ISWI Chapter 1203-1204 (Patreon)

Chapter 1203: The Ten Outstanding of the Immortal Realm!

"Since Fourth Ancestor Ye has chosen to take part, I will not try to dissuade you further. When the time comes, I will see you off myself. There are still two years until the grand ceremony. You would do well to focus on your cultivation and strengthen yourself. If you can advance even one minor realm, your chances of survival will improve accordingly.

"This trial is truly heart-stirring. No one can interfere with anything that happens inside the Chaos Realm. It is certain to become a storm of blood and carnage, far more intense than the Sunset Secret Realm by countless measures."

Huo Linglong still offered the reminder.

For anyone else, suggesting a breakthrough of one minor realm in two years would have been a joke. Yet Ye Chen's rate of progress was truly heaven-defying. How long had he been in the Jade Pool Immortal Sect? He had already reached the early stage of the Profound Immortal realm. If he applied himself and stayed away from female cultivators, it was not entirely impossible.

Ye Chen smiled faintly at her words. "I rather enjoy such chaotic places where the strong prey on the weak."

"I only hope the intensity can be even higher."

Huo Linglong felt somewhat helpless upon hearing this. She knew Ye Chen was confident, but this was excessive. Among the prodigies, there existed beings at the Great Luo level.

A Golden Immortal could compress their immortal power into golden particles of the highest quality. When unleashed, the power surged forth like a golden torrent that annihilated everything in its path.

A Great Luo Golden Immortal, however, could condense their own cosmos into an immortal domain. Every movement carried the might of that domain, accompanied by countless profound mysteries—stars plummeting, the celestial river pouring down, their power boundless.

As the fifth heavenly realm, the Great Luo Golden Immortal stood as the true watershed among the nine levels of True Immortals. "Beneath the Great Luo, all are mere ants." That saying was no empty talk.

Even if Ye Chen's talent defied the heavens and allowed him to contend with a peak Golden Immortal, what of a Great Luo? Could the Immortal Spirit Root truly let him cross two major realms?

Unable to hold back, Huo Linglong spoke again. "Fourth Ancestor Ye, you should still exercise caution. The Immortal Spirit Root is indeed rare and extremely powerful, but it has appeared before. It is not enough to ignore the vast gap of multiple major realms."

Ye Chen simply smiled and offered no further explanation. Words alone proved nothing. When the time came, and he claimed a place among the Ten Outstanding Youths of the Immortal Realm, Huo Linglong would understand. A gap of one or two major realms meant little before him.

Seeing his expression, Huo Linglong knew he had not taken her words to heart. Yet her attitude toward him had already changed, and she now possessed far greater patience. In the past, she would have simply adopted the stance of "since you are so eager to throw your life away, then go."

She spoke once more. "Moreover, you come from the lower realms, and word of your identity as the Heavenly Emperor's successor has already spread. The Heavenly Emperor's status in the Immortal Realm is simply too lofty. Everything he left behind draws intense attention. In his time, he truly made enemies of the entire world—immortals and outsiders alike. You will inevitably become a target for all. If you act too conspicuously, the danger will be especially great."

Ye Chen smiled again. He had said many times that he was not the Heavenly Emperor's successor. Yet the identity attracted so much hatred that he was beginning to feel reluctant to clear it up. After all, he possessed no taunting aura, and his sense of morality remained somewhat high. If he wished to gather vast quantities of origin essence, the automatic monster-drawing effect of the Heavenly Emperor's successor was something he was loath to abandon.

Smiling cheerfully at Huo Linglong, he said, "It does not matter. Since I have received benefits from the Heavenly Emperor, I naturally ought to bear the karma that comes with them. If I truly fall, it will only mean that such was my fate. None of it will have anything to do with you, Martial Niece."

Huo Linglong rolled her eyes, the waist chain at her side chiming softly. Who was worried about that? She no longer wished to speak. With a wave of her jade-like hand, she issued the order to leave.

In the days that followed, Ye Chen settled into steady cultivation. Whether from a genuine desire to grow stronger or other reasons, he did not seek out the Heavenly Desire Five during this period.

He provided resources to Elder Lin and the Little Phoenix master-disciple pair so they could cultivate in peace. As for his fiancée, he visited her seldom, only occasionally entering the small world to look in on Senior An.

Liu Ruyan arrived as promised, ascending Transcendence Peak to become Ye Chen's attendant. When the news spread, a host of Jade Pool female cultivators glared in fury. They had not yet found their chance, yet some seductive vixen from outside had seized the position first. Was the wild flower truly preferable to the domestic one?

Recalling how Fourth Ancestor Ye had once inquired about peculiar female cultivation sects, the disciples all wore thoughtful expressions.

In this manner, a year and a half slipped by in the blink of an eye. Ye Chen frequently distributed gifts throughout the Jade Pool Immortal Sect. By now he had begun bestowing pills and treasures required for the Profound Immortal realm, drawing ever more disciples to him.

