forms rose behind his back. Six illusory yet seemingly real worlds revolved around him. His blood qi soared straight into the sky like a massive divine pillar, thick and majestic as if it were supporting heaven and earth itself.

At this moment, Ye Chen was like a god and a devil combined. Terrifying pressure gathered and evolved around him. The void around Ye Chen shattered, and cracks spread for tens of thousands of miles. It seemed as if this world could no longer withstand the full force of his unleashed aura.

The pressure around Ye Chen condensed into solid form and slammed toward Yao Yuanshan.

The Yao family clan leader and the others all coughed up blood. They could even feel their bones cracking under the pressure. If they had not been inside the Yao family grounds, protected by their internal formations, they feared they would have been crushed to death by Ye Chen's pressure alone.

Yao Yuanshan's own eyes widened in shock. His pupils were filled with disbelief. Wasn't this boy only at the peak of the quasi-immortal realm?

Yet the pressure he was emitting was far beyond that. It made him feel as if he were facing a True Immortal—one of those genuinely powerful prodigy-level True Immortals. Had the prodigies of the lower world become this terrifying?

He suddenly felt there might be a misunderstanding between him and Ye Chen. There was no need for things to become so hostile. However, he was not given any chance to speak. The overwhelming, sky-covering pressure that seemed intent on drowning him had already arrived.

Chapter 1027: Is This How You Treat Your Ancestor?

Yao Yuanshan could only slide his hands rapidly, unleashing endless immortal soul power that surged forth and transformed into an enormous shield in front of him. It was a war shield that flowed with brilliant light, illuminating the world. It seemed capable of blocking anything in existence, appearing incredibly sturdy.

Boom!

The pressure came crashing down like a tsunami, slamming violently into the war shield. The shield's light intensified as it tried to withstand the impact.

However, it only held for a brief moment before it could no longer endure and exploded with a deafening bang.

The shield shattered into countless fragments that shot in all directions. Those fragments rained down on the Yao family grounds like a meteor shower, creating loud rumbling sounds and leaving the entire estate riddled with holes. Large numbers of clan members died in the process.

Even after smashing the war shield, Ye Chen's pressure showed no signs of weakening. It continued surging forward without pause, rolling straight toward Yao Yuanshan.

Yao Yuanshan was terrified beyond measure. He, a dignified True Immortal soul, had failed to block the pressure released by a mere quasi-immortal with a single strike? Was he dreaming? Was this something a quasi-immortal should be capable of? Even in the Immortal Realm, he had never heard of anything so outrageous.

At this moment, Yao Yuanshan was truly panicked. He felt that he and Ye Chen had no grudge or enmity. There was no need to fight to the death. If his earlier words had been too harsh, he was willing to apologize and clear up the misunderstanding! After all, it was better to resolve enmities than to create them.

Yao Yuanshan immediately activated countless void divine techniques. He altered the surrounding space, layering it repeatedly until it formed numerous black holes, attempting to neutralize Ye Chen's pressure.

As the pressure swept forward, one black hole after another exploded.

Fortunately, Yao Yuanshan's divine techniques eventually took effect and completely exhausted the pressure. However, the shock in his heart had already reached its peak. He had to go all out just to withstand his opponent's pressure alone.

What would happen when the other party actually attacked? Could he even win? Where did this monster come from? Or had the cultivation environment in the lower world deteriorated to such an extent that only this kind of heaven-defying existence could break through to the quasi-immortal realm?

It was simply too frightening. If all quasi-immortals in the cultivation world were this powerful, he might as well return to the Immortal Realm.

The entire scene fell deathly silent. Every member of the Yao family was trembling. Their ancestor was a True Immortal! Even if he was only in soul form, he shouldn't have to struggle so hard just to block a pressure wave, right? How were they supposed to fight after this?

Moreover, if even their ancestor was no match for Ye Chen, then what were they supposed to do? What would happen to the Yao family?

At this moment, every Yao family member felt their hearts trembling with fear. They were all beginning to think that they should never have touched Yao Xi or provoked the Heavenly Emperor's heir. Or perhaps, they should never have chosen Yao Xi as their Divine Maiden in the first place. If they had chosen someone else, none of this would have happened. But back then, they had been too greedy. They wanted everything. Regret began to brew deeply in the hearts of the Yao family members.

…

Yao Yuanshan retreated several steps. Only after putting some distance between himself and Ye Chen did he speak, his face carrying a trace of fear he himself had not noticed. "Young friend, I spoke a bit too loudly earlier. It's mainly because that's how things are done in the Immortal Realm. I've only just descended and haven't adjusted yet… I must thank you for helping me descend. However, I only came with my divine soul and have nothing of value on me! Whatever you like in the Yao family, feel free to take it as my token of gratitude!"

Yao Yuanshan lowered his head without the slightest hesitation. The Yao family members watched their True Immortal ancestor retreat and felt even greater despair. Hearing his words now, their mouths twitched uncontrollably.

Yao Yuanshan, however, didn't care. As long as he could turn hostility into friendship with Ye Chen, handing over the entire lower world Yao family was perfectly acceptable.

Yet Ye Chen's lips curved into a cold smile. "No. You must die."

Yao Yuanshan's expression changed instantly. He could clearly feel that Ye Chen's killing intent was genuine, without the slightest concealment.

But why? He had only just descended. Even if he had said a few wrong words, it shouldn't warrant death, right? Was the current cultivation world really this brutal? Did people really fight to the death over a single disagreement?

Yao Yuanshan regretted descending more and more. He should have stayed safely in the Immortal Realm. At the very least, he was still a True Immortal. Even if he didn't strive for more, he could have lived a comfortable life. Why had he come to the lower world only to live in fear? His ancestor had misled him!

At this moment, Ye Chen was still holding Yao Xi in one arm. He released the Undying Celestial Blade with his other hand and slowly raised it, clenching his fingers into a tight fist.

In an instant, dragon roars echoed through the sky as countless phenomena appeared.

Terrifying power gathered on Ye Chen's fist. He was truly about to make his move.

At this moment, Yao Yuanshan clearly sensed the breath of death. The panic in his heart reached its absolute limit. He didn't want to die. He still had tens of thousands of years left to live. He had no hope of reaching higher realms, but he could still enjoy himself and live like a king in some small corner of the world. He didn't want to die here.

Under the threat of death, Yao Yuanshan could no longer care about anything else. His soul body shot backward explosively as he roared furiously at the Yao family members: "Where is the Origin Spirit Body you prepared for me? Bring it out now!"

The Origin Spirit Body was special. He could instantly possess and fuse with it. As long as he obtained the Origin Spirit Body, the power he could wield would surge once again. He no longer dared to think he could defeat the monstrous genius before him, but at the very least, he would gain more power to protect himself. Even if he couldn't win, he might still be able to escape. Otherwise, Yao Yuanshan feared he wouldn't last more than a few punches before perishing.

Facing their ancestor's urgent and anxious question, the Yao family members fell into silence. No one dared to raise their heads…

The Yao family clan leader silently pointed at Yao Xi in Ye Chen's arms, lowered his head, and spoke in a quiet voice: "Ancestor… that woman is our Yao family's Divine Maiden, Yao Xi. She is also the current generation's Origin Spirit Body… She is the physical vessel we have carefully prepared for you over the years."

Yao Yuanshan turned his head and looked at the woman in Ye Chen's embrace with a strange expression. He had originally assumed that Ye Chen was holding the female cultivator just to humiliate him — a way of saying "I can beat you even while carrying someone." He had seen many prodigies in the Immortal Realm act this way and had long grown used to it. But this… was the vessel they had prepared for him?

He stared at the Yao family clan leader in disbelief and couldn't help roaring: "The physical body you prepared for me is this monster's Dao companion?!"

The clan leader lowered his head even further and dared not speak.

At this moment, Yao Yuanshan felt as if he had been struck by lightning. He finally understood why he had been attacked the moment he descended, and why Ye Chen's killing intent toward him was so deep. Even he himself now wanted to destroy the Yao family. Were these bastards insane?

Such a top-tier monster — instead of flattering him, currying favor, and kneeling to lick his boots, they actually tried to use his Dao companion's body as a vessel for him? Before he had even descended, they had already created such a deadly enemy for him?

These idiots clearly wanted him dead. They couldn't stand seeing him live well in the Immortal Realm, so they dragged him down to die with them!