At the Profound Immortal stage, the stronger one's internal cosmos, the faster one attracted Profound Immortal laws. With his Immortal Spirit Root, the Primordial Chaos Myriad Worlds Tree that rivaled a Divine Spirit Root, his rapid refinement and comprehension speed, his Primordial Chaos Supreme Body already at ten percent, and the support of numerous strange treasures, Ye Chen's rate of insight was frighteningly fast. Under these conditions, he swiftly reached the middle stage of the Profound Immortal realm. His breakthrough speed was truly growing ever more rapid.

"Fourth Ancestor Ye, Alioth Continent lies far away. Even for us, the journey will take half a year. We must prepare to depart."

Huo Linglong stood atop Transcendence Peak, ignoring the lively pond below. When Ye Chen appeared, she could not help but show astonishment. Though she had harbored some expectation, she had never truly imagined he would break through a minor realm. He had now reached the middle stage of the Profound Immortal realm. Was the Immortal Spirit Root truly this outrageous? Had every historical bearer of an Immortal Spirit Root in the cultivation world been deliberately concealing their strength?

The more Huo Linglong pondered, the more plausible the conjecture seemed. After all, Wang Xuanji of this generation had possessed an Immortal Spirit Root, only for it to be dug out—proof of how greatly such a root was feared. Yet the thought only deepened her worry for Ye Chen. She feared that even if he survived, his spirit root might still be extracted.

At the last moment, she felt the urge to dissuade him once more. But when she saw the face full of anticipation, she could not utter a single word. She knew it would be useless. She therefore summoned an immortal boat.

Ye Chen raised a hand and brought no female cultivators with him. Alone, he drifted upward and stepped into the vessel.

Huo Linglong boarded as well, yet she did not turn her back to him. Ever since the previous incident, whenever she faced away from Ye Chen, she felt a lingering sense of danger.

Thus, before the eyes of the entire sect, the two departed in a roar. The disciples of the Jade Pool Immortal Sect watched Ye Chen leave with deep reluctance and concern. They all hoped Fourth Ancestor Ye would successfully obtain abundant resources. None, however, imagined he might enter the top ten and become one of the Ten Outstanding. That, after all, seemed truly impossible.

Chapter 1204: Setting Out!

In the Wang Clan of the Immortal Realm, Wang Xuanji stepped out from the forbidden grounds. All nine dragons of the Wang Clan were present. Together they inscribed a great formation upon her body.

"This formation even incorporates a drop of Immortal King essence blood left behind by the old ancestor. With it upon you, anyone who tries to deduce your identity will take you for Wang Bin, one of our clan's prodigies."

"Moreover, the nine of us will go in person."

"Within the trial, no one will be your match."

"Once the trial ends, with the nine of us present, even an Immortal King will not dare lay a hand on you."

"So even if an accident occurs and your identity is exposed, you need not worry. We can withdraw at our leisure."

The nine dragons were full of confidence. Wang Xuanji looked at the nine of them and slowly activated the formation upon her body. In the next moment, she transformed into a young man. Even her gaze turned firm and resolute, no longer carrying the lofty air of before. Even an Immortal King would be unable to see through her current disguise.

"We originally intended for you to remain in cultivation and never leave the forbidden grounds again."

"Yet this time the Heavenly Secrets Hall and the various great powers have truly displayed astonishing resolve and invincible ambition."

"They are even willing to offer up the Chaos Secret Realm formed after the shattering of Boundless Nether Continent—a place contested for hundreds of thousands of years without resolution."

"It is said that traces of the World Dao Fruit have been sighted within. Xuanji possesses the World Tree. If she can also obtain the World Dao Fruit, then after she recovers to the Great Luo realm, the immortal domain she awakens will advance yet further."

"The benefits for comprehending the Great Dao of Space in the future will be immense."

"It is worth the risk!"

The crowd discussed animatedly, all deeply concerned with Wang Xuanji's affairs. Feeling the warmth of her clansmen working together to aid her, Wang Xuanji was moved. Yet from time to time a faint puzzlement stirred in her heart.

She had once heard that before the arrival of the Other Domain, the nine dragons, though united in major matters, still had considerable internal strife and would occasionally come to blows.

After the final battle, however, the nine dragons had become completely united. Since her birth, she had never seen any of them, including her father, show the slightest discord. No matter how great a treasure they obtained, once the nine dragons settled upon the optimal solution, they would execute it without hesitation.

Outsiders claimed it was because the Heavenly Emperor of that year had been too terrifying, forcing the nine into thorough enlightenment and unity. Yet Wang Xuanji occasionally sensed something subtle about it, though she could not put it into words.

She set the matter aside. In her mind, the figure of Ye Chen appeared. Having finally left the forbidden grounds once more, she actually wished to see him. Whether he would come, however, remained unknown.