Yao Yuanshan felt like dying on the spot. He glared at the clan leader with gritted teeth.

The clan leader, sensing the True Immortal ancestor's gaze, also felt extremely wronged. He had truly never expected the Heavenly Emperor's heir to be this terrifying. If he had known their True Immortal ancestor would end up in such a sorry state upon descending, he would rather die than have laid a hand on Yao Xi.

With Yao Xi's connection, they might have been able to secure at least one spot and send the Divine Son into the Immortal Realm. But they had been too greedy. One spot wasn't enough — they wanted eight.

In the end, they had brought about today's disaster. They had always been too greedy. They wanted everything, and in the end, they would get nothing.

At this moment, Ye Chen swept his cold gaze across them with a sneer. His fist was already raised…

Chapter 1028: Drifting for Half a Lifetime…

The moment Ye Chen raised his fist, heaven and earth began to tremble violently. The sun, moon, and stars across the entire universe resonated at this moment, blooming with divine light that poured down to empower him. Terrifying imperial might surged forth, making Ye Chen appear like a monarch descending upon the mortal world, looking down upon all living beings.

Within the entire Yao family, everyone except Yao Yuanshan was forced to their knees by this overwhelming pressure.

Deep within the cosmos, Hua Yunfei widened his eyes. How had his junior brother become even stronger again? He had indeed been too impatient and come out too early.

In the Ninth Realm.

Even after suppressing Wang Xuanji, the Eight-Crowned King, who had remained seated the entire time, slowly opened his aged eyes. His slightly hunched figure gradually stood up, and battle intent rose within his gaze.

Having been invincible for so long, even when facing that female prodigy from the Immortal Realm, he had shown no interest in taking action. He had already reached the absolute peak of what the quasi-immortal realm could achieve.

Now, he believed he could even kill a True Immortal if one descended. Because of this, everything had felt dull and tasteless.

But today, he finally sensed a long-lost threat… This boy was worthy of him going all out in a bloody battle. The quasi-immortal of the Dao One Holy Land had been waiting respectfully by his side. His admiration for his ancestor had reached an extreme.

All previous dissatisfaction had completely vanished after their ancestor casually suppressed Wang Xuanji with a single move. Their ancestor wasn't pretending to be profound. He truly possessed overwhelming strength.

Whether it was the Heavenly Emperor's heir, the Moral Immortal's successor, or the prodigies from the Immortal Realm, none of them were a match for their ancestor.

Seeing the Eight-Crowned King stand up now, the Dao One Holy Land's quasi-immortal's eyes immediately lit up. Was their ancestor finally going to leave the Ninth Realm?

However, the Eight-Crowned King simply spoke calmly: "Tell Ye Chen that I am waiting for him in the Ninth Realm."

The quasi-immortal's eyes widened. Their ancestor still wouldn't take the initiative to attack?

This… Forget it. Their ancestor had the strength to act this way.

The quasi-immortal of the Dao One Holy Land immediately nodded, bowed deeply, and shot away.

…

Wearing a green robe, Wang Xuanji had been chasing after Ye Chen ever since he had sent her flying. No matter how hard she tried, she simply couldn't catch up. If Ye Chen hadn't been charging forward without any concealment, she would never have been able to follow him here.

Feeling the terrifying aura coming from the Yao family, her delicate body trembled, and her green robes fluttered. This aura was too horrifying. If she didn't have the blood of an Immortal King flowing in her veins, she would have been unable to resist kneeling in the direction of the Yao family. This aura reminded her of the fear she had felt when facing the Eight-Crowned King.

Back then, the Eight-Crowned King hadn't even stood up. He had merely activated a strange technique, causing his aura to surge, and then slapped down with one palm, instantly suppressing her. And now, Ye Chen also possessed such power?

Wang Xuanji had originally come this time intending to subdue Ye Chen with absolute strength, to make him understand the gap between them and serve her. But now, she had changed her mind. She could perhaps use the influence and power of the Wang family from the Immortal Realm to attract Ye Chen and make him work for her.

Wang Xuanji increased her speed once more. She wanted to witness Ye Chen's strength with her own eyes. If he truly proved exceptional, she might actually bring him into the Immortal Realm and have him join the Wang family.

After all, although the Wang family had the Nine Dragons above them, only she was currently supporting the younger generation. Their numbers were too few. In the Immortal Realm, talented successors were extremely important. Without powerful descendants to inherit the legacy, the family would be looked down upon and targeted. If Ye Chen's strength was not inferior to her own at her peak, then having two prodigies in one generation of the Wang family might not be a bad thing…

As for Ye Chen's identity as the Heavenly Emperor's heir, as long as he was willing to give it up and she put in a good word, the Wang family might be wary at first and feel some resentment due to their ancient grudge. But as long as Ye Chen could endure it, the misunderstanding between both sides could eventually be resolved.

…

The terrifying aura swept forward, with Yao Yuanshan bearing the brunt of it. Realizing that he had truly been dragged into this mess by the lower world's mud-legged descendants and that Ye Chen's killing intent was resolute, Yao Yuanshan spoke urgently: "Where is the Void Mirror left behind by our ancestor?"

Many True Immortals who ascended did not leave any immortal artifacts for the upper world. They cared only about their own eternal life, not their descendants. But the Yao family's ancestor had specially left behind an immortal artifact because of his deductions about the future, hoping it would help the Yao family survive for generations.

Yao Yuanshan had descended with only his divine soul and brought nothing with him. If he could obtain the immortal artifact, he might be able to hold on a little longer and find a chance to survive.

Hearing this, the Yao family clan leader's mouth twitched. He pointed silently outside the hall.

Yao Yuanshan had a bad premonition. He turned his head and saw a divine mirror covered in cracks, its surface warped and dull, floating alone in the air. Its aura was only at the level of a supreme Extreme Dao Weapon.

At that moment, Yao Yuanshan felt his entire soul turn ice-cold from head to toe. He stared fixedly at the Yao family members, killing intent surging wildly.

These useless trash with the blood of lower world peasants were trying to get him killed.

Yao Yuanshan belonged to the bloodline born from the union of the Yao family ancestor and an immortal fairy from the Immortal Realm. He had always considered himself a true native of the Immortal Realm, completely different from these mixed-blood descendants. Yet now he was about to be dragged to his death by them. How could he not be furious? He wished he could slaughter them all right then and there.

Ye Chen's fist was already raised, shining with brilliant golden light. In the next moment, it would come crashing down.

Yao Yuanshan felt as if his soul was about to scatter. Without a physical body and without an immortal artifact, he was doomed. Without the slightest hesitation, Yao Yuanshan dropped to his knees:

"Young friend, this really has nothing to do with me… I am the only True Immortal left in the Yao family in the Immortal Realm. I'm just a loose cultivator. I was peacefully cultivating in my cave when I was suddenly contacted and asked to descend…

"I truly didn't know they harbored ill intentions toward your Dao companion! Otherwise, I would never have come down even if you beat me to death! I have no backing in the cultivation world and have lived extremely miserably. Even the disciples of major sects who haven't become immortals don't bother to look at me properly.

"But when I saw you, I felt hope. With your talent, once you enter the Immortal Realm, you will surely become a hegemon! I have drifted alone for half a lifetime, only regretting that I never met a wise lord. If you do not mind, Far Mountain is willing to acknowledge you as my master. I will willingly accept a slave imprint and serve as your vanguard…

"After all, most traces left by the Heavenly Emperor in the Immortal Realm have already been erased. When you ascend later and choose which force to join, I can help you investigate in advance.

"The Immortal Realm today is no longer what it once was. The threat from the Other Domain is approaching, and the major powers and families have lost their patience in nurturing prodigies. If you accidentally choose the wrong force, you might even be sent to the mines for ten thousand years."

Yao Yuanshan shouted desperately, his voice hoarse. His words caused the already despairing eyes of the Yao family clan leader and the others to darken even further…

The Yao family was not a major power in the Immortal Realm? In the Immortal Realm, the Yao family only had one True Immortal, and he was merely a loose cultivator?

This…

The people of the Yao family truly regretted everything at this moment. Their regret had reached its peak.

In Ye Chen's arms, Yao Xi couldn't help but whisper softly after hearing this: "Junior brother, why don't you spare him? He might be useful to you after you enter the Immortal Realm."