After all, the scale of this grand ceremony was truly immense. Even several Great Luo-level existences might appear. No matter how monstrous Ye Chen was, he was at most a Profound Immortal at present. The gap was simply too great.

If Ye Chen did not come, so be it. But if he truly possessed the courage to appear, she would of course take action to protect him. She would also take the chance to ask why he had held back with her, why he had come to the Immortal Realm yet never sought her out, and just what the matter with that Long Wu was all about.

The nine dragons of the Wang Clan also brought up Ye Chen, instructing Wang Xuanji that if she encountered him, she should bring him under her control. Although his realm was temporarily a little low, as long as resources were invested in his cultivation, his value would still be enormous.

In the Buddhist Realm, a figure descended from the Compassionate Ferry Quiet Nunnery. Though clad in monastic robes, her graceful figure could not be concealed. A purple-gold five-clawed divine dragon flew beside her.

Upon the ferry that had come to receive her stood the prodigies of the Buddhist Realm. Some remained silent, some carried the might of dragons, tigers, or elephants, and others floated with an air of detachment from the dust of the world. Yet none showed the slightest disdain toward the approaching figure.

The woman was named Yan Ruyu. Her origins were unknown, yet on the very first day she entered the Buddhist Realm, she had been sensed by the Seven Emotions Female Buddha of the Compassionate Ferry Quiet Nunnery.

The Female Buddha had personally acted, brought her up the mountain, tonsured her, and accepted her as her sole personal disciple. The degree of importance placed upon her was difficult to imagine.

Beyond the Immortal King Scripture, the nunnery had even brought forth the Bodhisattva relics treasured for countless generations, using them to raise Yan Ruyu's cultivation.

Bodhisattva relics were supreme treasures. Only existences at the Immortal Monarch level could possibly leave them behind upon falling. They not only elevated cultivation but also granted many profound mysteries, providing comprehensive enhancement. Each relic refined yielded the true meaning of a great power's divine abilities from life, along with numerous other benefits.

Under these circumstances, Yan Ruyu's cultivation advanced a thousand miles in a single day. In a mere dozen years or so, she had already reached the peak of the Golden Immortal realm. Thus no one dared underestimate this nun of shallow seniority, still less when a five-clawed golden dragon accompanied her, clear proof of extraordinary fortune.

Yan Ruyu boarded the ferry, ignoring the measuring gazes of those around her. Her noble eyes gazed beyond the Buddhist Realm and revealed a smile. In that instant, it was as though a hundred flowers had bloomed.

Many prodigies from monasteries that forbade marriage found themselves entertaining thoughts of returning to secular life. One prodigy from the Joyful Buddha sect in particular longed to discuss cultivation matters with her at once.

Her appearance was peerless, her bearing rare in all the world. She resembled a lofty and precious jade capable of disturbing anyone's state of mind. Yan Ruyu paid no attention to any of them. In her mind, a single figure appeared.

She had come to the Immortal Realm and encountered astonishing opportunities. Her master had cultivated her with wholehearted effort and poured everything into her, bringing about tremendous progress. She had now reached the peak of the Golden Immortal realm. Yet Yan Ruyu believed that Ye Chen, within the Immortal Realm, would certainly be no less accomplished.

At this grand ceremony of the Immortal Realm, every prodigy would gather, and Ye Chen would of course be among them. At last she would be able to see him again. With her present strength, even if she could not aid him greatly, she would no longer be a mere burden waiting to be rescued. She would be able to stand side by side with Ye Chen and contend together for a place among the Ten Outstanding.

With a deep rumble, the ferry set forth, endless Buddhist nature flowing around it as it flew beyond the Buddhist Realm.

In the He Clan, the clan had exchanged resources and supreme treasures for three quotas. Today was the appointed day of departure. Two peak Golden Immortal prodigies of the He Clan stood with imposing auras, resembling divine cranes of the firmament, far surpassing the likes of He Duguan of former days by countless measures. Yet as they waited upon the immortal boat, they dared not show the slightest impatience. Everything was because they awaited He Ziling.

He Ziling was the most monstrously talented existence the He Clan had produced in recent years. Within the Immortal Realm branch of the clan, he was called Little Peerless Crane, a title that revealed the recognition of his aptitude.

After a long wait, a tall and upright figure flew forth and landed upon the immortal boat. The two hastily paid their respects, adopting the manner of those who would follow his lead. "Elder Brother, if that successor of the Heavenly Emperor also comes, will Elder Brother act personally?"

He Ziling, handsome and imposing with strange phenomena rising behind him, merely smiled faintly. "If that fellow comes, the two of you may handle him. I am going this time only to suppress as many of the Immortal Realm's top-tier prodigies as possible. I will let the main family of the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths know that even though we have wandered abroad, the divine blood of the He Clan still flows within our bodies. When we reach the arena, I will first defeat the opponents from the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths, then declare my surrender."