Although this person had nearly taken over her body, as long as it benefited Ye Chen, Yao Xi was willing.

Hearing her words, Ye Chen smiled… His fist shone with dazzling light as he punched out without holding back in the slightest. The entire universe trembled violently in response.

Yao Yuanshan's face was instantly filled with utter despair. Scenes from his past flashed through his mind one after another…

He felt so wronged! He should never have descended to this lower world!

Chapter 1029: The Yao Family Is No More!

"Boom…"

The fist force swept through, and the Yao family trembled once again as if struck by another earthquake. When the fist shadow vanished, Yao Yuanshan from the lower world had completely disappeared.

All that remained was the purest soul power, refined after being stirred by Ye Chen's power of reincarnation. With a wave of his hand, Ye Chen sent it into his inner world. Only then did he turn to Yao Xi with a light smile and say: "A mere loose cultivator—what could he possibly know? Besides, he only appeared innocent because I was here. If I weren't here, he would have done everything they wanted. Anyone who dares to threaten you, Senior Sister, must die."

Ye Chen had no need for such a slave. He didn't need one in the cultivation world, and it would be even more useless in the Immortal Realm. There was no need for further words.

Upon hearing this, Yao Xi's eyes reddened once more. Her junior brother treated her far too well. Even though they had only met a handful of times over the years, his feelings for her had not faded in the slightest.

If no one else were present, Yao Xi would have wanted nothing more than to throw herself into his arms, serve him with the full moon he loved most, and then give everything she had—using her Origin Spirit Body to help him awaken yet another Divine Ability.

…

Ye Chen shifted his gaze toward the remaining Yao family members. The corner of his mouth curled up.

Watching the True Immortal ancestor they had worked so hard to summon die just like that, the Yao family members trembled even harder. They knelt on the ground, kowtowing desperately, their foreheads banging loudly against the floor.

"Fourth Holy Son, we truly know we were wrong…"

"Son-in-law, we were momentarily possessed by greed!"

"Brother-in-law, I never supported this! But I couldn't go against the entire clan!"

"Xixi, for so many years, our Yao family poured everything into raising you. Please, for the sake of our past relationship, put in a good word for us!"

They played the emotional card, confessing their mistakes and begging Ye Chen to show mercy.

Yao Xi looked at them but remained silent.

Ye Chen narrowed his eyes and spoke softly: "You don't truly know you were wrong… You only know that you're about to die."

The eyes of the Yao family's Divine Son and the others widened instantly.

In the next moment, Ye Chen pressed down with one hand from afar. Before his death, the Yao family's Divine Son recalled the past. Back then, his cultivation had far surpassed Ye Chen's. As one of the three great prodigies of the Great Yan Continent, he had even hoped to compete for the title of number one prodigy.

He had looked down on this brother-in-law of his and only saw Hua Yunfei and the Heavenly Intention Holy Son as true rivals. Who could have imagined that the Heavenly Intention Holy Son would die many years ago? Hua Yunfei had already become a quasi-immortal. And he himself had been reduced to an ant.

Boom…

The Yao family's Divine Son and the others turned into clouds of blood mist. Every trace of their existence was completely erased.

Ye Chen turned around calmly and saw Yao Gu and the Yao family elder standing in the distance, their faces deathly pale. He felt no pity for the two of them.

Yao Gu had provoked him in the past but lost. He had only spared him for Yao Xi's sake. The male cultivators he truly acknowledged in the cultivation world were few: the old sect leader of the Green Cloud Sect, his senior brother, the Holy Master, and Elder Mo. As for that elder, whether his intentions had been good or bad no longer mattered.

Holding Yao Xi in his arms, Ye Chen rose into the air. He stretched out one hand and stared coldly downward, ready to press down.

With a single strike from the current Ye Chen, the entire Yao family would be destroyed. No one would survive.

The Yao family members looked up at Ye Chen, who stood high in the sky like a god and devil, their eyes filled with utter despair. They didn't know the full story, but they all knew that the upper echelons of their clan had offended the Heavenly Emperor's heir. Today, the Yao family faced total annihilation.

But at this final moment, Yao Xi could no longer hold back. She hugged Ye Chen's arm and pleaded: "Junior brother… let's not wipe out the entire clan… They didn't know the truth. Killing them serves no purpose!"

Yao Gu had genuinely treated her as his younger sister. And that elder had cared for her deeply. When she was still growing up, he would visit her every few days to ask if she had suffered any grievances or if any clan members were causing her trouble. He had even brought her parents back to the Yao family to give her peace of mind. Whether they had done it to give Ye Chen an explanation or for other reasons, they had truly shown her sincere care. Yao Xi could not bear it and hoped Ye Chen would only kill the main culprits.

Hearing her words, Ye Chen did not insist. He withdrew his hand. With a cold laugh, he thought: The Yao family once had the chance to soar to the heavens. For his senior sister's sake, he would not have minded letting them enter the Immortal Realm. But now, they had brought this upon themselves.

Without even glancing at the Yao family members below, Ye Chen carried Yao Xi and shot away into the distance…

Within the Yao family estate, which had been reduced to little more than ruins, Yao Gu and the clan elder slowly rose into the air.

Looking at the devastated clan grounds and the countless clan members who had died from the shockwaves—less than one in ten still alive—their eyes were filled with deep sorrow.

Just yesterday, the Yao family had still been an ancient immortal clan. Even with the arrival of the Age of Dharma's End, they had remained high above others. Thanks to their connection with the Fourth Holy Son, they had often managed to profit from various schemes.

Yet in just a single day, everything had changed. The mountain-protecting quasi-immortal formation was destroyed. The immortal artifact was ruined. Nearly all the upper echelons of the Yao family had been wiped out.

Most importantly, all of this had been done personally by the Fourth Holy Son. Without his protection, even if Ye Chen did not personally destroy the Yao family, they no longer had the strength to hold onto this treasured land. They would inevitably be swallowed up by others.

The Yao family was truly finished! There was no Yao family in the Immortal Realm. And soon, there would be no Yao family left in the cultivation world either.

…

Ye Chen carried Yao Xi and shot out of the Yao family grounds, intending to bring her back to the Heavenly Evolution Holy Land and keep her by his side from now on.

Yao Xi naturally had no objections. Back then, she had chosen to go to the Yao family because she refused to be a canary who only depended on Ye Chen. She had wanted to fully awaken her Origin Spirit Body so she could help him.

Now that her Origin Spirit Body had matured, she could finally assist Ye Chen and no longer wished to be separated from him. However, they had not flown far from the Yao family when a clear female voice rang out: "Fellow Daoist, please wait."

Ye Chen's mouth twitched. Those words were never a good sign. Still, when he saw the green-robed female cultivator flying toward them, he raised an eyebrow and stopped. This 80,000-times beauty had actually managed to catch up. He had been in too much of a hurry earlier and hadn't paid attention. Now, looking at her carefully, he truly felt how stunning she was.

Willow-leaf eyebrows, cherry-like lips, she was like an orchid blooming in a secluded valley—flawlessly beautiful. Especially her lips, which were delicately pink and glistened with a seductive sheen.

The skin exposed outside her green robes was as smooth as jade and white as snow, seemingly delicate enough to break with a single breath. Her figure was slender and tall. Beneath the green dress, her long legs were faintly visible, and her waist was so slim it seemed it could be encircled with one hand. The curves of her body were breathtaking.

She walked over gracefully, each step light and rhythmic, every movement filled with composure and elegance.

There was also a faint but unmistakable aura of someone born to rule. She seemed like an imperial princess. This suddenly appearing top-tier female cultivator was quite something. And it looked like she had something to ask of him. Otherwise, why would she have chased after them?

She was indeed very tempting, but right now, Ye Chen only wanted to spend time with his senior sister. So he decided to let her wait. He spoke indifferently: "What does Fellow Daoist want?"

Wang Xuanji frowned slightly upon sensing Ye Chen's cold attitude. But when she recalled the terrifying power of the punch he had thrown earlier, she quickly regained her composure. This young man was not inferior to the Eight-Crowned King. Her entire plan depended on him. After all, the Eight-Crowned King was clearly a person with an extremely firm Dao heart.

As for Ye Chen? He had rushed across thousands of miles and wiped out an entire clan just to take away one woman. Although she disapproved of such behavior, he was currently her last and only hope…

AN: The next update will be in three days.